Abstract:
A beach wagon is disclosed which is convertible from a beach-wagon to a table. The wagon is used for transporting goods and contains a large cargo container with an open top. The beach wagon is easily converted from motorized to manual and back again, through the disengagement and re-engagement of the drivetrain. When motorized, a d-c battery-driven motor drives the rear wheels, and the rechargeable battery thereof is optionally aided by a solar panel. Forward gearing includes low-speed for pavement and hard sand and high-speed for soft sand. A rectangular deck has a pair of table leaves hingedly attached thereto and operable between an open and closed position. The leaves form opposite sides of a cargo container and in the closed position form a table. A pair of container panels attach to the table leaves and deck to form the cargo container.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of a patent application entitled Motorized Beach Wagon bearing application Ser. No. 11/639,731 and filed Dec. 14, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,363, issued Jul. 27, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a beach wagon that is manually steerable, has a convertible, open-top container for receiving goods, which container is easily converted to a beachside tabletop that is at a convenient height for the beach chair occupant. Additionally, a motorized beach wagon is described having a drivetrain that is disconnectable for a free-wheeling mode and reconnectable for the motorized condition. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     After driving to the shore, beachgoers typically find parking a considerable distance from the actual location selected for the day&#39;s outing. Often, a long walk across the sand is required which may be particularly burdensome when handling a combination of children, large beach towels, beach chairs, children&#39;s toys, umbrellas, extra clothes, coolers filled with food and drink, and other paraphernalia for the beach. 
     Without a wagon or similar device, the beachgoer frequently makes several round trips, all the while attempting to maintain control over the operation. Once on the beach, the present device converts from a wagon to a table, isolated from the sand. This enhances the utility of the device. 
     Beach wagons and carts are known in the art, but many of these presently available are similar to urban shopping carts and are not motorized or suited for the task. Such beach wagons and carts are generally supported by two wheels and the load is tilted in order to pull the entire load. The tires of these two-wheeled carts have insufficient surface area to prevent sinking into soft sand, and, when loaded become difficult to manage on the soft sand terrain. 
     A non-motorized attempt to cart heavy goods over sandy terrain is taught in the disclosure of Kirkendall, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,909, entitled Low-Bed Service Cart which describes a four wheeled, pull-type wagon. The wagon of Kirkendall &#39;909 is specially designed to carry folding chairs, ice chests, firewood, and other small items. This device, which is manually controlled and steered, is especially difficult to reverse when heavily loaded. 
     In the Kirdendall &#39;909 patent a review of the pre-1988 cart patents is provided and includes (specific for beach use) patents to Maturo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,571; Frank, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,511; and Willette, U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,615. In a later patent to Shapiro, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,030 an extensive list of cart patents is provided with a substantial body of patents drawn from Class 280/Subclass 651 et seq. 
     Traveling picnic tables such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,611 to Mihalic, et al. are known in the art. The table disclosed in the invention is collapsible and provides wheels and a handle. Thus, the device is portable, but no cargo container is provided in which to carry typical beach gear. Further, the device is not motorized, so that the user must pull the relatively heavy device by hand. The invention does not teach any mechanism to overcome difficulty in maneuvering the device over varied beach terrain. 
     The drivetrain of the invention has as its progenitor the child&#39;s ridable vehicle developed by Kransco in the mid-1980&#39;s and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,958 to Harrod and a subsequent reissue patent, No. RE 33,769. Later, after the Fisher-Price, Inc. and Mattel, Inc. merger, Mattel acquired Kransco and assigned the marketing and development to Fisher-Price. The intermediate entity was known as Mattel Power Wheels, Inc. 
     The Power Wheels devices have a mechanical platform—chassis, motors, gearing, power and control arrangement. Although the Power Wheel vehicles have the large inflatable wheels that provide a large footprint and a suitable center of gravity to function well on a variety of beach terrains, the platform required substantial modification for the within described use. While Power Wheels platform only teaches a ridable vehicle for children, there is no suggestion or teaching toward a motorized, manually steerable beach wagon. 
     Beyond the above novel features, the present invention is designed to allow the beach wagon to be easily converted from battery to manual power and then back again from manual to battery power. The specialized wheel assembly includes removable cotter pins set against compressed springs. When the cotter pins are removed from the axle, the compressed spring decompresses and pushes the wheel hub outward to disengage the drive mechanism. Once the drive mechanism is disengaged, the gearing of the motor is overcome and the beach wagon may be operated in a manual, free-wheeling condition. To return to the motorized condition, the springs are compressed, returning the wheel hub to the original position, and the cotter pins reinserted to maintain the compressed state. 
     In the present invention, the compartment is fully collapsible, adds little weight to the device, is sturdy, but provides a large volume with which to carry items. This is achieved, in part, by utilizing retractable, rollable covers. The prior art background for such covers are cargo space and luggage compartment covers as disclosed, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,961,172 and 5,676,415 to Ament, et al. There is no teaching known in the art towards combining such covers with table leaves to form side walls of a cargo container. Where rough terrain is not an issue such as in a park with well-worn or paved pathways, the motor may be unnecessary for proper navigation. Accordingly, a more lightweight version without the drivetrain and motorized components is also presented. 
     In the course of preparing this disclosure several patents became known to the inventor hereof. The following patents are believed to be relevant and are each briefly discussed: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,453 to Theus et al. discloses a rolling cart suitable for receiving and transporting items over loose ground such as sand. The cart is a two-wheeled vehicle with a large footprint for easy movement. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,925 to Weldon relates to a cart intended to provide easy means to transport items held on the cart platform to a sandy beach location. A foldable seat is provided so that the invention can serve as a beach chair and the carrying platform is supported at both ends by straps. A pressurized sprayer, holding fresh water, is provided for the purpose of cleaning off sand and salt water from people and accessories. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,075 to Romer is a beach caddy with runners for pulling the invention across a sandy surface and retractable wheels for rolling over paved surfaces. A refillable water tank is provided for washing, drinking, or any other use. Detachable tables are mounted on the sides of the caddy and can be set up to support items transported by the caddy. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,751 to Giordano discloses a collapsible shopping device consisting of a pair of folding side frames, each frame consisting of side bars pivotably connected to each other midway of their ends, one side bar of each frame having a ground wheel and the other side bar bearing engagement with the ground and provided with a handle on its upper end folding and a shopping receptacle supported on and between the two side frames. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,898 to Chu also discloses a collapsible shopping cart type device similar to the Giordano patent, but adapted for carrying articles to the beach. The compartment contains a vertical rear wall and horizontal bottom shelf. A flexible fabric bag is fastened and forms an open topped container for receiving items. 
     This wagon improves upon the prior art wagons and solves a long felt need to provide a device which is easy to manually control and maneuver in soft and hard sand. The beach wagon has a large cargo container that, once at the destination, readily converts to a beach-chair-high table. The drivetrain is capable of moving the beach wagon at a speed comparable to the normal walking speed of the operator and is easily disengaged for manual operation. 
     Thus, the present invention fulfills a long felt and unsolved need by provide a beach wagon and table in one device. The invention solves this need by being maneuverable, through either manual or batter power, both in forward and in reverse, is adjustable to various beach terrains, and provides both a large compartment for beach paraphernalia and a table for beach use. 
     SUMMARY 
     A beach wagon is disclosed which is convertible from a beach-wagon mode of operating to a table mode of operating. In the beach wagon mode the wagon is used for transporting goods and contains a large cargo container with an open top. The device of the present invention has an undercarriage with a pair of front wheels positioned by a manually controlled yoke for pivoting the front wheels and thereby steering the beach wagon. 
     The beach wagon is constructed without a drivetrain and motorized parts for complete lightweight manual operation. For motorized operation, the beach wagon is equipped with a drivetrain and motorized parts. When motorized, a novel wheel assembly allows the beach wagon to be easily converted from a motorized to a manually operated condition and then easily returned back to a motorized condition. The undercarriage also includes a d-c battery-driven motor which provides a motive force to the rear wheels. The battery, which is rechargeable, is optionally aided by a solar panel installed on the undercarriage for adding to and sustaining the energy of the battery. While various gearing arrangements between the drive motor and the driven wheels are within the contemplation of this invention, the best mode of practicing the invention includes a low-speed forward gear for pavement and hard sand, a high-speed forward gear for soft sand, and a reverse gear for maneuverability. 
     A substantially rectangular deck is positioned over the undercarriage. A pair of table leaves is hingedly attached to and spaced apart from opposite sides of the rectangular perimeter of the deck and operable between an open and closed position. In the open position the leaves form opposite sides of a cargo container and in the closed position form a table and a compartment between the table and the deck. A pair of container panels stowable in the compartment formed by the deck and table in the closed position are attached to the table leaves and deck to form the two side walls in the open position forming a wagon with a large cargo container. 
     OBJECTS AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a manually steerable beach wagon which is convertible to a table. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide labor-saving devices to aid in the transportation of beach gear and equipment in an efficient manner. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a durable, light weight, beach wagon which is both economical to produce and made from standard parts resulting in relatively low unit cost. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motorized beach wagon that is easily converted to a manually-powered beach wagon and then back again to a motorized condition. 
     It is a feature of the present invention that the beach wagon hereof is readily convertible from a wagon to a table and from a table to a wagon. 
     It is another feature of the present invention to provide a rechargeable battery and motor to power the device as well as a retractable solar panel which can be used to partially recharge the battery. 
     It is yet another feature of the present invention to provide a retractable handle, providing for easy storage, and incorporating an actuator and a gear selector. 
     Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent upon review of the drawing and the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, the same parts shown in various views are provided with the same reference designators. The foregoing Summary as well as the following detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the present invention will be best understood when considered in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the motorized beach wagon of this invention as operated in the table mode and shown on the beach with the cargo container stowed; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the motorized beach wagon of this invention as operated in the wagon mode with the cargo container erected; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of  FIG. 1  showing the undercarriage, the steering arrangement for the front wheels and details of the drive wheels; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the steering components and other components assembled to the undercarriage; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevational view of  FIG. 1  showing further details of the battery housing and solar panel mounting; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of  FIG. 2  showing further details of the gear selector control panel; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of  FIG. 1  showing further details of the drive system; 
         FIG. 8  is a rear elevational view of  FIG. 1  with the drive assembly disengaged; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the wheel and drive assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the wheel and drive assembly as mounted on the beach wagon operated in the table mode with the cargo container stowed; 
         FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the hub to be attached to the drive mechanism; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the hub of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a top plan view of the ring to be attached to the back of the rear wheel; and 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the ring of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is directed to a beach wagon that has particular utility in transporting beach gear such as beach chairs, beach towels, children&#39;s toys, coolers and other beach paraphernalia. In the present invention, the drivetrain platform allows the device to be steered and/or maneuvered by a telescoping handle and the speed controlled to go forward and reverse at a comfortable walking speed of the operator. Further, the drivetrain is easily disengaged to convert from battery to manual power and then back again to battery power. The beach wagon and readily convertible to a manual operation. The beach wagon is also produced without the drivetrain and motorized components for a more lightweight manual operation. The device is manually steerable and, once on the beach, is readily convertible to a table for continued utility. The wagon adapts to various terrains—parking lot surface, pavement, soft sand, and hard sand—by specific gearing for applying motive force to the oversized tires. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4  the motorized beach wagon of this invention is shown and is referred to generally by the reference designator  20 .  FIG. 1  showing the table configuration illustrates the wagon  20  being constructed with a deck or container platform  22  above front wheels  24  and rear wheels  26 . The deck  22  is substantially rectangular and has a front-end  21 , two sides  23  and a rear end  25 . Below the deck  22  is the undercarriage  58  and drivetrain  59 . The undercarriage  58  has a front end  61 , two sides  63  and a rear end  65 . Hingedly mounted to the deck  22  are table leaves  28  and  30 . The telescoping handle  32  with pushbutton actuator  34  is used for steering and applying power to the wagon. The actuator  34  has an optional actuator harness (not shown) to secure the actuator  34  to the handle  32 . The telescoping handle  32  is shown in  FIG. 1  in a retracted condition and in  FIG. 2  in the extended condition. The handle  32  is attached to the deck  22  with a hinge  33  to allow for stowing under the deck  22  and proper steering. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the wagon  20  is illustrated in the carting mode with the table leaves  28  and  30  becoming the front and rear end panels of the cargo container  36 . The remaining sides of the cargo container  36  are constructed from flexible webs or panels  38  and  40  mounted between spring rollers  42 ,  44  and header bars  46 ,  48 . While in the best mode panels  38  and  40  are shown as flexible webs, it is within the contemplation of this invention that these panels can be solid, inflexible leaves mountable in an interlocking arrangement with end panels  28  and  30 . The flexible panels  38  and  40  are constructed from a strong mesh material and alternatively may be constructed from a polymeric laminate, a technical textile, or a high-strength net. 
     The lightweight non-motorized beach wagon is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the exception of the pushbutton actuator  34  and the gear selector  88 . The pushbutton actuator  34  and gear selector  88  are unnecessary because there is no drivetrain assembly or motorized parts. 
     In the best mode as shown herein, the flexible webs or panels  38  and  40  are attachable to the end panels  28  and  30  by latch-and-release arrangement of an undercut channels or brackets  50  and  52  catching the ends of header bars  46  and  48 , respectively, and being held in place by the tension of the spring rollers  42  and  44 . Any common latching arrangement, such as an eye and pintle device, could serve this purpose without departing from the spirit of this invention. 
     When the side panels  38  and  40  are released, the spring tension of the spring rollers  42  and  44  wind the flexible material about the rollers adjacent the deck  22 . The end panels or table leaves  28  and  30 , which are rabbeted and hinged to limit opening to a substantially 90° swing, upon closure to form a planar tabletop  54 , provide a compartment  56  between the tabletop  54  and the deck  22 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  a bottom plan view of  FIG. 1  shows the undercarriage  58  upon which the deck  22  is mounted on front bushings  60  and rear bushings  62 . The front wheels  24  depend from the front end  61  of the undercarriage  58  and are yoked together and permit manual steering of wagon  20  through steering linkage  64  and, in turn, a telescoping handle  32 . The siderails  66  and  68  form a major part of the chassis  70  from which the power and driving components depend. 
     The motorized beach wagon  20  of this invention, as best shown in  FIGS. 3 through 5 , when in battery-operated condition, is powered by a single, rechargeable 12-volt battery  72  and is housed at the rear of the wagon. The battery  72  is rechargeable using a 110-volt, trickle charger or a solar charger. An optional auxiliary solar panel  74 , described in greater detail hereinbelow, adds energy to the battery while on the beach. The battery  72  provides power through pushbutton actuator  34  to two d-c, high torque electric motors  76  and  78 . The motive force is applied to rear wheels  26  through gearboxes  80  and  82 , respectively. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  the battery  72  installation together with the auxiliary solar panel  74  is shown. The battery enclosure  84  is mounted on and depends from the undercarriage  58 . The battery enclosure  84 , in the embodiment shown, is conveniently positioned at the rearmost portion of the undercarriage facilitating removal of the battery for recharging. 
     Above the battery enclosure and on the bottom of deck  22 , a small and efficient solar panel  74  is slidably mounted. The solar panel  74  is readily extended on the slide mechanism  86  so as to be positioned beyond deck  22 . Once so positioned the solar panel  74  may be swivelled to maximize exposure to the rays of the sun. The solar energy converted to electrical energy merely tops off the battery resources and does not completely replace the need for the battery to be charged. 
     In driving the motorized beach wagon of this invention, control of the gearing is simplified using a convenient control panel or gear selector  88 . The control  88 , shown in more detail in  FIG. 6 , consists of two rocker switches  90 ,  92 . Each switch  90 ,  92  has three positions; forward, off, and reverse. For pavement and hard sand surfaces one switch is set to the off position; and the other, to the forward position. At these settings, the device moves forward at low speed. For soft sand, both switches are set to the forward position. At these settings, the device operates at high speed. When both switches are in the reverse position, the device moves in reverse at high speed. When a single switch is in the reverse position and the other in the off position, the device moves in reverse at low speed. All other configurations will not move the device. Low speed on a hard surface approximates the average walking speed of a person or 2.5 mph. However, the high speed, when used for operating in soft sand and areas with less traction, helps maintain the wagon at walking speed. With the switches  90 ,  92  mounted on end panel  28 , upon conversion of the device to a table, the control is housed out of reach in compartment  56 . 
     The beach wagon is readily convertible from battery power to manual power in the event that the battery is fully discharged or the user determines that manual operation is sufficient to drive the wagon. To convert the beach wagon to manual power, the drivetrain  59  is manually disconnected from the wheel assembly  94  depending from the rear end  65  of the undercarriage  58 . A solely manually-operated beach wagon is provided by removing the drivetrain and all motorized parts (not shown). 
     The wheel assembly as shown in more detail in  FIGS. 7 through 14  contains an axle  96  with a pair of cavities  98 . Set on the axle are a pair of hubs or drivers  91 , adjacent to a pair of rings or driven ends  93 . The rings  93  are set within the pair of rear wheels  26 . A pair of compressions springs  95  are secured on the axle between the hubs  91  and the rings  93 . The hubs  91  are attached to the drivetrain  59  and contain outwardly projecting appendages  97  that interlock with the inward impressions  99  of the rings  93 . When the springs are compressed, the hubs  91  and the rings  93  maintain interlocked contact. When interlocked, the driving force of the hubs  91  is transferred to the rings  93  causing the rear wheels to turn and propel the beach wagon  20 . Two sets of washer pairs (a first set  101  and a second set  103 ), surround the pair of cotter pins  105  set within the axle  96 . R-Clip cotter pins are readily adaptable to the axle, but any similar pin or clip may be substituted. A pair of machine screws  107  are set on the axle  96  to secure the wheel assembly  94  on the axle  96 . When the wheel assembly  94  is secured and the springs  95  compressed between the hubs  91  and the rings  93 , the beach wagon is operable using battery power. 
     A simple conversion to manual power is completed through the removal of the cotter pins  105 . The cotter pins  105  serve as a drivetrain disconnect. When the cotter pins  105  are removed from the axle  96 , the springs  95  decompress causing the rings  93  to move outward and away from the hubs  91 . The rings  93  move approximately ⅝ inches outward until they reach the second set of washer pairs  103 . The machine screws  107  ensure that the rear wheels  26  do not disengage from the axle  96  when moved outward. The decompression of the springs  95  causes the hubs  91  and rings  93  to disconnect. This disconnection prevents the driving force from transferring from the hubs  91  to the rings  93 , thereby allowing for manual operation. A the beach wagon  20  in the motorized position is shown in  FIG. 7  and in the modified manual position in  FIG. 8 . Conversely, to return the beach wagon  20  to the motorized position, the rear wheels  26  are pushed inward compressing the springs  95 . Once compressed, the cotter pins  105  are reinserted into the axle  96 , locking the springs  95  in a compressed condition and reconnecting the hubs  91  and the rings  93 . 
     Other variations of the embodiment shown can be utilized without departing from the spirit of the claims which follow. For example, variations of erecting flexible sidewalls can be made without utilizing spring rollers, the control panel for gear selection can be arranged with single pushbuttons for each function, and the application of power to the motor can be continuously variable. All such changes would be within the contemplation of the present invention.