Patent Application
20120299257
The present invention relates to portable luggage and more particularly to a mobile storage unit with a retractable wheel mechanism.
Backpacks are commonplace in use, for example, as a carrier to conveniently transport a student's books and belongings to school. The usual advantage is in supporting a substantial or inconvenient load on a user's torso, specifically the user's back, rather than the user's arms which would tire more quickly. It also frees up the user's arms for other use.
The use of backpacks is steadily increasing amongst grade school students since many schools are being built with out lockers in order to stop vandalism and prevent students from hiding drugs or weapons. Since there are no lockers, students are forced to carry all of their belongings in a single backpack. Couple this with the fact that textbooks are getting bigger—some tip the scales at six pounds—and in increase in after school activities and the result is an increased amount of weight that students are carrying on their backs.
This extra burden that students are faced with can result in poor posture and back pain. Studies show that the average daily load carried by students is 20.5 lbs., with the maximum load reaching as much as 50 lbs. In fact, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, some 6,000 kids age 17 and under suffered backpack-related sprains and strains costing an average of $11,000 per injury.
A mobile storage unit with a retractable wheel mechanism is disclosed. The mobile storage unit comprises a rigid frame coupled with a top seat portion, a pair of wheels and a number of supports. The wheels are coupled to a wheel mechanism that retracts the wheels into a retracted position when a downward force is applied to the rigid frame (e.g. a user sits on the top seat portion) in an upright position. As a result, at least one supplemental support that is positioned above the ground when the pair of wheels are in the extended position, touches the ground when the pair of wheels is in the retracted position thereby adding support and stability to the mobile storage unit when in the upright position.
One aspect of the present application is directed to a mobile storage unit configured to operate at an angled position and an upright position. The mobile storage unit comprises a rigid frame, a pair of wheels coupled to the rigid frame and having an extended position and a retracted position, at least one wheel mechanism for retracting the pair of wheels into the retracted position when a downward force is applied to the rigid frame in an upright position and at least one supplemental support positioned above the ground when the pair of wheels are in the extended position, wherein the supplemental support touches the ground when the pair of wheels is in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the retraction of the pair of wheels by the wheel mechanism is automatic. In some embodiments, the wheel mechanism further comprises a biasing element for biasing the pair of wheels in the extended position. In some embodiments, the biasing element comprises a spring. Alternatively, the biasing element comprises a motor, a locking mechanism or a lever. The wheel mechanism further comprises a at least one sliding slot and corresponding sliding pin positioned within the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding pin is coupled to one of the pair of wheels such that the one of the pair of wheels is only able to move with the sliding pin along the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding slot is positioned such that when the mobile storage unit is in the angled position the sliding slot is substantially perpendicular to gravity. The rigid frame is coupled to a flexible storage bag. In some embodiments, the mobile storage unit further comprises a top seat portion coupled to the rigid frame and configured to sit on while the mobile storage unit is in the upright position. In some embodiments, at least one supplemental support is adjacent to one or both of the pair of wheels.
Another aspect of the present application is directed to a method of operating a mobile storage unit configured to operate at an angled position and an upright position comprising a rigid frame, a pair of wheels coupled to the rigid frame and having an extended position and a retracted position, at least one wheel mechanism for retracting the pair of wheels into the retracted position when a downward force is applied to the rigid frame in an upright position and at least one supplemental support positioned above the ground when the pair of wheels are in the extended position, wherein the supplemental support touches the ground when the pair of wheels is in the retracted position. The method comprises positioning the mobile storage unit in the upright position such that it is supported by the pair of wheels and one or more additional supports and providing the downward force to the rigid frame such that the pair of wheels are moved to the retracted position and the supplemental support provides further support for the mobile storage unit. In some embodiments, the method further comprises a top seat portion coupled to the rigid frame and configured to sit on while the mobile storage unit is in the upright position. The downward force is at least partially caused by a user sitting on the top seat portion. In some embodiments, the method further comprises removing the downward force from the rigid frame such that the pair of wheels automatically returns to the extended position. In some embodiments, the method further comprises positioning the mobile storage unit in the angled position such that the rigid frame is supported solely by the pair of wheels. The retraction of the pair of wheels by the wheel mechanism is automatic. In some embodiments, the wheel mechanism further comprises a biasing element for biasing the pair of wheels in the extended position. In some embodiments, the biasing element comprises a spring. Alternatively, the biasing element comprises a motor, a locking mechanism or a lever. In some embodiments, the wheel mechanism further comprises a at least one sliding slot and corresponding sliding pin positioned within the sliding slot. The sliding pin is coupled to one of the pair of wheels such that the one of the pair of wheels is only able to move with the sliding pin along the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding slot is positioned such that when the mobile storage unit is in the angled position the sliding slot is substantially perpendicular to gravity. The rigid frame is coupled to a flexible storage bag. In some embodiments, the at least one supplemental support is adjacent to one or both of the pair of wheels.
In yet another aspect, the present application is directed to a mobile storage unit configured to operate at an angled position and an upright position. The mobile storage unit comprises a rigid frame coupled to one or more additional supports and one or more supplemental supports at or near a base portion of the rigid frame, wherein the additional and supplemental supports are substantially equal in length such that the mobile storage unit is substantially level when supported by the additional and supplemental supports in the upright position, a pair of wheels coupled with the rigid frame and having an extended position and a retracted position, wherein in the extended position the pair of wheels extend further from the rigid frame than the supplemental supports and at least one wheel mechanism comprising a spring, a sliding slot and a sliding pin, wherein the wheel mechanism automatically retracts the pair of wheels into the retracted position via the sliding slot and sliding pin when a downward force is applied to the rigid frame in an upright position, and further wherein the wheel mechanism automatically extends the pair of wheels into the extended position when the downward force is removed via the spring, wherein the one or more supplemental supports are positioned above the ground when the pair of wheels are in the extended position and touch the ground when the pair of wheels is in the retracted position. The at least one sliding pin is positioned within the sliding slot. The sliding pin is coupled to one of the pair of wheels such that the one of the pair of wheels is only able to move with the sliding pin along the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding slot is positioned such that when the mobile storage unit is in the angled position the sliding slot is substantially perpendicular to gravity. The rigid frame is coupled to a flexible storage bag. In some embodiments, the mobile storage unit further comprises a top seat portion coupled to the rigid frame and configured to sit on while the mobile storage unit is in the upright position. In some embodiments, the one or more supplemental supports are adjacent to one or both of the pair of wheels.
In another aspect, the present application is directed to a wheel mechanism for use with a mobile storage unit having a rigid frame and configured to operate at an angled position and an upright position. The wheel mechanism comprises a body coupled to a base portion of the rigid frame, a pair of wheels coupled to the body and having an extended position and a retracted position, at least one retraction mechanism for retracting the pair of wheels into the retracted position when a downward force is applied to the body in an upright position and at least one supplemental support positioned above the ground when the pair of wheels are in the extended position, wherein the supplemental support touches the ground when the pair of wheels is in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the retraction of the pair of wheels by the retraction mechanism is automatic. The wheel mechanism further comprises a biasing element for biasing the pair of wheels in the extended position. In some embodiments, the biasing element comprises a spring. Alternatively, the biasing element comprises a motor, a locking mechanism or a lever. The body further comprises at least one sliding slot and corresponding sliding pin positioned within the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding pin is coupled to one of the pair of wheels such that the one of the pair of wheels is only able to move with the sliding pin along the sliding slot. In some embodiments, the sliding slot is positioned such that when the wheel mechanism is in the angled position the sliding slot is substantially perpendicular to gravity. In some embodiments, the rigid frame is coupled to a flexible storage bag. The mobile storage unit further comprises a top seat portion coupled to the rigid frame and configured to sit on while the mobile storage unit is in the upright position. In some embodiments, the at least one supplemental support is adjacent to one or both of the pair of wheels.
The present invention relates to a mobile storage unit. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the embodiments and the generic principals and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
The third structural frame 222 is coupled to the left upper panel 220, the lower left panel 228 and the bottom panel 236. The fourth structural frame 234 is coupled to the seat portion 208, the right upper panel 220, the left lower panel 228, and the front panel 238 via structural brackets 205. The wheels 226, 227 are coupled to the right and left lower panels 204, 228 respectively via structural brackets 205.
The area below the seat portion 208 and above the bottom panel 238 defines a storage area 203. It is within this storage area 203 that a user can place articles such as textbooks, school materials, laptop computers, clothes, etc. It should be naturally understood that the storage area 203 should provide enough space to accommodate these materials, however the size of the storage area will depend on the dimensions and configurations of the various components (structural frames, panels, etc.) of the mobile storage unit 200. The structural frames 202, 232, 222, 234 are comprised of rigid structural tubing. The tubing could be comprised of aluminum, high strength plastic or any of a variety of structural rigid materials.
The structural brackets 205 are comprised of polished aluminum or high strength plastic, however it should be appreciated that any of a variety of materials could be utilized. The structural brackets 205 are attached to the various components of the mobile storage unit 200 via mechanical bolts or fasteners thereby providing rigidity to the mobile storage unit. It should be readily apparent though that the structural brackets could also be attached to the various components via a strong adhesive (high strength glue, epoxy, etc.) or a variety of other fastening means.
The seat portion 208 is coupled to the first and fourth structural frames 202, 234 via the structural brackets 205 and is designed to provide a “seat” for a user of the mobile storage unit 200. The seat portion 208 is designed to accommodate up to 600 lbs. and is comprised of a high strength rigid material such as a polycarbonate material, reinforced nylon, etc. Accordingly, a user sits on the seat portion 208 when the mobile storage unit is in an upright position (as shown in
In addition to providing a seat for the user, the seat portion 208 also includes an integrated handle 211 whereby the integrated handle 211 can be utilized to pick up the mobile storage unit 200 with relative ease. The integrated handle 211 comprises two apertures 210, 212 in the seat portion 208 wherein the two apertures 210, 212 have a section of rigid material disposed there between. Accordingly, the section of rigid material disposed between the two apertures 210, 212 can be grasped by a user in order to pick up the mobile storage unit 200.
The seat portion 208 also includes a curved portion 240. The curved portion 240 is designed to provide lateral resistance to the rigid material that comprises the seat portion 208, thereby preventing the seat portion 208 from bending under the weight of user in situations where the mobile storage unit 200 is being utilized as a seat for the user.
The handle assembly 214 is coupled to the seat portion 208 and is comprised of a high strength plastic material. The handle assembly 214 comprises a handle tray 218 and an extendable/retractable handle 216 coupled to the handle tray 218. The handle tray 218 is coupled to the seat portion 208 via a strong adhesive compound or other suitable means. The handle 216, when in an extended position, is designed to be grasped by the user thereby allowing the user to pull and transport the mobile storage unit 200. For a better understanding, please see
Please refer back to
Although the some embodiments of the mobile storage unit are described as incorporating the above-described handle assembly, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that a variety of handle assemblies could by employed while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The upper and lower panels 204, 206, 220, 228, along with front and back panels 224, 238 are comprised of the same material as the seat portion 208 and are designed to add rigidity to the mobile storage unit 200. The panels includes holes 230 disposed therein. These holes 230 serve two purposes. First, they are incorporated to reduce the weight of the panels and thereby reduce the overall weight of the mobile storage unit 200. Additionally, the holes 230 in the upper panels 206, 220 and lower panels 204, 228 can be used to hold key rings and the like or to incorporate bungee cord or other articles.
The mobility of the mobile storage unit 200 is provided via the wheels 226, 227. A first wheel 227 is coupled to the lower right panel 204 and the second structural frame 232 via a structural bracket 205 and a second wheel 226 is coupled to the lower left panel 228 and the third structural frame 222 via a structural bracket 205. The wheels 226, 227 are at least 100 mm in diameter and can include LED lights to increase the visibility of mobile storage unit 200 when the mobile storage unit 200 is used at night or in similar dark surroundings.
Although some embodiments of the mobile storage unit employ only two wheels, alternate embodiments are able to employ a third and fourth wheel. For a better understanding, please refer now to
The third and fourth wheels 426, 427 add convenience to the mobile storage unit 200 in that they enable the mobile storage unit to traverse curbs and stairs with less difficulty. For example, if the user is attempting to traverse a curb with the two-wheeled configuration, the second and third structural frames 222, 232 engage the curb surface first. Accordingly, in order to engage the first and second wheels 226, 227 with the curb surface, the user has to drag the mobile storage unit up the curb surface against the friction of the second and third structural frames 222, 232.
However, with the incorporation of the third and fourth wheels 426, 427, the third and fourth wheels 426, 427 will engage the curb surface first when the user attempts to traverse the curb. This allows the user to pull the mobile storage unit up the curb surface and subsequently engage the first and second wheels 226, 227 without the friction of the second and third structural frames 222, 232. This significantly decreases the burden that the user faces when traversing curbs and stairs with the mobile storage unit.
It is further contemplated that the mobile storage unit in accordance with some embodiments could be used in conjunction with case or bag comprised of a reinforced fabric material such as canvas. For a more detailed understanding, please refer now to
As can be seen in
The bag 510 includes two lockable zippers 511, 512 wherein the bag 510 can be opened and closed thereby providing access to the storage space within the mobile storage unit. The bag 510 also includes a zipper 513 for providing access to the storage space within the mobile storage unit. Also shown is a side net pocket 514 that could be utilized to store pens, pencils, calculators, etc.
Although the above-described embodiment of the mobile storage unit is described as incorporating a reinforced fabric material such as canvas, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that any of a variety of fabric materials could by employed in conjunction with the mobile storage unit while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
A further objective is to provide braking means for the mobile storage unit in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the braking means comprise respective extensions of the lower left and right panels. For a better understanding, please refer now to
As can be seen, the respective extensions 610, 620 of the lower left and right panels extend beyond the first and second respective wheels 226, 227. Accordingly, when the mobile storage unit is being tilted to an upright position, the extensions 610, 620 engage the ground surface once the mobile storage unit reaches a tilt angle of between approximately 10°-20°. Once the extensions 610, 620 engage the ground surface, they provide friction against the ground surface thereby enabling a user to bring the mobile storage unit to an upright position in a more controlled fashion. In some embodiments, rubber attachments 611, 621 are also included to decrease the wear on the respective extensions 610, 620.
Additionally, the extensions 610, 620 provide added stability when the mobile storage unit in is an upright position. For example, if the mobile storage unit is in an upright position and is being utilized as a seat, the extensions 610, 620 are in contact with the ground surface and not the respective first and second wheels 226, 227. This prevents the wheels 226, 227 from engaging with the ground surface thereby causing the mobile storage unit to slip and roll out from under the person sitting on it.
Although some embodiments of the mobile storage unit have been described as being utilized in conjunction with the above-described braking means, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that a variety of braking means could be utilized in conjunction with the mobile storage unit while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, a spring loaded braking system that is activated based on weight displacement (e.g. a person sitting on the seat) could be employed.
An additional feature that may be incorporated with the mobile storage unit are grinding rails. For a better understanding please refer to
In some embodiments as shown in
In operation, the wheel mechanism 800 allows the wheels 226, 227 to move between an extended position (
When the downward force 799 is removed from the wheel mechanism 800, the wheels 226, 227 and sliding pin 802 automatically return to the extended position due to the force of the biasing element 806. In some embodiments, the sliding slot 804 is positioned such that the slot 804 remains substantially perpendicular to gravity when the mobile storage unit 200 is in an angled position for transport. As a result, any downward or gravitational force experienced by the wheel mechanism 800 in the tilted position does not align with the sliding slot 804 and consequently, the wheels 226, 227 and corresponding sliding pin 802 will remain in the extended position. In some embodiments, the angled position of the wheel mechanism 800 and mobile storage unit 200 is between 30 and 60 degrees from the ground. Alternatively, any angle between 1 and 89 degrees from the ground is contemplated.
As shown in
The operation of the mobile storage unit 200 comprising the wheel mechanisms 800 is similar to the operation of the wheel mechanisms 800 described above with reference to
In some embodiments, the wheels 226, 227 are still in contact with the ground and provide additional support when in the retracted position. Alternatively, the wheels 226, 227 in the retracted position are sufficiently retracted such that the wheels 226, 227 do not contact the ground in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the wheel mechanism 800 automatically retracts the wheels 226, 227 into the retracted position whenever the mobile storage unit 200 is in the upright position even if no downward force 799 is applied to the frame 810. Alternatively, in some embodiments, as described above, the wheels 226, 227 need to be manually moved by a user from the extended position to the retracted position and vice versa.
The mobile storage unit 200 with one or more wheel mechanisms 800 will now be discussed in conjunction with a flow chart illustrated in
The mobile storage unit described herein has numerous advantages. The mobile storage unit incorporates a seat portion which allows a user to utilize the mobile storage unit as a seat in situations where on is needed yet not available. Additionally, the wheel mechanism of the mobile storage unit allows the unit to be significantly more stable as a seating unit than when the wheels themselves provide part of the seated support. In particular, the mobile storage unit has the advantage that the wheel mechanism automatically retracts when in an upright position in order to allow the more stable support to fully support the weight of the unit and any users sitting on the top seat portion of the unit. Further, the wheel mechanism automatically extends the wheels into a position for rolling the storage unit when a user puts the unit in the angled position. Accordingly, the mobile storage unit successfully provides the advantages of wheeled storage while simultaneously providing a safe and stable seat for use when the unit is in an upright position.
Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
