Patent ID: 6991249
Filing Date: 2006-01-31
Classification: B62B,B62K

Abstract:
1. A wheeled carrier device comprising: a support frame defining a side elevational profile and an outer perimeter including at least a partial retention base; an interconnection trailing element selectively mountable and removable from said support frame; said trailing element, in a first operative position, serves to hitch said carrier device to a separate object providing rolling propulsion, to thereby couple the two together, and in a second, stowed position is moved to substantially within the side elevational profile of the device support frame; and a plurality of foldable and selectively removable wall structures at least partly mounted to the support frame, which in a first, operative position are erected and in a second stowed position all said wall structures move and collapse substantially within the side elevational profile of said support frame; at least two wheel assemblies affixed to said support frame, each wheel assembly including a base and a plurality of walls perpendicular thereto, defining both a wheel assembly periphery and an interior cavity; each wheel assembly in the operative position substantially occupies the side elevational profile of the support frame and each wheel assembly further includes both wheel assembly mounting means, and wheel attaching means interconnected to at least one wheel; and said wheel attaching means defining an elongate wheel support element connected to at least one wheel and the wheel's central axis of rotation, including a first lower end interconnected to the wheel's central axis of rotation and an uppermost portion affixed to the wheel assembly, the uppermost portion terminating in a second end, and said wheel assembly including a terminal fixing member disposed near to the second end of the wheel support element which secures said support element to the wheel assembly; and housed at least partially within the wheel assembly are transversely disposed, oppositely extending mounting elements, which are received in adjacent facing portions of the carrier device support frame, about which the wheel assembly pivots, and each said wheel assembly and interconnected wheel being movable between a first, latched operative position wherein said wheel is erected to provide rolling support for said carrier device and wherein the plane defined by said wheel assembly and interconnected wheel extends substantially orthogonally to the side elevational profile of the carrier device, and a second, stowed, latched position, the plane defined by said wheel assembly and interconnected wheel being swept through an angle during movement of said wheel assemblies between said first and second positions such that the plane defined by the wheel assembly and interconnected wheel in the second position extends substantially parallel with the side elevational profile of said carrier device, and said wheel as well as it's central axis of rotation, in the second position, being disposed within the outer perimeter defined by the carrier device support frame, and in the second, stowed position of said wheel assembly it is at least close to perpendicular to said wheel assembly's first operative position; and each wheel assembly includes at least one latching means which positively latches the wheel assembly against movement when in both the first and second positions, the latching means selectively engages a portion of the carrier device support frame, in both the first and second positions and a portion of the wheel assembly.