Abstract:
The shopping cart organizer fits removably into the child&#39;s seat area of a shopping cart, and facilitates the monitoring of a child by a parent or guardian shopper during a shopping trip. The device includes two rigidly connected panels and a hinged panel that permit the devices to fold and nest compactly for storage when not in use. A first panel serves as a seat bottom for the child&#39;s seating area, and may be padded. A second panel extends upwardly and rearwardly from the first panel to face a rearwardly facing child in the child&#39;s seat, and includes a series of shopping related features thereon to keep the child occupied. A third panel extends outwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of the second panel to face the shopper and includes a series of aids to assist the shopper, e.g., charts, coupon and list holders, calculator, article storage hooks, etc.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 30/071,786, filed May 16, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to accessories for mobile pushcarts, baskets, containers, and similar conveyances. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shopping cart organizer that may include a child&#39;s seat with an educational activity and/or entertainment panel, storage for various articles, and/or one or more charts and aids to assist the shopper. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Shopping, particularly grocery shopping, is often an ordeal when the shopper is accompanied by one or more small children. Children can be quite demanding, particularly in the store environment with its myriad attractions. Meanwhile, the shopper must attend to the child, check a list, locate items on the list in the store, manage various coupons and/or customer savings cards or tags, keep track of other personal items, etc. With all of the above distractions, it is understandable that one or more items may fail to make it into the cart for checkout, and/or maximum benefit of various coupons, sales, etc. is not obtained. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a number of different devices have been developed in the past, with the aim of these devices being to facilitate the shopping experience for the consumer. For example, the built-in, folding child&#39;s seat is nearly universal in shopping carts, and assists the shopper in monitoring and caring for the child while shopping. Other devices have been developed as well, such as indexes and store layout maps provided by the store, writing boards that are attachable to the handlebar of the cart, etc. While these various devices all provide some assistance to the shopper, none serve to fill a number of the most frequent needs of the shopping parent or guardian during a shopping trip. 
         [0007]    Thus, a shopping cart organizer solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The shopping cart organizer is a multiple panel device that fits removably into the area of the conventional folding child&#39;s seat in a shopping cart and extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. The first panel comprises a seat bottom, which may be padded or cushioned. This panel rests atop the conventional seat bottom of the deployed child&#39;s seat. A second panel is hinged to and extends from the rearward edge of the first or seat bottom panel, with the rearwardly facing child also facing this second panel. The second panel serves as a child&#39;s activity panel and includes various shopping-related features to keep the child occupied during the shopping trip. A third panel extends outwardly from the upper edge of the second panel and rearwardly beyond the shopping cart basket to face the shopper. This third panel includes various aids to assist the shopper, e.g., a food pyramid chart, coupon and list holders, a calculator, etc. 
         [0009]    The relatively thin but rigid structure comprising the child&#39;s activity panel and shopper&#39;s panel, along with the hinged seat bottom panel extending from the child&#39;s activity panel, permit the devices to be folded and nested compactly for efficient storage. The store may keep a supply of such devices on hand to be checked out by shoppers who need them when they visit the store, or alternatively individual consumers may purchase the devices for their own use, as desired. The child seating area serves as a handy smaller storage area for a purse and other personal items even when no child is being carried in the cart, with the solid seat bottom providing an advantage for carrying small articles that might otherwise slip through the spacing of the conventional heavy wire structure of most carts. These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a shopping cart organizer according to the present invention removably installed in a shopping cart, showing its general configuration and function. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the shopping cart organizer, showing various features of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the shopping cart organizer, showing various details of the child&#39;s activity panel. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The present invention is a shopping cart organizer, comprising a series of panels that fit removably within and rearwardly of the child&#39;s seat area in a conventional shopping cart. The device serves both to entertain and educate a small child riding within the cart, and also to assist the shopper as he or she maneuvers the cart during a shopping trip. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  of the drawings provides an environmental perspective view of a conventional shopping cart S having a forwardly extending rear panel R with a child&#39;s seat bottom B extending between the rear of the cart and the rear panel when the rear panel R is angled forward in the cart. The shopping cart organizer  10  includes a child&#39;s seat bottom panel  12  adapted for removable placement atop the child&#39;s seat bottom B of the shopping cart, S, with a child&#39;s activity panel  14  extending upwardly and rearwardly from the seat bottom panel  12  when the organizer  10  is properly placed within the cart. A shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  extends rearwardly from the upper edge of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 , above the conventional handlebar of the shopping cart S. 
         [0016]      FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings respectively illustrate a rear perspective view of the organizer  10  showing details of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  and a front perspective view showing details of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 . Each of the panels  12  through  16  is formed of a rigid sheet of material, e.g., a durable plastic, although other materials (sheet metal, wood, etc.) may be used alternatively. The child&#39;s seat bottom panel  12  includes a forward edge  18 , i.e., the edge oriented toward the front of the shopping cart S when the organizer  10  is placed therein, and an opposite rearward edge  20  to which the child&#39;s activity panel  14  attaches. The child&#39;s seat bottom panel  12  may include cushioning, upholstery or the like thereon, indicated by the numeral  22  in the drawings. 
         [0017]    The child&#39;s activity panel  14  is formed with a lower central passage  24  therethrough, to provide for placement of the legs of a child riding in the child&#39;s seating area of the shopping cart. The outboard portions of the panel  14  define a panel lower edge  26  that attaches to the rear edge  20  of the seat panel  12 . The two panels  12  and  14  are preferably attached to one another by hinges  28  ( FIG. 3 ), to allow the seating panel  12  to be folded against the child&#39;s activity panel  14  for more compact storage. However, the two panels may be rigidly and immovably affixed to one another, if so desired. 
         [0018]    The shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  extends from the upper edge  30  of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 , with the forward edge  32  of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  being joined to the upper edge  30  of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 . The opposite rearward edge  34  of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  is oriented toward the shopper pushing the cart when the organizer  10  is properly installed within the cart, with first and second lateral edges  36   a  and  36   b  extending between the forward and rearward edges  32  and  34  of the panel  16 . Preferably, the two panels  14  and  16  are formed of a single, continuous sheet of material with a bend defining the upper edge of the child&#39;s activity panel and forward edge of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel. In this manner, the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  is rigidly and immovably affixed to the child&#39;s activity panel  14 , extending rearwardly therefrom in a cantilever configuration. Alternatively, the two panels  14  and  16  may be formed as separate components and attached to one another by hinges, as in the case of the child&#39;s seating panel  12  and child&#39;s activity panel  14 . In such a configuration, additional bracing may be provided to support the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  at the desired height and angle. 
         [0019]    The shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  may include a plurality of components and aids to assist the shopper as he or she shops. In the example of  FIG. 2 , the panel  16  includes an informational chart thereon, specifically a food pyramid chart  38 . Other informational charts, e.g., a unit conversion chart, a map or index of the store layout, etc., may be provided in addition to or in lieu of the chart  38 , if so desired. A shopping list holder or clip  40  is installed near the upper or forward edge  32  of the panel, allowing the shopper to easily secure or remove a shopping list or the like to or from the panel. A pencil or pen holder  42  is installed adjacent to the shopping list holder, for convenience. A light powered (i.e., “solar cell”) calculator  44  may also be installed upon the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16 , to provide further assistance to the shopper in determining quantities required, unit pricing where such is not available, etc. In addition, a coupon storage pocket  46  is preferably included on the panel  16 . At least the upper panel of the storage pocket  46  is preferably formed of transparent plastic, enabling the shopper to readily view various coupons inserted therein for the shopping trip. 
         [0020]    In addition to the above features, the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  preferably includes one or more article support hooks  48  formed in the edges of the panel. These hooks are preferably formed of the same sheet of material of which the panel  16  is formed, and allow the shopper to hang such articles as a key chain, cell phone, umbrella, etc. for easy retrieval during the shopping trip. The hooks  48  are preferably recessed into the edges of the panel  16  in order to avoid their protrusion from the panel, but this may depend upon the remaining area available on the panel  16  after installation of the various features and components noted further above. 
         [0021]    Further convenience may be provided to the shopper by an optional cupholder  50  extending from the panel  16 . The cupholder is preferably attached as a separate component, pivotally captured between a pair of cupholder supports  50   a  and  50   b  that are in turn attached to the underside of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel. The cupholder  50  may be configured to hold a conventional disposable cup or can of beverage, and/or may be configured to hold a baby bottle or other infant necessities during the shopping trip. The illustrated cupholder  50  is exemplary; any of a number of different cupholder configurations, both fixed and adjustable or movable, may be provided as desired. A pivotally mounted cupholder allows a cup or vessel contained therein to remain vertical regardless of the orientation of the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16 , as it will take on different angles depending upon the angle of the back of the shopping cart and corresponding rest angle of the child&#39;s activity panel  14  thereagainst. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates details of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 . The child&#39;s activity panel includes a series of shopping completion columns  52   a ,  52   b , etc., through  52   f  in the example of  FIG. 3 ; more or fewer such columns may be provided as desired. Each of the columns  52   a  through  52   f  includes a series of shopping completion indicators, e.g., indicators  54   b  and  54   c , represented as check marks or other indicators as desired to indicate that the specific shopping task has been completed. A plurality of number columns  56   a  through  56   f  (in the example of  FIG. 3 ) alternate with the completion columns  52   a  through  52   f , with each number column being placed immediately to the left of the corresponding completion column. Each of the number columns includes a series of consecutive integers thereon, e.g., the numbers one through five of the first number column  56   a , indicated by the reference numerals  58   a  through  58   e  in  FIG. 3 . (It will be noted that the second and third numbers are covered in the example of  FIG. 3 , with only the first, fourth, and fifth numbers  58   a ,  58   d , and  58   e  showing in the first number column  56   a .) In the example of  FIG. 3 , the child&#39;s activity panel includes a first numbered column  56   a  having the numbers one through five thereon, a second number column  56   b  having the numbers six through ten thereon, continuing through the sixth number column  56   f  having the numbers twenty-six through thirty thereon. Again, the specific quantity of shopping completion columns and number columns, and the quantity of positions in each, may be adjusted as desired. 
         [0023]    A plurality of hinge pintles or rods  60   a  through  60   f  extends vertically down the activity panel  14 , with each of the hinge pintles being positioned between the corresponding number column and shopping completion column, e.g., hinge rod  60   a  is positioned between the first number column  56   a  and the first completion column  52   a , etc. A plurality of cover flaps  62  is pivotally attached to each of these hinge pintles  60   a  through  60   e , with the number of cover flaps corresponding to the number of shopping completion and number positions along each column. In the example of  FIG. 3 , five such cover flaps  62  are installed along each of the hinge rods or pintles, thus providing a total of thirty such cover flaps in the five row and six column matrix of the activity panel  14 . 
         [0024]    Each of the cover flaps  62  has a representation of a shopping commodity on each of its two opposite sides. Each of the shopping commodity representations of each cover flap is different from the others, i.e., there are no duplicates on the various cover flaps  62 . However, the same commodity (e.g., fruit vegetable, meat, canned, bottled, bagged, and boxed items, etc.) is shown on both sides of each cover flap  62 , as the cover flaps are hinged or pivoted from one position to the other by a child using the activity panel  14  during the course of a shopping trip. In the example of  FIG. 3 , it will be seen that the second and third cover flaps, i.e., the flaps corresponding to the number two and number three positions, have been flipped to the left to cover those numbers and expose the corresponding shopping completion indicators  54   b  and  54   c . The second sides or faces  62   b  are exposed, with the commodity representation (e.g., bananas and cherry tomatoes, in the example shown) being visible. This indicates that those items have been selected and placed in the shopping cart. It will be noted that a third cover flap  62  corresponding to the number ten on the panel  14 , has been partially pivoted to the left, with its first face  62   a  still being visible. Continued movement of the tenth cover flap to the left, to cover the number ten and expose the corresponding shopping completion indicator, would indicate that that particular shopping task has been completed. 
         [0025]    The child&#39;s activity panel  14  is used to educate and entertain a small child who has been placed upon the child seat  12  within the child seating area of the shopping cart S, generally as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. The child&#39;s activity panel  14  may be secured positively to the structure of the shopping cart S by suitable ties or straps  64  (e.g., hook and loop fasteners, etc.). The straps  64  are permanently attached to the upper side portions of the child&#39;s activity panel  14 . The use of the ties or straps  64  prevents a child from banging the activity panel  14  against the back of the cart S and shaking or jarring the shopper&#39;s assistance panel  16  extending therefrom. 
         [0026]    The shopper engages in the shopping trip, while pointing out to the child the commodities being selected and showing the child the corresponding representation on the corresponding cover flap. The child then flips over the corresponding cover flap to cover the number and expose the completion checkmark or other indicator. In this manner, a child may learn about various foods and commodities, food groups and nutrition, basic numbers from one to thirty (or whatever the maximum number of positions may be on the panel  14 ), the importance of keeping a list and how to track items on the list, and other matters important in daily life. Meanwhile, the child&#39;s activity panel  14  also keeps the child occupied during the shopping trip, reducing boredom and the chance of tantrums or other undesirable behavior. The provision of a number of desirable features for the shopper, along with the advantages described above for the child&#39;s panel, will provide a valuable device that will be most appreciated by shoppers everywhere. 
         [0027]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.