Cart with convertible cover/table

• US 6,446,981 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Original Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Inventors: Coats, Mark S., Wise, Gerald C., Gerwitz, Cristina N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FISCHMANN, BRYAN R
• Application Number:
  US09/728,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 280/827, 280/87.01, 280/87.021, 280/87.05, 280/79.7, 280/47.34, 280/47.35, 280/651, 280/30, 280/658, 280/7.1, 280/7.15, 280/7.17, 280/655, 280/655.1, 296/103, 296/177, 446/78, 446/94, 446/95, 446/96, 446/451, D21/425, D12/129, 297/118, 297/119, 297/217.1, 297/135, 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 108/50.11, 108/153.1
• US Class Current: 280/7.17
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/52 Beach or picnic trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2206/00 Adjustable or convertible hand-propelled vehicles or sledges
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/007 Coaster wagons

Abstract

A cart including a body, at least two wheels, and a frame. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. The at least two wheels are operably coupled to the body. The frame includes a generally planar and substantially rigid upper member and at least one leg support member. The leg support member is coupled to the upper member and is releasably coupled to the body. The frame is positionable in a first configuration, wherein the upper member is substantially disposed over the upper surface of the body thereby forming a cover, and a second configuration, in which the frame is decoupled from the body and placed on a generally horizontal surface thereby forming a table. The frame includes means for releasably coupling the at least one leg support member to the body without the use of tools. A table includes a generally planar and substantially rigid first member, and leg support members. The first member substantially extends between and connects the leg support members. The leg support members each include at least one extension for releasably engaging the cart.

Claims

1. A toy ride-in wagon, comprising:

a wagon body having a wagon bed providing a seating and storage area;

four wheels operably coupled to the wagon body; and

a frame including a generally planar and substantially rigid upper member and a plurality of leg support members, the support members coupled to the upper member and releasably coupled to the wagon body, the frame positionable in a first configuration, in which the upper member is substantially disposed over the wagon body thereby forming a cover over the wagon bed, and also positionable in a second configuration, in which the frame is decoupled from the wagon body and placed on a generally horizontal surface thereby forming a horizontally disposed table, whereby the wagon is adapted so that a child may ride with the frame on or off the wagon body and the frame may be used as a cover or a table.

2. The cart of claim 1 wherein the four wheels include a pair of rear wheels rotatably coupled to a rear portion of the body and a pair of front wheels pivotally and rotatably coupled to a front portion of the body, and further comprising a handle pivotally coupled to the front portion of the body.

3. The cart of claim 1 wherein the wagon bed includes a generally rectangular plate formed to four interconnected sidewalls upwardly extending from the plate, and a partition upwardly extending from the plate and interconnecting two of the sidewalls, the partition and the sidewalls defining first and second discrete storage compartments.

4. The cart of claim 3 further comprising a seat member removable coupled to the wagon bed over the first storage compartment.

6. The cart of claim 1 wherein the plurality of leg support members include first and second support members releasably coupled to the upper member, each of the support members having an opening.

7. The cart of claim 1 wherein the plurality of leg support members are releasably coupled to the base without the use of tools.

8. The cart of claim 1 wherein the plurality of leg support members include first and second support members, the first and second members releasably coupled to the upper member without the use of tools.

9. The cart of claim 1 wherein the frame is positionable in a third configuration in which the plurality of leg support members are decoupled from the upper member and the body, and the upper member is disposed directly onto the body.

5. The cart of claim 5 wherein the first storage compartment includes a cooler.

10. A cart comprising:

a body including an upper surface, wherein the body is a wagon bed having a generally rectangular plate formed to four interconnected sidewalls upwardly extending from the plate, and a partition upwardly extending from the plate and interconnecting two of the sidewalls and with the partition and the sidewalls defining first and second discrete storage compartments;

a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body;

a frame including a generally planar and substantially rigid upper member coupled to a plurality of leg support members, the frame configured for removable placement substantially over the upper surface of the body; and

means for releasably coupling the plurality of leg support members to the body without the use of tools.

11. The cart of claim 10 wherein the means for releasably coupling the plurality of leg support members to the body without the use of tools is at least one projection downwardly extending from the a plurality of leg support members and a plurality of leg support member receiving slots defined within the body.

12. The cart of claim 11 wherein each of the projections is releasably snap fit within a separate support member receiving slot.

13. The cart of claim 10 wherein the body is selected from the group consisting of a wagon bed and a toy vehicle chassis.

14. The cart of claim 10 further comprising a seat member removably coupled to the wagon bed over the first storage compartment.

15. The cart of claim 10 wherein the frame is formed as a table.

16. The cart of claim 10 wherein the support member includes first and second support members, the first and second members releasably coupled to the upper member without the use of tools.

17. A cart comprising:

a body having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the body comprises a wagon bed having a generally rectangular plate formed to four interconnected sidewalls upwardly extending from the plate, and a partition upwardly extending from the plate and interconnecting two of the sidewalls, the partition and the sidewalls defining first and second discrete storage compartments;

at least two wheels operably coupled to the body; and

a frame including a generally planar and substantially rigid upper member and at least one support member, the support member coupled to the upper member and releasably coupled to the body, the frame positionable in a first configuration, in which the upper member is substantially disposed over the upper surface of the body thereby forming a cover, and also positionable in a second configuration, in which the frame is decoupled from the body and placed on a generally horizontal surface thereby forming a horizontally disposed table.

18. A cart comprising:

a body having an upper surface and a lower surface;

at least two wheels operably coupled to the body; and

a frame including a generally planar and substantially rigid upper member and at least one support member, the support member coupled to the upper member and releasably coupled to the body, the frame positionable in a first configuration, in which the upper member is substantially disposed over the upper surface of the body thereby forming a cover, also positionable in a second configuration, in which the frame is decoupled from the body and placed on a generally horizontal surface thereby forming a horizontally disposed table, and also positionable in a third configuration in which the at least one support member is decoupled from the upper member and the body, and the upper member is disposed directly onto the body.