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US 8,262,105 B2Granted
Lock and release mechanisms for interconnecting devices
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsRaymond Mead, Lonnie G. Craig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of releasably connecting a child hand truck to a parent hand truck is provided. The method includes lifting a handle assembly to a raised position. The handle assembly is locked in the raised position using a lock and release mechanism.
Claims17
A hand truck assembly, comprising:
- a child hand truck comprising a locking feature;
- a parent hand truck including a truck-receiving volume for receiving the child hand truck, a bottom front cross bar, and a handle assembly configured to engage the locking feature and prevent movement of the child hand truck relative to the parent hand truck, the handle assembly including a locking bar that engages the locking feature of the child hand truck;
- and
- a lock and release mechanism configured to lock the handle assembly in a raised position and to automatically release the handle assembly as the child hand truck is removed from the truck-receiving volume, the lock and release mechanism comprising:
- a mounting bracket fixedly mounted to the bottom from cross bar of the parent hand truck;
- an arm pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket;
- a latch assembly pivotally mounted to the arm, the latch assembly forming a closed loop;
- and
- a bar latch plate mounted to the locking bar, the bar latch plate including a nose portion slidingly received within the closed loop.
6 more elements
A parent hand truck for interlocking with a child hand truck, the parent hand truck comprising:
- a handle assembly comprising a locking bar located to engage a locking feature of the child hand truck with the handle assembly in a lowered position, the locking bar disengaging the locking feature with the handle assembly in a raised position;
- a bottom front cross bar;
- and
- a lock and release mechanism configured to lock the handle assembly in the raised position, the lock and release mechanism comprising:
- a mounting bracket fixedly mounted to the bottom front cross bar of the parent hand truck;
- an arm pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket;
- a latch assembly pivotally mounted to the arm, the latch assembly forming a closed loop;
- and
- a bar latch plate mounted to the locking bar, the bar latch plate including a nose portion slidingly received within the closed loop.
6 more elements
A method of releasably connecting a child hand truck to a parent hand truck, the method comprising:
- lifting a handle assembly to a raised position such that a locking bar on the handle assembly engages a locking feature of the child hand truck and prevents movement of the child hand truck relative the parent hand truck;
- and
- locking the handle assembly in the raised position by slidingly receiving a nose portion of a bar latch plate mounted to the locking bar within a closed loop formed by a latch assembly fixedly mounted to the parent hand truck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.