GB2346119A - Trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley comprises a frame 102, laterally spaced apart wheels so as to allow the trolley to be moveable by a user 118, and box attachment points (see figure 4) for releasably attaching cargo holding boxes 114, 116 to the frame. The frame may be collapsible either by means of hinging or telescoping parts (see figures 3b to 3d), and may take various forms (see figures 1, 5, 8 and 18). The attachment points have upwardly extending projections (132) which may engage under lips on the upper edges of the cargo boxes. The attachment points may be located vertically one above the other, and may provide for the cargo boxes to be substantially horizontal in use. Also disclosed is a trolley having a frame, supporting wheels, and a handle laterally offset from the centre line of the trolley (see figure 3b).

Description

"Trolley" This invention relates to a trolley, and relates more particularly but not exclusively to a shopping trolley.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a trolley comprising a trolley frame, trolley-supporting trolley wheels rotatably mounted on said trolley frame, and box attachment means on said trolley frame whereby at least one cargo-holding box can be selectively attached to said attachment means for carriage by said trolley.

Said box attachment means may comprise an upwardly directed projection for hooking attachment to an overhanging lip adjacent an upper edge of a box which edge is preferably a longitudinal edge of a box which has a substantially rectangular outline in plan.

The box attachment means is preferably duplicated at vertically spaced locations on said trolley frame whereby two cargo-holding boxes can be selectively individually attached to said attachments means for carriage by said trolley.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a trolley comprising a trolley frame, trolley-supporting trolley wheels rotatably mounted on said frame, and a trolley handle secured to or forming part of said trolley frame, said trolley handle being manually engageable by a trolley user for propulsion or traction of the trolley, said trolley handle being laterally offset from the centreline of the trolley in its direction of travel.

The lateral offset of said trolley handle is preferably about half the typical shoulder width of an adult human whereby the trolley user can walk directly in front of or behind the trolley while engaging the trolley handle with one hand yet be substantially free of side forces in the respective arm.

The trolley according to the second aspect of the present invention preferably further comprises at least one box attachment means on said trolley frame whereby at least one cargo-holding box can be selectively attached to said attachment means for carriage by said trolley.

In both said first and second aspects of the invention, and where a box or boxes to be carried by the trolley are substantially rectangular in plan with a longitudinal side that is horizontally larger than a lateral side, the box or boxes is or are preferably carried on the trolley with a respective longitudinal side closely adjacent a load-bearing member of the trolley frame. The box or boxes are preferably substantially horizontal during carriage. In both said first and second aspects of the present invention, the trolley frame is preferably selectively collapsible and re-erectable, preferably by sectioning the frame and making adjacent sections mutually telescopable (for telescopic collapse) and/or mutually hinged (for folding collapse).

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of shopping trolley in use; Figs. 2A and 2B are side elevations of the first embodiment respectively in its attitude for movement, and its parked attitude; Figs. 3A-3E are successive stages in the collapse of the first embodiment for compact storage; Fig. 4 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of a preferred form of box attachment; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of shopping trolley in use; Figs. 6A-6C are side elevations of the second embodiment respectively in its attitude for movement, a first parked attitude, and a second parked attitude; Figs. 7A-7E are successive stages in the collapse of the second embodiment for compact storage; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a third embodiment of shopping trolley in use; Figs. 9A-9B are side elevations of the third embodiment respectively parked in its fully extended configuration, and parked in its collapsed configuration; Figs. 10A-10C are successive stages in the collapse of the third embodiment for compact storage; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a fourth embodiment of shopping trolley in use; Figs. 12A-12B are side elevations of successive stages in the collapse of the fourth embodiment for compact storage; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, of an alternative configuration of the handle of the fourth embodiment; Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a fifth embodiment of shopping trolley in use; Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the fifth embodiment in its parked attitude; Figs. 16A-16B. are successive stages in the collapse of the fifth embodiment for compact storage; Figs. 17A-17B are successive stages in the collapse, for compact storage, of a sixth embodiment of shopping trolley, being a modification of the fifth embodiment in respect of its collapse mechanism; Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a seventh embodiment of shopping trolley in use; and Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the seventh embodiment.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 3A, a first embodiment 100 of shopping trolley in accordance with the invention comprises a generally curviform frame 102 and a laterally spaced-apart pair of wheels 104 and 106.

The frame 102 extends upwardly and forwardly from the starboard wheel 104, and is fitted with a handle extension 108 mounting a two-section bent handle 110 at the outward end of the extension 108. The frame 102 further comprises a combined lateral member and tilt rest 112 which extends rearwardly from just above the starboard wheel 104, then laterally and forwardly again to just above the port wheel 106. The wheels 104 and 106 are independently rotatably mounted on the frame 102 for rotation about a common transverse axis.

Secure to the inside face of the frame 102 (ie. the part not visible in Fig. 1) are two vertically spaced box attachments (not shown in Figs. 1-3, but detailed in Fig. 4). A pair of open-topped cargo-carrying boxes 114 and 116 are attached to respective ones of the box attachments on the inside face of the frame 102, as shown in Figs 1 and 2. The boxes 114 and 116 are unitary plastics mouldings known under the trade name "Smart Box", and are generally rectangular in plan, with a relatively strong overhanging rim circumscribing the top of the box, the rim normally serving as an integral finger grip for manual holding of the box.

The boxes 114 and 116 each have one of their longitudinal rims hooked over a respective box attachment such that the boxes are suspended on the trolley 100 by one longitudinal edge, with both boxes being longitudinally aligned in a fore and aft direction.

Fig. 1 shows how the handle 110 presents itself to the hand of a trolley user 118 at a convenient and comfortable height (this height showing the least variation between adult individuals). Fig. 1 also shows how the user 118 can walk directly in front of the trolley 100 without the user's arm being forced to one side or the other. This functional advantage arises from the frame 102, the handle extension 108, and the handle 110 having a substantial lateral offset from the centreline of the trolley 100 in its direction of travel. While the horizontal portion of the handle 110 is comfortably usable in the circumstances illustrated in Fig. 1, the upwardly directed portion of the handle 110 is also available to be manually grasped, as may be particularly convenient when backing the trolley 100 (ie. when the user 118 has turned around from the alignment shown in Fig. l, and is pushing the trolley backwards relative to the direction of travel shown in Fig. 1) Referring now to Fig. 2A, with the trolley 100 in its normal alignment for travel (compare with Fig. l), the lower box 114 is centrally over the wheels 104 and 106, while the upper box 116 is set slightly forwards of the wheels, as may be seen from the vertical through the wheel axis (denoted by the line 120). Assuming the boxes 114 and 116 be loaded with uniformly distributed cargo whose position in the boxes is stable, the bulk of the loaded weights of the trolley 100 will be supported by the wheels 104 and 106, with a small residue of weight to be supported by manual uplift on the handle 110. Nevertheless, when the trolley 100 is tilted backwards until resting on the tilt rest 112 as shown in Fig. 2B, the trolley 100 will remain stable even when the handle 110 is fully released. This allows the trolley 100 to be reliably parked (assuming that the underlying ground does not slope excessively, and that the distribution of cargo is not excessively unbalanced).

When the trolley 100 is not in use, it can optionally be collapsed to a minimal volume for compact storage, as will now be described with reference to Figs 3A-3E.

Fig. 3A is a perspective view of the trolley 100 from the rear and to the right, with the in-use positions of the boxes 114 and 116 being depicted in chain-dash outline. The frame 102 is formed in two sections 122 and 124 which are permanently coupled by a transverse hinge 126 that is normally locked against movement by suitable means (not shown). When the trolley 100 is intended to be collapsed, the hinge 126 is unlocked, and the lower frame section 122 is folded downwards to lie across the wheels 104 and 106, as shown in Fig. 3B.

Next, the upper frame section 124 is folded back across the lower frame section 122 as shown in Fig. 3C, while the wheels 104 and 106 are folded underneath the partially collapsed trolley (analogously to the retraction of an aircraft undercarriage). Finally, the handle extension 108 and the handle 110 are folded inwards, as shown in Fig. 3D. The collapsed trolley 100 is now sufficiently compact as to be storable within one of the boxes previously carried by the trolley, as depicted in Fig. 3E. When required, the trolley 100 can be re-erected by reversing the procedures depicted in the sequence 3A-3E.

Turning now to Fig. 4, this is a perspective view, to a much enlarged scale, of one of the box attachments referred to above in connection with the trolley 100 but not previously illustrated. As shown in Fig. 4, the box attachment 130 comprises two upwardly directed projections 132 intended to hook under the rim along the longitudinal edge of its boxes (not shown in Fig. 4), the gap between the projections 132 allowing the presence of the transverse reinforcing webs (not shown) commonly present in such boxes. Somewhat below the upward projections 132 is a shallow trapeziform relief 134 intended for horizontal nesting with the castelliform relief integrally moulded into box sides as a stiffening feature. The box attachment 130 is secured to the inside face of the frame 102 by means of an array of screws 136. A further such box attachment (not shown) is also secured to the same face of the frame 102 at a different height in the frame, the two attachments serving for the support of the two boxes 114 and 116.

Turning now to Fig. 5, this shows a second embodiment 200 of shopping trolley in accordance with the present invention. In comparison to the trolley 100, the trolley 200 differs principally in that its frame 202 is not laterally offset, and in that the boxes are carried transversely on the back of the frame 202.

Weight distribution in the trolley 200 is shown in Fig. 6A (which may be compared to Fig. 2A) The shape of the lower end of the frame 202 allows the trolley 200 to be parked either in a forward-tilted attitude (Fig.

6B) or in a rear-tilted attitude (Fig. 6C). Folding collapse of the trolley 200 into compact configuration for storage is shown in its successive stages in the sequence Fig. 7A-Fig. 7E (compare with Figs 3A-3E).

Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment 300 of shopping trolley in accordance with the present invention. The trolley 300 is similar in principle to the trolley 200 described above. The parking attitude of the trolley 300 in its ready-to-use configuration is shown in Fig.

9A, and in its collapsed configuration in Fig. 9B.

Figs. 10A-10C show the sequence of folding collapse of the trolley 300 into its compact storage configuration.

A fourth trolley embodiment 400 is shown in Fig. 11, and its folding for storage is shown in Figs. l2A-12B. In the configuration shown in Fig. 11, the handle 410 of the trolley 400 extends rearwardly, but the handle 410 may optionally be redirected forwards, as shown in Fig.

13.

A fifth trolley embodiment 500 is shown in Fig. 14, its parking attitude is shown in Fig. 15, and its folding collapse for storage is shown in Figs. 16A-16B.

As an alternative to the folding collapse shown in Figs. 16A-16B, the trolley 500 may be modified for telescopic collapse, as shown in Figs. 17A-17B in respect of the sixth embodiment of shopping trolley 600.

A seventh trolley embodiment 700 is shown in Figs. 18 and 19. The trolley 700 is a four-wheel trolley (in contrast to the two-wheel trolleys of the first-sixth embodiments), and comprises two upright sideframes 702.

The trolley 700 carries two boxes 714 and 716 between the sideframes 702, one box above the other (as in all previous embodiments). Because the trolley 700 is four-wheeled, suitable provision for steering is preferably provided, eg. by castor-mounting the leading pair of wheels. While the trolley 700 can be pulled, it is preferably pushed, as shown in Fig. 18.

The sequence of movements to collapse the trolley 700 to its compact storage configuration is indicated in Fig. 19.

Other modifications and variations in the abovedescribed embodiments can be adopted without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. CLAIMS 1. A trolley comprising a trolley frame, trolleysupporting trolley wheels rotatably mounted on said trolley frame, and box attachment means on said trolley frame whereby at least one cargo-holding box can be selectively attached to said attachment means for carriage by said trolley.
2. 2. A trolley as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said box attachment means comprise an upwardly directed projection for hooking attachment to an overhanging lip adjacent an upper edge of a box which edge is preferably a longitudinal edge of a box which has a substantially rectangular outline in plan.
3. 3. A trolley as claimed in any either preceding claim wherein the box attachment means is duplicated at vertically spaced locations on said trolley frame whereby two cargo-holding boxes can be selectively individually attached to said attachments means for carriage by said trolley.
4. 4. A trolley comprising a trolley frame, trolleysupporting trolley wheels rotatably mounted on said frame, and a trolley handle secured to or forming part of said trolley frame, said trolley handle being manually engageable by a trolley user for propulsion or traction of the trolley, said trolley handle being laterally offset from the centreline of the trolley in its direction of travel.
5. 5. A trolley as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the lateral offset of said trolley handle is about half the typical shoulder width of an adult human whereby the trolley user can walk directly in front of or behind the trolley while engaging the trolley handle with one hand yet be substantially free of side forces in the respective arm.
6. 6. A trolley as claimed in any either Claim 4 or 5 wherein the trolley further comprises at least one box attachment means on said trolley frame whereby at least one cargo-holding box can be selectively attached to said attachment means for carriage by said trolley.
7. 7. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein, in use, a box or boxes to be carried by the trolley are substantially rectangular in plan with a longitudinal side that is horizontally larger than a lateral side, the box or boxes is or are preferably carried on the trolley with a respective longitudinal side closely adjacent a load-bearing member of the trolley frame.
8. 8. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the box or boxes are preferably substantially horizontal during carriage.
9. 9. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the trolley frame is selectively collapsible and re-erectable.
10. 10. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame is selectively collapsible and reerectable by sectioning the frame and making adjacent sections mutually telescopable (for telescopic collapse) and/or mutually hinged (for folding collapse).
11. 11. A trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.