Collapsible support structure
AssigneeSunny Fold, LLC
InventorJoseph E. Panigot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible support structure includes at least a horizontal support structure, a vertical support structure, and an axle assembly. In use, the collapsible support structure may be folded/unfolded between a deployed configuration, in which the collapsible support structure may be capable of rolling along a support surface to transport items, and a stowed/storage position, in which the collapsible support structure is collapsed in a compact geometry for storage. The axle assembly enables removal of the wheels from the axle for storage of the collapsible support structure. The axle may be repositionable between a deployed position and a storage position. The axle may be equipped with a retainer unit that retains the axle in the deployed position.
Claims16
An axle assembly for a collapsible structure, the axle assembly comprising:
- an axle housing, the axle housing including a first end and a second end, the axle housing further comprising:
- a first planar portion,
- a second planar portion coupled to the first planar portion,
- a third planar portion coupled to the second planar portion and oriented parallel to the first planar portion, the first planar portion, the second planar portion, and the third planar portion collectively defining a channel extending between the first end and the second end,
- a first slot disposed on the third planar portion proximate to the first end of the axle housing;
- and
- an axle slidably disposed within the channel of the axle housing, the axle including a first axle end, an opposite second axle end, and a retaining unit extending from the axle at a location between the first axle end and the second axle end, the retaining unit including a shaft configured to fit within the first slot and a resilient member coupled to the shaft to secure the retaining unit in the first slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.