Abstract:
A lightweight cart which weighs less than three pounds but has a structural design which enables the cart to retain and transport objects which weigh over one hundred and ten pounds. The cart can fold down to two inches for storage, a flat thickness which is at least one inch less thick than conventional foldup carts.

Description:
This patent claims the benefit under Title 35, U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/395,485 filed May 14, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of fold-up two wheeled transport carts which are used to retain objects and transport them from one location to another, and which cart can thereafter be folded up and conveniently stored until the next time it is required to transport objects. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The following 21 patents and published applications are relevant to the field of the present invention:
     1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,939 issued to Louis S. Weast on Aug. 21, 1951 for “Foldable Shopping Cart” (hereafter the “Weast Patent”);   2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,692 issued to Anne Jackson Timpson on Mar. 26, 1957 for “Collapsible Cart” (hereafter the “Timpson Patent”);   3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,395 issued to Sol Mitty et al. on Jun. 4, 1963 for “Corrugated Shopping Cart and Parts” (hereafter the “Mitty Patent”);   4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,527 issued to Philip B. Knapp on Jun. 2, 1964 for “Wheeled Market Carts” (hereafter the “Knapp Patent”);   5. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 292,135 issued to John W. Grube et al. on Sep. 29, 1987 for “Collapsible Cart” (hereafter the “Grube Patent”);   6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,644 issued to Laurence G. Bell on Aug. 23, 1988 for “Foldable Cart” (hereafter the “Bell Patent”);   7. U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,646 issued to Karen Cheng on Aug. 23, 1988 for “Collapsible Shopping Cart” (hereafter the “Cheng Patent”);   8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,754 issued to Lyla B. Ward on Mar. 30, 1993 for “Collapsible Beach Cart” (hereafter the “Ward Patent”);   9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,219 issued to Sidney R. Hadlum on Sep. 14, 1993 for “Hand Held Carrier” (hereafter the “Hadlum Patent”);   10. U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,671 issued to Kevin G. Abelbeck et al. on Nov. 23, 1999 for “Collapsible Cart” (hereafter the “Abelbeck Patent”);   11. United States Published Patent Application No. 2002/0050429 to Cory O. Nykoluk et al. on May 2, 2002 for “Pivotal Handle For Towable Baggage” (hereafter the “&#39;0050429 Nykoluk Published Patent Application”);   12. United States Published Patent Application No. 2002/0139628 to Wen-Cheng Chang on Oct. 3, 2002 for “Retractable Handle Assembly” (hereafter the “Chang Published Patent Application”);   13. United States Published Patent Application No. 2002/0144874 to Cory O. Nykoluk et al. on Oct. 10, 2002 for “Pivotal Handle For Towable Baggage” (hereafter the “&#39;0144874 Nykoluk Published Patent Application”);   14. U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,898 issued to Yong S. Chu on Jul. 29, 2003 for “Folding Cart” (hereafter the “Chu Patent”);   15. U.S. Pat. No. D477,916 issued to Cory O. Nykoluk on Aug. 5, 2003 for “Towing Member For A Piece of Baggage” (hereafter the “Nykoluk Design Patent”);   16. U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,791 issued to Cory O. Nykoluk et al. on Nov. 25, 2003 for “Pivotal Handle For Towable Baggage” (hereafter the “&#39;791 Nykoluk Patent”);   17. United States Published Patent Application No. 2004/0211635 to Chen-Tien Lu on Oct. 28, 2004 for “Apparatus for Mounting Telescopic Handle on Trunk” (hereafter the “Lu Published Patent Application”);   18. U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,474 issued to Cory O. Nykoluk on Jul. 19, 2005 for “Towable Wheeled-Backpack” (hereafter the “&#39;474 Nykoluk Patent”);   19. United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0212536 to Maria I. Tadeo on Aug. 27, 2009 for “Collapsible Rolling Tote Bag” (hereafter the “Tadeo Published Patent Application”);   20. U.S. Pat. No. 7,731,221 issued to Suzan L. Bess on Jun. 8, 2010 for “Collapsible and Portable Wheeled Dolly Particularly Suitable for Use by Students or Others in the Transport of Items” (hereafter the “Bess Patent”).   

     The Weast Patent discloses a foldable shopping cart. 
     The Timpson Patent also discloses a collapsible cart. 
     The Mitty Patent discloses a corrugated shopping cart having a collapsible and reversible shopping cart comprising a box-like body having a rear panel, side panels and a sectional front panel, said panels having overlapping bottom flaps constituting a bottom panel, the sections of the front panel having overlapping long edges, said overlapping edges having aligned spaced slots, pronged pins in the slots for detachably fastening said overlapped edges to each other, a handle on the rear panel protruding upwardly therefrom, and a wheel assembly mounted on the bottom panel, the mounting of the wheel assembly constituted by a fold in the flap on the rear panel adjacent the rear panel, the fold in the flap on the rear panel forming a triangular-shaped groove opening downwardly and wherein a tape closes the bottom opening in the groove. 
     The Knapp Patent discloses a collapsible wheeled market cart which can be folded very flat to 2 inches. 
     The Grube Design Patent discloses a generally rectangular two-wheeled cart. 
     The Moon Patent discloses a utility cat with a bent handle. 
     The Bell Patent discloses a folding cart which can be folded but is not completely flat when folded. 
     The Cheng Patent discloses a collapsible cart. 
     The Ward Patent discloses a collapsible beach cart. 
     The Hadlum Patent discloses a collapsible cart. 
     The Abelbeck Patent discloses a collapsible cart but it does not fold flat 
     The 0050429 Nykoluk Published Patent Application discloses a cart with a collapsible arcuate handle. The hand grip can be rotated so that it can be in the same axis as the baggage is wheeled or perpendicular to the axis in which the baggage is wheeled. The cart does not fold up/ 
     The Chang Published Patent Application discloses a cart with a dual handle. 
     The 0144874 Nykoluk Published Patent application is a continuation-in-part of the previously discussed Nykoluk published patent application. The application concentrates on the towing handle and the features of the towing handle are best described in claim  1  which reads as follows:
         “A towing member for hand towing a piece of baggage, the towing member comprising: a towing handle; an arm portion operatively connected to the towing handle, the arm portion being configure and adapted to secure the towing handle to a piece of baggage; a pivot mechanism connecting the towing handle to the arm portion in a manner that allows the towing handle to be pivoted about a pivot axis relative to at least a sub portion of the arm portion, the sub portion of the arm portion being spaced from and external of the piece of baggage when the towing handle is secured to the piece of baggage via the arm portion; and a locking mechanism that is operatively connected to the towing handle and the arm portion and that is selectively moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position relative to the arm portion, the locking mechanism limiting the pivoting of the towing handle about the pivot axis relative to the sub portion of the arm portion when in the locked position and not so limiting the pivoting of the towing handle about the pivot axis relative to the sub portion of the arm portion when in the unlocked position.”       

     The Chu Patent discloses a folding cart. 
     The Nykoluk Design Patent protects the shape of the handle wherein an examination of  FIG. 2  shows that the handle has 2 vertical extension members from the hand grip portion and the hand grip portion is different from the hand grip portion in the 2 previously discussed Nykoluk Published Patent Applications. 
     The &#39;791 Nykoluk Patent discloses a cart which has a collapsible handle which is arcuate in shape and the hand grip portion can be rotatable to different orientations. 
     The Lu Published Patent Application discloses a cart with an arcuate handle. 
     The &#39;474 Nykoluk Patent discloses a cart which has an arcuate handle. 
     The Tadeo Published Patent Application discloses a collapsible rolling tote bag. 
     The Bess Patent discloses a collapsible cart. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a collapsible cart made of fabric material having a lengthwise crease along each sidewall to enable the cart to be folded flat with the front wall resting adjacent the back wall. 
     One unique feature of the present invention is a fold-over top having a front wall and a pair of oppositely disposed sidewalls, each of which respectively fold over the front and opposite sidewalls and are retained in place by mating fastening members to retain the cart in a closed position. 
     The cart also has a collapsible ergonomic handle which collapses into the cart when the cart is not in use and extends at an ergonomic curve when the cart is in use to facilitate comfort when pulling the cart. 
     The most unique feature of the present invention is the design of the rear wheels which are wide wheels housed in a respective support wheel assembly having a frame to rotatably support each wheel on a respective axle. Each frame further includes a front plate extending forwardly from each respective wheel and a rear plate by which the wheel frame is retained onto the rear wall of the cart. The lower wall of the cart also has a rectangular frame supporting a pair of spaced apart posts. The interior of the cart has a fold-up hard base surface made of hardboard. The combination of the hardboard base supported against the two side wheels respectively retained in a frame having a forward plate assembly by providing structural weight support combined with the front rectangular beam with two spaced apart supporting posts enables the very lightweight cart which weighs less than three (3) pounds to support and transport a load which weights over one hundred and ten (110) pounds. The unique design also enables the cart to be folded flat so that it is less than two inches, one inch less than conventional carts. 
     It is a key object of the present invention to provide a lightweight cart which weighs less than three pounds but has a structural design which enables the cart to retain and transport objects which weigh over one hundred and ten pounds. 
     It is another key object of the present invention to provide a cart which folds down to two inches for storage, a flat thickness which is at least one inch less thick than conventional fold-up carts. 
     Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention lightweight high load capacity folding utility cart with a unique support structure and ergonomic handle; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view when viewed from the right side of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view when view from the left side of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom perspective view of the present invention cart; 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of the present invention cart in the opened condition with the top set away from the interior chamber and the rotatable base member in place; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the present invention cart in the opened condition with the top set away from the interior chamber and the rotatable base member being rotated away from the bottom of the cart; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the present invention cart with the rotatable base member rotated to rest against the front wall of the cart and the sidewalls being folded inwardly along their respective creases; 
         FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the cart in the collapsed condition; and 
         FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the cart in the collapsed condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 13 , the present invention cart  10  is made a fabric material such as neoprene to provide a sturdy structure which can be easily folded flat. The present invention cart  10  is illustrated in its opened condition in  FIGS. 1 through 8 . The cart has an integrally formed front wall  20  having a front outer surface  22 , a rear interior surface  24 , a first longitudinal edge  25 , a bottom edge  26 , a top edge  27  and a second longitudinal edge  28 . The cart  10  has an integrally formed first sidewall  30  having an outer surface  32 , an inner surface  34 , a first longitudinal edge  35 , a bottom edge  36 , a top edge  37  and a second longitudinal edge  38 . The first sidewall  30  has a central longitudinal crease  30 A enabling the first sidewall to be folded inwardly The cart has an integrally formed rear wall  40  having an outer rear surface  42 , an interior surface  44 , a first longitudinal edge  45 , a bottom edge  46 , a top edge  47  and a second longitudinal edge  48 . The cart  10  has an integrally formed second sidewall  50  having an outer surface  52 , an inner surface  54 , a first longitudinal edge  55 . A bottom edge  56 , a top edge  57  and a second longitudinal edge  58 . The second t sidewall  50  has a central longitudinal crease  50 A enabling the second sidewall to be folded inwardly. The cart  10  has a bottom wall  60  having an outer lower surface  62 , a inner surface  64 , a front edge  65 , a first side edge  66 , a rear edge  67  and a second side edge  68 . 
     The cart  10  is integrally formed so that the front wall  20  is attached to the bottom wall  60  and to the first sidewall  30  and second sidewall  50 , along respective edges  26  and  65 ,  25  and  35 , and  28  and  55 . The first sidewall  30  is attached to the bottom wall  60  and to the front wall  20  and rear wall  40  along respective edges  36  and  66 ,  35  and  25 , and  38  and  45 . The rear wall  40  is attached to the bottom wall  60  and to the first sidewall  30  and to the second sidewall  50  along respective edges  46  and  67 ,  45  and  38 , and  48  and  58 . The second sidewall  50  is attached to the bottom wall  60 , to the rear wall  20  and to the front wall  40  along respective edges  56  and  68 ,  58  and  48 , and  55  and  28 . The cart also contains a rotatable base member  70  having a front edge  72  affixed to the front bottom edge  26  of front wall  20  and front edge  65  of bottom wall  60 . The base member  70  has a hard interior  74  made a strong material such a fiberboard which is surrounded by fabric forming a lower surface  76  and an upper surface  78 . When in use, the base member  70  is rotated so that its lower surface  76  rests against interior surface  64  of bottom wall  60  to form a strong base and to keep the cart in an opened condition so that the sidewalls  30  and  50  cannot fold inwardly. When the base member  70  is rotatable so that its upper surface  78  rest against interior surface  24  and front wall  20 , the cart  10  can be folded. 
     A key innovation of the present invention is the design of the wide wheels and supporting front beam assembly. Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , that cart  10  comprises a first wheel assembly  80  having a frame  82  with a first transverse wall  84  having an opening  83 , a second transverse wall  86  having an opening  85 , and space  87  between transverse walls  84  and  86  supporting a wide wheel  88  retained on an axle  90  supported in openings  83  and  85  of respective transverse walls  84  and  86 . The wide wheel is at least 1.2 inches wide. second key innovation is a front plate  92  extending from frame  82  in front of transverse walls  84  and  86  and resting against bottom surface  62  of bottom wall  60 . The frame  82  has a rear wall  94  by which the frame is affixed to the rear wall  40  by fastening means such as rivets  95  and  96 . The first wheel assembly is adjacent the intersection of bottom wall  60 , first sidewall  30  and rear wall  40 . 
     The cart comprises a mirror image second wheel assembly  80 A located adjacent the intersection of the bottom wall  60 , the rear wall  40  and the second sidewall  50 . The second wheel assembly  80 A has a frame  82 A with a first transverse wall  84 A having an opening  83 A, a second transverse wall  86 A having an opening  85 A, and space  87 A between transverse walls  84 A and  86 A supporting a wide wheel  88 A retained on an axle  90 A supported in openings  83 A and  85 A of respective transverse walls  84 A and  86 A. The wide wheel is at least 1.2 inches wide. A second key innovation is a front plate  92 A extending from frame  82 A in front of transverse walls  84 A and  86 A and resting against bottom surface  62  of bottom wall  60 . The frame  82 A has a rear wall  94 A by which the frame is affixed to the rear wall  40  by fastening means such as rivets  95 A and  96 A. 
     The additional key innovation of the present invention cart is a front beam assembly  100  comprising a beam member  110  affixed on its upper side  112  to the bottom surface  62  of bottom wall  60  and having a pair of spaced apart posts  120  and  130  extending transversely to the beam member  110  on the side  114  of the beam member  110  opposite to the side  112  affixed tot e bottom surface  62  of bottom wall  60  of cart  10 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the height “H 1 ” of each post  120  and  130  combined with beam member  110  is the same as the height “H 2 ” of the wide wheel  88  and its transverse walls  84  and  86  (and also for wide wheel  88 A and transverse walls  84 A and  86 A. When the cart  10  rests on the ground, the bottom of each wide wheel  88  and  88 A and the bottom of each post  120  and  130  touch the ground at the same level, providing a stabile structure. The combination of the wide wheels  88  and  88 A, the respective front plates  92  and  92 A which rest against the lower surface  62  of bottom wall  60  and also provide further support to the rotatable base member  70  combined with the beam assembly  100  and its posts  120  and  130  enable the cart to retain objects within its interior compartment  140  of at least one hundred and ten (110) pounds. Since the cart  10  weighs only about three (3) pounds, this is a significant design innovation. 
     The interior compartment is surrounded by interior surfaces  24 ,  34 ,  44 ,  54 , and upper surface  78  of rotatable base member  70 . 
     The cart  10  also has a flexible top  150  having a top surface  152 , a bottom surface  154 , a front edge  156 , a first side edge  158 , a rear edge  160  and a second side edge  162 . The top  150  is affixed to the top edge  47  of rear wall  40  at its rear edge  160 . The top  150  has a front flap  164  affixed to front edge  156 , a first side flap  166  affixed to first side edge  158  and a second side flap  168  affixed to second side edge  162 . The flaps are foldable against bottom surface  154  when not in use. When in use, the flaps respectively fit over front surface  22  of front wall  20 , outer surface  32  of first sidewall  30  and outer surface  52  of second sidewall  50 . Each flap may have at least one interior fastening member and preferably a pair of interior fastening members. The front flap  164  has an interior surface  164 A having spaced apart fastening members  164 B and  164 C. These will respectively mate with mating fastening members  22 B and  22 C on outer surface  22  of front wall  20 . Similarly first side flap  166  has an interior surface  166 A having at least one and preferably a pair of spaced apart fastening members  166 B and  166 C. These will respectively mate with mating fastening members  32 B and  32 C on outer surface  32  of first sidewall  30 . Similarly, second side flap  168  has an interior surface  168 A having at least one and preferably a pair of spaced apart fastening members  168 B and  168 C. These will respectively mate with mating fastening members  52 CB and  523 C on outer surface  52  of second sidewall  50 . By way of example, each of the mating fastening members can be mating hook and loop fasteners or mating snap fasteners. The flaps help to maintain the cart in a rigid open condition while transporting goods. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 10-13 , when it is desired to fold up the cart  10  for storage, the flaps  164 ,  166  and  168  and folded against the interior surface  154  of top  150 , the base member  70  is rotated so that its upper surface  78  rests against interior surface  24  of front wall  20 , first sidewall  30  is folded inwardly along crease  30 A and second sidewall  50  is folded inwardly along crease  50 A, and the cart  10  is folded up so that its thickness “T 1 ” is only about two (2) inches which is much thinner can conventional fold-up carts which are usually at least three inches thick when folded. This is therefore a significant improvement of the present invention over prior art carts. The cart has a multiplicity of fastening member such as  210 ,  212  and  214  which facilitate keeping the cart  10  in a folded condition. 
     The cart  10  also includes an ergonomically designed handle  180 , having an upper section  182  with a distal end  182 A with a grasping member  190  attached thereto and a proximal end  182 B. The handle has a lower section  184  with a distal end  184 A. The proximal end  182 B is affixed to the distal end  184 A by push pins  192 . When released, the upper section  182  is telescopically received within lower section  184 . Lower section  184  has a proximal end  184 B which is telescopically received within interior mating shaft  194  of cart  10 . Therefore, when not in use, the handle  180  can be entirely retracted into the cart  10 , with only the grasping section  190  protruding. The handle  180  has an arcuate ergonomic shape making the cart easier to pull. 
     The front wall can also have a pocket  200  affixed to its front surface  22 . The outer surfaces can also contain a multiplicity of mating fasteners such as  210 ,  212  and  214  to help maintain the cart in its folded condition. 
     Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.