IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0566280
(2006-12-04)
|
등록번호 |
US-7374197
(2008-05-20)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
20 |
초록
▼
A cart for transporting objects is provided. The cart includes a base structure supported on a plurality of wheels. An elongated tongue is telescopically mounted to an underside of the base structure and is movable between an extended position, wherein the tongue extends in front of the cart, and a
A cart for transporting objects is provided. The cart includes a base structure supported on a plurality of wheels. An elongated tongue is telescopically mounted to an underside of the base structure and is movable between an extended position, wherein the tongue extends in front of the cart, and a retracted position, wherein the tongue is disposed under the cart. A hitch apparatus is mounted to the base structure at the posterior end thereof. The hitch apparatus includes a hitch for receiving a tongue of another cart and a locking assembly for locking the tongue to the hitch. The locking assembly includes a pin movable between locking and release positions. A tongue actuator is connected to the tongue and is operable, upon manipulation by an operator, to move the tongue from the retracted position to the extended position, while a hitch actuator is connected to the pin of the locking assembly and is operable, upon manipulation by an operator, to move the pin from the locking position to the release position. The tongue actuator is disposed toward one side of the cart and the hitch actuator is disposed toward one side of the cart. Both the tongue actuator and the hitch actuator are configured so as to be ergonomically accessible by an operator.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A cart for transporting objects, said cart comprising: a base structure upon which the objects may be disposed, said base structure having posterior and anterior ends and opposing first and second sides; a pair of first wheels mounted to the base structure and disposed toward
What is claimed is: 1. A cart for transporting objects, said cart comprising: a base structure upon which the objects may be disposed, said base structure having posterior and anterior ends and opposing first and second sides; a pair of first wheels mounted to the base structure and disposed toward the first side of the base structure; a pair of second wheels mounted to the base structure and disposed toward the second side of the base structure; a housing mounted to the base structure and at least partially defining an interior channel, said housing extending in a longitudinal direction of the cart and being disposed midway along a width of the cart; an elongated coupling tongue adapted for connection to another cart, said coupling tongue being at least partially disposed in the channel and being movable between a retracted position, wherein a majority of the coupling tongue is disposed inside the channel, and an extended position, wherein a majority of the coupling tongue is disposed outside the channel and forwardly of the anterior end of the base structure; a tongue actuator connected to the coupling tongue and operable, upon manipulation by an operator, to move the coupling tongue from the retracted position to the extended position; a hitch apparatus mounted to the base structure at the posterior end thereof, said hitch apparatus comprising: a hitch disposed midway along the width of the cart and defining a tongue-receiving space for receiving a second coupling tongue of a second cart; and a locking assembly including a pin movable between a locking position, wherein the pin extends through the space to lock the second tongue of the second cart to the hitch, and a release position, wherein the pin is disposed above the space to unlock the second tongue of the second cart from the hitch; and a hitch actuator connected to the pin of the locking assembly and disposed laterally outward from the hitch, said hitch actuator being operable, upon manipulation by an operator, to move the pin from the locking position to the release position. 2. The cart of claim 1, further comprising front and rear structures and first and second side structures secured to the base structure and extending upwardly therefrom. 3. The cart of claim 2, further comprising a cable connected to the pin, said cable extending upwardly and then laterally outwardly from the pin, said cable being movably attached to the rear structure. 4. The cart of claim 3, wherein the rear structure comprises a laterally-extending upper rear bar, and wherein the cable is movably attached to the upper rear bar by a bracket. 5. The cart of claim 4, wherein the hitch actuator comprises a handle loop formed in the cable, said handle loop being laterally movable between deactivated and activated positions, wherein movement of the handle loop from the deactivated position to the activated position moves the pin from the locking position to the release position. 6. The cart of claim 3, wherein the hitch actuator comprises a cable connected to the actuator plate, wherein the application of a pulling force to the cable causes the actuator plate to pivot so as to bring the actuator finger into contact with the actuator bar and to move the actuator bar to the deactivated position. 7. The cart of claim 1, wherein the hitch apparatus further comprises an actuator bar having a body with first and second end portions, said second end portion being joined to the pin, said actuator bar being pivotally mounted to the base structure so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis between an activated position, wherein the pin is disposed in the locking position, and a deactivated position, wherein the pin is disposed in the release position. 8. The cart of claim 7, wherein the center of mass of the actuator bar is disposed between the pivot axis and the second end portion, whereby the actuator bar is biased by gravity toward the activated position. 9. The cart of claim 8, wherein the base structure comprises a rear bar, and wherein said hitch comprises upper and lower hitch plates joined to the rear bar and extending outwardly therefrom, said upper and lower hitch plates being vertically spaced apart so as to form the tongue-receiving space therebetween. 10. The cart of claim 9, further comprising first and second bumpers joined to the rear bar and extending rearwardly therefrom, said first and second bumpers being disposed toward the first and second sides of the base structure, respectively, and wherein the first bumper comprises a center plate spaced rearward from the rear bar so as to form a vertically-extending passage therebetween. 11. The cart of claim 10, wherein the hitch actuator comprises a foot plate connected to the first end portion of the body of the actuator bar, said foot plate extending through the vertically-extending passage formed between the rear bar and the center plate of the first bumper, and wherein a top edge of the foot plate is disposed above the first bumper when the foot plate is in the activated position, whereby an operator may step on the top edge of the foot plate to move the foot plate downward, thereby pivoting the actuator bar from the activated position to the deactivated position. 12. The cart of claim 11, wherein the first bumper is channel-shaped and further comprises inner and outer arms joined to opposing ends of the center plate and extending forwardly therefrom at substantially right angles, said inner and outer arms having forward ends joined to the rear bar. 13. The cart of claim 12, wherein the foot plate is connected to the first end portion of the body by an L-shaped neck, said foot plate and neck cooperating to define a slot within which the inner arm of the first bumper is disposed. 14. The cart of claim 11, wherein the tongue actuator is connected to the tongue by an elongated extension rod, said rod extending laterally outward from the tongue at about a right angle from the tongue, and wherein the tongue actuator is a second foot plate having a planar contact surface disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cart. 15. The cart of claim 14, wherein when the foot plate is in the activated position, the foot plate is disposed proximate to a front one of the first wheels, and when the foot plate is in the deactivated position, the foot plate is disposed distal to the front one of the first wheels. 16. The cart of claim 10, wherein the hitch apparatus further comprises an actuator plate pivotally connected to the rear bar, below the activator bar, said actuator plate comprising an actuator finger.
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