Abstract:
A car wash caddy is implemented as a compact cart for storing, transporting, and keeping handy various supplies and equipment for use in a variety of applications. The car wash caddy includes a shelf that holds a wash bucket at a convenient hip-level height. A dry storage locker keeps supplies and equipment clean and dry and is slideably mounted beneath the wash bucket shelf. An elevated shelf includes cup holders and keeps supplies and equipment at hand for convenient access. Open topped storage bins are removably offset-mounted in the rear of the car wash caddy and are configured with vents to enable wet materials such as towels and sponges to drip and air dry. The car wash caddy includes two large rear-mounted wheels and two fixed legs A high-mounted handle gives the user leverage to easily maneuver the caddy to the job site and includes integrated water hose retaining slots.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/509,760 filed Jul. 20, 2011 entitled “Car Wash Caddy” and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety with the same effect as if set forth at length. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Storage is always an issue with any family. For car enthusiasts, there are virtually no portable storage systems that encompass the quantity and diversity of car care products and their specific storage and usage needs. Many people have shelves or cabinets to store their automotive car care products but neither of those items is portable, nor should they get wet. Accordingly, whenever a car care product is needed, it must be retrieved from the location, then placed on the ground (getting wet and/or dirty) and then placed back on the shelf/cabinet after use. Additionally, storage of some items such as sponges requires the ability for them to air dry without getting dirty. A conventional method for drying is to leave sponges in the bucket but this is often unsatisfactory as they do not dry quickly. And if the sponges are placed on top of an overturned bucket to dry, they can eventually blow off by the wind when dry. 
     This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above. 
     SUMMARY 
     A car wash caddy is implemented as a compact cart for storing, transporting, and keeping handy various supplies and equipment for use in a variety of applications such as car washing, gardening, home repair, and sports and recreation. The car wash caddy is sturdy, yet lightweight, and includes a shelf that holds a wash bucket at a convenient hip-level height. The shelf includes a lip around its perimeter to contain spills and keep items from sliding off. A raised feature may be provided to positively locate the bucket on the shelf and keep it from sliding or tipping over during use and when the caddy is moved. A dry storage locker with lid keeps supplies and equipment clean and dry and is slideably mounted beneath the wash bucket shelf. A lipped elevated shelf/work surface includes cup holders and keeps supplies and equipment at hand for convenient access. Open topped storage bins are removably offset-mounted in the rear of the car wash caddy and are configured with vents to enable wet materials such as towels and sponges to drip and air dry. The car wash caddy includes two large rear-mounted wheels and two fixed legs. A high-mounted handle gives the user leverage to easily maneuver the caddy to the job site and includes integrated water hose retaining slots. A hook, clip, clamp, holder, or other retainer may also be provided to store items such as long-handled tools, fishing rods, and the like. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the car wash caddy includes swivelably mounted wheels at the front legs to facilitate a user moving and steering the caddy using the handle in a similar manner to a shopping cart. The wheels may include locks to prevent swiveling and/or rolling to keep the caddy from moving, for example, when bumped or inadvertently pushed, or when used at jobsites having sloped or uneven ground. 
     Advantageously, by having multiple styles and types of storage areas, car care products such as cleaning, buffing, waxing, and detailing supplies can be conveniently stored in one place. The ability to have the sponges dry without getting dirt on them is a significant advantage provided by the car wash caddy since embedded dirt can scratch car finishes. Having the wash bucket at hip height on the shelf reduces lower back stress when washing a car since it virtually eliminates bending fully to ground level multiple times during a car wash session and permits the bucket to be stored on the shelf after use. Using the car wash caddy saves time as the elevated bucket height and provision of the hose at an easy grabbing height (instead of on the ground) quickens the wash time. The car wash caddy also keeps everything neat and organized which reduces the time needed to find a particular car care product and clean up when finished. The handle doubles as a towel holder/dryer and a hose holder. The two open storage units are configured to hold sponges, towels, and cleaning supplies and also enable spray bottles to be hung from the outer most edge of the basket to provide even more storage. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the front of the car wash caddy and the caddy&#39;s left side; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the rear of the car wash caddy and the caddy&#39;s right side; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the rear of the car wash caddy and the caddy&#39;s left side; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the car wash caddy with illustrative dimensions of an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the car wash caddy; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the car wash caddy with illustrative dimensions of an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is right side view of the car wash caddy; 
         FIG. 8  is a left side view of the car wash caddy with illustrative dimensions of an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of the car wash caddy with illustrative dimensions of an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 10  shows an illustrative alternative embodiment of a car wash caddy having swivelably mounted wheels on the front legs to facilitate moving the caddy in a similar manner to a shopping cart. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals indicate like elements in the drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, elements are not drawn to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The car wash caddy and its features and functionalities are shown in various views in the drawings. It is emphasized that the configuration and dimensions (in inches) shown in the drawing are solely intended to be illustrative and that variations from what are shown are still encompassed within the scope of the invention. The car wash caddy has many key features to enable it to conveniently function in a variety of roles in both home and business applications. Accordingly, while it is referred to herein as a car wash caddy, car washing is just one illustrative usage scenario for which the caddy may be advantageously applied. 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-9  show an illustrative car wash caddy  100  having two elevated shelves, as respectively indicated by reference numerals  105  and  125 —one designed to hold almost any size bucket, and another that includes two cup holders and is configured to hold miscellaneous items and/or provide an elevated work surface. The lower shelf, termed the bucket shelf  105  herein, may be configured with a curved lip  110  or other raised feature around the perimeter of a wash bucket  115  to help keep the bucket from sliding back or tipping over when tilting the car wash caddy  100  up when moving. The bucket shelf  105  also has a raised lip  120  substantially all the way around the perimeter of the shelf to keep items from sliding off. One or more drain holes (representatively indicated by reference numeral  405  in  FIG. 4 ) may be located in the bucket shelf  105  so that water can drain off. 
     The upper shelf  125 , termed the drink holder shelf herein, has a curved recessed portion  130  along its front portion to accommodate the wash bucket  115  (e.g., a 5 gallon bucket) and features two cup holders  135   1  and  135   2 . The upper shelf  125  can conveniently function as a raised work surface. The recessed portion of the drink holder shelf also supports a side of the wash bucket  115  to help keep it from tipping over when the car wash caddy is moved. The cup holders  135  are typically sized to be big enough to hold the “absorber” style towels (e.g., synthetic drying chamois) which are often stored in rolled up form. The drink holder shelf  125  also has a raised lip  140  around the front and sides to keep products from sliding off. 
     The car wash caddy  100 , in this illustrative example, has two removable open storage bins (i.e., “baskets”)—including an upper bin  145  that can contain car care products or sponges inside and provide a place to “hook” the handles of spray products on the outside. Spray products may also be hooked on the edge of the lower bin  150  in some cases as well. The storage bins  145  and  150  are offset mounted in a horizontal direction with respect to each other to keep wet items in the upper bin  145  from dripping directly on other items in the lower bin  150 . The storage bins  145  and  150  may be perforated, as shown, in order to aid in air circulation to help dry wet items, as well as allow users to see the contents inside the bins. 
     In one embodiment, the car wash caddy  100  has two flat feet  155  in front and two wheels  165  at the back. The front feet  155  keep the car wash caddy from rolling without having the complexity of locking casters. The rear wheels  165  are typically configured to be large enough in diameter to permit easy rolling over small obstacles such as curbs, water hoses, or landscaping dividers. The rear wheels may be alternatively treaded, or non-treaded and may be pneumatic or solid (e.g., rubber, polyurethane, or other plastic). 
     The length between the front feet  155  and rear wheels  165  is relatively short to give maximal leverage through the handle to thus make the car wash caddy  100  readily maneuverable even when fully loaded with supplies. The car wash caddy&#39;s compact dimensions permit it to be placed parallel to the car against the garage wall without it interfering with walking space. The width of the car wash caddy is configured to be similar to typical garage shelving or tool cabinets. It can also be placed perpendicular to the car for easier roll in/out without interfering with the car&#39;s parking space. 
     The car wash caddy  100  may further include a lidded dry storage locker  160  that is located underneath the bucket shelf  105 . The dry storage locker  160  is specifically designed to keep water and dirt out and may, in some implementations, use a tight fitting lid or otherwise include a gasket between the lid and the locker body so as to ensure the locker contents stay clean and dry. The dry storage locker  160  is attached, in this illustrative example, on pull-out rails in a similar manner to a freezer drawer. This feature helps keep the car wash caddy compact by storing the locker  160  under the bucket shelf  105  but permitting the user to pull it out to gain access to all items stored within. The dry storage locker  160  is typically configured to be tall enough to stack towels, waxes, and related supplies. 
     The car wash caddy  100  includes extended handle supports  170  which project upwardly and rearwardly from a base  185  which incorporates the front feet  155  and supports the axle for the rear wheels  165 . The handle supports  170  are configured to so that a gripping portion of the handle  175  is horizontally located behind the longitudinal axis running between the center points of the rear wheels  165  to enable a user to apply leverage to lift the front feet  155  off the ground by pivoting the caddy about its rear wheels when wheeling the caddy to a desired location. The gripping portion of the handle  175  includes two slots  180   1  and  180   2  that are typically configured to accept a water hose to keep it readily at hand. The drink holder shelf  125  is mounted to the handle supports  170  as shown. The bucket shelf  105  is disposed on the base  185 , as shown, and the base is further configured with the appropriate features or mechanisms to slideably engage with the dry storage locker  160 . 
     An exemplary car washing usage scenario is now described: Begin by loading the car wash caddy  100  with car care products such as wheel, tire, window, leather, interior, paint, and trim cleaners. Sponges and towels, including the absorber style easily fit into the various storage areas described above. Next, pull the car wash caddy  100  out of the garage and fill the wash bucket  115  with soap and water. Rest an end of the water hose and nozzle in one of the slots  180  in the gripping portion of the handle  175 . Clean the car and when done, the car can be dried and all items can be re-stored in and on the car wash caddy  100 . Simply roll the car wash caddy  100  back into the garage. The wash bucket  115  can then be placed upside down on the lower bucket shelf  105  to dry and sponges can be placed in the one of the rear open bins to dry without getting dirty. 
     The car wash caddy  100  may accommodate almost any size bucket or paint can. This permits the car wash caddy to be alternatively used for other applications such as gardening, painting, and in sports and recreation such as fishing. Hooks, clips, holders, clamps, and other types of retaining devices (not shown) may be disposed along portions of the base  185 , in various alternative embodiments, to facilitate storage of long items such as fishing rods and relatively lightweight long handled tools (e.g., hoes, rakes, etc.). 
     The car wash caddy  100  may be conventionally fabricated using metals and plastics. For example, high density polyethylene or polypropylene may be suitable for many of the main components of the car wash caddy. The rear wheels  165  may be implemented as rubber tires on plastic or metal rims that are incorporated into the car wash caddy  100  using, for example, a metal axle on metal bearings and/or plastic bushings. 
       FIG. 10  shows an illustrative alternative embodiment of a car wash caddy  1000  having a pair of swivelably mounted wheels  1095  on the front leg portions  1090  of the frame  1085  to facilitate a user to move and steer the caddy  1000  using the handle  1070  in a similar manner to a shopping cart. Each of the front wheels  1095  is able to swivel about a substantially vertical axis (as representatively indicated by reference numeral  1092 ). Typically, the swivel joint at the vertical axis is horizontally offset from the axle of the front wheel so that the wheels  1095  will automatically align to, and then rotate parallel to the direction of travel. Because the rear wheels  1065  are typically fixedly mounted (i.e., not swivelably mounted like the front wheels  1095 ), the car wash caddy  1000  does not have unconstrained motion in any direction. However, the user can easily maneuver the caddy  1000  by pushing or pulling the caddy at the handle  1070  so that the caddy pivots about the fixedly mounted rear wheels  1065 . 
     In some implementations, the rear wheels  1065  can be configured to swivel while the front wheels  1095  are fixed, and in other implementations both the rear and front wheels can be swivelably mounted or fixedly mounted. Locking mechanisms (not shown in  FIG. 10 ) may also be utilized to prevent a wheel from swiveling (when configured as a swivelably mounted wheel) or from rolling. Such locking mechanisms may be desirable to keep the car wash caddy  1000  from moving, for example, when bumped or inadvertently pushed, or when used at jobsites having sloped or uneven ground. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.