Patents by Inventor Tommy D. Mainard

Tommy D. Mainard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5519916
    Abstract: In a wheel and brake assembly for a wheeled cart, such as a shopping cart or a luggage cart, a horn is mountable to the cart so as to extend downwardly from the cart. A wheel defining a wheel axis and including a hub is journalled to the horn at the hub. A pin projects from the hub but clears the horn when the wheel is rotated. A bracket is mounted pivotably to the horn so as to be pivotable over a limited range, between an inoperative position and an operative position, with a tang projecting axially from the bracket. The tang is arranged to engage the pin so as to brake the wheel against further rotation in one rotational sense, once the bracket has been pivoted to the operative position, if the wheel is rotated by less than one full revolution in the same rotational sense. The pin is arranged to engage the tang so as to pivot the bracket from the operative position, and so as to release the wheel, if the wheel is rotated by less than one full revolution in the opposite rotational sense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: UNR Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy D. Mainard
  • Patent number: 5470087
    Abstract: In a shopping cart comprising an undercarriage, a handle having two tubular portions extending generally upwardly from the undercarriage, and a basket mounted to the undercarriage and the handle, the basket has a gate hinged to the tubular portions of the handle via a hinge wire extending along an upper edge of the gate. Two tubular sleeves are fixed to the handle, each extending through an inwardly opening aperture in an associated one of the tubular portions of the handle. Each end portion of the hinge wire extends into one of the tubular sleeves. Two rivets are fixed to the handle, each having an outside head, a tubular shank extending inwardly through an outwardly opening aperture in an associated one of the tubular portions of the handle and through an associated sleeve, and a mandrel drawn outwardly into the shank so as to expand the shank and the associated sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: UNR Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tommy D. Mainard, James F. Reinbold
  • Patent number: 5397140
    Abstract: In a shopping cart comprising an undercarriage, a handle having two tubular portions extending generally upwardly from the undercarriage, and a basket mounted to the undercarriage and the handle, the basket has a gate hinged to the tubular portions of the handle via a hinge wire extending along an upper edge of the gate. Each end portion of the hinge wire extends through an inwardly opening aperture in an associated one of the tubular portions of the handle. Two rivets are employed, each having a head bearing against one such tubular portion of the handle, a tubular shank extending inwardly through an outwardly opening aperture in the same handle portion, and a mandrel drawn outwardly into the shank so as to expand the shank. As disposed within the tubular portions of the handle, the mandrels of the rivets limit axial movement of the hinge wire and retain the end portions of the hinge wire within the tubular portions of the handle, approximately at a centered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: UNR Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Tommy D. Mainard