PULL AND TOW UTILITY TRAILER

Abstract

A utility trailer is disclosed. The trailer is a two-wheel trailer with rotating handle and yoke tube that locks to the chassis of the trailer in two positions. The trailer also includes two dump pivot points and a release lever mounted to the tub of the trailer.

Claims

1. A utility trailer, comprising: a tub; a chassis; a pair of wheels; a handle comprising; a shaft having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, an outer perimeter, and a tongue proximate the first end; a grip having a handle portion and a hub, the hub having a shaft aperture with a shaft aperture inner perimeter; wherein the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter is sized to accommodate the shaft outer perimeter; wherein the grip is axially slideable along the shaft longitudinal axis between the shaft first end and shaft second end; wherein the handle portion is within a distance of the shaft equal to no more than three times the outer perimeter of the shaft; and a stand; wherein the handle is shiftable between a towing orientation and a pulling orientation wherein the stand contacts a ground surface upon which the pair of wheels rest when the handle is in the pulling orientation.

2. The utility trailer of claim 1, wherein the grip handle portion is traverse to the shaft longitudinal axis.

3. The utility trailer of claim 2 wherein the grip handle portion is offset from the shaft longitudinal axis.

4. The utility trailer of claim 1 wherein the tongue has an outer perimeter and the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter is sized to accommodate the tongue outer perimeter.

5. The utility trailer of claim 4, wherein the tongue comprises an attachment pin hole and the grip hub comprises an attachment pin hole.

6. The utility trailer of claim 1 wherein the handle comprises an axis and the axis is parallel to the chassis when the handle is in the towing orientation.

7. The utility trailer of claim 6 wherein the handle can be locked either the towing orientation or the pulling orientation.

8. The utility trailer of claim 7 wherein the stand comprises a crosstube.

9. The utility trailer of claim 7 wherein the stand comprises a flat plate foot.

10. The utility trailer of claim 1 further comprising a handle bracket mounted to the chassis, the handle bracket comprising a handle connection and wherein the handle pivots from a towing orientation and a pulling orientation about the handle connection.

11. The utility trailer of claim 1 further comprising a tub locking mechanism mounted to the tub and a lock plate mounted to the chassis, the tub locking mechanism comprising a grip and an engagement hook and the lock plate comprising a lip; wherein the engagement hook and lip engage to lock the tub to the chassis.

12. The utility trailer of claim 11 further comprising an interior plate mounted on the interior of the tub and an exterior plate mounted on the exterior of the tub and wherein the tub locking mechanism is connected to the interior plate and the exterior plate.

13. A handle for a utility trailer comprising: a shaft having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, an outer perimeter, and a tongue proximate the first end; a grip having a handle portion and a hub, the hub having a shaft aperture with a shaft aperture inner perimeter; wherein the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter is sized to accommodate the shaft outer perimeter; wherein the grip is axially slideable along the shaft longitudinal axis between the shaft first end and shaft second end; wherein the handle portion is within a distance of the shaft equal to no more than three times the outer perimeter of the shaft; and a stand; wherein the handle is shiftable between a towing orientation and a pulling orientation and the handle can be locked either the towing orientation or the pulling orientation.

14. The handle for a utility trailer of claim 13 wherein the stand comprises a crosstube.

15. The handle for a utility trailer of claim 13 wherein the stand comprises a flat plate foot.

16. The handle for a utility trailer of claim 13 further comprising a handle bracket, the handle bracket comprising a handle connection and wherein the handle pivots from a towing orientation and a pulling orientation about the handle connection.

17. The handle for a utility trailer of claim 14 further comprising a handle bracket, the handle bracket comprising a handle connection and wherein the handle pivots from a towing orientation and a pulling orientation about the handle connection.

18. Handle for a utility trailer of claim 17 wherein the crosstube comprises feet.

19. The handle for a utility trailer of claim 17 wherein the handle is mounted to a chassis of the utility trailer.

20. A utility trailer, comprising: a tub; a chassis; a pair of wheels; a handle comprising a stand; and wherein the handle is shiftable between a towing orientation and a pulling orientation wherein the stand contacts a ground surface upon which the pair of wheels rest when the handle is in the pulling orientation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration.

[0021] FIG. 2 depicts a second perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration.

[0022] FIG. 3 depicts a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration.

[0023] FIG. 4 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration.

[0024] FIG. 5 depicts a front elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration.

[0025] FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow configuration.

[0026] FIG. 7 depicts a second perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow configuration.

[0027] FIG. 8 depicts a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow configuration.

[0028] FIG. 9 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow configuration.

[0029] FIG. 10 depicts a front elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow configuration.

[0030] FIG. 11 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0031] FIG. 12 depicts a second perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0032] FIG. 13 depicts a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0033] FIG. 14 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0034] FIG. 15 depicts a front elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0035] FIG. 16 depicts a right side elevation view of another embodiment of the utility trailer in the tow and dump configurations.

[0036] FIG. 17 depicts a right side elevation view of another embodiment of the utility trailer in the pull configuration on the stand.

[0037] FIG. 18 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the pull configuration without the grip.

[0038] FIG. 19 depicts a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the pull configuration without the grip.

[0039] FIG. 20 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the pull configuration without the grip.

[0040] FIG. 21 depicts a top plan view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the tow configuration without the grip.

[0041] FIG. 22 depicts a right side elevation view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the tow configuration without the grip.

[0042] FIG. 23 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the utility trailer chassis and arm in the tow configuration without the grip.

[0043] While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a utility trailer of the present invention is generally designated in the drawings by reference numeral 100. The utility trailer includes a tub 200, a chassis 300, a handle 400, a pair of wheels 500, and a tub locking mechanism 600. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-5, the handle 400 comprises a shaft 410 and a grip 420. The grip 420 is slideable along the longitudinal axis 423 (see FIG. 3) of the shaft 410. The grip 420 has a handle 421 and a hub 422, through which is a grip shaft aperture 423. The grip 420 is preferably transverse to the shaft 410 and is substantially straight to provide comfort to a person manually pulling the utility trailer 100.

[0045] When in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1-5, the handle 400 allows a user to manually pull the utility trailer 100 by taking hold of the grip 420 that is located in this configuration at the shaft first end 411 while the handle 400 is connected to the utility trailer 100 at the shaft second end 412. The grip 420 is retained in the shown configuration via an attachment pin 440 that is installed through grip attachment pin holes 426 aligned with tongue attachment pin holes 431 (see FIG. 14). The attachment pin 440 may be any of those common in the art, such as a t-pin, a ball lock pin, a hitch pin with cotter pin, an outrigger pin, or the like.

[0046] The grip shaft aperture 423 is sized to accommodate the outer perimeter of both the tongue 430 and shaft 410 (i.e., the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter 424 (see FIG. 13) is larger than the shaft outer perimeter 414 (FIG. 21) and the tongue outer perimeter 432 (FIG. 22)). The shaft outer perimeter 414 and tongue outer perimeter 432 may be identical and closer to the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter 424 to keep the grip 420 from freely moving. Alternatively, the shaft outer perimeter 414 may be smaller than the tongue outer perimeter 432 to allow the grip 420 to move freely along the shaft 410. In this arrangement, the shaft second end 412 is attached to the utility trailer 100.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the grip handle 421 is offset from the shaft longitudinal axis 413 so that the handle may be moved by sliding the grip 420 from the shaft first end 411 toward the shaft second end 412. This arrangement allows tongue 430 to be exposed for connection to a towing vehicle (e.g., lawn tractor, quad, etc.). As illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the tongue 430 may be a clevis to provide stability when used in either configuration. Alternatively, the tongue 430 could have a single branch or could be more than two branches.

[0048] In the preferred embodiment, the grip 420 is not removeable from the shaft 410 to prevent loss or misplacement of the grip 420. This may be accomplished by having a stop at the proximal end of the tongue 430 that extends beyond the grip shaft aperture inner perimeter 424). The preferred embodiment has a shaft 410 and a grip shaft aperture 423 with square cross sections to keep the grip 420 aligned with the shaft 410 (as well as the grip attachment pin holes 426 aligned with the tongue attachment pin holes 431. It is contemplated that the shaft 410 and tongue 430 be made of steel to provide the most strength while the grip 420 is made of extruded plastic for light weight and user comfort.

[0049] The handle 400 further includes a stand 450 at the shaft second end 412 to allow the utility 100 to remain in a predominately horizontal position in a pulling position (see FIG. 17). The stand 450 may be of any configuration that provides an additional point of contact with the ground (in addition to the wheels 500) that will allow the tub 200 of the utility trailer 100 to be in a horizontal position when resting on the stand 450. The embodiment of the stand 450 depicted in FIGS. 1-15 and 18-23 includes a crosstube 451 that is attached to the shaft second end 412 by any means known in the art.

[0050] The crosstube 451 allows for a wider footprint upon which the utility trailer 100 can rest. The wider the crosstube 451, the more stability it will provide the utility trailer 100. The preferred embodiment has a crosstube 451 that does not extend beyond the chassis 300 width. However, as seen in the embodiment of FIGS. 21-23, the orientation of the crosstube 451 to the chassis 300 would allow the crosstube 451 to be wider than the chassis 300 because in this stored position the crosstube 451 is locked below the chassis 300.

[0051] It is preferable that the crosstube 451 is welded to the shaft second end 412 for strength and durability. However, the crosstube 451 may also be connected by a pin (not shown) that would allow the crosstube 451 to be removed and exchanged with another embodiment of a stand 450 such as that depicted in FIGS. 16-17.

[0052] The stand 450 depicted in FIGS. 1-15 and 18-23 include feet 452 at the ends of the crosstube 451. Feet 452 provide traction on smooth surfaces and protect the ends of the crosstube 451 from damage and direct contact with soil. Preferably the feet 452 are friction fitted to the crosstube 451, but may be attached with any adhesive or mechanical fastening method known in the art.

[0053] FIGS. 16-17 illustrate an alternative embodiment wherein the stand 450 comprises a flat plate foot 453. As with the crosstube 451, the flat plate foot 453 may be welded to the shaft second end 412 for strength and durability. However, the flat plate foot 453 may also be connected by a pin (not shown) that would it to be removed and exchanged with a crosstube 451. As illustrated in FIGS. 16-17, the flat plate foot 453 may ramp or curve upward at its front and rear to prevent the plat plate foot 453 from catching on ground surfaces. The preferred embodiment of the flat plate foot 453 that is permanently fixed to the shaft second end 412 is arranged so that the flat plate foot 453 rests horizontal to the ground surface when the utility trailer 100 is in the standing position (FIG. 17).

[0054] To provide stability when the utility trailer 100 is in the towing orientation (FIGS. 6-16 and 21-23) as well as when the utility trail 100 is in the pulling orientation (FIGS. 1-5 and 17-20), a handle bracket 460 connects the handle 400 to the chassis 300. As with the chassis 300 and handle 400, the handle bracket 460 is preferably made of steel for strength and durability. However, the handle bracket 460 can also be made of other metals (aluminum) to lessen the total weight of the utility trailer 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle bracket 460 is mounted below the chassis 300 to allow the strand 450 to rest below the chassis 300 when the utility cart 100 is in the towing orientation.

[0055] The handle bracket 460 can be mounted to the chassis 300 by any means known in the art, including welding, mechanical attachment, or the handle bracket 460 can be formed as part of the chassis 300. The handle bracket 460 includes a handle connection 465 where the handle 400 connects and pivots on the handle bracket 460. The handle connection 465 can be any means known in the art to pivotably connect to members. In the disclosed embodiment, the handle connection 465 is a bolt that traverses through orifices (not shown) in the handle bracket 460 and handle shaft 410. In this embodiment the bolt 465 is fastened with a respective nut 466.

[0056] As best seen in FIGS. 18-23, the handle shaft 410 pivots around the handle connection 465 to allow the handle 400 to be locked in a pulling configuration (FIGS. 21-23) or a towing configuration (FIGS. 18-20). In the illustrated embodiment, the locking of the handle shaft 410 in either configuration is accomplished by the insertion of a handle bracket pin 463 that is installed through one of the bracket pin orifices 461, 462 in the handle bracket 460 that align with shaft pin orifices 414, 415. The handle bracket pin 463 may be any of those common in the art, such as a t-pin, a ball lock pin, a hitch pin with cotter pin, an outrigger pin, or the like. When the handle 400 is in the pulling configuration, the handle bracket pin 463 will be inserted through bracket pin orifice 461 and shaft pin orifice 415. When the handle 400 is in the towing configuration, the handle bracket pin 463 will be inserted through bracket pin orifice 462 and shaft pin orifice 414.

[0057] Another feature embodied in the present invention is the selective locking of the tub 200 to the chassis 300 to allow dumping of the utility trailer such as depicted in FIGS. 11-16. Prior art utility trailers typically have the release handle for dumping the trailer located on the chassis of the trailer. This allowed a metal locking mechanism to be welded or otherwise fixed to the metal chassis of the trailer. This arrangement, however, makes it more difficult for a user of the trailer to dump material from the trailer because reaching the release was more difficult and that arrangement did not provide a comfortable or efficient means of dumping the tub 200. The present invention addressed these drawbacks by having a tub locking mechanism 600 mounted to the tub instead of the chassis 300.

[0058] The tub locking mechanism 600 includes a handle 610, which functions to both unlock the tub 200 from the chassis 300 as well as control the pivoting of the tub 200 on the chassis 300 to dump a load in the tub 200. In the preferred embodiment, a lock plate 310 is secured to the front of the chassis 300. The lock plate 310 can be made of any suitable material known in the art, but is preferably steel for strength and durability. The lock plate 310 can be secured to the chassis 300 by any methods known in the utility trailer art, such as welding, but the preferred embodiment is bolting the lock plate 310 to the chassis 300 to allow for replacement of the lock plate due to wear or damage. The lock plate 310 includes a lip 320 to which the locking mechanism 600 engages when the tub is in the load carrying orientation (such as FIGS. 1-10).

[0059] The tub locking mechanism 600 includes a grip 610 as well as an engagement hook 620 (best seen in FIG. 13) that engages with the lip 320 of the lock plate 310 to secure the front of the tub 200 to the front of the chassis 300. While the dimensions of the engagement hook 620 and the lip 300 can vary in size, the preferred embodiment contemplates both being at least four inches wide to provide a more secure engagement between the two. The grip 610 and hook 620 may be made of any materials known in the art, but in the preferred embodiment, the grip 610 and engagement hook 620 are made of a single plastic body that can be molded or extruded. To provide rigidity and strength to the locking mechanism 600, the locking mechanism 600 is mounted to the tub 200 via an exterior plate 630 and an interior plate 640. The exterior plate 630 and interior plate 640 are preferably sized to fit within an exterior plate cavity 635 and interior plate cavity 645, respectively, formed in the front face of the tub 200. The plates 630, 640 may be made of any material sufficient to provide rigidity to the tub 200 when operating the locking mechanism 600.

[0060] The plates 630, 640 are attached to one another through the front face of the tub 200 by any means known in the art. The depicted embodiment uses rivets to fasten the plates 630, 640 so as to prevent bolt heads or nuts from interfering with the interior of the tub 200 and potential injury to the hand of a user grasping the grip 610. The locking mechanism 600 in the disclosed embodiment has a handle 610 that pivots on its mount 660 to allow the engagement hook 620 to rotate from under the engagement lip 320, thus unlocking the tub 200 from the chassis 300 and allowing utility trailer 100 to be put in the dumping configuration. The preferred embodiment also includes biasing the locking mechanism 600 so that the engagement hook 620 is positioned to engage the lip 320 of the lock plate 310. This biasing may be accomplished from the weight of the grip 610 or by using a spring mechanism (not shown) to rotate the locking mechanism 600 into the engaged position.

[0061] Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions.

[0062] Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.

[0063] Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.

[0064] Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

[0065] For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.