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A device for holding and carrying various items, e.g., hand tools or other small items, is disclosed. It includes a lower tray, an upper tray, a pair of foldable strut assemblies and a handle. Each strut assembly includes a pair of leg sections pivotably connected together. The strut assemblies are located at diagonally located corners of the trays with their leg sections arranged to be pivoted to an open position, whereupon the upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray. Torsion springs are provide...
A device for holding and carrying various items, e.g., hand tools or other small items, is disclosed. It includes a lower tray, an upper tray, a pair of foldable strut assemblies and a handle. Each strut assembly includes a pair of leg sections pivotably connected together. The strut assemblies are located at diagonally located corners of the trays with their leg sections arranged to be pivoted to an open position, whereupon the upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray. Torsion springs are provided to hold the tray in that position.
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청구항
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1. A device for holding and carrying various items comprising, a lower tray, an upper tray, a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, and a handle, said handle being connected to one of said trays, said strut assemblies being coupled between said lower tray and said upper tray, each of said strut assemblies having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and comprising a pair of strut sections pivotably connected together, said upper end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said upper tray, said ...
1. A device for holding and carrying various items comprising, a lower tray, an upper tray, a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, and a handle, said handle being connected to one of said trays, said strut assemblies being coupled between said lower tray and said upper tray, each of said strut assemblies having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and comprising a pair of strut sections pivotably connected together, said upper end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said upper tray, said upper end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said upper tray, said second portion of said upper tray being located opposite to said first portion of said upper tray, said lower end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said lower tray, said lower end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said lower tray, said second portion of said lower tray being located opposite to said first portion of said lower tray, said strut sections of each of said strut assemblies being pivotably connected together and arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a first rotational direction to an open position, whereupon said upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray, said strut sections also being arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a second and opposite rotational direction to a closed position, whereupon said upper tray is in close proximity to said lower tray to prevent any items in said lower tray from accidentally falling out of said lower tray, said handle being arranged to facilitate the carrying of said device when said trays are in said closed position, said handle being connected to said lower tray and extending through a portion of said user tray to enable a portion of said handle to be grasped above the user tray. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is arranged for disposition on the ground and wherein said strut assemblies are of a sufficient length so that when said trays are in said open position and said lower tray is located on the ground, said upper tray is at a convenient height for a user to get access to any items in the upper tray without having to bend over. 3. A device for holding and carrying various items comprising, a lower tray, an upper tray, a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, and a handle, said handle being connected to one of said trays, said strut assemblies being coupled between said lower tray and said upper tray, said strut assemblies being spring loaded and having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and comprising a pair of strut sections pivotably connected together, said upper end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said upper tray, said upper end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said upper tray, said second portion of said upper tray being located opposite to said first portion of said upper tray, said lower end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said lower tray, said lower end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said lower tray, said second portion of said lower tray being located opposite to said first portion of said lower tray, said strut sections of each of said strut assemblies being pivotably connected together and arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a first rotational direction to an open position, whereupon said upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray, said strut sections also being arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a second and opposite rotational direction to a closed position, whereupon said upper tray is in close proximity to said lower tray to prevent any items in said lower tray from accidentally falling out of said lower tray, said handle being arranged to facilitate the carrying of said device when said trays are in said closed position. 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said spring loading of said strut assemblies facilitates the positioning of said trays to said open position. 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said spring loading of said strut assemblies serves to hold said trays in said open position. 6. The device of claim 3 additionally comprising a latch to hold said trays in said closed position. 7. The device of claim 3 wherein said device is a first device and is arranged to be stacked onto a second device, said second device being similar in construction to said first device and with at least one of said first and second devices being in the open position. 8. The device of claim 7 wherein said lower tray includes a lower surface of a predetermined geometry to enable it to be stacked on said second device. 9. The device of claim 3 wherein said second portion of said upper tray is located diagonally to said first portion of said upper tray and said second portion of said lower tray is located diagonally to said first portion of said lower tray. 10. A device for holding and carrying various items comprising, a lower tray, an upper tray, a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, a cover, and a handle, said handle being connected to one of said trays, said strut assemblies being coupled between said lower tray and said upper tray, said cover being arranged to be disposed over said upper tray, each of said strut assemblies having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and comprising a pair of strut sections pivotably connected together, said upper end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said upper tray, said upper end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said upper tray, said second portion of said upper tray being located opposite to said first portion of said upper tray, said lower end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said lower tray, said lower end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said lower tray, said second portion of said lower tray being located opposite to said first portion of said lower tray, said strut sections of each of said strut assemblies being pivotably connected together and arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a first rotational direction to an open position, whereupon said upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray, said strut sections also being arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a second and opposite rotational direction to a closed position, whereupon said upper tray is in close proximity to said lower tray to prevent any items in said lower tray from accidentally falling out of said lower tray, said handle being arranged to facilitate the carrying of said device when said trays are in said closed position. 11. The device of claim 10 wherein said cover is arranged to be opened to provide access to any items in said upper tray. 12. The device of claim 10 wherein said cover includes at least one recess for receipt of items therein. 13. The device of claim 10 wherein said device is resistant to accidental collapse when said strut assemblies are in said open position. 14. The device of claim 13 wherein said device is capable of being manually collapsed to cause said strut sections to pivot with respect to each other from said open position to said closed position. 15. A device for holding and carrying various items comprising, a lower tray, an upper tray, a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, and a handle, said handle being connected to one of said trays, said strut assemblies being coupled between said lower tray and said upper tray, each of said strut assemblies having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and comprising a pair of strut sections pivotably connected together, said upper end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said upper tray, said upper end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said upper tray, said second portion of said upper tray being located opposite to said first portion of said upper tray, said lower end portion of said first strut assembly being pivotably connected to a first portion of said lower tray, said lower end portion of said second strut assembly being pivotably connected to a second portion of said lower tray, said second portion of said lower tray being located opposite to said first portion of said lower tray, said strut sections of each of said strut assemblies being pivotably connected together and arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a first rotational direction to an open position, whereupon said upper tray is spaced above said lower tray to provide ready access to any items in said lower tray, said strut sections also being arranged to pivot with respect to each other in a second and opposite rotational direction to a closed position, whereupon said upper tray is in close proximity to said lower tray to prevent any items in said lower tray from accidentally falling out of said lower tray, said handle being arranged to facilitate the carrying of said device when said trays are in said closed position said strut sections of each of said strut assemblies are pivotably connected together by an over-center joint including rotation limiting stops, whereupon when said strut assemblies are in the open position the effect of gravity on said device holds said device in the open position. 16. The device of claim 15 wherein each of said over-center joints is spring loaded. 17. The device of claim 16 wherein said spring loading of said over-center joints works in cooperation with gravity to hold said trays in said open position. 18. The device of claim 17 wherein said lower tray additionally comprises rotation limiting stops, said rotation limiting stops of said lower tray cooperating with said rotation limiting stops of said over-center joints to hold said device in the open position. 19. The device of claim 15 wherein said lower tray additionally comprises rotation limiting stops, said rotation limiting stops of said lower tray cooperating with said rotation limiting stops of said over-center joints to hold said device in the open position.
