Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA Application
Blakes Ref: 15207/00135
SHOPPING CART WITH BAG ATTACHMENT MECHANISM
BACKGROUND
[0001] In recent years, supermarkets and other retail facilities have embraced
new
technologies to speed up the shopping process for their customers. For
example, some
supermarkets now provide mobile devices to their customers, sometimes referred
to as
"wands", which include bar code scanners that enable the customers to scan
each
selected item as they travel throughout the store. After scanning the item,
the item is
placed in the customer's shopping cart. After the customer has selected the
last item,
the wand can interact with a Point of Sale device in the facility to pay for
the items
without the customer having to take all of the items out of the shopping cart.
In another
approach, the customer may use an application associated with the facility
that
executes on their own phone (or other mobile device). The application and
sensors in
the customer's mobile device are used to scan or otherwise identify items the
customer
selects as they travel throughout the store. The items are then placed in the
customer's
shopping cart. When the customer is finished shopping, the application may
allow the
customer to pay for the items directly via their mobile device. Alternatively,
the
application on the customer's mobile device may interact with a Point of Sale
device or
other sensor in the facility to pay for the items. In either case, the
customer is able to
exit the facility without having to stop and remove the items from their
shopping cart. As
a result, the customer is able to leave the facility in a quicker manner after
selecting and
scanning all of their items than was possible during a traditional trip to the
supermarket
where the customer had to wait for the items to be individually scanned at the
cash
register.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0002] Exemplary embodiments provide shopping carts and mobile shopping
baskets
equipped with one or more bag attachment mechanisms. The shopping carts and
mobile shopping baskets may include multiple rows of bag attachment mechanisms
located at vary distances from a top edge of a cart or basket side wall. The
shopping
carts and mobile shopping baskets may include bag attachment mechanisms on
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multiple side walls of the basket. The bag attachment mechanisms may take a
number
of forms including downward facing loop attachment mechanisms, clipping
mechanisms
and/or hook mechanisms.
[0003] In one embodiment a shopping cart includes a frame, a set of four
wheels
mounted on and supporting the frame and a basket supported by the frame. The
basket includes a bottom wall, a front side wall, a rear side wall, a first
lateral side wall
and a second lateral side wall. Each side wall includes a top edge and defines
a plane
extending below and away from the top edge as well as multiple first and
second
supports. The first supports for each side wall extend away from the top edge
in the
direction of the side wall while the second supports extend laterally across
each side
wall. The second supports extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to
a
direction of the first supports. The basket also includes at least one loop
attachment
mechanism projecting downward in a direction away from a top edge of the first
lateral
side wall that is located substantially within the defined plane of the first
lateral side wall
and is located below the top edge of the first lateral side wall.
[0004] In another embodiment, a shopping cart includes a frame, a set of four
wheels
mounted on and supporting the frame and a basket supported by the frame. The
basket includes a bottom wall, a front side wall, a rear side wall, a first
lateral side wall
and a second lateral side wall. Each side wall includes a top edge and defines
a plane
extending below and away from the top edge as well as multiple first and
second
supports. The first supports for each side wall extend away from the top edge
in the
direction of the side wall while the second supports extend laterally across
each side
wall. The second supports extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to
a
direction of the first supports. The basket also includes at least one
clipping mechanism
or hook mechanism located below the top edge of the first lateral side wall
that is
configured to secure a handle of a bag extending over the top edge of the
first lateral
side wall.
[0005] In a further embodiment, a wheeled shopping basket includes a frame, a
set of
two wheels mounted on and supporting the frame and a basket supported by the
frame.
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The basket includes a bottom wall, a front side wall, a rear side wall, a
first lateral side
wall and a second lateral side wall. Each side wall includes a top edge and
defines a
plane extending below and away from the top edge as well as multiple first and
second
supports. The first supports for each side wall extend away from the top edge
in the
direction of the side wall while the second supports extend laterally across
each side
wall. The second supports extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to
a
direction of the first supports. The basket also includes at least one loop
attachment
mechanism projecting downward in a direction away from a top edge of the first
lateral
side wall that is located substantially within the defined plane of the first
lateral side wall
and is located below the top edge of the first lateral side wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(0006] To assist those of skill in the art in making and using the described
system and
associated methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures. The
accompanying figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification, illustrate one or more embodiments described in this
specification and,
together with the description, help to explain the embodiments. Illustrative
embodiments are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and
should
not be considered as limiting. In the figures:
[0007] Figure 1 (prior art) depicts a conventional shopping cart suitable for
modification
in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
[0008] Figure 2A depicts a shopping cart with downward facing loop attachment
mechanisms in an exemplary embodiment;
[0009] Figure 2B depicts another view of a two basket shopping cart with
downward
facing loop attachment mechanisms in an exemplary embodiment;
[0010]Figure 3 depicts a lateral side wall of a shopping cart in accordance
with an
exemplary embodiment;
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[0011] Figure 4 depicts exemplary bag types suitable for use in exemplary
embodiments; and
[0012]Figure 5 depicts a mobile shopping basket in an exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Described in detail herein are shopping carts and wheeled shopping
baskets with
bag attachment mechanisms that are particularly suitable for use in an
expedited
shopping environment.
[0014]As discussed above, a number of different techniques have been developed
in
recent years that aim to expedite the customer's shopping experience by moving
the
scanning of items needed for checkout to a point in time immediately following
the
item's selection by the customer at various different locations throughout a
retail facility.
Following this scanning the items are placed into the customer's shopping cart
or
basket. However, in order to actually expedite the shopping experience the
item should
also be placed into a bag in the cart so that when the customer does exit the
facility the
bags with the items can be removed quickly by the customer. It will be
appreciated that
if the selected items were to be placed haphazardly in the basket without
being bagged
they would need to be bagged later by the customer after checkout thereby
greatly
limiting the time savings provided by the scanning while shopping technique.
In order to
receive the most time savings from scanning while shopping, the bags in the
customer's
cart or basket should be in an open position and ready to receive items.
Embodiments
of the present invention provide bag attachment mechanisms on side walls of
the cart or
basket that enable a customer's bags to be positioned to optimally receive
selected
items.
[0015] Before discussing bag attachment mechanisms for carts and baskets
provided by
embodiments of the present invention, an exemplary conventional shopping cart
suitable for modification with bag attachment mechanisms is first discussed.
Figure 1
(prior art) depicts a conventional shopping cart suitable for modification in
accordance
with embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated that the
present
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invention is not limited to modification of the shopping cart design depicted
in Figure 1
as other shopping cart and basket designs may be modified with bag attachment
mechanisms within the scope of the present invention. For example, while the
shopping
cart discussed in Figure 1 and later figures has a second upper basket, the
invention is
not so limited and can also include modifications to shopping carts having
conventional
one basket configurations. Further, while the bag attachment mechanisms
described
herein are discussed for illustration purposes in the context of improvements
to a
conventional metal shopping cart design, the bag attachment mechanisms are
also
applicable to shopping carts and mobile shopping baskets made out of other
materials
such as, but not limited to, shopping carts constructed in whole or in part of
plastic
material. Similarly, the bag attachment mechanisms, such as the loop
attachment
mechanisms, clipping mechanisms and hook mechanisms, discussed herein may also
be made out of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, metal,
plastic, other
materials and/or combinations thereof.
[0016]The conventional shopping cart of Figure 1 includes a set of four wheels
102
supporting a frame 104. The frame 104 supports a basket formed by a bottom
wall 106,
first and second lateral side walls 108, 110, a front side wall 112 and a rear
side wall
114. Each side wall includes a top edge and defines a plane extending below
and away
from the top edge. The shopping cart may also include other elements in some
configurations such as a handle 120 and a second top basket 122. As described
below,
embodiments may modify conventional shopping carts such as the shopping cart
depicted in Figure 1 with bag attachment mechanisms so as to provide an
expedited
shopping experience.
[0017] Figure 2A depicts a shopping cart with downward facing loop attachment
mechanisms in an exemplary embodiment. As depicted in Figure 2A, first lateral
side
wall 108 of a shopping cart basket includes first supports 204 and second
supports 206.
In one embodiment, first supports 204 may extend away from a top edge 202 of
first
lateral side wall 108 in the direction of the side wall (e.g. the first
supports may extend
vertically towards the floor). In one embodiment, second supports 206 may
extend
laterally across first lateral side wall 108. For example, second supports 206
may
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extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the first
supports 204.
Loop attachment mechanisms 208 project downward in a direction away from top
edge
202 of the first lateral side wall 108 and are located substantially within
the defined
plane of the first lateral side wall. Loop attachment mechanism 208 are
located below
the top edge of the first lateral side wall. In one embodiment, loop
attachment
mechanism 208 is physically connected to second support 206 such as through
welding
or the use of a fastener. In another embodiment, loop attachment mechanism 208
is
integrated into second support 206. In a further embodiment, loop attachment
mechanism 208 is slideably connected to second support 206 so that it may be
moved
laterally along second support to change position. In one embodiment, loop
attachment
mechanism 208 is located in a gap in first lateral side wall 108 provided by
removing a
portion of first support 204.
[0018]Loop attachment mechanism 208 projects downward in order to facilitate a
solid
attachment of a handle of a shopping bag 220, 222 extended from the interior
of the cart
basket over the top edge 202 of lateral sidewall 108 that is then secured
around the
loop attachment mechanism as depicted in Figure 2A. One or more loop
attachment
mechanisms 208 may be located on first lateral side wall 108, second lateral
side wall
110, front side wall 112 and/or rear side wall 114. As depicted in Figure 2A,
loop
attachment mechanisms 208 may be provided at different locations in different
rows
210, 212 located different distances from top edge 202. The placing of loop
attachment
mechanisms 208 at differing distances from top edge 202 enables the
accommodation
of different size bags 220, 222 with different length bag handles while still
maintaining
the tension necessary to present the bag in an open position to receive items
within the
basket.
[0019] In one embodiment, as depicted in Figure 2A, a side wall may include
two loop
attachment mechanisms 208 in a first row located a first distance from a top
edge of a
side wall and three loop attachment mechanisms in a second row located farther
from
the top edge. In one embodiment, the loop attachment mechanisms 208 in one row
may be offset laterally from loop attachment mechanisms in another row.
Alternatively,
in another embodiment (not shown), the top row of loop attachment mechanisms
in a
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side wall may include three loop attachment mechanisms while the bottom row
includes
two loop attachment mechanisms.
[0020]In one embodiment, the loop attachment mechanisms described herein are
located only on one or more of the lateral side walls of a shopping cart. In
another
embodiment, the loop attachment mechanisms may be located on the front side
wall
and/or rear side wall in addition to the lateral side walls of the shopping
cart basket in
varying numbers and varying configurations.
(0021] While the downward facing loop attachment mechanism has certain
advantages
in maintaining tension as described above, other bag attachment mechanisms are
also
with the scope of the present invention and may be located at the locations
and in the
configurations previously described for the loop attachment mechanisms. For
example,
in one embodiment, the shopping cart is equipped with clipping mechanisms such
as
spring clip instead of, or in addition to, the loop attachment mechanism
previously
described. The clipping mechanism may be, in a non-limiting example, a spring
clip
configured to grasp a handle of a shopping bag. In a further embodiment, the
shopping
cart is equipped with a hook mechanism instead of, or in addition to, the loop
attachment mechanism and clipping mechanism previously described. In a non-
limiting
example, the hook mechanism may be an integrated piece of a first or second
support
shaped into a hook shape in a manner sufficient to secure a bag handle
stretched over
the top edge of a side wall of the shopping cart. The clipping mechanism
and/or hook
mechanisms may be located substantially within the defined plane of a side
wall of the
shopping cart basket.
[0022] In one embodiment, first supports 204 and second supports 206 may also
be
oriented in a different manner than that shown in Figure 2A without departing
from the
scope of the present invention. For example, first supports 204 may extend
diagonally
from top edge 202 to the bottom of the side wall and second supports 206 may
run
substantially perpendicular to the first supports instead of the more vertical
and
horizontal orientation of the first and second supports shown in Figure 2A.
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[0023]Figure 2B depicts another view of a two basket shopping cart with
downward
facing loop attachment mechanisms in an exemplary embodiment. The two basket
shopping cart 250 includes a first lateral side wall 252 with multiple
downward facing
loop attachments 254 arranged in two rows.
[0024]Figure 3 depicts a lateral side wall of a shopping cart in accordance
with another
exemplary embodiment. In Figure 3, instead of the loop attachment mechanisms
208
being laterally offset between rows 302, 304, loop attachment mechanisms are
arranged so as to be in the same lateral locations in each row and to include
four loop
attachment mechanisms in each row. It will be appreciated that shopping carts
having
more than two rows of bag attachment mechanisms per side wall and other
numbers of
bag attachment mechanisms than those specifically discussed herein are also
within the
scope of the present invention.
[0025] As noted above, the providing of loop attachment mechanisms (and other
types
of bag attachment mechanisms) in varying locations on side walls of a shopping
cart
facilitates the use of different size bags with different length bag handles.
Figure 4
depicts exemplary bag types suitable for use in exemplary embodiments. For
example,
the bag attachment mechanisms described herein enable the use of bags that are
medium wide with soft sides 402, collapsible soft bins 404, medium wide bags
with stiff
sides 406 and medium tall bags with stiff sides 408. It will be appreciated
that additional
types of bags not specifically referenced may also be used with embodiments of
the
present invention.
(0026] The bag attachment mechanisms described herein may also be used to
modify
other types of shopping baskets in addition to the shopping carts described
above. For
example, Figure 5 depicts a mobile shopping basket in an exemplary embodiment.
The
exemplary mobile shopping basket includes two wheels 510 and a stand support
512
supporting a frame 511. The frame 511 may support a basket that includes a
lateral
side wall 501. Lateral side wall 501 may include a top edge 502, first
vertically oriented
supports 504 and second lateral supports 506. A bag attachment mechanism 508,
such
as the downward facing loop mechanism, clipping mechanism or hook mechanism
such
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as those previously described may also be provided. The bag attachment
mechanism
508 may be located substantially within the plane of lateral side wall 501.
Additional
bag attachment mechanisms may also be provided on the other side walls (not
shown)
of the mobile shopping basket. The mobile shopping basket may also include a
handle
506 for tilting the basket onto its wheels for transport.
[0027]The description herein is presented to enable a person skilled in the
art to create
a shopping cart or mobile shopping basket with bag attachment mechanisms.
Various
modifications to the example embodiments will be readily apparent to those
skilled in
the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other
embodiments
and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Moreover,
in the description, numerous details are set forth for the purpose of
explanation.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the invention may
be practiced
without the use of these specific details. Thus, the present disclosure is not
intended to
be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope
consistent
with the principles and features disclosed herein.
[0028] In describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for
the sake
of clarity. For purposes of description, each specific term is intended to at
least include
all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a
similar purpose. Additionally, in some instances where a particular exemplary
embodiment includes multiple system elements, device components or method
steps,
those elements, components or steps can be replaced with a single element,
component or step. Likewise, a single element, component or step can be
replaced
with multiple elements, components or steps that serve the same purpose.
Moreover,
while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with references to
particular embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will
understand that
various substitutions and alterations in form and detail can be made therein
without
departing from the scope of the invention. Further still, other aspects,
functions and
advantages are also within the scope of the invention.
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