WO1998028177A1

WO1998028177A1 - Flatbed cart with product support handles

Info

Publication number: WO1998028177A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/022300
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan R. Kern; Scottlan R. Henry
Original assignee: Rehrig International Inc
Current assignee: Rehrig International Inc
Priority date: 1996-12-23
Filing date: 1997-12-15
Publication date: 1998-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 1999-06-23
Also published as: AU5896298A

Abstract

A flatbed type cart (1) for carrying and supporting elongated and wide products includes product supporting handles located at opposed ends of the cart, the handles being formed as vertically extending posts (7, 8) that define at least one central channel (9) completely open in an upward direction above the bed section (2) of the cart and preferably another upwardly opening side channel (11) located above the cart bed. The product support handles are usable for manipulating the cart and are integrated into cart bed reinforcing elements.

Description

FLATBED CART WITH PRODUCT SUPPORT HANDLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is in the field of flatbed carts for carrying and supporting elongated or wide products such as lumber, plywood and similar articles.

2. Related Art

Flatbed carts with vertically extending handles and other structures useful for manipulating the carts are generally known and can be seen in exemplary U.S. Patent Nos. 5,409,245 (co-owned with this invention); 5,476,282; 4,863, 179; and 3,689,098. Such carts are versatile for carrying various products but have much to be desired with regard to carrying, storing and supporting elongated and wide products (e.g., products that are longer and/or wider than the cart bed). Carts that can be used for such purposes find great utility in do-it-yourself or self- service home improvement merchandising establishments that continue to grow in popularity and diversity.

Prior art carts utilize various handles and product support structures at the opposed end sections of the carts, but such structures are not universally usable for elongated articles such as boards or posts, angle iron stock, trim, moldings, etc., as well as wider articles such as wall board, plywood, panels, and the like, all of which are usually longer and/or wider than the cart bed. Moreover, the product support structures used in prior art carts may not permit ready manipulation of the cart when the structures are carrying long and wide products. It is also highly desirable to provide product support and manipulating handles integrated in a single sturdy design that can withstand the rigors of self-service, home improvement merchandising establishments, while still being economical to manufacture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a flatbed wheeled cart having product carrying and supporting end structures located at opposed ends of the cart bed. The end structures also function as handles for manipulating the cart, even when the end structures are carrying or supporting products extending beyond the cart ends at which the structures are located. The end structures each include at least two spaced apart vertical central post members that define open product support central channels extending upwardly from the cart bed to an area above the top ends of the central post members and without any interfering structure located between the post members or above the central post members.

The end structures also preferably include a pair of laterally spaced side post members, with a single side post spaced laterally from each one of the central post members. A generally horizontal interconnecting bar extends between a central post member and the adjacent side post member with the horizontal bar located approximately midway along the length of the central post member. The horizontal bar extending between a side post member and a central post member defines an upwardly extending open side channel for supporting elongated products above the bed of the cart, each side channel being defined by the horizontal bar and the upper end sections of the central and side post members connected to and extending above the bar.

The end structures are integrated with the cart body so as to provide a robust structure for supporting large heavy products and to enable manipulation of loaded carts. Preferably the cart bed is formed of molded synthetic resin and includes longitudinally extending metal reinforcing members beneath and on either side area of the bed of the cart that provide rigidity to the cart bed as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,409,245. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the end structures are metal and secured to the longitudinally extending reinforcing members of the cart in a manner to be described below.

The vertical post structures of each end structure preferably are connected to a single lower horizontal support bar that in turn spans and is rigidly connected to the ends of the reinforcing members so as to provide a strong structural arrangement of metal components with the molded resin cart bed.

The end structures accordingly, are seen to each comprise central vertical post members, laterally spaced side post members extending parallel to the central post members, interconnecting horizontal bar members between the side post members and the central post members, and the lower horizontal support bar, all of which are rigidly connected together for enabling manipulation of the cart and supporting elongated and wide products on the cart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a bottom view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION

As seen in the drawings, a flatbed cart 1 embodying an example of the invention includes a cart bed 2 having a wheel set 3 mounted to its underside as shown in Figure 2. The bed preferably is formed of molded synthetic resin and substantially conforms with the cart bed described in U.S. Patent No. 5,409,245, without a front bumper assembly.

The cart bed 1 includes longitudinally extending reinforcing bars 4 inserted into corresponding channels 5 molded in the underside of the cart bed. The bars 4 are retained in the channels by the bolted-on wheel set 3 or by any other appropriate fastening arrangement.

A pair of lower horizontal support bars 6 are rigidly connected to the reinforcing bars 4 at opposed ends of the cart bed 2 as shown in Figure 2 so as to extend generally horizontally and parallel with the upper surface of the cart bed. Vertically extending central parallel post members 7 and vertical, adjacent, side post members 8 are rigidly secured to the support bar 6 such as by welding or suitable fasteners.

The central pair of post members 7 form an open channel 9 above each respective end of the cart bed 2 at which the posts are located. The side post members 8 are connected by horizontal interconnecting bars 10 to the central post members . The horizontal bars 10 are located toward the mid-section of the central post member 7, which are longer than the side post members 8, although the bars can be located somewhat above or below the mid-section of the central post members 7. However, since it is desired to provide upwardly open side channels 11 above the bar members at 10 and to reinforce the central bars about mid- way along their lengths, a location for the horizontal interconnecting bars about mid-way along the heights of the central post members 7 has been found to be effective.

It will thus be seen that the cart 1 includes the bed 2 and opposed end structures at opposed ends of the bed, each end structure comprising a lower horizontal post support bar 6, central parallel vertical post members 7, side post members 8 and horizontal interconnecting bars 10 interconnecting the posts 7 and 8 generally as illustrated. The central channels 9 between central post members 7 provide unimpeded upwardly opening channels above the cart bed for receiving products that are longer than the cart bed 2 and which may be wider than the bed as well, such as wall boards and panels. The side channels 11 between central post members 7 and side post members 8 and above horizontal interconnecting bars 10 also provide support for elongated products above the cart bed 2 at a location that is readily and conveniently usable by a cart user at a self-service product merchandiser.

In addition, the side recesses 12 above the cart bed 2 and between the post members 7 and 8 below the horizontal interconnecting bars 10 also provide product supporting areas for elongated products stacked on the cart bed and inserted lengthwise through the recesses. The cart bed 2, of course, is open and unimpeded for enabling individual or stacked products to be carried on the upper side thereof. The post members 7 and 8 provide handles for manipulating the cart along their lengths, and it will be obvious that a user can grasp the post members at any location along their vertical lengths for manipulating the cart, irrespective of the amount of product located in the channels, recesses or on the cart bed.

The horizontal support bars 6 are connected to sockets 14 welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the reinforcing bars 4 beneath the cart bed 2 by means of bolts 16 or any other suitable fastening arrangement. Horizontally extending securing rods 18 extend from the lower support bars 6 for engagement with the sockets 14. This aπangement permits interchangeability between the support bars 6 and another handle arrangement, for example of the type illustrated in Patent No. 5,409,245. The rigid connection between the support bars 6 and the reinforcing bars 4 provides a nigged, integrated construction that enables the loads imposed on the vertical posts 8 to be ultimately transmitted to the metallic reinforcing bars 4 and not to the plastic of the cart bed 2.

Various modifications can be made to the exemplary preferred embodiment of the invention without substantially changing the nature of the invention, which is defined in the claims below.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A cart comprising: an essentially flat bed section having upper and lower sides and opposed end sections; a wheel set attached to the lower side of the bed section; end structures at the opposed end sections of the flat bed section, each end structure comprising: a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced parallel central post members defining an upwardly open central channel extending from above the upper side of the bed section to above the central post members; a pair of vertical side post members located at opposite lateral sides of the central post members and extending parallel to the latter; a generally horizontally and laterally extending lower post support bar rigidly connected to the lower ends of the central and side posts and to the bed section; at least one horizontal interconnecting bar extending between and rigidly connected to each central post member and an adjacent side post member at a vertical location approximately mid-length of the central post member and below the upper end of the respective side post member, to thereby define an upwardly open side channel between each side post member and a central post member above the upper side of the bed section.

2. A cart according to claim 1 , including at least one longitudinally extending reinforcing bar located on and connected to the lower side of the bed section; said lower post support bar rigidly secured to said reinforcing bar.

3. A cart according to claim 1, wherein said central post members are longer than said side post members.

4. A cart according to claim 2, wherein said bed section is formed of molded synthetic resin and wherein said at least one longitudinally extending reinforcing bar comprises two parallel such reinforcing bars, said reinforcing bars being connected to the lower side of the flatbed section and said lower post support bar is rigidly connected to both said reinforcing bars.