GB2469844A

GB2469844A - Wheelie bin trailer

Info

Publication number: GB2469844A
Application number: GB0907377A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Joseph Mallon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-04-30
Filing date: 2009-04-30
Publication date: 2010-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2029-04-30
Also published as: GB0907377D0; GB2469844B

Abstract

A wheelie bin trailer 10 comprises a rigid base 12 adapted to receive a domestic dustbin (52), the base. 12 having a loading side 22, a hitch side (24) and two opposing sides (26) which interconnect the loading side 22 and the hitch side (24), two small diameter wheels 14 rotatably mounted at or adjacent to the opposing sides (26) of the base 12 so that the base 12 is close to the ground, the base 12 being tiltable about a rotational axis of the 10 wheels 14 so that the loading side 22 can abut the ground, a hitch arm 16 having a hitch 18 at a distal end, the hitch arm 16 extending upwardly from the hitch side (24), and a brace member 20 which extends upwardly from the base 12, the brace member 20 having two side portions 38 and a hitch portion 40, the hitch portion 40 being spaced upwardly from the hitch side (24) of the base 12.

Description

Wheelie Bin Trailer The present invention relates to a wheelie bin trailer for transporting a wheelie bin by towing behind a vehicle.

Councils require residents to utilise wheelie bins for their rubbish. These bins are deep rigid plastics mouldings, typically extending to around chest height. A bar type handle allows connection to a lifting mechanism of a refuse lorry, and two small diameter wheels adjacent to a rear edge allow manoeuvring. However, due to the size of these dustbins, many residents find it difficult to move the bin when full to a collection point.

Furthermore, in many areas of the country, the local councils have stipulated a common collection point. Consequently, residents with long driveways or who live a distance from the collection point typically struggle to move the bin any great distance, resulting in the bin not being emptied.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wheelie bin trailer having a rigid base adapted to receive a domestic dustbin, the base having a loading side, a hitch side and two opposing sides therebetween, two small diameter wheels rotatably mounted at or adjacent to the opposing sides of the base so that the base is close to the ground, the base being tiltable about a rotational axis of the wheels so that the loading side can abut the ground, a hitch arm having a hitch at a distal end, the hitch arm extending upwardly from the hitch side, and a brace member which extends upwardly from the base, the brace member having two side portions and a hitch portion, the hitch portion being spaced upwardly from the hitch side of the base.

Preferable and/or optional features of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 21, inclusive.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a wheelie bin trailer, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the wheelie bin trailer; and Figure 3 shows the wheelie bin trailer with a wheelie bin thereon.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a wheelie bin trailer 10 which comprises a continuous rigid, typically metal, base 12, two wheels 14 having diameters which are less than a diameter of a normal road car wheel so that the base 12 can be positioned closer to the ground, a hitch arm 16 having a hitch 18 at one end for releasable connection to a tow ball of a vehicle, and a brace member 20 for steadying the wheelie bin when thereon.

An upper surface of the base 12 is preferably knurled or ridged to promote grip, and the base 12 includes a ramped loading edge 22 remote from the hitch arm 16, a hitch edge 24 from or adjacent to which the hitch arm 16 extends, and two side edges 26 which interconnect the loading edge 22 and the hitch edge 24. In this embodiment, the base 12 is substantially square, but other shapes being circular or non-circular are of course feasible. Even if circular, the continuous single edge can be said to have a loading side, a hitch side and two opposing sides therebetween.

The base 12 is also preferably less than or equal to 1 metre square, and more preferably approximately 700 mm square which is sufficient to accommodate a single wheelie bin type dustbin. Other sizes may be considered, for example, to accommodate more than one wheelie bin type dustbin.

A stop 28 is provided at each edge of the base 12 to prevent or limit displacement of the bin when thereon. In this case, the stop 28 is a continuous rigid upstanding perimeter wall 30 having a short lateral extent, typically in the range of 50 mm to 200 mm, and more preferably around 100 mm. The perimeter wall 30 extends around the side edges 26 and the hitch edge 24 whilst leaving the loading edge 22 open and unobstructed. The perimeter wall 30 is stepped at and adjacent to the brace member 20. Beneficially, the hitch arm 16 extends from a portion of the perimeter wall 30 which is midway along the hitch edge 24.

The hitch arm 16 is a two part rigid elongate member. A tubular base part 32 is connected to the perimeter wall 30 and telescopically receives a hitch part 34 having the hitch 18 at a distal end thereof. The hitch part 34 can be slid in and out of the base part 32 and releasably fastened in place using pins 36 and circlips, for example, through aligned apertures. The hitch arm 16 extends at an acute included angle relative to a plane of the base 12.

The brace member 20 is or is substantially a cantilever which extends from the perimeter wall 30 at the side edges 26 and in a vertical plane which includes the hitch edge 24. The brace member 20 is a rigid elongate bar and includes two side portions 38 and a hitch portion 40. The side portions 38 terminate at the step 42 of the perimeter wall 30 and adjacent to the loading edge 22. The side portions 38 are arcuate in two dimensions, providing an inward crank as seen in Figure 2. The hitch portion 40 is substantially rectilinear and spaced upwardly from the perimeter wall 30 so as to be unconnected therewith.

Two upstanding light board holders 44 are provided at opposing ends of the loading edge 22. A light board 46 includes two spaced elongate bracket elements 48 which are thus slidably and releasably receivable in the holders 44. Circlips 50 or other releasable fasteners are used to hold the bracket elements 48 in the holders 44. The light board 46 thus also functions as a closure element for occluding or blocking an exit of a space defined by the brace member 20.

To prevent or limit possible toppling of a wheelie bin type dustbin 52 when on the base 12, an elongate flexible strap 54 is provided. Strap apertures 56 are provided through the perimeter wall 30 at the side edges 26 of the base 12, and the strap 54 is fed through these apertures 56 and connected across a top of the wheelie bin type dustbin 52, preferably through lid handles, as shown in Figure 3.

The brace member thus stops or limits rocking and toppling of the wheelie bin when on the base. The cranked side portions preferably lie close to or abut the sides and leading corners of the wheelie bin, and help guide the bin into position so as not to be off balance on the base. The light board doubles as a closure element for closing the loading edge of the trailer, thereby preventing the wheelie bin from sliding off the trailer when being towed.

Although the brace member is preferably fixed, it could be hinged at its ends to the perimeter wall or base. The brace member could then be collapsed for storage.

The small diameter wheels allow the base to be tilted so that the loading edge meets the ground. This aids loading of the bin. Alternatively, the trailer can be hitched to a vehicle, and the bin can be loaded thereafter.

In a modification, the hitch arm may be extendable and retractable whilst attached to a vehicle, for example, via a gear winding mechanism. This would allow the loading edge to be tilted towards or onto the ground for loading of the bin, whilst already attached to a hitch of the towing vehicle, and then the base can be brought back to the horizontal with the bin loaded thereon.

The base may also include one or more rollers and/or runners for aiding sliding movement of the wheelie bin or other domestic dustbin thereon. This would assist positioning of the bin above the axle or axles of the wheels before being strapped securely in place.

Although only two wheels are suggested, and these are preferably midway between the loading edge or side and the hitch edge or side, two wheels could be provided at each side. The pairs of wheels would preferably be close together so as to be substantially midway between the loading edge and the hitch edge, thereby again increasing manoeuvrability of the trailer and allowing tilting if needs be.

The brace member may be fully curved along its longitudinal extent.

It is thus possible to provide a wheelie bin trailer which simplifies moving a heavily laden wheelie bin a long distance. The trailer is small and compact, thus making storage easy and manufacturing cost-effective.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A wheelie bin trailer having a rigid base adapted to receive a domestic dustbin, the base having a loading side, a hitch side and two opposing sides therebetween, two small diameter wheels rotatably mounted at or adjacent to the opposing sides of the base so that the base is close to the ground, the base being tiltable about a rotational axis of the wheels so that the loading side can abut the ground, a hitch arm having a hitch at a distal end, the hitch arm extending upwardly from the hitch side, and a brace member which extends upwardly from the base, the brace member having two side portions and a hitch portion, the hitch portion being spaced upwardly from the hitch side of the base.
2. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stop on the two opposing sides and the hitch side for preventing or limiting movement of a wheelie bin.
3. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stop is a continuous upstanding surround element which extends along or substantially along the opposing sides and the hitch side.
4. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hitch arm is extendable.
5. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hitch arm is telescopic.
6. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the hitch arm includes a gear mechanism for extending and retracting the hitch arm.
7. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hitch arm extends upwardly from the hitch side at an acute included angle to the plane of the base.
8. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brace member meets the opposing sides at or adjacent to the loading side.
9. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side portions are arcuate and the hitch portion is rectilinear or substantially rectilinear.
10. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two side portions of the brace extend inwardly in a direction towards the hitch side.
11. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two side portions are cranked.
12. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one bracket for supporting a light board.
13. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 12, wherein two said brackets are provided at or adjacent to the loading side.
14. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 13, wherein the brackets are connected to the brace member.
15. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising a light board which is removably attachable by the or each bracket, the light board providing a closure element for preventing slidable removal of a wheelie bin provided on the base.
16. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a strap aperture at or adjacent to each opposing side of the base.
17. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a strap for releasably fastening a wheelie bin to the base, the strap being receivable through the strap apertures.
18. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brace member slopes upwardly from or adjacent to the loading side of the base so as to only meet the base at or adjacent to the loading side.
19. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brace member is or is substantially a cantilever.
20. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base includes one or more rollers thereon for assisting sliding movement of a dustbin thereon.
21. A wheelie bin trailer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base includes one or more runners thereon for assisting sliding movement of a dustbin thereon.
22. A wheelie bin trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.