Accessories for a collapsible rolling caddy

• US 6,431,580 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Darren J. Kady
• Original Assignee: Darren J. Kady
• Inventors: Kady, Darren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEBE, GERALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/320,272
• Time in Patent Office: 1,172 Days
• Field of Search: 280/33.998, 280/639, 280/40, 280/651, 280/652, 280/659, 280/47.24, 280/47.26, 280/47.35, 280/37, 280/655, 280/655.1, 280/42, 280/47.18, 280/47.19, 280/47.27, 280/47.2, 280/47.315, 280/47.33, 280/47.131, 190/39, 190/115, 190/107, 190/109, 190/110, 190/111, 190/114, 190/102, 190/26, 190/27, 206/425, 206/372, 206/373, 206/371, 206/215, 220/6, 220/4.29, 220/769, 220/735, 220/212, 220/751, 220/528
• US Class Current: 280/655
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/12 involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable, or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/125 by means of telescoping elements

Abstract

Improvement to a prior art collapsible wheeled caddy are disclosed to enable the caddy to be used for specialized purposes. A hinged lid is attached to the edge of the front panel to close the caddy top while lying proximate the front panel when open. The front panel can be recessed to receive the lid and preferably, arcs in the lid are dimensioned to accommodate the handles. The recess can accommodate one or more storage members, including a storage panel that has been dimensioned to be affixed within the recess. Hangers are configured to interact with the sides of the caddy to accommodate hanging items such as file folders. A back panel can be used containing retaining members to removably affix items to the panel. A stacking caddy is disclosed that has a handle recess and retaining member dimensioned to receive the wheeled handles. Caddy receiving channels are placed in the bottom of the stacking caddy to receive the edges of the wheeled caddy. A spacer unit can be used to stack two wheeled, or a wheeled and stacking, caddys incorporating wheel wells, alignment prongs and locks to prevent separation and lateral movement. A cover can be provided for one or more of the caddys to protect the contents. A container case can also be affixed to the front or back panels of the caddy.

Claims

1. A collapsible wheeled caddy having a front panel, a back panel, a first pair of wheels proximate said back panel, a first pair of vertically hinged side panels, a second pair of vertically hinged side panels, a hinged bottom panel and retractable handles within said back panel, said caddy having an outer periphery, the improvement comprising:

at least one in line rotatable securing strip, each of said at least one said rotatable securing strip having a first length and a second length, said second length being rotatable at least 270 degrees from said first length, said first length being affixed to said front panel,

a lid, said lid being affixed to said second length of said rotatable securing strip,

wherein said lid lies substantially parallel and flush with said front panel in an open position and adjacent a top edge of at least one of said back panel, said first pair of side panels, and said second pair of side panels in a closed position.

2. The caddy of claim 1 wherein said at least one second length of said securing strip is affixed to a lid bar, said lid bar being dimensioned to be received and slide within channels within said lid.

3. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a recess within said front panel.

4. The caddy of claim 3 wherein said recess is configured to receive said lid within said recess, thereby enabling said lid to lie on the same plane as said front panel.

5. The caddy of claim 1 wherein said lid further comprises arcs, said arcs being positioned in an edge of said lid opposite said hinge and dimensioned to receive said handles when said lid is in said closed position.

6. The caddy of claim 3 wherein said width of said at least one in line hinged securing strip is dimensioned to space said lid from said recess thereby positioning said lid to lie adjacent said front panel.

7. The caddy of claim 3 further comprising at least one storage member, said storage member being dimensioned to be affixed within said recess.

8. The caddy of claim 3 further comprising a storage panel, said storage panel being configured to fit within said recess, said storage panel containing at least one storage member.

9. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a pair of hangers, each of said hangers having:

a back support, said back support being configured to lie adjacent said vertically hinged side panels,

a top plate, said top plate being at right angles to said back support, and

a back panel, said back panel being at right angles to said top plate, wherein said dimensioning between said back panel and said back support form a snap fit over an edge of said hinged side panel.

10. The caddy of claim 9 wherein said hangers further comprise brackets, said brackets being L-shaped and extending at a right angle from said back panel, wherein a leg of said L-shaped bracket opposing said back panel retains items within said bracket.

11. The caddy of claim 9 wherein said back panel extends to said bottom panel.

12. The caddy of claim 11 further comprising retaining means, said retaining means removably affixing items to said back panel.

13. The caddy of claim 1 wherein edges of opposing panels of said caddy are notched to receive a support rod, said support rod supporting portions of said lid not lying adjacent an edge of said caddy.

14. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising at least one section divider, each of said at least one section divider being dimensioned to fit within said caddy thereby dividing said caddy into at least one smaller section.

15. The caddy of claim 14 further comprising at least one pair of channels, each of said pair of channels directly opposing one another and dimensioned to receive a section divider.

16. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising flexible holders, said flexible holders affixing to opposing sides of said caddy'"'"'s exterior, thereby retaining items placed on said closed lid.

17. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a stacking caddy, said stacking caddy having

a front panel,

a back panel, said back panel containing a handle recess, said handle recess being dimensioned to receive said retractable handles and having a handle retaining member, said handle retaining member preventing inadvertent removal of said retractable handles from said handle recess,

a first pair of vertically hinged side panels,

a second pair of vertically hinged side panels,

a hinged bottom panel,

a lid, said lid being hingeably affixed to said front panel edge, said lid lying proximate said front panel in an open position and adjacent a top edge of at least one of said back panel, said first pair of side panels, and said second pair of side panels in a closed position.

18. The caddy of claim 17 wherein said stacking caddy further comprises caddy receiving channels, said receiving channels being dimensioned to receive the edges of said wheeled caddy and preventing lateral movement between said stacking caddy and said wheeled caddy.

19. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a spacer unit, said spacer unit having:

a top receiving area, said top receiving area having wheel wells, alignment prongs and locking members, and

a bottom receiving area, said bottom receiving area having a caddy receiving channel dimensioned to receive the top edges of a caddy, handle receiving area and locking members,

wherein said bottom receiving area of said spacer unit is placed on a first caddy and locked to said caddy and a second wheeled caddy is placed in said top receiving area and locked to said spacer unit, said wheel wells receiving wheels from said wheeled caddy and said alignment prongs interacting with said top caddy to prevent lateral movement.

20. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising an equipment receiving area, said equipment receiving area being configured to receive and retain equipment and to enable said equipment to be used while in said receiving area.

21. The caddy of claim 1 wherein in said lid further comprises at least one storage member.

22. The caddy of claim 1 wherein at least one of said front panel and said back panel contain at least one storage area.

23. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a pair of front wheels.

24. The caddy of claim 22 further comprising handle angle means, said angle means enabling said handle to lift to a predetermined position and angle upon reaching said predetermined position, thereby enabling said caddy to be pushed.

25. The caddy of claim 24 further comprising a hinged handle panel, said hinged handle panel being hinged along said back panel proximate said first pair of wheels and having retaining means, said retaining means preventing said hinged handle panel from extending beyond a predetermined distance, said hinged panel having telescoping means to maintain said handle.

26. The caddy of claim 1 wherein at least one of said front panel and said back panel further comprise a pair of opposing L-shaped lips, said L-shaped lips creating a channel to receive a slide panel.

27. The caddy of claim 26 wherein said slide panel is integral with a storage member, said storage member being mounted onto said caddy by sliding said slide panel into said channel.

28. The caddy of claim 9 wherein said bottom panel has at least one recessed area, said recessed area being dimensioned to receive and retain said hangers.

29. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a flexible cover, said flexible cover having:

a body, said body having a perimeter slightly greater than said caddy,

a first height, said first height being equal to the height of said caddy,

a flexible lid, said flexible lid being slit to form an open handle receiving area, said flexible lid being removable from at least a portion of said body, and an open end, said open end being opposite said lid.

30. The caddy of claim 29 wherein said cover further comprises a second height, said second height being flaps approximately equal to the height of said caddy.

31. The caddy of claim 30 wherein said cover further comprises attachment means, said attachment means individually securing each of said flaps to said body of said cover.

32. The caddy of claim 29 wherein said flexible cover further comprises a second height, said second height being equal to said caddy and having a periphery equal to said cover, at least one opposing open end of said second height having securing means, said securing means interacting with securing means on said first height open end.

33. The caddy of claim 1 further comprising a container case, said case being affixed to said caddy and having a hinged lid, said case containing multiple self-leveling containers, each of said containers being affixed to a rotatable brace, said rotatable brace folding to bring said containers within said case when said lid is closed and opening to extend said containers in an accessible manner when said lid is open.

34. The caddy of claim 33 wherein said rotatable brace has at least four bars, said bars being rotatably affixed to adjacent bars to form a bendable line, an unaffixed end of a first bar being affixed to said case'"'"'s back and a fourth bar being affixed to said lid.

35. A collapsible wheeled caddy having a front panel, a back panel, a first pair of vertically hinged side panels, a second pair of vertically hinged side panels, a hinged bottom panel and retractable handles within said back panel, the improvement being:

at least one hinge, said at least one hinge each of said at least one hinge having a first securing strip, a second securing strip and rotatable hinge means connecting said first and second securing strips, said first securing strip being affixed to said front panel edge;

a lid, said lid being affixed to said second securing strip and having arcs, said arcs being positioned in an edge of said lid opposite said hinge and dimensioned to receive said handles when said lid is in said closed position,

a recess, said recess being in said front panel and being dimensioned to accommodate said lid,

a removable storage panel, said storage panel being configured to fit within said recess, said removable storage panel containing at least one storage member,

a pair of removable hangers, each of said hangers having a back support configured to lie adjacent said vertically hinged side panels, a top plate at right angles to said back plate, a back panel at right angles to said top plate, and L-shaped brackets extending at a right angle from said back panel, wherein a leg of said L opposing said back panel retains items within said bracket, dimensioning between said back panel and said back support forming a snap fit over said hinged side panel edge,

wherein said lid lies proximate said front panel in an open position and adjacent a top edge of at least one of said back panel, said first pair of side panels, and said second pair of side panels in a closed position.