multi-purpose trailer

Abstract

Multi-purpose trailer (100) for transporting at least one person, wherein the trailer (100) comprises: a frame (102) forming a supporting structure of the multi-purpose trailer (100), a fabric element (104) supported by the frame (102), a removable seat (200), wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) is configured for attaching the removable seat (200) in at least two transverse positions, one of which is a central position with respect to a transverse direction (T) of the multi-purpose trailer (100).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates to trailers for transporting one or more persons, more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a multi-purpose trailer.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMulti-purpose trailers are popular items that support the active lifestyle of their owners. As the name suggests, a multi-purpose trailer may serve various purposes. For example, the multi-purpose trailer can be used for transporting children during family wings or for the daily route to work. Of course, the multi-purpose trailer can also be used for transporting luggage, domestic animals, etc.Most multi-purpose trailers are suitable for use as a trailer during walking and running (i.e., when the user slides or pulls the trailer during running). Moreover, it is common to offer accessories with which the trailer can be used, for example, during skiing or with which it can be fastened to a bicycle in order to be able to pull it.Trailers suitable for transporting people are subject to numerous requirements with regard to the safety of the occupants; manufacturers of multi-purpose trailers are constantly striving to improve their products in order to meet and exceed these requirements. Moreover, user-friendliness is constantly being developed, in particular in the case of multi-purpose trailers, which can be adapted not only to the respective activity but also to the conveyance of a different number of passengers.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved multi-purpose trailer that alleviates at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art. For example, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose trailer that has improved safety and simultaneously allows a user to adapt the multi-purpose trailer for use with one or two passengers. Moreover, an object is to facilitate the removal, attachment and repositioning of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer.The objects are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments can be taken from the dependent claims and from the accompanying description and the drawings.According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a multi-purpose trailer for transporting at least one person is provided. The trailer comprises:a chassis forming the supporting structure of the trailer,a cloth element supported on the frame,at least one removable seat, wherein the trailer is configured to attach the removable seat in at least two transverse positions, one of which is a central position with respect to a transverse direction of the multi-purpose trailer. Thus, the weight distribution of the load in the multi-purpose trailer can be adapted depending on the number of people carrying along in the trailer. In the presence of a passenger, the removable seat can be placed centrally in the multi-purpose trailer, thus reducing the risk of uneven loading, which could, for example, compromise the stability of the trailer during fast cornering or the like.The multi-purpose trailer may include at least one upper seat mount and at least one lower seat mount to which the removable seat may be secured. The at least one upper seat mount and / or the at least one lower seat mount may be attached to the cloth member. The provision of the upper and lower seat mounts facilitates attachment and detachment of the at least one removable seat to and from the multi-purpose trailer. Attaching the respective seat mounts to the fabric member facilitates manufacturing the trailer, as the respective seat mounts may be formed in or integrated with the fabric member before the fabric member is attached to the trailer. Moreover, the frame of the trailer need not be provided with a separate device for providing the upper and lower seat attachments, as these may be attached to the cloth element.In an embodiment where the multi-purpose trailer includes at least one upper seat mount and at least one lower seat mount to which the removable seat may be secured, a distance between the at least one upper seat mount and the at least one lower seat mount may be configured to vary depending on the folding state of the chassis. This facilitates the fastening of the at least one removable seat and further reduces the risk of unintentional detachment of the removable seat.The distance between the at least one upper seat mount and the at least one lower seat mount may be greater in a use state than in a folding state of the trailer. The greater distance in the use state may exert a biasing force on the at least one removable seat, thus facilitating correct positioning of the removable seat and further securing attachment thereof to the multi-purpose trailer.In an embodiment in which the multi-purpose trailer includes at least one upper seat mount and at least one lower seat mount to which the removable seat may be secured, the chassis may include a folding hinge disposed between the at least one upper seat mount and the at least one lower seat mount. The folding hinge allows for adjusting the distance between the at least one upper seat mount and the at least one lower seat mount depending on the folding state of the multi-purpose trailer.The multi-purpose trailer may include at least two pairs of upper seat mounts and at least two pairs of lower seat mounts that are oriented in the transverse direction of the trailer and to which the removable seat may be secured. The distance between each upper seat mount and each lower seat mount in each pair may be substantially the same as the distance between each two adjacent pairs of upper seat mounts and lower seat mounts, respectively. Thus, by two pairs of upper and / or lower seat attachments, three different positions of the removable seat in the transverse direction of the trailer can be achieved, two lateral and one middle position.The multi-purpose trailer may also include a plurality of straps configured to be secured to a buckle to connect to a strap system of each removable seat, wherein a strap is disposed between two upper and / or lower seat mounts, respectively, in the transverse direction of the trailer.The fastening of the strap can take place on the cloth element and / or on the frame of the trailer.The removable seat may include at least one upper connector and at least one lower connector, wherein the at least one upper connector is configured for attachment to a corresponding upper seat mount and the at least one lower connector is configured for attachment to a corresponding lower seat mount.Each upper and lower seat mount may include first and second openings through which a respective connector of the removable seat may be passed. The first opening may be larger than the second opening, wherein the first opening is arranged on the at least one upper attachment and / or the first opening of the at least one lower attachment facing in a proximal direction with respect to the trailer. The larger size of the first opening facilitates insertion of the connector into the first opening, while the smaller size of the second opening reduces the risk of the connector unintentionally coming off the seat mount.Each removable seat may include an opening through a seat portion thereof, and each strap is configured to pass through the opening. The strap thus secures the at least one removable seat additionally to the multi-purpose trailer.Each seat fastener may include a securing portion configured to be threaded through a fastener aperture in a respective connector. Thus, a seat attachment without through openings in the multi-purpose trailer can be realized. The attachment aperture in each connector need only be sufficiently dimensioned to allow threading of the seat attachment therethrough and thus eliminate or reduce the risk of, for example, a child inserting a finger into and plugging into the seat attachment or connector.Each seat mount may include a shank portion forming the mount between the mounting portion and the multi-purpose trailer, the mounting portion being disposed at an angle to the shank portion. Preferably, the attachment portion forms a T-shaped seat attachment with the shaft portion. The shank portion facilitates threading of the securing portion into the connecting element.The securing portion may include a reinforcing member configured to increase the rigidity of the securing portion.The trailer may include an adjustable seat back, wherein the at least removable seat is configured to follow the inclination of the seat back.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSWith reference to the accompanying drawings, a more detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention follows.In the drawings, the following applies: FIG. 1 discloses a front view of a multi-purpose trailer configured for transporting two passengers side by side. FIG. 2 discloses a front view of a multi-purpose trailer without removable seats. FIG. 3 discloses a front view of a multi-purpose trailer configured for transporting a passenger. FIG. 4 discloses a front view of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer. FIG. 5 discloses a rear view of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer. FIG. 6 discloses a rear view of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer. FIG. 7 discloses a rear view of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer. FIG. 8 discloses a rear view of a removable seat for a multi-purpose trailer. FIG. 9 discloses a side view of a utility trailer. FIG. 10 discloses a schematic side view of a portion of a rack for a utility trailer in the use state. FIG. 11 discloses a schematic side view of a portion of a rack for a utility trailer in the folded state. FIG. 12 discloses a detail view of a seat mount and a connecting member. FIG. 13 discloses a detail view of a seat mount and a connecting member. FIG. 14 discloses a detail view of a seat mount. FIG. 15 discloses a detail view of a seat mount. FIG. 16 discloses a detail view of a seat mount. FIG. 17 discloses a detail view of a connecting element. FIG. 18 discloses a detail view of a connecting element fastened to a seat fastening. FIG. 19 discloses a schematic flow diagram of a method for securing a removable seat to a multi-purpose trailer.The drawings illustrate schematic, exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are therefore not necessarily to scale. It is to be understood that the embodiments shown and described are exemplary and that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. It is also noted that some details in the drawings may be exaggerated to better describe and illustrate the invention. Throughout the specification, unless otherwise indicated, like reference numerals refer to like elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe teachings herein are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments are shown. Identical numbers always refer to identical elements.FIG. 1 discloses a multi-purpose trailer 100 for transporting at least one passenger. Preferably, the multi-purpose trailer 100 is configured to selectively carry one or two passengers, preferably one or two infants / children. As such, the multi-purpose trailer 100 has a single passenger configuration (see FIG. 3 ) and a dual passenger configuration as shown in FIG. 1.The trailer 100 comprises a frame 102 forming a supporting structure of the trailer 100. The rack 102 may be foldable, allowing the trailer 100 to be folded into a more compact state, for example, to pack the trailer into a vehicle for transport or storage. As further shown in FIG. 1, the trailer 100 may be equipped with main wheels 106 and front wheels 108. Each wheel 106, 108 may be removable, for example for transporting or securing an accessory such as a tow bar. The main wheels 106 can be replaced, for example, by skiers in order to be able to use the trailer 100 for skiing.The trailer further includes a cloth member 104 supported by the chassis 102. The cloth element 104 may be a textile element supported by the frame 102 and itself at least partially forming a support for, for example, a removable seat 200. The cloth member 104 may be made of natural fibers and / or a plastic material or a combination of multiple materials. The cloth member 104 may also include a plurality of separate portions, such as one or more rear portions forming a backrest and one or more side and front portions, which may include an integral transparent window portion. Moreover, the cloth element 104 may be provided with one or more zippers, for example, to connect various portions of the cloth element 104 and / or to provide an opening in the cloth element 104.As mentioned, the multi-purpose trailer 100 further comprises a removable seat 200, wherein the trailer 100 is configured for mounting the removable seat 200 in at least two transverse positions, one of which is a central position (shown in FIG. 3 ) with respect to a transverse direction T of the multi-purpose trailer 100. The transverse direction T extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the trailer 100, wherein the longitudinal direction L (illustrated in FIG. 7 ) is arranged in the main travel direction of the multi-purpose trailer 100. Each removable seat 100 may be made of a variety of materials, such as a textile with natural and / or plastic fibers. Moreover, each removable seat 200 may be provided with upholstery and / or structural reinforcement portions to increase passenger comfort.As shown in FIG. 1, the removable seat 200 may include a strap system 202 that is attached to and thus remains with the seat 200 when removed or attached to the trailer 100. The belt system 202 may also be connectable to a buckle 110, which in turn is connected to the trailer 100.In FIG. 2, the multi-purpose trailer 100 is shown in a front view with removable seats 200 removed. As shown, the multi-purpose trailer 100 may include at least one upper seat mount 112 and at least one lower seat mount 114 to which the removable seat 200 may be secured. The upper seat mounts 112 and / or the lower seat mounts 114 may be provided in the fabric member 104 and thus indirectly connected to the chassis 102 of the trailer 100 via the fabric member 104. However, it is also possible that each of the upper seat attachments 112 and / or each lower seat attachment 114 can be provided directly connected to the frame 102 of the trailer 100. Each upper and lower seat mount 112, 114 is configured to cooperate with a corresponding connector 212, 214 (shown in FIGS. 5-8 ) on the removable seat 200. The connection between each removable seat 200 and the multi-purpose trailer 100 must be able to withstand the forces resulting from a pulling force of at least 1500 N applied to the belt system in the forward direction. The tractive force thus simulates sudden deceleration / impact and the forces generated by the occupants of the multi-purpose trailer 100 during deceleration. This applies to all embodiments disclosed herein.Each pair of upper seat mounts 112 may be arranged such that a distance D 1 between two adjacent pairs of upper seat mounts 112 substantially corresponds to the distance D 6 between the individual upper seat mounts 112 in each pair. The removable seat 200 can thus be connected between two adjacent pairs of upper seat mounts 112 as well as aligned with each pair of upper seat mounts 112.Each pair of lower seat mounts 114 may be arranged such that a distance D 2 between two adjacent pairs of lower seat mounts 114 substantially corresponds to the distance D 7 between each lower seat mount 114 in each pair. The removable seat 200 can thus be connected between two adjacent pairs of lower seat mounts 114 as well as aligned with each pair of lower seat mounts 114.Each upper seat mount 112 may be aligned with a corresponding lower seat mount 114 in the transverse direction T of the trailer 100. The transverse direction T extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the trailer 100, wherein the longitudinal direction L (illustrated in FIG. 7 ) is arranged in the direction of travel of the multi-purpose trailer 100.As further shown in FIG. 2, the multi-purpose trailer 100 may also include a plurality of straps 108. Each strap 108 may be made of a textile material and / or may be in the form of a webbing. Each strap 108 is configured to be secured to a buckle 110 (see FIG. 1 ) for connection to a strap system 202 of the removable seat 200. The plurality of straps 108 are arranged such that a strap 108 is positioned between each of two upper seat mounts 112 and / or lower seat mounts 114 in the trailer transverse direction T. A belt 108 may be centrally disposed on the trailer 100 in the transverse direction T. A strap 108 may be centrally disposed on a respective backrest portion 116 a, 116 bof the trailer 100 in the transverse direction T.Each strap 108 may be attached to the cloth member 104 and / or the chassis 102 of the trailer 100. In one embodiment, the strap 108 is attached to both the cloth member 104 and the chassis 102 of the trailer 100.Each removable seat 100 may include an opening 204 (shown in FIG. 1 ) through a seat portion 208 thereof, each strap 208 configured to pass through the opening 204 to enable attachment of the strap system 202 of the removable seat 200 to the chassis 102 and / or the cloth member 104 of the trailer 100.The multi-purpose trailer 100 may include an adjustable seatback 116 a, 116 b. If the trailer 100 is a dual seat trailer, each backrest 116 a, 116 bmay be individually adjustable. Each removable seat 200 is configured to follow the inclination of the seat back 116 a, 116 b.FIG. 3 discloses a front view of a utility trailer 100 in which the detachable seat 100 is centrally located in the transverse direction T. The multi-purpose trailer 100 is a multi-purpose trailer 100 having two seats arranged side by side, but if only one passenger is to travel in the trailer, it is desirable to be able to centrally locate the seat 200. This makes it possible to arrange the center of gravity towards the center of the trailer 100, thus reducing the risk that the trailer 100 will tip over to one side under high lateral forces, such as a sudden and sharp turn at high speed.FIG. 4 discloses a front view of a removable seat 200, the removable seat 200 including a seat portion 208, a back portion 206, and possibly also a strap system 202 attached to the back portion 206. The belt system 202 may be adjustable relative to the back portion 206, for example, such that its height may be adjusted to passengers of different sizes. Further, as mentioned above, the removable seat 200 may include a through opening 204 in the seat portion 208 configured to receive a strap 108 of the trailer 100.Referring now to FIG. 5, a rear view of a back portion 206 of a removable seat 200 is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the removable seat 200 may include at least one upper link 212 and at least one lower link 214, each link 212, 214 configured to connect to respective upper and lower seat mounts 112, 114.Each connecting element 212, 214 may be formed from a metal or plastic element, wherein each connecting element 212, 214 is fastened to the removable seat 200 by means of a belt strap 210. The webbing 210 may be a textile webbing or may be made of another material having sufficient tensile strength. The webbing 210 may be sewn or otherwise secured to the removable seat 200. Each connecting member 212, 214 may be disposed at a distal end of a respective webbing 210 with "distal" being interpreted as the end furthest from the center of the back portion 206 of the removable seat 200.As shown in FIG. 6, the webbing 210 may form a connection between an upper connector 212 and a lower connector 214 to relieve the material of the removable seat 200 from forces generated by the interaction of the connectors 212, 214 with the seat mounts 112, 114 on the trailer 100.Preferably, two upper connecting elements 212 are provided on each removable seat 200, the two upper connecting elements 212 being arranged at a distance D 3 from one another. The distance D 3 preferably corresponds to the distance D 6 between each two upper seat attachments 112 and / or the distance D 1 between each pair of upper seat attachments 112.Preferably, two lower connecting elements 214 are provided on each removable seat 200, the two lower connecting elements 214 being arranged at a distance D 4 from one another. The distance D 4 preferably corresponds to the distance D 7 between two respective lower seat attachments 114 and / or the distance D 2 between one respective pair of lower seat attachments 114.FIG. 7 shows a rear view of a back portion 206 of a removable seat 200. As shown, the removable seat 200 may include at least one upper link 212 and at least one lower link 214, each link 212, 214 configured to connect to respective upper and lower seat mounts 112, 114. Each connecting element 212, 214 can be formed from a metal or plastic element. As shown in FIG. 7, at least one upper connector 212 and / or at least one lower connector 214 may include a mounting aperture 216 configured to allow a securing portion 124, see FIGS. 14-18, of a respective upper and / or lower seat mount 112, 114 to be inserted therethrough.Each of the upper and lower connecting members 212, 214 may be provided with a mounting aperture 216, as shown in FIG. 7. Each attachment aperture 216 may be formed as a slot that is perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the webbing 210 connecting the connector 212, 214 to the detachable seat 200.Each connecting element 212, 214 can be formed from a metal or plastic element. The webbing 210 may be a textile webbing or may be made of another material having sufficient tensile strength. The webbing 210 may be sewn or otherwise secured to the removable seat 200. Each connecting member 212, 214 may be disposed at a distal end of a respective webbing 210 with "distal" being interpreted as the end furthest from the center of the back portion 206 of the removable seat 200.FIG. 8 further illustrates another embodiment with upper and lower connectors 212, 214 as described above in connection with FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8, the webbing 210 may form a connection between an upper connector 212 and a lower connector 214 to relieve the material of the removable seat 200 from forces generated by the interaction of the connectors 212, 214 with the seat mounts 112, 114 on the trailer 100.Preferably, two upper connecting elements 212 are provided on each removable seat 200, the two upper connecting elements 212 being arranged at a distance D 3 from one another. The distance D 3 preferably corresponds to the distance D 6 between each two upper seat attachments 112 and / or the distance D 1 between each pair of upper seat attachments 112.Preferably, two lower connecting elements 214 are provided on each removable seat 200, the two lower connecting elements 214 being arranged at a distance D 4 from one another. The distance D 4 preferably corresponds to the distance D 7 between two respective lower seat attachments 114 and / or the distance D 2 between one respective pair of lower seat attachments 114.Turning now to FIG. 9, a side view of a multi-purpose trailer 100 is shown with the folding out of the removable seat 200 schematically illustrated and overlaid. As shown, the back portion 206 of the removable seat 200 is held taut by the upper seat mount 112 and the lower seat mounts 114. The seat portion 208 of the removable seat 200 may be held in place by the strap 108 (see FIG. 2 ) and / or, for example, by velcro or magnetic fasteners.FIGS. 10 and 11 disclose a side view of a collapsible multipurpose trailer 100, wherein the rack 102 can be collapsed between a use state shown in FIG. 10 and a collapsed state of the trailer 100 shown in FIG. 11. A folding state is understood to mean any folding state of the frame 102 when it is not in its use state.As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a distance D 5 between the at least one upper seat mount 112 and the at least one lower seat mount 114 may be configured to vary depending on a folding state of the frame 102. The distance D 5 between the at least one upper seat mount 112 and the at least one lower seat mount 114 is preferably greater in a use state than in a folding state of the trailer 102, and thus may be configured such that the upper and lower seat mounts 112, 114 bias the back portion 206 of the removable seat 200 for correct alignment and the removable seat 200 cannot be detached from the trailer 100 when the trailer 100 is in the use state. Therefore, the distance D 5 may be at least equal to, preferably greater than, the corresponding distance between the upper connectors 212 and the lower connectors 214 when the trailer 100 is in the deployed / use state.Further, the connection of the upper connectors 212 and the lower connectors 214 to the respective upper seat mounts 112 and lower seat mounts 114 is facilitated when the trailer 200 is in the folding state, thereby decreasing the distance D 5. Once the detachable seat 200 is attached, the trailer 200 is placed in the use state, thereby additionally securing the detachable seat 200.As further shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the multi-purpose trailer 100 may include a folding hinge 118 disposed between the at least one upper seat mount and the at least one lower seat mount. The folding hinge 118 on the chassis 102 makes it possible to vary the distance D 5 between the use state and the folding state of the trailer 100. The folding hinge 118 may be arranged as shown on an upright frame member extending along the rear of the trailer 100, which is folded longitudinally L towards the center of the trailer 100, thus decreasing the distance D 5 between the upper seat mounts 112 and the lower seat mounts 114.FIGS. 12 and 13 each show a detailed view of an embodiment of the connecting element 212, 214 during the fastening / removal process and during the fastening to a corresponding embodiment of the seat fastening 212, 214. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are applicable to both the upper and lower connectors 212, 214 and the upper and lower seat mounts 112, 114.As shown, each seat mount 112, 114 may include a first opening 120 and a second opening 122 through which a respective connector 212, 214 of the removable seat 200 may pass. The seat mount 112, 114 may be formed by a strip of suitable material attached at its opposite ends to the trailer 100 while a central portion is free, thereby forming the first and second apertures 120, 122. The seat attachment 112, 114 can be formed from a textile material, for example a belt strap.The first opening 120 may be larger than the second opening 122, and the first opening 120 on the at least one upper mount 112 and / or the first opening 120 of the at least one lower mount 114 is arranged facing in a proximal direction with respect to the trailer 100. Proximally in the foregoing is to be understood as the direction toward the center of the backrest section 116 a, 116 b. In other words, the first opening 120 on each upper seat mount 112 may be disposed facing a corresponding lower seat mount 114. Having the first opening 120 larger than the second opening 122 facilitates attachment of the connector 212, 214 to the seat mount 112, 114.The first opening 120 defines the insertion direction of the connector 212, 214 that, upon attaching the connector 212, 214 to the seat mount 112, 114, is first passed through the first opening 120 and then through the second opening 122.It is further illustrated in FIG. 13 that a width W 1 of the second opening 122 of each seat mount 112, 114 may be less than a width W 2 of the corresponding connector 112, 114. The ratio between the width W 1 and the width W 2 may be between 0.3 and 0.8.FIG. 14 shows a detail view of a seat mount 112, 114 according to an embodiment. As shown, the seat mount 112, 114 may include a securing portion 124. As mentioned, the securing portion 124 is configured to be inserted through the attachment opening 216 of a corresponding connecting element 212, 214. The securing portion 124 may be connected to the cloth member 104 and / or the chassis 102 of the multi-purpose trailer 100 by a shaft portion 122 configured to allow flexibility in the relative orientation of the securing portion 124 and the cloth member 106 and / or the chassis 102. The flexibility in relative orientation facilitates the attachment of each connecting member 212, 214 to each respective seat mount 112, 114. The securing portion 124 is configured to be disposed such that a rear side 126 opointing toward the connecting member 212, 214 upon attachment of the connecting member 212, 214 to a seat mount 112, 114. The back 126 of each attachment portion 124 further faces the shank portion 122 and the cloth member 104.The securing portion 124 and the shank portion 122 together form a substantially T-shaped seat mount 212, 214.The shank portion 122 may extend through the cloth member 106 and form a loop around a portion of the chassis 102 and / or be secured thereto by other means.The securing portion 124 is configured sufficiently rigid to reduce the risk of folding or otherwise collapsing when the seat 200 exerts a tension force on one or more of the associated seat mounts 112, 114.Accordingly, the risk of a securing portion 124 being pulled through the fastening opening 116 in the connecting element 212, 214 can be reduced.The securing portion 124 may be made of a textile material, a plastic material, a composite material and / or a metallic material. The securing portion 124 may be made of a different material than the shaft portion 122. In one embodiment, the securing portion 124 is made of a plastic material and secured to the shank portion 122 by molding the plastic material of the securing portion 124 around the shank portion 122.Moreover, the shank portion 122 may be secured to the securing portion 124 by forming in the shank portion 122 a loop that passes through corresponding openings (not shown) and around a rib (not shown) formed by the openings in the securing portion 124.The securing portion 124 may thus be formed of a homogeneous material having sufficient tensile strength to provide a strong connection between each connecting member 212, 214 and each respective seat mount 112, 114.The shank portion 122 is preferably formed from a textile material, for example webbing or other high strength woven textile material. It is also contemplated that the shaft portion 122 may be formed of, for example, a rubber material or a plastic material.FIG. 15 shows an embodiment in which the securing portion 124 and the shaft portion 122 are formed from the same material. The securing portion 124 is formed by folding the material of the shaft portion 122. The shaft portion 122 may be folded at least once to form the securing portion. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, the shank portion 122 is folded three times in such a way that the shank portion 122 is fastened centrally to the fastening portion 124, and thus at least two layers 134, 136, 138 of the material lie one above the other in the fastening portion 124. The securing portion 124 is thereby provided with a stiffness that reduces the risk of it being folded and inadvertently pulled through the attachment aperture 116 in the connecting member 112, 114. Moreover, by layering the material, it is provided with sufficient thickness in the securing portion 124 relative to the width D 8 (see FIG. 17 ) of the attachment aperture 116 such that when folded, caused by its attachment to the shank portion 122, it cannot be pulled through the attachment aperture 116 when a tensile force is applied to an attached connection member 212, 214.As shown in FIG. 15, a first layer 134 may be provided that is disposed furthest from the shank portion 122. A second layer 138 may be provided that forms the layer closest to the shank portion 122. Furthermore, at least one intermediate layer 136 can be provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, one intermediate layer 136 is provided, however, it should be appreciated that more than one intermediate layer 136 may be provided. Each layer 134, 136, 138 is preferably formed by folding the material of the shank portion 122, thereby forming the securing portion 124.Preferably, the layers 134, 136, 138 forming the securing portion 124 are sewn together by a seam 130 at least around the edges and / or adjacent to and parallel to a first fold 132. The seam 130 parallel to the fold 132 defines the position of the first fold 132 and is therefore preferably arranged substantially in the middle of the fastening portion 124.A circumferential seam 130 amay be provided that connects the edges of each layer of the attachment portion 124 together. Additionally, a central seam 130 bmay be provided that defines the position of the first fold 132. The central seam 130 bruns parallel to the first fold 132 and extends from the first layer 134 of the attachment portion 124 to the second layer 138 facing the shank portion 122.The seams 130, 130 a, 130 bdescribed in connection with FIG. 15 are applicable in the same way to the embodiments of FIGS. 14 and 16.FIG. 16 discloses an embodiment of the seat mount 112, 114 in which the mounting portion 124 thereof includes a reinforcing member 128. The reinforcement member 128 is formed of a material that is more rigid and has a higher strength than the material of the securing portion 124. Accordingly, the strength of the securing portion 124 can be improved without replacement of the entire material thereof. Each of the layers 134, 136, 138 of the securing portion 124 may be made of the same material as the shank portion 122, wherein the shank portion 122 must be somewhat flexible to facilitate movement of the securing portion 124 during attachment of the associated connection member 112, 124. The material of the shank portion 122 and that of the layers 134, 136, 138 of the fastening portion can thus be optimized to the properties required for the shank portion 122, namely high tensile strength and flexibility. Meanwhile, the reinforcement member 128 facilitates imparting the desired characteristics to the securing portion 124. This further reduces the risk that the seat 200 will inadvertently become detached from the seat mounts 112, 114, and at the same time facilitates manufacturing and reduces the manufacturing cost of the seat mounts 112, 114.The reinforcement member 128 may be made of any suitable material that has a higher stiffness than the material in the securing portion 124. Preferably, the reinforcement member 128 is formed of a plastic material. The reinforcement member 128 may be made of a recycled and / or renewable material such as bioplastic. The reinforcement member 128 may be formed of polypropylene (PP) resin.The reinforcement member 128 may have a thickness between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm, preferably about 1 mm.FIG. 17 discloses a detail view of a connecting element 212, 214 from the front. The connecting element 212, 214 shown in FIG. 17 corresponds to the connecting elements 212, 214 shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8. Each connecting element 212, 214 has a fastening opening 216. The attachment aperture 216 is configured to allow the securing portion 124 to be inserted therethrough such that each connecting member 212, 214 can be threaded over a respective securing portion 124.The fastening opening 216, as mentioned, has a width D 8, wherein the width direction is defined as the longitudinal direction of the associated belt strap 210. The webbing 210 is preferably attached to each link 212, 214 by a separate opening in the link 212, 214.FIG. 18 discloses a perspective view of a connector 212, 214 when attached to a seat mount 112, 114. In the event of a tensile force from the seat 200 in the direction of the belt strap 210 onto the connecting element 212, 214, the securing section 112, 114 prevents the connecting element 212, 214 from being released from the respective seat fastening 112, 114 by latching into the connecting element 212, 214.In an embodiment, as described in connection with FIGS. 10 and 11, the connectors 212, 214 and the respective seat mounts 112, 114 may be disposed in a secured state such that each connector 212, 214 is in contact with or disposed adjacent to a respective seat mount 112, 114 during use of the trailer 100. This reduces the risk of the connecting elements 212, 214 unintentionally becoming detached from the seat attachments 112, 114, since the distance for the relative acceleration / deceleration, which could otherwise lead to the generation of high impulse forces, is reduced or even completely avoided. If the seat 200 has too much play, sudden deceleration of the trailer 100 would allow the seat 200 time to decelerate relative to the trailer 100 such that when the connecting member 212, 214 contacts the seat mount 112, 114, the forces become too high and there is a risk of disconnection or failure of the connection between the seat 200 and the trailer 100. It is further noted that the secured state may include applying a biasing force to the seat 200 by increasing the distance D 5 as mentioned above.FIG. 19 discloses a schematic flow diagram of a method 1000 for securing a removable seat 200 to a multi-purpose trailer 100. The multi-purpose trailer 100 includes a chassis 102 forming a supporting structure of the trailer 100, a cloth member 104 supported by the chassis 102, wherein the multi-purpose trailer 100 includes at least one upper seat mount 112 and at least one lower seat mount 114 to which the removable seat 200 can be secured. The method 1000 comprises the following steps:Placing 1002 the utility trailer 100 in a seat mounting state. The seat mounting state may correspond to the folding state explained above and illustrated in FIG. 9, in which the frame 102 is moved from its use state. Therefore, the method 1000 may include at least partially folding the rack 102 of the multi-purpose trailer 100.The method 1000 further includes attaching 1004 the at least one removable seat 200 to at least one upper seat mount 112 and at least one lower seat mount 114. Attaching 1004 the at least one removable seat 200 may include threading at least one upper connector 212 to the removable seat 200 through a corresponding upper seat mount 112 and threading at least one lower connector 214 to the removable seat 200 through a corresponding lower seat mount 114.The securing 1004 of the at least one removable seat 200 may alternatively include, with respect to the embodiment shown at least in FIGS. 14-18, threading at least one upper seat mount 112 through a corresponding connector 212 and threading at least one lower seat mount 114 through a corresponding lower connector 214.The method 1000 further includes placing 1006 the multi-purpose trailer 100 in a detachable seat securing state, thereby securing the at least one detachable seat 200 to the multi-purpose trailer 200. Placing 1006 the multi-purpose trailer 100 in a detachable seat securing state may include at least partially folding the chassis 102 into a use state of the multi-purpose trailer 100, as shown in FIG. 8. Placing 1006 the multi-purpose trailer 100 in a detachable seat securing state may include increasing the distance D 5 between the at least one upper seat mount 112 and the at least one lower seat mount 114 such that a biasing force is applied to the at least one detachable seat 200. Placing 1006 the multi-purpose trailer 100 in a detachable seat securing state may include moving the folding hinge 118 from an at least partially folded position to a deployed position, as shown in FIG. 8.It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A multi-purpose trailer (100) for transporting at least one person, the trailer (100) comprising: a chassis (102) forming a supporting structure of the multi-purpose trailer (100); a cloth member (104) supported by the chassis (102); a detachable seat (200), wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) is configured to attach the detachable seat (200) in at least two lateral positions, one of which is a central position with respect to a lateral direction (T) of the multi-purpose trailer (100).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of claim 1, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) comprises at least one upper seat mount (112) and at least one lower seat mount (114) to which the removable seat (200) can be secured.The multi-purpose trailer (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) comprises at least one upper seat mount (112) and at least one lower seat mount (114) to which the removable seat (200) can be secured, wherein a distance (D5) between the at least one upper seat mount (112) and the at least one lower seat mount (114) varies depending on a folding state of the chassis (102).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of claim 3, wherein the distance (D5) between the at least one upper seat mount (112) and the at least one lower seat mount (114) is greater in a use state than in a folding state of the multi-purpose trailer (100).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) comprises at least one upper seat mount (112) and at least one lower seat mount (114) to which the removable seat (200) can be secured, and wherein the chassis (102) comprises a folding hinge (118) disposed between the at least one upper seat mount (112) and the at least one lower seat mount (114).The multi-purpose trailer (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) comprises at least two pairs of upper seat attachments (112) and at least two pairs of lower seat attachments (114), which are oriented in the transverse direction (T) of the multi-purpose trailer (100) and to which the removable seat (200) can be secured.The multi-purpose trailer (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) further comprises a plurality of straps (108) configured to be secured to a buckle (110) for connection to a strap system (202) of the removable seat (200), wherein a strap (108) is arranged between two respective upper seat attachments (112) and / or lower seat attachments (114) in the transverse direction (T) of the trailer (100).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the removable seat (200) comprises at least one upper link (212) and at least one lower link (214), wherein the at least one upper link (212) is configured to be attached to a corresponding upper seat mount (112), and the at least one lower link (214) is configured to be attached to a corresponding lower seat mount (114).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of any of claims 2 to 8, wherein each seat mount (112, 114) comprises a securing portion (124) configured to be threaded through a mounting aperture (216) in a respective connector (212, 214).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of claim 9, wherein each seat mount (112, 114) comprises a shank portion (122) that forms the mount between the securing portion (124) and the multi-purpose trailer (100), and wherein the securing portion (124) is disposed at an angle with respect to the shank portion (122).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of claim 8 or 9, wherein the securing portion (124) comprises a reinforcing member (128) configured to increase the rigidity of the securing portion (124).The multi-purpose trailer (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the multi-purpose trailer (100) comprises an adjustable backrest (116a, 116b), and wherein the at least one removable seat (200) is configured to follow the inclination of the backrest (116a, 116b).

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