Equipment caddy

Abstract

An apron mounted to a storage container to form an equipment caddy with multiple storage compartments, and features for structurally reinforcing a storage container and for facilitating transport of a heavily-loaded storage container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apron for mounting to the rim of a storage container, said apron comprising: 
 a first inner panel;    a first outer panel attached along one edge to the first inner panel;    a second inner panel;    a second outer panel attached along one edge to the second inner panel; and    a reinforcing web having a first end attached to the first inner panel and a second end attached to the second inner panel.    
     
     
         2 . The apron of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a third inner panel between the first and second inner panels at a first end thereof;    a third outer panel between the first and second outer panels at a first end thereof;    a fourth inner panel between the first and second inner panels at a second end thereof; and    a fourth outer panel between the first and second outer panels at a second end thereof.    
     
     
         3 . The apron of  claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth outer panels comprise openings for allowing access to handles of a storage container.  
     
     
         4 . The apron of  claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing web is attached to said first and second inner panels approximately midway between the first and second ends thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The apron of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first inner panel, the first outer panel, the second inner panel, the second outer panel, and the reinforcing web comprise at least one storage compartment.  
     
     
         6 . An equipment caddy comprising: 
 a storage container comprising first and second sides and first and second ends; and    a reinforcing web spanning between the first side and the second side of said storage container approximately midway between the first end and the second end.    
     
     
         7 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second sides of said storage container are longer than the first and second ends.  
     
     
         8 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , further comprising a first handle on the first end of said storage container and a second handle on the second end of said storage container.  
     
     
         9 . The equipment caddy of  claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing web is generally perpendicular to a line extending between the first handle and the second handle.  
     
     
         10 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , wherein the storage container comprises an interior and an exterior, and wherein said equipment caddy further comprises an apron mounted to the storage container, said apron comprising an inner portion within the interior of said storage container and an outer portion overlying at least a portion of the exterior of said storage container.  
     
     
         11 . The equipment caddy of  claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing web has a first end attached to a first location on the inner portion of said apron and a second end attached to a second location on the inner portion of said apron.  
     
     
         12 . The equipment caddy of  claim 10 , wherein the storage container comprises a first handle on its first end and a second handle on its second end, and wherein the outer portion of said apron defines openings permitting access to the first and second handles.  
     
     
         13 . The equipment caddy of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the inner portion of said apron, the outer portion of said apron, and the reinforcing web comprise at least one storage compartment.  
     
     
         14 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one wheel for rolling said equipment caddy.  
     
     
         15 . The equipment caddy of  claim 14 , further comprising a pull handle for rolling said equipment caddy.  
     
     
         16 . The equipment caddy of  claim 15 , wherein said pull handle is pivotally mounted to said storage container.  
     
     
         17 . The equipment caddy of  claim 15 , wherein said pull handle comprises at least one telescoping member.  
     
     
         18 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , wherein said reinforcing web comprises a flexible element.  
     
     
         19 . The equipment caddy of  claim 6 , wherein said reinforcing web comprises a generally rigid element.  
     
     
         20 . An apron for attachment to a generally rectangular storage container of the type having a bottom, first and second sides, first and second ends, a handle on each of the first and second ends, and a rim surrounding an open top, said apron being mountable over the rim of the storage container with an inner skirt portion of the apron contained within the storage container and an outer skirt portion of the apron overlying at least a portion of the storage container.  
     
     
         21 . The apron of  claim 20 , wherein the outer skirt portion defines openings for the handle on each of the first and second ends.  
     
     
         22 . The apron of  claim 20 , further comprising a reinforcing web extending across a midsection of the storage container when said apron is mounted over the rim of the storage container.  
     
     
         23 . The apron of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the inner skirt portion and the outer skirt portion comprise a storage compartment.