Abstract:
The present invention is a handy and easily movable container that lends itself to a myriad of uses, including the storing and/or shipping of products. The present invention is particularly useful in connection with the wholesale and/or retail sale of consumer products, such as self-rising swimming pools, which are packaged in large containers and are heavy to lift. In one embodiment, the container comprises a corrugated box and first and second wheel bracket units rotatably engaged with the lower portion of the box from a retracted or stored position to a deployed or operable position. The container further comprises a handle unit disposed at the upper portion of the box. In operation, a person may rotate the first and second wheel bracket units from the retracted or stored position to the deployed or operable position and then grasp and tilt the container using the handle unit. The person may then roll the container along the floor or ground to a desired location.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/578,042 filed on Jun. 8, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to containers, boxes or the like used as packaging for relatively large and heavy consumer products such as a self-rising swimming pool. Conventional containers are typically made from corrugated cardboard and have an advertisement of the product imprinted on the outside of the box. One drawback with conventional containers is that the person may require assistance such as a dolly to transport the container to the check-out counter and/or the car which is time consuming and burdensome.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention is a handy and easily movable container that lends itself to a myriad of uses, including the storing and/or shipping of products. The present invention is particularly useful in connection with the wholesale and/or retail sale of consumer products, such as self-rising swimming pools, which are packaged in large containers and are heavy to lift. In one embodiment, the container comprises a corrugated box and first and second wheel bracket units rotatably engaged with the lower portion of the box from a retracted or stored position to a deployed or operable position. The container further comprises a handle unit disposed at the upper portion of the box. In operation, a person may rotate the first and second wheel bracket units from the retracted or stored position to the deployed or operable position and then grasp and tilt the container using the handle unit. The person may then roll the container along the floor or ground to a desired location. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     The description of the present invention will be more fully understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, in which:  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the container of the present invention shown with a product stored therein and without the removal of any tab portions as may, for example, be transported from the manufacturer to the retailer, displayed on a shelve or floor of the retailer for sale to the consumer, and transported to a destination such as the backyard of the consumer;  
         [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container showing the first and second wheel bracket units in a fully deployed or operable position and the person grasping the handle unit and tilting the container about the first and second wheel bracket units;  
         [0007]      FIG. 3  is a cut-away perspective view of the container showing the third and fourth tab portions removed and the formation of third and fourth L-shaped open slot portions exposing and allowing the person access to freely flip or rotate the first and second wheel bracket units;  
         [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cut-away perspective view of the container showing the first and second wheel bracket units partially flipped or rotated to an intermediate position between the retracted or stored position and the fully deployed or operable position;  
         [0009]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the container showing the first and second wheel bracket units in the fully deployed position and the person grasping the handle unit (not shown) and tilting the container about the first and second wheel bracket units;  
         [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the transport unit assembled apart from the container and showing the first and second wheel bracket units rotatably mounted to the lower support member and end caps secured to each thereof;  
         [0011]      FIG. 7  is a cut-away perspective view of the lower inside portion of the container showing the first and second wheel bracket units rotatably mounted to the lower support member which is engaged with and extends from opposing sidewalls of the container;  
         [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the first and second wheel bracket units each having a wheel rotatably engaged to a bracket about a pin;  
         [0013]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the first and second wheel bracket units each having a wheel rotatably engaged to a bracket about a pin;  
         [0014]      FIG. 10  is a cut-away perspective view of the container showing the center support bracket engaged with the bottom and rear portions of the container;  
         [0015]      FIG. 11  is a perspective views of the center support bracket showing a bottom flange portion adapted to engage with an L-shaped flange or slot portion formed in the bottom of the container and a top portion in the form of a cylindrical shaped tubular opening portion extending inward of the box and adapted to support and allow the lower support member to slide or otherwise move freely therein;  
         [0016]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the center support bracket showing the cylindrically shaped tubular opening portion;  
         [0017]      FIG. 13  is a cut-away perspective view of the inside of the container showing a cover member enclosing the transport unit;  
         [0018]      FIG. 14  is a cut-away perspective view of the upper inside portion of the container showing the handle unit having an upper support member in the form of an elongated hollow rod engaged with and extending between the first and second sidewalls of the container;  
         [0019]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the handle unit having an upper support member in the form of an elongated hollow rod and end caps secured to each end thereof;  
         [0020]      FIG. 16  is a cut-away perspective view of the container showing the first and second tab or flap portions having perforate edges which may be pushed inward by the person;  
         [0021]      FIG. 17  is a cut-away perspective view of the container showing the first and second tab or flap portions pushed inward and allowing the person access to the upper support member of the handle unit to allow the person to comfortably grasp and tilt the container; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 18  are illustrations showing one method of using the container, namely, the steps of tearing away the perforated cardboard tab portions; pulling or rotating the first and second wheel bracket units to a partial or intermediate position; tilting or raising the container off the ground and flipping or rotating the first and second wheel bracket units to the fully deployed position. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the present invention is a container  10  adapted for displaying, storing and/or transporting a consumer product  12 , such as a self-rising swimming pool, and for allowing a person  14  to easily transport the container  10  along a surface  16  such as a floor of a retail store or the ground of a backyard. The container  10  generally comprises a body portion  18  adapted to store the product  12 , a transport unit  56  engaged with the body portion  18 , and a handle unit  112 . In use, a person  14  may rotate the transport unit  56  from a retracted or stored position ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), to an intermediate position ( FIG. 4 ), and to a completely deployed or operable position ( FIGS. 2 and 5 ), whereby the person  14  may tilt the body portion  18  about the transport unit  56  by gasping the handle unit  112  and move the container  10  along the surface  16  by pushing and/or pulling the handle unit  112 .  
         [0024]     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , the body portion  18  generally comprises a bottom wall portion  20 , a rear wall portion  22 , first and second sidewall portions  24  and  26 , a top wall portion  28 , and an internal cavity portion  30 . The body portion  18  further comprises first and second horizontally shaped tab portions  32  and  38  defined by tear-away perforated edges  34  and  40 , respectively. As best shown by  FIGS. 16-17 , the tab portions  32  and  38  may be pushed inward by the person to form first and second open slot portions  36  and  42 , respectively, which as shown with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , allows the person to access and grip an upper support member  114  of the handle unit  112  about inwardly extended tab portions  32  and  38 . The first and second inwardly extended tab portions  32  and  38  also function as a cushion between the person&#39;s hand and the upper support member  114  (to be described) of the handle unit  112 . First and second slot portions  36  and  42  are preferably disposed at an upper rear edge  29  of the rear wall and top wall portions  22  and  28 , respectively, and in close proximity to the upper support member  114  (to be described) of the handle unit  112  so that the person  14  may comfortably grasp the upper support member  114  about the inwardly extended tab portions  32  and  38 .  
         [0025]     Referring back to  FIGS. 1-5 , the body portion  18  further comprises third and fourth vertical L-shaped tab portions  44  and  50  defined by perforated edges  46  and  52 , respectively, and removable by the person  14  to form vertical L-shaped open slot portions  48  and  54  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ), respectively, which allows the person  14  access to the first and/or second wheel bracket units  58  and  72 , respectively. As best shown by  FIG. 3 , the body portion  18  further comprises an L-shaped open slot portion  140  defined by inner tear-away perimeter edges  142  disposed along a bottom rear edge  23  of the bottom and rear portions  20  and  22 . As will be described more fully herein, the open slot portion  140  allows the partial insertion of a center support bracket  100  (to be described) which is supported by the inner perimeter edge portion  142  of the open slot portion  140 . As best shown by  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the body portion  18  further comprises fifth and sixth tab portions  148  and  154  defined by tear-away perforated edges  150  and  156  respectively, which when removed form open catch or slot portions  152  and  158 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the body portion  18  is in the shape of a four sided box made from corrugated cardboard. The body portion  18  may take a variety of shapes and configurations depending upon the product to be stored and/or transported in the container  10 . By way of example only, the container  10  may take the form of an open or closed cylinder or an open or closed square which may be suited for a wide variety of other consumer products. The body portion  18  is preferably made of perforated cardboard although other materials could be used such as plastic. The tab portion  32  and  38  may have connecting continuous perforated edges (not shown), essentially operating as a single tab portion, such that the person may selectively choose to completely remove tab portions  32  and  38  from the body portion  18  thereby allowing the person to grasp the upper support member  114  (to be described) of the handle unit  112  directly.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIGS. 6-12 , the transport unit  56  generally comprises first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  disposed substantially within the internal cavity portion  30  of the body portion  18  when the transport unit  56  is in the retracted position. In the fully deployed position, the first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  are disposed substantially outward of the body portion  18 . The person  14  may flip or rotate the first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  from the retracted position to the fully deployed position. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the first wheel bracket unit  58  is rotatable by the person  14  independent of the second wheel bracket unit  72 . The first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  generally comprise bracket portions  60  and  74 , respectively, that are rotatably engaged with the body portion  18  about a lower support member  86  (to be described). As best shown by  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  further comprise wheel members  70  and  84  rotatably engaged with the bracket portions  60  and  74 , respectively, about pins  71  and  85 , respectively. Referring back to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the transport unit  56  further comprises a lower support member  86  engaged with the body portion  18  which rotatably supports the first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  between the retracted position and the fully deployed position. The lower support member  86  is engaged with and extends from the first sidewall portion  24  to the second sidewall portion  26 . The lower support member  86  comprises an elongated main body portion  88  having end portions  90  and  92  adapted to receive end caps  94  and  96 , respectively. End caps  94  and  96  secure the sidewall portions  24  and  26  to the end portions  90  and  92 , respectively, of the main body portion  88 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the lower support member  86  is an elongated hollow body in the shape of a rod and made from a substantially rigid plastic material. As best shown by  FIG. 8 , the bracket portions  60  and  74  comprise tubular shaped opening portions  62  and  76 , respectively, rotatably engaged with the lower support member  86 . Bracket portions  60  and  74  further comprise elongated substantial planar arm portions  64  and  78  extending outward from the tubular opening portions  62  and  76 , respectively. Each of the arm portions  64  and  78  comprise an upwardly extending flange portion  65  and  67 , respectively, and a plurality of finger or hook portions  66  and  80 , respectively, disposed at the end thereof. The hook portions  66  and  80  are adapted to “grab” the inner perimeter edge of the open catch portions or slots  152  and  158  ( FIG. 7 ) disposed in the bottom portion  20  to hold the bracket portions  60  and  74  in place under the body portion  18 . Each arm portions  64  and  78  may further comprise downwardly extending leg portions  68  and  82  adapted to support the body portion  18  above the surface  16  in the fully deployed position. As shown by  FIG. 8 , the leg portions  68  and  82  are disposed substantially below the flange portions  65  and  67 .  
         [0027]     As best shown by  FIGS. 10-12 , the transport unit  56  may further comprise a center support bracket  100  to provide additional support for the lower support member  86 . In the embodiment shown, the center support bracket  100  generally comprises a L-shaped substantially planar bottom portion  102  engaged with the body portion  18  along the bottom rear edge  23  and a top portion  108  adapted to support the lower support member  86  at approximately the median or center of the lower support member  86 . The bottom portion  102  of the center support bracket  100  comprises a substantially planar first support portion  104  engaged with the bottom portion  20  and a substantially planar second support portion  106  engaged with the rear portion  22  of the body portion  18 . The top portion  108  of the center support bracket  100  comprises a hollow ring or tubular shaped opening portion  110  adapted to receive and allow the lower support member  86  to slide or otherwise move freely there thru. The center support bracket  100  is positioned at the bottom rear edge  23  of the container  10 , with the tubular opening portion  110  projecting into the cavity portion  30  of the container  10 . The L-shaped bottom portion  102  of the center support bracket  100  is slightly larger than the L-shaped slot portion  140  in order to keep the center support bracket  100  in position so that it does not move into the cavity portion  30  of the container  10 .  
         [0028]     Except for pins  71  and  85 , all of the components of the transport unit  56  (bracket portions  60  and  74 , wheel members  70  and  84 , lower support member  86 , and the center support bracket  100 ) may be made from well known durable and strong plastic materials and fabricated by well known molding processes. The transport unit  56  take a variety of other configurations. By way of example only, one, two, or more wheels may be employed, and the particular structure of the wheel bracket, the arm extending therefrom, and its attached leg, all may vary from that shown here. The slots may be cut open, rather than being formed from perforated tabs, with the wheels being releasably retained within the container by means other than rotation. There may be one or more wheels and/or wheel bracket unit mounted within the bottom portion  20  of the body portion  18  and deployed therefrom.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 13 , the container  10  further may comprise a internal cover portion  128  disposed over the transport unit  56 . In the embodiment shown, the cover  128  is made from corrugated cardboard.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the handle unit  112  comprises an upper support member  114  engaged with the body portion  18  at a point closer to the top portion  28  than the bottom portion  20  of the body portion  18 . In the embodiment shown, the upper support member  114  is engaged with and extends or spans between the first and second sidewall portions  24  and  26  of the body portion  18 . The upper support member  114  comprises a body portion  116  having end portions  118  and  120  adapted to pass through the sidewall portion  24  and  26 , and end caps  124  and  126 . End caps  124  and  126  secure the sidewall portions  24  and  26 , respectively, to the upper support member  114 . In the embodiment shown, the upper support member  114  is an elongated hollow body in the shape of a rod and made from a substantially rigid plastic material and fabricated by conventional extrusion and/or molding processes. As also shown by  FIG. 14 , the first and second tab portions  32  and  38  when pushed inward fold over the median portion  117  of the elongated body portion  116  and as such acts as a cushion to provide a comfortable grip. Alternatively, the first and second tab portions may be a single tab portion completely removable by the person to expose the median portion  117  of the elongated body portion  116 , whereby the person would gasp the upper support member  114  directly to tilt and push the container  10 .  
         [0031]     The container  10  may be assembled as follows: First, the center support bracket  100  is inserted from the outside into the L-shaped open slot  140  disposed substantially at the bottom rear edge  23  intersecting the bottom and rear portions  20  and  22  such that the axis of the tubular ring or tubular open portion  10  is substantially parallel to the rear edge  23  of the container  12 . The remainder of the transport unit  56  may then be assembled as follows: the lower support member or rod  86  is slid through a hole (not shown) in the side wall  24  of the body portion  18 . The first wheel bracket unit  58  is then mounted to the lower support member  86  and then the lower support member  86  is slid through the tubular opening portion  110  of the center bracket support  100 . Thereafter, the second wheel bracket unit  72  is mounted to the lower support member  86  and the lower support member  86  is slid through a hole (not shown) in the side wall  24  of the container  10 . Thereafter, the end cap  94  and  96  are inserted in the end portions  90  and  92 , respectively, to secure the lower support member  86  to the body portion  18 .  
         [0032]     In a typical use, a person may remove the lower vertical tabs  32  and  38  thereby visibly exposing and allowing the person access to the first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  which are orientated in a fully retracted or stored position ( FIG. 3 ). The first and second wheel bracket units  58  and  72  may be rotated to a partial deployed position ( FIG. 4 ). The bottom rear edge  23  of the container  10  may be lifted and the first and second wheel brackets  58  and  72  may be flipped or rotated under the container  10  so that the upper surface of the arm portions  64  and  78  substantially engage the bottom wall  20  of the container  10 , and each of the finger or hooks portions  66  and  80  may be engaged with open catch or slot portions  152  and  158 , respectively. Thereafter, the person may gasp the handle unit  112  and tilt the container  10  about wheels  70  and  84  for subsequent rolling movement. The leg portions  68  and  82  help support the container  12  when it is returned to its upright, non-tilted position.  
         [0033]     In the embodiment shown, the body portion  18  is a corrugated box having dimensions of approximately 21.00 inches by 25.00 inches by 38.00 inches in size. The two support members $6 and 114 are each about 1.00 inches in diameter and are made from hard plastic. The wheel members  70  and  84  are each about 2.00 inches in diameter. The arm portion  64  and  78  extending from wheel members  70  and  84  are about 5.00 inches long. The horizontal open slot portions  36  and  42  at the top rear edge  29  of the container  10  are about 2.00 inches by 5.00 inches. The vertical open slot portions  48  and  54  covering the wheels  70  and  84  are about 2.50 inches by 6.50 inches. The two open catch or slots portions  152  and  158  on the bottom wall  20  of the container  12  are 0.50 inches by 2.25 inches. The L-shaped open slot  140  at the center of the bottom rear edge  23  is 2.50 inches wide, extends upwardly about 1.25 inches and rearwardly about 1.25 inches.  
         [0034]     The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein. However, it will be recognized that variations of the preferred embodiment here described may be made without departing from the invention.