Claims
- 1. A collapsible support for a device, the support being structured to retain the device in a given position with respect to a surface, the support comprising:
a first member; a second member; a third member; the second member being pivotably connected with the first and third members; a lock extending between the second member and one of the first and third members; the second member and the one of the first and third members being pivotable with respect to one another about a pivot axis; the support being movable between an extended position and a retracted position; the lock releasably retaining the support in at least one of the extended position and the retracted position; the lock including a dog and at least a first receptacle; the dog being receivable in the at least first receptacle to releasably retain the support in the at least one of the extended and retracted positions; at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle being deflectable in a direction generally parallel with the pivot axis; the second member being engageable with the surface to retain the device in the given position with respect to the surface when the support is in the extended position; and the first and third members each being structured to be mounted on the device.
- 2. The support as set forth in claim 1, in which
the dog is disposed on one of the second member and the one of the first and third members; the at least first receptacle being disposed on the other of the second member and the one of the first and third members.
- 3. The support as set forth in claim 2, in which the lock includes a second receptacle;
the dog being receivable in the second receptacle to releasably retain the support in the other of the extended and retracted positions.
- 4. The support as set forth in claim 3, in which
the second receptacle is disposed on the other of the second member and the one of the first and third members.
- 5. The support as set forth in claim 4, in which
the pivot axis is disposed generally between the at least first and second receptacles.
- 6. The support as set forth in claim 2, in which
the dog is a dimple protruding outwardly from the one of the second member and the one of the first and third members.
- 7. The support as set forth in claim 6, in which
the dog protrudes outwardly from the one of the second member and the one of the first and third members in a direction generally parallel with the pivot axis.
- 8. The support as set forth in claim 7, in which
one of the second member and the one of the first and third members includes a buttress; the buttress being engaged with the other of the second member and the one of the first and third members when the support is in the one of the extended and retracted positions; the buttress resisting relative motion between the second member and the one of the first and third members to resist unintentional disengagement of the dog from the at least first receptacle.
- 9. The support as set forth in claim 8, in which
the dog is disposed generally between the pivot axis and the buttress when support is in the one of the extended and retracted positions.
- 10. The support as set forth in claim 1, in which
at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle includes an engagement surface, at least a portion of the engagement surface being oriented generally oblique to the pivot axis, the other of the at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle being engageable with the at least portion of the engagement surface to remove the dog from the at least first receptacle when moving the support from the at least one of the extended and retracted positions toward the other of the at least one of the extended and retracted positions.
- 11. The support as set forth in claim 10, in which
the at least portion of the engagement surface is arcuate.
- 12. The support as set forth in claim 1, in which the dog is a generally rounded;
the dog being structured and arranged to be removable from the at least first receptacle upon moving the support toward the other of the at least one of the extended and retracted positions with sufficient force to deflect at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle away from the other of the dog and the at least first receptacle.
- 13. The support as set forth in claim 1, in which the support is a leg, and in which the device is a wheelbarrow.
- 14. A wheelbarrow that can be disposed on a surface, the wheelbarrow comprising:
a frame; at least a first wheel mounted on the frame; and a support; the support including at least a first leg mounted on the frame; the at least first leg being movable between an extended position and a retracted position; the at least first leg including a first member, a second member, and a third member; the first and third members each being pivotably mounted on the frame; the second member being pivotably connected with each of the first and third members; a lock releasably retaining the at least first leg in at least one of the extended position and the retracted position; at least one of the first member, the second member, and the third member being pivotable about a pivot axis with respect to another of the first member, the second member, the third member, and the frame; the lock including a dog and at least a first receptacle; the dog being receivable in the at least first receptacle to releasably retain the at least first leg in the at least one of the extended and retracted positions; and at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle being deflectable in a direction generally parallel with the pivot axis.
- 15. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which
the second member is engageable with the surface when the at least first leg is in the extended position.
- 16. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 15, in which
the lock extends between the second member and one of the first and third members, the dog being disposed on one of the second member and the one of the first and third members, the at least first receptacle being disposed on the other of the second member and the one of the first and third members.
- 17. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which
the first, second, and third members are oriented substantially parallel with at least a portion of the frame when the at least first leg is in the retracted position.
- 18. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which
the first, second, and third members are disposed generally flush with the frame when the at least first leg is in the retracted position.
- 19. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which the lock includes a second receptacle;
the dog being receivable in the second receptacle to releasably retain the at least first legin the other of the extended and retracted positions.
- 20. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 19, in which
the pivot axis is disposed generally between the at least first and second receptacles.
- 21. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 16, in which
the dog is a dimple protruding outwardly from the one of the second member and the one of the first and third members.
- 22. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 21, in which
the dog protrudes outwardly from the one of the second member and the one of the first and third members in a direction generally parallel with the pivot axis.
- 23. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 16, in which
one of the second member and the one of the first and third members includes a buttress; the buttress being engaged with the other of the second member and the one of the first and third members when the at least first leg is in the one of the extended and retracted positions; the buttress resisting relative motion between the second member and the one of the first and third members to resist unintentional disengagement of the dog from the at least first receptacle.
- 24. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 23, in which
the dog is disposed generally between the pivot axis and the buttress when at least first leg is in the one of the extended and retracted positions.
- 25. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 21, in which
at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle includes an engagement surface, at least a portion of the engagement surface being oriented generally oblique to the pivot axis, the other of the at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle being engageable with the at least portion of the engagement surface to remove the dog from the at least first receptacle when moving the at least first leg from the at least one of the extended and retracted positions toward the other of the at least one of the extended and retracted positions.
- 26. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 25, in which the at least portion of the engagement surface is arcuate.
- 27. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 21, in which the dog is a generally rounded;
the dog being structured and arranged to be removable from the at least first receptacle upon moving the at least first leg toward the other of the at least one of the extended and retracted positions with sufficient force to deflect at least one of the dog and the at least first receptacle away from the other of the dog and the at least first receptacle.
- 28. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which the at least first leg cooperates with the frame to function as a four-bar linkage.
- 29. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 14, in which the frame includes a pair of ears oriented generally parallel with one another; one of the first and third members being mounted on the ears;
the frame including a support block disposed between the ears, the support block being structured and arranged to resist deflection of at least one of the at least first leg and the pair of ears.
- 30. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 29, in which the support block is disposed against each of the ears.
- 31. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 29, in which the one of the first and third members including a pair of lugs; the lugs being disposed between the ears; the support block being disposed between the lugs.
- 32. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 29, in which the frame includes at least a first frame member; the ears extending from the at least first frame member; the support block including a mounting surface; the mounting surface being engageable with the at least first frame member.
- 33. The wheelbarrow as set forth in claim 32, in which
the support block includes a fastener hole formed therein, the fastener hole being structured and arranged to cooperate with a fastener extending through the at least first frame member.
- 34. A support block for use in a wheelbarrow, the support block being structured and arranged to resist deflection of a pair of structures of the wheelbarrow, the support block comprising:
a substantially rigid body having a mounting surface and a pair of support surfaces; the body including a mounting hole formed therein; the mounting hole extending between the pair of support surfaces, the mounting hole being structured to cooperate with a fastener to permit the body to be mounted to the structures; the body including a fastener hole formed therein;
the mounting hole and the fastener hole being offset from one another; the support block being structured and arranged to have one of the support surfaces being disposed adjacent one of the structures and the other of the support surfaces being disposed adjacent the other of the structures, whereby the support block being disposed between the pair of structures generally resists deflection of the structures.
- 35. The support block as set forth in claim 34, in which the support surfaces are generally parallel with one another.
- 36. The support block as set forth in claim 35, in which the fastener hole extends into the mounting surface.
- 37. The support block as set forth in claim 36, further comprising
a nut; the nut being disposed on the body; the fastener hole being formed in the nut.
- 38. The support block as set forth in claim 37, in which the mounting surface is generally planar
- 39. A kit from which a wheelbarrow can be assembled, the kit comprising: a frame subassembly;
the frame subassembly including a frame, an axle apparatus, at least a first leg, and at least a first tray brace connected together as an assembled unit, the at least first tray brace being pivotable with respect to the frame; a wheel mountable to the frame subassembly; a tray mountable to the frame subassembly; at least a first handle mountable to the frame subassembly; a support block disposed on the frame, the support block including a fastener hole formed therein; and a fastener; the fastener being fastenably cooperable with the fastener hole of the support block to mount the tray to the frame subassembly.
- 40. The kit as set forth in claim 39, in which the frame includes a pair of ears oriented generally parallel with one another; the at least first leg being mounted to the ears;
the support block disposed between the ears, the support block being structured and arranged to resist deflection of the ears.
- 41. The kit as set forth in claim 40, in which
the support block is mounted to the ears and is disposed against each of the ears.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/216,071, filed Aug. 9, 2002, entitled “COLLAPSIBLE WHEELBARROW AND ASSOCIATED METHOD”, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10216071 |
Aug 2002 |
US |
Child |
10431078 |
May 2003 |
US |