Removable and stowable wheel stands for convertible children's carrier devices
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B62B-007/06
B62B-007/00
출원번호
US-0699129
(2005-03-16)
등록번호
US-7264265
(2007-09-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Shapiro,Richard N.
출원인 / 주소
Shapiro,Richard N.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
9인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
The invention relates to convertible children's fun-car devices, go-carts and wheeled carriers, and provides removable and stowable wheel stands or chocks that allow for convenient conversion of such wheeled carrier devices from typical rolling devices to fixed, stationary play toys for use with inf
The invention relates to convertible children's fun-car devices, go-carts and wheeled carriers, and provides removable and stowable wheel stands or chocks that allow for convenient conversion of such wheeled carrier devices from typical rolling devices to fixed, stationary play toys for use with infants and toddlers, typically not yet walking. The invention allows for selective resilient or screw placement of the wheel stands on two or more wheels to prevent overall device movement, and also provides that the wheel stands along with their associated wheel may further be entirely folded into the profile of the wheeled device, converting the overall fun-car into a completely flat, ultra thin profile with all parts and wheels still attached. Further, the wheel stands may instead be quickly detached from the wheels and stowed inside a compartment in the carrier device, such as in the simulated trunk or hood area. The stands may be adapted to foot, pedal, battery and motive power devices with or without fold flat wheel assemblies.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A carrier device for children which, when erected, simulates the appearance of a motor-driven vehicle said device comprising: a base member including a plurality of formed, upwardly projecting stub walls, defining a side elevational profile and an outer perimeter; and a plura
What is claimed is: 1. A carrier device for children which, when erected, simulates the appearance of a motor-driven vehicle said device comprising: a base member including a plurality of formed, upwardly projecting stub walls, defining a side elevational profile and an outer perimeter; and a plurality of simulative motor vehicle components; a seat component which serves at least partly as a seat for at least one occupant of the carrier device; at least two wheel assemblies affixed on opposite sides of said carrier device stub walls, each of said wheel assemblies including a movable wheel axle housing, a wheel attaching means and wheel defining a plane, and each of said at least two movable wheel axle housings are mounted within, and occupy at least part of, both the side elevational and stub wall profile of the device and incorporate at least part of at least one of said wheel's attaching means; and said wheel assemblies each being movable between a first, latched operative position wherein said wheels are erected to provide rolling support for said carrier device and wherein the plane defined by each of said wheels extends substantially orthogonally to the side elevational profile of the carrier device, and a second, stowed, latched position, the plane defined by each of said wheels being swept through an angle during movement of said wheel assemblies between said first and second positions such that the plane defined by each of said wheels in the second position of said wheel assemblies extends substantially parallel with the side elevational profile of said carrier device, and each of said wheels in the second position being disposed substantially within the outer perimeter defined by the carrier device stub walls; and releasable latching means for providing selective retention of said wheel assemblies in the first, operative and in the second, stowed position thereof; and in said first, operative, latched position said latching means at least partly move between said movable wheel axle housing and the device base member to cause engagement and release of said latch; and at least two of said wheels each further including a selectively removable wheel stand, each such wheel stand includes at least one first, wheel receiving aspect and at least one second, shaped substantially flattened aspect, and in a first, operative position the first wheel receiving aspect is attached to at least part of one associated wheel, and said, second, shaped flattened aspect is in contact with a rolling surface, such that the at least two stands attached to at least two said wheels prevent rolling movement of the associated wheels in said first, operative position of said wheels; and when said at least two wheel stands and their associated wheels are in a second, stowed, interconnected status, the wheel stands as well as their associated wheels occupy the said second, stowed position of the wheels, and in a third, stowed position, said wheel stands are detached from said associated wheel and attached to an aspect of the carrier device, substantially within the side elevational profile and outer perimeter of said device. 2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the face of the substantially flattened second, shaped aspect of the wheel stand includes a friction enhancing material. 3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wheel stand attachment means include at least one selectively removable pin with incised threads and an enlarged head, which selectively removable pin retains said wheel stand to said associated wheel by screw means. 4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein the said removable pin passes through at least part of the wheel stand thickness, and is at least partly screwed into at least part of the surface of the associated wheel to cause retention of the two components together. 5. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the wheel stand, in said third, detached position, is resiliently attached to the device base member. 6. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said removable pin passes through said wheel stand and is at least partly screwed into the base member surface thickness, retaining said wheel stand to the base member. 7. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said simulative motor vehicle components include a front end portion movable between the first, position wherein the front end hood portion of a motor driven vehicle is simulated, and a second, position wherein the hood portion is moved and a storage space is accessible between the base member and said hood portion. 8. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said simulative motor vehicle components include a trunk portion movable between the first, position wherein the trunk portion of a motor driven vehicle is simulated, and a second position wherein the trunk portion is moved and a storage space is accessible between the base member and said trunk portion. 9. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housings move approximately 270째 between said first and second positions. 10. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housings move approximately 90째 between said first and second positions. 11. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said simulative motor vehicle components include a steering wheel. 12. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said device includes a handle which in a first, operative, position serves as a user handle for said device, and in a second, stowed, position is substantially parallel with and substantially within the side elevational profile of said base member. 13. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the simulative motor vehicle components are manually manipulable to a stowed position between the movable wheel axle housings in their second, stowed, position, and the base member. 14. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the simulative motor vehicle components are manually manipulable and permit the movable wheel axle housings in their second, stowed, position to be stowed substantially between said simulative motor vehicle components in their second, stowed, position and the base member. 15. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein wheels are mounted on said base member by a movable wheel axle housing including means cooperating with said base member to provide a releasable snap-in connection between said movable wheel axle housing and said base whereby release of said snap-in connection enables movement of said wheels between said first and second positions thereof. 16. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two opposing wheels, in said second stowed positions, are at least partly overlapping. 17. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said simulative motor vehicle components include means for the user to illuminate at least one of said motor vehicle simulative components. 18. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the device includes an opening which permits a separate hook structure to pass through the said opening, permitting the stowed device to be hung from said separate hook structure. 19. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carrier device is equipped with a coupler means to allow said carrier device to be coupled to a further wheeled device thereby enabling both said carrier device and said further wheeled device to move together. 20. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said device is configured such that at least one further said carrier device can nest thereupon in the second, stowed, position. 21. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the simulative motor vehicle components include at least one door at least partly mounted to said base member, which door is movable along a hinge. 22. A device in accordance with claim 1 including simulative hood and trunk compartments which a user may manipulate to access cargo stowed at least partly on the base member. 23. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one occupant's feet pass through an opening in said base member, and said occupant's feet serve to propel the device for rolling movement. 24. A device in accordance with claim 1 which includes braking means controlled by a user, which braking means causes at least one wheel to cease rotation along its central axis of rotation, when at least said one wheel is in the first, operative position. 25. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one beverage container opening on the base member allows for retention of a beverage within said opening. 26. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one wheel of said wheel assemblies includes an outer rim and a central hub and the hub including a transverse opening therein, and said movable wheel axle housing for said at least one wheel including a wheel support axle, and the elongate wheel support axle having first and second ends, the wheel support axle including a transverse portion at said first end received in the opening in the hub and forming a part of said axle about which said wheel rotates, and a further portion extending orthogonally to the transverse portion and being received in said movable wheel axle housing, the further axle portion terminating in said second end, and said movable wheel axle housing including a cavity therein disposed adjacent to said second end, and said movable wheel axle housing further comprising a terminal fixing member affixed to said second end of said wheel support axle and received in said cavity, said fixing member being of size and shape relative to that of said cavity so as to prevent rotation thereof in said cavity, whereby axial rotation of said further portion is prevented and thus said at least one wheel is prevented from rotation about said further portion and is limited to rotation about an axis formed by said transverse portion. 27. A device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a simulated trunk component movable into a second, non-stowed position which allows an occupant to be seated in a seat area at least partly on top of the area of the base, said seat area being at least partly below the area occupied by the trunk component when said trunk component occupies a first, stowed position simulating a vehicle trunk. 28. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a panel is movable on the base member to close and open a space through which an occupant may pass their legs when the wheel assemblies of said carrier device are in a first, operative, position. 29. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said wheels of said wheel assemblies, in the operative position, rotates on its axle approximately 360 degrees in relation to the rolling surface. 30. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein components comprising a simulative dashboard and steering means are manipulable from a first, operative, position simulating a motor vehicle dashboard, to a second, stowed, position parallel with, and substantially within the side elevational profile of said base member. 31. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a handle is selectively removable from the base member. 32. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the simulative motor vehicle components are selectively removable from the base member. 33. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the simulated motor vehicle components include simulated electrical gauges on the vehicle dashboard. 34. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said base member, together with said plurality of wheel assemblies in the first, operative position thereof, define a further outer perimeter; and wherein said base member, together with the plurality of wheel assemblies in the second, stowed position thereof, define a smaller outer perimeter than said further outer perimeter. 35. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said movable wheel axle housing includes wheel attaching means substantially vertical to the rolling surface when in the first, operative position and substantially horizontal to said rolling surface when in the second, stowed position. 36. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein the releasable latching means, for latching in said first and second positions, are one and the same means. 37. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein the periphery of the at least two wheels, in the first operative position, is substantially beneath the bottommost plane of the base member. 38. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said device has four wheels and wherein at least two of said wheels, in the operative state thereof, are rotatable in relation to the rolling surface through 360 degrees on their axle, beneath the bottommost plane of said base member. 39. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housing mounting means includes resilient releasable retaining means for retaining said wheels in the operative position thereof. 40. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housing includes a spring biased retaining means for retaining at least one said wheel in the operative position thereof and in the inoperative position thereof. 41. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said wheels includes a wheel attaching means mounted to said movable wheel axle housing so as to enable at least 360 degree rotation of said at least one wheel about an axis defined by said axle, when said wheel is in the first, operative position. 42. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housing for said at least one axle of said wheel includes means for fixating said axle against axial rotation, to prevent axial rotation of said at least one wheel. 43. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housing includes at least one pivot element received in an opening in said movable wheel axle housing which pivot element further interconnects to at least part of the base member stub wall. 44. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 wherein said movable wheel axle housing includes a cavity through which said wheel attaching means at least partly extends and a recess in one surface thereof in communication with said cavity, said device further comprising a terminal fixing member disposed in said recess and connected to one end of said wheel attaching means, the other end of said wheel attaching means being connected to said at least one wheel's axis of rotation. 45. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 which includes pedal propulsion means. 46. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 which includes battery propulsion means. 47. A wheeled carrier device according to claim 1 which includes motive power means. 48. A carrier device for children which, when erected, simulates the appearance of a motor-driven vehicle, said device comprising: a base member including a plurality of upwardly projecting stub walls, defining a side elevational profile and an outer perimeter; and a plurality of simulative motor vehicle components; a seat component which serves at least partly as a seat for at least one occupant of the carrier device; at least three wheel assemblies provide rolling support for said carrier device; and at least two of said wheels each further including a selectively removable wheel stand, each such wheel stand includes at least one first, wheel receiving aspect and at least one second, shaped substantially flattened aspect, and in a first, operative position the first wheel receiving aspect is attached to at least part of one wheel, and the, second, shaped flattened aspect is in contact with a rolling surface, such that the at least two stands attached to at least two said wheels prevent rolling movement of the associated wheels of said device in said first, operative position of said wheels; and in a second, stowed position, said wheel stands are detached from said associated wheel and attached to an aspect of the carrier device, substantially within the side elevational profile and outer perimeter of said device.
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