Abstract:
This invention involves a restraining device for preventing undesired motion of a shopping cart. The invention comprises: (a) a bracket for fixed attachment to the shopping-cart frame; (b) an elongate arm; (c) a non-slippery engagement surface; and (d) a pivot located between the bracket and the elongate arm. The elongate arm has a first end and a second end, and is attached with respect to the bracket. The engagement surface is attached with respect to the first end. The engagement surface is configured and arranged for engagement with the horizontal surface. It is another aspect of the invention to provide a method for selectively prohibiting the movement of a shopping cart.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to shopping cart, particularly to restraining means for shopping carts.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Shopping carts are typically outfitted with four single-axle wheels designed for freewheeling in order to allow a shopper to easily push the cart when heavily laden with groceries and other potential purchases. It is this design for ease of operation which also allows for accidental motion. It is well known that grocery carts will travel on their own with minimal impetus. It is frequently the case that parking lots are pitched for purposes of rainwater run-off; that minimal pitch is sufficient to allow a grocery cart left unattended to move. These moving grocery carts (regardless of whether the unintentional movement is occasioned by gravity or wind) can and do strike into cars causing paint damage. Payout for such damage by stores and their insurers has led to increasing the number of cart corrals (to encourage shopper return of the empty cart to a secure location to reduce the incidents of motion of unattended, empty carts) and cart baskets being made of plastic (to reduce the amount of damage inflicted by contact of a moving cart with a car). Such efforts are designed to affect the symptom (incidence and extent of damage), but are not preventative of the motion in the first instance.  
         [0003]     Moreover, it is also frequently observed that young, ambulatory children, while left unattended while the parent is putting grocery bags into the car, may take the cart for a “joy ride”. When children are momentarily left alone with a cart, it is frequently observed that the child will push the cart potentially into parking lot traffic, parked cars, or other shoppers.  
         [0004]     This significant problem of cart movement (regardless of whether from children or environmental conditions) has been unsuccessfully addressed by a several devices. Various shopping-cart break devices exist in the prior art. Included within the prior art are six patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,454 (issued to Gill), U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,445 (issued to Poulin), U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,209 (issued to Sedlack), U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,569 (issued to Norman), U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,359 (issued to Schwartz) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,600 (issued to Pasillas).  
         [0005]     Most of the prior-art brakes dealing with shopping carts are wheel-engaging. Such wheel-engaging devices are disfavored by retailers as they may spontaneously deploy when the cart is parked in a cart corral. Such inadvertent deployment is especially troublesome when the parked cart is nested with other parked carts.  
         [0006]     Several of the of the prior-art cart brakes engage the ground (e.g., the devices of Sedlack, Norman, and Schwartz). These devices engage the ground and lift the wheels up from contact with the ground. Such devices are difficult to deploy on fully-loaded carts, heavily laden with groceries or home-improvement store purchases. Such devices prove impossible for certain elderly or incapacitated individuals.  
         [0007]     The &#39;445 patent to Poulin shows a foot peddle-engaging brake for carts. Significantly, both the disclosure and the claims require two foot peddles. Particularly, the use of the cross bar in Poulin would not be useful for shopping carts which necessarily nest.  
         [0008]     That the prior art has been unsuccessful in addressing the problem of run-away carts is evidenced by the lack common or widespread use of successful devices on carts throughout the United States.  
         [0009]     A shopping-cart brake which allows nesting of the cart for storage would be an important improvement in the art.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved shopping-cart brake overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those referenced above.  
         [0011]     Another object of the invention is to provide a shopping-cart brake which is easily deployable.  
         [0012]     Another object of the invention is to provide a shopping-cart brake which allows for retrofitting existing carts.  
         [0013]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a shopping-cart brake which is easily retractable.  
         [0014]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a shopping-cart brake which does not obstruct the nesting of shopping carts in storage.  
         [0015]     Another object of the invention is to provide a shopping-cart brake which prohibits the front, steering wheels from revolving about the back wheels when the brake is engaged.  
         [0016]     It is another object of the invention to provide a method which is easily practiced whereby children under the control or supervision of an adult can be prevented from pushing the shopping cart into the path of cars in a parking lot.  
         [0017]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a method which is easily practiced whereby unaccompanied shoppers may secure the cart which the shopper had used to transport purchases to the shopper&#39;s car, while the shopper transfers those purchases to the car.  
         [0018]     It is still another object of the invention to provide a shopping cart brake which is able to be used by people of all abilities.  
         [0019]     How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and the drawings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     This invention involves a restraining device for preventing undesired motion of a shopping cart. The shopping carts are generally of the type having a frame, more specifically with a horizontal U-shaped bottom portion. The shopping cart has a plurality of wheels, most usually four single-axle wheels spaced, along the U-shaped bottom portion, to allow the cart to roll over a substantially planar, horizontal surface, such as a grocery store floor or parking lot. The invention comprises: (a) a bracket for fixed attachment to the shopping-cart frame; (b) an elongate arm; (c) a non-slippery engagement surface; and (d) a pivot located between the bracket and the elongate arm. The elongate arm has a first end and a second end, and is attached with respect to the bracket. The invention does not require that the elongate arm be strictly linear. The engagement surface is attached with respect to the first end. The engagement surface is configured and arranged for engagement with the horizontal surface. The pivot allows for rotation of the elongate arm with respect to the bracket (and the frame).  
         [0021]     It is preferable for the restraining device to further have a locking element. The locking element holds the elongate arm in a particular position, but may be overcome by application of a pressure greater than a threshold pressure. It is more preferable for the restraining device to further have a restoring device located between the elongate arm and the frame. The restoring device may be a spring. The spring may be, but is not required to be, either a compressional spring or a torsional spring, the latter of which is illustrated in the U.S. patent issued to Schwinn (U.S. Pat. No. 2,396,890).  
         [0022]     It is more preferable for the non-slippery engagement surface to be a plate-like friction pad. The restraining mechanism may have a pivot between the first end and the pad to allow for rotation of the pad with respect to the arm.  
         [0023]     Many types of shopping carts have two forward wheels. These wheels are attached to the frame at wheel-attachment points. Between the wheel-attachment points is a forward portion of the frame, which forward portion is typically, generally linear. Perpendicular to the ground is a geometric plane extending through the forward potion. In such cases, it is preferable for the pivot to be configured and arranged to permit retraction of the arm in that geometric plane, perpendicular to the forward portion.  
         [0024]     In a preferred embodiment, an arm-length adjusting device is located between the first and second ends. The arm-length adjusting device allows for the adjusting of the length of the elongate arm.  
         [0025]     Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a shopping-cart restraining device. The shopping-cart restraining device has an elongate member pivotably engaged with respect to the shopping cart, having a distal end and a proximal end; a non-slippery engagement surface pivotably attached with respect to the distal end, for engagement with the horizontal surface; and a locking mechanism to disengagingly lock the arm with respect to the cart in a position whereby the engagement surface is maintained in contact with the horizontal surface.  
         [0026]     It is another aspect of the invention to provide a method for selectively prohibiting the movement of a shopping cart. The shopping cart is of the type having a plurality of wheels for movement over a planar surface such as a parking lot or store floor. The method comprises the steps of: (1) affixing to the cart a restraining device; and (2) deploying an elongate member of the restraining device whereby an engagement surface of the restraining device is in engagement with the planar surface. The restraining device has: (a) a bracket for fixed attachment to a frame; (b) an elongate member having a first end and a second end, pivotably attached with respect to the bracket; and (c) a non-slippery engagement surface attached with respect to the first end, configured and arranged for engagement with the horizontal surface;  
         [0027]     It is preferable if the restraining device used in the method has a locking mechanism to releaseably hold the elongate member in a stationary position relative to the shopping cart when the non-slippery engagement surface is in engagement with the planar surface. It is preferable that the locking mechanism is deployable through the application of foot pressure. It is more preferable for the locking mechanism to be retractable (released) from its deployed (planar-surfaced engaged) by the addition of energy. The impartation of energy could, for example, be applied through the foot kicking of the elongate member. The impartation of energy could also be accomplished through the hand shifting of the cart to impart translated motion to the elongate member, which elongate member is fixedly attached to the cart and frictionally attached through its non-slippery engagement surface to the planar surface; thereby, through the imparted energy, a “break” occurs at the pivot, allowing the elongate member to retract.  
         [0028]     As mentioned above, carts typically have two forward wheels, attached to the frame at wheel-attachment points, and the frame has a forward portion dispensed between the wheel-attachment points. The pivot is configured and arrangement to permit retraction of the elongate member in a planar manner, perpendicular to the forward portion. An additional preferred step is (3) applying hand force to the basket portion attached with respect to the frame, in a direction parallel to the forward portion in an amount sufficient to release the locking mechanism. Alternatively, (3) the locking mechanism may be released by the application of force with respect to the elongate member by the foot of a user. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is a prospective view of a shopping-cart motion-restraining device attached to the front bar of a standard shopping cart.  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a cut-away view of the shopping-cart motion-restraining device of  FIG. 1  in a retracted position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a cut-away front view of the shopping-cart motion-restraining device of  FIG. 1  in an extended position.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a front cross-sectional diagram of the shopping-cart motion-restraining device of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a prospective view of the shopping-cart motion-restraining device in an extended position attached with respect to the side of the underframe of a standard shopping cart.  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a front view of another embodiment of a shopping-cart motion-restraining device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0035]      FIG. 1  shows device  10  attached to a shopping cart  20 . Shopping cart  20  has basket portion  22 . Basket portion  22  is composed of two sidewalls  24 , front wall  26  and rear wall  28  and floor (not shown). Sidewalls  24  are trapezoidal while front wall  26  and rear wall  28  are rectangular. Rear wall  28  is dimensioned to be larger than front wall  26  such that when assembled, basket portion  22  has a trapezoidal configuration when viewed from the top.  
         [0036]     Integral with basket portion  22  is frame  30 .  
         [0037]     Frame  30  has handle portion  32  integral with tubular vertical support  34 . Attached perpendicularly to vertical support  34  is tubular horizontal frame member  36 . Tubular horizontal frame member  36  is u-shaped, creating an open area at the back of the shopping cart. Tubular horizontal frame member  36  is stabilized by rear cross member  38  and front cross member  40 .  
         [0038]     Attached to rear cross member  38  are rear wheels  42 . Axles  44  engage wheels  42  to saddle guide  46 . Saddle guide  46  is typically welded to either rear cross member  38  or tubular horizontal frame member  36 . When installed, wheels  42  freely rotate around axle  44  allowing for unidirectional motion of the cart  20 .  
         [0039]     Front caster wheels  48  are attached through axles  44  to front saddle guide  50 . Front saddle guide  50  is pivotably attached to front cross member  40  by pin  52 . Pivotable attachment of front saddle guide  50  to front cross member  40  through pin  52  allows for steering movement of cart  20 .  
         [0040]     Front portion  54  of u-shaped tubular horizontal frame member  36  is frequently non-planar with the remainder of u-shaped tubular horizontal frame member  36 , most frequently providing a dip down toward the rolling surface. This dip to front portion  54  allows for nesting of carts  20  in storage.  
         [0041]     Attached to front portion  54  is device  10 .  
         [0042]     As better seen in  FIG. 3 , device  10  has base plate  56 . Pivotably attached to base plate  56  is rod  58 . Rod  58  is attached to base plate  56  through rivet  60 .  
         [0043]     As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the range of motion of rod  58  with respect to base plate  56  is at least 90°. Spring  62  is attached to base plate  56  by means of spring rivet  64  and to rod  58  by rod pin  66 .  
         [0044]     Base plate  56  is L-shaped having attachment portion  68 . Attachment portion  68  has two apertures through which attachment bolts  70  may extend up through and then through frame aperture  72  to be secured by acorn nut  74 .  
         [0045]     At the distal end of rod  58  is threaded adjustment portion  76 . Tubular foot portion  78  has complementary threads within two engage threaded portion  76  in a male/female engagement. Together, rod  58  and foot portion  78  make up an engagement arm  80 . At the distal end of tubular foot portion  78  is foot pad  80 .  
         [0046]     Foot pad  80  has frictional engagement surface  82  configured to maximize the coefficient of friction.  
         [0047]     As better seen in  FIG. 4 , by rotation of foot portion  78  along threaded portion  76 , length of arm  80  may be adjusted.  
         [0048]     In operation, restraining device  10  is attached to cart  20  through bolts and nuts  70 ,  74  to front portion  54  as seen in  FIG. 1 . When retracted (as seen in  FIG. 2 ), rod  58  is roughly horizontal to the surface over which cart  20  would roll. When it is desired to have the cart remain in a stationery position, foot pressure is applied to arm  80  typically at outer surface of foot portion  78  to cause rod  58  to rotate about rivet  60  into deployed position (as seen in  FIG. 3 ). In deployed position, friction foot surface  84  frictionally engages ground surface upon which cart would roll.  
         [0049]     When deployed, foot pressure which caused rotation about base plate  56  caused rod  58  to overcome raised portion  86  of base plate  56 . Raised portion  86  provides a slight crest above the surface of base plate  56 . Once rod  58  overcomes and passes raised portion  86  (as seen in  FIG. 3 ), rod  58  is kept in place adjacent to raised portion  86  and raised stop  87  as raised portion  86  and raised stop  87  create a potential well.  
         [0050]     In order to be retracted, sufficient pressure must be imparted to rod  58  in order to overcome the potential well created by raised portion  86  constraining it to the deployed position. Retraction is advantageously obtained by the shopper applying hand pressure to the upper edge  88  of front panel  26 . Hand pressure applied would cause a leftward motion (from a position looking at front panel  26 ) thereby creating a clockwise motion (as seen from advantage above shopping cart  20 ). Such hand pressure is translated through cart  20  through its frame  30  causing contradictory pressure at rivet  60 . Stated another way, the hand force applied indirectly to frame  30  is initially opposed by the frictional engagement of friction foot surface  84  with the surface over which the cart rolls. The tendency to allow for the rod  58  to rotate with respect to base plate  56  is initially inhibited by raised portion  86  until such time as the potential well is overcome and rotational movement is obtained. Further retraction is facilitated by spring  62  which is extended from its natural state in the retracted position into its extended state in the deployed position.  
         [0051]     The inventor has found that positioning of restraining device  10  on front of frame  54  has the advantageous benefits. Through its location between two front wheels  44 , when deployed, restraining device  10  most directly effects both front wheels  48 . Alternatively, however, as seen in  FIG. 5 , device  10  may be placed on other portions of tubular frame  30 . Particularly, as shown, device  10  is affixed to frame  30  at a point between front wheel  48  and rear wheel  42 . Deployment is accomplished in the same manner as described above. Retraction, however, is obtained by an imparting of pressure to frame in a forward direction (forward direction for this purpose being defined as the ordinary forward direction of the cart when in use).  
         [0052]      FIG. 6  shows another version of restraining device  100 . Restraining device  100  has base plate  56 , rod  58 , spring  62  and other components as previously described with regard to restraining device  10 . Restraining device  100 , however, has foot  182  pivotably attached to foot portion  78  by means of pin  190  extending through guides  192  through aperture (obscured by pin  190 ) into foot portion  78 . Such arrangement allows foot  182  to rotate with regard to foot portion  78 .  
         [0053]     Rather than acquiring drilling holes into tubular frame  30  of cart  20 , the bracket associated with restraining device  110  includes bracket top plate  200  which has four apertures through which four separate bolts  202  can extend. Further, base plate attachment portion  168  has four complementary apertures  167  through which bolts  202  can extend. Bolts  202  are secured by acorn nuts  74 .  
         [0054]     As described above, in the summary section, another variation for the spring would be an internal torsional spring, which although more costly to produce, is more aesthetically pleasing and safer in operation.  
         [0055]     While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with but a few embodiments, it is to be understood clearly that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.