초록 ▼

A collapsible wagon includes a base and one or more upstanding walls forming a container for cargo. The upstanding walls are pivotally mounted to the base for pivoting between an unfolded position for use and a folded position for storage and transport. In some embodiments, the wagon includes a pinc

A collapsible wagon includes a base and one or more upstanding walls forming a container for cargo. The upstanding walls are pivotally mounted to the base for pivoting between an unfolded position for use and a folded position for storage and transport. In some embodiments, the wagon includes a pinchless internal mechanical stop that eliminates pinch points where a user's fingers can be pinched during folding and unfolding of the walls. In some embodiments, the wagon includes a gang-operated latch system for releasably securing the endwalls to the sidewalls that is quick, easy, and reliable to use for folding and unfolding. And in some embodiments, the wagon includes a latch system that eliminates slack or play when in the unfolded use position for structural integrity.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A collapsible wagon for cargo, comprising: a base;at least one wall that is pivotally mounted to the base and that pivots relative to the base between a folded position for storage and an unfolded position for use, wherein in the unfolded position the wall extends generally upward from the base t

1. A collapsible wagon for cargo, comprising: a base;at least one wall that is pivotally mounted to the base and that pivots relative to the base between a folded position for storage and an unfolded position for use, wherein in the unfolded position the wall extends generally upward from the base to cooperatively form a container for holding the cargo; andat least one pivotal coupling that pivotally mounts the wall to the base, wherein the pivotal coupling includes an anchor fixedly mounted to the base and a pivot fixedly mounted to the wall so that the pivot moves with the pivotal wall, wherein the anchor includes a fixed housing and either two stop surfaces or a stop member internally contained within the anchor housing, wherein the pivot includes a pivotal housing and the other of the two stop surfaces or the stop member internally contained within the pivotal housing, wherein the stop member is positioned between the stop surfaces and pivots relative to the stop surfaces through an angular motion limited by contact with the stop surfaces to define the storage and use positions of the wall, and wherein with the stop surfaces and the stop member internally contained within their respective housings there are no exposed gaps between the stop surfaces and the stop member that get closed in a pinching manner when folding and unfolding the walls. 2. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the stop surfaces are formed by two protrusions extending axially from a generally cylindrical body, the stop member is in the form of a protrusion extending axially from a generally cylindrical body, and the anchor and pivot housing are each in the form of a shell that internally contains the respective stop-surface protrusions or stop-member protrusion. 3. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the pivotal coupling includes two sets of the stop surfaces and stop members, with the first set including a first one of the stop members and a first facing pair of the stop surfaces defined by the two stop-surface protrusions, and with the second set including a second one of the stop members and a second facing pair of the stop surfaces defined by opposite sides of the two stop-surface protrusions. 4. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the stop member and its respective pivot or anchor housing are provided as separate parts that are coupled together and that include mating male and female elements that prevent rotation therebetween. 5. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the pivotal coupling further includes a spacer positioned between the anchor and pivot housings. 6. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, further comprising an auto-positioning system that biases the pivot and the wall, relative to the anchor and the base, toward either the use position or the storage position, wherein the auto-positioning system includes at least one cam surface having a peaked mid-section with a tipping point between two ramps sloping down and away from the tipping point. 7. The collapsible wagon of claim 6, wherein the cam surface extends between the storage and use stop surfaces, and wherein the auto-positioning system further includes at least one spring that biases the stop member and the cam surface against each other so the stop member is contacted and guided by the cam surface. 8. The collapsible wagon of claim 6, wherein the pivotal coupling includes a pivot axle the permits the pivot to rotate relative to the anchor, and the spring is provided by a coil spring that is positioned about the pivot axle. 9. The collapsible wagon of claim 6, wherein when the wall is pivoted from the unfolded use position toward the folded storage position, the stop member rides along the cam surface in one direction up a first one of the ramped surfaces toward the tipping point to charge the spring, and if the wall is released before the stop member reaches the tipping point then the spring will discharge to drive the stop member back down the first ramped surface toward the unfolded use position. 10. The collapsible wagon of claim 9, wherein if the wall is further pivoted until the stop member passes the tipping point, and then released, the spring will now discharge to drive the stop member down a second one of the ramped surfaces toward the folded storage position. 11. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the wall includes a support frame having at least one frame member, the base includes a peripheral frame member, and the pivotal coupling is mounted to the frame members of the wall and the base. 12. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wheels rotationally mounted to the base, at least one seat included in the base, and a handle extending from a front endwall of the wagon. 13. A collapsible consumer-use wagon for cargo, comprising: a base with a plurality of wheels mounted thereto;four peripheral walls pivotally mounted to the base to pivot relative to the base between a folded position for storage and an unfolded position for use, wherein in the unfolded position the walls extend generally upward from the base to cooperatively form a container for holding the cargo;at least one pivotal coupling that pivotally mounts at least one of the walls to the base, wherein the pivotal coupling includes an anchor fixedly mounted to the base and a pivot fixedly mounted to the wall so that the pivot moves with the pivotal wall, wherein the anchor includes a fixed housing and either two stop surfaces or a stop member internally contained within the anchor housing, wherein the pivot includes a pivotal housing and the other of the two stop surfaces or the stop member internally contained within the pivotal housing, wherein the stop member is positioned between the stop surfaces and pivots relative to the stop surfaces through an angular motion limited by contact with the stop surfaces to define the storage and use positions of the wall, and wherein with the stop surfaces and the stop member internally contained within their respective housings there are no exposed gaps between the stop surfaces and the stop member that get closed in a pinching manner when folding and unfolding the walls; andan auto-positioning system that biases the pivot and the wall, relative to the anchor and the base, toward either the use position or the storage position, wherein the auto-positioning system includes at least one cam surface having a peaked mid-section with a tipping point between two ramps sloping down and away from the tipping point. 14. The collapsible wagon of claim 13, wherein the stop surfaces are formed by two protrusions extending axially from a generally cylindrical body, the stop member is in the form of a protrusion extending axially from a generally cylindrical body, and the anchor and pivot housing are each in the form of a shell that internally contains the respective stop-surface protrusions or stop-member protrusion. 15. The collapsible wagon of claim 13, wherein the pivotal coupling includes two sets of the stop surfaces and stop members, with the first set including a first one of the stop members and a first facing pair of the stop surfaces defined by the two stop-surface protrusions, and with the second set including a second one of the stop members and a second facing pair of the stop surfaces defined by opposite sides of the two stop-surface protrusions. 16. The collapsible wagon of claim 13, wherein the cam surface extends between the storage and use stop surfaces, and wherein the auto-positioning system further includes at least one spring that biases the stop member and the cam surface against each other so the stop member is contacted and guided by the cam surface. 17. The collapsible wagon of claim 13, wherein when the wall is pivoted from the unfolded use position toward the folded storage position, the stop member rides along the cam surface in one direction up a first one of the ramped surfaces toward the tipping point to charge the spring, and if the wall is released before the stop member reaches the tipping point then the spring will discharge to drive the stop member back down the first ramped surface toward the unfolded use position, and wherein if the wall is further pivoted until the stop member passes the tipping point, and then released, the spring will now discharge to drive the stop member down a second one of the ramped surfaces toward the folded storage position. 18. A collapsible wagon for cargo, comprising: a base;at least one wall that is pivotally mounted to the base and that pivots relative to the base between a folded position for storage and an unfolded position for use, wherein in the unfolded position the wall extends generally upward from the base to help hold the cargo; andat least one pivotal coupling that pivotally mounts the wall to the base, wherein the pivotal coupling includes a base pivot or anchor extending from the base, a wall pivot fixedly extending from the wall and pivotally coupled to the base pivot so that the wall pivot moves with the pivotal wall relative to the base, and a housing, wherein the base pivot includes either at least one stop surface or at least one stop member internally contained within the anchor housing, wherein the wall pivot includes the other of the at least one stop surface or the at least one stop member internally contained within the pivotal housing, wherein the stop member pivots relative to the stop surface through an angular motion limited by contact with the stop surface to define the unfolded use position of the wall, and wherein with the stop surface and the stop member internally contained within the housing there is no exposed gap between the stop surface and the stop member that gets closed in a pinching manner when folding or unfolding the wall. 19. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the at least one stop surface comprises two stop surfaces between which the at least one stop member pivots to additionally define the folded storage position of the wall. 20. The collapsible wagon of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a wall-pivot housing that internally contains either the stop surface or the stop member and includes a base-pivot housing that internally contains the other of the stop surface or the stop member, and wherein the wall-pivot housing moves relative to the base-pivot housing when the wall is pivoted relative to the base. 21. The collapsible wagon of claim 20, wherein the wall-pivot housing is in the form of a cylindrical shell containing the stop surface or the stop member.