Further, the present invention is directed to a multi-purpose carrier provided with a safety strap for preventing a baby from escaping from a stroller when the carrier is used as the stroller, the carrier preventing contaminant attached to a wheel from contaminating clothing of a person who wears the carrier and when it is used as the vehicle safety seat, allowing a person who wears the carrier to maintain a stable carriage without contaminating a vehicle seat by the wheel when the carrier is used as the vehicle safety seat.

BACKGROUND ART Strollers carrying a young child or carriers carrying an article are being developed in a composite structure so as to provide a variety of uses as well as the inherent use.

These carriers have an advantage of multi-purpose, but also have a disadvantage of a difficult use due to their complicated structure.

In addition, since these carriers are developed with multi-purpose, there may be caused a problem that was not considered at those days of the development. For instance, when it was used in the past as a stroller and is now used as a carrier, contaminant attached to a front wheel may contaminate a user's clothing. Likewise, when it is installed in a vehicle, the vehicle seat may be contaminated.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose carrier which can be changed and used by a simple manipulation to a child stroller, a carrier and a vehicle safety seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multi- purpose carrier capable of preventing a user's clothing or a vehicle seat from being contaminated owing to the wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multi- purpose carrier which can be changed in various forms which an optimal function is performed.

The objects and characteristics will be understood more clearly through embodiment to be described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above object, other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-purpose foldable carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that a multi- purpose foldable carrier is used as a young child stroller; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing that a multi- purpose foldable carrier is used as only the carrier; FIG. 4 is a side view showing that a multi-purpose foldable carrier is used as only the carrier; FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that a multi-

purpose carrier is used as the vehicle safety seat; FIG. 6 is a side view showing that a multi-purpose carrier is used as the vehicle safety seat; and FIG. 7 illustrates a height control unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-purpose foldable carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A pair of front wheels 50a and 50b are coupled with front support stems 51a and 51b respectively. One ends of the front support stems 51a and 51b are curved inwardly by a predetermined angle and coupled with the front wheels 50a and 50b. The other ends of the front support stems 51a and 51b are coupled with one ends of front hinge units 52a and 52b so as to be rotatable. The other ends of the front hinge units 52a and 52b are connected with front support posts 53a and 53b.

The front wheels 50a and 50b are rotatable by 360 ° with respect to ground, and used to change an advancing direction.

A pair of rear wheels 50c and 50d are coupled with rear support stems 51c and 51d respectively. One ends of the rear support stems 51c and 51d are curved inwardly by a predetermined angle and coupled with the rear wheels 50c and 50d. The other ends of the rear support stems 51c and 51d are coupled with one ends of rear hinge units 52c and 52d so as

to be rotatable. The other ends of the rear hinge units 52c and 52d are connected with rear support posts 53c and 53d.

Between the front support posts 53a and 53b and the rear support posts 53c and 53d, a front support bar 54 and a rear support bar 55 are installed for allowing the front support posts 53a and 53b and the rear support posts 53c and 53d to be maintained and fixed with a predetermined interval.

Preferably, the front support posts 53a and 53b and the rear support posts 53c and 53d may be made in the form of a single body with an approximate U shape.

Armrests 40 are installed at ends of the front support posts 53a and 53b and the rear support posts 53c and 53d respectively, and handle support posts 14 to be described later are rotatably coupled to one ends of the armrests 40.

A U-shaped handle 10 is possible to control its height.

In a simple structure, the handle 10 is inserted into or withdrawn from the handle support posts 14 to control its height. Like the present embodiment, a handle rotating unit 12 is insertedly installed and thereby the handle 10 is rotatable about the handle rotating unit 12 to thus substantially induce height control effect.

FIG. 7 illustrates a height control unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, penetration holes 119 and 120 are formed at both ends of U-shaped handle 10. Penetration holes 119' and 120'are formed at handle support posts 14 into which both ends of the U-shaped handle 10 are slidably inserted so as to communicate with the penetration holes 119 and 120.

The handle support posts 14 are coupled with each other by means of a connection member 140. At the center portion of the connection member 140 in the length direction, a

communication hole from which a push button 131 is withdrawn is formed. The connection member 140 can be made in various shapes such as a cylinder or a rectangular cylinder.

The push button 131 is inserted into the communication hole with a spring 131a received thereon and has a push button shaft 131c extending to an inside of the connection member 140. An escape preventive piece 131b is coupled with the push button 131 inside the connection member 140.

Hinges 127 and 128 are fixed to an inner wall of the connection member 140 across the center of the connection member 140 at the same locations of both sides about the push button shaft 131c.

Leaf springs 129 and 130 are rotatably coupled with the hinges 127 and 128. Preferably, the leaf springs 129 and 130 placed outwardly about the hinges 127 and 128 are bent. Also, at a location contacting with the push button shaft 131c, the leaf springs 129 and 130 are overlapped with each other such that both the leaf springs 129 and 130 are concurrently operated by movement of the push button 131.

Preferably, the length of the leaf springs 129 and 130 is sufficient to such a degree that rods 121 and 122 are protruded through the penetration holes 119 and 120 while flanges placed at both sides thereof are pressed.

The flanges 141 and 142 are pressingly contacted with both ends of the leaf springs 129 and 130. The rods 121 and 122 are respectively coupled with the flanges 141 and 142 at opposite sides to the contact locations with the leaf springs 129 and 130 and extended. Springs 123 and 124 are inserted onto the rods 121 and 122 to press the flanges 141 and 142 and the handle support posts 14 bidirectionally.

In a state that the push button 131 is not pressed, the

springs 123 and 124 presses the flanges 141 and 142 by means of their restoring forces, so that the leaf springs 129 and 130 are subject to the compressive force of the springs 123 and 124. However, since the leaf springs 129 and 130 are also subject to a pressure by means of the push button 131 fixed by the escape preventive piece 131b, the rods 121 and 122 are protruded through the penetration holes 119,119', 120,120'.

Accordingly, the handle 10 is latched by the rods 121 and 122, so that it is prevented that the handle 10 slides inside the handle support posts 14.

When the push button 131 is pushed so as to control the height of the handle 10 at a minimum height, the push button shaft 131c presses the leaf springs 129 and 130 and rotates about the hinges 127 and 128, so that a compressive. force pressing the flanges 141 and 142 is released.

The flanges 141 and 142 are subject to compressive force due to the restoring force of the springs 123 and 124 and moves, so that the rods 121 and 122 retreat from the penetration holes 119, 119', 120,120'. As a result, the handle 10 is slidable within the handle support post 14, so that it becomes possible to adjust the handle 10 at a minimum height.

The handle support post 14 is pivotally coupled to the rear support posts 53c and 53d by means of a joint hinge unit 60. In other words, the handle support post 14 and the rear support posts 53c and 53d are coupled with each end of the V- shaped joint hinge unit 60, so that angle between the handle support post 14 and the rear support post can be varied arbitrarily.

Also, a pedestal support bar 56 on which one end is rotatably coupled to the front support posts 53a and 53b and

the other end is rotatably coupled to the joint hinge unit 60 is installed.

A backrest 20 has both sides fixed to the handle support post 14. Preferably, the backrest 20 includes a safety shoulderbelt 22. One end of the backrest 20 is hingeably coupled with one end of a pedestal 25, and the other end of the pedestal 25 is coupled with the pedestal support bar 56.

Preferably, the pedestal 25 is constructed such that <BR> <BR> the rear end thereof, i. e. , a boundary between the pedestal 25 and the backrest 20 is placed lower than the front end thereof to form an inverse slope. The backrest 20 and the pedestal 25 are of bioceramic material.

According to the present invention, a portable backrest 30 is fixed to the front support posts 53a and 53b and the front support bar 54, and a pair of shoulderbelts 32 are installed at the portable backrest 30.

Preferably, a portable backrest cover 33 is hingeably coupled with the portable backrest 30 to accommodate the shoulderbelts 32. At both sides of the portable backrest cover 33, extending portions 34 are formed. The extending portions 34 as expanded are fixed to the front support stems 51a and 51b by a fixing ring 35 to prevent swing.

Hereinafter, a use method of the multi-purpose foldable carrier according to the present invention will be described.

First, there will be described an example in which the carrier is used as a stroller with reference to FIG. 2.

Portable shoulderbelt 32 is received in the portable backrest 30 and also the portable backrest cover 33 is folded and coupled with the portable backrest 30. In this state, the portable backrest 30 functions to prevent a young child

located on a seat from escaping from the seat. In other words, the extending portions 34 of the portable backrest 30 are respectively coupled with the front support posts 53a and 53b to block a front of the seat and thus serve as the escape preventing die.

Also, a young child who sits on the pedestal 25 wears the safety shoulderbelt 22 couple with the backrest 20. The safety shoulderbelt 22 plays the same role as the safety belt of a vehicle such that the g child is carried.

Especially, as aforementioned, since the pedestal 25 is made in the inverse slope structure that the rear side is leveled lower than the front side, the young child can sit deeper toward the rear side of the pedestal 25, so that the young child can be protected stably.

The handle 10 may be withdrawn at a maximum height or expanded right through the handle rotating unit 12 so that a user can apply a force properly.

As aforementioned, since the front wheels 50a and 50b can be rotated by 360 ° about the ground, they are mainly used to change the advancing direction of the carrier. A breaking unit may be installed in the rear wheels 50c and 50d.

In addition, since the backrest 20 and the pedestal 25 can be formed of bioceramic material, the carrier can radiate far- infrared to thereby help the young child's health.

FIGs. 3 and 4 are a perspective view and a side view showing deformed appearances when a multi-purpose foldable carrier is used as the carrier. Here, the use as the carrier means that a user who wears the carrier moves in a state that a young child or an object article is mounted on the carrier, and can be applied to a circumstance under which the user cannot move by means of the wheels.

First, if the portable backrest cover 33 is separated from the portable backrest 30 and is loosed, it is shaped that the portable shoulderbelt 32 received therein is exposed and the portable backrest cover 33 is extended from the portable backrest 30.

At this time, preferably, if the extending portions 34 formed at both sides of the portable backrest cover 33 are connected to the front support stems 51a and 51b by means of the fixing ring 35, it can be prevented that the portable backrest cover 33 swings while the carrier is moved. Thus, by loosing the portable backrest cover 33 downwardly, it can be prevented that the wearer's cloth is stained with dust or contaminant attached to the front wheels.

Also, if the rear support stems 51c and 51d are bent and curved inwardly and the rear support posts 52c and 52d are pulled inwardly in order to decrease an overall volume of the carrier, the joint hinge unit 60 rotates, so that the handle 10 and the handle support post 14 stand up.

Accordingly, the width between the front side and the rear side decreases.

In the meanwhile, the handle 10 can be maintained at a minimum height or folded completely by means of the handle rotating unit 12.

Thus, in case the foldable carrier is used only as the carrier, it can be prevented that the wearer's cloth is stained with dust or contaminant attached to the front wheels, and an overall volume can be decreased by a simple manipulation.

FIGs. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and a side view showing that a multi-purpose carrier is used as the safety seat.

When a user intends to load the carrier in which a young child rides in a vehicle, the front support stems 51a and 51b and the rear support stems 51c and 51d are curved inwardly so as to be parallel with each other. Accordingly, the front wheels 50a and 50b are inserted into and are overlapped with the rear wheels 50c and 50d.

At this time, in order to prevent that the vehicle seat is stained with dust or contaminant attached to the front wheels and the rear wheels, the wheels may be covered with the wheel cover 70. As the wheel cover 70, clothing can be, for example, used. The wheel cover 70 can be firmly fixed by means of Velcro tape or the like.

In a state that the handle 10 is maintained at a minimum height or folded, if the handle 10 is placed on the vehicle seat and the vehicle safety belt is passed between the rear support posts and the rear support stems and fixed to, the carrier can be firmly fixed to the vehicle seat.

Especially, since the area of the lower portion of the carrier contacting with the vehicle seat is wider than that of the upper portion, it is possible to maintain a stable posture.

Also, since a young child sit on the carrier is fixed to the carrier by the safety shoulderbelt 22, the young child feels such an effect to be substantially fixed by the safety belt.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, a multi-purpose foldable carrier according to the present invention, has a variety of advantages.

First, the multi-purpose foldable carrier can be used in a composite use of a young child stroller, a carrier and a vehicle safety seat by a simple change.

Also, when it is used as the young child stroller, the young child can be protected safely by means of the safety shoulderbelt equipped in the backrest.

Further, when it is used as the carrier, it can be prevented that the wearer's cloth is stained with dust or contaminant attached to a wheel. An overall volume can be decreased.

Furthermore, it can be changed into a proper structure for the vehicle safety seat by a simple manipulation. It can be prevented that the vehicle seat is contaminated by the wheel. Also, since the lower area is made larger than the upper area as a whole, a stable posture can be maintained.

Moreover, since the carrier can be fixed by. the vehicle safety belt and the young child can be fixed by the safety shoulderbelt of the carrier, an optimal safety can be secured.