Abstract:
A shopping bag system comprising a plurality of handled bags and a primary bag. The primary bag comprises a front face, a rear face, a pair of opposing end walls and a bottom. The end walls and bottom connect the front face to the rear face thereby defining a chamber. The chamber is capable of receiving the plurality of handled bags, and, upon removing the handled bags from the chamber, the chamber is capable of retaining shopping items therein. A fastener is coupled to one of the opposing end walls, the front face, or the rear face. The fastener is capable of releasably securing the primary bag to a shopping cart.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This application relates generally to shopping bags. More specifically, this application relates to a shopping bag system which includes a primary bag and a plurality of handled bags. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The widespread use of shopping bags for carrying items purchased in various stores, and especially in markets where numerous items are packaged in bags for carrying the items home, more recently has come under close scrutiny from the standpoint of conservation and preservation of the ecology. Thus, use of the ubiquitous disposable paper bag has been questioned as being responsible for using up valuable resources to manufacture the bags as well as from the standpoint of overburdening the facilities for disposal of the bags. Plastic bags have been suggested as an alternative to paper bags, but even plastic bags use valuable resources and present disposal problems. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have available a shopping bag system which is effective for marketing purposes and which does not tax resources and disposal facilities, yet is convenient and efficient so as to encourage use. 
         [0003]    This application discloses a shopping bag system that is economical to produce, of simple construction and capable of mass production, but also capable of providing a user a suitable means to conveniently and efficiently store and transport shopping items. 
         [0004]    In particular, this application discloses a shopping bag system comprising a plurality of handled bags and a primary bag. The primary bag comprises a front face, a rear face, a pair of opposing end walls and a bottom. The end walls and bottom connect the front face to the rear face thereby defining a chamber. The chamber is capable of receiving the plurality of handled bags, and, upon removing the handled bags from the chamber, the chamber is capable of retaining shopping items therein. A fastener is coupled to one of the opposing end walls, the front face, or the rear face. The fastener is capable of releasably securing the primary bag to a shopping cart. 
         [0005]    This application also discloses a shopping bag system comprising a plurality of handled bags and a primary bag. The primary bag has an inner chamber capable of retaining the plurality of handled bags therein. In addition, upon removing the handled bags from the chamber, the chamber is operable to retain shopping items therein. A fastener is coupled to the primary bag and capable of releasably securing the primary bag to a shopping cart. 
         [0006]    Finally, this application discloses a shopping bag system comprising a plurality of handled bags and a primary bag. The primary bag comprises a front face, a rear face, a pair of opposing corrugated end walls and a bottom. The end walls and bottom connect the front face to the rear face thereby defining a chamber. The chamber is capable of receiving the plurality of handled bags, and, upon removing the handled bags from the chamber, the chamber is capable of retaining shopping items therein. The primary bag is capable of a compact arrangement, where the front face is adjacent to the rear face, and an expanded arrangement, where the front face is space apart from the rear face. A fastener is coupled to one of the opposing end walls, the front face, or the rear face. The fastener is capable of releasably securing the primary bag to a shopping cart. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The drawings, when considered in connection with the following description, are presented for the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an environmental view of a first embodiment of a shopping bag system showing the shopping bag system releasably secured to a shopping cart; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the shopping bag system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the shopping bag system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a handled bag; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a shopping bag system showing the primary bag in a compact arrangement; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a second perspective view of the shopping bag system of  FIG. 4  showing the primary bag in an expanded arrangement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    While the present shopping bag system is described with reference to several illustrative embodiments described herein, it should be clear that the present invention should not be limited to such embodiments. Therefore, the description of the embodiments provided herein is illustrative of the present invention and should not limit the scope of the invention as claimed. 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , a first illustrative embodiment of a shopping bag system  10  is shown. The shopping bag system  10  generally comprises a primary bag  20  and a plurality of handled bags  30 . The primary bag  10  includes a front face  35 , rear face  40 , side walls  45  and a bottom  50 . The primary bag  10  has an inner chamber  55  for receiving the plurality of handled bags  30  and/or shopping items. However, it will be appreciated that the primary bag  20  may have any suitable construction; for example, the primary bag may include front and rear panels which are secured together to form a pocket, or chamber, therebetween, etc. The primary bag  20  may be constructed from any suitable material, including but not limited to a polymer, fabric, etc. In addition, the primary bag  20  may be insulated to assist in maintaining the temperature of shopping items being transported therewith. 
         [0016]    The primary bag  20  may include a top cover  60  which is hinged to the upper edge of the rear face  40 . However, it will be appreciated that the top cover  60  may be hinged at any suitable location; for example, the top cover  60  may be hingedly secured to the front face  35 , one of the side walls  45 , etc. The top cover  60  may be releasably secured in a closed position to the front face  35  by any suitable means, including but not limited to Velcro, magnets, buckle, hooks, etc. Alternatively, the primary bag  20  may not have any top cover  60 . 
         [0017]    In addition, the primary bag  20  may also include a shoulder strap  65 . While the illustrative embodiment shows the shoulder strap  65  affixed to the rear face  40 , it will be appreciated that the shoulder strap  65  may be affixed at any suitable location; for example, the shoulder strap  65  may be affixed to at least one of the front face  35 , side walls  45  and/or top cover  60 . 
         [0018]    The primary bag  20  also includes one or more swivel clips  70  secured to the rear face  40 . However, it will be appreciated that the swivel clips  70  may be secured to any suitable location, such as the front face  35 , side walls  45  and/or top cover  60 . The swivel clips  70  are operable to releasably secure the primary bag  20  to a shopping cart  75 . Thus, a user may releasably secure the primary bag  20  to a shopping cart  75  while the user shops. While the illustrative embodiment shows swivel clips  70  for securing the primary bag  20  to a shopping cart  75 , it will be appreciated that any fastener suitable for releasably securing the primary bag  20  to a shopping cart  75  may be employed and are contemplated herein. Such fasteners may include, but are not limited to, magnets, Velcro straps, hooks, buckles, etc. 
         [0019]    The primary bag  20  may also include one or more partitions  80  for subdividing the inner chamber  55  into smaller chambers  85  so as to assist in keeping the handled bags  30  organized and/or the shopping items organized or separated. The partitions  80  may be permanently affixed within the inner chamber  55  or may be releasably secured within the inner chamber  55  by any suitable means, including but not limited to Velcro, magnets, hooks, buckles, etc. For example, the front face  35 , rear face  40 , side walls  45  and/or top cover  60  may include loops operable to receive corresponding hooks on the one or more partitions  80  such that the user may subdivide the inner chamber  55  into any suitable number and/or any suitably shaped smaller chambers  85 ,  85   a ,  85   b . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , a partition may be disposed from one side wall  45  to the rear face  40  so as to define a triangularly shaped smaller chamber  85   a  capable of receiving a bottle  87  therein. In addition, a partition  80  may be disposed between the side walls  45  to create a rectangularly shaped smaller chamber  85   b . The number of inner chambers  85 ,  85   a ,  85   b , and shapes thereof may be selected by the user to best fit his or her needs. Thus, the forgoing shapes and numbers of chambers  85 ,  85   a ,  85   b  are by way of example only and the various ways to arrange the partitions  80  to create the desired number and/or shape of the inner chambers  85 ,  85   a ,  85   b  will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. Additionally, the partitions  80  may be padded to protect shopping items and/or insulated to assist in maintaining the temperature of shopping items being transported therewith. Moreover, the primary bag  20  may also include other items such as ice packs, gels packs, padding, wine bag(s), etc. 
         [0020]    The handled bags  30  are generally known in the art. Typically, the handled bags generally include a front face  90 , rear face  95 , a pair of side walls  100 , and a base  105 , which define a compartment  110  for receiving shopping items. However, the handled bags  30  may have any suitable construction as is known in the art, and every such construction is contemplated herein. The handled bags  30  may also include one or more handles  115  that may be affixed to the bag  30  or may be integral with the bag  30 . The handled bags  30  may be constructed from any suitable material, including but not limited to a polymer, fabric, etc. Also, at least some of handled bags  30  may be insulated to assist in maintaining the temperature of shopping items being transported therewith. Furthermore, the handled bags  30  may be of the same size or may be different sizes. 
         [0021]    In use, the handled bags  30  are retained within the inner chamber  55  of the primary bag  20 . The user may then transport the shopping bag system  10  to a shopping location. The primary bag  20  may then be affixed to a shopping cart  75  through the use of the swivel clips  70 . Once the user is finished shopping, the user may begin to remove the handled bags  30  from the primary bag  20  and use them to store shopping items therein. In addition, the user may also use the primary bag  20  to store shopping items therein. Once the user is finished with the bags  20 ,  30 , the handled bags  30  may be returned to the primary bag  20 . 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5-6 , a second illustrative embodiment of a shopping bag system  200  is shown. The system  200  is similar to that of the first embodiment described above; thus, like numerals for like elements will be used throughout. The primary difference between the first illustrative embodiment and the second illustrative embodiment resides within side walls  205 . In the second embodiment, the side walls  205  are corrugated thereby allowing the primary bag  20  to operate in an accordion-like fashion. Thus, the primary bag  20  may be moveable from a compact arrangement where the front face  35  is adjacent to the rear face  40  and an expanded arrangement where the front face  35  is spaced apart from the rear face  40 . In addition, the primary bag may include a strap  210  coupled to the rear face  40 . The strap  210  extends to, and is releasably securable to, the front face  35  such that when the strap  210  is secured to the front face  35 , the primary bag  20  is retained in the compact arrangement, and when the strap  210  is released from the front face  35 , the primary bag  20  may be moved to the expanded arrangement. The strap  210  may be releasably secured to the front face  35  by any suitable means, including but not limited to Velcro, magnets, buckle, hooks, etc. 
         [0023]    In use, the handled bags  30  are retained within the inner chamber  55  of the primary bag  20 . The user may then press the front face  35  towards the rear face  40  such that the primary bag  20  is in the compact arrangement. The strap  210  may be releasably secured to the front face  35  so as to retain the primary bag  20  in the compact arrangement. The user may then transport the shopping bag system  200  to a shopping location. The primary bag  20  may then be affixed to a shopping cart  75  through the use of the swivel clips  70 . Once the user is finished shopping, the user may release the strap  210  from the front face  35  of the primary bag  20  thereby allowing the primary bag  20  to move to the expanded arrangement. Next, the user may begin to remove the handled bags  30  from the primary bag  20  and use them to store shopping items therein. In addition, the user may also use the primary bag  20  to store shopping items therein. Once the user is finished with the bags  20 ,  30 , the handled bags  30  may be returned to the primary bag  20 . 
         [0024]    While the present disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.