Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02795794 2012-11-15
WHEELED CONTAINER WITH REPOSITIONABLE AXLE
BACKGROUND
Roll-out carts for waste collection or recycling are well-known. The roll-out
carts
generally include a container body having wheels attached to a lower, rear
portion of the body by
an axle. Generally, the body is tapered, such that identical bodies can be
nested within one
another for storage and shipping. To accomplish nesting, sometimes the wheels
are positioned
far enough forward of the container so that the wheeled body can still be
nested in an identical
body. However, moving the wheels forward reduces the stability of the roll-out
cart during use
by the ultimate user.
The cart is more stable if the axle of the wheels can be positioned more
toward the rear of
the cart, such that the wheels protrude rearward outside the envelope or
footprint of the body.
However, in this position, the wheeled body cannot be nested in an identical
body.
As a result, the roll-out carts may be shipped with the axles and wheels
disassembled
from the body. However, this requires subsequent assembly of the axles and
wheels, which could
be lost during transit.
SUMMARY
The present invention provides a container, such as a roll-out waste cart. The
container
includes a body having base wall and a side wall extending upward from the
base wall. The
body includes a bracket portion having an elongated slot. An axle extends
through the elongated
slot. The axle is slidable in the elongated slot between a deployed position
and a retracted
position. A wheel is connected proximate one end of the axle. A clip secures
the axle within the
elongated slot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment.
Figure 2 is a side view of the container of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is rear perspective view of the container of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side section view of the container of Figure 1 with the wheel in
the deployed
position.
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Figure 5 is a rear view of the sectioned container of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a side section view of the container of Figure 1 with the wheel in
the retracted
position.
Figure 7 is a rear view of the sectioned container of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a section view of the container of Figure 4 with an identical
container nested
therein, with the wheel in the retracted position.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the spacer lock.
Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of one half of the container.
Figures 11-14 illustrate sequential steps in moving the axle from the storage
position to
the use position.
Figure 15 is a section view through the container of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a bottom, exterior perspective view of the bracket portion of
Figure 14, with
the wheel removed
Figure 17 is a perspective view of the spacer lock with the axle received in
the axle-
retaining portion.
Figure 18 is a cutaway bottom perspective view of a container according to a
second
embodiment.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of the spacer lock of Figure 18.
Figure 20 is a side view of the body of the container of Figure 18.
Figure 21 shows the container of Figure 18 with the axle slid to the deployed
position.
Figure 22 shows the spacer lock securing the axle in the deployed position.
Figure 23 illustrates an alternate spacer lock for use on the same body as in
the previous
embodiment.
Figure 24 is a bottom perspective view of a container according to another
embodiment
with the axle in the retracted position.
Figure 25 shows the container of Figure 24 with the axle in the deployed
position.
Figure 26 shows the container of Figure 25 with the spacer lock locked to
retain the axle
in the deployed position.
Figure 27 is a bottom perspective view of one of the brackets of the container
of Figure
24.
Figure 28 is a perspective view of the spacer lock of Figure 24.
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Figure 29 is a side view of the spacer lock of Figure 28.
Figure 30 is a top view of the spacer lock of Figure 28.
Figure 31 is an end view of the spacer lock of Figure 28.
Figure 32 shows the axle in the deployed, use position in the rearward portion
of the
elongated slot of the container of Figure 24.
Figure 33 shows the container of Figure 32, with half the bracket portion
broken away.
Figure 34 shows the container of Figure 33 with half the spacer lock broken
away.
Figure 35 is a side view of the portion of the container of Figure 34.
Figure 36 is a side view of the container of Figure 24 with the wheels in the
retracted,
storage position.
Figure 37 is a side view of the container of Figure 24 with the wheels in the
deployed,
use position.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A container 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown
in Figures
1 and 2. The container 10 includes a body 12 and a lid 14. The container 10
further includes a
pair of wheels 16 at a lower end of the body 12. The body 12 includes a base
wall 18 and a
sidewall 20 extending upward from a periphery of the base wall 18. The body 12
includes a
forward portion 22 which rests on a ground or floor and one or more bracket
portion 24 to which
the wheels 16 are secured by an axle 26. The body 12 may be injection molded
as a single piece
of plastic.
Referring to Figure 3, which is a rear view of the container 10, the axle 26
is secured to a
pair of the bracket portions 24.
Figures 4 and 5 are section views through the container 10. The axle 26 and
wheel 16 are
shown in the deployed, use position in which the wheels 16 protrude rearwardly
of a rear wall of
the body 12 and the axle 26 is positioned close to a plane containing the rear
wall of the body 12.
The axle 26 is slidable between the deployed, use position of Figures 4 and 5
and the retracted,
shipping position shown in Figures 6 and 7. In Figures 6 and 7, the axle 26
and wheels 16 are
slid inward of the container 10, i.e. to a position within the footprint of
the container 10. In other
words, the wheels 16 do not protrude rearward of the rear wall of the body 12
and the axle 26 is
spaced away from the plane containing the rear wall of the body 12.
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=
In Figure 8, an upper container body 12 has its axle 26 in the retracted,
storage position,
such that the body 12, axle 26 and wheels 16 can be nested within an identical
lower body 12. In
Figure 8, the lower body 12 has its axle 26 and wheels 16 in the deployed, use
position, where it
would not be able to nest within an identical body 12. However, the upper body
12, with the axle
26 and wheels 16 in the retracted position, can be nested within the lower
body 12. This greatly
reduces the amount of space required to ship the bodies 12, or, alternatively
eliminates the need
to remove (and subsequently reassemble) the wheels 16 and axle 26 to ship the
bodies 12. As can
also be seen in Figure 8, the axle 26 is slidable in a slot 28 in each bracket
portion 24. The axle
26 is positioned within the slot 28 by a clip or spacer lock 30.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the spacer lock 30. The spacer lock 30
includes an axle-
retaining portion 32 having a cylindrical passageway therethrough. A pair of
arms 34 extend
from the axle-retaining portion 32. Locking pins 36 extend outwardly from ends
of the arms 34.
A pair of locking ribs or plates 38 connect mid-portions of the arms 34 and
define a space
therebetween. The spacer lock 30 can be molded plastic or metal.
Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of one half of the container 10. As
shown, the
base wall 18 includes an upper wall portion 19 toward the rear of the
container 10. The bracket
portions 24 extend downward from the upper wall portion 19. Each bracket
portion 24 includes a
pair of spaced apart walls 39, each having the elongated slot 28 formed
therein. Each slot 28
includes a forward portion 40 and a rearward portion 42. Reduced width
portions 44 are adjacent
the forward portion 40 and rearward portion 42. Each slot 28 includes a larger
width mid-portion
46 between the reduced width portions 44. In Figure 10, the axle 26 is shown
in the forward,
storage position, in the forward portion 40 of the slots 28. The locking pins
36 of the spacer lock
are received in the rearward portions 42 of the slots 28. The axle 26 extends
through the axle-
retaining portion 32 of the spacer lock 30.
25
Figures 11-14 illustrate how the axle 26 can be moved from the storage
position to the
use position. First, referring to Figure 11, the locking pins 36 are depressed
toward one another,
thereby flexing the arms 34 until the locking pins 36 can be removed from the
rearward portions
42 of the slots 28. The arms 34 of the spacer lock 30 can then be lifted to
the position shown in
Figure 11. As can be seen in Figure 11, an alignment rib 48 extends from the
upper wall portion
30 19 between the walls 39 of the bracket portion 24.
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As shown in Figure 12, the axle 26, as well as the axle-retaining portion 32
of the spacer
lock 30 is then slid to the mid- portion 46 of the slots 28. The arms 34 are
rotated about the axis
of the axle-retaining portion 32 and the axle 26.
As shown in Figure 13, the axle 26 is then slid to the rearward portion 42 of
the slot 28.
The arms 34 of the spacer lock 30 are pivoted downward to the position shown
in Figure 14. In
Figure 14, the locking pins 36 are received in the forward portions 40 of the
slots 28. This locks
the axle 26 in the rearward portion 42 of the slot 28, in the deployed, use
position. The alignment
rib 48 is captured between the locking plates 38, which keeps the axle 26 in
the rearward portion
42 of the slot 28. Most of the forces on the axle 26 toward the front of the
container 10 will bear
on the alignment rib 48, not the locking pins 36. The alignment rib 48 is also
captured between
the locking plates 38 when the axle is in the storage position (Figure 10).
Figure 15 is a section view through the container 10 of Figure 14. As shown,
the
alignment rib 48 is between the locking plates 38 of the spacer lock 30. A
support rib 50, also
extending from the upper wall portion 19 is aligned with the axle-retaining
portion 32 of the
spacer lock in the use position to transfer upward forces on the axle 26 to
the upper wall portion
19 of the container 10.
Figure 16 is a bottom, exterior perspective view of the bracket portion 24 of
Figure 14,
with the wheel 16 removed. Figure 17 is a perspective view of the spacer lock
30 with the axle
26 received in the axle-retaining portion 32.
Figures 18-22 show a container 110 according to a second embodiment. Referring
to
Figure 18, which is a cutaway bottom perspective view of the container 110,
the container 110
includes a body 112 and a pair of wheels 116 (one shown) at a lower end of the
body 112. The
body 112 includes a base wall 118 and a sidewall 120 extending upward from a
periphery of the
base wall 118. The body 120 includes a forward portion 122 which rests on a
ground or floor and
a bracket portion 124 to which the wheels 116 are secured by an axle 126. The
axle 126 is
secured to a pair of the bracket portions 124.
In Figure 18, the axle 126 and wheel 116 are shown in the retracted, shipping
position.
The axle 126 is slidable in a slot 128 in each bracket portion 124. In the
retracted, storage
position, the axle 126 is positioned toward the front of the slot 128, so that
the body 112, axle
126 and wheels 116 can be nested within an identical lower body 112. This
greatly reduces the
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amount of space required to ship the bodies 112, or, alternatively eliminates
the need to remove
(and subsequently reassemble) the wheels 116 and axle 126 to ship the bodies
112.
Figure 19 shows the spacer lock 130. The spacer lock 130 (or "clip") includes
a body
portion 152 having a pair of spaced apart leg walls 154 extending downward
therefrom. Each
leg wall 154 includes a pair of spaced apart feet 156 extending downward
therefrom. Snap tabs
158 extend from each leg wall 154 and snap tabs 160 extend from each foot 156.
Figure 20 is a side view of the body 112. The bracket portions 124 each
include the
elongated slot 128 and a plurality of apertures 168, 170 for receiving the
snap tabs 158, 160,
respectively, of the spacer lock 130.
After the container 110 is shipped and when the container 110 is ready to be
deployed,
the container 110 is separated from any nested containers 110. The axle 126 is
slid to a rearward
position in the slot 128 as shown in Figure 21. The spacer lock 130 is then
snap fit into the
bracket portions 124 as shown in Figure 22, forward of the axle 126, with the
plurality of
apertures 168, 170 receiving the snap tabs 158, 160, respectively. The spacer
lock 130 retains
the axle 126 in the rearward, deployed, use position as shown in Figure 22.
The container 110
would not be able to nest within an identical body 112.
Figure 23 illustrates an alternate clip or spacer lock 230 in a container 210,
for use on the
same body 112 as in the previous embodiment. The alternate spacer lock 230 has
leg walls 254
that extend on the exterior of the bracket portions 224, with interior snap-
tabs (not visible)
received in the same apertures 168, 170 (Figure 20).
Figures 24-37 show a container 310 according to another embodiment. Referring
to
Figure 24, the container 310 includes a body 312. The container 310 further
includes a pair of
wheels 16 at a lower end of the body 312. The body 312 includes a base wall
318 and a sidewall
320 extending upward from a periphery of the base wall 318. The body 312
includes a forward
portion 322 which rests on a ground or floor and a bracket portion 324 to
which the wheels 16
are secured by an axle 26. The axle 26 is secured to a pair of the bracket
portions 324. In Figure
24, the axle 26 is shown slid to the retracted, shipping position, but the
spacer locks 330 (or
clips) have been released and flipped to their unlocked position.
In Figure 25, the axle 26 has been slid rearward to the deployed, use
position. The spacer
locks 330 are still in the unlocked position.
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In Figure 26, the axle 26 is locked in the deployed, use position. The spacer
locks 330
are in the locked position in the brackets 324.
Figure 27 is a bottom perspective view of one of the brackets 324. The bracket
portion
324 extends downward from the upper wall portion 319. Each bracket portion 324
includes a pair
of spaced apart walls 339, each having an elongated slot 328 formed therein.
Each slot 328
includes a forward portion 340 and a rearward portion 342. Reduced width
portions 344 are
adjacent the forward portion 340 and rearward portion 342. Each slot 328
includes a larger width
mid-portion 346 between the reduced width portions 344.
A pair of alignment ribs 348 extend from the upper wall portion 319 between
the walls
339 of the bracket portion 324. A support rib 350 extends from the upper wall
portion 319
between the walls 339 generally aligned with the forward portion 340 and
rearward portion 342
of the slot 328. A locking rib 352 (or a pair of locking ribs 352) projects
rearward from an
angled wall portion 354 of the base 318 aligned generally with the elongated
slot 328.
Figure 28 is a perspective view of the spacer lock 330. The spacer lock 330
includes an
axle-retaining portion 332 having a cylindrical passageway theretlu-ough. A
pair of arms 334
extend from the axle-retaining portion 332. Tapered locking pins 336 extend
outwardly from
ends of the arms 334. A locking plate 338 (or rib) connects mid-portions of
the arms 334. Tabs
358 protrude inward toward one another from each of the arms 334 opposite the
locking pins
336. As shown in Figure 29, pair of longitudinal ribs 360 project outward from
the axle-
retaining portion 332. Figure 30 is a top view of the spacer lock 330. Figure
31 is an end view
of the spacer lock 330.
Figure 32 shows the axle 26 in the deployed, use position in the rearward
portion 342 of
the elongated slot 328. The spacer lock 330 is in the locked position with the
tapered locking
pins 336 snapped into the forward portions 340 of the elongated slot.
Figure 33 shows the axle area of Figure 32 with one side of the bracket 324
broken away.
The tabs 358 of the spacer lock 330 engage the locking ribs 352 on the
container body 312 to
assist in holding the spacer lock 330 in the locked position.
In Figure 34, half of the spacer lock 330 has been broken away for
illustration. The
locking plate 338 of the spacer lock 330 is received between the alignment
ribs 348 on the upper
wall portion 319 of the base 318 of the container body 312. One of the
longitudinal ribs 360
engages the rear support rib 350 (the other longitudinal rib 360 engages the
front support rib 350
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when the spacer lock 330 is in the retracted position). These engagements,
together with the tabs
358 engaging the locking ribs 352 and the tapered locking pins 336 in the slot
328, hold the
spacer lock 330 in the selected position (deployed as shown in Figure 34, or
retracted). The
broken away spacer lock 330 is also shown in Figure 35.
For shipping or storage, referring to Figure 36, the wheels 16 can be slid to
the forward,
retracted position. In this position, the container 310 can be nested inside
an identical container
310 as shown in Figure 37. When ready for use (or for sale), the wheels 16 can
be slid to and
locked in the deployed, use position, as described above.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence,
exemplary
configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred
embodiment of the
invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced
otherwise than as
specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or
scope.
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