Laundry cart

Abstract

A laundry cart and methods for using it are described herein. The laundry cart has the ability to dump laundry from its shelves to the bottom surface of the laundry cart via rotatable shelves, eliminating the need to remove laundry from each shelf. In addition, the rotatable nature of the shelves allows the shelves to effectively close the laundry cart for effective transportation of laundry, minimizing spillage of laundry out of the laundry cart during transit.

Claims

1. A cart comprising: a bottom shelf having a plurality of casters extending downwardly therefrom; left and right walls attached to and extending upward from and perpendicular to the bottom shelf, each of the left and right walls having a front portion and a back portion; a back wall extending vertically upward from the bottom shelf and connecting to the back portions of the left and right walls; a plurality of bars extending horizontally between the front portions of the left and right walls, the bars spaced apart at different heights along the left and right walls; a plurality of shelves extending between the left and right walls, each shelf supported on a corresponding bar of the plurality of bars, each shelf having a left side, a right side, a shelf front, a shelf back, and a latch extending from the shelf back, the latch configured to releasably support the shelf back in a position parallel to the bottom shelf; and an arm extending downward from the left side and right side of each shelf, the arm configured to maintain the shelf in slidable contact with the corresponding bar, wherein when the latch is released and the shelf is slid forward from the back wall, the entire shelf is rotatable to an angle that is not parallel to the bottom shelf.

2. The cart of claim 1, wherein each bar has a spacer and a washer disposed at each end to guide movement of the shelf.

3. The cart of claim 1, wherein each shelf is configured to separately rotate to a vertical orientation to form a front wall that is parallel to the back wall.

4. The cart of claim 1, wherein each shelf comprises a pattern of parallel bars.

5. The cart of claim 1, further comprising a hanger bar disposed on top of each of the left and right walls, the hanger bar configured for hanging laundry items in an interior of the cart.

6. The cart of claim 5, wherein the hanger bar is pivotally attached to each of the left and right walls, wherein the hanger bar is configured to lie flat on top of the back wall when not in use and to swing forward for use.

7. The cart of claim 1, wherein each of the left and right walls and the back wall comprise a pattern of parallel bars and perpendicular bars.

8. The cart of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bars and the plurality of shelves comprise three bars and three shelves defining an upper shelf, a middle shelf, and a lower shelf, wherein rotation of each of the upper shelf and the lower shelf to a vertical orientation defines an upper enclosure and a lower enclosure, respectively, within the cart.

9. The cart of claim 8, wherein the middle shelf is configured for hanging additional laundry items in the lower enclosure.

10. A laundry cart, comprising: a four-sided assembly comprising a bottom shelf, left and right side walls extending upward from and perpendicular to the bottom shelf; and a back attached to and extending between the left and right side walls; a plurality of casters extending downward from the bottom shelf; a plurality of bars extending across a front of the four-sided assembly at different heights above the bottom shelf; a plurality of shelves extending between the left and right side walls, each shelf supported on a corresponding bar of the plurality of bars, each shelf having a left side, a right side, a shelf front, a shelf back, and a latch extending from the shelf back, the latch configured to releasably support the shelf back in a position parallel to the bottom shelf, each shelf having an arm extending downward from each of the left side and right side, the arm configured to maintain the shelf in slidable contact with the corresponding bar, wherein when the latch is released and the shelf is slid forward from the back, the entire shelf is rotatable to an angle that is not parallel to the bottom shelf.

11. The laundry cart of claim 10, wherein each shelf is configured to rotate to a vertical orientation to form a partial front wall that is configured to at least partially enclose the four-sided assembly.

12. The laundry cart of claim 10, wherein each shelf comprises a pattern of parallel bars.

13. The laundry cart of claim 10, further comprising a hanger bar having ends disposed on top of each of the left and right walls, the hanger bar configured for hanging laundry items in an interior of the four-side assembly.

14. The laundry cart of claim 13, wherein the hanger bar is pivotally attached to each of the left and right walls, wherein the hanger bar is configured to lie flat on top of the back when not in use and to be swung forward for use.

15. The laundry cart of claim 10, wherein each of the left and right walls and the back comprises a pattern of parallel bars and perpendicular bars.

16. The laundry cart of claim 10, wherein the plurality of bars and the plurality of shelves comprise three bars and three shelves defining an upper shelf, a middle shelf, and a lower shelf, wherein rotation of each of the upper shelf and the lower shelf to a vertical orientation defines an upper enclosure and a lower enclosure, respectively, within the cart.

17. The cart of claim 16, wherein the middle shelf is configured for hanging additional laundry items in the lower enclosure.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Those of skill in the art will understand that the drawings, described below, are for illustrative purposes only. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings in any way.

(2) FIG. 1. A front view of the laundry cart.

(3) FIG. 2. A side view of the laundry cart.

(4) FIG. 3. A perspective view of the laundry cart showing the hanger bar in the usable state.

(5) FIG. 4. A perspective view of the shelf and rotating bar, with the shelf parallel to the bottom surface.

(6) FIG. 5. A perspective view of the arm of the shelf and the spacer and washer of the rotating bar.

(7) FIG. 6. Another perspective view of the shelf.

(8) FIG. 7. A perspective view of the shelf at an angle not parallel to the bottom and not parallel to the back surface.

(9) FIG. 8. A side view of the laundry cart, with the hanger bar deployed and items hanging from the hanger bar.

(10) FIG. 9. A perspective view of the shelf in an inverted position.

(11) FIG. 10. A perspective view of the laundry cart, with shelves parallel to the back surface, forming a front surface, and items hanging from both the hanger bar and a shelf.

(12) FIG. 11. A front view of the laundry cart with items resting on shelves.

(13) FIG. 12. A perspective view of a shelf, with the shelf parallel to the back surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) The present invention is directed to a laundry cart 100, as seen in FIG. 1. The laundry cart has a bottom shelf 102, left and right sides 104, a back 106, casters 108, and at least one shelf 110 configured to extend between the left and right sides 104. Each side 104 and the back 106 has a frame 114 and 116, respectively, at its outer perimeter. The bottom shelf 102 and back 106 are each connected at a perpendicular angle to the sides 104 to form a four-sided assembly. Casters 108 are connected to the lower surface of the bottom shelf 102, allowing the laundry cart 100 to roll. As shown, a caster 108 is positioned near each corner of the rectangular bottom shelf 102.

(15) FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the laundry cart 100. A latch 206 at the back of the shelf 110 latches onto the side surface 104 so that the shelf 110 can support items. The side surface 104 may be comprised of a perpendicular and parallel pattern of bars 204, though one of skill in the art would recognize that other patterns are possible. The hanger bar 202 is in its non-use state; items do not hang from the hanger bar 202 in this state. A magnet 208, which may contact the side surface 104 or the back surface 106, keeps the hanger bar 202 in the non-use state.

(16) FIG. 3 shows the hanger bar 202 pivoted toward the front of the cart in the deployed state, i.e., the state by which items may be hung from the hanger bar 202. The shelf 110 may be parallel to the bottom shelf 102 in a horizontal orientation, with a side 104 and back 106 also visible. Items may be placed on the shelf 110 in this configuration.

(17) In FIG. 4, the shelf 110 and rotating bar 402 are depicted. When parallel to the bottom surface 106, the shelf 110 rests on the rotating bar 402.

(18) In FIG. 5, the arm 502 of the shelf 110 is resting on the rotating bar 402. The washer 504 and spacer 506 fit around the rotating bar 402, allowing for movement of the shelf 110 in relation to the rotating bar 402.

(19) FIG. 6 shows another view of the shelf 110 in a horizontal orientation in which items may rest on the shelf 110. It is possible for the shelf 110 to be rotated in other positions, dependent on the rotation of the rotating bar 402. Bracket 410, attached to side frame 114, connects bar 402 (not visible behind washer 504) to side 104 via fastener 412.

(20) FIG. 7 shows the shelf 110 in an angled position that is neither parallel to the bottom shelf 102 nor parallel to the back 106. The arm 502 is tilted at angle with respect to the rotating bar 402 such that items that may be sitting on top of the shelf 110 would slide off. At this angle, items falling to the bottom shelf 102 allows for quick pickup of the items at the bottom shelf 102 as opposed to separately removing items from each shelf 110.

(21) FIG. 8 shows a side view of the laundry cart 100, with items of laundry 802 hanging from the hanger bar 202. While laundry 802 is shown hung using hangers, it is also possible to drape laundry 802 over the hanger bar 202. As shown in FIG. 8, the middle shelf 110 is oriented horizontally, parallel to the bottom shelf 102, while the upper shelf 110 is rotated at an angle that is not parallel to the bottom shelf 102.

(22) FIG. 9 shows the shelf 110 separated from the laundry cart 100 in an inverted orientation. A pattern of parallel bars 902 forms the shelf 110. The arm 502 is shown extending from the bottom at the side of shelf 110.

(23) FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the laundry cart 100, with shelves 110 rotated to form a front wall 1002, where the shelves 110 are oriented vertically so they are parallel to the back 106. When the shelves 110 are in this configuration, they effectively close the laundry cart 100, making it easier to transport laundry 802 without any laundry 802 falling out of the laundry cart 100. Laundry 802 hangs from the hanger bar 202 and may also hang from a shelf 110. The open pattern of parallel bars 902 allows laundry 802 to be hung from a shelf 110.

(24) Laundry 802 resting on all shelves 110 of the laundry cart 100 is depicted in FIG. 11. It is possible for some of the shelves 110 to be rotated to create the front wall 1002, while the bottom shelf 102 and any remaining shelves may be used for supporting laundry 802. Laundry 802 may also be hung from shelves 110 that are not vertically oriented. See, for example, the middle shelf 110 in FIG. 10. Various shelf configurations are possible.

(25) FIG. 12 depicts a shelf 110 in the configuration that has been rotated to create a front wall 1002, i.e., the shelf 110 is in a vertical orientation, parallel with the back 106. In this configuration, the rotated shelf encloses the cart making it possible to transport laundry 802 with minimal spillage of the laundry 802 out of an otherwise open front of the laundry cart 100.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

(26) The detailed description set-forth above is provided to aid those skilled in the art in practicing the present invention. However, the invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments herein disclosed because these embodiments are intended as illustration of several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present inventive discovery. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.