Collapsible carts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767045-B2
Application number	US-202217697510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Mar 23, 2021
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A collapsible cart may include a collapsible frame, a foldable shelf, and an interior support column. The collapsible frame includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion. The frame is configured to move between an open configuration and a collapsed configuration by relative translation between the first frame portion and the second frame portion. The foldable shelf extends between the first frame portion and the second frame portion. The foldable shelf is configured to fold to allow the frame to move from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration. The column transversely extends through a column slot defined by the foldable shelf. The cart further includes at least one column brace slidably coupling the frame to the column. The cart further includes at least one shelf brace slidably coupling the foldable shelf to the column.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible cart comprising:
a collapsible frame comprising a first frame portion and a second frame portion, the collapsible frame configured to move between an open configuration and a collapsed configuration by relative translation between the first frame portion and the second frame portion;
a foldable shelf extending between the first frame portion and the second frame portion, wherein the foldable shelf is configured to fold to allow the frame to move from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration;
an interior support column transversely extending through a column slot defined by the foldable shelf;
at least one column brace slidably coupling the frame to the column; and
at least one shelf brace that slidably couples the foldable shelf to the column.

2. The collapsible cart of claim 1 , wherein the interior support column is disposed between the first frame portion and the second frame portion.

3. The collapsible cart of claim 1 , wherein the collapsible frame comprises a latch assembly for securing the first frame portion to the second frame portion in the collapsed configuration and a release assembly configured to release the latch assembly to permit opening of the cart.

4. The collapsible cart of claim 3 , wherein the latch assembly comprises a first latch portion disposed on the first frame portion, and a second latch portion disposed on the second frame portion.

5. A collapsible cart comprising:
a collapsible frame comprising a first frame portion and a second frame portion, the collapsible frame configured to move between an open configuration and a collapsed configuration by relative translation between the first frame portion and the second frame portion;
a foldable shelf extending between the first frame portion and the second frame portion, wherein the foldable shelf is configured to fold along a hinge that allows the frame to move from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration;
an interior support column transversely extending through a column slot defined by the foldable shelf;
at least one column brace slidably coupling the frame to the column; and
at least one shelf brace slidably coupling the foldable shelf to the column.

6. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , wherein the foldable shelf comprises:
a first shelf portion defining a first hinge channel of the hinge;
a second shelf portion defining a second hinge channel of the hinge, and
a hinge pin passing through the first hinge channel and the second hinge channel.

7. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , wherein the foldable shelf is a middle foldable shelf, wherein the collapsible cart further comprises an upper foldable shelf above the middle foldable shelf, and wherein the collapsible cart further comprises a lower foldable shelf below the middle foldable shelf.

8. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , further comprising a shelf lock configured to slide between a locked position that retains the cart in the open configuration and an unlocked position that permits the cart to collapse to the collapsed configuration, wherein the foldable shelf is a middle foldable shelf, and wherein the collapsible cart further comprises an upper foldable shelf above the middle foldable shelf, wherein the upper foldable shelf defines a rail, wherein the shelf lock is slidably secured to the rail.

9. The collapsible cart of claim 8 , wherein the upper foldable shelf comprises a shelf hinge, wherein the shelf lock extends across the shelf hinge in the locked position to prevent folding of the shelf hinge, and wherein the shelf lock is spaced from the shelf hinge in the unlocked position to allow folding of the shelf hinge.

10. The collapsible cart of claim 9 , wherein the shelf lock defines a grip for holding and sliding the shelf lock along the rail.

11. The collapsible cart claim 5 , further comprising an entraining rod secured to the collapsible frame, and an entraining slot defined by the collapsible frame, wherein the entraining slot is configured to receive a respective entraining rod of another collapsible cart to entrain the collapsible cart to the other collapsible cart.

12. The collapsible cart claim 11 , further comprising a rod lock adjacent the entraining slot configured to secure a respective entraining rod of another collapsible cart received in the entraining slot.

13. The collapsible cart of claim 12 , wherein the rod lock is biased by a biasing element to hold the respective entraining rod, wherein the collapsible cart comprises a release bar coupled to the biasing element, wherein the release bar is depressible to cause the rod lock to disengage and release the respective entraining rod.

14. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , wherein the at least one shelf brace has a first shelf brace end secured to the foldable shelf and a second shelf brace end slidably secured to the support column.

15. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , wherein the at least one column brace has a first column brace end secured to the collapsible frame and a second shelf brace end slidably secured to the support column.

16. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , further comprising a dampener configured to resist collapse of the collapsible cart.

17. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , further comprising a folding tray movable between a vertical stowage configuration and a horizontal open configuration, wherein the foldable tray is pivotably secured to the frame above the foldable shelf.

18. The collapsible cart of claim 5 , further comprising a tilting basket movable between a vertical stowage configuration and a tilted open configuration, wherein the tilting basket is pivotably secured to the frame below the foldable shelf.

19. The collapsible cart of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wheels coupled to the bottom of the frame, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises two movable wheels adjacent to the second frame portion of the cart, wherein the two movable wheels are pivotable relative to the cart, wherein the plurality of wheels comprises two fixed wheels adjacent a first frame portion of the cart, and wherein the two fixed wheels are not pivotable relative to the cart.

20. A collapsible cart comprising:
a collapsible frame comprising a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, the collapsible frame configured to move between an open configuration and a collapsed configuration by relative translation between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion;
an upper foldable shelf, a middle foldable shelf, and a lower foldable shelf, wherein each of the upper, middle, and lower folding shelves extend between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, wherein each of the upper, middle, and lower folding shelves are configured to fold to allow the frame to move from the open configuration to the collapsed configuration;
an interior support column extending from the upper foldable shelf to the lower foldable shelf through a column slot defined by the middle foldable shelf;
a front column brace slidably coupling the front frame portion to the column;
a rear column brace slidably coupling the rear frame portion to the column;
a front shelf brace slidably coupling a front portion of the middle foldable shelf to the support column; and
a rear shelf brace slidably coupling a rear portion of the middle foldable shelf to the support column.

Assignees

• Rubbermaid Commercial Prod Llc

Inventors

• Zesch Brian
• Switzer Tyler Stanley
• Baker Ryan M
• Bertucci Jeffrey S
• Perez Juan Carlos

Classifications

• B62B3/02 Primary

  involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable or convertible · CPC title

• B62B2205/02

  foldable widthwise · CPC title

• B62B2205/24

  to hold in the folded position · CPC title

• B62B2205/32

  Shelves · CPC title

• B62B3/025 Primary

  Foldable roll containers · CPC title