Abstract:
A foldable creeper has a rolling mechanism coupled to connectors that couple a seat support and back support. A locking mechanism may be provided that retains the creeper in an open position.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS &amp; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
   This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/266,557, entitled “Foldable Creeper,” filed Oct. 8, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,761 issued Mar. 29, 2005. This related application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. 

   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   A mechanic is often required to work on the underside of an automobile to perform maintenance such as changing the oil. It has been known to use devices called creepers that include a platform with a flat surface mounted on wheels. A creeper enables the mechanic to lie in a supine position while working underneath the automobile. Improved creepers are capable of folding, thus allowing the creeper to be stored in a compact form. Ideally, a foldable creeper is foldable at approximately its midsection, thereby providing a compact, substantially rectangular structure when folded into the closed position. Typical foldable creepers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,611,552 and 5,947,489. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   This invention has several features that are summarized in the CLAIMS. These features provide this invention with its many desirable attributes. After reading the following section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION,” one will understand how the features of this invention provide its benefits, which include, but are not limited to, a creeper that is convenient to fold and is compact when folded, is capable of being locked in position when unfolded, and has enhanced rigidity and strength. 
   Broadly, the foldable creeper of this invention is capable of supporting a person in a supine position. It includes a seat support and back support connected by a connector including a lower surface, a first end, a second end, and at least one caster coupled to the lower surface. The seat support comprises a base side, an inner end, and at least one caster disposed on the base side. The back support comprises a base side, an inner end, and at least one caster disposed on the base side. A first end of the connector is coupled by a hinge to the seat support at or near said inner end of the seat support, and the second end of the connector is coupled by a hinge to the back support at or near the inner end of said back support. The connector enables the back support and seat support to be manually moveable between an open position and a closed position. 
   In the open position, the seat support and the back support are substantially coplanar. In the closed position, the seat support and the back support are substantially in parallel planes. The casters are disposed between the seat support and the back support when the creeper is in the closed position. Support sides of the seat and supports face away from each other when the creeper is in the closed position. The seat and back supports each include spaced apart parallel rail members supporting cushions. The inner ends of the rail members bend inward and a connector with an associated caster has its opposed ends each attached by a hinge respectively to the seat support and the back support. The inwardly bent ends of the rails enhance the strength of the seat and back supports. Typically, there are pairs of casters attached to each of the outer ends of the seat and back supports. 
   In a preferred embodiment, there are six casters employed. The seat support has a pair of spaced apart first and second sides. The first caster is disposed substantially near the first side of the seat support and the second caster is disposed substantially near the second side of the seat support. The back support has a pair of spaced apart first and second sides. The third caster is disposed substantially near the first side of the back support and the fourth caster is disposed substantially near the second side of the back support. The fifth caster is coupled to one of the connectors, and the sixth caster is coupled to the other of the connectors. The sides of the seat support and back support each have indented inner ends so that the casters connected to the hinged connectors are disposed inward of the casters coupled to the seat and back supports. Thus, the casters on the hinged connectors are not aligned with the casters on the seat support and back support. 
   Preferably, the foldable creeper includes a locking mechanism that retains the seat support and the back support substantially coplanar when the creeper is in the open position. This locking mechanism includes a first lock attached to the first connector and a second lock attached to the second connector. These first and second locks each have a lock position that retains the seat support and the back support coplanar when the creeper is in an open position and an unlock position that enables the seat support and the back support to be manually moved into the closed position. Each first and second lock comprises a plate member that is fastened to a connector in a manner enabling the plate member to be loosened and tightened. When the plate member is tightened and in the locked position the plate overlaps the inner ends of the seat support and the back support to maintain the seat support and the back support coplanar. When the plate member is loosened and rotated, the seat support and the back support are enabled to be manually moved into substantially parallel planes. 
   Optionally, the creeper of this invention may include an adjustable headrest near an outer edge of the back support. The headrest comprises a head support member that is capable of supporting the weight of a human head and an adjustor that is capable of adjusting the height and the angle of inclination of the head support member relative to the back support. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The preferred embodiment of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. This embodiment depicts the novel and non-obvious foldable creeper of this invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. These drawings includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the creeper of this invention showing the support sides of the back support and seat support. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating the base side of the back support and seat support. 
       FIG. 3  is plan view of the support side of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the base side of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  is an end view of the back support of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is side view of the creeper shown in  FIG. 1  in a closed position. 
       FIG. 9A  is a plan view taken along line  9 A— 9 A of  FIG. 8 , showing a lock in a locked position. 
       FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 B— 9 B of  FIG. 9A . 
       FIG. 9C  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 C— 9 C of  FIG. 9B . 
       FIG. 10A  is a plan view depicting the lock shown in  FIG. 9A  in an unlocked position. 
       FIG. 10B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  10 B— 10 B of  FIG. 10A . 
       FIG. 10C  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  10 C— 10 C of  FIG. 10B . 
       FIG. 11  is perspective view of the head support in a raised position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 1–6 , the creeper  10  generally comprises a seat support  20 , a back support  30 , a first connector  40  and a second connector  50 . 
   The seat support  20  comprises a pair of longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24  and a pair of lateral connecting rail members  27 ,  28  that connect the longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24 . The longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24  each have inner ends  22   a ,  24   a , outer ends,  22   b ,  24   b , top sides  22   c ,  24   c , and bottom sides  22   d ,  24   d , respectively. The cross-section of the longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24  is typically rectangular, but may include other shapes, such as, circular, oval and square. 
   Each of the lateral rail members  27 ,  28  has a top side  27   c ,  28   c  and a pair of ends  27   a ,  27   b , and  28   a  and  28   b , respectively. The ends  27   a ,  27   b , and  28   a  and  28   b , respectively of the lateral rail  27 ,  28  members may be curved to form a channel  60  between the outer longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24 . The cross-section of the lateral rail members is typically rectangular, but may be other shapes, such as, circular, oval and square. A cushion  62  is on the top sides  27   c ,  28   c  of the lateral rail members  27 ,  28 , and lies within channel  60 . A pair of caster wheels  22   e  and  24   e  are each coupled to an outer end of each one of the longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24 , respectively. 
   The back support  30  comprises a pair of outer longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34 , a pair of inner longitudinal rail members  33 ,  35 , and a pair of lateral connecting rail members  37 ,  38  that connect the longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34 . The longitudinal rail members  32 ,  24  each have inner ends  32   a ,  34   a  and outer ends,  32   b ,  34   b , top sides  32   c ,  34   c , and bottom sides  32   d ,  34   d , respectively. The inner longitudinal rail members  33 ,  35  each have top sides  33   c , and  35   c , respectively. The cross-section of the longitudinal rail members  32 ,  33 ,  34 ,  35  is typically rectangular, but may include other shapes, such as, circular, oval and square. 
   Each of the lateral rail members  37 ,  38  has a top side  37   c ,  38   c  and a pair of ends  37   a ,  37   b , and  38   a  and  38   b , respectively. The ends  37   a ,  37   b , and  38   a  and  38   b , respectively of the lateral rail members  37 ,  38  may be curved to form a channel  70  between the outer longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34 . The cross-section of the lateral rail  37 ,  38  members is typically rectangular, but may be other shapes, such as, circular, oval and square. A cushion  64  is positioned on the top side  37   c ,  38   c ,  33   c ,  35   c  of the lateral rail members  37 ,  38 , and inner longitudinal rail members  33 ,  35 , respectively. A pair of caster wheels  32   e  and  34   e  is at each outer end coupled to each one of the longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34 , respectively. 
     FIGS. 6 ,  9 A,  9 B,  10 A and  10 B illustrate the connectors  40  and  50  that connect the back support  20  to the seat support  30  and allows the creeper  10  to move between an open position as shown in  FIG. 1  and closed position shown in  FIG. 8 . These connectors  40  and  50  each have one end hingedly coupled to the seat support  20  at or near an inner end of the seat support and another end hingedly coupled to the back support  30  at or near an inner end of the back support. Consequently, the back support  30  and seat support  20  are manually moveable between the open position and the closed position. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 9B ,  9 C,  10 B and  10 C, each connector  40 ,  50  comprises an elongated U-shaped hinge member U with bolts  45  and  49  at or near opposed ends of this U-shaped member. The U-shaped member U has a base  41   a  with an upper surface  41   c , a lower surface  41   b , a pair of sidewalls  42 ,  44  that extend from the upper surface  41   c  of the base  41   a . The sidewalls  42 ,  44  extend beyond the length of the base  41   a . Longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24  on the seat support  20  are coupled to connectors  40  and  50  by passing bolts  45  and  49  through the longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24  at ends  22   a  and  24   a , respectively. Longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34  on the back support  30  are coupled to connectors  40  and  50  by passing bolts  49  through longitudinal rail members  32 ,  34  at ends  32   a  and  34   a , respectively. The manner of attaching the connectors  40  and  50  with the bolts  49  to the rail members  32 ,  34  creates hinges attaching the seat support  20  and the back support  30  to enable them to be folded together as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  9 A,  9 B,  10 A and  10 B, the first connector  40  and second connector  50  preferably each include a locking mechanism M. This locking mechanism M comprises a threaded locking pin  47  screwed into a cylindrical receptacle  43  with internal threads. The cylindrical receptacle  43  is integral with the base  41   a  of the U-shaped member U. The locking pin  47  extends through a hole H in the locking plate  48  into the receptacle  43 . As shown in  9 A and  9 B, the locking mechanisms M retains the seat support  20  and the back support  30  in a coplanar position when the mechanism is in a locked position. When the creeper  10  is locked in the open position, inner ends  22   a ,  24   a ,  32   a , and  34   a  of longitudinal rails  22 ,  24 ,  32 , and  34  are disposed between the lower surfaces  48   a  of plates  48  and the upper surfaces  41   c  and  51   c  of bases  41   a  of connectors  40  and  50 , and pins  47  are fastened such that plates  48  are in contact with, and press snugly against, longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24 ,  32 , and  34 . As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , and using connector  40  for purposes of illustration, in an unlocked position, pins  47  are loosened, allowing the locking plates  48  to be rotated such that they are not disposed over longitudinal rail members  22 ,  24 ,  32 , and  34 . While in the unlocked position, the seat support  20  and the back support  30  are rotatable into the closed position shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 7 and 11 , in one aspect of the invention, a head support  12  is coupled to the back support  30 . The head support  12  comprises a backing member  13 , a cushion  14 , a slotted adjuster  18  and an adjusting rod  16 . The backing member  13  is typically a flat rectangular piece of wood or metal having a cushion side  13   a  and an adjustor side  13   b . The backing member  13  has an inner end  13   c  that is coupled by hinges (not shown) to the backing support  30 . The cushion  12  is coupled to the backing member  13  on the cushion side  13   a , while the slotted adjustor  18  is coupled to the adjuster side  13   b . The slotted adjuster  18  comprises a series of slots  18   a ,  18   b  and  18   c  enclosed by a retainer  18   d . The adjusting rod  16  has a U-shaped portion  16   a , an extended portion  16   b  and a turning portion  16   c . The U-shaped portion  16   a  is disposed between the series of slots  18   a ,  18   b  and  18   c  and the retainer  18   d , while the extended portion  16   b  and the turning portion  16   c  are coupled to inner longitudinal rail members  35  and  33 , respectively. The height and angle of inclination of the head support  12  is adjusted by inserting the U-shaped portion  16   a  of the adjusting rod  16  into one of the slots  18   a ,  18   b  and  18   c.    
   When the creeper  10  is in the open position as shown in  FIG. 1 , the back support  30  and the seat support  20  are substantially coplanar. Referring to  FIGS. 8 ,  9 A,  9 B and  10 B, when the creeper  10  is in a closed position, the back support  30  lies in a plane substantially parallel to the seat support  20 . The creeper  10  is moved from an open position to a closed position by rotating the back support  30  in an arc A 2  ( FIG. 10B ) about the hinged connection at bolts  49  and  59  at substantially ninety degrees from the open position, and rotating the seat support  20  in an arc A 1  ( FIG. 10B ) about the hinged connection at bolts  45  and  55  about ninety degrees. 
   SCOPE OF THE INVENTION 
   The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention.