Foldable stroller and automatic folding tray for same
A stroller has a frame reconfigurable between an in-use configuration and a folded configuration. A fold joint on the frame, when in a latched orientation, retains the frame in the in-use configuration. A seat is supported by the frame and a tray extends across and is spaced forward from the seat assembly. The fold joint is coupled to a portion of the tray and is configured to: a) move the tray to a deployed position relative to the seat when the frame is moved to the in-use configuration; b) retain the tray in the deployed position when in the in-use orientation; and c) release and allow the tray to move to a folded position when the frame is moved to the folded configuration. The fold joint is configured to hide and covers the various fold latch and tray fold components.
1. A stroller comprising:
a frame assembly reconfigurable between an in-use configuration and a folded configuration;
a fold joint on the frame assembly that, when in a latched orientation, retains the frame assembly in the in-use configuration;
a seat assembly supported by the frame assembly;
a tray extending across and spaced forward from the seat assembly; and
a tray boss protruding from part of the fold joint,
wherein the tray boss is coupled to a portion of the tray and is configured to
a) move the tray to a deployed position relative to the seat assembly when the frame assembly is moved to the in-use configuration,
b) retain the tray in the deployed position when in the in-use orientation, and
c) release and allow the tray to move to a folded position when the frame assembly is moved to the folded configuration.
2. The stroller according to claim 1 , wherein the fold joint has a fold slot and a fold pin that is captured within the fold slot.
3. The stroller according to claim 2 , wherein the fold pin is held stationary and the fold slot moves about the pivot axis with part of the frame assembly.
4. The stroller according to claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly includes a handle assembly that is pivoted about the fold joint to reconfigure the frame assembly between the folded and unfolded configurations.
5. The stroller according to claim 1 , wherein the fold joint has first and second hub parts pivotally coupled to one another and has a third hub part coupled to the tray and being pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the first and second hub parts.
6. The stroller according to claim 5 , wherein the first, second, and third hub parts combine to form a hub.
7. The stroller according to claim 6 , wherein the fold joint has a fold latch, a fold pin, a fold slot, a tray boss captured within a first track, and a second track, the fold pin captured within the fold slot and the second track.
8. The stroller according to claim 7 , wherein the first, second, and third hub parts define a hub that covers and hides the fold latch, the fold pin, the fold slot, the tray boss, and the first and second tracks, whether the fold joint is in the in-use orientation or a folded orientation or moving therebetween.
9. The stroller according to claim 1 , wherein the tray boss is blocked from moving in one direction by a fold pin of the fold joint and in an opposite direction by one extreme end of a track when retained in the deployed position.
10. The stroller comprising:
a frame assembly reconfigurable between an in-use configuration and a folded configuration;
a fold joint on the frame assembly that, when in a latched orientation, retains the frame assembly in the in-use configuration;
a seat assembly supported by the frame assembly; and
a tray extending across and spaced forward from the seat assembly,
wherein the fold joint is coupled to a portion of the tray and is configured to
a) move the tray to a deployed position relative to the seat assembly when the frame assembly is moved to the in-use configuration,
b) retain the tray in the deployed position when in the in-use orientation, and
c) release and allow the tray to move to a folded position when the frame assembly is moved to the folded configuration,
wherein the fold joint has a fold latch, a fold pin, a fold slot, a tray boss captured within a first track, and a second track, the fold pin captured within the fold slot and the second track.
11. The stroller according to claim 10 , wherein the fold joint includes a hub that covers and hides the fold latch, the fold pin, the fold slot, the tray boss, and the first and second tracks, whether the fold joint is in the in-use orientation or a folded orientation or moving therebetween.
12. A fold joint for a stroller comprising:
a first hub part fixed to a first frame element;
a second hub part fixed to a second frame element, the first and second hub parts pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis between an in-use orientation and a folded orientation;
a latch shuttle movable between a latched position locking the first and second hub parts in the in-use orientation and an unlatched position unlocking the first and second hub parts;
a fold pin carried on one of the first and second hub parts;
a fold slot carried on the other of the first and second's hub parts at a radial distance from the pivot axis; and
a tray having a tray part coupled to and pivotable about the pivot axis relative to the first and second hub parts, the tray part having a first track at the same radial distance from the pivot axis,
wherein the fold pin is captured in both the fold slot and the track and which, at least in part, controls movement of the tray when the fold joint is reoriented between the in-use and folded orientations.
13. The fold joint according to claim 12 , wherein the first frame element is a front leg of a frame assembly of the stroller and wherein the second frame element is a push arm of a handle assembly of the frame assembly.
14. The fold joint according to claim 12 , wherein the second hub part has a pair of plates that are spaced apart from one another and the pivot axis is defined through and generally perpendicular to the pair of plates, and wherein the first hub part has a disc sandwiched between the pair of plates.
15. The fold joint according to claim 12 , wherein the second hub part has two of the fold slots, a pair of plates that are spaced apart from one another, and the pivot axis is defined between the pair of plates, and wherein each plate of the pair of plates carries one of the fold slots.
16. The fold joint according to claim 15 , wherein the first hub part has a disc sandwiched between the pair of plates and pivotable about the pivot axis.
17. The fold joint according to claim 16 , wherein the latch shuttle has a latching end that engages a latch notch in a perimeter of the disc in the latched orientation.
18. The fold joint according to claim 12 , wherein the tray part carries a second track and the second hub part carries a tray boss captured within the second track, the second track being at a different radial distance from the pivot axis than the fold slot and first track.
19. The fold joint according to claim 18 , wherein the tray boss and second track, at least in part, control movement of the tray when the fold joint is reoriented between the in-use and folded orientations.
20. The fold joint according to claim 12 , further comprising a hub that encloses and hides the fold pin, latch shuttle, fold slot, and first track when the fold joint is in the folded orientation, in the in-use orientation, and moving therebetween.