AU2005100760A4 - Carrier Device - Google Patents

Description

YI-CHUAN HSU

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT: "CARRIER DEVICE" The invention is described in the following statement:- CARRIER DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a device for storage, and more particularly to a portable carrier device.

2. Description of the Related Art Typically, conventional carrier devices, such as luggage and hand cart, have a carrier member, on a side of which a handle is provided and on a bottom of which wheels (fixed wheels or universal wheels) are provided. User holds the handle to lean and draw the carrier device for running. The carrier device also can be located beside the user in upright condition and drawn for running.

The conventional carrier device usually is provided with the universal wheel on the bottom of the carrier member, such that the user may easier to change the running direction of carrier device.

The conventional universal wheels are smaller in size, such that when the carrier runs on a rough place or the place with gaps, user usually has trouble to draw the carrier device freely. In addition, the universal wheels may be turned to unexpected direction because there is no restriction on the wheels, and the user has to give more effort to turn it back to the desired direction. That is a drawback to be improved.

Some conventional carrier devices are provided with a foldable or retractable frame on a side thereof to carry more goods. But the carrier device will loose the balance when goods are put on the frame, such that the carrier device tips over easily when makes a turn or the user has to give more strength to keep the carrier device standing in the turn. That is another drawback to be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a carrier device, which is turned for the running direction easily and smoothly.

The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a carrier device, which the carrier member has more storage capacity and keeps the balance in running.

According to the objectives of the present invention, a carrier device includes a movable base having a base, a first wheel set provided on a side of the base, a carrier base connected to the base at a predetermined position and a second wheel set provided on a side of the base. A carrier member is provided on a top of the movable base to carry goods. A balance apparatus connects the base and the carrier base to provide the carrier base a smooth running condition with both of the first wheel set and the second wheel set touching ground. A turn apparatus provided on a bottom of the base and connected to the first wheel set. While the movable base is tipping, the turn apparatus moves the first wheel set to a tipping orientation of the movable base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a left view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG 2 is a front view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the movable base, the balance apparatus and the turn apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a lateral view of the movable base, the balance apparatus and the turn apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; t FIG 5 is a front view of a second preferred embodiment of the present N, invention; SFIG 6 is a lateral view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the moving apparatus moving the carrier member; FIG 7 is a lateral view of the second preferred embodiment of the present NOinvention, showing goods are put thereon; FIG 8 is a rear view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; C, FIG. 9 is a rear view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the moving apparatus separating the bottom of the carrier member; FIG 10 is a lateral view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG 11 is a rear view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the moving apparatus separating the bottom of the carrier member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a carrier device 10 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a movable base 12, a carrier member 14, a balance apparatus 16 and a turn apparatus.

The movable base 12 has a base 22, which includes a main member 23 and a connecting pole 25 fixed on the main member 23, a first wheel set 24 with two wheels pivoted on a front of the base 22, a handle 26 (U-shaped bar) on a top of the base 22, a carrier base 28 connected to a rear of the base 22 and a second wheel set 30 with two wheels pivoted on a bottom of the base 22.

The carrier member 16 is a case with a chamber therein for storage.

The balance apparatus 16 has a first connection assembly 32, a second connection assembly 34 and a shaft 36. The first connection assembly 32 is provided on the rear of the base 22 and the second connection assembly 34 is provided on a front of the carrier base 28. The first and second connection assemblies 32 and 34 have a hollow base member 37, 38 and a bearing 40, 42 in the base member 37, 38 respectively. The shaft 36 has opposite ends fitted to the bearings 40, 42 respectively to rotate the carrier base 28 relative to the base member 22.

The turn apparatus 18 has two swinging devices 44, a movable pole 46 and a return assembly 48. The swinging devices 44 have bottom ends pivoted on ends of the connecting pole 25, and the movable pole 46 is pivoted on top ends of the swinging devices 44 respectively. The wheels of the first wheel set 24 are provided on the swinging devices 44 on an exterior side thereof opposite to the movable pole 46 respectively. The return assembly 48 has a moving pole 50 pivoted on the swinging devices 44 and through the main member 23 and two elastic members 52, 54 fitted to the moving pole 50 between the main member 23 and the swinging devices 44 respectively.

User may put the carrier device 10 of the present invention beside him/her and draws it for running. The carrier device 10 of the present invention is provided with the turn apparatus 18 and the balance apparatus 16 to keep the carrier device 10 in balance when the carrier device 10 is turned. The turn apparatus 18 swings along the direction the drawing direction of the user drawing the carrier device 10, such that the wheels of the first wheel set 24 change the direction of sliding simultaneously. As a result, no wheel of the first wheel set 24 is suspended. When the base 22 is leaned by the turn apparatus 18, the balance apparatus 16 keeps the carrier base 28 still to be attached on the ground. In other words, the turn apparatus 18 and the balance apparatus 16 provide the carrier device 10 to be drawn and turned easily and smoothly with the wheels attached on the ground, such that user has no need to give more strength to prevent the carrier device 10 from tipping over when he/she draws the carrier device of the present invention for turning.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a carrier device 60 of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is similar to the carrier device 10 of the first preferred embodiment, further comprises a moving apparatus 62. The moving apparatus 62 has a carrier plate 64, on which a carrier member 66 is rested, a tube-like pivot block 68 fixed on the carrier plate 64 and slidably fitted to the bottom end of the handle 26, and a positioning assembly 70 with two pins 72, with 180 degrees therebetween, provided at opposite sides of the handle 26 respectively. The pivot block 68 has two slots 74 on a bottom thereof to be engaged with the pins 64 for restriction the carrier plate 64 from rotation. An angle between the pins 72 may be any degree.

User can easily draw the carrier device 60 for movement, except that when user needs to put more goods, such as shoes, flowerpot, pot plant, ceramics pot and iron device those who are not suitable to put in the carrier member, on the carrier device 60, user can lift the carrier member 66 to release the positioning assembly and then rotate the carrier member 66 along the handle 26 to a front side of a base 74 and lower the carrier member 66 for engagement of the other pin 72 and the slot 74, as shown in FIG 7. As a result, there is a space above the base 74 and a carrier base 76 that increases the storage capacity of the carrier device 60 and still can move freely.

FIG 8 and FIG 9 show a carrier device 80 of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The carrier device 80 has a carrier member 82, which consists of a left case 83 and a right case 84 connected to each other at tops thereof. A moving apparatus 85 connects the left and right cases 83 and 84 at bottom thereof. The moving apparatus 85 is operated to separate the left and right cases 83 and 84, such that there is a space left above a base 86 and a carrier base 87 to increase the storage capacity.

As shown in FIG 10 and FIG 11, a carrier device 90 of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a carrier member 92 which consists of a top case 93 and a bottom case 94. A moving apparatus 95 rotates the top and bottom cases 93 and 94 clockwise and counterclockwise respectively to an outer side of a base 96, such that there is a space left above the base 96 and a carrier base 97.

In addition, the carrier device of the present invention can make a smooth movement and turn that keeps goods flowerpot, pot plant) stably rested on the carrier device. The carrier device can be provided with a device, such as a pole, a block or a wheel) on the front of the base or on the rear of the carrier base to prevent the carrier device from tipping over. While the carrier device tips, the device touch the ground first to stop the carrier device tipping and to prevent the goods rested on the carrier device from falling.

The carrier device may be provided with a motor (not shown) to drive it running. The motorized carrier device is more convenient in transportation.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.

Claims (4)

1. A carrier device, comprising: a movable base having a base, a first wheel set provided on a side of the base, a carrier base connected to the base at a predetermined position and a second wheel set provided on a side of the base; a carrier member provided on a top of the movable base to carry goods; a balance apparatus connecting the base and the carrier base to provide the carrier base a smooth running condition with both of the first wheel set and the second wheel set touching ground, and a turn apparatus provided on a bottom of the base and connected to the first wheel set, such that while the movable base is tipping, the turn apparatus moves the first wheel set to a tipping orientation of the movable base.

2. The carrier device as defined in claim 1, wherein the base is provided with a handle.

3. The carrier device as defined in claim 1, wherein the balance apparatus has a first connection assembly provided on a rear end of the base, a second connection assembly provided on the carrier associated with the base and a shaft pivotally connecting the first connection assembly and the second connection assembly.

4. The carrier device as defined in claim 1, wherein the turn apparatus has two swinging devices with ends thereof pivoted on the base, on distal ends of which two wheels of the first wheels set are provided, and a movable pole pivoted on the swinging devices respectively. The carrier device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a moving apparatus provided on the base and connected to the carrier member to fix the carrier member above the base or to move the carrier member away from the base to form a space above the base. Dated this 15 th day of September 2005 YI-CHUAN HSU HODGKINSON McINNES PAPPAS Patent Attorneys for the Applicant