Handcart

Abstract

To provide a handcart which avoids local contact of a user's back to a handle when the user sits on a seat portion with the user's back facing the handle, thereby enabling the user to relax comfortably.SOLUTION: A handcart 1 includes right and left handle support pillars 31 that support, from below, right and left ends of a handle 25, the handle 25 supporting, from above, right and left front wheel leg portions 11 and rear wheel leg portions 12, and extending in the lateral direction. A seat portion 52 that protrudes substantially horizontally toward the front side so that a user can sit with their back facing the handle 25 is provided between the front wheel leg portions 11. A curved portion 61 that is curved backwardly so as to avoid local contact of the back to the handle 25 when the user sits on the seat portion 52 is provided at the center portion of the handle 25 in the horizontal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pushcart such as a walker or a silver cart. [Background technology]

[0002] This type of pushcart has left and right front wheel legs at the lower ends that support the front wheels so that they can roll freely, and left and right rear wheel legs at the lower ends that support the rear wheels so that they can roll freely, from above, and is also equipped with left and right handle support sections that support from below the left and right ends of the handle extending in the left and right direction, allowing the user to walk safely while pushing the pushcart by holding the handle.

[0003] One type of pushcart known in the art is one that has a seat that protrudes approximately horizontally forward from each front wheel base, allowing the user to sit on this seat with their back against the handlebars (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-141237 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when a user sits on the seat with his / her back against the handlebars, the user's back may come into contact with the handlebars locally. In that case, even if the user sits on the seat, if the user straightens his / her back, the back will come into contact with the handlebars, making it impossible for the user to relax.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its object is to provide a pushcart that allows a user to relax comfortably when sitting on the seat with their back against the handlebars, avoiding local contact of the back with the handlebars. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is based on a pushcart having left and right front wheel legs supporting the front wheels at their lower ends so that they can roll freely, and left and right rear wheel legs supporting the rear wheels at their lower ends so that they can roll freely, from above, and left and right handlebar support parts supporting the left and right ends of a handlebar extending in the left and right direction from below. Furthermore, a seat part is provided between the front wheel legs, protruding forward approximately horizontally so that a user can sit with their back against the handlebar. The handlebar is further characterized by having a curved part at the left and right center part, which curves backward to prevent local contact of the back of the user with the handlebar when sitting on the seat part.

[0008] In addition, the seat portion may be configured so that its rear end is supported for free rotation around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction relative to each of the front wheel legs, and can be converted between a seating position in which it protrudes approximately horizontally forward relative to each of the front wheel legs, and a lying position in which it is tilted upward along each of the handlebar support portions, or a lying position in which it is tilted downward along each of the front wheel legs.

[0009] A storage basket is provided between the front wheel legs and has an opening that opens upward in a substantially horizontal state to store luggage therein. The seat portion may also serve as a lid for opening and closing the opening of the storage basket.

[0010] Furthermore, the curved portion may be provided with a cushioning means for actively mitigating the abutment of the back when the user sits on the seat portion. Effect of the Invention

[0011] In summary, the handle is provided with a curved portion that curves backward in the left-right center to prevent the back of the user from locally abutting against the handle when the user sits on the seat portion that protrudes forward approximately horizontally. This allows the user to sit on the seat portion with their back against the handle, and the curved portion prevents the back of the user from locally abutting against the handle, allowing the user to sit on the seat portion with their back straight and relax.

[0012] The seat is supported rotatably around the horizontal axis of each front wheel leg and can be converted between a seated position where it protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg and a collapsed position where it lies upward along each handle support or downward along each front wheel leg. This allows the frame to be converted from the seated position to the collapsed position when the user is not sitting on the seat and the handcart is not in use, making it more convenient.

[0013] The seat also doubles as a lid to open and close the opening of the storage basket provided between the front wheel legs, which allows the interior of the storage basket to be sealed off by the seat, improving the appearance while reducing the number of parts.

[0014] Furthermore, by using the seat portion as a lid for the storage basket, it is possible to efficiently ensure seating space on the seat portion while placing the storage basket between the front wheel legs.

[0015] Furthermore, by providing the curved portion with a cushioning means that actively cushions the backrest when the user sits on the seating portion, the impact when the user sits on the seating portion with their back against the curved portion of the handlebars is effectively cushioned, thereby enhancing the feeling of spaciousness and comfort when the user sits on the seating portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pushcart according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from the front, with the seat portion converted into a seating position and the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs unfolded. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 1 as seen from the side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pushcart of FIG. 1 as seen from the rear. [Diagram 5] 2 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 1 with the seat portion converted into a laid-down position, as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 6 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 5 with the front and rear wheel legs folded down, as viewed obliquely from the front. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 8 as seen from the side. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pushcart according to a second embodiment of the present invention, seen obliquely from the front with the seat portion converted into a seating position and the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs unfolded. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 11 as seen from the side. [Figure 14] 12 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 11 with the seat portion converted into a laid-down position, as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 14 as seen from the front. [Figure 16] FIG. 15 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 14 as seen from the side. [Figure 17] 15 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 14 with its front and rear wheel legs folded, as seen obliquely from the front. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 17. [Figure 19] FIG. 18 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 17 as seen from the side. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pushcart according to a third embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from the front, with the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs unfolded. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 20. [Figure 22] 21 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 20 as seen from the side. [Figure 23]21 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 20 with its front and rear wheel legs folded, as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 23 as seen from the front. [Diagram 25] FIG. 24 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 23. [Figure 26] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pushcart according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from the front, with the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs unfolded. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 26. [Figure 28] FIG. 27 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 26 as seen from the side. [Figure 29] FIG. 27 is a rear view of the pushcart of FIG. 26 as seen from the rear. [Diagram 30] 27 is a perspective view of the pushcart of FIG. 26 with its front and rear wheel legs folded, as seen obliquely from the front. FIG. [Diagram 31] FIG. 31 is a front view of the pushcart of FIG. 30 as seen from the front. [Diagram 32] FIG. 31 is a side view of the pushcart of FIG. 30 as seen from the side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a pushcart according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a pushcart according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with the seat portion moved to a seating position and the front and rear wheel legs unfolded, as seen from an obliquely forward direction. Fig. 2 shows a front view of the pushcart in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a side view of the pushcart in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a rear view of the pushcart in Fig. 1.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the handcart 1 is used as a walking cart, and includes a pair of left and right front wheel legs 11, 11, a pair of left and right rear wheel legs 12, 12, and a handle frame 13.

[0020] The left and right front wheel legs 11, 11 are provided with front wheels 14, 14 supported for free rolling at their respective lower ends. The lower ends of the front wheel legs 11 are connected to each other by a front frame 15 extending in the left-right direction. Meanwhile, the left and right rear wheel legs 12, 12 are provided with rear wheels 16, 16 supported for free rolling at their respective lower ends. The rear wheel legs 12 are connected to each other at approximately their midpoints by a rear frame 17 extending in the left-right direction. This rear frame 17 is connected in the left-right direction while protruding diagonally forward, ensuring space at the user's feet.

[0021] Brakes 21 for braking the respective rear wheels 16 are rotatably supported at the lower ends of the left and right rear wheel legs 12, 12. Each brake 21 is provided at the rear end of a brake arm 23 extending in the front-rear direction, the middle part of which is supported at the lower end of each rear wheel leg 12 so as to be swingable about a horizontal shaft 22. The front ends of each brake arm 23 are respectively connected to both ends of a brake frame 24 extending in the left-right direction. In this case, the brake frame 24 is connected in the left-right direction while protruding diagonally upward, ensuring space at the user's feet.

[0022] The handle frame 13 is equipped with a handle 25. The handle 25 is equipped with a handle member 26 extending in the left-right direction, bent portions 27, 27 that bend both left and right ends of the handle member 26 rearward, and grip portions 28 that extend rearward from the rear ends of the bent portions 27 and are held by the user's hands. A brake lever 29 for operating each of the brakes 21 is provided below each of the grip portions 28. The front end portion of each brake lever 29 is supported by support brackets 30, 30 provided at both left and right ends of the handle 25, i.e., between each of the bent portions 27 and each of the grip portions 28.

[0023] Further, the front end of each brake lever 29 is connected to the corresponding brake arm 23 via a brake wire (not shown) so as to be capable of performing a braking operation. At this time, since the front end of each brake arm 23 is connected to both ends of the brake frame 24, respectively, it is possible to brake the left and right rear wheels 16, 16 by each brake 21 by braking operation of at least one of the left and right brake levers 29, 29.

[0024] The handle frame 13 also includes handle pillar sections 31, 31 that support the left and right support brackets 30, 30 from below. Each handle pillar section 31 is formed in a substantially circular cross section extending straight in the vertical direction, and each upper end is inserted and fixed into the support bracket 30 from below. Each handle pillar section 31 is also supported from below by a handle pillar support section 32. Each handle pillar support section 32 includes left and right side frames 33, 33 that extend straight in the vertical direction so as to be slidably inserted into each handle pillar section 31 from below, and a substantially U-shaped lower end frame 34 whose left and right upper ends are integrally connected to the lower ends of the left and right side frames 33, 33 and that opens upward.

[0025] Sliding brackets 35, 35 that slide up and down along the left and right frames 33, 33 are supported on the left and right frames 33, 33 of the handlebar column support part 32. The upper end of each front wheel leg 11 is rotatably supported on the front end of each sliding bracket 35 via a horizontal shaft 36. Meanwhile, the upper end of each rear wheel leg 12 is rotatably supported on the rear end of each sliding bracket 35 via a horizontal shaft 37. The sliding brackets 35 are connected to each other by a frame 38 extending in the left-right direction, and slide on the left and right frames 33, 33 in sync with each other.

[0026] The front ends of rear links 42 are rotatably supported via horizontal shafts 43 on the outsides of the left and right positions of the lower end portion of the lower end frame 34, which is located below the left and right frames 33, 33. The rear ends of the rear links 42 are rotatably supported via horizontal shafts 44 at approximately the middle positions of the rear wheel legs 12 (above the rear frames 17).

[0027] Further, the rear ends of front links 45 are rotatably supported on the inside of both the left and right positions of the lower end of each lower frame 34 via horizontal shafts 43. The front ends of the front links 45 are rotatably supported on horizontal shafts 46 at approximately the middle positions of the front wheel legs 11.

[0028] Between the front wheel legs 11, there is provided a seating surface 52 which protrudes substantially horizontally forward from the upper end of each front wheel leg 11 and on which a person can sit facing forward with their back to the handlebars 25. The seating surface 52 is provided with a substantially U-shaped seating surface frame 51 which is arranged with both left and right side edges and a front edge of the seating surface 52 integrally connected. Both left and right ends (both rear ends) of the seating surface frame 51 protrude rearward beyond the seating surface 52, and both protruding ends (rear ends) are rotatably supported on the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11 via horizontal shafts 54 which extend in the left-right direction.

[0029] The seating surface 52 is made up of a support plate (not shown) whose periphery is supported by the seating surface frame 51, and a cushion material 53 attached onto the support plate, and has a substantially square shape in a plan view. The seating surface frame 51, together with the handle support parts 31 and the handle support part 32 (the left and right side frames 33, 33 and the lower end frame 34), is made of a pipe extruded from aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, steel, or the like. In this case, the user sits on the seating surface 52 facing forward with his / her back to the handle 25, and can sit comfortably and comfortably facing forward in the direction of travel of the handcart 1.

[0030] Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 1 with the seat 52 in a reclined position, as seen obliquely from the front. Fig. 6 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 5.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7, the seating position (position shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 4) in which the seating surface portion 52 protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to the front wheel legs 11 and the collapsed position (position shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7) in which the seating surface portion 52 collapses downward along the front wheel legs 11 are provided with a conversion mechanism 5. The conversion mechanism 5 is provided with a substantially U-shaped seating surface support frame 55 that is open to the seating surface frame 51 side (upper in Fig. 2) with both ends (both upper ends in Fig. 3) supported rotatably via horizontal shafts (not shown) at substantially the middle positions of both the left and right sides of the seating surface frame 51. A protruding pin 56 that protrudes outward is provided at substantially the middle positions of both the left and right sides of the seating surface support frame 55.

[0032] The conversion mechanism 5 also includes a seat arm 58, one end (lower end in FIG. 3) of which is rotatably supported via a horizontal shaft 59 on the base end side (lower side in FIG. 3) of the protruding pin 56 of the seat support frame 55, and the other end (upper end in FIG. 3) of which is rotatably supported via a horizontal shaft 57 at a substantially intermediate position (directly above the horizontal shaft 46) of each front wheel leg 11. When the base end side of the seat support frame 55 is rotated around the horizontal shafts at both ends in a direction in which it is pulled forward, the seat arm 58 also rotates forward around the horizontal shaft 59 at the other end, and the seat support frame 55 and the seat arm 58 are folded, and the seat portion 52 rotates around the horizontal shafts 54 at both other ends of the seat frame 51, and falls down along each front wheel leg 11. At this time, the protruding pin 56 abuts against the seat arm 58, converting the seat portion 52 from a seated position in which it protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg 11 to a laid-down position along each front wheel leg 11.

[0033] Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 5 when viewed diagonally from the front with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 folded up. Fig. 9 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 8 when viewed from the front, and Fig. 10 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 8 when viewed from the side.

[0034] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, when the handle 25 is pushed downward, the sliding brackets 35, 35 located at the lower ends of the left and right frames 33, 33 with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 unfolded move upward to the upper ends of the left and right frames 33, 33. This upward movement of the sliding brackets 35, 35 causes the front wheel legs 11 to rotate backward about the horizontal axis 36, and the rear wheel legs 12 to rotate forward about the horizontal axis 37. At this time, when the sliding brackets 35, 35 move upward, the left and right frames 33, 33 move downward relative to each other, and the front wheel legs 11 are drawn toward the handle column support part 32 side (rearward) via the front link 45, and the rear wheel legs 12 are drawn toward the handle column support part 32 side (forward) via the rear link 42, and the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 are folded up.

[0035] A curved portion 61 is provided at the left-right central portion of the handle member 26 of the handle 25, which curves backward so as to prevent the back of the user from locally contacting the handle member 26 when the user sits on the seat portion 52. This curved portion 61 curves smoothly along the back of the user, and the back of the user comes into contact with the handle member 26 in a manner that gently wraps around the handle member 26 from the left-right direction without locally contacting the handle member 26.

[0036] Therefore, in this embodiment, a curved portion 61 that curves backward is provided in the left-right center of the handle member 26 so as to prevent the user's back from locally abutting against the handle member 26 of the handle 25 when the user sits on the seat portion 52 that protrudes substantially horizontally forward from the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11. As a result, even if the user sits on the seat portion 52 with his / her back against the handle member 26, the curved portion 61 prevents the user's back from locally abutting against the handle member 26, and the user can sit on the seat portion 52 with his / her back straight and relax.

[0037] Furthermore, seat portion 52 is supported rotatably about horizontal shafts 54 at the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11, and can be converted between a seating position in which it protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg 11, and a lying position in which it lies downward along each front wheel leg 11. This allows seat portion 52 to be converted from the seating position to the lying position when not in use and the user is not seated on seat portion 52, making the handcart 1 more convenient to use.

[0038] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0039] In this embodiment, the configuration of the seat and the conversion mechanism are changed. Note that the configuration other than the seat and the conversion mechanism is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0040] Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a pushcart according to a second embodiment of the present invention, with the seat portion moved to the seating position and the front and rear wheel legs unfolded, as seen obliquely from the front. Fig. 12 shows a front view of the pushcart of Fig. 11, as seen from the front, and Fig. 13 shows a side view of the pushcart of Fig. 11, as seen from the side.

[0041] As shown in Figures 11 to 13, a seat 71 is provided between the front wheel legs 11, protruding substantially horizontally forward from the upper end of each front wheel leg 11 and enabling the user to sit facing forward with their back to the handlebars 25. The seat 71 is provided with a substantially U-shaped seat frame 72 arranged with both left and right side edges and a front edge of the seat 71 integrally connected. Both left and right ends (both rear ends) of the seat frame 72 protrude rearward beyond the seat 71, and both protruding ends are rotatably supported by the ends (front ends) of U-shaped brackets 73 fixed to the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11, respectively, via horizontal shafts 74 extending in the left-right direction.

[0042] The seat surface 71 is composed of a support plate (not shown) whose periphery is supported by the seat surface frame 72, and a cushion material 75 attached to the support plate, and has a generally rectangular shape that is relatively short in the front-rear direction and long in the left-right direction in a plan view. The seat surface frame 72 is formed from a pipe extruded from aluminum, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, steel, or the like. In this case, since the seat surface 71 has a generally rectangular shape that is relatively short in the front-rear direction and long in the left-right direction, the user sits on the seat surface 71 facing forward with the handlebars 25 close to his or her back.

[0043] Fig. 14 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 11 with the seat 71 in the lying position as viewed obliquely from the front. Fig. 15 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 14 as viewed from the front, and Fig. 16 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 14 as viewed from the side.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 14 to Fig. 16, a conversion mechanism 7 is provided for converting the seating position (position shown in Fig. 11 to Fig. 13) in which the seating surface portion 71 protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg portion 11, and the lying position (position shown in Fig. 14 to Fig. 16) in which the seating surface portion 71 is laid down upward along each handlebar support portion 31. The conversion mechanism 7 is provided with slide rails 76 extending along both left and right sides of the seating surface frame 72, seating surface links 78, 78 having one end (lower end in Fig. 11) rotatably supported via a horizontal shaft 77 at an upper position of each front wheel leg portion 11 (above the horizontal shaft 46 of the front link 45), and seating surface pin members 79 whose left and right ends are connected to the other ends (upper ends in Fig. 11) of the left and right seating surface links 78, 78 and which slide along the slide rails 76.

[0045] When the seat portion 71 is rotated upward around the horizontal axis 74 at the tip of the U-shaped bracket 73, each seat link 78 rotates upward around the horizontal axis 77, and the seat pin material 79 slides along the slide rail 76 to reach the end of the horizontal axis 74, converting the seat portion 71 from a seated position in which it protrudes approximately horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg 11 to a laid-down position in which it lays down upward along each of the handlebar support portions 31, i.e., the frames 33, 33 on both the left and right sides of the handlebar support portion 32.

[0046] Fig. 17 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 14 when viewed diagonally from the front with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 folded up. Fig. 18 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 17 when viewed from the front, and Fig. 19 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 17 when viewed from the side.

[0047] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, when the handle 25 is pushed downward, the sliding brackets 35, 35 located at the lower ends of the left and right frames 33, 33 with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 unfolded move upward to the upper ends of the left and right frames 33, 33. This upward movement of the sliding brackets 35, 35 causes the front wheel legs 11 to rotate backward about the horizontal axis 36, and the rear wheel legs 12 to rotate forward about the horizontal axis 37. At this time, when the sliding brackets 35, 35 move upward, the left and right frames 33, 33 move downward relative to each other, and the front wheel legs 11 are drawn toward the handle column support part 32 side (rearward) via the front link 45, and the rear wheel legs 12 are drawn toward the handle column support part 32 side (forward) via the rear link 42, and the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 are folded up.

[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the user sits on the seat portion 71 that protrudes approximately horizontally forward from the upper end of each front wheel leg portion 11, even if the user's back is close to the handle 25 due to the approximately rectangular seat portion 71 that is relatively short in the front-to-back direction and long in the left-to-right direction, the curved portion 61 prevents the back from coming into local contact with the handle member 26, and the user can sit up straight and relax when seated on the seat portion 71.

[0049] Furthermore, the seat portion 71 is supported rotatably about the horizontal shaft 54 ​​at the upper end of each front wheel leg 11, and can be converted between a seating position in which it protrudes substantially horizontally forward relative to each front wheel leg 11, and a lying position in which it is laid down upward along each handle support portion 31. This allows the seat portion 71 to be converted from the seating position to the lying position when not in use and the user is not seated on the seat portion 71, making the hand cart 1 more convenient to use.

[0050] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0051] In this embodiment, the configuration of the seat and the conversion mechanism are changed. Note that the configuration other than the seat and the conversion mechanism is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0052] Fig. 20 shows a perspective view of a pushcart according to a third embodiment of the present invention, with the front and rear wheel legs unfolded, as seen obliquely from the front. Fig. 21 shows a front view of the pushcart in Fig. 20, and Fig. 22 shows a side view of the pushcart in Fig. 20, as seen from the side.

[0053] As shown in Figures 20 to 22, a storage basket 81 is provided between the front wheel legs 11, which stores luggage through an opening (not shown) that opens upward in a substantially horizontal state. A substantially U-shaped support frame 82 that opens rearward is attached to both left and right side edges and the front edge of the opening edge of this storage basket 81. The left and right rear end portions of this support frame 82 are rotatably supported by the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11 via horizontal shafts 83.

[0054] A seating surface 84 is detachably attached to the edge of the opening of the storage basket 81, i.e., on the support frame 82. The seating surface 84 is composed of a support plate (not shown) that forms the entire surface of the seating surface 84 and a cushion material 85 attached to the support plate, and has a generally rectangular shape that is slightly longer in the front-rear direction in a plan view. The seating surface 84 also serves as a lid that opens and closes the opening of the storage basket 81, and is located at a seating position that protrudes generally horizontally forward from the upper ends of the front wheel legs 11 when the opening of the storage basket 81 is closed.

[0055] Fig. 23 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 20 when viewed diagonally from the front with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 folded up. Fig. 24 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 23 when viewed from the front, and Fig. 25 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 23 when viewed from the side.

[0056] As shown in Figures 23 to 25, when the handle 25 is pushed downward, the sliding brackets 35, 35 located at the lower ends of the left and right frames 33, 33 with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 unfolded, move upward to the upper ends of the left and right frames 33, 33. This upward movement of the sliding brackets 35, 35 causes the front wheel legs 11 to rotate backward about the horizontal axis 36, and the rear wheel legs 12 to rotate forward about the horizontal axis 37. At this time, when the sliding brackets 35, 35 move upward, the left and right frames 33, 33 move downward relative to each other, and the storage basket 81 is converted into a forward-leaning posture such that the seat portion 84 is aligned with the front wheel legs 11 while avoiding interference with the rear frame 17, the brake frame 24, and the lower end frames 34 of the handle pillar supports 32. At the same time, each front wheel leg 11 is pulled toward the handlebar support portion 32 (rearward) via the front link 45, and each rear wheel leg 12 is pulled toward the handlebar support portion 32 (forward) via the rear link 42, and each front wheel leg 11 and each rear wheel leg 12 are folded.

[0057] The storage basket 81 is made of a soft, deformable material such as cloth or vinyl, and when the front and rear wheel legs 11 and 12 are folded, the bottom is deformed into a generally wavy shape due to interference with the rear frame 17, brake frame 24, and lower end frame 34 of the handle column support part 32, which extend in the left-right direction below the handcart 1. In this case, since the seat part 84 is attached to the edge of the opening of the storage basket 81, when the front and rear wheel legs 11 and 12 are folded, the seat part 84 is tilted forward along the front wheel legs 11 and converted into a lying down position.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the user sits on the seat portion 84, which protrudes approximately horizontally forward from the upper ends of each front wheel leg portion 11, local contact of the back with the handle member 26 is avoided by the curved portion 61, and the user can sit up straight and relax comfortably when seated on the seat portion 84.

[0059] Also, since the seat portion 84 doubles as a lid that detachably opens and closes the opening of the storage basket 81 provided between the front wheel legs 11, the interior of the storage basket 81 is shielded by the seat portion 84, improving the appearance while reducing the number of parts. Moreover, by using the seat portion 84 as a lid for the storage basket 81, the seat space of the seat portion 84 can be efficiently secured while the storage basket 81 is installed between the front wheel legs 11.

[0060] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0061] In this embodiment, the configuration of the seat portion and the conversion mechanism are changed. Note that the configuration other than the seat portion and the conversion mechanism is the same as that of the third embodiment, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0062] Fig. 26 shows a perspective view of a pushcart according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, with the front and rear wheel legs unfolded, as seen obliquely from the front. Fig. 27 shows a front view of the pushcart of Fig. 26, Fig. 28 shows a side view of the pushcart of Fig. 26, and Fig. 29 shows a rear view of the pushcart of Fig. 26.

[0063] 26 to 29, the curved portion 61 curved at the left-right center of the handle member 26 is provided with a cushioning means 9 that actively cushions the abutment of the back when the user sits on the seat portion 84. The cushioning means 9 is composed of a pad-like cushioning material 91 formed laterally elongated to match the left-right length of the curved portion 61, and a fastener 92 that fastens the cushioning material 91 in a wrapped state around the curved portion 61.

[0064] Fig. 30 shows a perspective view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 26 when viewed diagonally from the front with the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 folded up. Fig. 31 shows a front view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 30 when viewed from the front, and Fig. 32 shows a side view of the pushcart 1 in Fig. 30 when viewed from the side.

[0065] As shown in Figs. 30 to 32, when the handle 25 is pushed downward, the sliding brackets 35, 35 move upward to the upper ends of the left and right frames 33, 33, and this upward movement causes the front wheel legs 11 to rotate backward about the horizontal axis 36, and the rear wheel legs 12 to rotate forward about the horizontal axis 37. At this time, the left and right frames 33, 33 move downward relative to each other, and the storage basket 81 is converted into a forward-leaning posture such that the seat surface portion 84 is aligned with the front wheel legs 11 while the bottom portion is deformed into a substantially wavy shape due to interference with the rear frame 17, the brake frame 24, and the lower end frame 34. In sync with this, the front wheel legs 11 are drawn toward the handle column support portion 32 via the front link 45, and the rear wheel legs 12 are drawn toward the handle column support portion 32 via the rear link 42, and the front wheel legs 11 and the rear wheel legs 12 are folded up.

[0066] Therefore, in this embodiment, a cushioning means 9 is provided in the curved portion 61 to actively cushion the backrest when sitting on the seat portion 84, so that when the user sits on the seat portion 84 with his / her back against the curved portion 61 of the handle member 26, the impact caused when the backrest comes into contact with the curved portion 61 is effectively cushioned, thereby enhancing the feeling of spaciousness and comfort when the user sits on the seat portion 84.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes various other modified examples. For example, in the fourth embodiment, the cushioning means 9 is configured by wrapping and fastening the horizontally elongated pad-like cushioning material 91 around the curved portion 61 with the fastener 92. However, the cushioning means may be provided in the entire area of ​​the portion located in front of the handlebar, including the handlebar member and the bent portions at both left and right ends, to actively reduce the contact of the back with the seat when the user sits on the seat. In that case, the cushioning means may be configured by inserting a tube-shaped cushioning material between the bent portions at both left and right ends of the handlebar member, or by wrapping a band-shaped cushioning material around the bent portions.

[0068] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the seating surfaces 52, 71, 84 are adapted to be converted between a seated position and a reclined position, but the seating surfaces may also be of a fixed type in which they are fixed in a state in which they protrude forward approximately horizontally relative to each front wheel leg.

[0069] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the handcart 1 is used as a walking cart, but it may also be used as a handcart such as a silver cart. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1. Wheelbarrow 11 Front wheel leg 12 Rear wheel leg 14 Front wheel 16 Rear wheel 25 Handle 31 Handle support part 33 Left and right frame 52 Seat part 54 horizontal axis 61 Curved section 71 Seat part 74 horizontal axis 81 Storage Basket 83 horizontal axis 84 Seat part 9 Buffering means

Claims

1. A handcart having left and right front wheel legs at lower ends for supporting front wheels so as to be freely rotatable, and left and right rear wheel legs at lower ends for supporting rear wheels so as to be freely rotatable, from above, and including left and right handle support columns for supporting from below both left and right ends of a handle extending in the left-right direction, a seat portion protruding substantially horizontally forward is provided between the front wheel legs so that a user can sit with his / her back against the handlebars; A pushcart characterized in that a curved portion is provided in the left-right center of the handle that curves backward to prevent the back of the user from locally contacting the handle when the user sits on the seat portion.

2. 2. The pushcart of claim 1, wherein the seat portion has a rear end supported for free rotation about a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction relative to each of the front wheel legs, and is configured to be converted between a seating position in which it protrudes approximately horizontally forward relative to each of the front wheel legs, and a lying-down position in which it is tilted upward along each of the handle support portions or a lying-down position in which it is tilted downward along each of the front wheel legs.

3. A storage basket is provided between the front wheel legs and opens upward in a substantially horizontal position, and allows luggage to be stored therein.

2. The pushcart according to claim 1, wherein the seat portion also serves as a lid for opening and closing an opening of the storage basket.

4. 4. The pushcart according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion is provided with a cushioning means for actively cushioning the back of a person seated on the seat portion.

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