Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a shopping cart typically used in supermarkets and other retail stores.

Background of the Invention

They are known many and varied shopping carts for supermarkets. With effect there are carts of the most varied forms, some mounted on substantially metallic structures and because of their configuration (structure and basket) can be fitted together in similar carts, others in which the basket comprises wheels on its bottom part and also due to its configuration is stackable with similar carts .

This latter type of carts, basket provided with wheels, is used in automatic payment machines (without operator), i.e. those machines in which the user presents the products he wants to buy to a device that reads the barcode inserted on the product and records the final invoice to be paid. In fact, the areas in which the user has automatic payment machines do not allow the access of the common carts of large dimensions but only allows access of carts in which the basket is equipped with two small wheels. It turns out however that this type of carts can not be carried to the parking areas where the user parked his vehicle, hence it must necessarily be left near the automatic payment machines, the user having to carry the bags with the purchases until his vehicle.

As it is well known, in contrast with traditional carts that can be carried to the parking areas and there properly packed up to fit together with other similar carts after being unloaded, the baskets provided with wheels can not be properly packed up and it is therefore prohibited its exit from the shopping area. This fact is mainly due to the fact that the shopping basket equipped with small wheels can not be packed up to fit together with other baskets and fixed to an adequate structure for their accommodation mainly in the areas of vehicle parking.

It this uncomfortable situation that we want to avoid. It is intended that users can use the automatic payment machines with shopping carts that can be carried to be properly unloaded to their cars, instead of "hand carry" the bags with the purchased products.

There are actually bearing structures for shopping baskets (without wheels) , which however do not allow a similar use as for the traditional shopping carts, i.e. to be stored and fixed to a structure where we can release it only through the use of a coin or token to be inserted into the slot of the cart adequate to this purpose, coin that releases the cart from the other stored carts .

Summary of the Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to design a shopping cart equipped with a metal frame which supports a shopping basket (with or without wheels), this structure can be stored and fixed to a frame in the parking area of cars. This fact will allow the use of smaller carts and the use of automatic payment machines by the usual users of supermarkets. Nevertheless, this cart can also be used usually in cash registers with operators.

For this purpose it was designed a shopping cart equipped with a metal frame and a basket made of plastic material, which assembly can be stored and fixed to a structure .

Brief description of the drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are hereby incorporated and constitute a part of this application, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and together with the description intend to explain the principle of the invention. The same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same parts or similar parts.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cart of the invention;

- Figure 2 is an exploded view of the cart shown in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a view of the metal frame of the cart shown in Figure 1; and

- Figure 4 is a set of carts properly fitted together.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention provides a shopping cart according to claim 1. Preferred features of the invention are further provided according to the dependent claims.

As can be seen from the accompanying figures the cart 1 essentially comprises a frame 2 and a basket 3. Said basket 3 is made by plastic material injection and has a substantially conical configuration to allow being stacked with other similar baskets. It comprises a bottom part 4 and four side walls 5 that, according to this type of articles are perforated to provide lower weight and therefore less material. In its upper peripheral rim 6 is fitted and fixed by pressure an abutment part 7. The frame 2 supporting said basket 3 comprises two elements 8 formed by a tubular rim which has a vertical portion which serves as a column of the structure and a horizontal portion. Each of these alike elements 8 has its own configuration that is conferred by bends and cambers.

At the bottom of the structure, and particularly in the horizontal portion, the elements 8 are joined together by crossbars 9, 10 and 11. The crossbar 9 is suitably welded to the front part of the lower arms of the rim of the element 8. The crossbar 10 is secured but not welded to the rear part of the horizontal upper arms of the rim of each element 8. The crossbar 11 is welded to the front part of the rim (vertical portion) of each element 8.

The upper part of the frame 2 also presents a lock crossbar 12 attached to the rim of each element 8 and a pivot bar 13 of the support frame 14 of the basket 3. This support frame 14 of the basket 3 is formed by a tubular ring with a configuration appropriated to the configuration of the basket, in this case a substantially rectangular configuration, such that the frame is secured, with the possibility of rotation, to the pivot bar 13 by means of two tubular elements 16. The pivot bar 13, specifically in the connection to the tubular elements 16 is provided, on each of its sides, with torsion springs 17 fixed by suitable retainers. These springs will require that a certain force is exerted on the basket 3 so that it can be made its rotation around the bar 13, rotation that is needed to promote the tilting of the basket to allow the basket to be stacked on another basket.

To enable the engagement and stacking of the cart 1 with a similar cart, the frame 2 has its elements 8 arranged in such a way that the front part of elements 8 is farthest than the rear part so to allow the engagement of the frame, by other words the bar 10 is longer than bars 9 and 11. Thus it is possible the embedding and engagement either of the frame portion 2 either of the basket 3.

Still part of the cart 1 are the four wheels 18 fixed in conventional manner to the bottom part of the elements 8, two in the front part and two in the rear part. The whole assembly, frame and basket, which form the cart 1, can be pushed through the handles 19 which are properly welded to the upper parts of each element 8.

The basket 3 is to be fixed to the support frame 14, formed by the ring, through the elements 20, small angle brackets that will facilitate the fixation, for example, the screw fitting of the basket 2.

As it can be seen in figure 4 the upper part of each element 8, is coated with a plastic element 21. Similarly, the bottom part of the basket 1 is provided with plastic elements 22 that coat partially the elements 8. These plastic elements are properly coupled to the elements 8, which for this purpose are provided with holes 23 for fixation of fastening suitable means, for example screws.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art many of the elements described may be replaced by equivalent elements, without being outside the scope of the following claims.