Transport vehicle accessory locking mechanisms
View Patent ↗A transport vehicle including one or more accessory connectors for releasably locking one or more vehicle accessories to the transport vehicle. An accessory connector may releasably lock a first accessory within a first slot defined by the accessory connector and a second accessory within a second slot defined by the accessory connector. In some embodiments, the accessory connector may simultaneously releasably lock the first accessory and the second accessory within the first and second slots, respectively. The accessory connectors facilitate simple, quick, and easy attachment and detachment of vehicle accessories so that the transport vehicle may be easily converted between different modes of use.
1. A child transport vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame;
an accessory connector attached to the vehicle frame, the accessory connector comprising:
a first slot configured to receive a portion of a first accessory;
a second slot configured to receive a portion of a second accessory; and
a single actuator configured to releasably lock both the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and the portion of the second accessory in the second slot.
2. The child transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to simultaneously releasably lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and releasably lock the portion of the second accessory in the second slot.
3. The child transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a lever having an anchored end pivotally attached to the accessory connector about a pivot point and a free end.
4. The child transport vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the lever is configured to rotate about the pivot point between a first position and a second position; and
wherein the lever is configured to lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and the portion of the second accessory in the second slot when the lever is in the first position.
5. The child transport vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the lever comprises a first locking pin configured to releasably lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and a second locking pin configured to releasably lock the portion of the second accessory in the second slot.
6. The child transport vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the second locking pin is connected to the lever via a coupling.
7. The child transport vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the coupling is pivotally connected to the second locking pin.
8. The child transport vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the first slot comprises a first aperture configured to receive a portion of the first locking pin and the second slot comprises a second aperture configured to receive a portion of the second locking pin.
9. A child transport vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame; and
an accessory connector attached to the vehicle frame, the accessory connector comprising:
a housing defining a first slot configured to receive a portion of a first accessory,
a lever assembly pivotally connected to the housing and configured to releasably lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot, the lever assembly comprising a lever and a locking cam,
wherein the lever is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position,
wherein the locking cam is configured to protrude into the first slot when the lever is in the first position so as to lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot,
wherein the locking cam is configured to force the portion of the first accessory against the housing when the lever is in the first position to thereby stabilize the first accessory,
wherein the housing further defines a second slot configured to receive a portion of a second accessory, and
wherein the lever assembly further comprises a lock configured to releasably lock the portion of a second accessory in the second slot.
10. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the locking cam is configured to move out of the first slot when the lever is in the second position so as to unlock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot.
11. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lever assembly further comprises an elastic member configured to bias the lever in the first position.
12. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lever assembly further comprises one or more knobs configured to engage one or more recesses disposed on the housing when the lever is in the first position.
13. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the locking cam is configured to engage a detent in the portion of the first accessory when the first accessory is received in the first slot and the lever is in the first position.
14. The child transport vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the engagement between the locking cam and the detent biases the lever towards the first position and biases an end of the portion of the first accessory towards a stop wall of the first slot, and
wherein movement of the end of the portion of the first accessory away from the stop wall increases the bias of the lever towards the first position.
15. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the locking cam is integrally formed with the lever and defines at least a portion of the lever.
16. The child transport vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the housing about a first pivot point and the locking cam is pivotally connected to the housing about a second pivot point.
17. The child transport vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the locking cam is a geared locking cam having a first set of teeth and the lever comprises a second set teeth configured to engage the first set of teeth on the geared locking cam, and
wherein the lever is configured to actuate the geared locking cam by rotating between the first and second positions.
18. A child transport vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame defining a cargo area having a child passenger seat; and
an accessory connector attached to the vehicle frame, the accessory connector comprising:
a housing defining a first slot having a side wall configured to receive a portion of a first accessory and a second slot configured to receive a portion of a second accessory; and
a lever comprising a first lock configured to releasably lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and a second lock configured to releasably lock the portion of the second accessory in the second slot,
wherein the lever is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, and
wherein the first lock is configured to force the portion of the first accessory against the side wall of the first slot when the lever is in the first position to thereby stabilize the first accessory.
19. A child transport vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle frame;
an accessory connector attached to the vehicle frame, the accessory connector comprising:
a first slot configured to receive a portion of a first accessory;
a second slot configured to receive a portion of a second accessory; and
an actuator configured to simultaneously releasably lock the portion of the first accessory in the first slot and releasably lock the portion of the second accessory in the second slot.
20. The child transport vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the actuator comprises a lever having an anchored end pivotally attached to the accessory connector about a pivot point and a free end.