Abstract:
A carrying device for transporting items over hard surfaces and soft surfaces including a carrier body having a top surface and a bottom surface, the carrier body having a recessed portion in the top surface thereof, the recessed portion having a plurality of tabs extending inwardly therefrom, a storage container adapted for placement in the recessed portion, the storage container having elongated slots therein for receipt of the tabs in the elongated slots to secure the containers to the carrier body, and at least two wheels connected to the carrier body for rolling the carrier body over hard surfaces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to devices for carrying equipment on soft and uneven terrain. More particularly, the present invention is related to a device for carrying equipment and supplies used by sunbathers on a beach. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Sunbathers and swimmers on beaches have long encountered difficulty carrying the items needed to enjoy their day at the beach. Commonly beach users have to walk a great distance from their vehicle to the area on the beach on which they select to sunbathe and swim. Beach users usually must make many trips between the beach and their vehicle to transport an ice chest, umbrella, chairs, magazines or books, and food items to their selected location on the beach. 
     Devices for carrying items over soft and uneven terrain are known in the art. Exemplary of the related art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 329,145; 1,357,117; 3,046,031; 5,222,748; 5,328,192; 5,380,022; 5,620,191; 5,857,695; 5,876,047; 5,911,422; and World Intellectual Property Organization International Publication Number WO 97/12797 published under the PCT. 
     However, none of the carrying devices of the prior art have the utility and advantages of the carrying device of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a carrying device for transporting numerous items that sunbathers, swimmers or other persons visiting a beach may deem necessary for their individual or family outings. The beach carrying device of the invention can be towed across hard surfaces such as pavement or sidewalks or towed across other surfaces such as grass, sand and the like when rolling proves to be difficult. The beach carrying device of the invention includes a rigid carrier body having a flat, planar bottom surface for sliding across sand and wheels connected thereto for towing on hard surfaces such as sidewalks and pavement. The rigid carrier body has a recessed portion in the top surface thereof for receipt of one or more storage containers. The containers preferably include a cold storage container, a dry goods container and an umbrella and magazine container. The recessed portion in the carrier body has tabs therein for receipt in slots in a container the storage containers on the carrier body. The umbrella and magazine container may also fit in the recessed portion of the carrier body and may be connected thereto by a strap connected to the carrier body. The carrier body of the invention preferably has a plurality of elongated slots therein for receipt of conventional lawn chairs. 
     The present invention has the advantage of enabling a beach user to easily transport the items needed for enjoying a day at the beach in a single trip. 
     The present invention has the additional advantage of being easily towed by the beach user over hard surfaces such as a sidewalk and over soft and uneven surfaces such as a sandy beach. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly exploded, of the beach carrying device of the invention illustrating the manner in which a cold storage container and dry storage container may be connected to the carrier body of the beach carrying device of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partly exploded view of the beach carrying device of the invention illustrating the alignment and attachment of an umbrella and magazine container and lawn chairs to the body of the beach carrying device of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an umbrella and umbrella case which may be utilized with the beach carrying device of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective assembly view of the beach carrying device of the invention having lawn chairs, an umbrella, a cold storage container, a dry storage container, and an umbrella and magazine container connected thereto; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the beach carrying device of the invention placed upon a beach with the umbrella connected thereto, portions of the umbrella being shown in phantom lines to indicate the position of the umbrella when open and to indicate the position of the umbrella when forced into the sand beach upon which the beach carrying device of the invention is placed; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a exploded view of the containers used with the beach carrying device of the invention showing a dry storage container and a magazine and umbrella container aligned with a cold storage container for storage within the cold storage container; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the beach carrying device of the invention fully loaded being rolled by a user over a hard flat surface such as a sidewalk; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a tow rope used to tow the beach carrying device of the invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the beach carrying device of the invention being towed across a beach. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the beach carrying device of the invention can be seen to include a rigid carrier body generally indicated by the numeral  12 . Carrier body  12  is generally rectangular in shape and has two wheels  14  and  16  rotatably connected thereto. 
     Wheels  14  and  16  are connected to the rear end  18  of carrier body  12 . Wheels  14  and  16  enable carrier body  12  to be towed as shown in FIG. 8 over a hard surface such as sidewalk  19  leading to a beach. 
     Carrier body  12  has two perpendicular, parallel sides  20  and  22  extending upwardly from flat generally rectangular bottom  24 . As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, bottom  24  has a cylindrical hole  25  therethrough for receipt of bottom umbrella pole  27 . Bottom  24  has an upward sloping or curved portion  28  adjacent to the front end  26  of carrier body  12  which enables carrier body  12  to slide easily over sand  29  as shown in FIG. 10. A handle  30  is formed in the front end  26  of carrier body  12  and has cylindrical opening  32  adjacent thereto formed in carrier body  12  for receipt of the fingers of a hand of an individual user  34  grasping handle  30  as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  9  and  10 , two tow rope brackets  36  and  38  are connected to the top surface  40  of carrier body  12 . Tow rope brackets  36  and  38  have holes  36   a  and  38   a , respectively, therein for receipt of snap hooks  42   a  and  42   b  connected to each end of tow rope  42 . Preferably, tow rope  42  has a hollow cylindrical handle  42   c  through which tow rope  42  extends for grasping by the user to tow carrier body  12  across a beach as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     Preferably, four cylindrical can or cup holders  44 — 44  are formed in the top surface  40  of carrier body  12  for supporting beverage cups or cans. Cup holders  44  have a flat bottom  44   a  parallel to upper surface  40  upon which the bottom of a cup or can may rest. If desired, more or fewer than four cup or can holders  44  may formed in the top surface  40  of carrier body  12 . 
     As shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2, located adjacent to the rear end  18  of carrier body  12  are two parallel elongated slots  46 — 46  for receipt of the bottom horizontal cross-members  48  of the conventional lawn chairs generally indicated by the numeral  50 . Slots  46 — 46  are aligned perpendicularly to sides  20  and  22  of carrier body  12 . Slots  46  are formed between three elongated raised portions  52  which extend upward from the top surface  40  of carrier body  12 . If desired, more or fewer than two elongated slots  46 — 46  may be formed on the top surface  40  of carrier body  12 . 
     Carrier body  12  has a planar central planar recessed portion  53  shown in FIG. 1 for receipt of the storage containers generally indicated by the numerals  54 ,  56 , and  58 . Recessed portion  53  is parallel to top surface  40 . Recessed portion  53  is surrounded by a plurality of walls  62 — 62 ,  64 — 64 ,  66 ,  68 — 68 ,  69 — 69 , and  70  which extend perpendicularly upward from recessed portion  53  to top surface  40 . Walls  62 — 62  face each other on opposite sides of recessed portion  53 , walls  64 — 64  face each other on opposite sides of recessed portion  53 , walls  68 — 68  face each other on opposite sides of recessed portion  53 , walls  69 — 69  face each other on opposite edges of recessed portion  53 , and wall  70  faces wall  66  on opposite ends of recessed portion  53 . 
     Walls  62 — 62  are spaced apart a distance sufficient to enable the bottom portion of container  54  to be snugly received therein. Container  54  is preferably box-shaped with two rectangular, parallel sides  54   a — 54   a  and  54   b — 54   b  with a rectangular lid or top  54   c  and generally rectangular bottom  54   d . Top  54   c  may be connected to side  54   a  by a conventional hinge or top  54   c  may be force fitted onto sides  54   a — 54   a  and  54   b — 54   b  as known in the art for conventional chest containers to enable movement of top  54  to gain access to the interior of container  54 . Container  54  preferably has recessed portion  54   f  in each of the two sides  54   b  in which the fingers of the hands of the user may be placed to lift container  54 . Preferably container  54  is utilized to store dry goods such as packaged food items or towels, blankets, and the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, container  54  has an elongated horizontal slot  54   e  in the bottom portion of each of the two sides  54   b  which is parallel to the bottom  54   d  of container  54 . Slots  54   e  terminate in the approximate center of sides  54   b — 54   b  and are open at the front-facing side  54   a . Generally rectangular tabs  60 — 60  extend horizontally outward toward each other from the top side of opposite walls  62 — 62  as shown in FIG.  1 . Each of the slots  54   e — 54   e  engage and receive one of the tabs  60 - 60  on walls  62 — 62  of recessed portion  53  to secure container  54  in recessed portion  53  when container  54  is placed in recessed portion  53  and moved toward the front end  26  of carrier body  12  as indicated by the arrow in FIG.  1 . 
     Walls  64 — 64  are spaced apart a distance to enable the bottom portion of container  56  to be snugly received therein. Container  56  is preferably box-shaped with two generally rectangular, parallel sides  56   a — 56   a  and  56   b — 56   b  with a rectangular lid or top  56   c  and generally rectangular bottom  56   d . Top  56   c  may be connected to side  54   a  by a conventional hinge as shown in FIG. 7 or top  56   c  may be force fitted onto sides  56   a — 56   a  and  56   b — 56   b  as known in the art for conventional chest containers to enable movement of top  56  to gain access to the interior of container  56 . Container  56  preferably has recessed portion  56   f  in each of the two sides  56   b  in which the fingers of the hands of the user may be placed to lift container  56 . Preferably container  56  is utilized as a conventional ice chest to store cold goods such as food and beverages, and the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, container  56  has an elongated horizontal slot  56   e  in the bottom portion of each of the two sides  56   b  which is parallel to the bottom  56   d  of container  56 . Slots  56   e  terminate in the approximate center of sides  56   b — 56   b  and are open at the front-facing side  56   a . Generally rectangular tabs  65 — 65  extend horizontally outward toward each other from the top side of opposite walls  64 — 64  as shown in FIG.  1 . Each of the slots  56   e — 56   e  engage and receive one of the tabs  65 — 65  on walls  64 — 64  of recessed portion  53  to secure container  56  in recessed portion  53  when container  56  is placed in recessed portion  53  and moved toward the front end  26  of carrier body  12  as indicated by the arrow in FIG.  1 . To enable container  56  to be placed in recessed portion  53 , a box-like or parallelepiped shaped recessed portion generally indicated by the numeral  56   g  having rectangular faces is formed on each bottom corner in the rear-facing side  56   a  of container  56  to snugly receive walls  68 — 68  and  69 — 69  therein and a box-like or parallelepiped shaped recessed portion generally indicated by the numeral  56   h  having rectangular faces is formed on each bottom corner in the front-facing side  56   a  of container  56  to snugly receive tabs  65 — 65  therein to enable container  56  to slide forward to receive tabs  65  in slots  56   e.    
     Walls  68 — 68  are spaced apart a distance to enable the bottom portion of container  58  to be snugly received therein as indicated in FIG.  2 . As best shown in FIGS. 2,  5 ,  6 , and  7 , container  58  is preferably box-shaped with two generally rectangular, parallel sides  58   a — 58   a  and  58   b — 58   b  and a rectangular bottom  58   d . In the center of container  58  is a divider generally indicated by the numeral  58   c . Divider  58   c  is connected to the inside of parallel sides  58   a — 58   a  and separates container  58  into two compartments generally indicated by the numerals  58   k — 58   k . Compartments  58   k — 58   k  are open at the top and closed at the bottom by rectangular bottom  58   d . Compartments  58   k — 58   k  may be use for storing magazines or the like. Divider  58   c  has a hollow cylindrical sleeve  58   e  therein which is vertically aligned with hollow cylindrical opening  25  in carrier body  12  for receipt of bottom umbrella pole  27  when container  58  is fastened to carrier body  12  as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     As shown in detail in FIG. 6, container  58  is fastened to carrier body  12  by straps  58   f — 58   f  connected to sides  58   b — 58   b  of container  58  having clasps  58   g  which can be selectively connected to clasps  21   a — 21   a  of strap  21 — 21  connected to carrier body  12 . Container  58  also has straps  58   h and  58   i  connected to the sides  58   b — 58   b  thereof for wrapping around lawn chairs  50 — 50  as shown in FIG. 4 to secure lawn chairs  50 — 50  to carrier body  12  by placing strap  58   h through clasp  58   j  connected to the end of strap  58   i . Preferably container  58  is utilized as a container to transport magazines  59  or books to the beach and to receive and support bottom umbrella pole  27 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7, containers  54  and  58  are preferably sized to both fit inside of container  56  for storage when not in use. 
     Bottom umbrella pole  27  is slidably connected to central umbrella support pole  27   a  and umbrella  27   b  as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Umbrella  27   b  is shown in the open position in phantom lines in FIG.  5 . Umbrella  27   b  preferably has a flexible, hollow cylindrical case  27   c  which receives bottom umbrella pole  27 , central umbrella support pole  27   a  and umbrella  27   b  as indicated by the arrow in FIG.  3 . Umbrella case  27   c  has a foldable flap  27   d  which has a hook and loop material  27   e  such as Velcro thereon which can be connected to hook and loop material  27   f  on umbrella case  27   c  to secure the contents of umbrella case  27   c  therein. Umbrella case  27   c  is connected to side  54   b  of container  54  by the conventional strap and clasp assembly generally indicated by the numeral  54   g , and umbrella case  27   c  is connected to side  56   b  of container  56  by the conventional strap and clasp assembly generally indicated by the numeral  56   i  as shown in FIGS. 4,  8 , and  10 . 
     Carrier body  12 , and containers  54 ,  56 , and  58 , are preferably made from a polymeric material commonly referred to as plastic.