FOLDABLE CART WITH DEPLOYABLE WHEELS

Abstract

A foldable cart includes a handle portion, a foldable frame movably connected to the handle, and one or more wheels for rolling on a surface. In an unfolded (in-use or open) condition, the foldable frame constructs a holding-space defining a receiving cavity therein for carrying items, and the action of unfolding the frame automatically deploys wheels to enable immediate use of the cart by the end-user or customer. In a folded (storage or closed) condition, the carts' frame folds to occupy a smaller space in one or more spatial dimensions, and the automatically deployed wheels turn to occupy smaller total space in one or more spatial dimensions. In the folded condition, the cart is easy to store in a small space (e.g. in a small closet, under a bed, etc.) or transport (e.g. in the trunk of an automobile, vehicle, airplane, train, ship with a courier, etc.).

Claims

1. A foldable cart, comprising automatically deploying one or more wheels, wherein action of unfolding said cart automatically deploys said wheels.

2. The cart of claim 1, wherein said wheel is mounted on a moveable wheel-bracket comprising a means for deployment of said wheel from closed condition to open or in-use condition.

3. The cart of claim 1, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on the frame of said cart.

4. The cart of claim 1, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on an axle.

5. The cart of claim 1, wherein said wheel is a rear wheel.

6. A foldable cart, comprising manually deploying wheel or wheels, wherein said wheel in closed condition is approximately parallel to a two dimensional spatial plane of the folded or collapsed cart, and said wheel in open condition is approximately perpendicular to said plane of the cart.

7. The cart of claim 6, wherein said wheel is mounted on a moveable wheel-bracket comprising a means for deployment of the wheels from closed condition to open or in-use condition.

8. The cart of claim 6, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on the frame of the cart.

9. The cart of claim 6, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on an axle.

10. The cart of claim 6, wherein said wheel is a rear wheel.

11. A foldable cart, comprising pre-assembled wheel or wheels that move from an approximately parallel to an approximately perpendicular position when the cart is unfolded.

12. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel is mounted on a moveable wheel-bracket comprising a means for deployment of said wheel from closed condition to open or in-use condition.

13. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on the frame of the cart.

14. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel or wheel-bracket is mounted on an axle.

15. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel is a rear wheel.

16. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel movement from said parallel to said perpendicular position is controlled by a tension spring.

17. The cart of claim 11, wherein in the action of unfolding the cart automatically deploys the wheel from said parallel to said perpendicular position.

18. The cart of claim 11, wherein the action of folding the cart automatically rotates the wheel-bracket to move the wheel closer to the folded cart in one or more spatial dimensions.

19. The cart of claim 11, wherein said wheel may be moved from said perpendicular position to said parallel position, thereby occupying less total space when the cart is in folded condition.

20. The cart of claim 11, wherein said parallel position inactivates said wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The illustrative embodiment may be described with reference to the accompanying figures as follows:

[0029] FIG. 1 Shows three dimensional perspective views of a foldable shopping cart in: A) Folded or closed condition, B) Partially unfolded condition, and C) Fully unfolded or open condition.

[0030] FIG. 2 Shows three dimensional perspective views of the rear or back wheels of the foldable shopping cart in: A) Folded or closed condition, B) Partially unfolded condition, and C) Fully unfolded or open condition.

[0031] FIG. 3 Shows two dimensional parallel views of the rear or back wheels of the foldable shopping cart in: A) Folded or closed condition, B) Partially unfolded condition, and C) Fully unfolded or open condition.

[0032] FIG. 4 Shows a perspective view illustrating rotatable right and left wheel-brackets (without the wheels) in open or unfolded condition (as shown in FIG. 2C).

[0033] FIG. 5 Shows a perspective view illustrating a cam-lever and cam rotating or sliding piece (and inner shaft of the wheel bracket), which is in contact with the wheel bracket, and is responsible for transforming rotary motion into linear motion or vice versa.

[0034] FIG. 6 Shows perspective views illustrating a stationary or non-rotatable cap or casing piece, providing rotational guide (angular teeth 132) for the automatically deploying wheel. The drawing shows Side, Bottom, and Top views of the cap or casing piece.

[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a cam-lever and cam rotating or sliding piece (without the inner shaft of the wheel bracket), responsible for translating the folding (closing) and unfolding (opening) action of the cart to upward and downward pressure to the wheel bracket.

[0036] FIG. 8 Shows perspective top view and bottom view of the wheel bracket.

[0037] FIG. 9 Shows side or parallel view (two dimensional) of the rear or back wheel-brackets (similar to FIG. 3, but without the wheels) of the foldable cart in: A) Folded condition, B) Partially unfolded condition, and C) Unfolded condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0038] In the following detailed description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention can be reduced to practice. In this regard, directional terminology, such as front, rear, side, left, right, top, bottom etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the figures being described. Because components of embodiments of the present invention can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and must not be construed as a limitation of present invention.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 9 of the drawings, a foldable cart with deployable wheels (100) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the foldable cart comprises a handle (10, 11), a foldable frame (12-17) movably connected to the handle (10), a base frame (15, 16) supporting the foldable frame, and a plurality of wheels (100, 200) provided at a rear frame (16, 17) adapted for rolling on a surface.

[0040] Continuing with FIG. 1 of the drawing, the cart is shown in folded condition (FIG. 1A), partially unfolded condition (FIG. 1B), and fully unfolded condition (FIG. 1C). The wheels are approximately parallel to the folded cart in FIG. 1A, and approximately perpendicular to the back frame of the cart (same two dimensional spatial frame of the folded cart) in the fully unfolded open condition (FIG. 1C). When the cart is in folded condition (FIG. 1A), the wheel or wheels may be inactivated or locked. In this folded condition, the cart can more readily be rolled into a closet, between cabinets, etc. The deployable wheel may be inactivated either automatically when the end-user folds the cart, or inactivated manually by the end-user by manually turning or collapsing the wheel or using another mechanism such as lock-unlock pin or lever or latch.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1C, the handle comprises a hand gripping portion (11) and two handle-side portions (10) extended from the hand gripping portion. Accordingly, the foldable frame 20 is mounted between the two handle-side portions (10). The hand gripping portion (11) is adapted for user's hands to hold thereon so that the user can pull, push, or turn the shopping cart by operating the handle.

[0042] The handle may be made from an integral elongated metal piece, wherein the hand gripping portion might be provided with a cover element (11), which can be embodied as a fabric layer, foam layer, or a plastic layer, wrapping around the hand gripping portion (11) for enhancing the visual look and/or enhancing the frictional contact and feel between a user's hand and the hand gripping portion (11).

[0043] The foldable frame (12-17) is adapted to fold between a folded collapsed condition or position (FIG. 1A) and an unfolded in-use condition (FIG. 1C). Accordingly, the foldable frame constructs a basket defining a holding-space or receiving cavity therein for carrying items in the unfolded open condition (FIG. 1C). The cart folds flat to occupy a smaller space suitable for storing in the closet, or the trunk of a vehicle, or other small space, either vertically or horizontally (FIG. 1A).

[0044] The base frame (15, 16) serves as a base for supporting the foldable frame, and items and goods within the holding-space when the foldable frame is in the unfolded condition (FIG. 1C).

[0045] The front frame (13, 14) and the rear frame (16, 17) can be embodied based on metal, wood, plastic, or synthetic materials. In this preferred embodiment, the cart frame is metal. The end-user can fold and unfold this cart by placing one hand on the handle (11) and another hand on the front frame (13) and lifting and pulling the cart together (FIGS. 1 C, B, A). In other words, the front frame (13) and the handle (11) move closer together or apart, which causes the wheels to automatically collapse or deploy with the folding and unfolding of the cart.

[0046] Furthermore, the front frame (13, 14) comprises a plurality of horizontal and vertical ribs, spaced within the frame between the front upper top-front frame (13) and side-front frames (14). The front wheels may be mounted either at the bottom of the handle-side frames (10), or at the bottom of the front frames (14), or on the base frames (15). Correspondingly, the rear frame (16, 17) comprises a plurality of horizontal and vertical ribs, spaced within the frame between the back frames (16, 17). The rare wheels may be mounted either at the bottom portion of the rare or back frames (17), at the base frames (15, 16), or at the ribs (or plate supported by the ribs) connected to the base frames (15, 16).

[0047] The ribs may not be strictly extended horizontally and vertically, in other words, the ribs can be extended in an inclined manner between the cart frame, so that the mesh pattern formed by the ribs can be varied. In other embodiments there is no need for the ribs of any form or type (e.g. the cart may have a fabric liner or bag that defines a holding-space).

[0048] Each of the front and back side-frames (14, 17) comprise connections to side-ribs (12), having two ends movably connected to the front and back side-frames.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows that upon unfolding the cart, the rear wheels (100) automatically deploy from folded (FIG. 2A), to partially unfolded (FIG. 2B), and to fully unfolded (FIG. 2C) positions. The wheel, when in open unfolded condition, is parallel to the two dimensional spatial plane of the collapsed or closed cart (FIG. 1A). The wheel, when in closed folded condition, is almost or approximately perpendicular to the two dimensional spatial plane of the back frame (FIGS. 1C: 16 and 17) of the open cart. In other words, the wheel collapses from a perpendicular (in-use or open) position to a parallel (closed, collapsed, or compact) position. In preferred embodiments, the deploying wheels collapse to fold behind the foldable cart. In other embodiments, the deploying wheels may collapse to fold in front or underneath the foldable cart.

[0050] In other embodiments, the wheels may be mounted on a mandrel, axle, rod, or shaft, which helps to support the wheels and/or the weight of the cart. When two or more wheels are connected to the same mandrel, axle, rod, or shaft, it helps to further support the wheels and/or the weight of the cart

[0051] In other embodiments the wheel or wheel-bracket may be mounted directly on a frame of the cart, thereby reducing the number of parts needed in the manufacturing process.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 3 of the drawing, each rear wheel is mounted on a moveable or rotatable wheel-bracket (120). The cam-lever (110) controls the cam piece, whereby upon unfolding the cart, the cam-lever moves from an approximately vertical position (FIG. 3A) to an approximately horizontal position (FIG. 3C). The act of unfolding the cart causes the cam piece (FIG. 4, piece 111) to push the wheel-bracket (120) down towards the stationery non-rotating cap (130). The angular teeth located on the top of the non-rotatable cap (130) and the bottom of the rotatable wheel-bracket (120) force the wheel-bracket to rotate and deploy the wheels into usable position.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the rotatable, pivoting, or collapsible right and left wheel-brackets are shown when the cart is in unfolded open in-use condition. The wheel-bracket surrounds or encloses a center or inner-shaft or rod (170). This inner-shaft (FIG. 5) provides stationary support to the bottom cap (171, 172), and rotational support to the wheel-brackets (173). In the preferred embodiment, there is a spring inside the wheel-bracket around the inner shaft (173), thereby providing rotational tension that automatically rotates the wheel-bracket to closed position upon folding the cart. In an alternative embodiment, the spring tension may be in the direction of wheel deployment. In such embodiments, the action of deploying the wheel is caused by spring tension, and collapsing is caused by the collapsing/folding of the cart.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, the cap provides an inner surface with an indentation, such as a D-shaped indentation (133) as an example of a means to prevent rotation of the cap upon folding and unfolding the cart. This indentation mates with a matching key machined on the inner shaft (FIG. 5, 171), and prevents rotation relative to the wheel-bracket. In other embodiments, the D-shaped indentation is replaced or supplemented with one or more other shapes of keys, pins, or methods of fixing it stably to the shaft, or the cap or fixed piece is manufactured as one piece, or glued, solvent welded, welded, or otherwise made into one stable part with the shaft or frame (16 and 17).

[0055] The jagged angular teeth of the cap (132) act as a guide for the wheel-bracket (120) movement upon being pushed down by the cam (111). In other embodiments, non-toothed mechanism may be used to guide the wheel-bracket movement or motion; such mechanism may include cam, gear, wormgear, cable, or other means.

[0056] In other embodiments, the wheel-bracket and the cap pieces may be reversed and the wheel may be connected to either the moving or rotating part.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 7, the cam (111) and the cam-lever (110) are guided and rotate about a pin or rivet that is inserted through corresponding holes (112). This pin connects through the back side-frame of the cart (17), and provides the required support for the cam and cam-lever. The rounded angular section of the cam provides a profile necessary to convert rotational to vertical movement for positioning the wheel bracket in deployed or collapsed condition.

[0058] In an additional embodiment, the shopping cart may provide front wheel or wheels that deploy in a similar manner as described by this invention.

[0059] As additional preferred embodiments, the foldable frame may further comprise a flexible (e.g. fabric) or ridged (e.g. metal) pocket (not illustrated) provided at the rear upper arm so that the users can put their wallet, coins or other small items in the pocket (extra baskets or holding-spaces).

[0060] As an additional preferred embodiment, a latch or hook member is provided at the front, back, or side frame or ribs, which may be used to maintain the cart in open or closed position. Thus, when the front frame is folded to overlap with the rear frame, the hook member is engaged with the holding member of the frame so as a means to retain the foldable frame in the folded condition.

[0061] The movable connection between the components of the shopping cart can be achieved by rivets, screws, bolts and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the side-ribs of the cart (12) are movably connected to the front (14) and back (17) side-frames by rivets. Other connections, including the cam and the cap, may be held in place rivets, screws, bolts and the like. Non movable connections can be achieved by welding, solvent welding, adhesives, melting, compression, compression points, rivets, screws, bolts and the like.

[0062] In FIG. 8, the wheel-bracket (120) is shown by top and bottom views. The inner-shaft (173) provides support to the bracket by being inserted in the center opening of the wheel-bracket (121). The wheels are supported by the wheel connection (125, 126) or axle. The jagged angular teeth (122) cause the rotational movement of the wheel-bracket through being guided by the jagged angular teeth of the stationary non-rotational cap (FIG. 6, 132). FIG. 9 shows the details of the critical components of the invention including the cam (111), the movable wheel-bracket (120), and the stationary non moveable or non-rotating casing (130). In other embodiments, these critical components in different manners including in reverse, and do not have to be in position in the manner described herein.

[0063] One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, the invention is not limited to those described, and that various other changes or modifications may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, thus teaching those skilled in the art that other changes or modification that is not specifically stated herein can be made. Therefore, the description and examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Throughout the description and specification of the invention herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, words such as comprise or include or variations such as comprises or comprising or includes or including, will be understood to imply the inclusion of the stated features or integers, but not the exclusion of any other feature or integer or group of features or integers. The terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intent in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalent of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as claimed. Thus, it will be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. When referring to the cart folding and unfolding, the words condition or position are used interchangeably to imply same meaning or same concept; The words folded, collapsed, compact, or closed, storage position, storage condition, are used interchangeably to imply same meaning or same concept; The words unfolded, open, in-use are used interchangeably to imply same meaning or same concept.

[0064] It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles.