COLLECTION CART AND METHOD OF USE
20190023488 ยท 2019-01-24
Inventors
Cpc classification
B65F1/10
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65F1/1431
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65F1/1468
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
An collection and method of use for collecting material, such as for example, waste, garbage, or other material. The collection cart includes an upper feed section spaced from a lower base section. The collection cart has and open side intermediate the upper feed section and lower base section. The upper feed section has a collection bag channel or tubular section through which a collection bag or other material collecting container can be inserted, with the upper end of the bag or container removably secured to the upper feed section. The bag or container can be removed from the upper feed section and removed through the open side, and the collection cart can be moved by grasping handles or other grippable structure space from each other and extending from the open side of the collection cart.
Claims
1. A portable collection cart comprising in combination: A. a cart frame having: an upper feed section having collection bag passage extending from an upper surface of the upper feed section to a lower surface of the upper feed section; a lower base section; at least three feed section support arms extending transversely from and between the lower base section and the upper feed section; and a stabilizer bracket mounted to each of the support arms transverse to the support arms and having opposed stabilizer bracket arms extending transversely outwardly from two adjacent feed section support arms, the two opposed feed section support arms, upper feed section, and lower base section cooperatively providing an open front side of the cart frame with the two adjacent support arms extending outwardly from the two opposed support arms at the opposed sides of the open front side of the cart frame; and B. at least a first wheel extending from an underside of the lower base section; wherein an upper material collection surface of the upper surface has a first material collection section at a first angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage and a second material collection section at a second angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage, the first angle being at least three degrees greater than second angle and thee second material collection section abutting the upper end of the collection bag passage.
2. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein the upper feed section includes means for securing a collection bag to the upper feed section with the lower portion of the collection bag passing through the collection bag passage to rest intermediate the upper feed section and lower base section.
3. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein the upper feed section includes a plurality of collection bag clamps on the upper surface of the upper feed section.
4. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein the upper feed section has an external outer periphery to which an upper portion of a collection bag may be mounted.
5. The portable collection cart of claim 1 having a plurality of wheels extending from the underside of the lower base section.
6. The portable collection cart of claim 2 having a plurality of wheels extending from the underside of the lower base section.
7. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein the upper feed section and lower base section each have a rectangular outer periphery and the cart frame has at least four feed section support arms, each extending from the upper feed section adjacent an associated corner of the upper feed section.
8. The portable collection cart of claim 2 wherein the upper feed section and lower base section each have a rectangular outer side periphery and the cart frame has at least four feed section support arms, each extending from the upper feed section adjacent an associated corner of the upper feed section.
9. The portable collection cart of claim 6 wherein the upper feed section and lower base section each have a rectangular outer periphery and the cart frame has at least four feed section support arms, each extending from the upper feed section adjacent an associated corner of the upper feed section.
10. The portable collection cart of claim 1, wherein the upper material collection surface extends from the collection bag passage to the outer side periphery of the upper feed section.
11. The portable collection cart of claim 2 wherein the upper surface of the upper feed section includes at least an upper material collection surface extending from the collection bag passage to the outer side periphery of the upper feed section.
12. The portable collection cart of claim 6 wherein the upper surface of the upper feed section includes at least an upper material collection surface extending from the collection bag passage to the outer side periphery of the upper feed section.
13. The portable collection cart of claim 9 wherein the upper surface of the upper feed section includes at least an upper material collection surface extending from the collection bag passage to the outer side periphery of the upper feed section.
14. A portable collection cart comprising in combination: A. a cart frame having: an upper feed section having collection bag passage extending from an upper surface of the upper feed section to a lower surface of the upper feed section; a lower base section; at least three feed section support arms extending transversely from and between the lower base section and the upper feed section; and a stabilizer bracket mounted to each of the support arms transverse to the support arms and having opposed stabilizer bracket arms extending transversely outwardly from two adjacent feed section support arms, the two opposed feed section support arms, upper feed section, and lower base section cooperatively providing an open front side of the cart frame with the two adjacent support arms extending outwardly from the two opposed support arms at the opposed sides of the open front side of the cart frame; and B. at least a first wheel extending from an underside of the lower base section; wherein the upper material collection surface has a first material collection section at a first angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage and a second material collection section at a second angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage, the first angle being at least ten degrees greater than second angle and thee second material collection section abutting the upper end of the collection bag passage.
15. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein the upper feed section and lower base section are removably secured to the at least three feed section support arms, the stabilizer bracket is removably secured to the at least three support arms, the wheel is removably secured to the lower base section, and the stabilizer bracket is comprised of at least three stabilizer bracket sections, each stabilizer bracket section being removably secured in position on the collection cart.
16. The portable collection cart of claim 14 wherein the upper feed section and lower base section are removably secured to the at least three feed section support arms, the stabilizer bracket is removably secured to the at least three support arms, the wheel is removably secured to the lower base section, and the stabilizer bracket is comprised of at least three stabilizer bracket sections, each stabilizer bracket section being removably secured in position on the collection cart.
17. A collapsible portable collection cart comprising in combination: A. a collapsible cart frame having: an upper feed section having collection bag passage extending from an upper surface of the upper feed section to a lower surface of the upper feed section; a lower base section; at least three feed section support arms removably mountable transversely from and between the lower base section and the upper feed section; and a collapsible stabilizer bracket removably mountable to each of the support arms transverse to the support arms and having opposed stabilizer bracket arms extendable transversely outwardly from two adjacent feed section support arms, the two opposed feed section support arms, upper feed section, and lower base section removably mountable to cooperatively provide an open front side of the cart frame with the two adjacent support arms extending outwardly from the two opposed support arms at the opposed sides of the open front side of the cart frame; and B. at least a first wheel securable to an underside of the lower base section; wherein an upper material collection surface of the upper surface has a first material collection section at a first angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage and a second material collection section at a second angle to the plane of the upper end of the collection bag passage, the first angle being at least three degrees greater than second angle and thee second material collection section abutting the upper end of the collection bag passage.
18. The collapsible portable collection cart of claim 17 wherein upper feed section, lower base section, the at least three feed section support arms, and the collapsible stabilizer bracket comprise plastic or composite material.
19. The portable collection cart of claim 1 wherein upper feed section, lower base section, the at least three feed section support arms, and the collapsible stabilizer bracket comprise plastic or composite material.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The inventors' preferred and other embodiments are described in association with the accompanying Figures in which:
[0022]
[0023]
[0024]
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[0027]
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[0030]
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[0032]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS
[0033] The prior Brief Summary and the following description provide examples, and are not limiting of the scope of this specification. In addition, there are novel aspects of this disclosure that do not necessarily address issued noted in the Background above.
[0034] One skilled in the art would recognize that changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Various embodiments can omit, substitute, add, or mix and match various procedures or components as desired. For instance, the methods disclosed can be performed in an order different from that described, and various steps can be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features disclosed with respect to certain embodiments can be combined in or with other embodiments as well as features of other embodiments.
[0035] Referring now to
[0036] Four collection bag clamps (not shown in
[0037] The upper feed section 112 is secured to the upper ends of four elongated support poles 122, 124, 126, 128 respectively, extending from the interior side (not shown in
[0038] Two rotatable support wheels 150, 152 (150 not shown
[0039] The upper open end of a material collecting bag (not shown in
[0040] The upper feed surface 116 of the upper feed section 112 has an upper and lower slanted section 162, 164, respectively. Each of the four upper slanted feed surfaces, e.g., 165, in the upper slanted section 162, is slanted inwardly downwardly, at a relatively high angle (e.g., at 10 to 80 degrees, and specifically for example, 60 degrees) to the plane of the upper circular edge 161 of the central tubular passage 118, from the four upper side edges, e.g., 163, of the upper feed section 162 toward the central tubular passage 118. Each of the four lower slanted feed surfaces, e.g., 167, in the lower slanted section 164, is slanted inwardly downwardly, at a relatively lower angle (e.g., at 3 to 50 degrees, and specifically for example, 5 degrees) to the plane of the upper edge 161 of the central tubular passage 118, and extends from the lower laterally extending edge of the adjacent upper slanted feed surface 162 toward the upper edge 161 of the central tubular passage 118.
[0041] The upper and lower slanted sections 162, 164 cooperatively provide a catch-and-gravity-feed surface for waste or other material intended to be dumped into the associated collection bag referenced above. The slanted sections 162, 164 allow the caught material to slide down them into or adjacent the bag, so that the user can easily brush and remaining material on them into the bag.
[0042] Yet other and/or additional bag collection securing structure can be implemented on or in conjunction the upper feed section 112. For example, the upper feed section 116 may be sized so that the upper end of a mating garbage bag (not shown in
[0043] Similarly, the upper feed section 112 may have differing configurations of its external side periphery, such as a circular, tubular, of oblong, or partially-circular, -tubular, or -oblong, rather than rectangular, outer side periphery 127 shown in
[0044] With reference now to
[0045] The somewhat U-shaped support bracket 140 is connected to the supporting poles, e.g., 128, 122, by removable fasteners, e.g., 224, 226, 227. This mid-supporting-pole connection provides additional rigidity to the cart 110.
[0046] In some embodiments (not shown), the removal of the pin and fasteners, e.g., 224, 224, allows the U-shaped support bracket 140 to be removed from the poles, e.g., 128, 122, respectively, which in turn allows the remaining cart frame to be folded and collapsed into a smaller unit. In the
[0047] With reference now to
[0048] With reference now to
[0049]
[0050] Referring to
[0051] With reference to
[0052] Other types of wheels may be substituted in place of caster wheels or added to the collection cart having any caster wheels. Other such wheels may be inflatable wheels, non-inflatable wheels, or others.
[0053] The embodiment of
[0054] For example, with reference now to
[0055] If made of plastic, most of the components (e.g., other than the caster wheels and, optionally, the fasteners and clamps) can be injected molded for example. A dominantly plastic cart 110 can be lightweight, weighing from 15 to 75 pounds. As noted above, additional weight can be added, such as when the cart is assembled locally, by procuring and securing (such as by fasteners or adhesive) metal or other plates or structures to portions of the cart.
[0056] With reference to
[0057] This type of cart 710 may or may not include wheels (not shown in
[0058] With reference to
[0059] With reference to
[0060] The width of the bag passage 716 is wider than the width of a pail (such as pail 742 in
[0061] With reference now to
[0062] It is to be understood that embodiments of the collection cart may or may not be easily disassembled. In this regard, fastening may be accomplished without use of removable fasteners, such as with adhesive(s) or nails when appropriate for the component material involved.
[0063] The method of use of these carts can be as follows: [0064] A. if not assembled, assemble the collection cart and locate it as desired by use of the opposed handles or other gripable structure at or somewhat adjacent the collection cart's laterally opposed left and right sides forming the open front side of the collection cart; [0065] B. mount a collection bag to the collection cart by either: [0066] inserting the lower- and mid-sections of the collection bag from the top of central tubular passage through the lower end of the tubular passage; or [0067] doing the revers and inserting the upper-end of the collection bag from the bottom of the central tubular passage through upper end of the tubular passage; [0068] C. removably secure the upper end of the collection bag to the upper feed section; [0069] D. dump waste, garbage, or other material as desired into the collection bag; [0070] E. fill the collection bag as desired; [0071] F. before, during, or after steps D and E, move the collection cart as desired such as grasping the opposed handles or other grippable opposed ends of the generally U-shaped stabilizer brackets in the collection cart; [0072] G. disconnect the upper end of the collection bag from the upper feed section; [0073] H. if, desired, close the upper end of the collection bag such as, in certain embodiments, by pulling on one or more ties in the upper end of the collection bag and tying off the one or more ties to accomplish the desired closure; [0074] I. if desired, push the closed upper end of the collection bag through the central tubular section in the upper feed section; [0075] I. remove the collection bag from the cart through the open front side of the collection cart; and [0076] J. if desired, disassemble the collection cart as desired, and if desired, store the collection cart in dis-assembled or collapsed format.
[0077] The collection cart may be used in other ways as well. For example, it can be used to move materials other than collection bags, pails, or container, such as anything that can be mounted to the upper side of the base section. Straps or ropes may my mounted to surround the, or portions of the, lower structure of the collection cart adjacent the areas in which such other materials may be mounted on the base section, in order to retain such other material(s) on the base section when the collection cart is moved such as by, for example, lifting its handles or grippable structure to lift the open front side of the collection cart and move it.
[0078] The collection cart may be structured differently in yet other aspects. For example, the collection cart can include solid back and side panels along with opposed side panels to which, or adjacent to which, if desired a panel door may be attached, providing access, when opened, to a front opening in the front side. Such panels can prevent wind, rain, or animals from gaining undesired access to the interior of the collection cart.
[0079] Yet additional structures may be added to the collection cart. For example, further hooks, straps, and other structures can be added in order to removably mount tools as desired to the cart. Such hooks straps or other structures could be mounted, for example, to the interior or exterior of the U- of H-shaped stabilizer bracket.
[0080] The foregoing detailed description has described some specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. On reading this specification, those of skill in the art will recognize that many of the components discussed as separate units may be combined into one unit and an individual unit may be split into several different units.
[0081] While the steps illustrated and/or described herein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated or discussed. The various exemplary methods described and/or illustrated herein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.
[0082] Unless otherwise noted, the terms a or an, as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning at least one of In addition, for ease of use, the words including and having, as used in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word comprising. Also, as used herein, including in the claims, or as used in a list of items prefaced by at least one of indicates a disjunctive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C)
[0083] Finally, any ranges stated above include all sub-ranges within the range.