GB2503424B

GB2503424B - Folding trolley

Info

Publication number: GB2503424B
Application number: GB1209124.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cordelia Shaw Marina
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-05-21
Filing date: 2012-05-21
Publication date: 2019-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-21
Also published as: GB201209124D0; GB2503424A

Description

Folding trolley

This invention relates to part of a frame for a trolley, made from a firm substance/material such as metal, with its’ accompanying fabric bag to fold and be easily carried like a bag.

When the body of a folding trolley is made entirely out of fabric it does not maintain its’ upright structure, but droops when many or bulky items are put into it as the trolley is pulled along, which is also quite unsightly. It sometimes droops so much when in motion that the bottom of the bag touches the floor creating holes in the fabric and shortening the lifespan of the trolley. Furthermore, another type of trolley in existence is the one which supports the entire back of the trolley bag by using a long handle which is attached to the bottom of the trolley frame and is also attached along the back of the trolley bag, but this type of trolley is unable to fold up into the size of a bag to be easily carried.

However, to overcome these problems, this present invention proposes a folding trolley with a trolley bag that can be attached to a trolley frame as stated in claim 1, with the additional advantageous features of the dependant claims 2 and 3.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows the frame of the trolley with the two pole supports,

Figure 2 shows how the trolley looks from the back when the trolley bag and trolley frame are fitted together using the two pole supports at the bottom,

Figure 3 shows the top front of the trolley with a flap which is used to protect the contents from rain and to secure the trolley in the folded/carrying position,

Figure 4 shows how the bottom of the trolley bag is secured to the trolley base,

Figure 5 shows the trolley (frame and bag) in the folded and carrying position,

Figure 6 shows one alternative, a solid plate/block of a firm substance/material, preferably metal, as a support to the lower part of the trolley bag,

Figure 7 shows the solid plate/block alternative as it would look when attached to the back of the trolley bag,

Figure 8 shows a handle but no claims being made for the handle,

Figure 9 shows handle but no claims being made for the handle.

In figure 1, the trolley frame consists of two poles (a), which are multiple supports (preferably made out of metal to match this type of trolley frame which is usually made out of metal), which are just under a third of the height of the trolley bag in length. Each pole is positioned at either end of the trolley base (d). Both poles are attached to the trolley base by one hinge (b) each. Stuck onto the top of each pole there is a circular rubber covering (c) to protect the fabric and stop the metal edges of the poles from making a hole in the fabric when the trolley is being pulled along.

The hinges (b) allow the trolley base (d) to move up and down which allows the trolley to be folded.

In figure 2, a large pocket (e) (with a zip (j) and two back press stud fittings (z) near the top) is made separately and is sewn onto the back of the bag; only sewn down the right side and down the left side leaving an opening between the bag and the pocket in the middle from top to bottom. The two poles (a) are put inside this opening at the bottom, giving support to the bottom third (approximately) of the bag (k). The bottom of the trolley bag sits on the trolley base (d).

The trolley bag (k) has two very strong handles (g) firmly attached to it at the top which are used to pull the trolley along and another strong handle (h) is attached to the large pocket and by which the entire trolley will be carried when folded. The trolley bag has a flap (i) made out of fabric and is sewn into the top back of the bag, inbetween the handle (g) at the back of the bag, with the flap falling over the front of the bag.

The trolley is folded along line (f).

In figure 3, the front of the bag has the long flap in front with two top press stud fittings (z) attached, one on either side of the flap near the bottom. These two top press stud fittings (z) will fit into the back press stud fittings on the pocket at the back of the bag when the entire trolley (trolley bag and trolley frame) is put into the folded/carrying position.

In figure 4 the bottom of the trolley bag (m) is safely secured to the trolley base (d) using tabs (1) on either side of the frame. These tabs are preferably made out of material with one side of each tab being sewn onto the bottom of the bag with the other side of each tab using a press stud mechanism. The loose/press stud end of the tab is put around the frame of the trolley base (d) and then attached to the bag by press stud. Thus attaching the bottom of the bag (m) to the trolley base (d) and the bag to the trolley frame, temporarily, allowing the bag to be removed from the frame by just unclipping the press studs and lifting it off, if so desired.

Figure 5 shows how easy it is to fold the entire trolley into the carrying position. When the bag is empty, the two handles at the top are tucked into the top of the bag out of sight, the metal stand (q) is pushed back to a flat position, the trolley base, with the bottom of the trolley bag still attached by the tabs, is pushed up and back towards the support poles as far back as possible, then the bulging sides of the bag are pushed in a little to form a neat streamlined rectangular shaped bag and the bag is folded along line (f) which is next to handle (h). Then finally, the large flap (i) is threaded under then over both metal frames [the metal stand (q) and the back of the trolley base (p)] holding them both together, then is attached to the pocket (e) and (o) using the press studs. The flap is now holding the entire structure together with the aid of the tabs at the bottom of the bag, which are holding that section firmly attached to the trolley base.

Handle (h) is used to carry the entire trolley. This handle should preferably be adjustable so that the trolley can also be carried over the shoulder as well as in the hand, as long as the materials used to construct the trolley frame are light in weight so as not to cause damage to anyone’s shoulder.

Figure 6 shows the first alternative to the two support poles, that being the solid plate/block (r), which is a single support. I would prefer the solid plate/block (r) to be made out of strong but lightweight metal. It is important that it is made with smooth round edges at the top and sides to prevent holes being made in the fabric of the trolley bag when the entire trolley is being pulled along. This solid plate/block (r) is fitted to the trolley base (d) at the bottom on either side by two hinges (b), one on either side.

Figure 7 shows how to attach this solid plate/block (r) to the trolley bag at the back of the bag.

Figure 9 shows the back of the trolley when the trolley bag is attached to the trolley frame. A small zip opening pocket (o) is made separately and also fitted onto the bag by sewing down the right side and the left side leaving an opening between the pocket and the back of the bag so that the handle (s) can slide into and through this opening.

There is also a second section of material (u) which has been sewn onto the bag in the same way as the pocket (o), but lower down, leaving an opening between this section of material (u) and the back of the bag enabling the handle to slide into and through this opening.

The height of the handle would be higher, at line (y) if handle (s) was also going to be used as the carrying handle to cany the entire trolley when folded.

Claims

1. A trolley bag comprising a bag having a bottom and a frame having a trolley base, wherein the bottom of the trolley bag has at least one firm support inserted into the fabric of the trolley bag and extending about a third of the way up from the bottom of the bag, the latter height to allow the fabric bag to be folded into the canying position by folding the fabric of the trolley bag along a line next to the carrying handle around this height and wherein the bottom of the bag is attachable to the trolley base semi-permanently/allowing the bag to be removed from the frame if so desired and wherein the support comprises either two short poles, one pole positioned at one end of the trolley and at the back of the trolley/bag and attachable thereto and the other pole positioned at the other end of the trolley base at the back of the trolley/bag and attachable thereto or one solid sheet extending across a bottom third of the fabric of the trolley bag and wherein the one solid sheet is connected to the trolley base by a hinge on either side at the back of the trolley/bag.

2. A trolley bag as claimed in claim 1 is held together in the folded/carrying position by a large flap which is wrapped around the frame’s stand and trolley base and holds them/the frame, which is usually made out of metal, together and then is secured to the fabric bag.

3. A trolley bag as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 with an alternative back of the trolley bag where a small horizontal pocket opening is made separately and fitted onto the bag, by sewing, leaving an opening between the pocket and the back of the bag for a handle to slide through whilst a second section of horizontal material is sewn onto the bag in the same way as the pocket but lower down leaving an opening between this section of material and the back of the bag to enable a handle to slide through and also if the handle is at a height just under the small pocket above, it can also be used as the carrying handle when the trolley is folded.