Patent ID: 7264265
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
1. A carrier device for children which, when erected, simulates the appearance of a motor-driven vehicle said device comprising: a base member including a plurality of formed, upwardly projecting stub walls, defining a side elevational profile and an outer perimeter; and a plurality of simulative motor vehicle components; a seat component which serves at least partly as a seat for at least one occupant of the carrier device; at least two wheel assemblies affixed on opposite sides of said carrier device stub walls, each of said wheel assemblies including a movable wheel axle housing, a wheel attaching means and wheel defining a plane, and each of said at least two movable wheel axle housings are mounted within, and occupy at least part of, both the side elevational and stub wall profile of the device and incorporate at least part of at least one of said wheel's attaching means; and said wheel assemblies each being movable between a first, latched operative position wherein said wheels are erected to provide rolling support for said carrier device and wherein the plane defined by each of said wheels extends substantially orthogonally to the side elevational profile of the carrier device, and a second, stowed, latched position, the plane defined by each of said wheels being swept through an angle during movement of said wheel assemblies between said first and second positions such that the plane defined by each of said wheels in the second position of said wheel assemblies extends substantially parallel with the side elevational profile of said carrier device, and each of said wheels in the second position being disposed substantially within the outer perimeter defined by the carrier device stub walls; and releasable latching means for providing selective retention of said wheel assemblies in the first, operative and in the second, stowed position thereof; and in said first, operative, latched position said latching means at least partly move between said movable wheel axle housing and the device base member to cause engagement and release of said latch; and at least two of said wheels each further including a selectively removable wheel stand, each such wheel stand includes at least one first, wheel receiving aspect and at least one second, shaped substantially flattened aspect, and in a first, operative position the first wheel receiving aspect is attached to at least part of one associated wheel, and said, second, shaped flattened aspect is in contact with a rolling surface, such that the at least two stands attached to at least two said wheels prevent rolling movement of the associated wheels in said first, operative position of said wheels; and when said at least two wheel stands and their associated wheels are in a second, stowed, interconnected status, the wheel stands as well as their associated wheels occupy the said second, stowed position of the wheels, and in a third, stowed position, said wheel stands are detached from said associated wheel and attached to an aspect of the carrier device, substantially within the side elevational profile and outer perimeter of said device.