Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention is directed to a wheeled container and specifically a wheeled display case into which can be packaged rolled-up or rollable trade show graphics, displays, portable display frames, such as conventional folding, knock-down or sectional display frames, and associated display accouterments which are utilized at trade shows, conventions and similar exhibit forums.  
           [0002]    Wheeled containers are well known and have been manufactured, sold and used for many, many years. Typical of such wheeled containers are wheeled display cases, wheeled luggage and wheeled golf bag/golf club cases. Such wheeled containers or wheeled cases normally include a case body or container body formed of substantially rigid or flexible material, and in either case there is normally a handle and a pair of wheels associated with respective upper and lower ends of the container body. Typically wheeled luggage made of flexible materials includes one or more compartments which can be opened and closed utilizing zippers, whereas a typical rigid golf bag/golf club wheeled case is of a clam-shell construction defined by two body halves which are substantially symmetrical and are unitized by a hinge or a plurality of hinges extending or positioned along longitudinal edges of the container body halves.  
           [0003]    Such conventional wheeled cases or containers are relatively adequate for their intended purposes, but one or more of the following disadvantages of such conventional constructions are apparent, particularly to frequent users thereof:  
           [0004]    1. Both flexible and rigid wheeled containers or cases are relatively expensive to manufacture because of the complexity of the container bodies and the numerous steps involved in the manufacture thereof. This is particularly true with respect to flexible containers, such as wheeled luggage, in which numerous panels must be cut from flexible material, reinforcement is added thereto, zippers are sewn to the flexible panels, most often a rigidifying spine also serves as a slide-way for an extendable/retractable handle, a pair of wheels are connected to the frame, the frame is united by stitching, sewing, bonding and/or rivets to one of the flexible panels, etc.  
           [0005]    2. In the case of wheeled golf bags/golf club cases, a major cost is the expense associated with the die maker manufacturing two identical dies in which the body halves can be injection molded. For example, normal shrinkage after injecting molding creates tolerance variations in the body halves which in turn make it difficult for the edges of the two halves to be accurately hinged together to assure edge-to-edge contact, and the latter most often necessitates the addition of a peripheral gasket or seal between the opposing peripheral edges of the case halves to preclude entry therein of dirt, debris, water, etc. When abused during shipment through mishandling, as often occurs, the case halves are permanently distorted or bent which further precludes consistent edge-to-edge sealing thereafter even upon efforts toward rebending the bent case halves toward their original manufactured orientation and tolerances.  
           [0006]    3. Whether such wheeled containers or cases are substantially flexible or substantially rigid, a major ongoing problem in each is the poor quality of the wheels and associated shaft or shafts and the manner in which the latter are attached to the lower end of an associated wheeled container. It is not uncommon to see one or both of a pair of such wheels, particularly if of a relatively large diameter, wobbling precariously as the case is wheeled along a surface, and not uncommonly such wobbling creates forces which flex and progressively weaken an associated shaft or shafts eventually causing the wheels to permanently move out of parallelism relative to each other and thereby render the pulling of the wheeled case quire difficult, particularly if the contents thereof are relatively heavy. Such wheels and/or the shafts associated therewith lack laterally outboard support and the absence of the latter virtually assures the reduction in free-wheeling of the wheels during continued use of the wheeled case.  
           [0007]    4. Little, if any, thought has gone into ergonomics of such wheeled cases, and this fact alone creates usage problems which are exasperated over time.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In keeping with present invention, a novel wheeled container or wheeled display case or the like is formed as a one-piece, preferably injection molded polymeric/copolymeric container body defined by an elongated housing closed at a first end by a bottom wall and having an opposite second end defining an opening to which is pivotally attached a cover. The cover includes a recess defined by an end panel merging with a peripheral wall which in turn merges with a substantially annular wall. The upper end of the elongated housing includes a peripheral wall projecting axially upwardly from a substantially annular wall, and the peripheral walls and annular walls are in substantially mating relationship in the closed position of the cover which creates a highly effective seal against exterior contaminants, such as dirt, dust, moisture, etc.  
           [0009]    The cover also includes a generally U-shaped handle defined by a pair of legs and a bight hand grip portion therebetween setting-off a hand-receiving recess which is preferably in the form of an opening which when viewed from above is substantially of a T-shaped configuration defined by a leg and oppositely directed arms. Pivot means for connecting the cover to the upper end of the housing is in part defined by two enlarged portions located to one or either side of the leg of the T-shaped opening or slot with each enlargement carrying a pivot pin. The pivot pins are directed toward each other in axially aligned spaced relationship and are interlockingly received in recesses or slots of an axially upwardly projecting reinforcement wall of the housing upper end adjacent the opening thereof. The pivot pin receiving slots or recesses open radially outwardly and each includes a narrow entrance portion and a larger blind end. The polymeric/copolymeric material temporarily yields as the pivot pins are moved radially inwardly through the entrance portions during the assembly of the cover to the container body and eventually seat and pivot in the blind ends, but once the material at the entrance portions inherently returns to its unflexed position, the pivot pins are prevented from escaping therefrom thereby retaining the cover upon the container body absent extraneous/additive/separate hinges, screws, bolts or the like, as are utilized in conventional hinges.  
           [0010]    Alternatively, the pins and pivot pin-receiving recesses can be integral components of the respective container body and cover.  
           [0011]    The housing peripheral wall is also preferably reinforced by a pair of outwardly thickened wall portions located substantially diametrically opposite each other midway between the pivotal connecting means and latching means for locking the cover to the container body which are also preferably located diametrically opposite to the pivotal connection between the cover and the container body.  
           [0012]    The lower end of the housing includes a pair of wheel-receiving recesses opening downwardly and sidewise away from each other. One of each of a pair of wheels is received in an associated one of the wheel-receiving recesses, and a covering plate covers each wheel exteriorly and includes an opening through which projects an end of a shaft journaling each wheel. The end of each shaft is threaded and receives a nut threadably secured thereto. A medial portion of the shaft is supported and journalled in a wall of each recess. In this manner each wheel is sandwiched between a recess and its associated covering plate and a portion of the shaft immediately adjacent either side of an associated wheel is supported by the associated recessed wall and the covering plate. This construction prevents the shaft from bending and the wheels from wobbling thereby assuring parallism in the planes of rotation of the wheels during a lifetime of use of the wheeled container or case. Each wheel-receiving recess preferably is of a depth corresponding to the thickness of its associated wheel and adjacent thereto is a recess of lesser depth which receives a portion of the associated covering plate. Each covering plate is secured to a wall of the latter recess. The latter dimensioning and the thickness of each covering plate assures that an external surface of the covering plate corresponds generally to an exterior surface of the housing exterior surface which is not only aesthetically pleasing but prevents problems associated with exposed wheels, such as exposed wheels catching upon kick moldings, chair legs, furniture legs, etc., which under sufficient loading can simply tear conventional wheels from conventional wheeled containers.  
           [0013]    In further accordance with the present invention, a carrying handle is disposed substantially medially along the length of the container body at a side substantially diametrically opposite a pull handle and a pair of wheels, and a pair of shoulder strap attachment loops are located one at each of the housing ends with the pair of loops being disposed at a side of the container body substantially diametrically opposite the pull handle and the pair of wheels. These locations of the carrying handle and the shoulder strap attachments loops are ergonomically correct and facilitate the lifting of the wheeled carrying case with relative ease. Furthermore, a plurality of longitudinally extending closely adjacent reinforcing ribs are located in opposite side reinforcing panels of the housing which effectively rigidify the entirety of the one-piece molded polymeric/copolymeric container body or casing body.  
           [0014]    With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TH DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a novel wheeled container or a wheeled case constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a one-piece injection molded polymeric/copolymeric container body which includes a cover pivotally connected at an upper end thereof and carrying a pair of wheels, only one of which is illustrated, covered by a covering plate which is broken away for clarity.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the wheeled casing of FIG. 1, and illustrates a latching mechanism between the cover and an upper end of the case body, diametrically opposite recessed side panels each including a plurality of upper and lower closely adjacent parallel reinforcing ribs, a central handle, and upper and lower carrying strap receiving loops.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2, and illustrates details of the cover including a recess defined by an end panel and a depending peripheral skirt, a radially outwardly projecting handle, including a hand-receiving opening, and an upwardly projecting terminal peripheral wall of the container body or housing in sealing engagement with the cover peripheral skirt.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an upper portion of the wheeled case, and illustrates the cover in its opened position.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary view of an upper portion of the container housing and the cover, and illustrates integrally molded pivot pins carried by enlarged reinforced wall portions of the cover across from a handgrip portion of the handle with the pivot pins being snap-secured in substantially radially outwardly opening pin-receiving recesses or slots in an axially upwardly projecting wall portion of the housing upper end.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded view of a lower portion of the case body, and illustrates the manner in which opposite ends of a shaft are retained in and supported by journals in walls of wheel-receiving recesses and an opening in a cover plate which is in turn secured to another recess of the housing adjacent each wheel-receiving recess. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    A novel wheeled container or wheeled case, specifically and preferably a display case, is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . The wheeled case  10  is defined by a one-piece container or case body  11  and a one-piece cover  12 , each being a one-piece substantially homogeneous molded polymeric/copolymeric member with the container body  11  and the cover  12  each being preferably injection molded.  
         [0022]    The case body or container body or housing  11  is relatively elongated and includes a first or lower end  13  and a second or upper end  14  with the lower end  13  being closed by a bottom wall  15 , and the upper end defining an opening O (FIG. 4) defined by a substantially axially upwardly projecting cylindrical or peripheral wall  16  having a terminal upper edge  17  and merging at a lower end (unnumbered) with an annular wall or shoulder  18 . A pair of diametrically opposite thickened wall portions  20 ,  20  (FIG. 5) extend upwardly from the annular wall  18  and end short of the terminal edge  17 . The thickened wall portions  20 ,  20  lend rigidity to or reinforce the peripheral wall  16  of the upper end or end portion  14  of the housing or body  11 . A major portion (unnumbered) of the annular wall  18  lies in a generally radial plane normal to a longitudinal axis A (FIG. 5) of the casing body  11  while a minor portion (unnumbered) of the annular wall  18  converges upwardly and defines an upwardly converging wall portion  21  of the upper housing portion  14  (FIG. 5) for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.  
         [0023]    Opposite sides (unnumbered) of the housing  11  include elongated oval-shaped recesses  22  which reinforce the housing  11  and each wall (unnumbered) of each recess  22  is itself further recessed by an upper plurality of side-by-side parallel reinforcing ribs  23  and a plurality of lower side-by-side parallel reinforcing ribs  24 . A carrying handle  25  defining a hand-receiving opening  26  is disposed between the two recess panels  22  at approximately one-half the distance between the opening O and the bottom wall  15 . A pair of shoulder strap receiving loops  27 ,  28  are disposed in substantial longitudinal alignment with the handle  25  and are respectively positioned above and below the handle  25 . Conventional latching means  30 ,  31  are carried respectively by the upper end  14  of the case body or housing  11  and the cover  12 .  
         [0024]    Reference is specifically directed to FIG. 6 and a pair of identical wheels  41 ,  42  and covering means or cover plates  43 ,  44 , respectively, associated therewith. A shaft  45  of a cylindrical configuration includes opposite threaded ends  46 ,  47 . Opposite lower side walls  48 , only one of which is shown, are stepped-recessed to define a relatively deep wheel-receiving recess  50  defined by a relatively flat wall  51  and a curved wall  52  with the flat wall  51  having an opening  53  formed therein which may be reinforced by a cylindrical metal sleeve  54 . A cover plate-receiving recess  60  is shallower than the wheel-receiving recess  50  and is defined by a wall  61  substantially parallel to the wall  51  and an arcuate wall  62  with the wall  61  having an opening  63  formed therein. The recesses  50 ,  60  associated with the wheel  41  are replicated identically at the opposite side wall (unnumbered) of the lower end portion  13  of the housing  11  associated with the wheel  42  and the covering means or covering plate  44  (FIG. 3). The covering means or covering plates  43 ,  44  are also identical and each includes an edge  72  (FIG. 6) contoured to the configuration of the wall  62 , an opening  73  and an opening  74 .  
         [0025]    The wheels  41 ,  42  and the covering plates  43 ,  44  are assembled to the lower end  13  of the housing  11  by inserting the shaft  45  through the openings  53  of the opposite generally parallel walls  51 ,  51  or the cylindrical metal sleeves  54  associated therewith. The threaded ends  46 ,  47  project equal distances beyond the walls  51  and the wheels  41 ,  42  are slipped over and beyond the threaded end portions  46 ,  47 , respectively, of the shaft  45 .  
         [0026]    The covering plates  43 ,  44  are then seated in the recesses  61  with the edges or walls  62 ,  72  contiguous each other with the threaded ends  46 ,  47  of the shaft  45  projecting outwardly of the openings  74  of the covering plates  43 ,  44 . A conventional threaded fastener  75  is passed through the opening  73  of each covering plate  43 ,  44  and is threaded into the opening  63  to rigidly connect each of the covering plates  43 ,  44  in abutting relationship with the walls  61 . A conventional cap nut  76  is then threaded upon the threads  46 ,  47  of the shaft  45 . Since the wall  52  is substantially of a depth corresponding to the thickness of the wheels  41 ,  42 , the wall  51  and the inner surface (unnumbered) of the covering plates  43 ,  44  opposing the wall  51  define a wheel chamber having a depth corresponding to the thickness of the wheels  41 ,  42  thereby assuring that the wheels  41 ,  42  are at all times in parallel relationship to each other and are confined for rotation in parallel planes. Furthermore, since the shaft  45  is supported by both the wall  51  and the covering plate  43 ,  44  immediately adjacent each wheel  41 ,  42 , the shaft  45  cannot deflect under heavy loads and the wear-life thereof is immeasurably extended beyond known conventional wheeled containers. Moreover, should the wheels  41 ,  42  require repair or replacement due to long years of normal wear and tear, the same can be readily replaced by rapidly removing each of the covering plates  43 ,  44  in the manner obvious from the latter description.  
         [0027]    Reference is specifically made to FIGS. 3 through 5 of the drawings and the cover  12  thereof which includes an interior generally cylindrical recess R defined by a substantially circular end panel or end wall  81  and a depending peripheral wall or peripheral skirt  82  having an inner surface (unnumbered) corresponding in size and configuration to the exterior surface (unnumbered) of the peripheral wall  16  (FIG. 4) of the upper end  14  of the housing  11 . Diametrically opposite inner surfaces of the peripheral wall or skirt  82  are preferably relieved or slotted to form recesses  83  into which the thickened wall portions  20  seat when the cover  12  is closed and latched/locked.  
         [0028]    A pull handle  90  is disposed substantially diametrically opposite the latching means  30 ,  31  and includes a hand grip or bight portion  91  and a pair of opposite arms or legs  92 ,  93  merging with the peripheral wall or peripheral skirt  82  and setting-off therewith recess means in the form of T-shaped opening or slot  94  defined by oppositely directed arms  95 ,  96  and a leg  97 . To either side of the leg  97  the peripheral skirt  82  is reinforced by relatively large thickened wall portions  101 ,  102  carrying pivoting means in the form of respective pivot pins or pivot pin portions  103 ,  104  which are in axially aligned opposed spaced relationship to each other. The pivot pins or pivot pin portions  103 ,  104  are formed during the molding of the integral one-piece homogeneous cover  12 , as by injection molding, or can be instead formed as separate pins threaded into the enlarged or thickened wall portions  101 ,  102  after the molding of the cover  12 . Complementary pivot pin-receiving recesses or slots  113 ,  114  are integrally formed in the upwardly converging wall portion  21  (FIG. 5) of the upper end portion  14  of the housing  11 . Each of the slots  113 ,  114  opens generally radially outwardly of the longitudinal axis A, and each slot  113 ,  114  includes an entrance portion (unnumbered) narrower than the diameter of the pivot pins  103 ,  104  and a blind end portion (unnumbered) corresponding in diameter to the diameter of the pivot pins  103 ,  104 . The pivot pins  103 ,  104  are forced through the narrow entrance openings or opening portions of the respective slots  113 ,  114  which is achieved by the flexible nature of the polymeric/copolymeric material. However, once the pivot pins  103 ,  104  pass the narrow entrance portions, the material thereof rebounds, the pivot pins  103 ,  104  seat and are journalled for rotation in the blind end portions of the recesses  113 ,  114 , and the cover  12  readily pivots between the open (FIG. 4) and closed (FIG. 3) positions thereof.  
         [0029]    It is to be particularly noted that the location of the pivot means  103 ,  104 ,  113  and  114  and the pull handle  90  are substantially in overlying relationship to the wheels  41 ,  42 , as is readily apparent from FIG. 3 of the drawings. Thus, the hand grip portion  91  of the handle  90  can be gripped when the latching means  30 ,  31  is closed and the wheeled case can be tilted and pulled in a conventional manner.  
         [0030]    Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined the appended claims.

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