US 2011 00574O2A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0057402 A1 Jewell (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 10, 2011 (54) MULTI-FUNCTIONAL AND CONVERTIBLE (52) U.S. Cl. ..................................................... 280/47.18 HANDTRUCK (76) Inventor: Keith Jewell, Santo Domingo (57) ABSTRACT Pueblo, NM (US) A multi-functional and convertible hand truck has a combi (21) Appl. No.: 12/852,842 nation of release and trigger mechanism to dump the load when operated in wheelbarrow or trailer mode, a damping (22) Filed: Aug. 9, 2010 system and a four wheel brake mechanism. The damping system comprises of a bar that is pulled against the tires of the Related U.S. Application Data wheelbarrow through a spring and a mount to hold the assem bly. To best fulfill the usability requirement, wheel axle can be (60) Provisional application No. 61/240,842, filed on Sep. positioned slightly forward to the center of gravity. An auto 9, 2009. matic dumping can be achieved by moving the wheelbarrow O O box relative to the box pivot. The hand truck plate assembly Publication Classification has a pair of brackets welded onto the wheel carriage such that (51) Int. Cl. the plate and tires flush when the hand truck is upright. The B62B I/00 (2006.01) wheel carriage can be stiffened by using a cross brace. 400 Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 1 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 105 8 is was asssssww.xws y \ss R& 100 FIG. 1A M 7-104 &saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxaasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasa FIG. 1B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 2 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 201 FIG. 2A 200 FIG. 2B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 3 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 300 101 FIG. 3A FIG. 3B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 4 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 Sms -101 NY ww.Ya SaaS R 104 #Hh| |1:1||III assassessss „***********-*****************•??.…….….….. frrr; FG. 4A 400 FIG. 4B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 5 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 F.G. 5A FIG. 5B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 6 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 600 FIG. 6A FIG. 6B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 7 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 FIG. 7B Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 8 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 FIG. 8 Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 9 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 400 FIG. 9 Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 10 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 06 800 810SN /\ 802 FIG. 10B 800 FIG. 10C Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 11 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 880 FIG. 11 Patent Application Publication Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 12 of 12 US 2011/0057402 A1 101 FIG. 12 105 FIG. 13 US 2011/0057402 A1 Mar. 10, 2011 MULT-FUNCTIONAL AND CONVERTIBLE ment is disclosed. In further refinement, the truck can be HANDTRUCK converted into a utility table by means of a table top and a support stand which are attached to the frame. The table top is CROSS-REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL on the one hand preferentially pivotally attached to the Sup APPLICATION port stand and on the other hand it pivots and is guided longitudinally in the side members of the frame. For this 0001. This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional purpose trunnions projecting transversely from the table top Patent Application Ser. No. 61/240,842, which was filed on engage in grooves on the inner Surfaces of the side members. Sep. 9, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein When the table top is folded out, the toe plate can be pivoted by reference in its entirety. through the frame into a horizontal position so that its under side faces upwards. TECHNICAL FIELD 0009. In prior art systems, the location of wheels relative 0002 Embodiments are generally related to hand trucks to the center of gravity (CG) of the whole wheelbarrow would used to move a variety of items. Embodiments also relate to be a problem. The CG of the whole wheelbarrow is forward of the field of hand truck having a series of operating modes. the wheel axel, which causes the wheelbarrow to dump its Embodiments additionally relate to multi-functional and con load unless a user provides a downward force on handles. vertible hand truck. Additionally, for example with a load of 800 pounds a user provides a downward force on handles with a force of 180 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION pounds to prevent the entire wheelbarrow from dumping. The distance from the CG of the load to box pivot is also critical. 0003. Two wheeled hand trucks are commonly used for If the CG is over the point then the box will tip automatically moving of refrigerators, stoves, boxes and other items. These with a slight lift of the wheelbarrow. The farther the CG is hand trucks typically have an upright frame with two wheels behind the pivot load, the more force it will be needed to dump located near the base of the frame and slightly rearwardly the load. The CG is several inches behind the pivot and thereof. Handles are provided at an upper portion for tipping requires a 260 pound force at the end of the lift bar to dump the of the frame once the load has been secured. A projecting box independently of the wheelbarrow. Also, some prior art plate is provided at the bottom of the frame for placing of the system does not have a damping system to slow the dump load thereon. In some cases the load can be merely tipped onto speed. the frame or in other cases straps are used to secure the load to 0010. A gas cylinder is considered to provide to both a the frame such that it tilts with the truck. The hand trucks dumping force and a damping motion for a wheelbarrow box. come in various sizes and qualities and have a primary use in Also, a gas cylinder providing over 260 pounds of force is association with delivery services such as the delivery of required to dump the box when it is loaded at full capacity. In boxes. this type of damping system the user must provide a force to 0004 Some hand trucks are equipped with stair climber reset the box. Also, wheelbarrow and hand truck handles may wheels, which, as the name implies, are designed to go up and fail due to stress on over load. down stairs. Stair climber wheels can sometimes be problem 0011. In an effort to address the foregoing difficulties, it is atic when trying to turn onflat ground as four wheels in a fixed believed that the implementation of an improved hand truck position will be in contact with the ground. with combined release and trigger mechanism and automatic 0005 Hand trucks are fabricated from many different damping system may dump the load when operating in types of materials, tube steel, aluminum tube, aluminum extrusion and high impact plastics. Most commercial hand wheelbarrow or trailer mode and slow the dump speed. trucks that are used for beverage and food service deliveries are rugged and very light weight. They are usually designed BRIEF SUMMARY from two extruded aluminum channel side rails and cast 0012. The following summary is provided to facilitate an aluminum or magnesium parts. understanding of Some of the innovative features unique to 0006 Attempts have been made to make hand trucks suit the disclosed embodiment and is not intended to be a full able for other purposes and some of these hand trucks have description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the removable handles and an extra set of wheels on the frame. embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the The truck can be converted to a four wheeled wagon type entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a structure for Supporting packages or boxes. whole. 0007. In one prior art, a multi-function hand truck is con 0013. It is, therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodi vertible to allow lifting of a load at a spaced distance from the ments to provide for a hand truck used to move a variety of truck and/or is convertible for use as a wheelbarrow is dis items. closed. A pair of lifting arms co-operate with the frame of the 0014. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to hand truck to extend outwardly there from and allow the provide for a hand truck having a series of operating modes. frame of the hand truck to provide a mechanical advantage for 0015. It is a further aspect of the present invention to lifting. The wheels of the truck are moveable rearwardly for provide for a multifunctional and convertible hand truck. conversion to a wheelbarrow mode. An open top container is 0016. The aforementioned aspects and other objectives positioned within the frame of the hand truck for receiving and advantages can now be achieved as described herein. A material. The multi-function hand truck is efficiently stored in set of wheel carriage can be easily disassembled and reas a vertical orientation. sembled with various other components to form a wheelbar 0008. In another prior art, a multi-purpose hand truck hav row, wagon, or hand truck and so on. The different compo ing an elongated frame possessing at one end two wheels as nents can be quickly rearranged because they are held well as toe plate projecting at approximately 90 degree from together by easily removable cotter pins.