초록 ▼

A collapsible wheeled cart for carrying cases comprises a handle, a support platform for a carrying case pivotally connected to a lower end of the handle, a pair of wheel arms each having an outer end carrying a wheel and an inner end pivotally connected to the lower end of the handle, and an actuat

A collapsible wheeled cart for carrying cases comprises a handle, a support platform for a carrying case pivotally connected to a lower end of the handle, a pair of wheel arms each having an outer end carrying a wheel and an inner end pivotally connected to the lower end of the handle, and an actuator operable to effect movement of the platform and wheel arms in unison from a non-deployed position in a collapsed configuration for the cart to a deployed position in an expanded configuration for the cart. The actuator is operable by a user applying a single manual operative motion to the actuator, which serves to expand the depth and width of the cart when it is placed in the expanded configuration from the collapsed configuration. A convertible carrying case system includes a carrying case, a wheeled luggage cart supporting the carrying case, a connector element on the cart and a complementary connector element on the carrying case releasably lockingly engaged with the connector element on the cart allowing a non-rolling carrying case to be converted into a rolling carrying case.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A collapsible wheeled cart for transporting a carrying case, comprising a handle extending longitudinally in a direction corresponding to a height of said cart and having a lower end, an upper end and a hand grip at said upper end, said handle being selectively extendable and

What is claimed is: 1. A collapsible wheeled cart for transporting a carrying case, comprising a handle extending longitudinally in a direction corresponding to a height of said cart and having a lower end, an upper end and a hand grip at said upper end, said handle being selectively extendable and retractable longitudinally; a support platform pivotally connected to said lower end of said handle for pivotal movement in a direction corresponding to a depth of said cart from a non-deployed position wherein said platform extends along said height of said cart to a developed position wherein said platform extends along said depth of said cart to support a carrying case thereon; a pair of wheel arms each having an outer end carrying a wheel and an inner end pivotally connected to said lower end of said handle for pivotal movement in a direction corresponding to a width of said cart from a non-deployed position wherein said wheel arms extend along said height of said cart to a deployed position wherein said wheel arms extend in opposite directions along said width of said cart to deploy said wheels for rolling movement along a transport surface; an actuator pivotally connected to said platform and to said wheel arms movable longitudinally along said handle from an upper longitudinal position to a lower longitudinal position to pivot said platform and said wheel arms in unison from said non-deployed positions to said deployed positions; a pair of platform arms pivotally connecting said platform to said lower end of said handle, said platform arms having rearward ends pivotally connected to said lower end of said handle on opposite sides of a central longitudinal axis of said handle and having forward ends secured to said platform; a pair of platform struts pivotally connecting said actuator to said platform, said platform struts having rearward ends pivotally connected to said actuator and forward ends respectively pivotally connected to said forward ends of said platform arms; and a pair of wheel struts respectively pivotally connecting said wheel arms to said actuator and having outer ends respectively pivotally connected to outer end portions of said wheel arms and inner ends pivotally connected to said actuator. 2. The collapsible wheeled cart recited in claim 1 and further including a locking and releasing mechanism for locking said actuator in said upper and lower longitudinal positions and releasing said actuator for longitudinal movement along said handle. 3. The collapsible wheeled cart recited in claim 2 wherein said locking mechanism includes a locking member automatically engageable with said handle in locking engagement when said actuator is in said upper longitudinal position and said lower longitudinal position. 4. The collapsible wheeled cart recited in claim 3 wherein said releasing mechanism includes a push button on said actuator depressible to move said locking member out of locking engagement with said handle. 5. The collapsible wheeled cart recited in claim 4 wherein said locking mechanism further includes a spring biasing said locking member into locking engagement with said handle when said actuator is in said upper longitudinal position and said lower longitudinal position. 6. A collapsible wheeled cart for transporting a carrying case, comprising a handle having a lower end, an upper end, a central longitudinal axis, and a hand grip at said upper end, said handle being selectively extendable and retractable along said central longitudinal axis, said handle comprising a base at said lower end and a plurality of telescoping handle sections including a lowermost handle section having a bottom end secured to said base; a support platform pivotally mounted to said lower end of said handle for pivotal movement about a platform pivot axis perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis of said handle, said platform having a non-deployed position wherein said platform is pivoted about said platform pivot axis upwardly toward said handle to be disposed parallel or substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis and having a deployed position wherein said platform is pivoted about said platform pivot axis downwardly away from said handle to extend in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis to support a carrying case thereon; a pair of wheel arms each having an outer end carrying a wheel and having an inner ends, said inner end being pivotally mounted to said lower end of said handle on opposite sides of said central longitudinal axis for pivotal movement about respective wheel arm pivot axes perpendicular to said platform pivot axis and to said central longitudinal axis of said handle, said wheel arms having a non-deployed position wherein said wheel arms are pivoted about said respective wheel arm pivot axes upwardly toward said handle to be disposed parallel or substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis and having a deployed position wherein said wheel arms are pivoted in opposition about said respective wheel arm pivot axes downwardly away from said handle in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis and to said direction that said platform extends in said deployed position for said platform to deploy said wheels for rolling movement along a transport surface; a movable actuator operatively connected with said platform and said wheel arms for being moved by a user applying a single manual operative motion to said actuator to pivot said platform and said wheel arms in unison from said non-deployed positions to said deployed positions, said actuator being a linearly movable actuator moved by a user applying linear motion to said actuator and said actuator is being mounted for linear movement along said handle; a pair of platform arms having rearward ends pivotally connected to said base at said platform pivot axis and forward ends secured to said platform; a pair of platform struts pivotally connecting said platform to said actuator, said platform struts having rearward ends pivotally connected to said actuator at a rearward platform strut pivot axis parallel to said platform pivot axis and having forward ends respectively pivotally connected to said forward ends of said platform arms at a forward platform strut pivot axis parallel to said platform pivot axis; and a pair of wheel struts respectively pivotally connecting said wheel arms to said actuator, said wheel struts having outer ends respectively pivotally connected to outer end portions of said wheel arms at respective outer wheel strut pivot axes parallel to said wheel arm pivot axes and having inner ends respectively pivotally connected to said actuator at respective inner wheel strut pivot axes parallel to said wheel arm pivot axes. 7. The collapsible wheeled cart recited in claim 6 wherein said wheel arms are coaxially aligned along a wheel arm extension axis in said deployed position for said wheel arms, said wheel arm extension axis being perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis of said handle and to said wheel arm pivot axes, said wheels being respectively mounted for rotation about rotation axes perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis of said handle and to said wheel arm pivot axes. 8. A collapsible wheeled cart for transporting a carrying case, comprising a handle having a lower end, an upper end, a central longitudinal axis, and a hand grip at said upper end, said handle being selectively extendable and retractable along said central longitudinal axis, said central longitudinal axis of said handle extending in a direction corresponding to a height of said cart, said direction that said platform extends in said deployed position for said platform corresponds to a depth of said cart perpendicular to said height, and said direction that said wheel arms extend in said deployed position for said wheel arms corresponds to a width of said cart perpendicular to said height and said depth; a support platform pivotally mounted to said lower end of said handle for pivotal movement about a platform pivot axis perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis of said handle, said platform having a non-deployed position wherein said platform is pivoted about said platform pivot axis upwardly toward said handle to be disposed parallel or substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis and having a deployed position wherein said platform is pivoted about said platform pivot axis downwardly away from said handle to extend in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis to support a carrying case thereon; a pair of wheel arms each having an outer end carrying a wheel and having an inner ends, said inner end being pivotally mounted to said lower end of said handle on opposite sides of said central longitudinal axis for pivotal movement about respective wheel arm pivot axes perpendicular to said platform pivot axis and to said central longitudinal axis of said handle, said wheel arms having a non-deployed position wherein said wheel arms are pivoted about said respective wheel arm pivot axes upwardly toward said handle to be disposed parallel or substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis and having a deployed position wherein said wheel arms are pivoted in opposition about said respective wheel arm pivot axes downwardly away from said handle in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis and to said direction that said platform extends in said deployed position for said platform to deploy said wheels for rolling movement along a transport surface; and a movable actuator operatively connected with said platform and said wheel arms for being moved by a user applying a single manual operative motion to said actuator to pivot said platform and said wheel arms in unison from said non-deployed position to said deployed positions.