IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,441,385
Granted Patent B2
US 12,441,385 · App. 17/926,954 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Winch systems for child containment devices

Inventors: Brandon Michael Burkholder (Atlanta, GA); Brandon Seth Cross (Atlanta, GA); David Thomas Hotard (Peachtree Corners, GA); Karl Hewson (Cambridgeshire, GB); Claire Georgina Radha Wilkinson (Cambridgeshire, GB); Andrew Wynne (Cambridgeshire, GB); Neil Lester Campbell (Cambridgeshire, GB); Paul Edward Hopkinson (Cambridgeshire, GB); Conor Mark Devine (Cambridgeshire, GB)
Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc.
B62B9/245B60N2/2809B60N2/2812B62B9/104B62B9/12B62B2206/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,441,385
App. No.
17/926,954
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A winch reel system is provided for use in child containment devices. The winch reel systems can include a one-way winch reel, a two-way winch reel, a multi-cord winch reel, and/or a drawstring winch reel. The winch reel systems can be included in various child containment devices, including strollers, infant rockers, children's car seats, playards, infant swings, baby carriers, bouncers, jumpers, high chairs, play mats, baby gates, children's booster seats, and/or other types of infant carrier or containment systems and devices. Each winch reel system can include one or more wires that are engaged with a winch reel in order to adjust at least one feature of a child containment device. In other embodiments, the one or more wires can be replaced with one or more lines, cables, or straps. In some embodiments, each winch reel system can include at least one toothed pawl to engage the winch reel.

Claims (37)

1. A stroller comprising:

a child containment device;

a winch reel, wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust at least one feature of the stroller, and wherein the winch reel comprises at least one of: a one-way winch reel, a two-way winch reel, a multi-cord winch reel, or a drawstring winch reel; and

a toothed pawl, wherein the toothed pawl engages the winch reel to adjust the at least one feature of the stroller, and wherein the toothed pawl is one of a toothed pawl, a ratchet, a catch, a cog, a sprocket, pinions, fangs, tusks, a tine, a gear, or a cam.

2. The stroller of claim 1 , further comprising at least one wire having a first end coupled to the winch reel and a distal second end, wherein the winch reel adjusts at least one of a length and a tension in the at least one wire.

3. The stroller of claim 2 , wherein the wire is one of a line, a wire, a cable, a cord, a rope, a monofilament, an elastic, a spring, a braid, a strand, a string, a hawser, a tape, a thread, a ribbon, a twine, a yarn, a ligature, a fillis, a creance, or a strap.

4. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the child containment device is at least one of: a stroller seat, or a child car seat.

5. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the child containment device is a child car seat comprising:

a first shoulder harness; and

a second shoulder harness.

6. The stroller of claim 5 , wherein the at least one feature adjusted by the winch reel on the child car seat is at least one of: a length of at least one of the first shoulder harness and the second shoulder harness, or a distance between the first shoulder harness and the carrier backrest.

7. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the child containment device is a child car seat comprising:

a seat shell comprising a seat bottom and a seat back;

soft goods covering at least a portion of the seat bottom and seat back; and

a plurality of harness straps.

8. The stroller of claim 7 , wherein the at least one feature adjusted by the winch reel on the child's car seat is at least one of: a length of the plurality of harness straps, a length of a top tether coupled to a rear side of the seat shell, a length of a stabilizer foot coupled to a front side of the child's car seat, a position of cushioning in the soft goods, a recline of the seat back, a rotation position of the seat shell with respect to a seat base coupled to the seat shell, a tension of a coupling of the soft goods to the seat shell, a plurality of vent openings in the soft goods, a vertical position of padding within the soft goods, a shape of the soft goods, a tension in an isofix coupling device disposed along a rear side of the child's car seat, a length of a harness clasp removably coupled to at least two of the plurality of harness straps, or another adjustable feature of the child's car seat.

9. The stroller of claim 1 , further comprising:

a stroller frame comprising:

a front stroller frame;

a rear stroller frame; and

a handle frame;

a seat bottom;

a seat back;

at least one first wheel coupled to the front stroller frame;

at least one second wheel coupled to the rear stroller frame; and

a plurality of harness straps.

10. The stroller of claim 9 , wherein the at least one feature adjusted by the winch reel on the stroller is at least one of: a length of the plurality of harness straps, a rotation of a footrest movably coupled to the seat bottom, a position of a canopy, a height of the stroller frame, a width of the stroller frame, a recline position of the seat back, a radius of at least one of the at least one first wheel and the at least one second wheel, a position of the seat bottom, a break resistance on at least one of the at least one first wheel and the at least one second wheel, a plurality of vent openings in the seat back, a tension of a coupling of soft goods to the seat bottom and the seat back, a coupling of a mosquito net to the seat bottom, a coupling of a rain cover to the stroller frame, an opening of a shopping container disposed below the seat bottom, a position of a blanket over the seat bottom, or a folding tension of the stroller.

11. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is a first winch reel, further comprising:

a second winch reel.

12. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is disposed on a rear side of the stroller.

13. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust a seat recline of the stroller.

14. The stroller of claim 13 , wherein the winch reel is configured to further adjust a leg rest angle of the stroller.

15. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust a height of the stroller.

16. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust a wheel size of wheels of the stroller.

17. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust a width of the stroller.

18. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to allow the stroller to be folded.

19. The stroller of claim 1 , wherein the winch reel is configured to adjust a storage space size of the stroller.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2023
From: BURKHOLDER, BRANDON MICHAEL; CROSS, BRANDON SETH; HOTARD, DAVID THOMAS; HEWSON, KARL; RADHA WILKINSON, CLAIRE GEORGINA; WYNNE, ANDREW; CAMPBELL, NEIL LESTER; HOPKINSON, PAUL EDWARD; DEVINE, CONOR MARK
To: GRACO CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062823/0350 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63028289 · May 21, 2020
Related Publication 20230202550A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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