Patent Application
20200101995
Aspects of this disclosure relate generally to a horn for a shopping cart, and more particularly, to a rear horn that is configured to be attached to shopping carts with different configurations.
Shopping carts for the American-market are typically wire-made with a distinctive construction of a frame, casters, basket, hinged back gate and a child seat. The frame is composed of a chassis and a handle, and is made up of multiple, bent steel tubes. The frame sits atop four horns with wheels, the rear two of which track forward and back, and the front two of which swivel. The horns are typically welded to the frame. A lower shelf of wire lies between the lower side rails of the chassis. The frame handle rises in the back from the chassis to form the user's “steering mechanism.” The basket is see-through, made of wires, and mounts atop the frame, forward of the handle. A hinged back gate with a folding child seat completes the basket and allows the carts to nest with each other in the manner familiar to all shoppers in stores with carts.
Such shopping carts may come in different sizes including a standard sized cart and a Slimline cart. Standard carts and Slimline carts have different sized and shaped rear horns to accommodate the different configurations of the two types of carts. The Slimline rear horn allows the Slimline carts to sit higher, which eliminates interference when they are nested with one another. While standard carts can be nested with other standard carts and Slimline carts can be nested with other Slimline carts, standard carts and Slimline carts cannot be nested with one another due to differences in their heights.
It would be desirable to provide a horn for a grocery cart that can be used on both standard and Slimline carts and that reduces or overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure and detailed description of certain embodiments.
In accordance with a first aspect, a horn for a shopping cart includes a base plate and a pair of legs extending downwardly away from the base plate and opposed to one another. Each leg includes a first end connected to the base plate, an opposed second end, a central portion positioned between the first end and the second end, a first aperture, and a second aperture, with the first and second apertures being vertically aligned with one another and positioned proximate the second end
In accordance with another aspect, a horn for a shopping cart includes a base plate and a pair of legs extending downwardly away from the base plate and opposed to one another. Each leg includes a first end connected to the base plate and an opposed second end, a central portion positioned between the first and second ends, an angled portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the first end to the central portion, a first aperture, and a second aperture, with the first and second apertures being vertically aligned with one another and positioned proximate the second end.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a shopping cart includes a frame including a chassis and a handle, a wire frame basket secured to the frame and having a hinged back gate, and a shelf secured to the chassis beneath the basket. A pair of front horns are secured to the frame, and a pair of rear horns are secured to the frame. Each rear horn includes a base plate and a pair of legs extending downwardly away from the base plate and opposed to one another. Each leg includes a first end connected to and angled outwardly from the base plate, an opposed second end, a central portion positioned between the first end and the second end, a first aperture, and a second aperture, with the first and second apertures being vertically aligned with one another and positioned proximate the second end. Each of a plurality of wheels is rotatably secured to one of the horns.
These and additional features and advantages disclosed here will be further understood from the following detailed disclosure of certain embodiments, the drawings thereof, and from the claims.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present embodiments will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The figures referred to above are not drawn necessarily to scale, should be understood to provide a representation of particular embodiments, and are merely conceptual in nature and illustrative of the principles involved. Some features of the horn for a shopping cart depicted in the drawings have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate explanation and understanding. The same reference numbers are used in the drawings for similar or identical components and features shown in various alternative embodiments. Horns for shopping carts as disclosed herein would have configurations and components determined, in part, by the intended application and environment in which they are used.
In the following description of various example structures in accordance with the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration of various structures in accordance with the disclosure. Additionally, it is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts and structures may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Also, while spatial terms such as “top”, “bottom”, rear, front, vertical, and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the disclosure, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures and/or the orientations in typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional or spatial orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this disclosure.
Referring to
Basket 14 may include a swinging rear gate (not visible in
Each of a pair of front horns 24 may include a wheel 26 rotatably secured to front horn 24 on a shaft 28. Front horns 24 may be secured to a bottom of chassis 16 by swivels 26 proximate a front of shopping cart 10, which let the wheels to pivot and allow a user to steer shopping cart 10. Swivels 26 may be secured to chassis 16 by welding.
Each of a pair of rear horns 32 may include a wheel 26 rotatably secured to rear horn 32 on a shaft 28. Rear horns 32 may be secured to a bottom of chassis 16 by welding.
A rear horn 32 is shown in
Each leg 36 may include a first aperture 44 and a second aperture 46, each of which may be through apertures extending completely through leg 36. Apertures 44 and 46 may be vertically aligned with one another, and positioned proximate second end 40 of leg 36. In certain embodiments, first aperture 44 and second aperture are circular in shape and may have a diameter DA of approximately 0.327 inches.
The term “approximately” as used herein is meant to mean close to, or about a particular value, within the constraints of sensible commercial engineering objectives, costs, manufacturing tolerances, and capabilities in the field of shopping cart manufacturing and use. Similarly, the term “substantially” as used herein is meant to mean mostly, or almost the same as, within the constraints of sensible commercial engineering objectives, costs, manufacturing tolerances, and capabilities in the field of shopping cart manufacturing and use.
When shopping cart 10 is assembled, a shaft 28 can be received in either of first aperture 44 or second aperture 46 in order to rotatably secure a wheel 26 to rear horn 36.
It is to be appreciated that rear horn 32 may be a unitary, integral, monolithic element. That is, the entirely of rear horn 32, including base plate 34 and legs 36 may be of one-piece construction, and not separate elements formed and subsequently secured or attached to one another.
In certain embodiments, as shown in
Having both first and second apertures 44, 46 allows rear horn 32 to be used with both standard carts and Slimline carts, which have different heights. Thus, the rear end of shopping cart 10 can be raised or lowered, depending on which aperture is used to receive shaft 28 and wheel 26. This helps eliminate interference between nested shopping carts, and eliminates the need for manufacturing multiple types of horns for different shopping carts.
In certain embodiments, an aperture extension 50 may extend outwardly from and be in communication with each of first aperture 44 and second aperture 46. Aperture extension 50 may include a pair of opposed sidewalls 52 that extend outwardly from the aperture and may be connected to one another by a hemispherical portion 54.
In certain embodiments, sidewalls 52 are spaced apart a distance D from one another. In certain embodiments, distance D may be approximately 0.118 inches. In certain embodiments, sidewalls 52 of the aperture extension 50 of first aperture 44 may extend vertically, and substantially perpendicular to exterior surface 48 of base plate 34. In certain embodiments, sidewalls 52 of the aperture extension 50 of second aperture 46 extend toward a front of horn 32 at an angle with respect to vertical.
In certain embodiments, as shown in
In certain embodiments, rear horn 32 may have a width X at the second ends 40 of legs 36, and a width Y at base plate 34. In certain embodiments, a ratio of a width X to width Y is approximately 1.65. In certain embodiments, width X is approximately 1.898 inches and width Y is approximately 1.150 inches.
In certain embodiments, the intersection of base plate 34 and first end 38 may include rounded over corners 54. In certain embodiments, rounded over corners may be rounded about a radius R of approximately 0.394 inches.
As can be seen here, first aperture 44 of rear horn 32 is positioned along the same horizontal line A that the first aperture 146 of rear horn 132 of a Slimline shopping cart is positioned along, such that the wheels mounted by a shaft in these apertures are mounted at the same position.
Similarly, first aperture 44 of rear horn 32 is positioned along the same horizontal line B that the first aperture 244 of rear horn 232 of a standard shopping cart is positioned along, such that the wheels mounted by a shaft in these apertures are mounted at the same position.
Therefore, rear horn 32 can be adapted to either a Slimline shopping cart or a standard shopping cart by mounting the wheels to the first aperture 44 or the second aperture 46 as required.
Those having skill in the art, with the knowledge gained from the present disclosure, will recognize that various changes can be made to the disclosed apparatuses and methods in attaining these and other advantages, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As such, it should be understood that the features described herein are susceptible to modification, alteration, changes, or substitution. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or steps which perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve the same results are within the scope of the embodiments described herein. Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another are also fully intended and contemplated. The specific embodiments illustrated and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and not limiting of that which is set forth in the appended claims. Other embodiments will be evident to those of skill in the art. It should be understood that the foregoing description is provided for clarity only and is merely exemplary. The spirit and scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above examples, but is encompassed by the following claims. All publications and patent applications cited above are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be so incorporated by reference.
