New push chair / pram design

[allans1990]

I am currently a 4th year design student carrying out research for my final year project. I am designing a new push chair/buggy that will be able to climb stairs for situations when there are no lifts or even just at the door of your house.

Any ideas or comments would be much appreciated, Thanks Allan

Hmm, how will it do that? just remember that it has to be safe, lightweight, fold up easily and be practical and easy to steer (with one hand if you can)
i've been through 3 different buggies/prams all with their own issues
most people who live in flats with stairs leave the buggy at the bottom of the stairs. I would think, even if it could climb stairs you'd still have to push/hold it and your shopping and maybe the hand of another child/dog lead blah blah so it might still be a bit iffy.
but it like the idea in general, just not sure how practical it would actually be

Sounds like an interesting project and I wish you the best of luck.

My best suggestion would be to watch mums (and dads) in your area trying to get up/down stairs with their buggies and note their issues. You might want to ask the person after they went up/down what they thought. (be prepared for some grumpiness as I'd prefer your help but would be understanding if you explained why you didn't help).

Better yet, try it yourself (with their permission). The issues will vary with the buggy, the size of the child, the size/strength of the person operating the buggy, the type of stairs.

Another big factor is how busy are the stairs i.e (again at a train station) Clapham Junction is horrid for going up/down stairs mainly due to the hordes of people knocking you as you try to go down/up the stairs.

Buggy Wish List:

• robust
• easily steering i.e. one handed
• light weight
• small enough to negotiate the bus corridor and then fit into the bus 'buggy'/'wheelchair' area (the bit with the pole).
• able to get on/off buses (especially when drivers park 1 foot away from curb
• space to fit changing bag and additional bags i.e. shopping
• easily fold up i.e. 1 handed and with each component attached (seat or capsule for car)
• adaptive/system i.e. car seat/pram seat/newborn basket options
• convertable to multiple children at different ages (often people have children 1/2/3 years apart)
• visually appealing
• raincover/sun shade which is easy to put on/off

When going up/down stairs:

• baby stays level so we dont have a feeling the baby will fall out in any direction (without strapping them in as many children hate this)
• able to be used on differing stair gauges i.e. some are double height or width or double length or circular (e.g. Finsbury Park station to Piccadilly line)
• able to be used when there are differing levels of stairs i.e. 1 set had 10 steps then a 1ft flat area then 2nd set of 15 steps
• any changes to be able to be done by a layman/woman with a few seconds and one handed (often you only have one hand free and potentially a screaming child distracting you)

Hope that helps.

thanks for the quick replies, i have discovered it is going to be more difficult than i first thought but i am looking forward to the challenge.

And as you mentioned magie73 i have already been out observing and interacting with parents as well as having had a go at trying to pull a buggy up stairs my self which really isnt easy. But you have brought up a few points which i had not considered.

Thanks again Allan

I also have a quick online questionaire only 6 questions to form part of my research. Would be much appreciated if anyone could take the time to fill it out

www.surveymonkey.com/s/PRCVDPP

Allan