BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field Of The Invention

The present invention relates to a convertible stroller

and, in particular, to such a stroller that can be

conveniently and rapidly converted from a normal

configuration to a bassinet configuration.

Description Of The Related Art

Conventional strollers may include a variety of

features. For example, some conventional strollers may be

changed to several configurations, including various

reclining configurations, and various folded configurations.

However, conventional strollers suffer from the drawback of

not being able to conveniently and rapidly change from a

normal configuration, wherein the child is generally sitting

upright or reclined, to a bassinet configuration where the

child (or an infant) may lie down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the

above circumstances, and has as an object of the present

invention a convertible stroller for convenient conversion

between a plurality of configurations comprising a frame

structure, a back rest portion connected to the frame

structure at a first pivot point to allow the back rest

portion to recline between an upright and a reclined

position, a foot rest portion connected to the frame

structure at a second pivot point to allow the foot rest

portion to rotate between a lowered position and an elevated

position, and an arm bar slidably connected to the frame

structure to allow the arm bar to move between a closed

position and an extended position.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will

be set forth in part in the description which follows and in

part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned

by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of

the invention may be realized and attained by means of the

instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out

in the appended claims .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to

provide a further understanding of the invention and are

incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification,

illustrate one embodiment of the invention and together with

the written description serve to explain the principles of

the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stroller according

to the present invention in a normal configuration;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a stroller according

to the present invention in a bassinet configuration;

Figure 3 is a side view of the structural skeleton of

the stroller in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 (a) is a bottom view and Figure 4 (b) is a side

view of the arm bar according to the present invention; and

Figure 5(a) is a side view, Figure 5(b) is a top view,

and Figure 5(c) is an end view of a button according to the

present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present

preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which

is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a stroller 100 which generally includes

a handle 102, a collapsible canopy 104, an adjustable

backrest portion 106, a seat portion 107, an arm bar 108,

and an adjustable footrest portion 110. The backrest

portion 110 is shown in the upright position to facilitate a

child sitting up, and the footrest portion 110 is shown in a

lower position to allow the child's legs to extend downward.

The arm bar 108 is shown with a cushion portion 112

generally surrounding a portion of the arm bar 108.

Figure 2 generally shows the stroller 100 converted

into a bassinet configuration. In general, the bassinet

configuration of the stroller 100 provides a bassinet area

202 wherein the backrest portion 106 is in a fully reclined

position, and the arm bar 108 (only a portion of which is

shown in Fig. 2) is extended in an outward direction. The

leg rest 110 (not shown in Figure 2 ) has been rotated upward

to a substantially level position to form a lower portion of

the bassinet area 202. The bassinet configuration further

includes a boot 200 which is placed over the arm bar and to

provide a side wall surrounding the bassinet area 202. The

boot 200 is preferably made of an insulated cloth and

fastened to the stroller 100 by means of a snap or button

204. Also, the canopy 104 is shown in an uncovered position

in Figure 2.

The details of the conversion aspects of the present

invention will now be described with reference to Figures 3-

5. Figure 3 shows the structural skeleton 300 of the

stroller in accordance with the present invention. In

particular, the handle 102 is shown in a position similar to

that shown in Figures 1 and 2. The skeleton of the

collapsible canopy 104 is further shown in a fully uncovered

position, and the backrest portion 106 is shown in the fully

reclined position. The canopy pivots about a point

generally indicated at point 302, and the backrest pivots

about point 304. The leg rest portion 110 is shown in an

elevated position in Figure 3 to provide a portion of the

floor for the bassinet area 202.

Figure 3 also shows a front leg support member 308 and

a rear leg support member 309. The frame structure 300

preferably includes a pair of front leg support members and

a pair of rear leg support members 309. A collapsing pivot

point 310 is connected to an end of the front leg support

member 308 and an end of the rear leg support member 309.

Collapsing pivot point 310 allows the leg members 308 and

309 to collapse, thereby allowing the frame structure to

fold up.

Figure 3 further shows a side piece 312 connected to

the frame structure 300 and generally for providing a guide

structure for the arm bar 108. In particular, the side

piece 312 generally includes a circular orifice for

receiving the preferred arm bar 108 and further includes a

mechanism for locking the arm bar in position. Figure 3

shows the arm bar 108 in the closed position in solid line,

and in an extended position by dashed line. As part of the

locking mechanism, the side piece includes a button 314 for

use in locking the arm bar in its desired position. Of

course, it should be understood that the arm bar could be

removed from the structural skeleton to provide yet another

configuration.

The leg rest portion 110 is also shown in Figure 3

in a dashed line in the normal downward position shown in

Figure 1. A locking member 306 is shown connected to a

front leg support member 308 and an intermediate point in

the leg rest 110. The locking member 306 preferably

comprises a wire which slides in a groove with a notch to

lock the leg rest portion 110 in the desired positions. As

can be seen, a substantially flat bassinet bed area is

created by the full reclined backrest portion 106, the seat

portion 107, and the elevated leg rest portion 110.

To install the boot 200 shown in Figure 2, the user

simply extends the preferred cloth structure over the

extended arm bar 108 (shown in dashed lines in Figure 3) and

over the elevated leg rest portion 110 to a configuration as

shown in Figure 2. The boot is fastened to the frame

structure by a snap or button 204. Preferably, the boot is

a cloth material, and may be insulated to retain the warmth

of the child in the bassinet area. Additionally, the boot

200 may include a cover portion (not shown) , preferably of a

cloth material, which can cover the bassinet area 202.

Preferably, the cover portion may be attached to the boot

200 by a zipper structure (not shown) at the inner edge of

the boot surrounding the bassinet structure. Of course, the

zipper may be partially closed to only partially cover the

bassinet area as desired.

Figure 4 (a) shows a bottom view of a preferred arm bar

108 in accordance with the present invention. In

particular, the arm bar 108 generally comprises a U-shaped member, preferably a hollow steel tube, including two side

portions 400 and 402 and a center portion 404. The

cushioned portion 112 is not shown in Figure 4. Each side

portion includes a plurality of dimples 406. Figure 4(b)

shows a side view of the arm bar 108 and shows a bend in the

bar generally indicated at area 410 which causes the center

member to extend upwards slightly. Figure 4(b) also shows a

side view of the side member 400 and the dimples 406.

Figure 5 shows a side, top, and end view of the button

314 according to a preferred embodiment of the present

invention. As can be seen in Figure 5(a) , the button 314

includes an end 500 to be pushed by the user. A notch 502

and protruding portion 504 are also shown in Figure 5(a) .

As explained below, the notch 502 engages with the dimples

406 on the arm bar 108 to lock the arm bar in place.

Figure 5(b) shows a top view of the button 314 and

generally shows two side portions 506 each including tab

ends 508. Side portions 506 and tab ends 508 operate to

secure the button in the side piece 312 shown in Figure 3.

Preferably, the side piece 312 includes an oval orifice (not

shown) to receive the button 314 and an appropriate inner

lip (not shown) such that the side portions 506 are

compressed slightly upon insertion, and the tab ends 508

snap into position and secure the button in place against

the inner lip of the orifice (not shown) . Figure 5 (c) shows

an end view of the button 314.

During operation, the button is preferably biased

outward by a spring (not shown) such that the extending

portion 504 is engaged with a dimple 406 on the arm bar 108.

To adjust the position of the arm bar 108, the user

depresses the button 314 such that the notch 502 is adjacent

the dimples and thereby allows the circular arm bar 108 to

slide. As the arm bar 108 slides to the new position, the

spring (not shown) biases the button 314 to cause the

extending portion 504 to engage with the appropriate dimple

406, thereby locking the arm bar in place. With this

procedure, the arm bar 108 can be adjusted to the closed or

extended position.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of

the invention has been presented for purposes of

illustration and description. It is not intended to be

exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in

light of the above teachings or may be acquired from

practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and

described in order to explain the principles of the

invention and its practical application to enable one

skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various

embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to

the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the

scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended

hereto, and their equivalents.