Title: Tricycle push handle arrangement
Abstract: A push handle arrangement for a tricycle where the tricycle includes a front wheel, a pair of rear wheels and a frame member extending there between. A push handle cup passes through the frame member and defines a chamber that is sized to receive the lower portion of a push handle. The lower portion of the push handle is provided with a spring pin. The push handle cup includes an aperture that is sized and positioned to receive the spring pin of the push handle when the lower portion of the push handle is positioned within the push handle cup.
Patent Number: 6,918,606 Issued on 07/19/2005 to Petrishe
| Inventors:
|
Petrishe; Charles (Brookfield, IL)
|
| Assignee:
|
Radio Flyer Inc. (Chicago, IL)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
638951 |
| Filed:
|
August 11, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
280/293; 280/288.4 |
| Intern'l Class: |
B62H 007/00 |
| Field of Search: |
280/282,292,293,288.4,304.5
403/187,188,192,194,197,201
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 2242427 | May., 1941 | Heanue.
| |
| 2672351 | Mar., 1954 | Kane.
| |
| 2816775 | Dec., 1957 | Costello.
| |
| 3485507 | Dec., 1969 | Christof.
| |
| 4927117 | May., 1990 | Gainey.
| |
| 5028066 | Jul., 1991 | Garth.
| |
| 5154096 | Oct., 1992 | Geller et al.
| |
| 5217240 | Jun., 1993 | Gardenhour, Jr. et al.
| |
| 5303944 | Apr., 1994 | Kalmus.
| |
| 5558348 | Sep., 1996 | Becka.
| |
| 5564726 | Oct., 1996 | Hearn et al.
| |
| 5577750 | Nov., 1996 | Sklar.
| |
| 5581868 | Dec., 1996 | Bisch.
| |
| 5915711 | Jun., 1999 | Seiple.
| |
| 5988663 | Nov., 1999 | Starks.
| |
| 6120048 | Sep., 2000 | Li.
| |
| 6135479 | Oct., 2000 | Tibay et al.
| |
| 6149178 | Nov., 2000 | Bradbury et al.
| |
| 6398248 | Jun., 2002 | Dodson.
| |
Primary Examiner: Morris; Lesley D.
Assistant Examiner: Lum; L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
Claims
1. A children's riding toy comprising:
a) a frame having at least one frame member;
b) a plurality of wheels attached to said frame;
c) a push handle including an upper portion and a lower portion;
d) a push handle cup having a top portion and a bottom portion, said push handle
cup passing through the frame member so that the bottom portion extends below a
bottom surface of the frame member; and
e) said push handle cup defining a chamber that is sized to removably receive
the lower portion of the push handle so that said push handle may be removably
attached to the children's riding toy.
2. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the push handle cup includes
an open top formed in its top portion where the lower portion of said push handle
is inserted into the chamber of the push handle cup through the open top.
3. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the top portion of the push handle
cup extends above a top surface of the frame member.
4. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the push
handle features a spring pin and the bottom portion of the push handle cup includes
an aperture that is sized and positioned to receive the spring pin when the lower
portion of the push handle is inserted into the chamber of the push handle cup.
5. The children's riding toy of claim 4 wherein the spring pin includes a pin
and a leaf spring positioned within the lower portion of the push handle, said
leaf spring abutting the pin so that the pin is urged to extend outwards from the
lower portion of the push handle.
6. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the push handle cup is secured
to the frame member by welds.
7. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the frame member is steel tubing.
8. The children's riding toy of claim 1 wherein the push handle cup includes
a bottom.
9. The children's riding toy of claim 8 where the plush handle cup bottom includes
a drain hole.
10. The children's riding toy of claim 1 where in the upper and lower portions
of the push handle slide relative to one another so that a push handle length may
be selected and further comprising means for locking the upper and lower portions
in the selected push handle length.
11. A children's riding toy comprising:
a) a front wheel, a pair of rear wheels and a frame member constructed from steel
tubing extending there between;
b) a push handle including an upper portion and a lower portion;
c) openings formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the frame members;
and
d) a push handle cup secured within the frame member openings and defining a
chamber sized to removably receive the lower portion of the push handle.
12. A tricycle comprising:
a) a front wheel, a pair of rear wheels and a frame member extending there between;
b) a push handle including an upper portion and a lower portion;
c) an opening formed through the frame member;
d) a push handle cup secured within the frame member opening and defining a chamber
sized to removably receive the lower portion of the push handle and wherein a bottom
portion of the push handle cup extends below a bottom surface of the frame member.
13. The children's riding toy of claim 11 wherein the lower portion of the push
handle features a spring pin and the push handle cup includes an aperture that
is sized and positioned to receive the spring pin when the lower portion of the
push handle is inserted into the chamber of the push handle cup.
14. The children's riding toy of claim 13 wherein the spring pin includes a pin
and a leaf spring positioned within the lower portion of the push handle, said
leaf spring abutting the pin so that the pin is urged to extend outwards from the
lower portion of the push handle.
15. The children's riding toy of claim 11 wherein the push handle cup is secured
within the frame member opening by welds.
16. The children's riding toy of claim 11 wherein the push handle cup includes
a bottom.
17. The children's riding toy of claim 16 wherein the bottom of the push handle
cup has a drain hole formed therein.
18. The children's riding toy of claim 11 where in the upper and lower portions
of the push handle slide relative to one another so that a push handle length may
be selected and further comprising means for locking the upper and lower portions
in the selected push handle length.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to tricycles, and, more particularly, to a
removable push handle arrangement for children's tricycles and the like.
Handles for pushing children's tricycles are known in the art. Such devices
are popular in that they facilitate training a child in the riding of a tricycle.
More specifically, during the initial stages of learning, a parent often must push
the tricycle as the child develops the ability to steer and pedal. A push handle
allows the parent to push the tricycle without bending over. This reduces the risk
that the parent will strain or injure his or her back. In addition, if the tricycle
is equipped with locking handlebars and/or freewheeling pedals, such as in the
case of the PUSH, PEDAL & GO tricycle sold by Radio Flyer Inc. of Chicago, Ill.,
the push handle enables the tricycle to be used as a stroller.
Examples of prior art push handle arrangements are presented in FIGS. 1
and 2. A prior art child's tricycle is indicated in general at
10 in FIG.
1. The tricycle features a tubular steel frame
12. A push handle
bracket, indicated in general at
14, features a cylindrical portion
16
and a flange
18. The push handle bracket is secured by its flange
18
to the tricycle frame
12 via bolts
20a and
20b and
nuts
22a and
22b. A spring pin
24 protrudes
from the cylindrical portion
16 of the push handle bracket. A tubular push
handle
26 is sized so as to fit over the cylindrical portion
16 of
the push handle bracket and features an opening
28 that is sized to receive
the spring pin
24 of the push handle bracket
14. As a result, the
push handle
26 may be removably attached to the tricycle
10.
A tricycle with a similar push handle attachment arrangement is illustrated in
FIG.
2. More specifically, the tricycle, indicated in general at
30,
has a push handle bracket, indicated in general at
32, that is attached
by its flange
34 and bolts and nuts
36a,
36b and
38a,
38b, respectively, to the tubular steel frame
40 of the tricycle. Like the tricycle of FIG. 1, the push handle bracket
32 has a cylindrical section
42 from which a spring pin
44
protrudes. The spring pin
44 is received by an opening
46 formed
in a tubular push handle
48 so that the push handle is removably secured
on the cylindrical portion
42 of push handle bracket
32.
While the push handle arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 perform well,
their push handle brackets must be attached to the tricycles using nuts and bolts.
This requires the use of tools and the nuts or bolts may be accidentally lost.
In addition, the nuts and bolts may loosen as the push handles are used. Excessive
force on the push handles could also cause the cylindrical portions of the push
handle brackets to bend with respect to their flanges.
Other push handle attachment arrangements for tricycles are illustrated in
U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,351 to Kane and U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,178 to Bradbury et al.
In both of these patents, the push handles are attached to the tricycles by push
handle brackets that wrap around the rear portions of the tricycle frames. In both
instances, however, the push handle brackets clamp to the tricycle frames via nuts
and bolts. As a result, the handle attachment arrangements suffer from many of
the same disadvantages as the arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,066 to Garth shows a tricycle with a push handle that passes
through an opening formed through the tricycle's tubular steel frame. A winged
set screw also passes through the tricycle frame in a direction perpendicular to
the longitudinal axis of the push handle and secures the push handle in place.
A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the winged set screw may work lose.
In addition, the push handle is only supported by the sides of the opening that
is formed through the frame.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a push
handle arrangement where the push handle may be quickly and easily attached to
and removed from a tricycle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a push handle arrangement
where the push handle may be securely attached to a tricycle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a push handle arrangement
that is durable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a push handle arrangement
that is economical to construct.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a push handle
arrangement
that is easy to assemble for a consumer.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a push handle
arrangement
where the push handle may be attached to a tricycle without screws, bolts, nuts
or the like.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a push handle
arrangement
where the push handle may be attached to a tricycle without the use of tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a push handle arrangement for a tricycle or other children's
riding toy. The tricycle includes a front wheel, a pair of rear wheels and a frame
member extending there between. An opening is formed through the frame member and
a push handle cup is secured within the frame member opening by welds. A push handle
including an upper portion and a lower portion is provided. The push handle cup
defines a chamber that is sized to removably receive the lower portion of the push handle.
The push handle cup includes a bottom portion that extends beneath a bottom surface
of the frame member. The lower portion of the push handle features a spring pin
and the bottom portion of the push handle cup includes an aperture that is sized
and positioned to receive the spring pin when the lower portion of the push handle
is inserted into the push handle cup chamber. As a result, the push handle may
be easily attached to or removed from the tricycle. The push handle cup includes
a bottom with a drain hole formed therein.
The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings, provide a more
complete understanding of the nature and scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective, partially exploded view of a prior art tricycle
with a push handle;
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective, partially exploded view of a second prior art
tricycle with a push handle;
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective, partially exploded view of a tricycle equipped
with an embodiment of the tricycle push handle arrangement of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the frame of the tricycle of FIG.
3 and the lower portion of the push handle of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the bottom portion of the push handle
cup of FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the frame of FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6;
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the lower portion of the push handle and
push handle cup of FIG. 4 taken along lines 7-7 and 6-6, respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An tricycle equipped with an embodiment of the push handle arrangement of the
present invention is indicated in general at
49 in FIG.
3. The tricycle
features a frame, indicated in general at
50. As is known in the art, the
tricycle features a front wheel
52 having pedals
54 affixed thereto.
The front wheel and pedals are rotatably mounted between a pair of front forks
56. The front forks are connected to handlebars
58 so that the entire
assembly pivots within the head tube
62 of the tricycle frame. This permits
the tricycle to be steered. A pair of rear wheels
66a and
66b
are rotatably mounted on the rear portion of the tricycle frame.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the tricycle frame includes a main frame member or
bar
72. As will be explained in greater detail below, the main frame bar
72
has been equipped with a push handle cup
74 having portions that extend
above and below it. The push handle cup is sized to removably receive a push handle
indicated in general at
76.
The push handle
76 features an upper portion and a lower portion, indicated
at
78 and
82, respectively, in FIG.
3. The lower portion
82
of the push handle is equipped with an upper spring pin
84 while the upper
portion
78 of the push handle features openings
86. A handle grip
87 is provided at the opposite end of the upper portion of the push handle.
The upper portion
78 of the push handle
76 is also sized to receive
the lower portion
82 in a sliding fashion. As a result, the length, and
therefore height, of the push handle
76 may be adjusted. The spring pin
84 engages the appropriate opening
86 when the desired push handle
length has been selected.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the push handle cup, illustrated in general at
74,
includes a bottom portion
92 featuring an aperture
94 as well as
a top portion
96 that includes an open top
98. As illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6, the push handle cup
74 also includes a bottom
102
so that a chamber
103 (FIG. 6) is defined. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the
push handle cup bottom
102 is provided with a drain hole
104. The
drain hole
104 allows water collected in the push handle cup chamber
103
(FIG. 6) to drain when the tricycle is used without the push handle attached thereto.
The cup chamber
103 is sized to receive the lower portion
82 of the
push handle. As a result, as indicated by arrow
105 in FIG. 4, the lower
portion
82 of the push handle may be inserted into or removed from the push
handle cup.
The tricycle frame
50 is preferably constructed from steel tubing. The
main frame bar, indicated in general at
72 in FIG. 6, features a top surface
106 and a bottom surface
108. Openings
110 and
112
are cut or otherwise formed in the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the
main frame bar. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the push handle cup
74
is positioned through the openings of the main frame bar and secured in place by
circumferential welds
114 and
116. This provides a very secure attachment
of the push handle cup to the tricycle frame. Alternatively, the push handle cup
may be integrally molded with the main frame bar or an adhesive or other attachment
method known in the art may be substituted for the circumferential welds.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7, the lower portion
82 of the push handle
(indicated in general at
76 in FIG. 3) is equipped with a spring pin
122.
The spring pin
122 extends radially from the lower portion of the push handle
and is sized to engage the aperture
94 of the bottom portion
92 of
the push handle cup, as illustrated in FIG. 7 (and FIG. 3) when the push handle
is attached to the tricycle.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the rear portion of the spring pin
122 abuts
a leaf spring
124 that is positioned within the push handle lower portion
82. The spring
124 forces the pin
122 into engagement with
push handle cup aperture
94. Spring
124 is preferably U-shaped and
made of spring steel. Other pin and spring arrangements known in the art may be
used as an alternative to the one illustrated in FIG.
7. When one wishes
to remove the push handle from the tricycle, the pin
122 is easily moved
against the force of the spring
124 such that it is moved out of the push
handle cup aperture
94. At that time, the push handle may be easily removed
from the push handle cup, and thus the tricycle itself.
The present invention offers a push handle arrangement that is inexpensive to
construct and that provides for a very durable, secure and stable attachment of
a push handle to a tricycle or the like. The present invention also offers a push
handle arrangement that facilitates assembly of the tricycle by consumers. The
push handle arrangement of the present invention may be used with a wide variety
of alternative tricycle designs and types, including, but not limited to the tricycle
illustrated in FIG.
1. In addition, the push handle arrangement may also
be used with a variety of other children's riding toys and vehicles such as ride-ons,
pedal cars and bicycles.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described,
it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications
may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope
of which is defined by the appended claims.
*
