WO2012017222A1

WO2012017222A1 - Storage and transportation device

Info

Publication number: WO2012017222A1
Application number: PCT/GB2011/051319
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clare Lower; Stephen Marshall-Rees; Christopher John Cameron Keegan
Original assignee: Clare Lower; Stephen Marshall-Rees; Christopher John Cameron Keegan
Priority date: 2010-08-05
Filing date: 2011-07-14
Publication date: 2012-02-09
Also published as: GB2496088A; GB201303760D0; GB201013188D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to storage and transportation devices, especially such devices used in relation to picnics. The present disclosure provides a storage and transportation device suitable for use in picnics comprising at least two receptacles (10), each receptacle (10) having at least one internal compartment, an access aperture for accessing said internal compartment, an attachment device (18) for enabling attachment to the other receptacle (10) thereby forming a conjoined receptacle (10), wherein access to each internal compartment is not restricted by the formation of the conjoined container. The present disclosure also provides storage and transportation device of this type mounted upon a wheeled and manually propelled vehicle. Such a vehicle may be a golf cart.

Description

Storage and Transportation Device

Description Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage and transportation devices, especially such devices used in relation to picnics. Background of the Invention

Picnicking is a common pastime, and has been enjoyed by people the world over for centuries. Usually, a picnic will involve a meal eaten at a specific outdoor location.

Clearly, to facilitate a picnic, a means of storing and transporting the meal, tableware and cutlery is of great benefit. Picnic baskets and hampers are commonly used for this purpose, but are often very heavy when filled with the required picnic items and are therefore difficult and uncomfortable to carry.

To solve this problem, picnic hampers are available with a handle on top and small wheels on their underside, such that they may be wheeled to the picnic location. The wheels used for this purpose are not suitable for uneven terrains. This is a significant disadvantage, as the picnic food and drink inside the hamper may be ruined by the hamper tipping over.

It would therefore be beneficial to transport picnic goods using a device already adapted to navigate uneven terrains, such as a golf trolley. Golf trolleys typically transport golf bags across golf courses, which may include hills and rough grass - both of which are features common in picnic locations.

Means of transporting picnic goods using golf bags are known in the art. US5301519 to Howorka discloses a cooler to be attached to a gold bag, to store food and drink items while playing golf. This would be incapable of holding goods for a full picnic, including tableware and cutlery, and is intended only for a small snack to be eaten during a round of golf. US5752634 to Todd discloses a bracket for attaching a standard drinks cooler to a golf bag, for transportation on a golf course. Again, this could not be used to transport goods for a full picnic, and is adapted only for holding drinks. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a storage and transportation device suitable for use in picnics comprising at least two receptacles, each receptacle having at least one internal compartment, an access aperture for accessing said internal

compartment, an attachment device for enabling attachment to the other receptacle thereby forming a conjoined receptacle, wherein access to each internal compartment is not restricted by the formation of the conjoined container.

There may be more than two receptacles, such as three.

There may be provided a plurality of compartments within the receptacles, or removable internal dividers to selectively subdivide a single

compartment into a plurality. This may allow the user to hold different foodstuffs, beverages, cutlery, linen, etc apart from each other during transport.

The receptacles may be substantially cylindrical, comprising a

substantially cylindrical outer wall and two circular end faces. These may be conveniently considered as upper and lower end faces.

An attachment device may be provided on an upper end face or in addition or as an alternative may be provided on the lower end face. The attachment device of the upper end face, conveniently considered as the upper attachment device, may be cooperable with an attachment device provided on the lower end face, conveniently considered as the lower attachment device. The upper and lower attachment devices may include magnets. There may be four such magnets provided around the circumference of the upper and lower end faces, with the locations of each corresponding with one another and being orientated such that respective North and South poles are aligned to provide the required magnetic attraction.

The magnets may be orientated such that all the same poles are facing outwardly on one end face and the opposite poles are facing outwardly on the other; for example, all North poles may face outwardly on the upper end face and all South poles may face outwardly on the lower end face or vice versa.

Alternatively, a proportion of the magnets on each face may be orientated oppositely from the rest. For example, two magnets may be orientated on the upper end face with North poles facing outwardly and two on the upper end face may be orientated with South poles facing outwardly. Cooperating orientations may be provided on a lower face of a

corresponding receptacle, such that magnetic attraction of the two receptacles will only occur when they are in particular orientations, otherwise they will repel one another. This may ensure proper orientation of the receptacles. A typical arrangement of such magnets may alternate as they are laid out around a circumference, such as N-S-N-S ("N" indicating a North pole and "S" indicating a South pole).

An alternative attachment device may be provided through an interference fit mechanism. Such an interference fit mechanism may comprise a plug and socket mechanism.

A raised plug member may be provided on one end face, for example the upper end face, and an indented socket formation may be provided on the other end face, for example the lower end face.

The raised plug member may be a substantially disc-shaped member, and/or it may be a substantially frusto-conical member, with a high diameter to height ratio. The socket member may be the inverse shape of the plug member to ensure a close fit.

The plug member may have one or more indentations on it, which may be provided around the circumference. Such indentations may cooperate with appropriate protrusions provided on the socket mechanism to provide an interference fit of plug and socket member.

The indentation may be provided in the form of a circumferentially extending notch around the outer circumference of the frusto-conical or disc shaped member and may include a circumferentially extending recess. Similarly, the protrusions on the socket member may be circumferentially extending.

The access aperture on the receptacle may be provided on the

substantially cylindrical outer wall and may be covered by a hinged door. There may be two hinged doors that cover the access aperture and meet along a line parallel to a central axis of the receptacle.

The receptacle or conjoined receptacle may be dimensioned such that it fits in a wheeled and manually propelled vehicle, such as a golf trolley.

Such a golf trolley comprises two wheels, a cross-shaped body member, with the wheels borne on two generally horizontally extending members of the cross-shaped body member. A longer generally vertically extending member of the body member forms a handle, and one or more brackets are provided on the body member to hold a generally cylindrical golf bag.

The receptacle or conjoined receptacles may be compatible and cooperable with said brackets, to allow said receptacle or conjoined receptacle to be borne by a golf trolley.

As an alternative, one or more of the receptacles or conjoined receptacles may be provided with wheels, or mounting points for wheels. Such wheels may be relatively large in comparison with those known in the prior art, and may be at least 100mm in diameter.

The receptacle or conjoined receptacle may be provided with further vehicle attachment device(s) to allow it to be secured to a vehicle. Such a vehicle attachment device may comprise a strap and buckle arrangement. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a storage and transportation device comprising a storage and transportation device of the first aspect mounted upon a wheeled and manually propelled vehicle.

That vehicle may be a golf trolley.

Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle forming part of a first embodiment of the storage and transportation device according to the first and second aspects of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the receptacle of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the receptacle of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the receptacle of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the receptacle of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6 is detailed view of the receptacle of Fig. 1 being joined to a further, similar receptacle, via cooperating attachment devices; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the component parts of receptacle forming part of a second embodiment of the storage and transportation device according to the first and second aspects of the present invention;

Figs. 8a-8c depict three alternative internal arrangements of the receptacle of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a side view of a storage and transportation device according to the first and second aspects of the present invention Turning to the drawings, and initially to Fig. 1 , a receptacle 10 is depicted. The receptacle 10 is substantially cylindrical in shape, and comprises an upper end face 12, a lower end face 14 and a circular cross-section side wall 16. In this embodiment, the receptacle 10 is composed mainly of a plastics material inner skeleton or framework, with a flexible covering, which may be fabric, hide or other suitable material. The flexible covering may be one that is ideally water resistant, and there may also be some insulating property to maintain the temperature of the contents of the receptacle, be that above or below room or atmospheric temperature. Further insulating material may also be provided between the skeleton/framework and the fabric covering.

The skeleton or framework will typically be a plastics material, such as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), although the skilled addressee will appreciate that alternative material will be equally suitable, and the invention is not limited to these particular materials or even plastics materials. The flexible covering in this case is suede, but may be an alternative leather, fabric or other suitable material.

A first attachment device 18 extends from the upper end face 12, and a second attachment device 20 is provided on the lower end face 14. The first attachment device 18 is a raised or "plug" member whereas the second attachment device 20 is a recessed or "socket" member. The first and second attachment devices 18,20 are cooperable, as will be described subsequently.

The first attachment device 18 comprises a substantially frusto-conical shaped member 18a which extends from the upper end face 12. It is substantially coaxial with the generally circular upper end face 12. The frusto-conical shaped member 18a comprises an angled sidewall 18b topped with a circular planar top face 18c. A chamfered lower lip 18d is located between upper end face 12 and the angled sidewall 18b and a chamfered upper lip 18e is located between the angled sidewall 18b and the circular planar top face 18c. The angled sidewall 18b is discontinuous and includes four indentations 18f spaced substantially equidistantly around its circumference. The indentations 18f provide generally cylindrical indents around the

circumference of the first attachment device 18. The indentations 18f are located within the angled sidewall 18b and the chamfered lower lip 18d, but not the circular planar top face 18c nor the chamfered upper lip 18e.

The indentations 18f are flanked on either side by recesses 18g which extend circumferentially into the angled sidewall 18b. The cylindrical sidewall 16 connects through a chamfered upper sidewall lip 22 to the upper end face 12, and through a chamfered lower sidewall lip 24 to the lower end face 14. An upper flange 26 is located between the chamfered upper sidewall lip 22 and the upper end face 12, the upper flange 26 being slightly raised above the plane of the upper end face 12.

An access aperture 28 is provided on the cylindrical sidewall 16. Two doors 30 are provided to selectively close said access aperture 28. The doors 30 are hinged on living hinges 32. A latch 34 attaches to one door 30, and cooperates with a twist-knob 36 on the other door 30 to allow the doors 30 to be secured in a closed position.

Adjacent the access aperture 28 and doors arrangement 30 there are provided two carry-handles 38. The carry-handles 38 comprises a simple strip of fabric sewn to the material of the cylindrical sidewall 16. In this case, they will also be suede, in a contrasting colour to the main suede material, for aesthetic reasons and so that it may be more readily located than if it was the same colour. The second attachment device 20 is provided on the lower end face 14. Since the second attachment device 20 acts as the "socket" to the "plug" of the upper attachment device 18 (i.e. respectively female and male joints), the second attachment device 20 is the inverse shape of the first attachment device 12.

The second attachment device 20 comprises a substantially frusto-conical shaped indent 20a which extends from the lower end face 14. It is substantially coaxial with the generally circular lower end face 14. The frusto-conical shaped indent 20a includes an angled sidewall 20b topped with a circular planar top face 20c. The angled sidewall 20b is discontinuous and includes four protrusions 20f spaced substantially equidistantly around its circumference. The protrusions 20f are substantially prism-shaped, and from one side a small projection 20g extends from them. The projections 20g generally follow the contour of the angled sidewall 20b, circumferentially around the second attachment device 20.

The circumferential length of each of the combined protrusions 20f and projections 20g arrangement is such that it will fit within indentations 18f when properly aligned a first receptacle 10 is brought into contact with a second receptacle 10 as shown in Fig. 6.

Once the first attachment device 18 is seated the within second

attachment device 20, with the indentations 18f housing the combined protrusions 20f and projections 20g arrangement, the user may then rotate first and second receptacles relative to one another.

Such rotation will locate projections 20g into the recesses 18g, thereby creating an interference fit, impeding axial movement and detachment of the two receptacles 10. Although omitted for clarity in the present disclosure, projections 20g and recesses 18g may be provided with cooperating lips, tabs or the like to facilitate a further interference fit, impeding relative rotational movement of the first and second receptacles 10 from a "locked" (i.e. projections 20g housed in recesses 18g) to an "unlocked" position (i.e. projections 20g free of recesses 18g).

A second embodiment receptacle 1 10 is depicted in an exploded view in Fig. 7. It is substantially similar to the first embodiment described above. The receptacle 1 10 comprises a semi-cylindrical sidewall 1 12 and two quarter cylinder doors 130. Upper inner disc 140 and lower inner disc 142 are located, respectively, at the uppermost and lowermost extent of the semi-cylindrical sidewall 1 12 and two quarter cylinder doors 130 arrangement. Upper cap 144 and lower cap 146 are located at the uppermost and lowermost extent of the semi-cylindrical sidewall 1 12 and two quarter cylinder doors 130 arrangement, respectively, each being located over its corresponding inner disc 140,142. Each cap 144,146 comprises a circular disc 144a, 146a with a semicircular lip 144b, 146b projecting axially upwardly around a portion of the circumference of the circular disc 144a, 146a. The semi-cylindrical sidewall 1 12 is slightly longer than the quarter cylinder doors 130, and the semi-circular lips 144b, 146b account for this length difference and may provide mounting points for the doors 130 to hingedly attach them to the receptacle 1 10. Alternatively, the doors may simply be attached to an outer fabric/leather/suede covering and the hinges provided by living hinges formed in said covering. A covering has been omitted for clarity in this depiction.

The lips 144b,146b may also provide an aesthetic function, by allowing a fabric or leather cap to be placed over each end of the receptacle 1 10 without hindering the opening and closing of the doors 130. Four disc-shaped magnets 144c,146c are embedded on each of the outermost surfaces 144d,146d of the circular disc 144a, 146a,

approximately circumferentially equidistantly around the circular disc 144a, 146a. These magnets 144c,146c provide an alternative attachment device to the mechanism described above in relation to the first embodiment. The magnets 144c,146c may be arranged such that, for example, all North poles face upwardly, from the point of view of Fig. 7. That would mean that the upper end of the receptacle 1 10 would present North poles and the upper end of the receptacle 1 10 would present South poles. When two receptacles 1 10 are brought together in an end-to-end such as by stacking them, the uppermost North poles of the bottom receptacle 1 10 would exhibit a strong attraction to the lowermost South poles of the top receptacle 1 10.

Alternatively, a proportion of the magnets 144c,146c on each outermost surface 144d,146d may be orientated oppositely from the rest. For example, two magnets may be orientated with North poles facing outwardly and two may be orientated with South poles facing outwardly. Cooperating orientations may be provided on the other surface, such that magnetic attraction of the two receptacles 1 10 will only occur when they are in particular orientations, otherwise they will repel one another. This may ensure proper orientation of the receptacles 1 10. A typical arrangement of such magnets may alternate as they are laid out around a circumference, such as N-S-N-S ("N" indicating a North pole and "S" indicating a South pole).

Upper outer disc 148 and lower outer disc 150 are located, respectively, at the uppermost and lowermost extent of the receptacle 1 10, being located on the outermost surfaces 144d,146d of the circular disc 144a, 146a. Upper outer disc 148 and lower outer disc 150 each have four apertures 148a, 150a which correspond with the locations of the magnets 144c,146c. In addition, an insulating layer and flexible material covering may encase the receptacle 1 10, omitted in this case for clarity. The various components may be joined by adhesive or other form of permanent bonding to form the framework 1 10a depicted. Alternatively, suitable interference fittings may be provided to allow the receptacle 1 10 to be assembled and disassembled.

Figs. 8a - 8c depict the receptacle 1 10 having an optional inner divider 152 placed within it. The inner divider 152 may be dimensioned such that it forms an interference fit within the internal compartment 1 10b of the receptacle 1 10. Alternatively, the inner divider 152 may be adhesively bonded into the compartment 1 10b onto the sidewall 1 12; or may have a semi-permanent attachment method, such as a VELCRO® fastener, a suitable multi-use adhesive, or a retaining bracket provided around the interior of the sidewall 1 12. The inner divider 152 is shown in Fig. 8a positioned towards the upper inner disc 140, subdividing the internal compartment 1 10b into a smaller upper internal compartment 1 10c, and a larger lower internal compartment 1 10d. Fig. 8b shows the inner divider 152 more towards the lower inner disc 142, thereby creating a larger upper internal compartment 1 10c, and a smaller lower internal compartment 1 10d. Multiple variations of the placement are possible to tailor the size of the two compartments

1 10c,1 10d to suit. Of course, further inner dividers may be placed into the internal compartment 1 10b to provide further subdivisions as required. Further dividers may be provided that are aligned differently from inner divider 152. Inner divider 152 is provided in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of upper inner disc 140 etc; a further divider may be provided in a plane non-parallel, perhaps even perpendicular to that upper inner disc 140 etc. Compartments 1 10c,1 10d may then be subdivided into a side by side arrangement, from the perspective of Figs 8a-8c. Fig. 8c shows the inner divider 152 absent. The inner divider 152 may provide additional functionality. It may, for example, be formed from wood and serve as a cheeseboard or general chopping board for preparation of foodstuffs. It may also serve as a serving plate.

Fig. 9 shows three receptacles 10 of the first embodiment described above attached end-to-end in a stacked manner. This creates a conjoined receptacle 210. The conjoined receptacle is placed onto a golf cart 300. The golf cart 300 is of a known type and comprises a frame 302, a handle 304 and wheels 306. A lower bracket 308 and upper bracket 310 are provided on the golf cart 300. Ordinarily, these would hold a golf bag. The conjoined receptacle 210 is of suitable dimensions that it is

compatible with said lower and upper brackets 308,310. Thus, the conjoined receptacle 210 and its contents may be transported to and form a suitable picnic location. This arrangement provides an embodiment 400 of the second aspect of the present invention.

Although shown with receptacles 10 of the first embodiment, it will be understood that a conjoined receptacle may be equally formed from receptacles 1 10 of the second embodiment.

Straps may be provided to secure the conjoined receptacle 210 to the golf cart 300. Such straps may pass through the handles 38 to aid in securing the conjoined receptacle 210 to the golf cart 300.

Modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the doors 30,130 may be provided on their inner surfaces (i.e. the concave surfaces located within the internal compartment 1 10c) with pockets, harnesses hooks or other attachment means, to allow the retention of further foodstuffs or apparatus, such as cutlery, linenware, cruet, etc.

The latch and knob closure mechanism may be substituted and may be, for example, a belt and buckle arrangement.

Disclosed is a storage and transportation device for picnic goods, comprising a series of individual, stackable receptacles for picnic goods, adapted for attachment to a golf trolley.

The user may fill each receptacle with picnic goods, stack them together and attach them to a golf trolley for easy transportation to a picnic location. When the receptacles are no longer in use, they are simply detached from one another and packed away.

The present invention provides for picnic goods to be transported over uneven terrains to picnic locations mitigating the possibility of them being spilt, squashed or broken. The present invention may be built using any desired number of stackable receptacles, suitable to transport a picnic of any size.

The stackable receptacles may be detached from one another for easy storage in smaller spaces, for example in the boot of a car.

Claims

1 . A storage and transportation device suitable for use in picnics comprising at least two receptacles, each receptacle having at least one internal compartment, an access aperture for accessing said internal compartment, a first attachment device for enabling attachment to the other receptacle thereby forming a conjoined receptacle, wherein access to each internal compartment is not restricted by the formation of the conjoined container.

2. A storage and transportation device according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a plurality of compartments within the receptacles.

3. A storage and transportation device according to any preceding claim wherein the receptacles are substantially cylindrical, comprising a substantially cylindrical outer wall and two circular end faces wherein the first attachment device is provided on an end face.

4. A storage and transportation device according to claim 3 wherein first and second attachment devices are provided on both end faces.

5. A storage and transportation device according to claim 4 wherein the first attachment device provided on one end face is cooperable with the second attachment device provided on the other end face.

6. A storage and transportation device according to any preceding claim wherein the first attachment device includes a magnet.

7. A storage and transportation device according to any preceding claim wherein the first attachment device includes an interference fit mechanism.

8. A storage and transportation device according to claim 7 wherein the interference fit mechanism comprises a plug and socket mechanism.

9. A storage and transportation device according to claim 8 wherein the plug and socket mechanism includes a raised plug member which is a substantially disc-shaped member.

10. A storage and transportation device according to claim 8 wherein the plug and socket mechanism includes a raised plug member which is a substantially frusto-conical shape.

1 1 . A storage and transportation device according to claim 10 wherein the frusto-conical shaped raised plug member has a high diameter to height ratio.

12. A storage and transportation device according to any preceding claim wherein the receptacle or conjoined receptacle is dimensioned such that it fits in a wheeled and manually propelled vehicle.

13. A storage and transportation device according to claim 12 wherein the wheeled and manually propelled vehicle is a golf trolley.

14. A storage and transportation device according to any preceding claim wherein one or more of the receptacles or conjoined receptacles is provided with wheels.

15. A storage and transportation device according to claim 14 wherein the wheel are at least 100mm in diameter.

16. A storage and transportation device comprising a storage and transportation device of any preceding claim mounted upon a wheeled and manually propelled vehicle.

17. A storage and transportation device according to claim 17 wherein the vehicle is a golf trolley.