Passenger transport carriers

Abstract

A child transport carrier includes a lower frame, an upper frame, a rear frame, and a first upper seat support. The lower frame includes a first end and a second end. The upper frame includes a first end and a second end. The rear frame extends from the second end of the lower frame to the second end of the upper frame. The first upper seat support includes a cross-member extending transversely across the first upper seat support and having a first end and a second end. The cross-member is configured to move the first upper seat support between a first seat position and a second seat position. The upper frame extends from an upper end of the rear frame and the lower frame extends from a lower end of the rear frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A child transport carrier comprising:
 a frame assembly defining a passenger compartment, the frame assembly comprising a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, a forward frame portion, and a rear frame portion, the forward frame portion rotatable relative to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion comprising a left upper frame portion member, a middle upper frame portion member, and a right upper frame portion member;   a cover coupled to the frame assembly for at least partially enclosing the passenger compartment;   a first passenger seat comprising a first seat back and a first seat bottom;   a first cross-member extending in a transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the first seat back of the first passenger seat, the first cross-member having a first end coupled to the left upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the middle upper frame portion member;   a first actuator positioned on the first cross-member, wherein actuating the first actuator allows the cross-member to be moved from a first seat position to a second seat position;   a second passenger seat comprising a second seat back and a second seat bottom;   a second cross-member extending in the transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the second seat back of the second passenger seat, the second cross-member having a first end coupled to the middle upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the right upper frame portion member; and   a second actuator positioned on the second cross-member, wherein actuating the second actuator allows the second cross-member to be moved independently of the first cross-member from a first seat position to a second seat position.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the middle upper frame portion member comprises a first middle channel disposed on a left side of the middle upper frame portion member and a second middle channel disposed on a right side of the middle upper frame portion member, and
 wherein the second end of the first cross-member is coupled to the first middle channel and the first end of the second cross-member is coupled to the second middle channel.   
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the left upper frame portion member, the middle upper frame portion member, and the right upper frame portion member are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first cross-member is coupled to the left upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the first end of the first cross-member, and the second end of the first cross-member is coupled the middle upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the second end of the first cross-member, and
 wherein the first end of the second cross-member is coupled to the middle upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the first end of the second cross-member, and the second end of the second cross-member is coupled the right upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the second end of the second cross-member.   
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is positioned at a center of the first cross-member in the transverse direction, and the second actuator is positioned at a center of the second cross-member in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first cross-member is movable from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the first actuator and pulling the first cross-member to the second seat position,
 wherein the first cross-member is movable from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the first actuator and pushing the second cross-member to the first seat position,   wherein the second cross-member is movable independently of the first cross-member from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the second actuator and pulling the second cross-member to the second seat position, and   wherein the second cross-member is movable independently of the first cross-member from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the second actuator and pushing the second cross-member to the first seat position.   
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 6 , wherein:
 when the first cross-member is in the first seat position, the first seat back of the first passenger seat is angled at a first angle relative to a horizontal plane,   when the second cross-member is in the first seat position, the second seat back of the second passenger seat is angled at a second angle relative to the horizontal plane, and   the first angle is equal to the second angle.   
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first lock configured to lock the first cross-member in the first seat position and the second seat position; and   a second lock configured to lock the second cross-member in the first seat position and the second seat position,   wherein actuating the first actuator disengages the first lock, and actuating the second actuator disengages the second lock.   
     
     
         9 . A child transport carrier comprising:
 a frame assembly defining a passenger compartment, the frame assembly comprising a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, a forward frame portion, and a rear frame portion, the forward frame portion rotatable relative to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion comprising a first upper frame portion member and a second upper frame portion member;   a cover coupled to the frame assembly for at least partially enclosing the passenger compartment;   a handle for pushing the carrier coupled to the frame assembly;   a passenger seat comprising a seat back and a seat bottom;   a cross-member extending in a transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the seat back, the cross-member having a first end coupled to the first upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the second upper frame portion member;   a lock configured to lock the cross-member in a first seat position and a second seat position; and   an actuator positioned on the cross-member,   wherein the cross-member is movable from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and moving the cross-member to the second seat position,   wherein the cross-member is movable from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and moving the cross-member to the first seat position, and   wherein the carrier is usable in a bicycle mode in which the carrier is pulled by a bicycle and a stroller mode in which the carrier is pushed by a user.   
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the cross-member is coupled to the first upper frame portion member by a first elongate member extending from the first end of the cross-member, and the second end of the cross-member is coupled the second upper frame portion member by a second elongate member extending from the second end of the cross-member. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the lock is coupled to the first elongate member. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator is positioned at a center of the cross-member in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes a spring that biases the actuator toward a first position. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator is actuated by rotating a portion of the actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the first upper frame portion member is a left upper frame portion member and the second upper frame portion member is a middle upper frame portion member disposed between the left upper frame portion member and a right upper frame portion member. 
     
     
         16 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the cross-member slides from the first seat position to the second seat position. 
     
     
         17 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the first upper frame portion member defines a first channel, and the second upper frame portion member defines a second channel,
 wherein a first projection is coupled to a first end of the cross-member and a second projection is coupled to a second end of the cross-member, and   wherein the first projection is received in the first channel, and the second projection is received in the second channel.   
     
     
         18 . The carrier of  claim 17 , wherein an opening to the first channel is disposed at a rear end of the first upper frame portion member, and an opening to the second channel is disposed at a rear end of the second upper frame portion member. 
     
     
         19 . The carrier of  claim 17 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are elongate members. 
     
     
         20 . The carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the first projection slides within the first channel and the second projection slides within the second channel as the cross-member is moved from the first seat position to the second seat position. 
     
     
         21 . The carrier of  claim 19 , wherein the first channel and the second channel are arcuate. 
     
     
         22 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the cross-member remains coupled to the first upper frame portion member and the second end of the cross-member remains coupled to the second upper frame portion member as the cross-member is moved from the first seat position to the second seat position. 
     
     
         23 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the seat back of the passenger seat when the cross-member is in the second position is reclined 10 degrees to 30 degrees relative to the seat back of the passenger seat when the cross-member is in the first seat position. 
     
     
         24 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the lock comprises a movable locking pin,
 wherein the first upper frame portion member defines a first opening configured to receive the movable locking pin to lock the cross-member in the first seat position, and   wherein the first upper frame portion member defines a second opening configured to receive the movable locking pin to lock the cross-member in the second seat position.   
     
     
         25 . The carrier of  claim 9 , further comprising a second lock configured to lock the cross-member in the first seat position and the second seat position,
 wherein actuating the actuator simultaneously disengages the first lock and the second lock.   
     
     
         26 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the cross-member is movable from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and pushing the cross-member to the second seat position, and
 wherein the cross-member is movable from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and pulling the cross-member to the first seat position.