GB2040236A

GB2040236A - Foldable wheeled transport device

Info

Publication number: GB2040236A
Application number: GB7901590A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-01-16
Filing date: 1979-01-16
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: GB2040236B

Abstract

The device, which may be used for carrying luggage, comprises a telescopic handle (1) to which a carrier member (2) is pivoted by means of an axle (3) carrying a pair of rollers or wheels (3a) the carrier member comprising a plurality of parallel flat members (4) connected together at one end by a crossbar (13) and through which the axle (3) passes at the other end. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A folding wheeled transport device The invention reiates to a folding wheeled transport device, more particularly a luggage trolley, comprising a telescopic handle, a pair of rollers or wheels on an axle and a grid-shaped carrier member which folds towards the spar or spars of the telescopic handle and has supports at the front end for the purpose of supporting the carrier member when the device is stationary.

Wheeled transport devices of this general type of construction are widely known and are generally provided with a carrier member formed from several bracket-shaped members (French Patent Specification No.2215051) orformed from one bracketshaped part (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2112 205). In each case a portable support is provided at the free front end of these bracket-shaped carrier members which should give the wheeled transport device safe stability even when it is under load. This parking support is normally formed by a further pivotable bracket member.These known bracketshaped carrier members are not normally, particularly in conjunction with the parking supports assigned to them and which are pivotable and bracket-shaped, in a position to withstand relatively large loads, so that it is not possible, for example, to drop a fairly heavy suitcase or a similar object on to the carrier member of the parked wheeled transport device, not even from a small height, without permanently deforming the support member. This fact cannot be changed by French Patent Specification No. 2215051 in which the carrier member is formed from profiled material of approximately C-shaped cross-sectional profile.The outer brackets of the carrier member are still deformed permanently, when the load is applied in canted manner to the carrier member, unless the bracket members of the carrier member are over-dimensioned so that the wheeled transport device has an unreasonably large weight. Afurther disadvantage of the known wheeled transport device consists in its complicated construction, whereby, according to German Offend legungsschriftt No. 21 12 205 a special abutment memberforthe load is provided aligned in parallel to the telescopic handle and the actual carrier member can be pivoted on the abutment member.

By using a special abutment member on the other hand a comparatively high expenditure on manufacture results, which is unacceptable for this type of wheeled transport device which is generally designed to be carried in or on the hand luggage when not in use. The same disadvantages are involved in the embodiment of the carrier member in the wheeled transport device known from French Patent Specification No. 22 15 051, since the use of several partially interengaging bracket-shaped members of the carrier member causes a substantial increase in the weight of the wheeled transport device. Moreover, the attachment of rollers in the known wheeled transport devices demands comparatively high manufacturing and operation costs for production of the wheeled transport device.

Based on this state of the art the object underlying the invention is to create a wheeled transport device of the type of construction stated at the outset, which can be made particularly by means of a simply manufactured, weight saving carrier member which can withstand any load which may be envisaged, and which is connected to the handle spars of the wheeled transport device in a particularly simple manner so that with the smallest possible weight and the simplest handling of the wheeled transport device a supporting capacity which satisfies all of the requirements can be ensured.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of wheeled transport device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a wheeled transport device with an alternative form of handle; Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view of a handle for a wheeled transport device having a single handle spar, and; Figure is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 4.

The main parts of the foldable wheeled transport device comprises a telescopically retractable handle assembly 1 and a carrier member 2 which are pivotally articulated on a roller or wheel axle 3.

The carrier member 2 comprises a plurality of members 4 of flat material, which are aligned in parallel and arranged on edge, having a generally L-shaped outline in horizontal projection. The shorter limbs 5 in their entirety form the parking support for the carrier member 2, while the longer limbs 6 of the flat members 4 have a downwardly and rearwardly inclined path, at least on their narrow sides 7 forming the upper side of the carrier member and over the total useful length of the carrier member 2.

The inclination of this inclined path is dimensioned so that a notional extension of the upper side 7 of the carrier member intersects the roller or wheel axle. In order to enable the pivotable mounting of the flat members 4 on the roller wheel axle 3 these parts 4 are centrally apertured and are disc-shaped at the top at their rear end 8. Stops 9 are arranged on the members 4 at the transitional region between the disc-shaped formation and the upper edge 7.

Against these stops 9, side flanges 10 of a bearing block or blocks 11 of telescopically retractable handle spars of the handle assembly 1 abut when in their position of use and thus reliably support the carrier member. Moreover the stops 9 prevent the load on the carrier member 2 from slipping against rollers or wheels carried on the axle 3, 3a, which rollers or wheels are additionally provided with protective guards 12 arranged on the carrier member 2, in order to protect the load from the rollers or wheels 3a. The upper narrow edges 7 of the flat members 4 are roughened for slip resistance of the support surface of the carrier member 2. Furthermore, the rearward ends 8 of the flat members 4 of the carrier member 2 are connected together by means of a continuous bar 26.

At the front end, the flat members 4 are connected together in the region of their shorter limbs 5 by means at a cross bar 13 arranged to a large extent below the longer limbs 6 and also formed from flat material. This cross bar 13 can be provided with locking retainers 14 for the handle spar or spars of the telescopic handle 1 and catch hooks for hookable tension ropes.

The wheeled transport device can be provided with a handle assembly 1 comprising two telescopically retractable handle spars or, in another embodiment with one telescopically retractable handle spar.

In the embodiment according to Figure 1 the telescopic handle assembly comprises two handle spars each of which comprises two telescopic elements 15 and 16, the upper telescopic elements 15 sliding into the lower telescopic elements 16 which surround them. At the upper end, the telescopic elements 15 are connected together by means of a handle bar 17, fixed by means of caps 18 to the telescopic elements 15. The telescopic elements 15 of the two handle spars can be retained in their extended positions with respect to the lower telescopic elements 16 by means of a clamping device. The clamping device has a two-armed actuating lever 19 which is pivotally mounted in a casings 20. Its inner lever arm is eccentric and acts via a thrust pin on a clamping jaw, which fixes the telescopic elements in any desired extended position.The casing 20 of the clamping device encircles the upper end of the lower telescopic element 16 and serves at the same time as a stop for the limit pins arranged on the lower end of the upper telescopic element 15. The actuating levers 19 of the clamping device of both handle spars are coupled together via a rigid handle rod 21 fixed to the outer lever arms such that both clamping devices can be engaged or disengaged uniformly and at the same time. The mutual spacing of the two lower telescopic elements 16, which is necessary in the region of the clamping devices is achieved by a crosspiece 22, which is fixed to the casing 20 of the two clamping devices.

At their lower end, the telescopic elements 16 are each accommodated in a bearing block 11 and are regidly connected thereto. Each of the bearing blocks 11 has a rearwardly directed arm 28, through which the roller or wheel axle 3 passes and by means of which the carrier member2 is pivotally mounted relative to the handle. At the rear end of the arm 23, a spring loaded locking means in the form of a spring loaded pin 24, which engages in a recess 25 of the strip 26 and maintains the mutual angular position between the telescopic handle 1 and the carrier member 2 independently of its load, is provided for locking the unloaded carrier member 2 in its position of use.

For the type of embodiment described, using a two-spar telescopic handle, two bearing blocks 11 are each arranged on the roller or wheel axle 3 between the two outer flat members 4, or wheel axle 3.

In another type of embodiment of a wheeled transport device in accordance with the invention, only a single spar telescopic handle is used, its bearing blocks 11 being located between the two middle flat members 4. This arrangement is shown in plan view in Figure 2 of the drawings. This type of single spar telescopic handle is shown in the sectional views of Figure 4 and Figure 5. The handle comprises three telescopic parts 41,42 and 43, whereby the handle element 34 is fixed at the upper end of the innermost and uppermost telescopic element 41 and the bearing blocks 36 is attached at the lower end of the lowermost telescopic part 43.

The handle element 34 has an annular groove 37 running around the outer periphery of the uppermost telescopic part 41 and coaxial thereto. The groove accommodates the uppermost ends of the successive telescopic parts 42 and 43 when the telescopic spar is fully retracted. The width of the annular groove 37 thus corresponds at least to the sum of the material thicknesses of the telescopic parts 42 and 43. The depth of the annular groove 37 corresponds to the overall height of two end parts 45 and 55 inserted into the inner telescopic parts 41 and 42.

In the embodiment shown the telescopic parts 41, 42 and 43 of the handle spar have a square cross-section. Obviously the telescopic parts of the handle spar could also have any other suitable cross-section such as circular or polygonal. At the lower end of the telescopic part 41, an end part 45 is fixed crosswise to its longitudinal axis and has a recess 46 with a square profile in cross-section. A setting element 47 is arranged in this recess 46 so as to be axially displaceably and is provided with an actuating button 47a. The setting element 47 can be dispiaced against the force of a spring 48 such that the actuating button 47a moves out of engagement with a recess assigned to it in the telescopic part 42.

The compression spring 48 engages a bore 58 of the setting element 47. On the lower surface of the end part 45 are arranged two wedge-shaped projections 49.

An end part 55, which is similar to the end part 45, is provided at the lower end of the telescopic part 42.

As distinct from the end part 45 the recess 56 of the end part 55 must be square, rectangular or polygonal so that the setting elements 57, which has a corresponding cross-section cannot be twisted about its axis. The setting element 57 is provided at its end with a head 57a and is spring loaded from the opposite side by a compression spring 48. The compression spring 48 engages in an axial bore 58 of the setting element 57. An inclined roof-shaped shoulder 59 is provided on the side surfaces of the setting element 57, which shoulder is brought into engagement with the wedge-shaped projections 49 as soon as the handle spar is pushed in or retracted.

The mode of operation of the handle spar in accordance with this embodiment is thus as follows: In the extended condition, the actuating buttons 47a and 57a move out, under the influence of the compression springs 48, through the recesses located in the outer telescopic part 42 or 43 respectively and thus lock the telescopic parts 41,42 and 43 in an extended condition. If the spar is to be retracted, then the actuating button 47a is initially depressed and the telescopic part 1 is pushed downwards. Thus the wedge-shaped projections 49 come into engage ment with the shoulders 59 of the setting of element 57 and cause the setting element 57 to be drawn back against the force of the compression spring 48.

As a result the head 47a comes out of the corresponding recess in the telescopic part 43 so that the telescopic part 42 can be pushed into the telescopic part 43.

Accordingiy a further telescopic part not shown in the drawings could obviously be inserted if a further wedge-shaped projection 49 were arranged on the under side of the end part 55. The telescopic parts 41,42 and 43 of the handle spar have a square profile cross-section in the embodiment shown and are manufactured from metal or plastics.

It is particularly desirable if the parts of the handle spar are manufactured from light metal.

Claims

1. A foldable wheeled transport device comprising a handle, or carrier member pivoted to the handle and having a parking support at its end away from the handle and a pair of rollers or wheels mounted on an axle carried by the carrier member wherein the handle is telescopic and the carrier member comprises a plurality of parallel flat members connected together at one end by a cross bar and through which the axle passes at the other end, the axle also passing through the handle to form a pivot between the carrier member and the handle.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the carrier device has an arrangement for the attachment of a bracing wire which is connectable also to the telescopic handle.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the flat members are arranged on edge and have an L-shaped outline shape, the shorter limbs forming the parking support.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein at least the upper edge of the longer limb of the L-shaped flat members has a rearwardly and downwardly inclined path extending over the entire useful length of the carrier member and at a tangent at least in its notional extension to the roller axle.

5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the longer limbs of the flat members are disc-shaped at the upper part of their rear ends and have a central bore for pivotal mounting on the roller or wheel axle.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein in the transitional region of the upper edge of the flat members to their disc-shaped part, stops are provided for the load to be conveyed.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the stops for the load to be conveyed are block shaped, extend proud of the narrow edges of the flat members and project laterally towards the adjacent flat members.

8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the stops for the load to be conveyed also form supports for the carrier member by engagement with lateral flanges on bearing block(s) the block(s) being arranged at the lower end of a spar or spars of the handle and, lie between the flat members of the carrier member.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least quadrant shaped protective guards for the rollers or wheels are provided connected to the outsides of the two outer flat members of the carrier member.

10. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upper edges of the flat members are roughened to provide slip resistance.

11. A device according to claim 3 or any claim appendent directly or indirectly thereto wherein, the longer limbs of the flat members are rounded off at their rear ends and are connected together via a cross member which is curved in cross section.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein locking recesses are provided in the curved rear cross member for locking means arranged on a bearing block or blocks of a handle spar or spars of the telescopic handle, the locking means being spring loaded for the purpose of locking the carrier member in its position of use.

13. A device according to claim 3 or any claim appendent directly or indirectly thereto, wherein the flat members are connected at their front ends in the region of their shorter limbs by a cross bar which is arranged to a large extent below their longer limbs and is formed from flat material.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein locking retainers for handle spar or spars of the telescopic handle are provided on the cross limb connecting the front ends of the flat members.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the locking retainers comprise resilient and spreadabie retaining jaws provided with facing retaining tongues and made in one piece with the cross limb.

16. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the carrier member is manufactured in one piece from a plastics material with longitudinally directed flat members a front cross bar and a rear cross member load stops protective guards and resilient locking retainers.

17. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the handle comprises two spars, which can be extended telescopically, connected at the upper end by means of a handle bar and connected at the centre by a crossbar, the carrier member being pivotally located on the lowermost telescopic parts of the telescopic spars, the handle spar being fixable in any extended position and have a clamping device which can be centrally released.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein each clamping device includes double-armed actuating lever which is pivotally mounted in a casing fixed to the lowermost telescopic part the actuating lever of one handle spar, being coupled to the actuating lever of the clamping device of the corresponding telescopic part of the other handle spar by means of a rigid hand bracket.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the casings of the two opposite clamping devices are connected together by means of a rigid crossbar.

20. A device according to claim 17, 18 and 19, wherein stops are arranged at the lower end of the upper telescopic parts and the extension height is limited by engagement of these stops with the casing of the clamping device at the upper end of the lower telescopic part.

21. A device according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the lowermost telescopic parts of the two handle spars are accommodated at the lower end in bearing blocks the carrier member being pivotally mounted with respect thereto with the aid of a rigid roller or wheel axle and wherein the blocks are provided with flanges for supporting the carrier member in its position of use, these flanges projecting laterally and in the direction of the piane of the handle.

22. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 16,whereinthe handle comprises a single,telescopically extendable handle spar provided at the upper end with a handle element, 9 bearing block being provided at the lower end of the handle and being pivotally mounted on the roller or wheel axle between two centre flat members of the carrier member.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein the telescopic parts of the handle spar are fixable in various extended lengths with the aid of a setting element which can be displaced against a spring force crosswise to the handle spar axis and can be brought out of engagement by means of an actuating button protruding from one of several recesses in the outer telescopic part, wherein at least one wedge-shaped projection which is tapered downwardly is fixed to the lower end of the respective inner telescopic part of the handle spar and at least one wedge-shaped shoulder, of the setting element arranged in the outer telescopic part which shoulder is inclined is assigned thereto and wherein the handle element arranged on the uppermost and innermost telescopic part is provided with an annular groove running round its periphery and coaxial thereto.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein two wedge-shaped projections are provided in which can be brought into engagement with two wedgeshaped shoulders on the setting element.

25. A device according to claim 24, wherein the setting element is formed by a square or rectangular pin guided in a recess in the end part of the respective inner telescopic part which is formed accordingly.

26. A device according to claim 25, wherein the pin forming the setting element has a longitudinal bore for accommodating a spring.

27. A wheeled transport device according to claim 26, wherein the telescopic parts each have a square or polygonal profile cross section and the projections slide along the side wall of the telescopic parts in which the recesses for passage of the actuating buttons are located.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein the depth of the annular groove in the handle element equals the overall height of the end elements of all of the inner telescopic parts.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein the width of the annular groove in the handle equals at least the sum of the thickness of the material of all of the engaging telescopic parts.

30. A wheeled transport device according to claim 28, wherein the handle spar includes a total of three telescopic parts the total length of the retracted telescopic parts of the handle spar being equal to at least approximately the length of the carrier part.

31. A wheel transport device substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.