Field of Invention

This invention generally relates to a trolley.

Background of Invention

Customers at a store, supermarket or shopping centre often require a trolley to transport goods from the store to the destination to offload the goods. This destination may be close, such as the immediate car park or considerably further such as a residential location reached by footpath, road, public transport or a combination of these.

Typically, shopping centres supply the customer with a shopping trolley that may be used within the shopping centre premises. Often, these shopping trolleys will be taken off shopping centre premises by customers that require carriage of goods to their destination. The customer often does not return the trolley as the customer does not require a trolley again until next shopping.

More problematically, if a customer chooses to travel by public transport the customer must carry their goods for a least a portion of their journey. Once at their destination the customer may wish to store the trolley, hence a small lightweight storable trolley would be advantageous.

Further, it is anticipated that supermarkets will phase out plastic bags and require the customer to either pay for the plastic bags or supply their own bags. It is also anticipated that the larger supermarkets will introduce different modes for billing, for example, the customer will be billed as they pass a sensor

Thus, there is a need to provide an improved shopping trolley and components for the shopping trolley to alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems. Summary of Invention

In one broad form there is provided a trolley including a base section with ground engaging parts adapted to move between a collapsed condition into a deployed condition to provide a stable base for the trolley, wherein the parts are interconnected for synchronised movement.

In one form, the trolley further includes an upper section that connectively extends above the base section and a coupling intermediate the upper section and the base section such that the upper section and base section have synchronised movement.

In another form the trolley includes an actuator operatively connected thereto wherein motion of the actuator causes the parts to move between the collapsed and deployed condition.

In another form the actuator transverses the upper section and the base section via the coupling such that actuator is free to move in a substantially vertical direction.

In another form the trolley includes a sleave the actuator passes internal thereto.

In yet another form the sleave is rigidly fixed coupling allowing the actuator and sleave relative movement.

In yet another form the cross section of the actuator and the sleave are substantially congruent as to provide a light friction fit allowing relative movement.

In one form the base section and the upper section include an elongate support member that operatively transverses between the upper section and base section via the coupling.

In another form the motion of the actuator causes the elongate support member to pivot about the coupling such that the parts move between the collapsed and deployed condition. In one embodiment the base section of the trolley further includes an inner member operatively connected to the actuator whereby the substantially vertical motion of the actuator is translated to at least one of the parts or the elongate support member.

In another embodiment the base section of the trolley further includes a outer member that operatively connects the parts wherein the outer member includes a locking mechanism whereby the parts are locked into the deployed position.

In one form the support geometric combination of the elongate support members with the inner member and the actuator form a triangular structure.

In another form the trolley further including a plurality of the inner member, the outer member and the elongate support member such as a geometric arrangement of the plurality of the inner, outer and elongate support member with the actuator form a tetrahedron with a vertex at the coupling.

In one embodiment the trolley may have ground engaging parts are in the form of wheels.

In another embodiment the base section includes two sets of wheels wherein one set is located forward corners of the trolley and one set on the reward corners of the trolley.

In another embodiment at least one of the two sets of wheels includes is pivoted such that the trolley may be steered.

In one form the coupling has a pivot point that connects to the elongate support member intermediate its ends.

In another form the coupling is of the form of a collar wherein the pivot point is located on the perimeter whereby the actuator can pass central of the collar. In another form the collar is substantially square where each face of the square contains a pivot point to operatively connect to the elongate support member.

Preferably, the trolley is used to support a storage compartment, a tray or a bag.

Preferably, the elongate support members further includes a hook, a ridge or a channel to attach the storage compartment, tray or bag.

More preferably, the hook, ridge or channel is located at the top end to the elongate support members.

More Preferably, the storage compartment, tray or bag removable.

More Preferably still, the storage compartment tray or bag has a shape conforming to space provided by the elongate support members.

Preferably, the upper portion of the trolley includes four removable material bags with stiffening elements to retain bag shape and wherein the base has provision to include a further storage medium such as a compartment, a tray or a bag.

Brief Descriptions of the Drawings

The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a trolley.

Figure 2 illustrates another perspective view of the trolley of Figure 1 with four shopping bags suspended from an upper section of the trolley. Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the trolley of Figure 1, excluding the bags or storage compartments, shown in a partially collapsed configuration;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the trolley shown in the fully collapsed condition;

Figure 5 includes Figure 5a, that illustrates a perspective view, and Figure 5b that that illustrates a side view, of the shopping trolley with a lower tray;

Figure 6 illustrates a bag for use with the trolley;

Figure 7 illustrates a lower hinge assembly of the trolley;

Figure 8 includes Figure 8a, that illustrates a front wheel assembly of the trolley, and Figure 8b that illustrates a rear wheel assembly of the trolley;

Figure 9 illustrates a locking mechanism of the trolley;

Figure 10 includes Figure 1Oa ₅ that illustrates an end configuration of an actuator, and Figure 10b, that illustrates the bag handle and cut-outs, of the trolley; and

Figure 11 includes Figure 11a, that illustrates a side view, and Figure 1 Ib that includes a plan view, of a coupling assembly of the trolley.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to Figure 1 the trolley 1 , which is preferably in the form of a shopping trolley, is shown as including a base section 2 with ground engaging parts 3. The base section 3 is formed of an articulated base frame 4 which includes outer connecting members 5 and inner connecting members 6 wherein the inner connecting members 6 hingedly joined to an actuator 7 at hinge points 8. The actuator 7 is provided in a substantially vertical orientation and extends from a lower end 9 to a coupling 10 and through an upper section 1 1 of the trolley. The top 12 of the actuator 7 has a strap 13 and between the coupling 10 and the strap f 3 the actuator 7 is housed by a sleave 14. Elongated support members 20, which form part of the base from 4, extend upwardly from the ground engaging parts 3 via the coupling 10 to provide support for handles 21 and attachment points 22 for a shopping bag 23.

The geometric combination of each elongate support member 20, inner connecting member 6 and the actuator 7, as shown in Figure 1, forms a triangular structure. The combination inner members 6, the outer connecting members 5 and the elongate support members 20 are arranged such that a plurality of generally tetrahedral structures, with a vertex proximal to the coupling 10, are formed to provide the trolley 1 with a substantially rigid base section 2.

Figure 2 shows the trolley with four shopping bags 23 that are fitted with a stiffening element 24 that is detachably mounted to associated corner support 25. The shopping bags 23 also include cut-out 26 from which the bag 23 can be carried or hung at a cashiering station of a shopping centre, or the like, which would normally accommodate disposable plastic shopping bags.

Referring to Figure 3 the trolley 1 is illustrated in the partially collapsed condition. To move the trolley, from the condition shown in Figure 1 to that of Figure 3, the bags 23 are firstly removed then locking mechanisms 30, which are provided intermediate ends the outer connecting member 5, are released. The actuator 7 is pulled upwardly by the strap 13 so that the inner members 6 pivot about hinge points 8 allowing the upward movement of actuator 7. The action of inner members 6 causes the ground engaging parts 3 to pivot with elongate members 20 about the coupling 10 to thereby allow the trolley 1 to move toward the collapsed condition as shown in Figure 4. In this manner, the action of the actuator 7 creates synchronous movement of inner connecting members 6, outer connecting members 5 and elongate members 20. Referring to Figure 4, the trolley 1 is shown in the collapsed condition wherein the actuator 7 is fully extended from the sleave 14 and wherein the elongate support members 20 are pivoted about the coupling 10 such that distal ends both above and below the coupling 10 are brought together, hence the handles 21, attachment points 22 and ground engaging parts 3 are brought together to the collapsed condition.

Referring to Figure 5, the base section 2 of the trolley 1 is shown with a fabric tray 35 wherein the top 36 of the outer perimeter 37 of the fabric tray 35 is fixed to the outer connecting members 5 and the centre 38 is fixed to the bottom of the actuator 7 such that fabric tray 35 rests upon the inner connecting members 6. The vertical separation between the inner connecting members 6 and outer connecting members 5 determines the depth of the fabric tray 35. The fabric tray 35 has a cut-out 39 to allow the articulation of the locking mechanism 30.

Referring to Figure 6, the shopping bag 23 is shown in more detail as having a substantially triangular shape with a second opening for attachment to a hook 40, or the like, projecting from the actuator 7. The upper outer perimeter 41 of the shopping bag 23 includes a stiffening element 24 adapted to provide removable attachment with the corner support 25 and the lower outer perimeter 42 has fabric reinforcement 43. The shopping bag 23 has a handle 44 for lifting the bag into and out of the trolley 1 and the region between the handle 44 and the upper inner edge 45 of the bag 23 that is most proximal to the actuator 7 has a cut-out 46 for attachment to the hook 40.

Referring to Figure 7, connection of the actuator 7 to the inner connecting members 6 is shown more clearly. The upward motion of the actuator 7 creates tension in the inner connecting members 8 to draw the ground engaging parts 3 inwardly to facilitate the movement toward the collapsed condition as shown in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 8, the ground engaging parts 3 are shown here in the form of front wheels 47 and rear wheels 48. The front wheels 47, are distinguished as such since they are opposite the handles 21 shown in Figure 1. The front wheels 47 are pivotally connected - S -

to an associated end 49 of the elongate support members 20 to allow the trolley to be steered. The rear wheels 48 are rigidly connected to the associated end 50 of the elongate support member 20. The region proximal to ends 49 and 50 of the elongate support. Members 20 have been bent into substantially vertical orientation to allow attachment of the front wheels 47 and rear wheels 48. The center of a bridging element 60 is connected to the elongate support member 20 and the ends of the bridging element 60 are pϊvotly connected at pivot points 61 to the outer connecting members 5 of the base section 2.

Figure 9 provides further detail of locking mechanism 30 located intermediate the ends of the outer connecting members 5. The outer connecting members are pivotally joined to the bridging element 60 such that when the locking mechanisms 30 are locked the ground engaging parts 3 are held in the deployed position, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 10 provides further detail of the actuator 7 and attached strap 13 as shown in Figure I . The top of the actuator 12 has both the strap 13 to operate fee actuator 7 and the hooks 40 from which the shopping bags 23 are hung.

Referring to Figure I I, the coupling 10 has a substantially square cross section with four pivot points 62 arranged central to each of the four faces 63 so as to provide pivotal connection with the elongate support members 20. Each of the four feces 63 has an inside planar surface 64 substantially tangential to circular cross section 65 of the elongate support members 20 that transverses therein.

The sleave 14 has a square cross section and: & vertical axis collocated with that of the coupling 10. The sides of the sleave 14 are parallel to the coupling 10 and the distance between the sides of the sleave 14 and the sides of the coupling 10 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the cross section 65 of elongate support member 20. This allows the elongate support members 20 to pass in the clearance space between the sleave 14 and the coupling 10. The actuator 7 has a cross section substantially matched to the cross section of the sleave 14 such that the outside faces of the actuator 7 are parallel to the inside faces of the sleave 14. The sleave 14 and the actuator 7 have a light friction fit such that they are free to move.

The pivot points 62 allow the elongate support members 20 to pivot when the trolley 1 is moved between the deployed state, as shown in Figure 1 and the collapsed state, as shown in Figure 4. As the trolley 1 is deployed, the elongate members 20 pivot about the pivot points 62 reducing the clearance between the periphery of the coupling 10 and the elongate members 20 until the two abut to prevent further relative movement.

A folding trolley as been described with the movement between the collapsed condition and the deployed condition facilitated through the use of an actuator, the collapsed condition provides the advantage of ease of portability and storage. The trolley structure may be fabricated from aluminium and/or other lightweight components to give the overall structure a light weight and further ease of portability. The trolley structure incorporates removable shopping bags that may be removed for packing or storage, advantageously each bag is relatively small in size to allow ease of handling when at, for example, a shopping centre cashier or unloading the trolley in a vehicle. Further, in the future as plastic bags may be phased out or incur a fee for use, it may become advantageous to have a trolley with detachable reusable bags.

The invention has been described by way of non-limiting example only and many modifications and variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described. List of Parts

1. Trolley

2. Base Section

3. Ground Engaging Parts 4. Articulated Frame

5. Outer Connecting Members

6. Inner Connecting Members

7. Actuator

8. Hinge Points 9. Lower End

10. Coupling

1 1. Upper Section

12. Top of the Actuator

13. Strap 14. Sleave

20. Elongate Support Members

21. Handles

22. Attachment points

23. Shopping Bag 24. Stiffening Element

25. Corner Support

26. Cut-out

30. Locking Mechanism 35. Fabric Tray 36. Top of the Outer Perimeter of the Fabric Tray

37. Outer Perimeter of the Fabric Tray

38. Centre of Fabric Tray

39. Cut-out

40. Hook 41. Upper Perimeter

42. Lower Perimeter 43. Fabric Reinforcement

44. Bag Handle

45. Upper Inner Edge

46. Cut-out 47. Front Wheels

48. Rear Wheels

49. Ends

50. Ends

60. Bridging Element 61. Ends

62. Pivot Points

63. Face for Coupling

64. Inside Surface of Coupling

65. Circular Cross Section