GB2471309A

GB2471309A - A wheel kit for transporting a package

Info

Publication number: GB2471309A
Application number: GB0910954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Graham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-06-24
Filing date: 2009-06-24
Publication date: 2010-12-29
Also published as: WO2010149971A1; GB201201121D0; GB0910954D0; GB2483618B; GB2483618A

Abstract

A kit for transporting a package, the kit comprising a wheel that can be secured to a package to enable the package to be transported, the kit being made almost entirely of cardboard. It is fully recyclable and lightweight and typically consists of a set of two wheels and a handle. By attaching the wheels and one of the two different handle designs to a cardboard package in different configurations, virtually any shape of package can be wheeled along comfortably by the user. The cardboard wheels support the majority of the weight, whilst the handle, which wraps around the body of package allows the user balance, control and a secure means of wheeling and lifting the package. The component parts of the cardboard carriage system are attached to the package using an adhesive, which is accessed by removing release papers, and the handles and wheels are assembled and fitted using a few simple folds and movements.

Description

Wheels and Kit for Moving Packages

Background of the invention

More and more people in cities are using Public Transport to deliver their own bulky consumer goods because it's cheap, quick, and means you get what you want, when you want it. It also avoids the problem of waiting at home for slow, expensive deliveries. . Many consumers do not think about the practicalities of transporting their purchases home until they are faced with the weight and bulk of them. My invention offers a practical, solution, which caters for the consumers' inherent.

behaviour, enabling them to make light work of the journey home, then recycle or reuse the invention as they see fit.

Summary of Invention

The present invention is defined in the accompanying.claims.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive, easy-to-use solution for transporting cardboard packages of up to 20 Kg from retail outlets to the users home. The invention, by nature of its design and materials is so inexpensive that it can be considered disposable by the user, and sold at a low or nominal * 25 price, by retail outlets so as to provide a.hélping hand to thosecustomers * removing their goods themselves. . Some of the features that make the invention unique are that a system of two different handle designs and, wheels, allows the user to carry almost any shape or size of box with ease, and that substantially every part is cardboard; so wheel, axle, chassis and handle can all be recycled with other used cardboard and made into new cardboard products.

It is specifically designed with maximum recyclability in mind, and does not contaminate the cardboard recyclate in any way; it can use a water-soluble adhesive, rather than the ubiquitous staples, plastic tapes and straps that adorn the majority of cardboard products, and so can be made completely pulpable during recycling. . . . * . . The invention offers superior stability compared to other personal goods * carriage systems such as steel trolleys, because the wheels can be attached to two corners of the load giving the widest possib!e track. The wheels can also be attached to the bottom edge of the package. The system of the * . * present invention is also extremely light, by nature of the economical use of the light, stiff cardboard material, which means the user is not disadvantaged if they have to lift the package, The cardboard material is also uniquely suited to the design, due to its springy cushioning qualities. 0 * * * Many metal trolleys with plastic wheels create a substantial noise when travelling over a hard surface, e.g. a pavement. Because the wheels of the present invention are made of cardboard, which absorbs vibrations, they are quiet likewise because the handles are made of cardboard, it does not vibrate either or amplify road noise.

A key feature of the invention is that the user can assemble and attach it to the package without the need for tools of any kind, and that it can provide its own temporary fixing to adhere to the package, which does not damage the package when removed.

The invention includes the use of handles that may be die cut out of a cardboard sheet, at the full width of the stock material as it comes off the machine, with minimal off-cut wastage.

The handles can be flat packed and assembled in-store by customers or store staff, before being fitted to packages by customers. The wheels will generally be assembled in a factory and fitted by customers.

The design of the handles means that the invention is largely unaffected by bad weather. The parts of the handle that, in use, are under tension simply pull themselves straight when softened by.rain. These parts (the strap parts) will generally extend over the package to keep the package and handle together. The package and the strap parts tend to keep the rest of the handle dry from falling rain, and so they retain their strength.

In one embodiment, the handle includes a C' section back or neck that lies under the package between the wheels and a hand grip and a strap part that extends from the C-section back over the top of the package. The strap part * 30 may be wider, e.g. almost twice the width, of the C' section neck, which consequently keeps the rain off the C-section neck, which is a vital structural part.

The cardboard wheels may have a solid cardboard rim which is durable and * 35 siow to absorb water due to its high density; it may also have a water-resistant * outer coating. * * * The invention may be fitted to a box by adhesive (preferably water-soluble * adhesive) that is pre-applied to the wheels and the handle (and protected by peel off release papers); the release papers are removed and the handle is first stuck to the box, then a wheel is stuck to each corner to form a * convenient cardboard trolley. * * *

Detailed Description of the Drawings * *

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a side view and a perspective view * of a wheel assembly that can be adhered to packages; and Figure 3 is an exploded view of the wheel assembly; * Figures 4 and 5 show flat blanks for two wheel assembly parts: the U' shaped bracket and the base plate that can be adhered to packages.

Figures 6 shows a blank for the C' section handle that can be adhered to packages; Figures 7 shows the C' section handle.in the first stage of assembly; Figures 8, 9 and 10, show the base of the C' section handle being folded; Figures 11 shows the handle cut-outs in the C' section handle; Figures 12 and 13 are a perspective view and a side view of a package to which wheels and a handle have been applied; the handle is made from the blank shown in Figure 6.

Figures 14 shows a blank for a further handle (the strap handle) that can be adhered to packages; Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the assembled strap handle, adhered to a package; Figures 16, 17 and 18 show three stages of fitting the strap handle to a * typical package. * . Referring now to the images, the wheel assembly FIG. 1, 2, 3 typically consists of a number of parts including a tubular cardboard axle 8, inner wheel sleeve 6, and outer tyre part 5, which are contained within a rigid cardboard bracket of U' shaped cross-section 3. Each arm of the U-shaped bracket includes a socket in the form of a hole 4 and the axle is held at its two ends in the holes 4 via an interference fit.. The bracket is attached to a cardboard base-plate 2 using an adhesive 9,. which should ideally be water-* soluble. The base plate 2 is coated on its upper face with a contact adhesive * I which enables it to stick effectively to packages, this adhesive should also be water-soluble and repulpable, which means it should not leave any gummy or sticky taint in the new recycled material when it is mashed up with it's cardboard host in the hydropulper at the recycling facility. The contact adhesive I is protected by a release paper 10 until it is to be.used. The release paper 10 is printed with fitting instructions, enabling the user to remove the paper, thus readying the wheel for use, whilst providing a convenient instruction sheet, separate from the wheel assembly. The wheel assembly FIG. 1, 2, 3 can then in turn be fixed to the base of a package.

The inner wheel sleeve 6, is held on the outer tyre part 5 via an interference fit, The tubular cardboard axle 8 has a special low friction coating 7, typically a coated, shiny paper, which enables the inner wheel sleeve to rotate freely around the axle, even when a heavy load is applied. Inner wheel sleeve 6, outer tyre part 5 and the axle 8 may be made of known wound cardboard tubing, The U' shaped cardboard bracket 3, FIG. 4 is made of a necessarily thick, sturdy cardboard, which is cut in the factory with two V' sections in order that the U' shaped bracket can easily be formed. The cardboard base-plate 2, FIG. 5 is made from a lighter grade of cardboard, which is creased 11 in the * factory, facilitating easy folding of the flaps 12, which the user wraps around the corners of the package, in order that the wheel assembly's contact * adhesive makes a good purchase on the package.

The outer tyre part 5 of the wheel assembly gives suitable clearance from the ground's surface, so that the lowest part of the U' shaped bracket 3, FIG. 4 clears any small obstacles on the ground. The entire wheel assembly FIG. 1, 2, 3, gives suitable ground clearance that the lower protruding parts of the handle clears the ground and clears kerbs when pulled up or down them.

Turning now to the images of the handles, FIG. 6 shows a flat blank in plan view of the C' section handle as it would be cut out at the factory. All the * creases shown on plan view are forward creases 13 apart from the two axial reverse creases 14 that run up the length of a neck part of the handle to make up a C' section part of the handle, see FIG. 6. The handle should ideally be shipped in this flat state shown, to allow the most economical transportation, then vended in the store either flat or assembled.

To assemble the C' section handle FIG. 6, the blank is laid flat on the ground or a table with printed instructions on the handle facing upwards; the angular cut-out end 16 [insert this number in Figure 6] is lifted up and folded forward, see FIG. 7, which causes the neck to fold back on itself about creases 14 to form a C' section 15; this assembly process is explained in further detail with reference to FIG 7 and FIGS. 8,9,10, which show the handle supported on its end for clarity and consistency with the images which show the assembled parts attached to a package FIG. 12, 13. The angular cut-out end 16 is folded back about crease 13 toward the C' section 15 further in order that the angular cut-out 16 section engages with the C' section 15, locking it in place via three male tab parts 17 on the angular cut-out part fitting into three corresponding female slots 18 at the base of the C' section neck. This operation is made possible by deep crease 13 which are applied in the factory during the die-cutting process.

From the stage shown in FIG: 8 9,10, handle.cut-outs are next folded * inwards, FIG. 11. First the smaller handle cut-out.19 [insert this number in Figure 11] is folded in, then the second, larger handle cut-out 20 [insert this.

number in Figure 11] in a strap part of the handle is folded in on top of it. This second handle cut-out 20 has a male locking tab 21 [insert this number in Figure 11] which fits through.afemale slot 22 [insert this number in Figures 6] on the first smaller handle cut out 19, locking the top end of the C' section neck in place FIG. 11, and making the structure rigid and stable. The C' section handle can then be fitted to a package.

Fitting the handle.to a package involves. . peeling the release paper at the back 23 of the assembled.C' section handle 15 (which has the C' section handle assembly instructions.

printed on it), this exposes a patch of contact adhesive 24, * tilting the package up and sliding the base of the handle (insert a number in Figure 10] (see FIG. 10) underneath a central position of the package, . then pressing the neck 25 firmly into place on the package.

A large tab 26 on the front of the C' section neck is then pulled out from its perforated moorings and attached to the top of the package.

The large tab 26 is within the area of the afore mentioned adhesive patch 24, and therefore uses this same adhesive to attached to the package. The large tab 26 is pressed firmly into place. The front strap' part 27 of the C' section handle is then employed to complete fitting.

To do this the remaining release paper 28, located on the underside of the strap' part of the C' section handle is removed. The release paper 28 is printed with fitting instructions for the C' section handle FIG. 7, enabling the user to remove the paper, to provide a separate instruction sheet. This instruction sheet can also be removed at the beginning of the fitting process, to facilitate instruction reading. A patch of contact adhesive is then exposed 29, and the end of the strap' part is folded over the top edge of the package, which is facilitated by. a series of shallow folds 30 on the underside (adhesive side) of the end of the strap' part. The end of the strap' part is then pressed firmly into place. . The next operation to. be carried out is the fitting of the wheels as described briefly in the wheel assembly paragraphs. The C' section handle, with its package inside FIG. 12, 13, can now be tipped on its front (the end of the strap' part), 27 and a wheel be applied to the two corners nearest the base of the handle. This is done by removing the release papers on the base plate 2 of the left and right sided wheel assemblies and applying them by pressing the base of the wheel assemblies FIG. 1, 2 and 3 firmly into place, pressing down the side flap, then pressing down the back flap and the wrap around * tab. . * . * The package with the handle and wheels fitted is shown in Figures 12 and 13.

Instead of the above-described handle, a strap' handle FIG. 14 may be used, which works on much the same principle as the C' section handle,. in that it wraps around a package FIG. 15 to facilitate the carriage and control of the package and is used in conjunction with at least one wheel assembly, and that it uses contact adhesive 31 to secure it in place on the package.

It is shown here as a flat blank in plan view FIG. 14, as it would be die-cut at the factory. As with the C' section handle, it should ideally be shipped in this flat state, or folded in the middle to allow the most economical transportation, then vended in the store either flat or assembled.

To assemble the strap handle, the blank FIG. 14 is folded in the middle, then the handle cut-outs are folded inwards as described in the C' section handle assembly paragraphs in connection with Figure 11. The first the smaller handle cut-out 32 is folded in, then the second, larger handle cut-out 33 in the * strap part of the handle is folded in on top of it. This second handle cut-out has a male locking tab 34 which fits through a female slot 35 on the first, smaller handle cut out, locking the middle of the strap handle in place, and making thestructure rigid and stable.

The strap handle can then be fitted to a package FIG. 1 5.Fitting involves pealing release paper 36 at the back of the assembled strap handle, which is the side opposed to that shown in FIG 14 (one of which has the strap handle * fitting instructions printed on it), and centralising the handle FIG. 16 using the numbered scale printed on the outer surface 37. The next step is to fold one of the handle's two sides around the package using the exposed patch of contact adhesive to secure it in place FIG. 17.

This process is facilitated by a series of shalloW creases 38 on the underside (adhesive side) of the middle (handle part) of the strap handle. The same folding operation is then repeated with the other side of the strap handle FIG. 18, wrapping it.fully around the package and back around on to itself. Should the strap handle sides be to long, the ends can be torn off, this is facilitated by a series of perforations 39, making tearing easier, but not so easy the strap handle tears with a load on it. The strap handle is a simple strap, which can be used in many different configurations in order to wrap around all kinds of different shaped boxes.

The next operation to be carried out is the fitting of the wheels as described above for the C' section handle. The strap handle though, by nature of the variety of its fitting positions, enables wheel assemblies FIG. 1, 2, to be fitted at the base of packages in a variety of configurations. The wheel assemblies are otherwise applied in the same fashion as in conjunction with the C' section handle, i.e. a wheel is applied to the two corners at the base of the package. This is done by removing the release papers 10 on the left and right sided wheel assemblies and applying them by pressing the base of the wheel assemblies FIG. 1, 2, 3, firmly into place, pressing down the side flap, then pressing down the back flap and wrap around tab.