Load carrier with mode changer

摘要

A multi-mode load carrier is convertible to assume a storage mode, a cart mode, and a hand-truck mode. The load carrier includes a rolling base and a base pusher having a handgrip.

主权项

1. A collapsible load carrier comprising
a rolling base including a load-support frame, a left front wheel unit mounted for pivotable movement on the load-support frame about a left pivot axis between a folded storage position and an unfolded rolling position, a right front wheel unit mounted for pivotable movement on the load-support frame about a right pivot axis between a folded storage position and an unfolded rolling position, and a spring yieldably pivoting each front wheel unit about its pivot axis normally to assume the folded storage position, the folded storage position associated with a flat storage mode of the load carrier in which front wheels in the front wheel units disengage ground underlying the rolling base and a front wheel in the left front wheel unit is arranged to extend toward a front wheel in the right front wheel unit, and the unfolded rolling position associated with a front-and-rear-wheel cart mode of the load carrier in which the front wheels in the front wheel units are arranged to engage and roll on ground underlying the rolling base and rotate about a common axis of rotation, a base pusher mounted for pivotable movement relative to the load-support frame of the rolling base about a base-pusher pivot axis from a stored position arranged to lie alongside and on top of the load-support frame of the rolling base toward a 2-wheel hand-truck position to lie in generally coplanar relation to the load-support frame of the rolling base to define an included angle of about 180° therebetween, and load-carrier mode changer means for pivoting the left and right front wheel units about their pivot axes to move relative to the load-support frame of the rolling base from the folded storage position to the unfolded rolling position to cause front wheels included in the front wheel units to engage and roll on ground underlying the rolling base in response to pivoting movement of the base pusher relative to the load-support frame about the base-pusher pivot axis from the stored position on top of the load-support frame toward the 2-wheel hand-truck position to cause the rear wheel included in the base pusher to engage and roll on ground underlying the rolling base to establish a 2-wheel hand-truck mode of the load carrier.