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Hello, this is Eri from the Bebichel editorial department.
This time, we will introduce Richell's A-type stroller "Koalacoon".
A popular stroller that can be used from 1 month old because it is designed with safety in mind.
"Koala Coon"
・The industry's first double-sided hand brake
・19cm single mega tire
・Reflective material for increased visibility at night
With such safety features, we firmly support safe outings from newborns.
Regarding "Koala Coon", there was an article on Bebicheru before.“Enjoy a comfortable outing with your baby with Koalacoon, a stroller that is thoroughly focused on safety! 』But this time, I was able to talk to Mr. Mizuno, who was involved in the development.
We will deliver a lot of deep stories during development, such as patents and brake tests on steep slopes!
The industry's first double-sided hand brake.What was the impetus for the development?
The need for a hand brake that I noticed after actually pushing the stroller
–This is a quick question, but Koracoon's double-sided hand brake is said to be the first in the industry. What inspired you to take on the challenge?
Mr. Mizuno:In developing the A-type stroller Koalacoon, the person in charge of planning said,Let's make a safer stroller, the concept came up.
–A type stroller is a type that can be used from 1 month old when the neck and hips are not yet sitting, so it is necessary to emphasize safety more.
Mr. Mizuno:While thinking about what functions are necessary for the concept of a "safe stroller",It is necessary to have a manual brake that allows you to intuitively stop by simply gripping the handle without relying on physical strength.Yes, there are many opportunities to use it.A story came out.
downtown, for example.
You won't notice it when an adult walks normally, but when you actually push the stroller and walk,gentle slopeThere isslight incline of sidewalkThere isBuilding styleThere isThe stroller keeps moving in unexpected directionsYou may.
In such a case, the strollerIf you have a hand brake, you can stop quickly just by grasping the steering wheel before you feel danger.
–Can I use the hand brake for a moment?
…Even on the down slope, just holding the handle like a bicycle brake stopped me.
When going downhill, it takes a lot of physical strength to slow down the stroller, but it's so easy with just a hand brake!
Mr. Mizuno:It's also convenient when you're on the train.If you apply the brakes at hand,Stroller does not move on its ownSo it ’s safe.
Hand brake for safety function."Koracoon" is the first to support both face-to-face and rear-facing!
– Hand brakes are convenient, but if you look around, there are a minority of strollers with hand brakes.
Mr. Mizuno:That's right.Furthermore, I couldn't find anything with a hand brake that can be used both on the face and on the back.
Then let's make it with Richell,When.
—From the face-to-face type for newborns to the back type for when the baby has grown to some extent, the hand brake can be used all the time.So it's safe.
A hand brake is installed on both sides of the stroller.What are the difficulties of development?
–You said that you have applied for a patent for the double-sided hand brake. Did you have any difficulties in developing it?
Mr. Mizuno:The distance from the hand brake to the wheels changes depending on whether the stroller is facing or facing the back, so it is necessary to change the length of the brake system wire.
This wire length changing system is installed inside the stroller seat.It's a part that can't be seen from the outside, but I had a hard time.
– So this is the patent.The inside of the seat is a part that you really don't notice unless you tell it.
For the brakes themselves, we designed everything in detail, including how strong the grip should be and how much braking force should be generated with that force, and incorporated it into the structure.
Thoroughly test the brakes for safety!
– How were the brakes tested?
Mr. Mizuno:We went to various places to test, not just the company's laboratory facilities and familiar slopes.
I loaded the stroller into the car and went to a steep slope along the river, put a weight of 15 kg in the stroller instead of the baby, and went down the steep slope over and over again.
– Even on steep slopes along rivers!A stroller that can be safely used in any situation!
Mr. Mizuno:People who lived near the river, which was my testing ground, must have thought, "What is he doing all the time?" (bitter smile).
Another big feature of Koalacoon, single mega tire
Uses a single mega tire with a diameter of 19 cm, which is as big as possible!
–By the way, Koalacoon uses single mega tires with a diameter of 19cm.
Mr. Mizuno:When I asked Koala Coon's mother monitor about the dissatisfaction points of the stroller she had used so far,Stroller tires have a hard time getting over bumps, there was a voice.
–If you have small tires, you will trip over even the slightest step.
Mr. Mizuno:The bigger the stroller tires, the easier it will be to climb over bumps, reducing the stress on mothers.
In addition, Since you don't have to suddenly stop on a step, the impact on your baby will be reduced.
–In Japan, strollers are often required to be light, so double tires, which have two small tires on each leg, were the mainstream.
Mr. Mizuno:Koalacoon uses a single mega tire with a diameter of 19 cm, which is slightly heavier than the double tire, but it is as large as possible to reduce the impact on the baby and increase safety.
–It's true that with tires this big, you don't have to stop the stroller every time you go over a small bump and pull it over.
Above all, it is safe to reduce the impact and be gentle on the baby.
With the adoption of a single mega tire, is there any difficulty in development here as well? !
Mr. Mizuno:Thanks to the large tires, we had a lot of difficulties in development.
Koalacoon's tire is a single mega tire with a diameter of 19 cm, but there are parts that are more difficult to design than the double tires of a general stroller.
–This is my impression from actually operating the Koalacoon earlier, but compared to the double tires, the single tires are smoother in direction changes, tighter turns, and have less vibration even on bumpy roads.
Mr. Mizuno:We have improved the impact absorption performance of the wheels and suspension, and have also devised materials to turn the wheels in any tough situation.
It is also a problem that the wheels do not turn well, but on the other hand, if the wheels turn too far left and right, the stroller will shake when pushed, and the tires will turn around due to vibrations on the road surface.
–Where the wheels don't spin or they spin too much, balance is important.
Mr. Mizuno:The structure and material of the wheels, the weight of the baby to be loaded, the speed at which the stroller is pushed, and other factors affect the speed with which the stroller swings.It was really difficult.
Thanks to repeated experiments, I believe that we were able to develop a wheel with fairly good values for both rotation and impact absorption.
In the end, we were able to create a body that almost never causes the stroller to sway.
– Just a ride!A lot of ingenuity has been put into the place where you can't really see it!
Full of reflective shields and other functions!
A reflective shield that doesn't obscure the design, but stands out when you need it
–The reflective shield doesn't interfere with the design, but it's still there when you need it.
Mr. Mizuno:A reflective shield is a necessary safety feature, but it is often overlooked when choosing a stroller.
– If you read blogs of moms on the internet, you will find out that you need reflective materials after buying a stroller, so you went to buy them. It's a lot of parts.If you have it from the beginning, you will have less trouble.
It's not just about safety, it's full of features such as a high seat and folding independence!
Mr. Mizuno:In addition to Koalacoon,
- One-touch opening and closing with one hand
- foldable, self-supporting
- 52cm high seat
- Headrest with ice pack pocket
- Large capacity 15L basket
And so on, it has all the functions that you think you need.
–If you choose a stroller based on safety, you will be happy to know that it has a lot of other features as well!
Summary
Koalacoon, a stroller that is safe from birth to stroller graduation
–When it comes to baby products from Richell, whether it's tableware or strollers, we pay a lot of attention to safety.
In this way, even with high quality standards, you dug deeply into safety.
Mr. Mizuno:Type A strollers are used by babies from an early age, so we made them so that when they first touch them, they think they're nice and sturdy.
Koalacoon is a stroller that puts a lot of effort into things you can't see, such as the safety of the brakes and tires.
–Even if you feel that the stroller has changed after you buy it, it is difficult to replace it.
As for what kind of safety performance is required, there are some things that you can't really understand unless you actually go out with your baby.
Mr. Mizuno:Narrow roads, roads without sidewalks, bumpy roads, slopes, and twilight roads.We want you to use your stroller on a daily basis with peace of mind anytime, anywhere, so I would like you to try Koalacoon, which has been thoroughly focused on safety.
–Mizuno-san, thank you very much for today!
I want to read it together
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