IT201900013035A1 - SHOPPING CART - Google Patents

Description

Text attached to the patent application for industrial invention entitled:

"CART"

The present invention relates to a trolley. In particular, the present invention refers to a mobile trolley on wheels. More in detail, the present invention refers to a mobile trolley on wheels at least one of which is coupled to a frame in a removable way.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

In the sector of mobile trolleys on wheels, the latter are generally of two types, both equipped with a base that carries a fork below that carries a rotating member or roller through the interposition of a pin. The trolleys can be equipped with legs or platforms designed to couple with the base of a wheel or with seats that allow the wheels to be housed through the respective base. In some cases, this crankcase carries the fork rigidly, while in others the crankcase carries the fork rotatably through the interposition of an axial bearing. These last wheels are briefly called "pivoting" and the respective support structure of the rotating member is provided with a tang for attachment to the frame which identifies a rotation axis of the fork, an axis which is normally eccentric with respect to the rotation axis of the roller. . This choice allows to minimize the torsional forces to be applied to the carriage to determine its rotation with respect to an external reference, as a consequence of the rotation of the pivoting wheels with respect to the relative tang.

In some types of fixed wheels, the fork that carries the rotating member is "faired", that is, it is shaped to partially cover it and the frame is shaped accordingly. In such cases, the frame has housings that are shaped in a manner substantially conjugated to the fork itself, taking into account the type of wheel, in such a way as to keep the wheels fixed with respect to the frame through a shape coupling and the same frame has other housings designed to keep the swiveling ones free to rotate around their tang. It is easy to understand that in trolleys equipped with fixed wheels and revolving wheels, the set of spare wheels must include both of them, as they are not shaped to be replaceable. On the other hand, normally the wheels described above are made of different materials, generally combining steel and plastic materials of various kinds, which can be disposed of only after being adequately separated. Considering to use these types of wheels in the toy sector, the heterogeneity of the materials with which the components of the same wheels are built, together with the particular geometric configuration conferred to the same components, can place these products outside valid standards in the sector of toys in terms of safety and, more generally, relating to the disposal of end-of-life products, whose economic value is still relevant in terms of recycling operations according to the canons of environmental sustainability, the circular economy and the supply chain of raw materials .

It is clear that the nature of the materials with which the components of each wheel are constructed is a sensitive matter with reference to the maintenance operations of the wheels themselves and of the platforms or trolleys equipped with such wheels. Furthermore, normally, the fixing of these wheels requires the use of accessory connecting parts made of metal material, without which the wheels cannot be coupled to the frame.

Even these connecting elements, possibly made with materials that are heterogeneous with respect to the wheels, expand the range of products that will then have to be recycled

As described above, a currently unsolved problem is to have wheels produced entirely of plastic material in full analogy with the material with which the respective rotating members and the relative coupling parts are made, as well as the platforms equipped to support the wheels and possibly the trolleys which comprise these platforms, so that each product among those mentioned individually can be disposed of without the need to separate the respective components.

Even the fact that wheels are designed to be used indifferently as fixed wheels and swivel wheels according to the fixing methods is currently unresolved.

Another currently unsolved problem is having wheels that are shaped to be indifferently installed on trolleys such as fixed wheels or swivel wheels without the need to use accessory connecting elements is currently unsolved, and represents an interesting challenge for the applicant in order to minimize the stock of spare parts.

A further problem currently unsolved is to construct a trolley which is provided with a platform on which said wheels can be installed without using accessory connecting members.

For what has been described above, it would be particularly useful to have wheels that are structurally constructed in a suitable way to be used with the function of fixed wheel and / or pivoting wheel without any need to make structural changes or the need to use connecting and fixing accessories. and that they are made using the respective components produced using chemically similar materials, as well as the materials relating to platforms equipped to couple with these wheels, and possibly the trolleys that incorporate these platforms, in order to facilitate the disposal operations of the wheels themselves and / or of trolleys that incorporate them or of respective detached parts, without the need to provide for preliminary disassembly operations and, equally, to operate consistently with the regulations on the recycling of used products.

In view of the situation described above, it would be desirable to have wheels which, in addition to limiting and possibly overcoming the typical drawbacks of the above-mentioned state of the art, define a new standard for these types of product.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a trolley. In particular, the present invention refers to a mobile trolley on wheels. More in detail, the present invention refers to a mobile trolley on wheels at least one of which is coupled to a frame in a removable way.

The above problems are solved by the present invention according to at least one of the following claims.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, a wheel is produced for a trolley where this wheel is provided with a box-like support member provided with a hub oriented according to a first central axis and arranged to support a roller through the use of an axial pin. ; said support member, said roller, said axial pin; said hub are produced in chemically similar plastic materials. In some embodiments of the present invention the said support member comprises a shell designed to house the said roller; the said hub being made of two half-hubs which laterally delimit the said shell.

According to a possible constructional variant of the present invention, the said support member has an eccentric coupling shank to the said axis and arranged to engage a seat geometrically conformed to the said shank and transversal to the said axial pin; said shank having bilateral means for axial locking of said shank.

In some cases, said bilateral means comprise an axial abutment arranged annularly around said shank, said bilateral means further comprising at least one projection carried transversely by a partition inside the shank.

In other cases, said support member is externally delimited by a hollow body which has a symmetrical conformation with respect to a plane transversal to said first axis and is developed asymmetrically with respect to said first axis.

According to a possible variant of the present invention, an axial bearing is provided which is designed to couple concentrically with the said shank and axially with the said stop.

In some cases the said axial bearing comprises a ring made of anti-friction material.

In some cases, the said ring is produced in a plastic material chemically similar to the said support member. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a platform is provided for a mobile trolley on wheels and comprising at least one housing shaped to form a hollow body of a wheel support member.

In some cases the platform includes at least one seat shaped to rotatably accommodate a wheel through the interposition of an anti-friction ring carried by a tang of said wheel.

According to other embodiments of the present invention, a mobile trolley on wheels is provided, provided with a frame comprising a platform and an upper portion stably connected to said platform; at least two wheels and a housing for each said wheel, wherein said housing is formed in said platform and shaped to form a hollow body. On the other hand, the trolley can comprise a platform and an upper portion stably connected to said platform; the trolley can comprise at least one wheel and a seat obtained in said platform and shaped to house a support member of each said wheel in a freely rotatable way.

In some cases, said platform is connected to said upper portion in a selectively dissolvable way. In other cases, said platform and said upper portion are made of plastic materials chemically similar to said wheels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further characteristics and advantages of the trolley according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, shown with reference to the attached figures which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, in which identical or corresponding parts of the device itself are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a trolley according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of Figure 1;

- figure 4 is an enlarged scale view with parts removed for clarity of a detail of figure 2; Figure 5 illustrates a detail extracted from Figure 4 on a reduced scale;

Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of Figure 5 on an enlarged scale and with parts removed for clarity;

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view on an enlarged scale of a detail extracted from Figure 3;

Figure 8 illustrates Figure 7 with parts removed for clarity;

Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of Figure 8 on an enlarged scale; And

Figure 10 is a plan view of Figure 8 on an enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In Figure 1, 100 indicates, as a whole, a transport trolley provided with a modular box-like frame 10. Said frame 10 has an upper portion 12 which is substantially concave and provided with a guide or steering member 70 similarly shaped to a handlebar. The frame 10 is delimited at the bottom by a platform 14 coupled to the upper portion 12 in a selectively dissolvable way to facilitate maintenance or replacement of component parts. For example, but not limitedly, the platform 14 can be coupled to the upper portion 12 through a mechanical snap connection or through the use of some known and not illustrated screws.

Furthermore, with reference to Figure 3, the frame 10 is provided with wheels 1 which are respectively pivoting or fixed according to how they are coupled to the platform 14 itself in such a way as to partially re-enter the platform 14 itself, as will be better described. afterwards. With particular reference to figure 3, the platform 14 has a cavity 140 which is located underneath the handlebar 70 and, both for its relative shape and for the respective arrangement, is designed to house the handlebar 70. This constructive choice makes each stackable trolley 100, to the advantage of reducing the volumes occupied in the warehouse by numerous groups of trolleys 100 or in multiple packs for shipping. The trolley 100 is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane M (the trace of which is visible only in Figure 10), without thereby limiting the scope of the present invention.

With reference to Figures 4-6, each wheel 1 is provided with a box-like support member 30 which, in turn, is externally delimited by an elongated hollow body 32 and is provided with a hub 300 made in two parts 301 'and 301 identical and symmetrical, each oriented according to a first central CA axis. This hub 300 is designed to support a roller 20 through the use of an axial pin 302, where each roller 20 includes a circle 21 which is peripherally delimited by a tread 23 (Figure 6). The hollow body 32 is delimited by two parallel sides 320, only one of which is visible in figure 6 and in figures 7-9, and the two sides 320 are connected by a flat section 321 on the side of the axis CA and by an arched section 322 on the opposite side.

With particular reference to Figure 6, the hub 300 is constructed in two half-hubs 302 'and 302' 'which laterally delimit a shell 306 designed to house the roller 20 itself through the interposition of a bearing 22 and partially cover the respective roller. 20. Each support member 30 internally has a shank 304 for concentric coupling to an axis 304A eccentric to the axis CA and coupled to the shank 304 through two ribs 307 parallel to the sides 320, which connect the shell 306 to the shank 304. In addition, the two ribs 307 are connected by a further rib 307 ', substantially arched and concentric with the tang 304. As is particularly evident from figures 7 and 8, the support member 30 is elongated transversely to the axis CA and symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane M, which is precisely transverse to the axis CA; moreover, the support member 30 is developed asymmetrically with respect to a plane M 'perpendicular to the plane M and passing through the axis CA, the trace of which is visible only in Figure 10. As described above, the structure of the entire organ support 30 is overall very rigid and has cavities delimited by particularly extended walls as shown in figures 6. Therefore, the support member 30 is structurally suitable to be produced by molding using a single plastic material, therefore to be chemically homogeneous in its constituent parts. With particular reference to Figure 6, each wheel 1 has bilateral axial locking members 310 which are associated with the shank 304 in the end position in order to connect the shank 304, and therefore the wheel 1, to the platform 14 (of the frame 10) in a respective seat 16 in a permanent and selectively dissolvable way. The seats 16 are two and are obtained in the platform 14 under the handlebar 70, therefore at the front in Figure 3. In this regard, it should be noted that, with reference to Figures 6 and 8, the bilateral members 310 include a flat axial stop 312 which it is arranged annularly around the shank 304 and delimits the hollow body 32 in figures 4, 8 and 9 at a height below a free edge 305 of the shank 304 in figures 4-6.

With particular reference to Figure 6, the bilateral members 310 comprise at least one projection 308 which is carried outwardly by, and is oriented transversely, the tang 304 below the edge 305. In particular, the projections 308 are two and substantially aligned and, as seen in Figure 6, each projection 308 is constituted by an elongated portion shaped similarly to an inverted "T" beam. Furthermore, as can be seen in Figures 7 and 8, each projection 308 is carried transversely in cantilever form by a respective partition 3040 (Figures 9 and 10) parallel to the axis 304A carried internally by the tang 304 in an eccentric position with respect to the plane M. It will be noted that the end of the projection 308 is chamfered to form an invitation to deform the respective partition 3040 transversely in order to allow the tang 304 to engage a hole 160 obtained in the platform 14 in the seat 16 and to allow the projection 308 to block it axially in a position vault arranged above the platform 14. In particular, the lower portion of the projection 308 is similarly shaped to a head 3080 of the "T" beam and has a greater longitudinal extension than the stem of the beam itself. It is well understood that the choice of conforming the projection 308 in this way and the fact that each projection 308 is carried transversely by a respective partition 3040 flanked but distinct from the partition 3040 of the other projection 308 allows to understand that the axial retraction of each projection 308 is allowed by deformation of the partition 3040 itself. This allows the shank 304 to be snapped together and separated if necessary, avoiding the use of additional coupling elements made of chemically heterogeneous material and widening the base of the projection 308 by what is needed to minimize the pressure exerted on an upper face 15 of the platform 14 around the seat 16 and, therefore, makes the axial coupling of each wheel 1 to the same platform 14 suitable for overcoming the force of gravity correlated to the mass of the wheel 1.

Figures 4 and 7 show an axial bearing 309 placed at the mouth of the seat 16 in a position below the platform 14. This bearing 309 is coupled concentrically with the tang 304 and is designed to axially couple with the stop 312 below the platform 14. in Figures 3 and 4. Said axial bearing 309 comprises a circular-shaped ring, produced in anti-friction material, and which for practical purposes is indicated with the same reference number 309. The purpose of this axial bearing 309 is to make the coupling of the relative wheel 1, and in particular of the stop 312 with the lower face of the ring 309 freely rotatable around the axis 304A of the tang 304. It is considered useful to specify that the ring 309 described above could be replaced by an axial bearing of the type rolling element, where this variant (not illustrated for economy of design) falls within the present invention as it is functionally equivalent to that described and illustrated strata. The longitudinal eccentricity E (figure 4) of the shank 304 with respect to the axis CA is aimed at minimizing the effort required to impose the rotation of the wheel 1 around the axis 304A. With particular reference to figure 4, it should be noted that the seat 16 is closed at the front and is open at the rear, in such a way as to have sufficient space to completely house the ring 309 or any axial bearing and, therefore, each wheel 1 in a rotatable way with respect to axis 304A. In addition, the platform 14 has a member for locking the rotation of the ring 309 which, for convenience and without limiting the scope of the present invention, consists of a pin 140 which couples with a through hole 3090 obtained peripherally in the ring 309.

On the other hand, with reference to figures 3 and 4, the platform 14 has at the rear at least two housings 19 which extend longitudinally, each of which is shaped to house in shape with the hollow body 32 of a wheel 1. With reference to figure 5, the housing 19 houses the hollow body 32 in a shape and, in particular for measurement, in such a way that the coupling between the wheel 1 and the platform is angularly fixed. For the sake of completeness of information, it is believed to specify that the seats 16 and the housings 19 are obtained in the platform 14 in the positions shown in Figure 1 with a line drawn - two points.

The use of the wheels 1 and of the trolley 100 is easily understood from what is described above and does not require further explanations. On the other hand, it may be useful to specify that the wheels 1 are shaped to be indifferently installed as fixed or swiveling wheels according to the operating requirements, and it is very simple to change the relative mode of operation since this essentially depends on the coupling methods. with the platform 14, therefore from the choice of installing them in substantially open seats 16 with the interposition of the ring 309 or without the ring 309 in combination with the housing 19, which is similarly shaped to the hollow body 32 of the support member 30. Clearly, using these wheels at the same time as the platform 14 allows to minimize the warehouse stocks since the same wheels become fixed or pivoting according to the type of assembly. The possibility of disassembling the wheels 1 from the platform 14 is allowed once the platform has been disassembled from the upper portion 12 of the frame 10 and acting by axial compression alternately on the projections 308.

On the other hand, the chemical affinity between the components of the wheels 1 and of the frame 10 is particularly useful in the end of life of the wheels 1 or of the frame 10 because it allows them to be disposed of in accordance with the regulations on the disposal of industrial waste without particular commitment, at most by eliminating a few connecting screws between the platform 14 and the rest of the frame 10.

Furthermore, it may be useful to specify that the components that complete the wheel 20, and in particular the two half-hubs 302 'and 302' ', the respective roller 20 and bearing 22 and the axial bearing 309 are shaped to be produced in plastic material. chemically similar to that of the support member 30. In particular, polyurethane (PU), poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene (PTFE), SEBS rubber (Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene) can be used to produce the tread 23 of the rollers 20, of the polyamide loaded with glass fibers to produce the circles 21 of the rollers 20; polyoxymethylene (POM) or PTFE to produce the bearing 22 of the roller 20; of the polyamide loaded with glass fibers to produce the half-hubs 302 'and 302' 'and of the POM or of the PTFE to produce the thrust bearing 309. It is easy to understand that the list of materials listed above has been expressed for practicality and does not exhaust the possible combinations of plastic materials that can be used to make the above-mentioned components, therefore it does not have the purpose of limiting the scope of the present invention. On the other hand, the choice of the chemical affinity of the components of the wheels 1, as well as of the platform 14 and of the relative trolley 100 simplifies the respective disposal phases when it is intended or required to carry out replacements or due to an inadequacy for its use. .

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the wheels 1, to the trolley 100, or to the respective platform 14 which incorporate them, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS 1. Wheel (1) for a trolley (100), the wheel comprising a box-like support member (30) provided with a hub (300) oriented according to a first central axis (CA) and arranged to support a roller (20) through the use of an axial pin (302); characterized in that said support member (30), said roller (20), said axial pin (302); the said hub (300) are produced in chemically similar plastic materials. 2. Wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that said support member (30) comprises a shell (306) arranged to house said roller (20); the said hub (300) being made of two half-hubs (302 ') (302' ') which laterally delimit the said shell (306). 3. Wheel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said support member (30) has a tang (304) for eccentric coupling to said axis (CA) and arranged to engage a geometrically shaped seat (160) compatible with said tang (304) and transversal to said axial pin (302); said shank (304) having bilateral means (310) for axial locking of said shank (304). 4. Wheel according to claim 3, characterized in that said bilateral means (310) comprise an axial abutment (312) arranged annularly around said tang (304); said bilateral means (310) further comprising at least one projection (308) carried transversely by a partition (3040) inside the tang (304). 5. Wheel according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support member (30) is externally delimited by a hollow body (32) which has a symmetrical conformation with respect to a plane (M) transversal to said first axis (CA ) and is developed asymmetrically with respect to said first axis (CA). 6. Wheel according to claim 4 or according to claim 5 according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises an axial bearing (309) arranged to couple concentrically with said tang (304) and axially with said abutment (312). 7. Wheel according to claim 6, characterized in that said axial bearing (309) comprises a ring (309) made of anti-friction material. 8. Wheel according to claim 7, characterized in that said ring (309) is produced in plastic material chemically similar to said support member (30). 9. Platform (14) for a trolley (100) mobile on wheels, characterized in that it comprises at least one housing (19) shaped to form a hollow body (32) of a support member (30) of a wheel ( 1) according to any one of claims 1-8. 10. Platform (14) for a trolley (100) mobile on wheels, characterized in that it comprises at least one seat shaped to rotatably house a wheel (1) according to any one of claims 1-8 through the interposition of a ring (309 ) anti-friction carried by a tang (304) of said wheel (1). 11. Trolley (100) movable on wheels and provided with a frame (10) comprising a platform (14) shaped according to any one of claims 9 and 10 and an upper portion (12) stably connected to said platform (14); characterized in that it comprises at least two wheels (1) described with reference to any one of claims 1-4; a housing (19) being formed in said platform (14) and shaped to form a hollow body (32) of each said wheel (1). 12. Mobile trolley on wheels and provided with a frame (10) comprising a platform (14) shaped according to any one of claims 9 and 10 and an upper portion (12) stably connected to said platform (14); characterized in that it comprises at least one wheel (1) described with reference to claims 5-8 and a seat (16) made in said platform (14) and shaped to house a support member (30) of each said wheel (1) freely rotatable. 13. Trolley according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said platform (14) is connected to said upper portion (12) in a selectively dissolvable way. 14. Trolley according to any one of claims 11-13, characterized in that said platform (14) and said upper portion (12) are produced in plastic materials chemically similar to wheels (1) shaped according to any one of claims 1 -8.