Stroller With Integrated Child Sensor

1 . A stroller, comprising:

a first stroller component;

a second stroller component comprising a child receiving portion;

a drive mechanism operatively engaged with at least one of the first and second stroller components to move the at least one of the first and second stroller components from a first position to a second position; and

an object sensor operably coupled to the child receiving portion,

wherein the object sensor provides a signal that prevents movement of the first and second stroller components from the first position to the second position if the object sensor detects the presence of an object in the child receiving portion.

2 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first position is an open position and the second position is a collapsed position.

3 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the object sensor.

4 . The stroller in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal from the object sensor and prevent actuation of the drive mechanism if an object is detected in the child receiving portion.

5 . The stroller in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the controller is a microprocessor.

6 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object sensor sends a signal to a display to provide a visual indication to a user if an object is present in the child receiving portion.

7 . The stroller in accordance with claim 3 , further comprising at least one position sensor provided at a selective location on the frame to send a signal indicative of the positions of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component to the controller.

8 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising one or more latches in operative engagement therewith, which one or more latches are moveable between a latched position in which the one or more latches prevent movement of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component toward their second positions, and an unlatched position in which the one or more latches allow movement of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component toward their second positions, with the one or more latches being movable to their unlatched positions by one or more latch drive mechanisms operatively connected thereto.

9 . The stroller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein a common drive serves as both the drive mechanism for moving at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component and the one or more latch drive mechanisms for moving the one or more latches.

10 . The stroller in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the control system to stop actuation of the one or more latch drive mechanisms upon receipt of the signal.

11 . The stroller in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising a display and one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the display when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the display providing visual confirmation to the user that the one or more latches are in their latched positions.

12 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a disengaging mechanism for disengaging the operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components.

13 . The stroller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the disengaging mechanism comprises a manual override mechanism which is selectively operable between a first position in which the manual override mechanism effects operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components, and a second position in which the manual override effects disengagement of the operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components to facilitate manual movement of the at least one of the first and second stroller components.

14 . A stroller, comprising:

a collapsible carriage frame movable between a collapsed position and an open position;

a child receiving portion coupled to the collapsible carriage frame; and

an object sensor operably coupled to the child receiving portion,

wherein the object sensor provides a signal that prevents movement of the collapsible carriage frame from the open position to the collapsed position if the object sensor detects the presence of an object in the child receiving portion.

15 . The stroller in accordance with claim 14 , further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the object sensor.

16 . The stroller in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a drive mechanism operatively engaged with at least one component of the collapsible carriage frame to move the at least one component from the open position to the collapsed position and vice versa.

17 . The stroller in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal from the object sensor and prevent actuation of the drive mechanism if an object is detected in the child receiving portion.

18 . The stroller in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the controller is a microprocessor.

19 . The stroller in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object sensor sends a signal to a display to provide a visual indication to a user if an object is present in the child receiving portion.

20 . The stroller in accordance with claim 14 , further comprising at least one position sensor provided at a selective location on the frame to send a signal indicative of the positions of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component to the controller.