Patent ID: 8162349

Claim:
A collapsible carrier, said carrier comprising: four elongate corner post members each said corner post member having an upper end, a lower end and defining an axial length therebetween, said corner post members defining a pair of rear corner post members and a pair of forward corner post members wherein each of said rear corner post members has a rotatable support wheel secured thereto proximate said lower end thereof; four framing assemblies, each of said framing assemblies being operably disposed between a respective set of adjacent corner post members to thereby define four sides of said carrier and wherein each of said framing assemblies includes a first rigid elongate framing member and a second rigid elongate framing member with said first and second framing members being pivotally secured together proximate midpoints of each of said first and second framing members with lower ends of said first and second framing members being pivotally secured to opposite ones of said adjacent corner post members at fixed axial locations and upper ends of said first and second framing members being pivotally and axially slidably secured to said adjacent corner post members at axial locations respectively above said fixed axial locations of said other framing member whereby each of said framing assemblies is repositionable between an X-shaped expanded configuration with said adjacent corner post members being spaced apart and a collapsed configuration with said adjacent corner post members being positioned proximate one another; a central bracing assembly comprising a central bracket member and four rigid elongate bracing members, each of said bracing members having a first end pivotally secured to said central bracket member and a second end pivotally and axially slidably secured to a respective one of said corner post members at an axial position proximate a respective one of said upper ends of said framing members whereby said central bracing assembly defines a substantially X-shaped assembly disposed centrally between said four corner post members when each of said framing assemblies is in said expanded configuration and, when each of said framing assemblies is in said collapsed configuration, said bracing assembly is in a collapsed configuration; and a flexible container secured to said carrier and positioned below said central bracing assembly when each of said framing assemblies is in said expanded configuration.