SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a corner protector system that can be installed to a concrete pilaster, wall, post, or column. The corner protector system can be applied to a variety of different types of corners such as right angle corners, 60° corners, or 30° corners. The corner protection system has an edge panel. The edge panel is configured to conform to a corner and configured to cover a corner edge. A right panel connects to the edge panel and extends to the right of the edge panel. The left panel connects to the edge panel and extends to the left of the left panel. The edge panel folds between a flat configuration and a right angle folded configuration. The right panel has a right panel overlap that overlaps the edge panel. The left panel has a left panel overlap that overlaps the edge panel. The edge panel has a plurality of edge panel fold relief slots. The right panel has right panel rail sliders, and the left panel has left panel rail sliders.
The right panel has a right panel anchor and wherein the left panel has a left panel anchor. The right panel anchor is configured to connect to a first corner depression on a concrete column. The left panel anchor is configured to connect to a second corner depression on a concrete column. The front bumper is mounted to a lower front frame extension of a shopping cart. The lower front frame extension of the shopping cart forms a bend corner. A pair of front bumpers can be placed on the front bends of the lower front frame extension of the shopping cart. A rear bumper can be mounted to the shopping cart. The rear bumper is mounted as a rear wheel frame cover of a shopping cart.
The lower extension further includes a lower retainer opening with an axle extension relief. The axle extension relief is wider than the lower retainer opening. The lower retainer opening passes through the rear bumper. The lower retainer opening is configured to attach to a shopping cart real wheel frame. The rear bumper has a front stabilizing abutment and a rear stabilizing abutment extending inwardly from an upper extension. The front stabilizing abutment and rear stabilizing abutment define an inside retaining channel that secures to the shopping cart rear wheel frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention showing the concrete corner in cross-section.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention in unfolded configuration.
FIG. 5 is an installed view of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the front bumper and rear bumper attachment on a shopping cart.
FIG. 7 is an outside view of the rear bumper.
FIG. 8 is an inside view of the rear bumper.
FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the front bumper
The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.
- 20 Corner Protector
- 21 Corner
- 22 Corner Surface
- 23 First Corner Depression
- 24 Second Corner Depression
- 25 Corner Matrix
- 26 Corner Edge
- 27 Right Corner Wall
- 28 Left Corner Wall
- 29 Concrete
- 30 Right Panel
- 31 Right Panel Right Edge
- 32 Right Panel Overlap
- 33 Right Panel Anchor
- 34 Right Panel Indent
- 35 Right Panel Rail Sliders
- 36 Right Rail Slider Upper Edge
- 37 Right Rail Slider Lower Edge
- 38 Right Outer Margin
- 39 Right Lower Margin
- 40 Left Panel
- 41 Left Panel Left Edge
- 42 Left Panel Overlap
- 43 Left Panel Anchor
- 44 Left Panel Indent
- 45 Left Panel Rail Sliders
- 46 Left Rail Slider Upper Edge
- 47 Left Rail Slider Lower Edge
- 48 Left Outer Margin
- 49 Left Lower Margin
- 50 Edge Panel
- 51 Edge Panel Joint
- 52 Edge Panel Fold Relief Slots
- 53 Groove
- 54 Ridge
- 55 Right Junction Gap
- 56 Left Junction Gap
- 57 Array Of Ridges And Grooves
- 91 Upper Bevel
- 92 Lower Bevel
- 60 Shopping Cart
- 61 Shopping Cart Basket
- 62 Shopping Cart Handle
- 63 Shopping Cart Rear Wheel
- 64 Shopping Cart Front Wheel
- 65 Shopping Cart Frame
- 66 Front Bumper
- 67 Shopping Cart Rear Wheel Frame
- 68 Rear Wheel Frame Cover
- 70 Rear Bumper
- 71 Axle Extension Relief
- 72 Lower Retainer Opening
- 73 Rear Stabilizing Abutment
- 74 Front Stabilizing Abutment
- 76 Upper Extension
- 77 Lower Extension
- 78 Outside Center Channel
- 79 Inside Retaining Channel
- 80 Bend Cover
- 81 First Bend Cover Frame Receiver Opening
- 82 Second Bend Cover Frame Receiver Opening
- 83 Connecting Web
- 84 Webbing Aperture
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a top view of the present invention in an exploded view about to be attached to a concrete corner. The corner 21 is made of concrete 29. The concrete 29 is in a matrix such as a corner matrix 25 which can be comprised of aggregate such as stone and a binder such as cement. The corner 21 has a corner surface 22 and a pair of depressions including a first corner depression 23 and a second corner depression 24. The first corner depression 23 and the second corner depression 24 receive mounting from a right panel anchor 33 and a left panel anchor 43. The corner surface 22 bends at a 90° angle which rounds the corner between the left corner wall 28 and the right corner wall 27. The left corner wall 28 and the right corner wall 27 meet at a corner edge 26. The first corner depression 23 and the second corner depression 24 can be formed as cylindrical hollows having magnetic mounting. The magnetic mounting means can be in addition to a bolted or screw connection. The magnetic mounting can allow easy alignment so that the left panel 40 and the right panel 30 can be mounted to the corner 21 more easily. For a more permanent installation, adhesive can adhere the right panel 32 the right corner wall 27, and the left corner wall 28 to the left panel 40.
The magnetic mounting can be neodymium magnets mounted on the corner depressions which receive magnetic latching to a ferrous stud mounted to the panel anchors. A mechanical connection such as a screw connection can also connect the panel anchors to the corner depressions. The corner depressions can be drilled and aligned to the existing columns. Hardware can be epoxy bonded to the drilled openings to form the corner depressions. Thus, existing concrete columns can be retrofitted to receive the corner protection system. The panels can be plastic injection molded. The plastic injection molded panels can have embedded metal for magnetic attachment.
The right panel 30 and the left panel 40 are preferably formed of elastomeric material that are polymer. The panel system preferably includes a right panel 30 connected to an edge panel 50 which in turn is connected to a left panel 40. The left panel 40 has a left panel left edge which opposes a right panel right edge 31 of the right panel 30. The edge panel 50 is mounted between the right panel 30 in the left panel 40. The edge panel 50 receives a right panel overlap 32 which extends from the right panel 30 over the edge panel 50. Also, the left panel 40 has a left panel overlap 42 that extends over a portion of the edge panel 50. The edge panel 50 has an edge panel joint 51. The edge panel 50 can be made of a softer material than the right panel 30 and the left panel 40 which can allow for a foldable edge panel joint 51.
As seen in FIG. 2, the right panel 30 in the left panel 40 have a variety of different features optimized for shopping cart abrasion. The right panel 30 has right panel rail sliders 35 and the left panel 40 has left panel rail sliders 45. The rail sliders help the shopping cart bumpers glide along the edge of the panels. The rail sliders can be protrusions or depressions. The right panel rail sliders 35 have right rail slider upper edges 36 and right real slider lower edges 37. The left panel rail sliders 45 have left rail slider upper edges 46 and left rail slider lower edges 47. In addition, the right panel has a right panel indent 34 and the left panel has a left panel indent 44. The left panel indent 44 can aligned to the left panel anchor 43. The right panel indent 34 can aligned to the right panel anchor 33.
On an inside surface of the edge panel 50, edge panel fold relief slots 52 allow for the edge panel joint 51 to bend around a corner such as a 90° corner, 60° corner or 30° corner. The edge panel fold relief slots 52 are preferably formed as angled slots that are formed of elastomeric materials such that they can allow for impact resistance.
The rail sliders have margins on the panels. For example, the right panel 30 has a right outer margin 38 and a right lower margin 39 where the right rail sliders 35 do not extend to the right panel edge 31. Similarly, the left panel 40 has a left outer margin 48 and a left lower margin 49 where the left panel rail sliders 45 do not extend to the left panel edge 41.
As seen in FIG. 3, the right panel 30 is a mirror image of the left panel. The right panel 30 has an upper bevel 91 and a lower bevel 92. The side view shows an array of ridges and grooves 57. Individual ridges 54 and grooves 53 are horizontal. The right junction gap 55 runs vertically along the edge of the right panel 30. The right real slider upper edge 36 and the right real slider lower edge 37 are also horizontal and facilitate a smooth wiping of a shopping cart bumper along the surface of the right panel or the left panel.
As seen in FIG. 4, the right junction gap 55 is parallel to the left junction gap 56. Both of the junction gaps overlay the middle panel which is the edge panel 50. The junction gap provides a impact isolation such that impact on a right panel does not transfer to the middle panel for example. Also, impact on the left panel does not transfer forced to the right panel. Segmenting the panels provides shock and vibration isolation which prevents panel shifting.
As seen in FIG. 5, the panel installs to the corner edge 26 and folds from a flat position to a folded position. The right panel 30 fits to the edge panel 50 which fits to the left panel 40. The edge panel 50 conforms around the corner edge 26. When a shopping cart hits the right panel or the left panel, the wiping impact slides along the panel surface to deflect force.
As seen in FIG. 6, the shopping cart has a shopping cart basket 61 and a shopping cart handle 62. The shopping cart frame 65 retains the basket and handle. The shopping cart frame extends downwardly to a lower front frame. The lower front frame has a lower front frame extension 69. The front bumper 66 attaches to the lower front frame extension 69. The shopping cart 60 has a shopping cart front wheel 64 and a shopping cart rear wheel 63. The shopping cart front wheel 64 is below the lower front frame extension 69. The front bumper 66 is mounted above the shopping cart front wheel 64. The shopping cart rear wheel 63 is mounted on a shopping cart rear wheel frame 67. A rear bumper 70 is mounted to the shopping cart rear wheel frame as a rear wheel frame cover 68.
As seen in FIG. 7, the shopping cart rear wheel frame cover 68 has a front stabilizing abutment 74 and a rear stabilizing abutment 73 which extend around a front and rear edge of the shopping cart rear wheel frame 67. An upper extension 76 extends horizontally between the front stabilizing abutment 74 and the rear stabilizing abutment 73. The upper extension 76 extends outwardly over an outside center channel 78. A lower extension 77 covers the front lower edge of the shopping cart rear wheel frame 67. The lower extension 77 further includes a lower retainer opening 72 and an axle extension relief 71. An axle of the shopping cart rear wheel 63 is threaded and can receive a nut. The axle extension relief 71 provides a cylindrical opening which can receive a nut socket for driving a nut. A nut can be mounted to the lower retainer opening 72 on the lower extension 77. Thus, the rear bumper 70 can attach and retrofit to an existing shopping cart rear wheel frame 67.
As seen in FIG. 8, an inside view of the shopping cart rear wheel frame cover 68 shows that a flat outside surface of the shopping cart rear wheel frame 67 lodges within the inside retaining channel 79 between the front stabilizing abutment 74 and the rear stabilizing abutment 73. Typically, the front stabilizing abutment 74 and the rear stabilizing abutment 73 are angled forwardly according to a traditional shopping cart rear wheel frame design, however the angles can be modified should different shopping cart rear wheel frame designs become popular. The inside view of the shopping cart rear wheel frame cover 60 also shows a lower retainer opening 72 which passes from an inside surface of the inside retaining channel 79 to an outside surface of the lower extension 77.
As seen in FIG. 9, the front bumper 66 connects to the front frame extension 69. The front bumper 66 bends around an edge of the lower front frame extension 69. The lower front frame extension 69 is formed as a metal tube with a bend. The front bumper 66 conforms to the bend of the metal tube of the lower front frame extension 69. The from bumper 66 further includes a first bend cover frame receiver opening 81 and a second bend cover frame receiver opening 82. The front bumper 66 can be formed as a bend cover 80. The bend cover 80 also has a connecting web 83. The connecting web has a webbing aperture 84. A pair of front bumpers and a pair of rear bumpers can attach to a shopping cart having a rectangular configuration. On certain shopping carts, the webbing aperture 84 can be used to connect to the shopping cart frame such as by a nut and washer.
During use, the shopping cart front bumper and shopping cart rear bumper may collide with the rail sliders on the panels. The slick surface of the front bumper and rear bumper are configured to glide along the rail sliders to deflect impact and damage to the concrete corners. As the shopping cart bumpers and the panels degrade over time after thousands of collisions, the bumpers and panels can be replaced modularly as needed.
Patent Application
20250222970
