Storage and display device in combination with a shopping cart

A storage and display device for use in combination with a shopping cart for the storage of small items and articles, the display of advertising copy or material and retention of coupons comprising a rigid outer open receptacle having a similarly configured flexible inner open receptacle at least partially disposed therein and a coupon retainer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
A storage and display device for use in combination with a shopping cart. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Attachments for shopping carts which promote convenience and usage by 
customers in supermarkets and other stores are known in a variety of 
forms. Such devices have not met with wide public acceptance for various 
reasons. Many of the devices are too complex and costly to be practical to 
manufacture and sell. Others are too large and unwieldy to satisfy the 
desires of users. Still other devices require more or less permanent 
attachment to the cart and others are not sufficiently stable on the cart 
to satisfy the needs of store customers. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,570 describes a display device mounted on the vertical 
front of a nestable type shopping cart having a pair of display panels 
carrying information mounted on opposite faces of the front wall part for 
vertical sliding travel between a lowered retracted position and an upper 
extended display position. Biasing means normally maintains the device in 
,extended display position. When a shopping cart is nested, the upwardly 
swingable rear wall of the second cart is engaged by a camming structure 
on at least one display panel to swing the rear wall upwardly thereby 
apply downwardly directed force against the display device to vertically 
slide the display device to retracted position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,932 shows a waterproof advertising display device 
including a calculator adapted for use on a shopping cart of the 
telescopingly nestable type. The display device includes a display plate 
mounted on the front wall of a shopping cart upper rear receptacle to 
receive advertising copy and a transparent cover plate attached with keyed 
quick release fastener and forward release hinge over the advertising copy 
to the display plate. A tongue and groove seal between the plates keeps 
water from the advertising copy. A calculator assembly is attached to the 
cover plate including a slanted blind channel shelf for holding a 
calculator at a preferred angle for use by a shopper. A plug/bumper 
attached after insertion of the calculator prevents removal and protects 
the calculator from impact upon nesting of shopping carts. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,701 teaches a book-like shopping cart attachment 
mounted on the cart pushing handle at a convenient angle for viewing by a 
shopper in a supermarket or other store. The device can support a hand 
calculator, note paper, a pencil and a coupon holding clip. Attaching 
hooks engage a cross bar of the cart near and below the pushing handle. 
The hooks are pivotally connected to a center bar of the device limited to 
their swinging movement in one direction by a stop plate whereby the hooks 
always assume a proper angle to stabilize the device during its use on the 
cart. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,968 describes advertising panels of shopping cart 
baskets including a plate element and a frame element mounted on the plate 
element and releasable held in place thereon by a tab and slot 
arrangement. When held in place, a slot and a card display area encircled 
by the frame element are formed between the plate and frame elements. An 
advertisement display card is easily slid into and out of the display area 
through this slot. Projections on at least one of the elements retain the 
card in place. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a storage and display device for use in 
combination with a shopping cart for the storage of small items and 
articles, the display of advertising copy or material and retention of 
coupons. More particularly, the storage and display device comprises a 
rigid outer open receptacle having a similarly configured flexible inner 
open receptacle at least partially disposed and a coupon retainer. 
The rigid outer open receptacle comprises a front and rear wall, a pair of 
trapezoidal end walls and a bottom that cooperatively form a chamber. 
The bottom slopes downwardly from the center line such that any liquid will 
flow to and through one or both drainage apertures or slots formed through 
the bottom adjacent the end walls. 
The flexible inner open receptacle comprises front and rear walls, a pair 
of trapezoidal end walls and bottom that cooperatively forms a chamber. 
The bottom slopes downwardly from the centerline to the trapezoidal end 
walls such that any liquid will flow to and through one or both drainage 
apertures or slots formed through the bottom adjacent the trapezoidal end 
walls. 
A flange extends outwardly from the upper edges of the front and rear walls 
and the trapezoidal end walls of the flexible inner open receptacle to 
engage or rest on the upper edges of the front and rear walls and the 
trapezoidal end walls of the rigid outer open receptacle to house the 
display of advertising copy or material disposed between the rigid outer 
open receptacle and flexible inner open receptacle and to isolate or 
protect the advertising copy or material from the surrounding environment. 
The coupon retainer comprises a flexible inner panel hingedly attached to 
the flexible outer panel hingedly attached to the lower edge of the 
flexible inner panel. The flexible inner panel and the flexible outer 
panel cooperatively form a coupon compartment. 
When assembled, the storage and display device is mounted on the upper 
transverse rod of the rear gate pivotally coupled to the rear portion of 
the shopping cart. So positioned, the upper opening formed flange is 
disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. 
Articles can then be placed in the chamber and coupons in the coupon 
compartment. The advertising copy can be easily replaced with new ads by 
separating the rigid outer open receptacle from the flexible inner open 
receptacle and sandwich new advertising copy therebetween. 
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, 
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be 
exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of 
the invention will be indicated the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention relates to a storage 
and display device generally indicated as 10 for use in combination with a 
shopping cart partially shown for the storage of small items and articles 
each indicated as 14, the display of advertising copy or material 
indicated as 16 and retention of coupons indicated as 18. More 
particularly, the storage and display device 10 comprises a rigid outer 
open receptacle generally indicated as 20 having a similarly configured 
flexible inner open receptacle generally indicated as 22 at least 
partially disposed therein and a coupon retainer generally indicated as 
24. 
The rigid outer open receptacle 20 comprises substantially parallel 
rectangular front and rear walls indicated as 26 and 28 respectively, a 
pair of substantially parallel trapezoidal end walls each indicated as 30 
and a substantially rectangular bottom 32 that cooperatively form a 
chamber 34. 
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the substantially rectangular bottom 32 
slopes downwardly from the centerline 36 to the substantially parallel 
trapezoidal end walls 30 such that any liquid on the substantially 
rectangular bottom 32 will flow to and through one or both drainage 
apertures or slots each indicated as 38 formed through the substantially 
rectangular bottom 32 adjacent the substantially parallel trapezoidal end 
walls 30. The substantially rectangular rear wall 28 and the substantially 
rectangular bottom 32 each include a plurality of fastener apertures each 
indicated as 40 to receive a corresponding plurality of fasteners each 
indicated as 42 as described more fully hereinafter. 
The flexible inner open receptacle 22 comprises substantially parallel 
rectangular front and rear walls indicated as 44 and 46 respectively, a 
pair of substantially parallel trapezoidal end walls each indicated as 48 
and a substantially rectangular bottom 50 that cooperatively form a 
chamber 52. 
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the substantially rectangular bottom 50 
slopes downwardly from the centerline 54 to the substantially parallel 
trapezoidal end walls 48 such that any liquid on the substantially 
rectangular bottom 50 will flow to and through one or both drainage 
apertures or slots each indicated as 56 formed through the substantially 
rectangular bottom 50 adjacent the substantially parallel trapezoidal end 
walls 48. The substantially rectangular rear wall 46 including a plurality 
of fastener apertures each indicated as 58 in registry with one of the 
corresponding fastener apertures 40 formed in the substantially parallel 
rear wall of the rigid outer open receptacle 20 to receive a corresponding 
plurality of fasteners 42 therethrough as described more fully 
hereinafter. 
As best shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, a spacer 60 including a recess 62 
formed therein is attached to receive a corresponding fastener 42 through 
a corresponding fastener aperture 40 formed in the substantially 
rectangular bottom 32. 
As best shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 and 6, a substantially L-shaped or 
hook-shaped peripheral support and isolation flange 64 extends outwardly 
from the upper edges of the substantially parallel rectangular front and 
rear walls 44 and 46 and the substantially parallel trapezoidal end walls 
48 to engage or rest on the upper edges of the substantially parallel 
rectangular front and rear walls 26 and 28 and the substantially parallel 
trapezoidal end walls 30 to house the display of advertising copy or 
material 16 disposed between the substantially rectangular front wall 26 
and the substantially parallel rectangular front wall 44, the 
substantially parallel rectangular rear wall 28 and the substantially 
parallel rectangular rear wall 46 and the substantially trapezoidal end 
wall 30 and substantially trapezoidal end walls 48 and to isolate or 
protect the advertising copy or material 16 from the surrounding 
environment. 
As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the coupon retainer 24 comprises a flexible 
inner panel 66 hingedly attached to that portion of the substantially 
L-shaped or hook-shaped peripheral support and isolation flange 64 
extending outwardly from the rear wall 46 by a hinge 68 such as a living 
hinge at the upper edge 70 thereof and a flexible outer panel 72 hingedly 
attached to the lower edge 74 of the flexible inner panel 66 by a hinge 76 
such as a living hinge. 
The flexible inner panel 66 and the flexible outer panel 72 cooperatively 
form a coupon compartment 78. A plurality of fastener apertures each 
indicated as 80 is formed through both the flexible inner panel 66 and the 
flexible outer panel 72 in registry with the fastener apertures 40 formed 
through the substantially rectangular rear wall 28 of the rigid outer open 
receptacle 20 and the substantially rectangular rear wall 46 of the 
flexible inner open receptacle 22 to receive a corresponding fastener 42 
therethrough. 
When assembled, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the storage and display 
device 10 is mounted on the upper transverse rod 82 of the rear gate 
generally indicated as 84 pivotally coupled to the rear portion of the 
shopping cart 12. So positioned, the upper opening formed by substantially 
L-shaped or hook-shaped peripheral support and isolation flange 64 is 
disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. The rigid outer open 
receptacle 20, the flexible inner open receptacle 22 may be secured and 
the coupon retainer 24 together by positioning the fasteners 42 in the 
appropriate fastener apertures 40 and 58 and recess 62 allowing the device 
to be mounted on the cart. 
Articles 14 can then be placed in the chamber 52 and coupons 18 in the 
coupon compartment 78. The advertising copy can be easily replaced with 
new ads by separating the rigid outer open receptacle 20 from the flexible 
inner open receptacle 22 and removing the old copy and sandwiching new 
advertising copy 16 therebetween. 
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made 
apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and since 
certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing 
from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained 
in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be 
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover 
all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein 
described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a 
matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
Now that the invention has been described,