Abstract:
A carrier assembly or cart which affords a portable source of water to allow the dispensing of cleaning chemicals over a large area. The cart also includes compartments for the placement of dispensing devices as well as the attachment for cleaning devices such as brooms, a mop bucket and a waste receptacle. The cart is constructed in a unitary and compact manner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to an assembly for transporting dispensing devices. More particularly, it relates to a cart for transporting a hose reel and a liquid dispensing device for cleaning and disinfecting agents.  
         [0002]     Wheeled carriers for hose reels are well-known. They are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,724; U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,298; U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,307 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,360. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,724 a spray gun  16  is connected to a hose  15  mounted on a hose reel  30 . Several tanks are provided to supply liquids to the spray gun. U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,298; U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,307 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,360 do not disclose dispensing devices in combination with a hose reel on a cart. There is a need to provide portability to dispensing devices which dispense liquid cleaning materials including disinfectants. The type of dispensing device concerned with in this invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,901, which teachings are incorporated by reference. This type of dispenser is employed with a source of pressurized water.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention provides a carrier assembly for transporting liquid dispensing devices. A frame structure has at least one wheel member and a handle member connected thereto. There is at least one panel member constructed and arranged to support a dispensing device. A hose reel is connected to the frame structure and includes a first length of hose. A second length of flexible hose is connected to the first length of hose, the second length of hose adapted to be connected to the liquid dispensing device.  
         [0004]     In one aspect the hose reel is connected to the panel member.  
         [0005]     In a preferred embodiment, there are two panel members, one positioned above the other. One panel member constitutes an upper panel member and the other constitutes a lower panel member. The hose reel is connected to the upper panel member.  
         [0006]     In another preferred embodiment, the upper and lower panel members have pocket members for accommodating dispensing devices.  
         [0007]     In yet another preferred embodiment, the upper and lower panel members are interconnected with a compartment for the second length of flexible tubing.  
         [0008]     In still another preferred embodiment the carrier assembly is constructed to transport cleaning implements such as mops and brushes as well as buckets.  
         [0009]     A general object of the invention is to provide a portable carrier assembly or cart for dispensing devices.  
         [0010]     Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier assembly or cart which has a source of water, pockets for accommodating dispensing devices and a connection of the dispensing devices to the source of water.  
         [0011]     Yet another object is a carrier assembly of the foregoing type which can accommodate a wide variety of cleaning devices.  
         [0012]     Still another object is a carrier assembly of the foregoing type which is aesthetically appearing.  
         [0013]     Yet another object is a carrier assembly of the foregoing type which is structurally durable. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the dispenser carrier assembly of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the dispenser carrier assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  showing the placement of dispensing devices and other articles thereon;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the dispenser carrier assembly shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a back view of the dispenser carrier shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the dispenser carrier shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the dispenser assembly. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the carrier assembly generally  10  includes a frame structure  12  supported on wheel members  14 . It has a handle member  16  as well as panel members  18 ,  19  and  20  which compose the frame structure. Upper panel member  18  and lower panel member  20  are connected by the support rods  24 . A hose reel  26  with hose  28  is disposed beneath upper panel member  18 . A compartment  31  is provided in panel member  19  and accommodates coiled hose  30 . A connect-disconnect device  32  is provided at the end of the coiled hose  30  and is retained in holder  33 . The carrier assembly  10  has several pockets,  34 ,  35  and  36  to accommodate dispensing devices  40 ,  41  and  42 . Pocket  37  accommodates a spray nozzle (not shown).  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , it is seen that hose reel  26  is supported from panel member  18  by bracket  48 . A conduit  46  extends through the end plates  59  of bracket  48  and is rotatably mounted in the bracket  48  by means of the bearings  50 . A connection  44 , as well as pipe section  47  connects the hose  28  to the conduit  46 . A connection  57  affords a leak tight and rotatable mounting of flexible conduit  55  to the conduit  46 . A crank member  52  with handle  53  allows for the rotation of the hose reel.  
         [0023]     As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , flexible conduit  55  is retained on the panel member  19  by the connections  61 . Flexible conduit  55  is connected to coiled hose  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0024]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , panel member  20  has a cavity section  38  which accommodates mop bucket  63 . It is retained in the cavity  38  by the retainer  65  connected to panel member  19 . In this instance, the mop bucket  63  will have wheels (not shown) on the bottom so as to be moved along with the carrier assembly  10 .  
         [0025]     Another embodiment of the carrier assembly is shown in  FIG. 7 . Similar parts are designated with similar numbers as previously employed except followed with the suffix “A”. Carrier assembly generally  10 A differs from assembly  10  in the different configurations of the frame structure  12 A such as the panel members  18 A,  19 A and  20 A. Frame structure  2 A includes a front panel  22 A with an identification portion  23 A. A curved front portion  27 A is also provided in frame structure  12 A. Panel member  19 A is also curved. The size of support rods  24 A has also been increased. Instead of hand activated dispensing device  40  being placed in the pockets  34 A as in assembly  10 , the hose end dispensing device  42 A is placed therein.  
         [0000]     Operation  
         [0026]     A better understanding of the carrier assembly  10  will be had the by a description of its operation.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , hose  28  will be connected to a suitable source of water pressure such as by the connector  29 . The cart can then be moved to any section of an area which is to be cleaned with the un-reeling of the hose  28  from the hose reel  26 . A dispensing device  42  can then be connected to coiled hose  30  by means of the connect-disconnect  32  for connection with the head connector  66 .  
         [0028]     Dispensing device  42  in this instance is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,901. This dispensing device  42  includes a dispensing head  67 , with a slideable and rotatable eductor. Water will flow through hose  28 , flexible conduit  55  and flexible hose  30  to the head connector  66  and head  67 . If it is desired to utilize a hand-type dispenser, such as shown at  40  or  41 , these are readily available. The mop bucket  63  affords ready access to a mop should this function be desired. Further, as seen in  FIG. 5 , a mop brush  70  is available when connected by the clasp  72  to the carrier assembly  10 . In a similar manner a squeegee device (not shown) can also be attached.  
         [0029]     It will be seen that there is now provided a convenient and portable source of water for use in a dispensing device which allows for convenient cleaning of a wide area, limited only by the length of the hose  28 . Suitable auxiliary cleaning dispensing devices  40  and  41  are carried by the carrier assembly as well as receptacle container  39  inside the handle member.  
         [0030]     A preferred material for fabricating the carrier assembly is molded plastic such as polyethylene, however other suitable plastic materials such as low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene or nylon could also be employed. The carrier assembly  10  has been described for use with several types of dispensing devices. Many of these can be eliminated and still carry out the basic function of portability of the carrier assembly. Neither is it necessary to have the receptacle  39 , the mop bucket  63  and the dispensing devices  40  and  41 . All such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be within a scope as defined by the appended claims.