Abstract:
A cart for transporting goods to various locations. The cart is configured to carry luggage and other items that require transportation, and designed to nest with like-constructed carts, thereby reducing the space required to store the carts when not in use. The cart comprises a platform configured to carry a load. The platform has a first end configured to nest within a like-shaped cart, a second end configured to receive and engage with at least a portion of said like-shaped cart, and opposing sides. The cart further includes a pair of push or pull handles having first ends secured to the first end of the platform and second ends secured to the second end of the platform, and a main body traversing between the first end and the second end. The cart also includes a plurality of wheels attached to a lower surface of the platform.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a device for transporting goods to various locations; to a cart designed to reduce the amount of space required for storing the cart; and more particularity, to a cart designed to carry luggage and other items that require transportation configured to nest with like-constructed carts, thereby reducing the space required to store the carts when not in use. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Travel, and its corresponding tourism revenues, provides large economic benefits for many countries around the world. As traveling becomes more accessible and even cheaper for the average person, individuals continue to take trips away from their homes in large numbers. Whether traveling by plane, car, or cruise ship, most travel requires individuals to stay in an establishment that provides housing accommodations. Whether a hotel room, ship cabin, or a rented house, these accommodations allow the traveler to store their clothes and other personal belongings in a secure location while they are exploring their chosen destination. 
     Upon arriving at his/her destination, a traveler requires checking into the living accommodations. This process requires transporting luggage and other personnel belongings from their car to their room. Typically, the traveler unpacks his/her luggage and other personal belongings from the car and loads the luggage and other personnel belongings onto a luggage cart. Whether the individual traveler performs this procedure or hotel personnel are responsible, utilization of the luggage cart makes transporting such items easier and quicker, and reduces the risk of injury from carrying heavy items. 
     While luggage carts are a tremendous help in moving luggage and other personnel belongings to a traveler&#39;s room, the function of these carts, i.e. transportation of large items, often require them to take up a large amount of space. In addition, because hotels do not want their guests to be waiting in the lobby area, they often utilize a large number of the luggage carts. This is particularly true for large resort areas that have a large amount of guests coming and going at any given time. One of the problems with having a large number of these carts is finding a space large enough to store them. As the luggage carts are stored in a back to back or side to side orientation, the storage area must be big enough to accommodate such storage orientations. Even in hotels that do not require having large numbers of the carts, storage of even two units can require more space than desired. 
     What is needed in the art is a luggage cart configured to nest with like-constructed carts, thereby reducing the space required to store the carts when not in use. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,733,765 describes an airport cart adapted for carrying carry-on luggage and personal items divested prior to a security check point. The cart is described as including a lower luggage tray or shelf and a pair of vertical supports which extend upward from a rear portion of this tray or a horizontal portion of the cart frame. The cart may have dual handles extending rearward in a spaced-apart manner from the vertical supports, such that the handles are parallel to each other and do not block vertical loading of the luggage tray. The cart includes one, two, or more storage or security screening bins that are fixed to or detachably mounted on the vertical supports or the handles. One or more of the storage bins may be compatible with conventional airport screening bins. The bins are horizontally offset from the luggage tray and each other to facilitate unobstructed 3-D screening of bags and items in the bins. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,493 teaches a nestable cart described as having a base or platform supported on caster wheels and sides which taper inwardly from the rear end to the front end of the platform. An upwardly extending handle frame extends upwardly from the rear end of the cart. An open area beneath the platform is designed to receive the front end of a platform of a second cart in order to nest two carts together. A nesting guide formation is provided at one end of the platform to guide two platforms into nesting engagement while lifting the rear wheels of a front cart from the ground during nesting of a rear cart into the front cart. The guide formation may be one or more rotating members such as rollers or guide wheels. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,029 teaches a flat bed cart described as having a flat, wheeled platform with a front end and a rear end, and an upwardly extending handle frame extending upwardly from the rear end of the platform. The platform has a forward, fixed deck portion and a rear, liftable deck portion having a forward end hinged to the fixed deck portion for rotation about a first horizontal hinge axis extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the platform. The rear deck portion is movable between a first position co-planar with the forward deck portion for use in transporting items supported on the platform, and a second, raised position when another cart is nested into the rear end of the platform. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,419 teaches a light, rigid cart structure described as being suitable for transporting luggage about in a railway or bus station, the cart structure being designed to facilitate nesting relation between carts of similar construction, whereby a minimum amount of area is required for parking or storing the devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a cart for transporting goods to various locations. The cart is designed to reduce the amount of space required for storing the cart. More particularly, the cart is configured to carry luggage and other items that require transportation, and designed to nest with like-constructed carts, thereby reducing the space required to store the carts when not in use. As an illustrative example, the cart may comprise a platform configured to carry a load. The platform has a first end configured to nest within a like-shaped cart, a second end configured to receive and engage with at least a portion of said like-shaped cart, and opposing sides. The cart further includes a first push or pull handle having a first end secured to the first end of the platform, a second end secured to the second end of said platform, and a main body traversing between the first end and the second end. A second push or pull handle has a first end secured to the first end of the platform, a second end secured to the second end of the platform, and a main body traversing between the first end and the second end. The second push or pull handle is spaced apart from said first push or pull handle. The cart also includes a plurality of wheels attached to a lower surface of the platform. 
     Accordingly, it is an objective of the invention to provide a cart which is configured to minimize the amount of space required to store multiple, like-shaped carts. 
     It is an objective of the invention to provide a cart which is nestable with one or more like-shaped carts. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to provide a cart that includes a platform configured to receive and secure one or more like-shaped carts in a nested configuration. 
     It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a cart that contains multiple push/pull bars configured to aid in nesting. 
     It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a luggage cart which is configured to minimize the amount of space required to store multiple, like-shaped luggage carts. 
     It is an objective of the invention to provide a luggage cart which is nestable with one or more like-shaped luggage carts. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to provide a luggage cart that includes a platform configured to receive and secure one or more like-shaped luggage carts in a nested configuration. 
     It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a luggage cart that contains multiple push/pull bars configured to aid in nesting. 
     Objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 2  is an alternative perspective view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 4  is a back view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom perspective view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 6  is an alternative bottom perspective view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 8  is a left side view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the nestable luggage cart; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of two nestable luggage carts nested together; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the nestable luggage cart platform; 
         FIG. 13  is an alternative perspective view of the nestable luggage cart platform; and 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the nestable luggage cart illustrating additional features. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred, albeit not limiting, embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-10 , the disclosed invention is a commercial grade cart for transporting luggage and other personal goods, referred to generally as a luggage cart  10 . The luggage cart  10  includes a base or platform  12 , a first push/pull handle  14 , and a second push/pull handle  16 . The platform  12  is carried on a plurality of wheels, a first wheel set  18  and a second wheel set  20 . The base or platform  12  is configured to receive and transport a load, such as a load from supporting one or more item, such as luggage, placed thereon. While the present invention is described as a cart for transporting luggage, transportation of luggage is not the only intended use. Other large or small items, such as boxes, clothes, grocery items, tools, or any other item or goods that can fit and remain on the platform  12  may be transported. The platform  12  is also configured to aid in nesting like-shaped luggage carts  10 . 
     The platform  12  contains an upper surface  22 , see for example  FIGS. 2 and 12 , and a lower surface  24 , see  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The platform  12  contains a first end  26 , a second opposing end  28 , and two opposing sides,  30  and  32 , see  FIGS. 2, 12 and 13 . The first end  26  may be termed as a forward end; the second opposing end  28  may be termed as a rear end. The use of “forward end  26 ” and “rear end  28 ” is used primarily for reference purposes and describe the direction in which the luggage cart  10  is travelling. Typically, a luggage cart  10  is pushed so that the forward end  26  is facing the direction in which the luggage cart  10  is travelling. Luggage carts  10  may also be pulled by a user, in which case the reference to forward end and rear end would be reversed with regards to the individual moving the luggage cart  10 . A bumper  36  can be placed on the perimeter of the platform  12  to prevent damage to the platform  12 , and to prevent the luggage cart  10  from damaging walls or tables when being used to transport luggage or other times. The bumper  36  may be made of a plastic or rubber material, such as a rigid or high impact vinyl, a thermo plastic rubber, a neoprene or natural rubber blend, an extruded rubber, or molded urethane. 
     The platform  12  is carried on the plurality of wheels  18 ,  20  so that the platform  12  is raised above a surface and can be moved from one location to another location. The first wheel set  18  may comprise two forward end wheel castors  38 A and  38 B secured to the bottom surface  24  of the platform  12 , see  FIG. 3 . The second wheel set  20  may comprise two rear end wheel castors  40 A and  40 B. The two rear end wheel castors  40 A and  40 B are secured to the bottom surface  24  of the platform  12  towards the rear end  28  and spaced apart from the forward end wheel castors  38 A and  38 B. The two forward end wheel castors  38 A and  38 B are preferably swivel castors, but may be rigid casters. The two rear end wheel castors  40 A and  40 B are preferably rigid castors, but may be swivel castors. While the platform  12  is described as being supported by castor wheels, other wheels or wheel assemblies may be used to move the luggage cart  10  directionally from one position to another. Wheels  42 A and  42 B of castors  38 A and  38 B may have a smaller diameter or wheel, or tread width, or both a smaller diameter and a smaller wheel/tread width than wheels  44 A and  44 B of castor  40 A and  40 B. 
     The platform  12  is configured to hold and transport various goods, as well as aid in nesting multiple, like-shaped luggage carts  10 . The first or forward end  26  is configured to nest a like-shaped luggage cart  10 . The second or rear end  28  is configured to receive and engage at least a portion of a like-shaped luggage cart  10 . The luggage cart  10  is configured to comprise a first portion which has a smaller dimension than a second portion. As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the width, W 1 , of the first or forward end  26  is smaller than the width, W 2 , of the second or rear end  28 . 
     The platform  12  uses a primary transporting surface  46  for receiving and holding various goods, and two additional surfaces,  48  and  50 , sized and shaped for holding various goods. Surfaces  48  and  50  are separated by a luggage cart nesting site, illustrated herein as a cut out region  52 . The cut out region forms two arm-like extensions, a first arm  54  and a second arm  56 . The length, L 1 , of the cut out region  52  is preferably the same as the longitudinal length, L 2 , of the primary transporting surface  46 . Platform  12  preferably comprises a sloping surface. Preferably, the sloping surface is a downwardly sloping surface from the opposing second end  28 , down towards the first end  26 . The downwardly sloping surface may include the area below the first arm  54  and second arm  56 , down towards the first end  26 . 
     The first push/pull handle  14  and the second push/pull handle  16  are configured to aid in moving the luggage cart  10  from one position to another position, provide additional storage areas, and to aid in nesting multiple, like-shaped luggage carts  10 . Push/pull handle  14  comprises a bar  58  having a first end  60  and a second opposing end  62 . The first end  60  secures to a portion of the primary transporting surface  46  at point or opening  64 . The second opposing end  62  secures to a portion of the first arm  54  at point or opening  66 . In this configuration, the bar  58  extends the entire length of the platform  12 . A first vertical portion  66  of the bar  58  extends upwardly from the upper surface  22 . At bend  68 , the vertical portion becomes a generally horizontal portion  70  (with reference to upper surface  22 ). A second bend  72  provides for the bar  58  to provide a second vertical portion  74 . The second vertical portion  74  extends upwardly from the upper surface  22 . Preferably, the bar  58  is made of a single unit. However, each of the portions, the first vertical portion  66 , the horizontal portion  70 , and the second vertical portion  74 , may be constructed independently and secured together. Bar  58  is secured to the lower surface  24  through support structure  77  with screws  79 A and washers  79 B. 
     Push/pull handle  16  comprises a bar  76  having a first end  78  and a second opposing end  80 . The first end  78  secures to a portion of the primary transporting surface  46  at a point or opening  82 . The second opposing end  80  secures to a portion of the second arm  56  at a point or opening  84 . In this configuration, the bar  76  extends the entire length of the platform  12 . A first vertical portion  86  of the bar  76  extends upwardly from the upper surface  22 . At bend  88 , the vertical portion  86  becomes a generally horizontal portion  90  (with reference to upper surface  22 ). A second bend  92  provides for the bar  76  to provide a second vertical portion  94 . The second vertical portion  94  extends upwardly from the upper surface  22 . Preferably, the bar  76  is made of a single unit. However, each of the portions, the first vertical portion  86 , the horizontal portion  90 , and the second vertical portion  94 , may be constructed independently and secured together. Bar  76  is secured to the lower surface  24  through support structure with screws  79 A and washers  79 B (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The first vertical portion  66  of bar  58  and the first vertical portion  86  of bar  76  are orientated to be in a generally parallel arrangement. The second vertical portion  74  of bar  58  and the second vertical portion  94  of bar  76  are orientated to be in a generally parallel arrangement. To aid in nesting, the distance D 1  between the second vertical portion  74  of bar  58  and the second vertical portion  94  of bar  76  is larger than the distance D 2  between the first vertical portion  66  of bar  58  and the first vertical bar  86  of bar  76 . The orientation of the two bars  58  and  76  provides a clearance for nesting of like-shaped luggage carts  10 . The distance D 2  is also a length that is smaller than the distance D 3  between wall  95  and  97 . The length of distance D 3  also defines the size of opening  52 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , like shaped luggage carts  10 , individually referred to as  10 A and  10 B, are shown in a nested position. The platform  12  of luggage cart  10 B is inserted within the opening  52  of luggage cart  10 A and in between the second vertical portions ( 74 ,  94 ) of push/pull bars  14  and  16  of luggage cart  10 A. The distance D 1  between the second vertical portions ( 74 ,  94 ) of push/pull bars  14  and  16  of luggage cart  10 B allows the first vertical portions  66 ,  86  of luggage cart  10 A to fit without hindrance. In the inserted position, the first vertical portions  66 ,  86  of luggage cart  10 B rest against a backstop, a back wall  99  ( FIG. 13 ). Since at least a portion of the platform of luggage cart  10 B has a downward sloped surface, when nested, a portion of the platform  12  rests underneath first arm  54  and second arm  56 . To further aid in proper nesting, the sides  30  and  32  of platform  12  may contain curved surfaces  100  and  102  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) which contain a stop edge  104 ,  106 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , first arm  54  and second arm  56  of luggage cart  10 A rest against stop edges  104 ,  106 , preventing further movement of luggage cart  10 A. 
     To aid in transporting luggage and other goods, the luggage cart  10  may include additional hang bars. A hang bar  108  connects the first vertical portion  66  of bar  58  and the first vertical portion  86  of bar  76 . A second hang bar  110  connects the horizontal portion  70  of bar  58  and the horizontal portion  90  of bar  76 . A third hang bar  112  is connected to the second hang bar  110  and extends away therefrom. In addition to providing an area to hold items such as clothes, hang bars may also provide stability. Referring to  FIG. 14 , the platform  12  may also include a guide member, illustrated herein as wheels  114 . Wheels  114  may be used to guide the luggage cart  10  away from obstacles, such as walls. Wheels  114  may also be used to prevent damage from accidental contact to such obstacles. Bars  116  and  118  extending out from the second vertical portions ( 74 ,  94 ) of push/pull bars  14  and  16  and securing to arms  54  and  56  may be used to prevent items stored thereon from falling off during transportation. 
     All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
     It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein. 
     One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary, and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.