Abstract:
A counter top coffee maker is rolled out from a storage location on a mobile base on a counter. The base includes a set of wheels and a set of bumpers. The wheels are used to move the base by lifting the bumpers off the counter surface. The bumpers are used to maintain the base in a stationary position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/345,184 filed Jun. 30, 1999. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to the field of appliances. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements to counter top appliances that enable the relocation of the appliances.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Appliances are used in nearly every room of a modem household. A washing machine is usually in a laundry room, a hair dryer is in a bathroom, a dishwasher is in the kitchen. Counter-top appliances are those appliances that are generally found on a counter in a kitchen. Examples of counter-top appliances include a toaster, a coffee maker, and a blender. The counter-top appliances are generally stored and used on the same counter area.  
           [0006]    The bottom of the counter-top appliance base usually includes cushions or bumpers. The bumpers are generally employed to prevent the appliance from moving during operation. The bumpers are also used to support the appliance in a stable position, and prevent vibrations from damaging the counter surface.  
           [0007]    Often times, the counter-top appliance is moved from one position on the counter to another position. Some of the reasons for moving the counter-top appliance may include filling water in a coffee maker, cleaning the appliance, or simply using the appliance at a location on the counter that is different from the location where the appliance is stored. Often, a top-loading appliance, i.e., one that receives material to be processed from an opening at its top portion, such as a coffee maker, is stored on the counter under the kitchen cabinets. To load the appliance, it must be moved away from under the cabinets. When the counter-top appliance is moved, the appliance is dragged along the counter or lifted off the counter. The bumpers on the appliance base are not conducive to relocation. The appliance is often jarred as it is dragged along the counter. The appliance may be damaged, such as by the bumpers breaking, in the processing of moving around the counter because the bumpers are generally intended to prevent movement. Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that allows for an appliance to be easily moved from one position on the counter to another.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In accordance with the present invention, there is presented a counter-top appliance base which enables the simple relocation of the appliance around a counter. The base includes at least two rolling elements, such as wheels, on one end of the base. The opposite end of the base may include conventional bumpers or another set of lockable rolling elements. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 illustrates a top-loading counter top appliance positioned on a base of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the base of FIG. 1; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a top view of the base of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]    The structure and operation of a base of the present invention will now be disclosed. The structure of the base will first be described with reference to drawings of a preferred embodiment of a base. The operation of a base loaded with a counter top appliance will then be described with reference to the drawings of the base.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 illustrates a base  103  of the present invention that is loaded with a counter top appliance  101 . The counter top appliance of FIG. 1 is a top loading appliance such as for example, a coffee maker. The appliance includes a top opening  105  for loading water into the appliance. As may be appreciated from FIG. 1, the loading of the appliance may be hindered by a cabinet that is located directly above the appliance because the opening  105  is not accessible.  
         [0014]    The base  103  is loaded with the counter top appliance  101  by placing the appliance within the recessed top portion  109  of the base  103  (herein after “base top”). The surface of the base top  109  is preferably covered by non-slip material such as rubber. In the alternative, the base itself may be constructed from a material that, in combination with the textur of the base top  109 , prevents the loaded appliance from slipping. The base additionally includes a lip portion  110  (herein after “lip”) that surrounds the base top  109 . The lip  110  operates to prevent the loaded appliance  101  from slipping off the base top  109 .  
         [0015]    The bottom of the base (FIG. 2) includes a set of rubber stoppers  111  (herein after “stoppers”) and a set of wheels  113 . The wheels  113  are preferably made of soft rubber so as to prevent the jarring of the appliance  101  when it is transported along a counter. The stoppers  111  are used to maintain the base in position, when it is not used to relocate the loaded appliance  101 . The stoppers  111  are preferably rubber pylon shaped bumpers that have a friction coefficient high enough so as to prevent the movement of the base  103  when loaded with an appliance.  
         [0016]    The base  103  includes a handle  107  that allows for the relocation of the base. The handle  107  is attached to the front of the platform on the stopper end. The handle  107  is used to lift the bumpers base  103  from the counter surface. By lifting the stoppers  111  from the counter surface, the base  103  can be maneuvered to another position on the counter surface. When the stoppers  111  are off the counter surface, the wheels  113  are allowed to rotate, thereby enabling the relocation of the base  103 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the base  103  of FIG. 1. The bottom of the base includes a pair of grooves  115  for the wheels  113 . The grooves  115  are deep enough so as to allow for the wheels  113  to freely rotate while secured in the groove by an axle  117 . The axle  117  is preferably made from a rigid material so as to prevent the wheel  113  from engaging the base  103  when the base is loaded. The grooves may be formed, for example, by an injection molding process.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the base  103  of FIG. 1. The top of the base includes the base top  109 , the lip  110 , and the handle  107 . From the view of FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the lip  110  completely surrounds the base top  109  so as to prevent the slipping of the loaded appliance  101  in all directions.  
         [0019]    In operation, the appliance  101  is first loaded onto the base top  109 . When the appliance  101  is to be moved from one position on the counter to another, the user engages the handle  107  to lift the front of the base  103 . The distance that the wheels extend from the base  103 , and the location of the wheels relative to the back of the base, controls the maximum title of angle for the base when the handle  107  is raised. At the maximum tilt angle, the outer edge of the base bottom is in contact with the counter surface. The outer edge of the base bottom, wheel  113  bottom, and axle  117 , form sides of a triangle that defines the maximum tilt angle. Preferably, the wheel  113  location and extension are selected in accordance with the equation provided below such that the  
       θ   =       Tan     -   1            (       D   1       D   2       )                             
 
         [0020]    maximum angle of tilt is less than that which causes the appliance to tip off the base top  109 . The angle is provided by the following equation:  
         [0021]    Where D 1  is the distance between the wheel bottom and the corresponding axle, and D 2  is the distance between the wheel bottom and the edge of the base bottom. The maximum tilt angle is generally between 1 and 30 degrees. Preferably, the maximum tilt angle is between 10 and 25 degrees.  
         [0022]    The invention is equally applicable to counter-top appliances that are premanufactured with at least one rolling element, such as a wheel at their bottom. The counter-top appliance can be manufactured with a handle so as to allow for the lifting of stoppers or other securing elements and rolling the appliance on the rolling elements provided.  
         [0023]    Although the invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments that are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, including embodiments which do not provide all of the features and advantages set forth herein, are also within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the claims that follow.