Patent Publication Number: US-11639128-B2

Title: Fried food cart assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to food cart devices and more particularly pertains to a new food cart device for preparing fried treats in any location. The device includes a cart which is towed by a bicycle, a fryer that is positioned in the cart and a cold storage unit that is positioned in the cart. Additionally, the device includes shelving, a point of sale unit and an umbrella for shading the cart. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to food cart devices including a variety of mobile food carts that include a propane fired grill for cooking food. The prior art discloses a propane fired deep fryer that is integrated into a cart. Additionally, the prior art discloses grill cart that can be towed behind a vehicle. The prior art discloses a portable kitchen that includes a variety of modular work surfaces that are foldably integrated into a cart and a cooktop that is integrated into one of the modular work surfaces. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cart that has a hitch which is coupled to the cart. A fryer is positioned in the cart to heat cooking oil for frying a food item. A cold storage unit is positioned in the cart to store perishable food items. A plurality of preparing shelves is each positioned in the cart to facilitate objects to be placed thereon. A point of sale unit is positioned in the cart to conduct financial transactions for patrons purchasing food that is prepared in the cart. An umbrella is positionable in the cart to shield the cart from precipitation and sunlight. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a fried food cart assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  4    thereof, a new food cart device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  4   , the fried food cart assembly  10  generally comprises a cart  12  that has a hitch  14  that is coupled to the cart  12 . The cart  12  has a bottom wall  16  and a perimeter wall  18  extending upwardly from the bottom wall  16 , and the perimeter wall  18  has a front side  20 , a back side  22 , a first lateral side  24  and a second lateral side  26 . The hitch  14  extends away from the front side  20  and the hitch  14  includes a pair of arms  28  that intersect at a point that is spaced from the front side  20 . The hitch  14  includes an engagement  30  that is positioned at the point at which the arms  28  intersect, and the engagement  30  is positionable between an engaging position and a disengaging position. 
     A plurality of wheels  32  is each rotatably coupled to the cart  12  and each of the wheels  32  rolls along a support surface  87 . Each of the wheels  32  is positioned on a respective one of the first lateral side  24  and the second lateral side  26  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 , A plurality of fenders  34  is each coupled to a respective one of the first lateral side  24  and the second lateral side  26 , and each of the fenders  34  is positioned over a respective one of the wheels  32 . Each of the wheels  32  may including designer rims, such as spokes or the like, and rubber tires. 
     A bicycle  36  is provided and a ball hitch  37  is disposed on the bicycle  36 . The hitch  14  on the cart  12  releasably engages the ball hitch  37  thereby facilitating the cart  12  to be towed with the bicycle  36  thereby facilitating a rider to tow the cart  12 . The bicycle  36  includes an arm  38  extending rearwardly from a rear wheel  40  of the bicycle  36 . The arm  38  has a distal end  42  with respect to the bicycle  36  and the ball hitch  37  is positioned on the distal end  42  of the arm  38 . The engagement  30  on the hitch  14  engages the ball hitch  37  for retaining the hitch  14  on the ball hitch  37 . 
     A fryer  44  is provided that has a pair of fry wells  46  is positioned in the cart  12  to heat cooking oil  48  for frying a food item. The fryer  44  may be a propane fryer or an electric fryer. Additionally, the fryer  44  might include pair of baskets  47  that can each be submerged in the cooking oil  48  in each fry well. In this way fried treats, such as fried doughboys or the like, can be prepared in the cart  12 . The fryer  44  is positioned against the second lateral side  26  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 . Each of the fry wells  46  has a drain  50  extending through the second lateral side  26  of the perimeter wall  18  to drain the cooking oil  48  from the fry wells  46 . 
     A cold storage unit  52  is positioned in the cart  12  to store perishable food items. The cold storage unit  52  has a cooled interior to keep the perishable food items cooled. The cold storage unit  52  is positioned in an intersection between the back side  22  and the first lateral side  24  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 . Additionally, the cold storage unit  52  might be a propane powered refrigerator, an ice chest or any other type of cold storage unit that includes a door  54  which can be opened to access an interior of the cold storage unit  52 . 
     A plurality of preparing shelves  56  is each positioned in the cart  12  to facilitate objects to be placed thereon. Each of the preparing shelves  56  is positioned against a respective one of the second lateral side  26  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12  and the front side  20  of the perimeter wall  18 . The preparing shelves  56  intersect each other at an intersection between the second lateral side  26  and the front side  20 , and the preparing shelves  56  on the second lateral side  26  abut the fryer  44 . Each of the preparing shelves  56  has a plurality of storage wells  58  that is recessed into the preparing shelves  56  to store condiments and other garnishes. The plurality of preparing shelves  56  includes a set of lower preparing shelves  60  and a set of upper preparing shelves  62  that is spaced upwardly from the lower preparing shelves  60 . Additionally, each of the storage wells  58  is positioned on the lower preparing shelves  60 . 
     A point of sale unit  64  is positioned in the cart  12  to conduct financial transactions for patrons purchasing food that is prepared in the cart  12 . The point of sale unit  64  is in wireless communication with a payment processing network. The point of sale unit  64  is positioned in an intersection between the front side  20  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12  and the first lateral side  24  of the perimeter wall  18 . The point of sale unit  64  abuts the preparing shelves  56  on the front side  20 , and the point of sale unit  64  includes a card reader for swiping magnetic credit/debit cards and a secure cash box. 
     A serving shelf  66  is hingedly coupled to and extends away from the cart  12  such that the serving shelf  66  is accessible to the patrons of the cart  12 . The serving shelf  66  extends along a full length of the first lateral side  24  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 . Additionally, the serving shelf  66  is positionable in a deployed position having the serving shelf  66  lying on a horizontal plane on the first lateral side  24 . Conversely, the serving shelf  66  is positionable in a folded position having the serving shelf  66  lying against the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 . 
     A plurality of solar panels  70  is each coupled to the cart  12  such that each of the solar panels  70  is exposed to sunlight. Each of the solar panels  70  is electrically coupled to the fryer  44  and the point of sale unit  64  for supplying electrical power to the fryer  44  and the point of sale unit  64 . Each of the solar panels  70  is positioned on an outside surface  72  of the second lateral side  26  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 , and the solar panels  70  extend along a substantial length of the second lateral side  26 . As is most clearly shown in  FIG.  3   , a battery  73  is integrated into the cart  12  and each of the solar panels  70  is electrically coupled to the battery  73  for charging the battery  73 , and the battery  73  may supply electrical power to the fryer  44  and the point of sale unit  64 . 
     An umbrella well  74  is recessed into the bottom wall  16  of the cart  12  and the umbrella well  74  is positioned on a centerline of the cart  12  that extends between the front side  20  and the back side  22  of the perimeter wall  18  of the cart  12 . Additionally, the umbrella well  74  is positioned closer to the front side  20  than the back side  22 . An umbrella  76  is positionable in the cart  12  to shield the cart  12  from precipitation and sunlight. The umbrella  76  has a pole  78  and a canopy  80 , the pole  78  has a bottom end  82  and the bottom end  82  is insertable into the umbrella well  74  having the canopy  80  being elevated over the cart  12 . The canopy  80  might include ribs and other hardware associated with collapsible umbrellas. 
     In use, the cart  12  is towed to a location that offers opportunity to sell food, such as a beach, a concert or other public gathering. The food items can be prepared in the cart  12 , as needed, to sell to the public and the point of sale unit  64  facilitates taking payment for the food items. In this way fried treats can be cooked on location and served fresh and hot to the patrons. Additionally, the umbrella  76  provides shade and protection from precipitation if needed. The hitch  14  on the cart  12  can be attached to a vehicle, such as a car, or the bicycle  36 , to facilitate the cart  12  to be towed to a broad range of locations. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.