Abstract:
A folding cart for the transportation of articles having a foldable platform, wheels is provided with , a handle and a pair of telescoping braces. Each of the telescoping braces have a lower brace, a middle brace and an upper brace and rotatable support bars there between. The telescoping braces connect the platform and the handle. An offset handle hinge is provided on the first of the pair of telescoping braces. It rotatably connects the handle to the first of the pair of telescoping braces. When the handle is locked in a horizontal position the folding cart is precluded from being folded.

Description:
RELATE BACK  
       [0001]    This application incorporates by reference, as through recited in full, and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 60/285,513 filed Apr. 20, 2001. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to an improved folding cart to facilitate the carrying of luggage and the like.  
           [0004]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Several types of collapsible and foldable carts for transporting articles or goods have been utilized in the past. Generally, these types of foldable carts are used by home owners for transporting of groceries, packages, luggage, duffle bags, ski bags, bowling bags, baseball storage bags, and the like. These foldable carts are also used for commercial and light industry usage in the transporting of in process goods, finished products, and the like. The collapsible and foldable nature of these carts provides for easy storage in a vehicle trunk, a storage closet, on a wall, and the like. These carts permit the transport of goods up and down walkways, stairs, escalators, steep hills, dirt trails, and the like, without causing damage to walkway surfaces, such as linoleum, tile, wood, or carpeting.  
           [0006]    Luggage carts or trolleys for pulling or pushing by hand typically have a wheeled base for supporting luggage and a handle projecting upwardly from the base. These are typically collapsible at least to some extent so that they can be carried while not in use or stowed away in a small space, such as under the seat of an aircraft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,403 of Breweriet al., for example, describes a wheeled carrier in which the handle section can be folded downwardly when not in use. However, the cart is still relatively bulky even when collapsed. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,710 of Sykes, a collapsible cart has two, telescopically collapsible legs hinged together at one end and having wheels at their opposite, free ends. The free ends of the legs are pulled apart into a divergent configuration when the cart is used, with the spaced legs being held apart by means of a brace when deployed. This is a relatively cumbersome and heavy device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The advantages of the instant disclosure will become more apparent when read with the specification and the drawings, wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of the unfolded cart of the disclosed invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a front view of the disclosed cart of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a back view of the cart of FIG. 1 with the handle in the partially open position;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cart in a partially close position;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower locking button and folding release system;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the top of the lower hinge illustrating the button release alcove;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the platform extensions;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a side view of the platform extension with the legs open;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a side view of the extension leg in the closed position;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is a side view of the of the extension leg in the open, locked positionABSTRACT A folding cart for the transportation of articles having a foldable platform, wheels is provided with, a handle and a pair of telescoping braces. Each of the telescoping braces have a lower brace, a middle brace and an upper brace and rotatable support bars there between. The telescoping braces connect the platform and the handle. An offset handle hinge is provided on the first of the pair of telescoping braces. It rotatably connects the handle to the first of the pair of telescoping braces. When the handle is locked in a horizontal position the folding cart is precluded from being folded.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the handle lock without the handle in place;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the handle lock with the handle in place;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 is an end view of the handle lock without the handle e;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 is a top view of the bottom portion of the center lock;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is a side view of the central lock engaged;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 is a side view of the central lock disengaged;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 17 a  is a top view of the center lock in the engaged position;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 17 b  is a bottom view of the center lock in the engaged position;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 18 a  is a top view of the center lock in the disengaged position;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 18 b  is a bottom view of the center lock in the disengaged position;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 19 is a cutaway view of an alternate embodiment of the central lock;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 20 is a side view of a removable bungle cord holder;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the platform locking mechanism;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 22 is another embodiment of an additional platform locking system;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 23 is a bottom view of an alternate embodiment having a single centralized platform leg;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 24 is a bottom view of a locking method for the platform leg;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 25 is a bottom view of an additional method of locking the platform leg;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 26 is a side view of the platform leg lock of FIG. 16 in the open position; and  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 27 is a side view of the platform leg lock of FIG. 16 in the closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]    Although folding carts are known in the prior art, none of the carts have provided a sturdy, lightweight collapsible carrying device. The prior art devices tend to be compact and lightweight but flimsy or sturdy but heavy and bulky. The disclosed folding cart provides a compact lightweight device that is easy to use and capable of carrying heavy loads.  
         [0038]    In FIG. 1 the cart  10  is illustrated in the unfolded, ready to use position. The handle  16  in this Figure is in the closed position, ready to grip, and the upper handle brace  12  and mid-handle brace  14  are fully extended. The upper handle brace  12  and the mid-handle brace  14  are maintained in the extended position through the use of press in buttons that interact with receiving holes. Although press in buttons and receiving holes has been used in the prior art, collapsing the telescoping legs has been accomplished manually or through a release button. It should be noted that for the cart  10  to fold, the handle  16  must be released and as long as the handle is maintained in the closed position, the cart will remain in the upright position.  
         [0039]    In order to enable the handle  16  to swing into a position adjacent to the upper brace  12 , the handle hinge  70  and the handle receiving end  72  are both off-set between the brace connection and the handle connection. Without the offset design, the handle would fall on the inside of the upper brace, preventing the cart from completely folding. To maintain a compact design, the offset should be only the width of the handle  16  with sufficient clearance to enable the handle to easily swing into position.  
         [0040]    Preferably the upper brace  12  is maintained in position through use of upper brace button  50  and mid-brace receiving hole  52 . The mid-brace  14  and lower brace  18  are maintained in position through use of a lower brace button  60  and lower brace receiving hole  62 , illustrated in FIG. 5. The lower brace receiving hole  62 , illustrated clearly in FIG. 5, is within the upper hinge  38  and catches the lower brace button  60  as it slides within the upper hinge  38 , as known in the art. The corresponding cross support  30  has a nipple  64  that is positioned to press the lower brace button  60  inward as the cart  10  is closed, allowing the mid-brace  14  to side into the bottom brace  18 . The nipple  64  must be dimensioned to release the lower brace button  60  without interfering with the sliding of the mid-brace  14 . As the cart  10  is opened, the nipple  64  is removed from the receiving hole  62  and release the button  60  to catch as the mid-brace  14  is moved upward.  
         [0041]    The opposing side of the upper hinge  38 , shown in detail in FIG. 6, has a button-receiving alcove  58  that is dimensioned to interact with the upper brace button  50  in a manner to force the button  50  inward and enable the upper brace  12  to be slid into the mid-brace  14 . Although the foregoing is the preferred embodiment, it should be noted that repositioning of the buttons for manual release would be evident to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that although the preferred embodiment provides ease of user use, other methods of maintaining and releasing the braces can be incorporated  
         [0042]    As can be seen clearly in FIGS.  1 - 4 , the lower braces  18  serve to maintain the rigidity of the cart  10  and receive the upper handle brace  12  and mid-handle brace  14 . The lower braces  18  are maintained distanced and “squared”, through the use of an upper cross support  30  and lower cross support  32 . The upper cross support  30 , as illustrated herein, is two-piece unit that is hingeably connected to the lower braces  18  at upper hinges  38 , however the cross bars can divided in multiple sections and is a matter of manufacture preference. The two pieces forming the upper cross support  30  hingeably connect to one another on either side of the upper center hinge  40 . The lower cross support  32  is a duplicate of the upper cross support  30 ; being hingeably connected to the lower hinges  48  as well as at the lower center hinge  28 . It should be noted that any number of pieces can be hinged together to form the cross supports, depending upon size and weight of the unit and manufacture&#39;s preference, as long as they permit the cart to fold to the compact configuration illustrated hereinafter. To provide additional rigidity, the lower center hinge  28  and the upper center hinge  40  are connected by a brace  34 .  
         [0043]    To enable the cart  10  to fold into the compact configuration illustrated herein, the platform  20  must pivot around central platform hinges  27  which are connected by a bar  26 . Placed along the bar  26  is the central lock  600  which serves as a central point for the braces  29  as well as, in some embodiments alternative method of preventing the platform  20  from folding. The central lock  600  is secured to the braces  29  to enable the bar  26  to move within the central lock  600  while the lock  600  moves independently along the bar  26  is accordance with the positioning of the braces  29 .  
         [0044]    The platform extensions  24 , illustrated in this embodiment, provide additional receiving area on the platform  20  and although they are permanently extended in this embodiment, they can be dimensioned to side into the platform. The extension of the platform, along with the addition of a built-in bungie cord holder, overcomes one of the problems with prior art carts; the inability to carry larger pieces of luggage and to easily secure stacked pieces. To maintain the platform  20  in the horizontal position, and to prevent tipping, legs  22  are pivotly connected to the extensions  24 . The platform legs  22 , extended in this figure, are shown in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8.  
         [0045]    In the preferred embodiment a bungie storage knob is incorporated on the cart. In the embodiment illustrated, the bungie storage knob  140  is located on the lower center hinge  28 , although any of the embodiments disclosed herein for bungie storage can also be located on the upper hinge, the front of the cart or other applicable location convenient for manufacture. The bungie storage knob  140  must be dimensioned to prevent contact with stairs, curbs, etc., and therefore must not be on the same plane as the lower braces  18  or wheel support  46 . Preferably the wheel supports  46  are reinforced with metal in order to prevent cracking or breakage.  
         [0046]    In FIG. 3 the handle  16  has been released and is part way to the vertical handle position that is required in order to collapse the cart  10 . The handle  16  is hinged to the handle hinge  70  and is designed to lock into the handle-receiving end  72 . The length of the handle  16  is equal to, or less than the length of the lower braces  18  to prevent the handle  16  from extending beyond the lower braces  18  when the cart  10  is in the folded position, as illustrated in FIG. 10. In order to maintain this ratio, the width of the cart  10 , length of the handle  16  and length of the lower braces  18  must be about equal. The unique two-way locking mechanism  250  illustrated in this embodiment combines a button release  252  with a slide channel  254  that interacts with the interior of the handle-receiving end  72 . The two-way locking mechanism  250  prevents the handle  16  not only from being inadvertently released in the downward direction, but from becoming horizontally dislodged. The preferred embodiment for the two-way locking mechanism  250  and interior of the handle-receiving end  72  are described in more detail hereinafter in conjunction with FIGS.  11 - 13 . The button  252  is released in this embodiment through use of a spring loaded release lever  256  that pulls the button into the body of the handle  16 , enabling downward movement of the handle  16 . Although this is the preferred method of securing the handle  16  into the horizontal position required for use, other releasable methods that prevent both the release of the handle as well as the separation of the braces will be evident to those skilled in the art.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate in more detail the platform  20 , extensions  24  and legs  22  which rotate around a pivot  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the legs  22  have a button lock  78  to keep them from inadvertently closing. The button lock  78 , illustrated in detail in FIGS. 9 and 10, is located on the extension  24  and positioned to align with a receiving hole  74  on the rotatable leg  22 . The locks illustrated herein are one example and other types of locks will be evident to those skilled in the art. The leg caps  23  keep the metal legs from scratching the support surfaces, catching on material, etc. The extension  24  are also provided with caps  21  to protect the user from the metal edges. In FIG. 8 a bumper  93  has been added to the back of the brace  18  to provide additional protection while going up stairs, curbs, etc. The bumper  93  can be any material that will serve to protect the brace  18  from damage and can be added to any of the embodiments disclosed herein.  
         [0048]    In the embodiment illustrated herein a hook  130 , shown in FIG. 7, is placed adjacent the platform front hinge  120 . The hook  130  enables the bungie cord  100  of FIG. 9, to either be hooked onto the cord or wrapped around the hook  130  and secured on another location on the cart  10 . Although smaller loops or hooks can also be used, the hook  130  illustrated in this Figure provides the benefit of enabling the folded cart  10  to be hung on a rod, hook, railing, etc. Alternatively, other hanging methods can be used to hang the folded cart such as a separate hanging hook that is either placed directly onto the cart or onto the illustrated hook  130 .  
         [0049]    Another problem associated with prior art carts is maintaining numerous items on the cart. With prior art devices, the user had to use separate bungie cords or rope to maintain multiple items in place. In FIG. 9 the incorporated cord, or bungie  100 , can be seen on wrapped around the bunge cord holder  140 . The bungie cord holder  140  is spaced from the lower center hinge  28 , or other area of the cart  10 , and connected through a bar (not shown). For storage purposes the bungie, or other type cord  100  is wrapped around the bar  142  and the bungie end hook  102  placed on the retaining pin  104 . When used, the appropriate length of cord  100  is unwrapped from the holder  140  and the cord  100  stretched over the articles to be held. The bungie hook, or looped end,  102  is then hooked onto the hook  130 , or other platform  20  location, securing the articles onto the cart  10 . The use of the bar enables excess cord  100  to remain on the holder  140 , thereby enabling the cord  100  to always be stretched tight. The retaining pin  104  can be any type of pin or hook that will serve to maintain the bungie hook  102  in position. The bungie hook  102  can also be secured during non-use directly to the platform  20  or other convenient location on the cart  10 . Since the hook  102  is under tension, the retaining pin  104  will be as efficient as a loop or hook. Further, a hole in the center support bar  26  can also be used to retain the hook  102 .  
         [0050]    In FIGS.  11 - 13  the two way lock mechanism is illustrated in more detail. The U-shaped handle receiving end  72  is provided with a shelf  260  to support the handle button  252 , preventing downward movement. The horizontal movement is prevent by the runners  264  that interact with the channels  254 . Therefore, to lock the handle  16  in place, the release lever  256  is slid to withdraw the button  252  within the handle  16 . The handle  16  is then slid into place with the runners  264  positioned within the channels  254  and the release lever  256  released to place the spring loaded button  252  in the extended position, between the shelf  260  and the top of the U-shaped handle receiving end  72 . When the handle  16  is to be removed to enable the cart to be collapsed, the button  252  is again withdrawn into the handle  16 , permitting the downward movement.  
         [0051]    The interior of central lock  600  is illustrated in FIGS.  14 - 16  containing the parts that would enable to lock to prevent the platform from closing. The center lock  600  which serves as an alternate method of preventing the platform from closing and would be optional, except as a location for securing the braces  29 , in embodiments using the handle locking system disclosed heretofore. In some instances, however, both locking devices can be advantageous. FIGS.  14 - 17  illustrate the interior and the method of operation of the center lock  600 . The lock case is horizontally divided into a lower case  604  and an upper case  602 . Within the lower case  604 , at right angles to the bar  26 , is a lock receiving area  606  that contains a spring  608  and locking member  610 . The locking member  610  comprises a locking finger  614  and a raised side contact  612 . In FIGS. 14, 15,  17 a and  17 b the central lock  600  is in the locked position. The locking finger  614  is, through pressure applied by the spring  608 , extending into the receiving hole  618  within the bar  26 , thereby preventing the bar  26  from sliding within the central lock  600 . While the locking finger  614  is in the forward position, the slide  620  is in the position illustrated in FIGS. 15, 17 a  and  17   b.  To release the locking finger  614 , the slide is moved in the direction of arrow A with the leading angle face  622  of the finger  614  interacting with the trailing edge  624  of the locking member  610 . As the leading edge  622  moves in the direction of arrow A, the locking member  610  is forced against the spring  608  and the locking finger  614  removed from the receiving hole  618 . Since the slide  620  is manually moved, without any spring return, the slide  620  remains in the position illustrated in FIGS. 16, 18 a  and  18   b  until it is reset. The reset is accomplished through the use of reset tab  630  that extends at right angles from the bar  26 . As the platform is being closed, the bar  26  slides within the central lock  600  from the first extreme of being open to the second extreme of being tightly closed. The reset tab  630  is positioned to encounter the slide  620  just prior to the closed position so that, once moved to the start position illustrated in FIG. 15, the platform is closed. During the time that the platform is closed and until it is fully opened, the locking finger  614  runs along the exterior of the rod  26 . As the central lock  600  is slid to the open position, the pressure applied to the locking finger  614  by the spring  608  forces the locking finger  614  into the receiving hole  18  once in position. Once this position has been reached, further movement is prevented until the slide  620 , reset by the tab  630 , is again manually moved as described heretofore.  
         [0052]    In FIG. 19, an alternate central lock  650  is illustrated wherein the locking member  610  has been replaced with a locking member  656  containing a nipple  652 . In this embodiment, the nipple  652  is maintaining within the receiving area  654  until the central lock  650  is manually moved out of position. The nipple  652 , having rounded edges and being spring loaded, moves out of the receiving area  654  and runs along the exterior of the rod  658  until the unit is again reopened.  
         [0053]    In FIG. 19 a removable bungie cord holder  200  is disclosed that can be clipped onto the any convenient location on the cart. The holder  200  has a front plate  202  that is connected to the back support  206  through the use of a connector  204 . A pair of clips  208  (only one shown) can be slipped over the hinges or other portion of the cart. Dimensioning of the clips  208 , however, is important as the depth of the clips  208  must be sufficient to prevent overdue strain while providing a tight, friction fit. The bungie holder can also be of any other design known for use with bungies, cords or other cord type devices. This includes retractable seatbelt type devices as well as mechanical mechanisms such as a crank or wind around bar that is, for example, pulled out to wind and pushed in to lock. The various method of storing the securing cords will be evident to those skilled in the art.  
         [0054]    In order to prevent the cart  1000  from inadvertently folding, each of the wheel support plates  1304  shown in FIG. 20, contains a lock receiving area  1306  that interacts with the button lock  1302  affixed to the platform legs  1110 . When in the open position, the button lock  1302  interacts with the receiving area  1306 , preventing the platform legs  1110  from folding toward the braces  1018 . To fold the cart  1000 , the button locks  1302  are depressed and the platform legs  1110  folded upward. As an alternative, illustrated in FIG. 21, the button or other locking device  1506  can be connected to a release button  1502  that is attached to a cable  1504  that runs down the brace  1506 . When the button  1502  is pushed in the lock  1508  is removed from the receiving hole  1510  and the legs  1512  are able to fold.  
         [0055]    As an alternate to the legs  22  disclosed heretofore, a single, centered platform leg, attached to center brace  55 , can be used. The platform leg can, as with any of the disclosed embodiments, be either spring loaded to automatically open or manually opened. FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate one example of a method to maintain the platform leg  702  in the closed position. In FIG. 22, the underside of the platform leg  702  is illustrated showing the locking pins  704 . Preferably the pins  704  are spring loaded to maintain them in the open position illustrated in FIG. 22. To close the folding cart, the platform leg  702  is pressed down and the cart folded. As the cart is folded, the half rounds  712  that house the pivot point for the cross brace (not shown) come in contact with the locking pins  704 , forcing the locking pins  704  in toward the center brace  706 . Receiving holes  708  within the center brace  706  are positioned and dimensioned to receive the locking pins  704  and maintain the platform leg  702  in the closed position. To release the platform leg  702 , the locking pins  704  are removed from contact with the half rounds  712 , thereby removing themselves from the receiving holes  708  and enabling the platform leg  702  to rotate to the open position  
         [0056]    In FIGS.  24 - 26  the platform leg  750  is maintained in the closed position, as seen in FIGS. 18 and 20, by a spring lock  752 . The spring lock  752  uses a spring  758 , designed to maintain the spring lock  752  in the “closed” position as illustrated in FIG. 26. A stop  760  is used to prevent the spring  758  from rotating within the center bar  756 . To release the platform leg  750 , the spring lock  752  is moved toward the back hinge  754 , releasing the platform leg  750 . Preferably the spring lock  752  is designed to enable the platform leg  750  slide into place without having to manually release the lock  752 , although it can be designed to require manually moving the lock  752  to accept the leg  750 . This design is known in the art and any changes required will be evident to those skilled in the art. The platform let  750  can be attached to the center bar  756  through a spring-loaded hinge  762  that automatically opens the platform leg  750  upon release of the spring lock  752 .  
         [0057]    As seen in FIG. 26 the platform legs  810  are hollow and provided with telescoping extension legs  816  to extend the receiving length of the platform  820 . In order to prevent the extension legs  816  from recessing totally within the platform legs  110 , stop ends  818 , of any convenience configuration, are placed on the ends of the extension legs  816 . The stop ends  818  also provide convenient means for gripping the extension legs  816  and can be manufactured from any appropriate material. The outer diameter of the stop ends  818  must be greater than that of inner diameter of the platform legs  810  to prevent the extension legs  816  from recessing into the platform legs  810 . The stop ends  818  must be manufactured from a shatter resistant material and be securely affixed to, or integral with, the extension legs  816 . During the process of going up stairs or hills, all of the weight of the luggage is applied to these stop ends  818  and lightweight material will tend to break.  
         [0058]    Although the preferred material of manufacture is a plastic, lightweight metal, such as aluminum, can also be used. Additionally, the materials can be mixed. Any of the features disclosed herein that are specific to a particular Figure can also be used with other embodiments disclosed herein.