Patent Abstract:
A shopping cart adapted for use by a person in a wheelchair is disclosed. The shopping cart can include a basket having a rear panel that is releasably fixed in a first position and can be released from the first position and lowered to a second position. The shopping cart can also include a plurality of attachment members adapted to attach to the frame of a wheelchair.

Full Description:
[0001]    Embodiments relate generally to shopping carts and more particularly to a shopping cart system adapted for use by a person in a wheelchair. 
         [0002]    Conventional shopping carts may not be usable by a person in a wheelchair. Motorized scooters and other devices have been developed to address the needs of persons confined to a wheelchair when shopping. However, these other systems have certain limitations or problems. For example, motorized shopping carts may be provided in a limited number in a store and may be difficult for a person in a wheelchair to use as the person would have to get out of their wheelchair and into the motorized cart and this may not be possible for all persons that use a wheelchair. 
         [0003]    Embodiments were conceived in light of the above-mentioned problems and limitations, among other things. 
         [0004]    An embodiment can include a shopping cart system having a cart that is attachable to a wheelchair. The cart can include a basket having a rear panel that lowers to allow a person in a wheelchair to place items into the shopping cart basket from the rear of the shopping cart. The cart can be adapted to be dispensed by a dispensing device that is coupled to a system for recognizing that a customer has a need to use the shopping cart adapted for use with a wheelchair. For example, a person may have an identification card issued by the government or issued by a store that identifies the person as confined to a wheelchair and needing to use the shopping cart adapted for a wheelchair when shopping in the store. In this way, the shopping carts adapted for use by persons in a wheelchair will limited and dispensed on an as needed basis for customers having the identification card. The dispenser recognizes the identification card and releases one of the shopping carts for use by the customer. 
         [0005]    The shopping cart is attachable to the wheelchair, for example the shopping cart can include two bars with attachment points on each end that couple to the frame of the wheelchair. In this way, the customer can operate the wheelchair and push the cart forward at the same time without having to use his/her hands to hold or push the shopping cart. 
         [0006]    The shopping cart can also include a power assist module that provides electrical power assistance to the shopping cart wheels to lessen the load or burden of pushing the shopping cart for the person in the wheelchair. The shopping carts can be recharged when nested together at the front of the store in the dispensing system. In other words, the dispensing system can also include a charging module and appropriate electrical connection such that when the shopping carts are returned to the dispensing system and inserted in a nesting arrangement electrical connection is made to a charging apparatus that will recharge the battery for the power assist system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a side elevation view of a wheelchair coupled to a shopping cart adapted for use with a wheelchair in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a top elevation view of a wheelchair coupled to a shopping cart in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a side elevation view of a shopping cart coupled to a wheelchair with the rear basket gate of the shopping cart in a lowered position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  shows a group of shopping carts in a shopping cart dispensing system in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  shows shopping carts nested and docked in a charging system in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  shows a power assisted shopping cart in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  shows a side elevation view of a wheelchair coupled to a shopping cart adapted for use with a wheelchair in accordance with at least one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    It will be appreciated that shopping cart embodiments can be different sizes and attach to a wheel chair facing toward or away from the wheelchair. Also, a larger cart embodiment can be used when a person is assisting the person in the wheelchair. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a shopping cart system  100  adapted for use with a wheelchair includes a shopping cart  102  having connection members  104  for connecting to a wheelchair  106 . In operation a user or customer in the wheelchair  106  approaches the shopping cart  102  and attaches the connecting members  104  to the wheelchair frame once the connecting members have been attached to the wheelchair frame the customer can operate the wheelchair as normal with the connecting members pushing and directing the shopping cart as the customer operates their wheelchair in the normal manner. The shopping cart  102  also includes a rear gate handle  108  for lowering and raising a rear gate of the shopping cart  102 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows the top view of the shopping cart  102  coupled to the wheelchair  106  via the connecting members  104 . 
         [0017]    It will be appreciated that the connecting members can be made of any suitable materials such as metal, plastic, or the like. The connecting members can have a connecting portion at the end for coupling to the wheelchair frame the connecting portion can be made of any suitable connecting means for attaching to a wheelchair frame. 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows shopping cart  102  with a rear basket gate  302  in a lowered position. In operation a customer in the wheelchair  106  can lower the handle  108 , which in turn lowers the rear gate  302  of the shopping cart in order to place items into the shopping cart in order to prevent the need to reach into the shopping cart, the customer could also place items on rear gate  302  and raise rear gate to a closed position causing the items to move forward into the shopping cart as the gate is raised. The gate shown in  FIG. 3  could also be used with the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , where the gate would open on the side of the basket facing the person in the wheelchair. 
         [0019]    The shopping cart can also include a removable gripping apparatus (not shown) that can be used by a customer for placing items further into the shopping cart. In other words, the gripping apparatus can extend the reach of the customer and allow the customer to move grocery items further forward in the cart than they would normally be able to reach with their arms alone from a seated position in a wheelchair. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a shopping cart dispensing system  400  in which a plurality of shopping carts  402  are in a track  404 . The track  404  is controlled by dispensing machine  406 . The dispensing machine  406  can cause the track  404  to mechanically release a shopping cart  402  when a customer has provided a proper identification and/or payment to the dispensing apparatus  406 . For example a customer may provide a government issued I.D. or a store issued I.D. card that identifies the customer as a customer needing a wheelchair adapted shopping cart when shopping. This way the wheelchair adapted shopping carts remain reserved and dispense only to those customers who actually demonstrate a need for the shopping cart by presenting the appropriate identification card. It will also be appreciated that another form of I.D. or payment card could be used such as a debit card or a credit card and that such debit or credit card could be used as an identification of the customer needing to use a wheelchair adapted shopping cart. A payment may or may not be charged. Any card could be used for identification purposes only. In addition to, or as an alternative to, cards, other types of identification could be used such as biometric, radio frequency identification (RFID) or the like. 
         [0021]    When the shopping carts  402  are nested and stored in the dispensing apparatus  400 , the track  404  in addition to locking the shopping carts in place mechanically can also provide electrical power to recharge the shopping carts if the shopping carts contain electrical apparatus such a power assist unit and/or a display unit. 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a shopping cart recharging station and/or docking system  500  in which shopping carts  502  have been nested and inserted into the charging and docking station  506  and a charging apparatus  504  is connected to the docking station  506  to recharge the shopping carts  502 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows a power assisted shopping cart system  600  having a wheelchair adapted shopping cart  602 , a power assist unit  604 , wheel chair attachment member  606  and a basket gate handle  608 . The power assist unit  604  can include a battery, a control module and an electrical motor along with mechanical components (e.g., a belt or gear drive) that permit the electrical motor to provide power assist to the wheels of the shopping cart and/or to drive an additional drive wheel to provide additional force to the shopping cart. 
         [0024]    The power assist unit  604  can include sensors that measure the speed of the shopping cart and seek to match the speed of the shopping cart with the electrical motor thereby maintaining the same speed as a customer is moving at but lessening the load experienced by the customer which will in turn take the burden off of the customer in the wheelchair as they are using the wheelchair adapted shopping cart. It will be appreciated that a power-assisted cart may not be needed when a person is using a power-assisted wheelchair. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a side elevation view of a wheelchair (e.g., powered or manual wheelchair) coupled to a small-basket shopping cart adapted for use with a wheelchair in accordance with at least one embodiment. The shopping system  700  includes a wheelchair  106 , connecting member  708 , small-basket shopping cart  702  having an upper basket  704  and a frame  706 . 
         [0026]    It is, therefore, apparent that there is provided in accordance with the presently disclosed subject matter, a shopping cart system. While this disclosed subject matter has been described in conjunction with a number of embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations would be or are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. Accordingly, applicant intends to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations that are within the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1