LOAD CARRIER WITH STORAGE FACILITY IN THE BASE FOR STORING COLUMNS

Abstract

A load carrier comprising a rectangular base frame and a plurality of support bars and/or plate portions surround by a frame portion is provided. The support bars may be transverse or longitudinal. Wheels may be provided on a bottom portion of the base frame. Connecting pieces may be provided on the base frame, for example at corners of the base frame, for receiving columns during use of the load carrier. Substantially U-shaped members may be provided on the support bars for receiving the columns when the load carrier is not in use. The substantially U-shaped members may have an upwardly open channel having sides and a base.

Claims

1. A load carrier comprising: a base frame having with a plurality of support bars surrounded by a frame portion; at least two of wheels coupled to a bottom face of the base frame; and at least one connecting piece for receiving a column for use of the load carrier; and a plurality of members coupled to the support bars, each of the members comprising an upwardly open channel having sides and a base.

2. The load carrier of claim 1, further comprising a side protrusion on at least one of the sides of the member, wherein the side protrusion extends into the upwardly open channel of the member.

3. The load carrier of claim 1, further comprising a base protrusion formed on and rising from the base of the channel of the member profile.

4. (canceled)

5. The load carrier of claim 3, further comprising a side protrusion on at least one of the sides of the member, wherein the side protrusion extends into the upwardly open channel of the member, and wherein the base protrusion extends to a level even with a bottom end of the side protrusion.

6. The load carrier of claim 18, wherein a pair of side protrusions is arranged at an end area at each end of the member.

7. The load carrier of claim 1, further comprising openings in the sides and/or the base of the member.

8. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the members have a trapezoid cross section.

9. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the members are placed with the upwardly open channels travelling in a longitudinal direction of the base frame.

10. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the members are placed with the upwardly open channels travelling in a transverse direction of the base frame.

11. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the base frame is rectangular and has four corners.

12. The load carrier of claim 11, wherein a connecting piece is provided at each of the four corners.

13. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the members are substantially U-shaped.

14. The load carrier of claim 1, further comprising pairs of side protrusions on sides of the members, wherein the pairs of side protrusions are arranged substantially opposite one another, and wherein the protrusions are arranged travelling slantwise such that a lower end of each of the protrusions is closer to an end of the member than an upper end of each of the protrusions.

15. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the support bars are longitudinal support bars.

16. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the support bars are transverse support bars.

17. The load carrier of claim 1, wherein the base frame further comprises at least one plate portion.

18. A load carrier comprising; a rectangular base frame having a plurality of support bars surrounded by a frame portion; at least two sets of wheels coupled to a bottom face of the base frame; and at least one connecting piece for receiving a column for use of the load carrier; and a plurality of substantially U-shaped members coupled to the support bars, each of the members comprising an upwardly open channel having sides and a base, at least one pair of side protrusions on each side of the members, and at least one base protrusion extending upwardly from the base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be evident to the person skilled in the art through the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a top perspective view of base frame of a load carrier, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a base frame of the load carrier of FIG. 1, shown in section II-II;

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a cutaway view of a base frame of the load carrier of FIG. 1, shown in section III-III;

[0029] FIG. 4 illustrates a slightly enlarged end view of a member of a base frame, the member having a plurality of channels, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates a section of a member marked of the base frame of FIG. 3 as marked with the circle V;

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates a section through a portion of a member with a column positioned therein, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of a base frame of a load carrier, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of a base frame of a load carrier wherein the channels travel longitudinally, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0034] FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of a base frame of a load carrier wherein the channels travel transversely, in accordance with one embodiment; and

[0035] FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of two stacked base frames for load carriers; in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Various embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Throughout the application the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding portions Similar elements will thus not be described in detail with regard to the description of each figure. The figures are intended for facilitating the description of the embodiments. The figures should not be seen as an exhaustive description of the present invention or as a limitation of the scope of the present invention. Moreover, an illustrated embodiment will not necessarily need to have all the shown aspects or advantages.

[0037] Load carriers, such as carts, are used for example for transport of plants and flowers as well as fruit and vegetables or other goods or products and are commonly used in retailing.

[0038] The present invention relates to a load carrier comprising a rectangular base frame and a plurality of support bars and/or plate portions surround by a frame portion is provided. The support bars may be transverse or longitudinal. Wheels may be provided on a bottom portion of the base frame. Connecting pieces may be provided on the base frame, for example at corners of the base frame, for receiving columns during use of the load carrier. Substantially U-shaped members may be provided on the support bars for receiving the columns when the load carrier is not in use. The substantially U-shaped members may have an upwardly open channel having sides and a base.

[0039] Various embodiments of such a load carrier are shown in the figures. The load carrier 1, or cart, comprises a base frame 2 with a plurality of support bars 3 and/or plate portions 4 surrounded by a frame portion 5. The base frame 2 may be rectangular. In general, the support bars 3 may be transversely or longitudinally disposedand referred to as transverse support bars or longitudinal support bars respectively. Wheels 6 are provided on a bottom face of the base frame 2. In some embodiments, two sets of wheels 6 are provided with a wheel being positioned at each corner of the base frame 2. In some embodiments, more than two sets of wheels may be used. Connecting pieces 7 (or holders) are provided for attachment of a column 20. These may be provided at corners of the base frame 2.

[0040] One or more substantially U-shaped members 8 are provided on the support bars 3 and/or plate portions 4 of the base frame 2. Each U-shaped member has an upwardly open channel 12, the upwardly open channel 12 having sides 9 and a base 10. As shown in the figures, the plurality of substantially U-shaped members may be formed as a unitary structure.

[0041] One set of wheels 6 can be of the type that can pivot or swing about a vertical axis, so that the load carrier 1 can be controlled manually.

[0042] The members 8 can be attached to the support bars 3 and/or plate portions 4 of the base frame 2 using any suitable attachment means. For example, the members 8 can be attached to the support bars 3 using of gluing, welding, riveting, screws, or other types of fasteners. A noise-dampening material can be disposed between the support bars 3 and/or plate portions 4 of the base frame 2 and the members 8 in order to dampen noise between the member and the base frame.

[0043] In one embodiment of the load carrier 1, one or more side protuberances 11 may be provided along at least one of the internal sides 9 of the member 8. The protuberances 11 may be provided in one or more areas of the member 8 and extend into the open channel 12 of the member 8. The side protuberances 11 functionally reduce the width of the channel 12 of the member 8 to be filled by a column 20. The side protuberances 11 apply a clamping force on a column 20 arranged in the channel 12.

[0044] The side protuberances 11 can be formed by cams or elevations relative to the internal sides 9 of the member 8. The side protuberances may be resilient or springy. Alternatively, the side 9 of the member 8 can be resilient. When a column 20 is arranged in the channel 12 of a member 8, the side protuberances 11 press against the sides or edges of the column 20. An example of arrangement of a column 20 in the member 8 is illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0045] In one embodiment, one or more base protrusion 13 may be provided on the base 10 of the channel 12 of the member 8, rising from the member base 10. The base protrusion 13 can be formed by a cam or an elevation relative to the base 10 of the member 8. In some embodiments, a plurality of base protrusions 13 may be formed on the base 10 of the member 8.

[0046] In one embodiment, each column 20 comprises a tube having a rectangular cross section. In an alternative embodiment, each column 20 comprises a tube having a square cross section such that a clamping force is applied to a member 8 positioned in the channel 12 regardless of whether the column is rotated 90 degrees about its longitudinal axis. Alternatively, other cross sections may be used for the columns so long as the side protuberances 11 can clamp around the column 20 and thereby retain it in the channel 12 with the column 20 being supported by the base protrusion(s) 13.

[0047] The side protuberances 11 of the sides 9 of the member 8 can be arranged in pairs substantially opposite each other, and the protuberances 11 can be arranged travelling slantwise, such that a lower end of the side protuberances 11 is closer to the nearest end of the member 8 relative to an upper end of the side protuberance 11.

[0048] The load carrier 1 can also be provided with a base protrusion(s) 13 rising from base 10 of the member 8 to a level even with a bottom end of with a pair of protuberances 11 in the sides 9 of the member 8.

[0049] A set of side protuberances 11 and/or protrusions 13 can be arranged in an end area 14 at both ends of the member 8. An end area 14 is to be understood as an area close to an end of the member 8 and is illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 1, 2, and 7.

[0050] The sides 9 and/or base 10 of the member 8 can be provided with openings 15. The opening 15 facilitate noise reduction. An additional benefit of such openings it a reduction in weight.

[0051] In one embodiment of the load carrier, the members 8 can have a trapezoid cross section.

[0052] In one embodiment of the load carrier, the members 8 can be positioned with their upwardly open channels 12 travelling in the longitudinal direction of the base frame 2.

[0053] In an alternative embodiment of the load carrier, the members 8 can be positioned with their upwardly open channels 12 travelling in the transverse direction of the base frame 2. In a rectangular load carrier, transverse orientation of the members 8 allows for a large number of members 8 versus longitudinal orientation of the members 8. However, the transversely oriented members 8 are shorter than longitudinally oriented members 8 and, therefore, column parts 20 for loading therein must be smaller. This gives shorter members than if they were placed longitudinally, which means that the column parts 20 that can be stored in the channels 12 of the members 8 will have to be shorter. That being said, in some embodiments, transverse orientation of the members 8 allows for more column parts 20 to be arranged next to each other than does longitudinal orientation of the members 8.

[0054] When placed in the connecting pieces 7, the columns 20 are intended for carrying a number of shelves (not shown). The columns 20 may therefore be provided with a number of notches or grooves (not shown) which may be spaced evenly apart from on another (equidistant). To ensure that a side protuberance 11 does not fit into such a groove, when the columns 20 are arranged in the channel 12 of a member 8, it is an advantage that the protuberances 11 in the sides 9 of the member 8 travel slantwise.

[0055] To prevent a base protrusion 13 in the base 10 of a member 8 from fitting into a groove in the column 20, the base 10 of the member 8 can be provided with more than two protrusions 13.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of load carriers 1 can be stacked on top of each other on return. Here the connecting pieces 7 of a top load carrier may be aligned with the connecting pieces 7 of a bottom load carrier, for example at corners of the load carriers 1. When the load carriers 1 are transported while carrying products, for example for distribution, stacking can also take place. Here columns (not shown in FIG. 10) mounted in the connecting pieces 7 in the corners will establish a distance between an upper and a lower load carrier 1. Several load carriers 1 can be stacked on top of each other separated in the height by column parts, wherein the total height is determined by the cargo compartment, in which the load carriers 1 are to be transported.

[0057] In one embodiment, shelves for receipt by the columns 20 can be stacked on top of each other and arranged on the load carrier supported or delimited by the corner connecting pieces 7.

[0058] Thus, the members 8 constitute storage facilities for storage of columns or column parts 20, wherein it is possible to store a number of columns 20, both when the load carrier 1 is returned after use and for storing a number of surplus columns 20 not in use. Thereby it is possible to store additional column parts 20 in the members during use of the load carrier 1.

[0059] Various lengths of column parts 20 may be used with load carriers as discussed herein. For example, the column parts 20 may be shorter than a length of the members 8, thereby ensuring that the column parts 20 do not project beyond the base frame 2 of the load carrier 1.

[0060] An aspect or an advantage described in connection with a certain embodiment is not necessarily limited to this embodiment and can be put into practice in other embodiments even if they are not so illustrated of if they are not so explicitly described.