U.S. patent number RE32,453 [Application Number 06/773,561] was granted by the patent office on 1987-07-07 for shopping cart with baby seat.
This patent grant is currently assigned to UNR Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Warren N. Norman, Don A. Stover, Clarence W. Upshaw.
United States Patent |
RE32,453 |
Stover , et al. |
July 7, 1987 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Shopping cart with baby seat
Abstract
A shopping cart with a baby seat at the rear of the cart. The
front wall of the seat, against which the infant or child leans,
has an upright, closed position and an open position. The width of
the baby seat front wall is less than the width of the main
lading-carrying basket of the shopping cart, so that it can be
swung down from its upright, closed position in the forward
direction, when desired, to rest on the bottom wall of the basket
to increase the capacity of the shopping cart by adding the space
enclosed by the side and rear walls of the baby seat. A latch holds
the baby seat front wall in its upright, closed position and
preferably cooperates with a lost motion hinge at the bottom of the
wall, and in its preferred form includes at least one cammed latch
member that slides up across a ramp or slide member to (1) move the
front wall upward as it approaches its closed position, and then
(2) drop the front wall down to seat it in its closed position. The
latch can be released by reversing this procedure. The preferred
hinge includes a stud carried at each end of the hinge pintle that
extends in a transverse direction from the pintle at an obtuse
angle, preferably 135.degree., to the plane of the baby seat front
wall. This construction means that the hinge pintle of the hinged
front wall is retained in place without special connections, after
the baby seat has been fixedly secured to the rest of the shopping
cart.
Inventors: |
Stover; Don A. (Oklahoma City,
OK), Upshaw; Clarence W. (Tuttle, OK), Norman; Warren
N. (Oklahoma City, OK) |
Assignee: |
UNR Industries, Inc. (Chicago,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
27007479 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/773,561 |
Filed: |
September 9, 1985 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
376593 |
May 10, 1982 |
04423882 |
Jan 3, 1984 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/33.993 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
3/144 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62B
3/14 (20060101); B62B 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/33.99B,33.99F,33.99R,33.99A,33.99H,DIG.4 ;220/244,324,340
;297/353 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Love; John J.
Assistant Examiner: Mar; Michael
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Clement and Ryan
Claims
We claim:
1. A shopping cart which comprises:
(a) a wheeled chassis;
(b) an elevated frame carried by said chassis;
(c) a basket defining a main lading-carrying space, said basket
including a bottom wall secured to said elevated frame, two opposed
side walls, and a gate at the front end of said cart, and having an
open end at the rear thereof;
(d) a baby seat compartment secured to the rear portion of said
elevated frame, said baby seat including a bottom wall, two opposed
side walls, a front wall having an upright, closed position and an
open position, the width of said baby seat front wall being less
than the width of said lading-carrying basket .[.said hinge for
said baby seat front wall being located at a level at least as high
as the bottom walls of said lading-carrying basket, .]. said front
wall being hinged at its bottom edge portion to permit it to be
swung down from its closed position in the forward direction, when
desired, to rest on the bottom wall of said lading-carrying basket,
.Iadd.said hinge for said baby seat front wall being located at a
level at least as high as the bottom wall of said lading-carrying
basket .Iaddend.and a rear wall defining two openings to receive
the legs of a baby seated in said baby seat; and
(e) latching means for providing a positive holding of said baby
seat front wall to secure the same against movement in either the
forward or rearward direction from its said upright, closed
position while a baby is seated in the seat, said means being
releasable when it is desired to swing said front wall down to rest
on the bottom wall of said basket to increase the lading-carrying
capacity of the shopping cart.
2. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which the bottom wall of said
basket that defines the main lading-carrying space is at the
general level of the bottom wall of said baby seat.
3. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which:
said hinge at the bottom edge portion of the front wall of the baby
seat is a lost motion hinge including an elongated slot oriented
generally vertically to receive the hinge pintle at each end of the
bottom edge portion of said front wall, and
said latch means for holding the baby seat front wall in its said
upright, closed position includes at least one cammed latch member
that moves said front wall upward when it approaches its said
closed position as it is swung up from its open position, and then
drops said front wall down to seat it in its said closed
position.
4. The shopping cart of claim 3 in which said at least one cammed
latch member is carried by said baby seat front wall and a
cooperating slide member is provided at the front end of the
corresponding side wall of the baby seat.
5. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which:
said basket that defines the main lading-carrying space of the cart
has an operative position and a storage position.
said bottom wall of the basket is pivotally secured at its rear end
portion to said elevated frame to rest on the front portion of said
frame when the basket is in its said operative position, and
the bottom wall of said basket is at the general level of the
bottom wall of said baby seat when the basket is in its said
operative position.
6. The shopping cart of claim 5 in which said bottom wall of said
basket that defines the main lading-carrying space of the cart is
pivotally secured to said elevated frame at the rearmost portion of
said basket.
7. The shopping cart of claim 5 in which the side walls of said
shopping cart basket are spaced more widely than the side walls of
said baby seat, so that the basket can be swung from its said
operative position upward about its said pivot approximately
90.degree. to its said storage position, in which position the
basket bottom wall is generally upright and the baby seat is nested
within the basket.
8. The shopping cart of claim 7 in which said hinge at the bottom
edge portion of the front wall of the baby seat is a lost motion
hinge including an elongated slot oriented generally
vertically.
9. The shopping cart of claim 7 in which:
said hinge at the bottom edge portion of the front wall of the baby
seat is a lost motion hinge including an elongated slot oriented
generally vertically to receive the hinge pintle at each end of the
bottom edge portion of said front wall, and
said latch means for holding the baby seat front wall in its said
upright, closed position includes at least one cammed latch member
that moves said front wall upward when it approaches its said
closed position as it is swung up from its said open position, and
then drops said front wall down to seat it in its said closed
position.
10. The shopping cart of claim 9 in which said at least one cammed
latch member is carried by said baby seat front wall and a
cooperating slide member is provided at the front end of the
corresponding side wall of the baby seat.
11. The shopping cart of claim 10 in which a cammed latch member is
carried by said baby seat front wall at each end thereof and a
cooperating slide member is provided at the front end of the
respective side wall of the baby seat.
12. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which:
said baby seat is fabricated separately from the remainder of the
cart,
at least one end of the hinge pintle at the bottom edge portion of
the front wall of the baby seat includes a stud extending
transverse to the longitudinal axis of said pintle,
said hinge includes means defining an elongated slot to receive
said at least one stud, and
means are provided at the other end of said hinge pintle from said
stud to prevent movement of the stud out of said slot after said
pintle has been seated therein and the baby seat is fixedly secured
to said shopping cart frame.
13. The shopping cart of claim 12 in which:
the pintle of said hinge at the bottom edge portion of the baby
seat front wall is carried by said front wall,
each end of said pintle carries a stud extending transverse to the
longitudinal axis of said hinge pintle, and away from the bottom
edge of said front wall at an obtuse angle to the plane of said
wall, and
each baby seat side wall carries an elongated slot to receive the
stud carried by said pintle end, said slot being narrower than the
length of said stud.
14. The shopping cart of claim 13 in which each of said studs
extends away from the bottom edge of said baby seat front wall at
an angle of about 135.degree. to the plane of said wall.
15. The shopping cart of claim 13 in which said elongated slots to
receive said studs on said hinge pintle are oriented generally
vertically to serve as part of a lost motion hinge for said baby
seat front wall.
16. The shopping cart of claim 15 in which said latch means for
holding the baby seat front wall in its said upright, closed
position includes at least one cammed latch member that moves said
front wall upward when it approaches its said closed position as it
is swung up from its open position, and then drops said front wall
down to seat it in its said closed position.
17. The shopping cart of claim 16 in which said at least one cammed
latch member is carried by said baby seat front wall and a
cooperating slide member is provided at the front end of the
corresponding side wall of the baby seat.
18. The shopping cart of claim 13 in which:
said basket that defines the main lading-carrying space of the cart
has an operative position and a storage position,
said bottom wall of the basket is pivotally secured at its rear end
portion to said elevated frame to rest on the front portion of said
frame when the basket is in its said operative position,
the bottom wall of said basket is generally at the level of the
bottom wall of said baby seat when the basket is in its operative
position, and
the side walls of said lading-carrying basket are spaced more
widely than the side walls of said baby seat, so that the basket
can be pivoted from its said operative position upward about its
hinge approximately 90.degree. to its said storage position, in
which position the basket bottom wall is generally upright and the
baby seat is nested within the basket.
19. The shopping cart of claim 13 in which the side walls of said
baby seat slant upwardly and outwardly.
20. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which portions of said baby
seat front wall extend rearward of the cart adjacent the two
opposed side walls of the baby seat and outwardly thereof, to
provide rigid stops restricting outward lateral movement of said
baby seat side walls.
21. The shopping cart of claim 1 in which said hinge at the bottom
edge portion of the front wall of the baby seat is a lost motion
hinge including an elongated slot oriented generally
vertically.
22. A shopping cart which comprises:
(a) a wheeled chassis;
(b) an elevated frame carried by said chassis;
(c) a basket defining a main lading-carrying space, said basket
including a bottom wall secured to said elevated frame, two opposed
side walls, and a gate at the front end of said cart, and having an
open end at the rear thereof, said basket having an operative
position and a storage position, the bottom wall of the basket
being pivotally secured at its rear end portion to said elevated
frame to rest on the front portion of said frame when the basket is
in its said operative position;
(d) a baby seat compartment secured to the rear portion of said
elevated frame, said baby seat including a bottom wall, two opposed
side walls, a front wall having an upright, closed position and an
open position, the width of said baby seat front wall being less
than the width of said lading-carrying basket .[.but greater than
the distance between said baby seat sidewalls.]., said front wall
having at its bottom edge portion a hinge to permit said wall to be
swung down from its closed position in the forward direction, when
desired, to rest on the bottom wall of said lading-carrying basket
said hinge for said baby seat front wall being located at a level
at least as high as the bottom wall of said lading-carrying basket,
said hinge being a lost motion hinge including an elongated slot at
each end of the bottom edge portion of said front wall, said slots
being defined by means carried by each baby seat side wall and
oriented in a generally vertical position, and pintle means carried
by said baby seat front wall, said pintle having at each end
thereof a stud extending at about 90.degree. to the longitudinal
axis of said pintle and away from the bottom edge of said front
wall at an angle of about 135.degree. to the plane of said wall,
and a rear wall defining two openings to receive the legs of a baby
seated in said baby seat; and
(e) latch means for providing a positive holding of said baby seat
front wall to secure the same against movement in either the
forward or rearward direction from its said upright, closed
position while a baby is seated in the seat, said latch means
including at least one cammed latch member carried by said front
wall that slides across a cooperating member carried by a side wall
of said baby seat to move said front wall upward when it approaches
its said closed position as it is swung up from its open position
and then drop said front wall down to seat it in its said closed
position, said latch means being releasable when it is desired to
swing said front wall down to rest on the bottom wall of said
basket to increase the lading-carrying capacity of the shopping
cart.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a shopping cart, and more particularly
such a cart with a baby seat at the rear thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shopping carts for use by customers in grocery stores, discount
stores, hardware stores and the like have been in use for more than
40 years. For about 20 years, one widely used type of shopping
cart, commonly known as an over-the-counter cart, has had an
elevated frame for supporting the main lading-carrying basket just
above the top of the check-out counter as the cart is pushed
through the check-out station.
From the very first use of over-the-counter carts, such carts (like
shopping carts of virtually every other type) have been provided
with a baby seat compartment at and facing the rear of the cart,
near the handle so that a parent can carry an infant or young child
in the cart at the same time the cart is being used to accumulate
purchases as it is pushed around the store. Such a seat is
ordinarily arranged to permit an infant or young child to face the
parent while sitting in the baby seat.
The walls of shopping carts in widest use are formed of an array of
interconnected wire elements, and these walls define the main load
or lading-carrying space. In carts having the main lading-carrying
basket elevated just above the top of the check-out counter, the
space defined by the walls of the basket is customarily closed off
at its front end by a hinged gate that can be lowered by the
check-out clerk, when desired, to provide access to the articles
contained in the basket of the cart.
In the usual shopping cart that is of the over-the-counter type
described and includes a baby seat, the front wall of the seat,
against which the infant or young child leans when seated in the
cart, is constructed so as to remain in a fixed, generally vertical
position at all times. When the baby seat is unoccupied, the space
defined by the seat can be used to hold articles purchased by the
user of the cart, in order to augment the load-carrying capacity of
the cart by that additional space. However, when the cart is pushed
up to the check-out counter, the articles piled in the baby seat
space are not easily accessible to the check-out clerk (who
ordinarily stands at the forward end of the shopping cart in front
of the cash register) because the fixed, generally vertical front
wall of the baby seat interposes a barrier over which it is
difficult for the check-out clerk to reach.
This disadvantage has been recognized for as long as the
.[.over-the counter.]. .Iadd.over-the-counter .Iaddend.shopping
carts have been used, but until applicant developed the shopping
cart of this invention no one has been able to solve this
problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The shopping cart of this invention includes a basket defining a
main lading-carrying space that is supported on an elevated frame
carried by a wheeled chassis. The basket has a hinged front gate
adapted to be swung down in the forward direction to provide ready
access to the main lading-carrying space, and means to hold the
same at other times in an upright position. The basket is
preferably pivotally secured at its rear end portion to the
elevated frame to either rest on the front portion of that frame
when the basket is in its operative position or to be swung upward
into a generally upright position when in its storage position.
A baby seat is secured to the rear portion of the elevated frame of
the cart. The baby seat has a front wall that is of lesser width
.[.then.]. .Iadd.than .Iaddend.the lading-carrying basket .[.but of
greater width than the distance between the side walls of the baby
seat compartment.]., and is hinged at its bottom edge portion to
swing down in the forward direction to rest on the bottom wall of
the basket when desired. The front wall of the baby seat functions
as a backrest for the infant.
Latch means provide a positive holding of the baby seat front wall
to secure the wall against movement in either the forward or
rearward direction from an upright, closed position whenever an
infant or young child is seated .Iadd.in .Iaddend. the seat.[.. ;
the means is releasable when desired to swing the front wall
down.]. to rest on the bottom wall of the basket to increase the
lading-carrying capacity of the cart.
The hinge at the bottom edge portion of the front wall of the baby
seat is preferably a lost motion hinge, with the latch means
including a cam member that moves the front wall upward when it
approaches its closed position and then drops the front wall down
to seat it in its closed position.
The baby seat may be fabricated separately from the remainder of
the cart. In such case, each end of the pintle of the hinge at the
bottom edge of the baby seat front wall preferably carries a stud
extending at about 90.degree. to the axis of the hinge pintle and
away from the bottom edge of the front wall at an obtuse angle
(preferably about 135.degree.) to the plane of the baby seat front
wall. In this preferred form, the hinge at the bottom edge of the
front wall of the baby seat includes means defining an elongated
slot to receive the stud-bearing ends of the hinge pintle, so that
the front wall may be incorporated in the baby seat before it is
assembled to the elevated frame of the cart, and be prevented from
being removed from those hinge slots after the baby seat is secured
to the elevated frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by reference to the attached
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the shopping cart
of this invention, with rear portions of the two opposed side walls
of the main lading-carrying space broken away for clarity;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the baby seat that is included in
the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the bottom wall of the baby seat
largely omitted for clarity;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the baby seat of FIG. 2, with the
front wall of the baby seat shown in the position it occupies just
after the pintles of the bottom hinge of that wall have been
inserted in the elongated slots in which they are seated when the
shopping cart is in use, and before the baby seat has been secured
to the cart frame;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the baby seat of FIG. 3
showing the corner of the baby seat that is seen on the left-hand
side of FIG. 3, with the hinged baby seat front wall omitted for
clarity;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the shopping cart basket
and baby seat showing the basket in operative position and the baby
seat in open position, with portions of both the basket and the
seat broken away for clarity, taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but with
the shopping cart basket shown elevated very nearly into its
storage position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
A detailed description of one embodiment of the present invention
follows.
General Construction Of Shopping Basket
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of shopping cart 10, which is one
embodiment of the present invention.
In general construction, basket 12, which defines a main
lading-carrying space, is mounted on elevated frame 14 carried by
wheeled chassis 16. Frame 14 includes a front portion 14a, a rear
portion 14b and a side portion 14c. Basket 12 includes bottom wall
18, two opposed side walls 20, and gate 22 at the front end of the
cart.
Gate 22 is hinged at its bottom edge to permit it to be swung down
in the forward direction, when desired, to provide ready access by
the check-out clerk to the lading-carrying space within basket 12
when shopping cart 10 is rolled forward to bring the basket just
above the top of the check-out counter as the cart is pushed
through the station. Means 23, in the form of a deformed or offset
wire member, functions to hold gate 22 in an upright position when
a barrier is desired to help define the lading-carrying space of
basket 12.
The rear of basket 12 facing upon the baby seat 24 (located at the
rear of cart 10) has no wall and is open. Walls 18 and 20 and front
gate 22, as is true of most shopping charts, are formed of an array
of interconnected wire elements such as elements 26 of side walls
20 and elements 28 of bottom wall 18.
Bottom wall 18 is secured to elevated frame 14. In the embodiment
shown, bottom wall 18 is pivotally secured at its rear end portion
to rear portion 14b of the elevated frame through hinges 30. Bottom
wall 18 is shown in FIG. 1 resting on front portion 14a of the
elevated frame when the basket is in its operative position, ready
to receive groceries or other items as the shopping cart is pushed
around in a store. Another showing of basket 12 in this position is
provided in the fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 5.
Side members 14c of elevated frame 14 are flared outwardly from
front to back. Side members 16a of chassis 16 are similarly flared
outwardly from front to back. Auxiliary platforms 32 and 34, on
which additional items may be stored by the user of the cart if
desired, rise slightly from front to back. The construction
described facilitates the nesting of shopping carts 10 in collapsed
condition, as described below.
General Construction Of Baby Seat
Baby seat or compartment 24 is fixedly secured to rear portion 14b
of elevated frame 14. The baby seat includes bottom wall 40, two
opposed side walls 42, front wall 44 and rear wall 46. The rear
wall defines two openings 48 to receive the legs of an infant or
young child seated in the baby seat. Bottom wall 18 of basket 12
and bottom wall 40 of baby seat 24 are, in the embodiment shown, at
the same general level.
The cart is propelled by handle 50 at the rear thereof, so that the
person pushing the cart faces the infant or child, as is customary
in most shopping carts, who is seated in the baby seat. As is also
customary, the walls of the baby seat compartment are formed of an
array of interconnected wire elements, in much the same manner as
are the walls of basket 12.
Front wall or backrest 44 of baby seat 24 has an upright, closed
position in which it is generally at right angles to bottom wall 40
(as shown in FIG. 1) and an open position in which it is generally
parallel to bottom wall 40 (best seen in FIG. 5). The width of
front wall 44 is less than the width of basket 12, which permits
the front wall to be swung down from its closed position in the
forward direction, when desired, to rest in its open position on
bottom wall 18 of basket 12 and thereby augment the main
lading-carrying space by the space enclosed by the walls of the
baby seat. As best seen in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, bottom edge portion 52
of front wall 44 is hinged at 54 to bottom wall 40 of baby seat 24
for this purpose.
In the embodiment shown, each side wall 42 of baby seat 24 slants
upwardly and outwardly at an angle to the vertical. This allows a
plurality of baby seats to be stacked in nested fashion, one within
the other, when they have been separately fabricated and are being
stored temporarily before each is attached to the rest of a
shopping cart.
Hinge For Baby Seat Front Wall
As shown, at least one end of hinge pintle 58 includes a stud 60
that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hinge
pintle, preferably at 90.degree. to that axis. Means are provided
at the other end of the hinge pintle to prevent movement of stud 60
out of slot 56 after it has been seated therein and baby seat 24
has been fixedly secured to elevated frame 14b. For this purpose,
the embodiment shown includes a specially shaped and oriented stud
60 at the far end of hinge pintle 58 (in FIG. 1) as well as at the
near end. Each stud 60 extends transverse to the longitudinal axis
of hinge pintle 58 (in the embodiment shown, at right angles to
that axis) and away from the bottom edge of baby seat front wall 44
at an obtuse angle to the plane of that wall (in the embodiment
shown, at about 135.degree.). Thus, so long as slot 56 is narrower
than the length of studs 60, the studs can not slide out of the
slots in which the hinge pintle is seated once the baby seat has
been fixedly secured to the elevated frame.
The importance of studs 60 is explained in more detail below in the
section on assembling the cart and baby seat when the latter is
separately fabricated.
As has been explained above, in the embodiment of the shopping cart
of this invention disclosed herein, the hinge pintle is carried by
the baby seat front wall and the vertical elongated slots in which
it is received are defined by portions of the opposed side walls of
the baby seat. This arrangement of parts can if desired be
reversed.
Latch Means For Baby Seat Front Wall
Latch means 66 is provided for holding baby seat front wall 44 in
its upright, closed position whenever an infant or young child is
seated in the seat. Latch means 66 includes, in the embodiment
disclosed, a cammed latch member 68 mounted at each end of front
wall 44. As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, when baby seat front wall
44 is swung upward about hinge 54, cam member 68 strikes ramp or
slide member 70 and slides up across that member. As cam member 68
slides across member 70, front wall 44 approaches its uright,
closed position, and in doing so is moved upward until cam 68
clears slide 70. At this time, front wall 44 drops down to be
seated in its closed position, with cam member 68 confined between
slide means 70 and baby seat end wall 42.
When no infant or child is seated in baby seat 24 and it is desired
to swing front wall 44 down to rest on bottom wall 18 of basket 12
to increase the lading-carrying capacity of the shopping cart,
latch means 66 may be readily released. This is accomplished simply
by lifting baby seat front wall 44 upward to move the ends of hinge
pintle 58 up in vertical elongated slots 56, and at the same time
to move cam member 68 upward until it clears stop means 70, which
permits wall 44 to be swung forward and down. Bottom wall 18 of
basket 20 and bottom wall 40 of baby seat 24 are, in the embodiment
shown, at the same general level.
As explained, in the embodiment disclosed cam latch member 68 is
carried by baby seat front wall 44 at each end thereof, and
cooperating slide member 70 is provided at the front end of the
corresponding baby seat side wall 42. If desired, the members on
which the cammed latch means and stop means are located may be
reversed.
Cam members 68 provide another advantage in this embodiment in
addition to acting as a part of latch means 66. Side walls 42 of
the baby seat, especially when a child is seated in the seat, tend
to bend outward, since the vertical wire elements comprising the
side walls are quite long and of relatively small diameters in
comparison to their lengths. When the baby seat front wall 44 is in
its upright, closed position, cam members 68 extend rearward
adjacent the two opposed side walls 42 of the baby seat and
outwardly thereof. Because of their inverted V-shape and relatively
large diameters in comparison to the distance they extend rearward
from the top portion of wall 44, with which they are integrally
formed, cam members 68 provide quite rigid stops restricting
outward lateral movement of the baby seat side walls.
Nesting of Baskets For Storage
Various expedients are employed with shopping carts of different
types to facilitate assembling the carts in a special area off to
one side in a store, where they stand ready to be used by
customers. The method employed typically involves, as is true with
the present invention, one form or another or nesting a plurality
of carts together through telescoping the carts with some parts in
collapsed condition.
In the embodiment shown, the hinging of basket 12 at hinges 30 as
described above permits the basket to rest on front portion 14a of
elevated frame 14 in the operative position of the basket, and to
be swung up approximately 90.degree. to a nested or storage
position when desired. In this position basket bottom wall 18 is
generally upright, and baby seat 24 (which is not as wide as the
basket) is nested in the basket.
Shopping cart 12 as shown in FIG. 6 is very nearly in its collapsed
condition. When cam member 68 is moved up over the slide member 70
until baby seat front wall 44 is brought into a vertical position,
bottom wall 18 of basket 12 will also be in a substantially
vertical position. In this collapsed position, the storage space
for a plurality of shopping carts standing ready for use in a store
can be conserved by nesting one elevated frame 14 and chassis 16 in
the frame and chassis of another cart.
It will be noted from FIG. 6 that when cart 10 is placed in its
fully collapsed condition by completing the swinging of basket 12
up into its final vertical position, baby seat front wall 44 will
automatically be moved into its upright, closed condition. The baby
seat will thus be put .[.atuomatically.]. .Iadd.automatically
.Iaddend.in condition for accepting an infant or child as soon as
the cart is removed from its nesting with other carts and the
basket is lowered into its operative position resting on front
portion 14a of elevated frame 14.
Separately Fabricated Baby Seat
Manufacture of the shopping cart of the type described typically
proceeds in steps, with wheeled chassis 16 and elevated frame 14
being fabricated separately from basket 12 and baby seat 24 and the
various other components then being brought together in a final
assembly step. The preferred lost motion hinge 54 that has been
described above is especially advantageous in this type of
assembly, since it means that the components may be readily
assembled in final form with the hinge in immediate operative
position without the use of any special or extra fasteners to
secure the hinge pintle in place.
The operation of hinge pintle 58 with studs 60 carried at each end,
together with the associated vertical elongated slots 56, has been
described above by reference to FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. As is shown in
those Figures, the special shape and orientation of studs 60
prevent hinge pintle 58 from moving out of slots 56 after the
pintle has been seated in those slots and baby seat 24 is fixedly
secured to frame 14. Each stud 60 extends transverse to the
longitudinal axis of hinge pintle 58 (in the embodiment shown, at
right angles to that axis) and away from the bottom edge of baby
seat front wall 44 at an obtuse angle to the plane of that wall (in
the embodiment shown, at about 135.degree.). Thus, so long as slot
56 is narrower than the length of studs 60, the studs can not slide
out of the slots in which the hinge pintle is seated once the baby
seat has been fixedly secured to the elevated frame.
Assembly of Cart And Separate Baby Seat
Before baby seat 24 is attached to shopping cart frame 14,
specially shaped and oriented studs 60 at the ends of hinge pintle
58 can be slipped through elongated slots 56 by positioning wall 44
at an angle of about 45.degree. to the vertical axis of the slots.
This is best seen in FIG. 3. For clarity, most of the array of
interconnected elements that make up baby seat side wall 42 and
front wall 44 are omitted in that Figure.
The procedure followed in assembling baby seat 24 to the embodiment
of shopping cart 10 disclosed is as follows. Hinge pintle 58 with
stud 60 at each end thereof is first seated in elongated slots 56
by positioning baby seat front seat 44 at the 45.degree. angle just
mentioned, and then inserting the pintle ends in the slots. This
insertion is carried out one at a time, with the hinge pintle moved
axially off to one side as the first stud 60 is inserted in its
associated slot 56, then moved back to a center position as the
second stud is inserted in its associated slot. Front wall 44 is
then swung upward through approximately 135.degree., to slide cam
members 68 over slide means 70 and drop wall 44 down into its
vertical, upright position as shown in FIG. 2. The baby seat is
then fixedly secured to rear portion 14b of elevated frame 14.
As seen in FIG. 5, with the movement of baby seat front wall 44
restricted by bottom wall 18 of basket 12, hinge pintle 58 can not
be rotated back through 135.degree. as it was when front wall 44
was being assembled to the rest of the baby seat, and thus cannot
be removed from elongated slots 56 without disassembling the
shopping cart. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, rotation of baby seat
front wall 44 through the 90.degree. of movement that are available
to it after the baby seat is secured to elevated frame 14 moves
studs 60 through a progression of positions in any one of which
removal of hinge pintle 58 from slots 56 is prevented.
This preferred method of assembly of front wall 44 to the rest of
baby seat 24 and shopping cart 10 as a whole is not only quick and
easy, but as already mentioned above makes it unnecessary to employ
any special fasteners or other components to hold the hinged front
wall securely in place.
The above detailed description has been given for ease of
understanding only. No unnecessary limitations should be understood
therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the
art.
* * * * *