Abstract:
An advertising display unit for use with a shopping cart, said display unit having a flat base member mountable on the shopping cart, a cover member releasably securable to the base member, the base member and the cover member being configured to define a slot between them. The slot can be divided into a plurality of pockets to hold advertising material, each of the pockets having a window to display the advertising material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to advertising display units, and in particular, a novel advertising display unit for use with a shopping cart. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is known in the art to mount advertising display units for holding advertising material on shopping carts and the like. One example of such a display unit is described in the patent to Goto, U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,660 issued May 24, 1977. The display unit of Goto utilizes a rectangular back and a window and lip made of transparent flexible plastic material which are heat sealed about the edges of the back so as to define an interior pocket area into which printed matter in the nature of advertisements and the like may be inserted or removed. The back is secured to the shopping cart by using a plurality of straps having snap fasteners so that the display unit can be secured to and removed from the cart. 
     Another example of a display holder for use with a shopping cart is disclosed in the patent to Hendrick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,236 issued May 7, 1963. The display unit of Hendrick generally comprises a back panel on which is mounted a plurality of members which form a frame for securing a display sheet to the back pannel. The back pannel is secured to the shopping cart by a pair of transversely overlapping springs which are secured to the back panel by means of a plurality of eyelets. 
     Another advertising and display holder for shopping carts is described in the patent to Routzahn et at, U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,893 issued Oct. 5, 1971. In Routzahn et al, the display unit generally comprises a support piece of generally rigid material and a transparent sheet which is secured to the support piece by means of a pair of bumpers having slots for snugly receiving the side edges of the transparent sheet and support piece. The transparent sheet and the support piece serve to define a slot for receiving a card or advertising member. The display unit is mounted on the shopping cart by use of a pair of keepers pivotally mounted on the support piece and having means to urge or bias them into their proper position. 
     Another display device for nestable type shopping carts is disclosed in the patent to Hedu, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,570 issued July 18, 1972. The display device of Hedu generally comprises two display panels connected together to form a slot for mounting on the shopping cart. Each display panel is capable of mounting some form of message or material and is provided with a window frame having mounted therein a transparent plate which is swung open in order to insert or remove material. Means are also provided so that the display unit can be raised or retracted on the wall of the shopping cart on which it is mounted. 
     The foregoing display units have a number of disadvantages. For example, in Goto and Hedu, if the transparent material is scratched or broken, there is no easy method of replacing it other than by procuring another display unit. Also, as exemplified by the patent to Routzahn et al and Hendrick, these display units can be fairly complex and require expensive and not readily available materials. Although Hedu does provide for displaying two messages or cards, none of the above patents disclose a simple method for providing a plurality of pockets for ready insertion of a plurality of display cards or advertisements which can be easily viewed at one time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     We have invented a novel device of displaying advertising material on shopping carts, particularly carts constructed of a meshwork of horizontal and vertically disposed rods, which device can be easily manufactured and made from readily available materials. Our invention includes a simple means for dividing the display unit into a plurality of pockets for receiving advertising material and the like which can be viewed at the same time. The display unit can be easily disassembled for replacing parts that have been damaged or broken. 
     The display unit generally comprises a flat base member, means for mounting the base member on the shopping cart, a cover member and means for mounting the cover member on the base member such that the cover member can be readily disassembled from the base member, the base member and the cover member being formed so as to define a recess between them. Means are also provided for dividing the recess into a plurality of pockets to hold advertising material, each of the pockets having a window to display the advertising material. The pockets are formed such that they are open at one edge so that the advertising material may be readily and easily inserted or removed. Materials contemplated for forming the base member and the cover member include rigid plastic material, the cover member being preferably formed from a transparent plastic material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a preferred embodiment of display unit of the instant invention mounted on an interior wall of a shopping cart; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged and exploded view of the display unit; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing means by which the cover member is secured to the base member; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing the bottom of the cover member; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the display unit showing the brackets for securing the base member to the shopping cart; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the display unit mounted on the shopping cart; and 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a second embodiment of the display unit. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a shopping cart 10 having mounted on the inside front wall thereof a display unit 12 according to the instant invention. The cart 10 is shown as comprising a meshwork of horizontally disposed rods 16 and vertically disposed rods 20. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, display unit 12 generally comprises a flat, sheet-like, rectangular base member 24 made from rigid plastic material, and a generally rectangular cover member 26 having approximately the same dimensions as base member 24 and made from rigid plastic transparent material. Base member 24 has opposing sides 28 and 30 and has a bottom edge 32, a top edge 34, and opposite side edges 36 and 38. Extending outwardly from side 30 are a pair of spaced parallel ridges 40 and 42. Ridges 40 and 42 run from near top edge 34 to near bottom edge 32 and parallel to side edges 36 and 38. Ridges 40 and 42 are positioned nearer one side edge than the other side edge so as to define a small portion 44 and a large portion 46 of side 30. In order to conserve on the amount of material used for base member 24, portions of base member 24 can be cut out on either side of ridges 40 and 42 as shown at spaces 50 and 52. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a plurality of curved hook-like brackets 54 are formed in side 28. Alternatively, the brackets 54 may be adhesively or otherwise secured to side 28. As shown in FIG. 6, brackets 54 are spaced and positioned so that they may be secured onto different vertical rods 20 to mount base member 24 on cart 10. Brackets 54 are preferably disposed along side 28 near top edge 34 and near bottom edge 32 of base member 24. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of lugs 58 are formed in base member 24. Lugs 58 project outwardly from side 30 and are disposed along rear side edges 36 and 38 and bottom edge 32 of base member 24. Each lug 58 has a first diameter portion 58a extending from the base member and an enlarged head portion 58b spaced from the base member 24. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, cover member 26 generally comprises a rectangular planar main body portion 62 and a U-shaped frame-like edge portion 64. Main body portion 62 has an inner surface 63, an outer surface 67, a bottom edge 68, a top edge 70, and opposed side edges 72 and 74. Frame-like edge portion 64 includes a bottom portion 78 and side portion 80 and 82 which are offset from the plane defined by main body portion 62. Edge portion 64 extends outwardly from the bottom and side edges of main body portion 62 and lies in a plane parallel to the plane defined by main body portion 62. 
     Because display unit 12 is normally mounted on a wall of cart 10 which folds downwardly such that groceries can be slided over it onto the counter, bottom portion 78 of frame-like edge 64 is preferably beveled at 83 as shown in FIG. 4 so that it will not disrupt the movement of groceries thereover. 
     Formed in main body portion 62 is a protruding ridge 86 running from top edge 70 to bottom edge 68 parallel to side edges 72 and 74. Ridge 86 is positioned so that it will fit between parallel ridges 40 and 42 formed in side 30 of base member 24. Ridge 86 also divides main body portion 64 into a small display window 90 and a large display window 92. 
     A plurality of holes 94 are formed in frame-like edge 64. Holes 94 are positioned so as to receive lugs 58 of base member 24. The diameter of holes 94 is slightly smaller than the diameter of head portions 58b, but each hole is large enough so that it can be snap fitted over a corresponding lug. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, lugs 58 are snap fitted into holes 94 so that frame-like edge 64 is in generally flat, face to face contact with side 30 of base member 24. With the base member and cover member so connected, main body portion 62 is displaced from side 30 such that a recess or slot 96 is formed between base member 24 and cover member 26. Ridge 86 and parallel ridges 40 and 42 which receive ridge 86 serve to divide slot 96 into a small pocket 98 and a large pocket 100 for receiving advertising or display cards 104 and 106 from the open top edge thereof. 
     A second embodiment of the display unit is shown in FIG. 7. In this second embodiment, cover member 126 is the same size as the base member 124. A U-shaped frame-like spacer portion 164 extends along one side of cover member 126 adjacent the bottom edge and side edges of cover member 126 so as to define recess 196 between base member 124 and cover member 126. It is preferable that spacer portion 164 be formed integrally with cover member 126. 
     As can be seen from the foregoing description, Applicants have invented a new and useful advertising display unit which can be made easily and inexpensively from readily available materials, and which can be readily secured to most currently used shopping carts in a position for viewing by the operator of the cart. The same display unit can be mounted on the outside of a shopping cart for viewing by both the user of the cart and by other persons in the area. The advertising material in the unit can be quickly and easily replaced when outdated