US 2017/0320509 A1 · FOOD, WATER AND VITAL SUPPLIES STORAGE AND TRANSPORT CART

Abstract

Collapsible reusable watertight carrying cases are provided in sizes varying from small containers to large sealable container bins on wheels, to provide large quantities of water to remote areas not served by public water supplies, or where water supplies are unavailable because of weather disasters. The cases are assembled or disassembled from a joined flat space-saving configuration to a functioning case and vice-versa. The sides of the cases are erected progressively by hand by interlocking elements at the corners. The panels also disassemble progressively by being manually pulled apart. When folded into a flat storage or shipping configuration, the panels stay together, resisting unfolding by virtue of snaps which are either molded into the panels or bonded to them. The carrying cases are resistant to water, dirt, bacteria, molds, allergens, and inclement weather.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of transporting cargo carrying collapsible carts comprising the steps of:

marking said carts with printed and/or electronically bar-coded identifiable indicia identifying a customer destination on each one of said carts;
stacking said carts when filled by merchandise by placing circular rotating transporters mounted on a bottom panel of an upper cart in corresponding recesses in a top panel of a lower cart;
loading or offloading stacks of said carts onto or from a bed of a vehicle by rolling said lower cart of a each stack of carts up or down a ramp extending from an edge of said bed to a platform;
unloading said merchandise from said carts after offloading said carts containing said merchandise associated with said printed and/or electronically bar-coded customer identifiable indicia, thereby obviating the need for use of cargo supporting pallets and associated mechanized fork lifts;
and
transporting empty carts by collapsing and stacking the collapsed carts by placing said circular rotating transporters of one collapsed cart onto said recesses of said top panel of another collapsed cart.

3 more elements

A method of transporting fully assembled, collapsible storage cargo carrying carts comprising the steps of:

forming each said cart from a substantially rectangular bottom panel, upwardly extending two pairs of side panels connected to said bottom panel at fold lines, and a cover panel joined to a top edge of one of said side panels by a cover fold line, said cover panel having a recess adjacent each corner thereof;
providing said bottom panel with structure for supporting a circular rotating transporter adjacent each corner thereof, each said circular rotating transporter being aligned with a recess in said cover;
marking each said cart with printed and/or electronically bar-coded identifiable indicia identifying a customer destination on each one of said carts;
loading each cart with cargo;
stacking a plurality of said loaded carts by placing an upper cart on a lower cart with circular rotating transporters of said upper cart resting in said recesses of said lower cart,
loading one or more stacks of said carts onto a bed of a vehicle;
using said circular rotating transporters on a bottom cart in each stack to position said carts on said bed of said vehicle;
driving said vehicle to a destination;
and
offloading said stacks of carts for delivery of cargo within said carts to a customer associated with said printed and/or electronically bar-coded identifiable indicia, thereby obviating the need for use of cargo supporting pallets and associated mechanized fork lifts.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Food, water and vital supplies storage and transport cart

Life of this patent

Food, water and vital supplies storage and transport cart

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21