The present invention relates to a nestable shopping cart with enhanced stiffness.
Existing shopping carts do not have a compact storage configuration, and typically require a lot of labor work to collect and move them. Trays and/or baskets of existing shopping carts require improvements on durability.
A need exists for an improved nestable shopping cart configuration to facilitate collecting and moving many carts at one time. A need also exists for an improved tray for added durability. A need also exists for components of nestable shopping carts that can be easily and efficiently removed and/or replaced. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to this and other considerations.
A nestable shopping cart may include an upright frame, and a tray pivotally connected to the upright frame and comprising a utility position and a nested position. The nestable shopping cart may further include one or more casters configured to be removably attached to the upright frame, the one or more casters comprising a stem comprising a shape directionally aligned with a first opening of the upright frame.
Further features of the present disclosure, and the advantages offered thereby, are explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are indicated by like reference designators.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and which are incorporated into and constitute a portion of this disclosure, illustrate various implementations and aspects of the disclosed technology and, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosed technology. In the drawings:
Some implementations of the disclosed technology will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. This disclosed technology may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein. The components described hereinafter as making up various elements of the disclosed technology are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components that would perform the same or similar functions as components described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of the disclosed electronic devices and methods. Such other components not described herein may include, but are not limited to, for example, components developed after development of the disclosed technology.
It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more method steps does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and disclosed herein. Wherever convenient, the same references numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Referring to
In one embodiment, the four swivel casters 111 may allow 360 degrees directional motion. In another embodiment, the front pair of casters 111 may be swivel casters, whereas the back pair of casters 112 may be fixed casters. In one embodiment, the front pair of casters 111 may be set back about 7 inches from the edge of the crossbar 102.
Referring to
As shown in
As illustrated in
Each tray 114 may be a stiffener plate. As illustrated in
Turning now to assembly and use, as illustrated above, each of the trays 114 are pivotally attached to the upright frames 107 through the pivot point 121. The attachment can be individual through each hole, or a single axel can run between the two upright frames 107 and through the pivot point hole 121. Once pivoted, the top tray 114a rests on the upper angle support 105. The bottom tray 114b, attached through the pivot point 121 as above, rests on the bottom frame 101.
During use, the trays 114 are at rest and generally parallel to each other. The upper tray 114a is spaced to allow larger items to be placed without interference from the top tray 114a. Here, the trays 114 are considered to be in a utility position to allow for the loading and transport of good in the cart 100.
During stacking, a second cart 100b is directed into the back of a first cart 100a. The tapered front 101a of the second cart 100b fits through the opening 101b of the first cart 100a to begin the nesting process. At the same time, the tapered front 116 of the trays 114 of the second cart 100b engage with the slope plates 120 of the first cart 100a. This causes the trays 114 of the second cart 100b to pivot upwards allowing the more of the second cart’s 100b bottom frame 101 to nest inside the bottom frame 101 of the first cart 100a. This is clearly illustrated in
Referring to
In one example, there can be four swivel casters 211 to allow 360 degrees directional motion. In another example, the front pair of casters 211 may be swivel casters, whereas the back pair of casters 212 may be fixed casters. In one example, the front pair of casters 211 may be set back about 7 inches from the front edge of the frame 201.
Referring to
The lower basket 213b can be shaped to allow for storage of grocery bags (not illustrated). As more markets and/or states are mandating that shoppers bring their own bags, this is a convenient place for a user to store them. The upper and lower baskets 213a, 213b can be placed between a “cane” shaped handle head 226 of the upright 207. The cane shape 226 is designed to provide an ergonomic handle position. The end of the cane 226 is fixed to the handle height position for optimal height to reduce shoulder strain and allow for a longer stride by minimizing shin impact on the lower ramp 220. As above, there is also an upper ramp 220 for the upper tray 214.
As above, there can be a pair of trays or shelf baskets 214. Each tray 214 may exhibit a grid steel wire pattern. One tray 214 may be supported by the upper angle support 204 and the other tray 214 may be supported by the bottom frame 201. As shown in
Additionally,
As with other casters discussed herein (e.g., casters 111, 211, 212), caster 311 may allow 360 degrees directional motion or may be fixed. Caster 311 may be easily replaceable in the upright frame (e.g., upright frame 107) of a cart (e.g., cart 100 and/or cart 200). For example, as particularly shown in
Stem 316 of caster 311 may also include an opening 318 configured to enable caster 311 to be removably attached to the upright frame. For example, opening 318 may be configured to receive a fastener (e.g., a pin) that may be inserted through the opening 318 after stem 316 has been inserted into the upright frame. In such an example, the upright frame may have a complementary opening such that the fastener may be inserted through both the upright frame and the stem 316. To remove caster 311 from the upright frame, a user may be able to remove the fastener from the upright frame and opening 318, thereby allowing the caster 311 to be easily removed from the upright frame.
In other examples of the caster 311, the opening 318 can be approximately smooth along with an approximately smooth outer surface of the fastener. This is opposed to a threaded opening adapted to receive a threaded fastener.
In other examples of the caster 311, an easily removable fastener can be a pin or even a bolt and nut not engaging a threaded inner surface of the opening. In contrast, a screw or welded rivet would not be considered an easily removable fastener.
Other features and elements as described in the cart 100 above, can be present in this example cart 200. Further, while the above carts 100, 200 can be used by regular shoppers, they can also be optimized for “pickers”. Current shopping trends now have employees shopping for one or more customers who have placed their orders remotely (via phone, text, on-line, etc.). In this instance, the carts 100, 200 can designed to accommodate up to 18 grocery bags (nine each tray 120, 220). That way, as the picker navigates the cart 100, 200 through the aisles of the store they can fulfill multiple orders at once. In one example, the picker fills the bags situated on the top tray 120, 220, and moves them to the bottom tray 120, 220 and then removes additional bags from the lower basket 213b and sets them into the upper tray 120, 220 for continued order fulfillment.
While certain implementations of the disclosed technology have been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various implementations, it is to be understood that the disclosed technology is not to be limited to the disclosed implementations, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This written description uses examples to disclose certain implementations of the disclosed technology, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice certain implementations of the disclosed technology, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of certain implementations of the disclosed technology is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. Application No. 17/563,471, filed Dec. 28, 2021, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. Application No. 17/209,886, filed Mar. 23, 2021, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17563471 | Dec 2021 | US |
Child | 17980233 | US | |
Parent | 17209886 | Mar 2021 | US |
Child | 17563471 | US |