Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier attached to special purpose vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-21
2003-10-21
Young, Lee (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier attached to special purpose vehicle
C135S066000, C135S068000, C224S277000, C224S572000, C224S652000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634531
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article carrying device adapted for attachment: to ambulatory aids such as crutches, walkers and wheelchairs; to backpacks such as internal and external frame packs and bookbags; to devices for easily transporting small children such as strollers and backpack child carriers; to bicycles and motorcycles where a vertical cross brace is adjacent to a horizontal cross brace; or to the belt or belt loops of pants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various items have been used for years to assist and/or transport ambulatory patients. These items have included crutches, wheelchairs and walkers. Similarly, several items have been used to transport small children, including child strollers and backpack carriers. While meant to carry people, these devices have traditionally lacked the capability to carry other items.
Various devices have been developed over the years to solve this problem of difficulty in carrying items when ambulatory or carrying children. In particular, numerous devices have been developed to assist in carrying items when using crutches. These devices include various pouches attached to the crutch such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,483 to Smith. The Smith pouch, however, is mounted below the handle which limits easy access to the pouch by the crutch user. This location also decreases the security of the pouch as the location allows accessibility by other people.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,845 addresses the transport of paper articles in combination with crutches. However the clamping device shown therein appears to be relatively cumbersome and requires modification to the crutch proper. Such structures could interfere with the crutch assisted ambulatory movement of the user. The '845 patent also requires significant modification to the crutch structure which will increase the cost. Such devices may not be used by one-time users who are renting crutches as permanent modifications cannot be made to such leased crutches.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,749 Perryman discloses a crutch pouch for transporting personal items, as well as documents, which is easily released from the crutch sides. As the Perryman patent uses hook and loop material to attach the pouch to the sides of the crutch, the pouch must either be provided with rigid sides, or not be over filled, to prevent the hook and loop material from separating. The use of securing means proximate the top of the pocket allows disclosed pockets to be “over-stuffed”, if required, without being concerned that the pouch will separate from the crutch. Additionally, the nature of the '749 design restricts the width of the pocket which is too narrow for comfortable, easy access to articles at the bottom of the pocket. Average adult hands are too large for easy access to the pockets contents and the pocket would have to be removed and the contents, such as keys, lipsticks, etc. spilled out. The constant removal and attachment of the pocket would quickly deteriorate the adhesive holding the loop material to the crutch sides.
Similarly, several devices have been described for attachment of carrying devices to wheel chairs. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,061 Dunn discloses a box-like accessory case for mounting to the armrest of a wheel chair. The Dunn patent uses stiff material such as cardboard on the sidewalls of the box-like container to give the walls their shape and to prevent sagging. This stiffness suffers from the problem of inflexibility when small items are placed in the case as the case retains its shape and is unable to collapse. Addition of cardboard further prevents the case from being easily washable thus preventing cleaning in the face of mud, water and other contaminants that would be splashed on the case during normal use. Further means for attaching the case to the wheel chair arm rest are insufficient to prevent theft of the case from the chair should it be unattended.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,903 Wells describes an attachment for a wheel chair that is supported vertically from the rear handles of the chair. Rear-attached pouches are difficult for a wheel chair-bound person to access as they are almost totally beyond the reach of the wheel chair occupant from the seat of the wheel chair. Further, means for protecting against theft of the attachment or items contained therein is lacking and the occupant takes certain risk of theft when using the device.
Sanders, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,331 describes a combination of a device for storage of items under the arm rest of the wheel chair and padding to make the device more comfortable. Their solution against theft is to make the arm rest more comfortable by padding it so that the occupant will continuously rest his/her arm against the device(s). As persons in wheel chairs are using their arms constantly when in motion, this solution remains effective only while said persons are at rest. Theft during movement as in the common “purse snatcher” is not prevented effectively by Sanders.
Several devices have been described to provide means for carrying articles while using an invalid walker. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,071 Kenner describes a carrier attachment suspended to one side of the top frame member of a walker. This device combines a rigid supporting tray-like section with a hanging pocket or pouch and is connected by suspension straps encircling the frame member of the walker. Stability is afforded through only the tray-like section and no apparent stabilizing straps are described other than those which encircle the upper frame member. This device suffers from a lack of stability and may swing back and forth while in use, impacting the user and potentially distracting him/her from obstacles. Further the device does not address theft and may be easily removed by a thief.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,618 Jones describes a caddy for attachment to a walker suspended to the walker frame member by two or more hangers or hooks. Again the caddy is a box-like, generally rigid compartment comprised of molded polyethylene, vinyl or a similar plastic. The device is easily removed by means of the attachment hangers or hooks and provides no protection against theft. Further the stability of the caddy is limited by a lack of stabilizing straps along the sides of the caddy for attachment to a vertical frame member of the walker thus the caddy may swing similarly to the problem of Kenner.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,416 Harmon describes a carrier for a walker made of washable material and attached by fastening means to the upper frame member of the walker. The flexible material is made rigid through the addition of a rigid board member removable mounted in the bottom panel of the pocket. Again, theft and stability are not addressed in the design of the carrier.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,764 Carpenter describes a foldable carrying device detachably mounted to the back of a child's stroller of the type having both upper and lower crossmembers. Closure means of Velcro®, or other hook and loop fastener systems are described to attach the device to the upper and lower crossmembers of the stroller providing stability but protection against theft is not considered.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,238 Widinski describes a carrying device for retaining articles on the handle of a mobile apparatus such as strollers. The device is limited to placement on the handle of the mobile apparatus and provides no protection against theft and no stability.
Woods, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,005 and its various divisional patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,511,710 and 5,513,789) describes fabric accessories for crutches and walkers. The preferred embodiment provides safety through use of reflective material and expandable/contractible pockets through use of pleats and elastic members. These devices are meant as covers for the crutch or walker and are attached first by placing the leg of the walker/crutch through an opening then sliding the device up the length of the ambulatory aid to completely enclose the aid. While security and stability are provided in the dif
Brevard Maerena W.
Parker Sheldon H.
Young Lee
LandOfFree
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