Patent Publication Number: US-2010127028-A1

Title: Article holder mountable to container of wheelbarrow

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present disclosure claims priority under 35 United States Code, Section 119 on the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/117,981 filed on Nov. 26, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure generally relates to wheelbarrows, and more particularly, to an article holder for a wheelbarrow to hold articles, such as shovels and rakes, therein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Wheelbarrows are employed during various activities, such as gardening and landscaping, for carrying loads, such as gardening and landscaping waste, from one location to another location. Generally, a wheelbarrow includes a container supported over a wheel arrangement. Further, the wheelbarrow includes handles for maneuvering and dumping the container filled with such loads. Conventionally, while employing the wheelbarrow during such activities, individuals may also need to carry tools, such as shovels and rakes, for performing tasks related to such activities. 
     Generally, such tools are placed on the wheelbarrow within reach of the individuals. Usually, the individuals place such tools in the container of the wheelbarrow for keeping the tools within reach. Placement of the tools in the container results in damaging of the tools due to jostling in the container. Moreover, placement of such tools in the container limits the container&#39;s space for storing the loads. Alternatively, the individuals may also hold such tools in his or her hands, which may increase difficulties of the individuals while maneuvering the wheelbarrow. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for placement of the tools on the wheelbarrow within reach of the individuals without damaging the tools due to jostling in the container. Furthermore, there exists a need for enabling the individuals to carry the tools without a need of holding the tools in his/her hands, while allowing easy maneuvering of the wheelbarrow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the general purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an article holder for a wheelbarrow that is configured to include all the advantages of the prior art, and to overcome the drawbacks inherent therein. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an article holder for a wheelbarrow that is capable of facilitating placement of tools on the wheelbarrow within reach of individuals, without damaging the tools due to jostling in a container of the wheelbarrow. 
     Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an article holder for a wheelbarrow that enables the individuals to carry the tools without a need of holding the tools in his/her hands, while allowing easy maneuvering of the wheelbarrow. 
     To achieve the above objects, in an aspect of the present disclosure, an article holder for a wheelbarrow is provided. The wheelbarrow comprises a container to which the article holder may be attached. The article holder includes at least one holding member and at least one strap member. Each of the at least one holding member includes a body member, an attaching member, a plurality of hollow compartments and a support member. The body member has a front surface, and a rear surface opposite to the front surface. The attaching member is coupled to the body member for removably attaching the body member to an edge of the container of the wheelbarrow. The plurality of hollow compartments is disposed in a tilted orientation on the front surface of the body member. The plurality of hollow compartments is capable of receiving articles therein. The support member is disposed on the rear surface of the body member. The support member is capable supporting of the body member on a sidewall of the container of the wheelbarrow. Further, each of the at least one strap member includes a first end portion, and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion. The first end portion is capable of being attached to a holding member of the at least one holding member. The second end portion is capable of securing the holding member of the at least one holding member to the wheelbarrow. 
     The article holder upon being attached to the wheelbarrow facilitates placement of the articles, such as shovels and rakes, in the plurality of hollow compartments disposed on the front surface of the body member so that the articles may be within reach of the individuals. Such placement of the articles in the plurality of hollow compartments precludes damaging of the articles due to jostling in the container. Further, the article holder enables the individuals to carry the articles without a need of holding the articles in his/her hands, thereby facilitating easy maneuvering of the wheelbarrow. 
     This together with the other aspects of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterized the present disclosure, is pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forms a part of the present disclosure. For a better understanding of the present disclosure, its operating advantages, and the specified objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an article holder, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view of an arrangement depicting the article holder in utilized state with a wheelbarrow, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a bottom view of the arrangement of  FIG. 2A  depicting the article holder in utilized state with the wheelbarrow, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the description of several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     For a thorough understanding of the present disclosure, reference is to be made to the following detailed description, including the appended claims, in connection with the above-described drawings. Although the present disclosure is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
     The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “front,” “rear,” “top,” “bottom,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, elevation or importance, but rather are used to distinguish placement of one element over another. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an article holder  100  for a wheelbarrow (shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B ) is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The article holder  100  includes at least one holding member and at least one strap member attached to the at least one holding member. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one holding member is shown to include two holding members, such as a first holding member  102   a  and a second holding member  102   b.  Further, in such embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one strap member is shown to include two strap members, such as a first strap member  104   a  and a second strap member  104   b.  However, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, in one embodiment, the article holder  100  may include one holding member, such as the first holding member  102   a  or the second holding member  102   b,  and one strap member, such as the first strap member  104   a  or the second strap member  104   b.    
     In the present embodiment of the disclosure, the first strap member  104   a  is attached to the first holding member  102   a,  and the second strap member  104   b  is attached to the second holding member  102   b  for configuring the article holder  100 , which will be described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B. Hereinafter, the first holding member  102   a  and the second holding member  102   b  will be also collectively referred to as ‘holding member  102 ,’ and the first strap member  104   a  and the second strap member  104   b  will be also collectively referred to as ‘strap member  104 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the holding member  102  includes a body member  106 , a plurality of hollow compartments, such as a first compartment  108   a,  a second compartment  108   b  and a third compartment  108   c  (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘compartments  108 ’) and a support member  110 . The body member  106  has a front surface  112  and a rear surface  114  opposite to the front surface  112 . Further, the holding member  102  includes an attaching member  116 . The attaching member  116  is coupled to an edge of a container (shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B ) of the wheelbarrow for removably attaching the body member  106  to the wheelbarrow, thereby attaching the holding member  102  to the wheelbarrow. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the attaching member  116  is at least one hook arrangement disposed on a periphery of the body member  106 . Particularly, the at least one hook arrangement may include a pair of hooks disposed in a spaced apart manner at corners of the periphery of the body member  106  for enabling attaching of the holding member  102  to the wheelbarrow. However, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the attaching member  116  may include a hook and loop fastener, a snap fit arrangement, a nut and bolt arrangement, as know in the art, for facilitating attachment of the body member  106  to the wheelbarrow. The body member  106  may be composed of a durable material, such as a canvas material. Further, the body member  106  may be made of different colors so as to accommodate various individual preferences. Furthermore, the compartments  108  are disposed on the body member  106 . 
     The compartments  108  are disposed in a tilted orientation on the front surface  112  of the body member  106 . Each compartment, such as the first compartment  108   a,  the second compartment  108   b  and the third compartment  108   c,  includes an open top portion  118   a  and a closed bottom portion  118   b.  Further, the each of the compartments  108  converges from the open top portion  118   a  towards the closed bottom portion  108   b  for configuring a converging hollow space (not shown) to receive articles ‘A’ therein. The converging hollow space of each of the compartments  108  is capable of receiving the articles ‘A’ in a manner such that falling off of the articles ‘A’ from the compartments  108  are minimized. For example, the articles ‘A’ may be snugly received in the compartments  108 , thereby minimizing falling off of the articles ‘A’ from the compartments  108 , when the wheelbarrow is maneuvered or dumped. Further, the tilted orientation of the compartments  108  on the body member  106  provides an added benefit in minimizing falling off of the articles ‘A’ from the compartments  108 , when the wheelbarrow is maneuvered or dumped. The articles ‘A’ received in the compartments  108  may include, but not limited to, shovels, rakes and the like. The compartments  108  may be composed of durable material, such as a wooden material, a plastic material and metal alloys. Furthermore, the support member  110  is disposed on the rear surface  114  opposite to the front surface  112  of the body member  106 . 
     The support member  110  includes a first face  120   a  and a second face  120   b.  The second face  120   b  is positioned in a slanted manner opposite the first face  120   a  of the support member  110 . Further, the first face  120   a  of the support member  110  is disposed on the rear surface  114  of the body member  106  for attaching the support member  110  to the body member  106 . In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first surface  120   a  of the support member  110  may be permanently attached to the rear surface  114  of the body member  106  by a gluing method and the like. However, the first face  120   a  of the support member  110  may be removably attached to the rear surface  114  of the body member  106  by processes known in the art. Further, the second face  120   b  of the support member  110  is capable of resting on a sidewall of the container of the wheelbarrow. Particularly, the support member  110  enables resting of the body member  106  on the wheelbarrow in a substantially vertical orientation with respect a ground surface. Such an orientation of the body member  106  with respect to the ground surface will be described with respect to  FIGS. 2A and 2B . In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the support member  110  is composed of material, such as a wooden material and a plastic material. As mentioned above, the holding member  102  includes the strap member  104  attached to the body member  106  for securing the body member  106  to the wheelbarrow. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the strap member  104  includes the first end portion, and the second end portion opposite to the first end portion. For example, the first strap member  104   a  includes a first end portion  122   a  and a second end portion  122   b  opposite to the first end portion  122   a.  Similarly, the second strap member  104   b  includes a first end portion  124   a  and a second end portion  124   b  opposite to the first end portion  124   a.  The first end portion  122   a  of the first strap member  104   a  is attached to the first holding member  102   a.  Similarly, the first end portion  124   a  of the second strap member  104   b  is attached to the second holding member  102   b.  Further, the second end portion  122   b  and the second end portion  124   b  are capable of securing the article holder  100  to the wheelbarrow. 
     In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second end portion  122   b  of the first strap member  104   a  is connected to the second end portion  124   b  of the second strap member  104   b  by a snap fit arrangement  126  for securing the article holder  100  to the wheelbarrow. However, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, where an article holder is configured to include one holding member, such as the first holding member  102   a  or the second holding member  102   b,  and one strap member, such as the first strap member  104   a  or the second strap member  104   b.  In such embodiment of the article holder, a second end portion of such strap member may be attached to a bottom portion of the wheelbarrow by bolting arrangement for securing such article holder to the wheelbarrow. The strap member  104  may be composed of a durable material, such as a nylon material. The article holder  100 , in utilized state with the wheelbarrow will be described in conjunction with  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate an arrangement  200  depicting the article holder  100  in a utilized state, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically,  FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view of the arrangement  200  depicting the article holder  100  in utilized state with a wheelbarrow  300 , and  FIG. 2B  illustrates a bottom view of the arrangement  200  depicting the article holder  100  in utilized state with the wheelbarrow  300 . Herein, reference of  FIG. 1  will be taken to describe the utility of the article holder  100  with respect to the wheelbarrow  300 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the wheelbarrow  300  includes a container  302  supported over a wheel arrangement  304  having a pair of handles  306 . The wheelbarrow  300  is capable of being maneuvered over a ground surface ‘G’ using the pair of handles  306  attached to the wheel arrangement  304 . Further as shown in  FIG. 2A , the container  302  includes a pair of opposite walls, such as a first sidewall  308  and second sidewall  310  extending vertically from a base  312  of the container  302 . Each sidewall, such as the first sidewall  308  and the second sidewall  310  includes a peripheral edge portion such as an edge portion  308   a  and an edge portion  310   a  thereof, respectively. 
     In the utilized state, as depicted in  FIG. 2A , the first holding member  102   a  is attached to the edge portion  308   a,  and the second holding member  102   d  is attached to the edge portion  310   a.  More specifically, the respective attaching member  116  of the first holding member  102   a  and the second holding member  102   d  is attached to the edge portion  308   a  and the edge portion  310   a  respectively, for attaching the first holding member  102   a  and the second holding member  102   b  to the first sidewall  308  and the second sidewall  310  of the container  302 . Further as shown in  FIG. 2B , each strap member, such as the first strap member  104   a  and the second strap member  104   b,  is allowed to be attached with each other from a bottom side  314  of the base  312  of the container  302 . Specifically, the second end portion, such as the second end portion  122   b  of the first strap member  104   a,  and the second end portion  124   b  of the second strap member  104   b  are attached to each other at the bottom side  314  of the base  312  by the snap fit arrangement  126 , thereby securing the holding member  102  to the wheelbarrow  300 . 
     Upon securing the article holder  100  in such a manner, the respective support member  110  enables securing of the respective body member  106  in a vertical orientation with respect to the ground surface ‘G’ on the respective sidewalls, such as the first sidewall  308  and the second sidewall  310  of the container  302 . Furthermore, the article holder  100  is secured to the wheelbarrow  300  in such a manner that the compartments  108  are tilted towards free ends of the pair of handles  306  that may be gripped by the individuals to maneuver and dump the wheelbarrow  300 . Such securing of the body member  106  in the vertical orientation with respect to the ground surface ‘G’, and the tilted orientation of the compartments  108  towards the free ends of the pair of handles  306  enable the individuals to maneuver and dump the wheelbarrow  300 , thereby reducing a possibility of the articles ‘A’ falling out from the compartments  108  of the respective holding member  102 . Also, the compartments  108  are positioned proximate to the free ends of the pair of handles  306 , to enable the individuals to easily access the compartments  108  for locating the articles ‘A.’ 
     The present disclosure provides an article holder, such as the article holder  100  for a wheelbarrow. The article holder is capable of being easily attached to the wheelbarrow for facilitating placement of articles, such as shovels and rakes, therein. Such placement of the articles in the article holder precludes damaging of the articles due to jostling in the container. Further, the article holder enables the individuals to carry the articles without a need of holding the articles in his/her hands, thereby facilitating easy maneuvering of the wheelbarrow. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present disclosure.