FOLDABLE LOAD TRANSPORT CART
20200189637 ยท 2020-06-18
Inventors
Cpc classification
B62B2205/33
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B62B2301/25
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B62B5/067
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B62B5/025
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B62B1/12
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B62B2301/20
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
A load transport cart for transporting loads includes a carrier frame, which has a first and a second carrier frame section, the first carrier frame section extending in a first extension plane, and the second carrier frame section extending in a second extension plane, at least two wheels being situated on the back side of the first carrier frame section for moving the load transport cart, and at least one first foldable tray, which is situated on the front side of the first carrier frame section, the load transport cart also including at least one second foldable tray, which is situated on the front side of the second carrier frame section, the second carrier frame section being pivotable, relative to the first carrier frame section, between a folded position and an unfolded position around an essentially horizontal carrier frame pivot axis situated between the first and second carrier frame sections.
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. A load transport cart for transporting loads, the load transport cart comprising: a carrier frame having a front side and a back side and including a first and a second carrier frame section, the first carrier frame section extending in a first extension plane, and the second carrier frame section extending in a second extension plane; at least two wheels for moving load transport cart situated on the back side of the first carrier frame section; and at least one first tray situated on the front side of the first carrier frame section; at least one second tray situated on the front side of the second carrier frame section; the second carrier frame section being pivotable, relative to the first carrier frame section, between a folded position and an unfolded position, around a horizontal carrier frame pivot axis situated between the first and second carrier frame sections; the second carrier frame section being situated above the first carrier frame section in the direction of gravitational force in its unfolded position, and, in the folded position of the second carrier frame section, the second extension plane of the second carrier frame section being situated parallel to the first extension plane of the first carrier frame section and the back side of the second carrier frame section being situated opposite the back side of the first carrier frame section; the first and second trays being pivotable between a folded-up position and a folded-down position; the first and second trays being provided in the folded-down position to accommodate loads to be transported on upward-facing sides; and the first tray being situated parallel to the first extension plane of the first carrier frame section in the folded-up position, and the second tray being situated parallel to the second extension plane of the second carrier frame section in the folded-up position.
16. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the first carrier frame section includes a third tray on the front side and situated below the first tray in the direction of gravitational force and pivotable between the folded-up position and the folded-down position, the first and third trays being situated in the folded-up position in such a way that the third tray at least partially abuts the first tray.
17. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the first or second trays or a third tray are pivotable from the folded-down position into the folded-up position against the direction of gravitational force.
18. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein, in the unfolded position, the second carrier frame section includes a fourth tray on an upper end in the direction of gravitational force and pivotable between the folded-up position and the folded-down position, a passed-over pivot angle between the folded-down position and the folded-up position being greater than 180.
19. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the first or second trays, or a third or a fourth tray, are pivotable independently of each other between the folded-up position and the folded-down position.
20. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the first or second trays or a third tray have a flat contact surface for depositing a load or a support frame for suspending a load.
21. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the wheels are each rotatably supported on a wheel suspension around a wheel axis, the wheel suspensions each being pivotable around a wheel suspension pivot axis situated perpendicularly to the carrier frame pivot axis between the folded-up position and the folded-down position, the wheel axes of the wheels each being situated perpendicularly to the first extension plane of the first carrier frame section in the folded-up position of the wheel suspensions and parallel to the first extension plane of the first carrier frame section in the folded-down position of the wheel suspension.
22. The load transport cart as recited in claim 21 wherein the wheel suspensions each include a slide rail running at a distance from the first carrier frame section and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the first carrier frame section.
23. The load transport cart as recited in claim 22 wherein the slide rails are pivotable, together with the wheel suspensions, around the wheel suspension pivot axis between the folded-up position and the folded-down position of the wheel suspensions.
24. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the wheels each include an elastic tire and a plurality of spokes, the spokes being designed to cushion a deformation of the tire.
25. The load transport cart as recited in claim 24 wherein the tire is a non-inflatable tire.
26. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 further comprising a grip situated on the downward-facing side of the first tray in the folded-down position in the direction of gravitational force in such a way that the operator may carry the transport cart by the grip in the folded state.
27. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein the first and second carrier frame sections include first couplings coupleable with first mating couplings of a strap to be attached to a load transport cart.
28. The load transport cart as recited in claim 15 wherein, in the folded-up position, the first or second trays or a third tray include couplings on an upper end in the direction of gravitational force coupleable with second matings of a strap to be attached to the load transport cart.
29. A method of using the load transport cart load as recited in claim 15 comprising transporting a tool case as the load.
30. A method of using the load transport cart as recited in claim 15 as a shelving system, comprising fastening the load transport cart to a wall with the aid of at least one adjustable fastening device situated on the wall.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] In the figures, identical and equivalent components are provided with identical reference numerals.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] One preferred exemplary embodiment of a foldable load transport cart 1 is illustrated in
[0033] Load transport cart 1 includes a carrier frame 10. Carrier frame 10, in turn, includes a first carrier frame section 100 extending in a first extension plane E1 and a second carrier frame section 200 extending in a second extension plane E2. In addition, first carrier frame section 100 extends along a first longitudinal direction L1, and second carrier frame section 200 extends along a second longitudinal direction L2. First carrier frame section 100 has a lower end 100a and an upper end 100b. Second carrier frame section 200 likewise has a lower end 200a and an upper end 200b.
[0034] In the following, the unfolded utility state of load transport cart 1 defines a front side VS and a back side RS of carrier frame 10 or its first and second carrier frame sections 100, 200.
[0035] Two wheels 300, which are used to move load transport cart 1, are situated on back side RS of first carrier frame section 100. The design of wheels 300 of load transport cart 1 is described in detail below.
[0036] As is apparent from
[0037] First longitudinal strut 102 of first carrier frame section 100 is connected in an articulated manner to first longitudinal strut 202 of second carrier frame section 200 by a first articulated joint 12. Second longitudinal strut 104 of first carrier frame section 100 is correspondingly connected in an articulated manner to second longitudinal strut 202 of second carrier frame section 200 by a second articulated joint 14. In other words, lower end 200a of second carrier frame section 200 is coupled with upper end 100b of first carrier frame section 100 by the two articulated joints 12, 14. In the unfolded utility state of load transport cart 1, articulated joints 12, 14 define an essentially horizontal carrier frame pivot axis X between first and second carrier frame sections 100, 200. In this way, second carrier frame section 200 is pivotable, relative to first carrier frame section 100, between a folded position (
[0038] As is apparent in
[0039] Two trays 110, 112 are situated on front side VS of first carrier frame section 100. Lower tray 110 of first carrier frame section 100 is situated near lower end 100a of first carrier frame section 100 and below upper tray 112 of first carrier frame section 100. Lower tray 110 is pivotable around a pivot axis A1 and upper tray 112 is pivotable around a pivot axis A2 between a folded-up position and a folded-down position (
[0040] In addition to the two trays 110, 112 of first carrier frame section 100, second carrier frame section 200 also includes two trays 208, 210 on its front side VS. Upper tray 210 of second carrier frame section 200 is situated near upper end 200b of second carrier frame section 200 and above lower tray 208 of second carrier frame section 200. Lower tray 208 is pivotable around a pivot axis A3 and upper tray 210 is pivotable around a pivot axis A4 between a folded-up position and a folded-down position (
[0041] In
[0042] To transfer the two trays 110, 112 of first carrier frame section 100 and lower tray 208 of second carrier frame section 200 from their folded-down position into the folded-up position, trays 110, 112, 208 are each pivoted upwardly, i.e. against direction of gravitational force g (clockwise in the illustrated exemplary embodiment), around pivot axis A1, A2, A3 assigned to particular tray 110, 112, 208. Locking means are provided to securely hold the two trays 110, 112 of first carrier frame section 100 and lower tray 208 of second carrier frame section 200 in the particular folded-up position. The pivoting movements of trays 110, 112, 208, 210 of carrier frame 10 are explained in greater detail below with reference to
[0043] Load transport cart 1 also includes two wheel suspensions 302, which are provided with an essentially identical design. The design of only one of wheel suspensions 302 is therefore discussed below.
[0044] Wheel suspension 302 includes a first bar 304 extending in longitudinal direction L1 of first carrier frame section 100, which has an upper end 304b and a lower end 304a. First bar 304 is supported in a first pivot bearing 16 near its lower end 304a. Upper end 304b of bar 304 is supported in a second pivot bearing 18. A wheel suspension pivot axis S, which extends along bar 304 and around which wheel suspension 302 is pivotable, is defined by this arrangement.
[0045] Wheel suspension pivot axes S of the two wheel suspensions 302 are in parallel to each other and perpendicular to carrier frame pivot axis X and longitudinal direction L1 of first carrier frame section 100. Due to this pivotable bearing of the two wheel suspensions 302, the latter are pivotable, together with wheels 300, independently of each other between a folded-up position and a folded-down position.
[0046] A second bar 306 is formed on first bar 304 of wheel suspension 302. More specifically, second bar 306 is integrally connected to upper end 304b of first bar 304 on its upper end 306b and to lower end 304a of first bar 304 on its lower end 306a. First and second bars 304, 306 are situated in a shared extension plane. In the folded-up position of wheel suspensions 302, the extension plane spanned by first and second bars 304, 306 runs in parallel to extension plan E1 of first carrier frame section 100 (
[0047] Second bar 306 has an upper bar section 306c, a middle bar section 306d and a lower bar section 306e. Upper bar section 306c may be used, for example, as a grip for an operator of load transport cart 1.
[0048] Middle bar section 306d runs at a distance in parallel to first bar 304. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a slide rail 312 is mounted on the side of middle bar section 306d facing away from back side RS of first carrier frame section 100. Second bar 306 and slide rail 312 provided thereon make it possible to easily negotiate steps or other obstacles, compared to the case that such a structure is not present.
[0049] Lower bar section 306e of second bar 306 is integrally connected to a first support arm 308 (
[0050] Wheel axes R are perpendicular to first extension plane E1, E2 of first carrier frame section 100 in the folded-up position of wheel suspensions 302 and in parallel to first extension plane E1 of first carrier frame section 100 in the folded-down position of wheel suspensions 302. The two wheel axes R are coaxial to each other in the folded-down position of wheel suspensions 302.
[0051] The procedure for folding up a load transport cart 1 according to the present invention is now described below on the basis of
[0052] Load transport cart 1 illustrated in
[0053] In the unfolded utility state of load transport cart 1 illustrated in
[0054] In
[0055] In
[0056] In
[0057] In
[0058]
[0059] As is apparent from
[0060] Due to the described foldable arrangement of second carrier frame section 200 relative to first carrier frame section 100 as well as to their lower and upper trays 110, 208, 112, 210, it is possible to fold up load transport cart 1 to a compact and easy-to-handle size. This permits an easier transport and a space-saving stowing of load transport cart 1. For example folded load transport cart 1 itself may be carried by an operator with one hand, in the manner of a suitcase.
[0061] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, in its unfolded utility state, load transport cart 1 has a total length of approximately 1110 mm (measured in longitudinal direction L1, L2), a width of approximately 693 mm (measured perpendicularly to extension planes E1, E2) and a breadth of approximately 664 mm (measured in the direction of carrier frame pivot axis X). In the folded state, load transport cart 1 has a length of approximately 725 mm (measured in longitudinal direction L1), a width of approximately 201 mm (measured perpendicularly to extension plane E1) and a breadth of approximately 520 mm (measured in the direction of carrier frame pivot axis X).
[0062] The foldable design of trays 110, 112, 208, 210 of carrier frame 10 facilitates a particularly flexible loading of load transport cart 1, for example with tool cases WK (
[0063] Lower and upper trays 110, 112 of first carrier frame section 100 and lower tray 208 of second carrier frame section 200 are designed as flat plates. As illustrated in
[0064] The width of the contact surfaces, i.e. the effectively usable surface of upper sides 110b, 112b of lower and upper trays 110, 112, is approximately 368 mm (measured perpendicularly to extension plane E1 in each case) and that of lower tray 208 is approximately 343 mm (measured perpendicularly to extension plane E2). The breadth of contact surfaces of trays 110, 112, 208 is approximately 520 mm (measured in the direction of carrier frame pivot axis X).
[0065] Straps GT may be used to fix toolbox WK on trays 110, 112, 208 (
[0066] Upper tray 210 of second carrier frame section 200 differs structurally from the other three trays 110, 112, 208 of carrier frame 10. Upper tray 210 of second carrier frame section 200 includes a support frame 212, which includes two guide rails 214, 216, which run in parallel to each other and are connected in an articulated manner to second carrier frame section 200. Support frame 212 also includes a transverse strut 222, which connects the two guide rails 214, 216 to each other on the underside 210a. A guide structure 218, 220 extending along the longitudinal direction of guide rails 214, 216 is provided on each of the opposite inner surfaces of the two guide rails 214, 216.
[0067] If a toolbox WK is provided with complementary mating engagement structures with respect to the two engagement structures 218, 220 of upper tray 210 of second carrier frame section 200, for example along its side surfaces, toolbox WK may be pushed onto folded-down upper tray 210 in a horizontal position (
[0068] To make it easier to carry load transport cart 1 in its folded state, a grip arrangement 116 is provided on underside 112a of upper tray 112 of first carrier frame section 100. Grip arrangement 116 is situated in such a way that grip arrangement 116 is above upper end of lower tray 110 in the folded-up position of upper and lower trays 112, 110 of first carrier frame section 100. Grip arrangement 116 is also situated in such a way that it is just below carrier frame pivot axis X or essentially at the same height as upper transverse strut 108 of first carrier frame section 100 in the folded state of load transport cart 1. Grip arrangement 116 does not protrude beyond the upper end of upper tray 112 and is designed to engage from behind.
[0069] As is apparent in
[0070] The construction of wheels 300 is described below, which may also represent an independent aspect of the present invention. Since wheels 300 are identical to each other, only one of wheels 300 is discussed below.
[0071] Wheel 300 includes a continuous, non-inflatable or non-pneumatic tire 314 and a hub 318, which are connected to each other by identical spokes 320 situated an equal distance apart. Tire 314 has a profiled tread 316. Tire 314, hub 318 and spokes 320 are designed to be integral with each other. Wheel 300 is formed, for example, from a polymer material. Spokes 320 are formed in such a way that they provide an elastic support. Each spoke 320 has an end 320a closer to hub 318 and an end 320b closer to tire 314 and extends along an extension surface in the longitudinal direction. The extension surface of a spoke 320 is not straight but is curved in a U shape or in an inverted U shape. More specifically, each spoke 320 has a section 320c closer to hub 318 in the longitudinal direction and a section 320e closer to tire 314 as well as a middle section 320d situated between these two sections 320c, 320e. Section 320c closer to hub 318 and section 320e closer to tire 314 have approximately the same length and are shorter than middle section 320d (measured in the longitudinal direction of spoke 320). A hinged joint 322b, 322c is formed between section 320c closer to hub 318 and middle section 320d as well as between section 320e closer to tire 314 and middle section 320d in that the cross-sectional surface of spoke 320 (measured perpendicularly to the extension surface of spoke 320) is smaller in the area of hinge joint 322b, 322c than outside this area. A hinge of this type is also referred to as a film hinge. In the connecting area between tire 314 and spoke 320 as well as between hub 318 and spoke 320, an elevation 324 facing spoke 320 on hub 318 or an elevation 328 on the tire is formed, to which spoke 320 is linked, again by a film hinge 322a, 322d.
[0072] Unfolded load transport cart 1 is also suitable for use as a shelving system. As illustrated in
[0073] Lever arrangement 506 is movable between a loosened state (
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0074] 1 load transport cart [0075] g direction of gravitational force [0076] 10 carrier frame [0077] 100 first carrier frame section [0078] 200 second carrier frame section [0079] E1 first extension plane of the first carrier frame section [0080] E2 second extension plane of the second carrier frame section [0081] L1 first longitudinal direction of the first carrier frame section [0082] L2 second longitudinal direction of the second carrier frame section [0083] 100b, 100a upper and lower ends of the first carrier frame section [0084] 200b, 200a upper and lower ends of the second carrier frame section [0085] VS front side of the carrier frame [0086] RS back side of the carrier frame [0087] 300 wheels [0088] 102, 104 first and second longitudinal struts of the first carrier frame section [0089] 202, 204 first and second longitudinal struts of the second carrier frame section [0090] 106, 108 upper and lower transverse struts of the first carrier frame section [0091] 206 upper transverse strut of the second carrier frame section [0092] 12, 14 first and second articulated joints [0093] X carrier frame pivot axis [0094] L shared longitudinal direction [0095] 110, 112 lower and upper trays of the first carrier frame section [0096] 208, 210 lower and upper trays of the second carrier frame section [0097] A1, A2, A3, A4 pivot axes of the trays [0098] 110a, 112a, 208a, 210a undersides of the trays [0099] 110b, 112b, 208b, 210b upper sides of the trays [0100] 302 wheel suspensions [0101] 304, 306 first and second bars of the wheel suspension [0102] 304b, 304a upper and lower ends of the first bar [0103] 16, 18 first and second pivot bearings [0104] S wheel suspension pivot axes [0105] 306b, 306a upper and lower ends of the second bar [0106] 308, 310 first and second support arms [0107] 306c, 306d, 306e upper, middle and lower bar sections of the second bar [0108] 312 slide rail [0109] WK toolbox [0110] 20 slip-resistant covering [0111] GT strap [0112] 22 first coupling means on the carrier frame [0113] 24 second coupling means on the trays [0114] 114 support device [0115] angle of inclination of the carrier frame [0116] 212 support frame [0117] 214, 216 guide rails [0118] 218, 220 engagement structures [0119] 222 transverse strut [0120] 116 grip arrangement [0121] 314 tire [0122] 316 tread [0123] 318 hub [0124] 320 spoke [0125] 322a, 322b, 322c, 322d hinge joint [0126] 320a the end of a spoke closer to the hub [0127] 320b the end of a spoke closer to the tire [0128] 320c, 320d, 320e spoke sections [0129] 324 elevation on the hub [0130] 326 elevation on the tire [0131] 26 hook device [0132] 500 fastening device [0133] 502 beam body [0134] 504 guide channel [0135] 506 lever arrangement [0136] 508, 510 lower and upper holding brackets [0137] 512 connecting means [0138] 514 guide grooves