Abstract:
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a foldable and deployable cart ( 2 ), the cart comprising: at least one pedestal ( 10 ) substantially perpendicular to the floor at the deployed state; at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), substantially perpendicular to the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) at the deployed state; pivotal connection ( 52 ) between the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) and the at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), for rotating the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) thereabout to be substantially parallel to the at least one top horizontal bar ( 10 ), thereby allowing resting a luggage box ( 12 ), supported by the at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), on a trunk ( 30 ) and folding the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) into the trunk ( 30 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of carts, such as shopping carts. More particularly, the invention relates to a cart comprising a mechanism for placing the basket thereof in a car, thereby saving the owner the need to unload groceries into the car trunk. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A shopping cart is a cart for transporting groceries and the like by a customer (a) during shopping, (b) to the checkout counter, and usually (c) to the customer&#39;s car. 
         [0003]    A typical shopping cart comprises the following parts:
       a basket, for carrying groceries;   a pedestal assembly, a facility that supports the basket; and   wheels, attached to the lower side of the pedestal assembly, on which the cart moves.       
 
         [0007]    One of the drawbacks of shopping carts is the need to unload the groceries from the cart into the car, an operation that is time-consuming and may be unpleasant under extreme weather conditions, such as a rainy day, during a heat wave, and so on. Furthermore, after reaching home, a user must unload the groceries, and move them, usually in bags, into his residence. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,527 discloses a shopping cart modified for vehicle transport that provides shoppers with a personal shopping cart they retain and use to transport groceries from the store to their home without unloading the groceries out of the cart multiple times. However, the cart is disassembled from the basket. 
         [0009]    US Publication No. US20070126192 discloses a shopping cart including a modification for lifting and holding the entire shopping cart while the car is moving. The drawback of this solution is that the entire shopping cart is outside the car while in transport, thereby exposing it to the possibility of disconnecting from the vehicle, or rendering groceries vulnerable to spillage, security problems, and so on. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a cart which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and others. 
         [0011]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a foldable and deployable cart ( 2 ), the cart comprising:
       at least one pedestal ( 10 ) substantially perpendicular to the floor at the deployed state;   at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), substantially perpendicular to the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) at the deployed state;   pivotal connection ( 52 ) between the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) and the at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), for rotating the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) thereabout to be substantially parallel to the at least one top horizontal bar ( 10 ),
 
thereby allowing resting a luggage box ( 12 ), supported by the at least one top horizontal bar ( 36 ), on a trunk ( 30 ) and folding the at least one pedestal ( 10 ) into the trunk ( 30 ).
       
 
         [0016]    The pedestals ( 10 ) may comprise two pedestals ( 10 ), one at the left and one at the right of the luggage box ( 12 ); and
       the top horizontal bars ( 36 ) may comprise two top horizontal bars ( 36 ), one at the left and one at the right of the luggage box ( 12 );
 
thereby the folding of the pedestals ( 10 ) may comprise folding thereof to the sides of the luggage box ( 12 ), saving space above the luggage box ( 12 ).
       
 
         [0018]    The cart ( 2 ) may further comprise:
       at least one joining bar ( 46 ) between the two pedestals ( 10 ); and   at least one joining bar (handle  14 ) between the two top horizontal bars ( 36 ),
 
thereby forming a frame.
       
 
         [0021]    The at least one joining bar ( 46 ) may be disposed in front of ( FIG. 8 ,  15 ) or behind ( FIG. 13 ) the luggage box ( 12 ) at the folded state of the cart ( 2 ), thereby saving space above the luggage box ( 12 ). 
         [0022]    The rotation of the pedestals ( 10 ) to be substantially parallel to the top horizontal bars ( 36 ) may comprise: rotation of substantially 270 degrees ( FIGS. 8 ,  10 ) from the state of perpendicularity to the floor. 
         [0023]    The rotation of the pedestal ( 36 ) to be substantially parallel to the top horizontal bar ( 10 ) may comprise: rotation of substantially 90 degrees ( FIG. 13 ) from the state of perpendicularity to the floor. 
         [0024]    The cart ( 2 ) may further comprise:
       a reducing mechanism ( 68 ), for reducing the length of the pedestals ( 10 ).       
 
         [0026]    The reducing mechanism ( 68 ) may comprise a folding mechanism ( 44 ) for folding arms ( 42 ,  38 ) of the pedestals one towards the other. 
         [0027]    The reducing mechanism ( 68 ) may comprise a telescopic mechanism ( 54 ) for providing telescopic reduction of the pedestals ( 10 ). 
         [0028]    The reducing mechanism may comprise a crossbreed folding mechanism ( 66 ) providing crossbreed folding reduction of the pedestals ( 10 ). 
         [0029]    The cart ( 2 ) may further comprise at least one bottom horizontal bar ( 34 ) extending the pedestals ( 10 ) substantially perpendicular thereto at the deployed state, the bottom horizontal bar ( 34 ) for supporting the pedestal ( 10 ). 
         [0030]    The cart ( 2 ) may further comprise:
       a luggage box ( 12 ) resting on the at least one horizontal bar ( 36 ); and   slideable connection ( 62 ) between the luggage box ( 12 ) or support ( 60 ) of the luggage box ( 12 ) and the at least one horizontal bar ( 36 ).       
 
         [0033]    The at least one bottom horizontal bar ( 34 ) may be pivotally ( 48 ) connected to the pedestals ( 10 ), for folding the at least one bottom horizontal bar ( 34 ) to be attached to the pedestals ( 10 ) at the folded state. 
         [0034]    In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for using a cart ( 2 ), the method comprising the steps of:
       disposing a luggage box ( 12 ) of the cart ( 2 ) above a trunk ( 30 );   resting the luggage box ( 12 ) on the trunk ( 30 ); and   rotating pedestals ( 10 ) of the cart ( 2 ), for folding the pedestals ( 10 ) into the trunk ( 30 ).       
 
         [0038]    The step of disposing the luggage box ( 12 ) above the trunk ( 30 ) may comprise disposing bottom horizontal bars ( 34 ) of the cart ( 2 ) beneath the trunk ( 30 ). 
         [0039]    The method may further comprise the step of:
       sliding the luggage box ( 12 ) horizontally in relation to the pedestals ( 10 ).       
 
         [0041]    The foregoing embodiments of the invention are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0042]    Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: 
           [0043]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cart according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0044]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the cart of  FIG. 1  according to another embodiment. 
           [0045]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the cart of  FIG. 1  brought towards a car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0046]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the first step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0047]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the second and third steps of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0048]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the result of the third step of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0049]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the fourth step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0050]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the fifth step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0051]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a cart according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0052]      FIG. 10  depicts the first and second steps of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0053]      FIG. 11  depicts the second and third step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0054]      FIG. 12  depicts the fourth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0055]      FIG. 13  depicts the fifth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0056]      FIG. 14  depicts the resulting state of the fifth step of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0057]      FIG. 15  depicts the sixth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car&#39;s trunk. 
           [0058]      FIG. 16  depicts another reducing mechanism, for reducing the pedestal. 
       
    
    
       [0059]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0060]    The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail. 
         [0061]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cart according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0062]    A cart  2  according to the present invention includes two top horizontal bars  36 , one at the left and one at the right. Each top horizontal bar  36  leans on a vertical pedestal  10 , each pedestal  10  leans on a bottom horizontal bar  34 . 
         [0063]    A basket or a luggage-box  12  may rest on top horizontal bars  36 . 
         [0064]    Top horizontal bars  36  and bottom horizontal bars  34  both extend to the same side of pedestals  10 , i.e., top horizontal bars  36  are disposed above bottom horizontal bars  34 . Thus, bottom horizontal bars  34  support the weight of luggage box  12  from turning cart  2  upside down. 
         [0065]    Pedestals  10  and bottom horizontal bar  34  thereof include together four wheels  18 . 
         [0066]    A horizontal handle  14  or luggage box  12  at the top, and a horizontal rod  46  below connect the side bars, completing the frame of the cart. 
         [0067]    Pushing the handle  14  moves the cart based on wheels  18 . Cart  2  may be folded after opening safety-latches  20  and  22 . Handle  14  may include a user interface  16  for folding or deploying cart  2 . 
         [0068]    For example, button  24  of user interface  16  may raise top horizontal bars  36 , button  26  may lower top horizontal bars  36 , and button  28  may lock or unlock the raising and the lowering. 
         [0069]    As expressed by user interface  16 , only the raising and lowering requires an electric motor. 
         [0070]    According to one embodiment, luggage box  12  is slideably connected to top horizontal bars  36 , such as by trolley hangers and tracks, allowing forward and backwards movement between luggage box  12  and top horizontal bars  36 . 
         [0071]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the cart of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment. 
         [0072]    According to another embodiment, luggage box  12  rests on a basket support  60  and may be separated therefrom; basket support  60  is slideably connected to top horizontal bars  36 , such as by trolley hangers and tracks, allowing forward and backwards movement therebetween. 
         [0073]    The term “slideable connection” denoted by numeral  62  refers herein to the connection between luggage box  12  and top bars  36 , allowing sliding between them, either allowing removal of luggage box  12  from top bars  36  like  FIG. 2 , or not allowing the removal, as depicted by  FIG. 1 . 
         [0074]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the cart of  FIG. 1  brought towards a car&#39;s trunk. 
         [0075]    Each of pedestals  10  may be folded or reduced by a reducing mechanism  68 , for being inserted into trunk  30 . 
         [0076]    The term “tube” refers herein to a hollow cylinder or to a hollow bar or to other longitudinal hollow component. 
         [0077]    According to this embodiment, the reducing mechanism  68  of pedestal  10  combines a telescopic mechanism  54 , including telescopic tubes  38  and  40 , which may move one into the other, together with a folding mechanism  44 , including a vertical arm  42 , which is rotatable about a hinge  44 . 
         [0078]    Telescopic mechanism  54  may reduce or extend the length of the telescopic portion of pedestal  10 . Telescopic mechanism  54  may utilize an electric motor  64  or a pneumatic mechanism (“piston”) or other. 
         [0079]    The terms “forward”, “front”, “backward”, “rear”, “in front”, “behind”, etc. relate to a trunk located at the rear of the car. 
         [0080]    For a rear car&#39;s trunk, cart  2  is brought towards car trunk  30  such that bottom horizontal bars  34  and top horizontal bars  36  face trunk  30 , whereas pedestal  10  is behind. 
         [0081]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the first step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car trunk. 
         [0082]    Since top horizontal bars  36  and bottom horizontal bars  34  both extend to the same side of pedestals  10 , upon bringing cart  2  even closer to the front, bottom horizontal bars  34  are located beneath car&#39;s trunk  30  and top horizontal bars  36  are located above trunk  30 . 
         [0083]    At the first step the user manually slides luggage box  12  horizontally along slideable connection  62  forward, in relation to top horizontal bars  34 . 
         [0084]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the second and third steps of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car trunk. 
         [0085]    At the second step, tube  40  is inserted by the motor into tube  38 , lowering top horizontal bars  34  together with luggage box  12 , until resting on the floor of trunk  30 . At this state pedestal  10  no longer is required for supporting cart  2 . 
         [0086]    Tube  40  is inserted even deeper into tube  38 , raising bottom horizontal bars  34  above the floor. 
         [0087]    At the third step, the user may manually, without any motor, rotate vertical arms  42  upwards about hinges  44  towards tube  38  by 180 degrees. 
         [0088]    And the user may release latches  22 , and then manually rotate each of bottom horizontal bars  34  90 degrees upward about a hinge  48  between horizontal bars  34  and vertical arm  42 , being folded to be attached to vertical arm  42  thereof. 
         [0089]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the result of the third step of  FIG. 5 . At the end of the third step, bars  34  and vertical arms  42  are attached to tube  38 . 
         [0090]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the fourth step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car trunk. 
         [0091]    At the fourth step, the user may manually rotate bottom bar  34  and vertical arm  42  attached to tube  38  together 270 degrees about a pivot  52 , being folded to be disposed at the side of top horizontal bar  34  and at the side of luggage box  12 . 
         [0092]    However, joining bar  46  which connects the right pedestal and the left pedestal  10 , i.e., crosses from side to side, is disposed at the folded state above top horizontal bar  36 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the fifth step of folding the cart of  FIG. 1  into the car trunk. 
         [0094]    At the fifth step, the user may slide bars  34 ,  42  attached to tube  38  forward in relation to luggage box  12  along slideable connection  62 . Joining bar  46  may be disposed in front of luggage box  12 , reducing the height of cart  2  at that folded state, saving space above luggage box  12 . 
         [0095]    Then the trunk may be closed by the cover of trunk  30 . 
         [0096]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a cart according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0097]    Like  FIG. 1 , cart  2 , according to this embodiment, also includes top horizontal bars  36  supported by two telescopic vertical pedestals  10 , each on a bottom horizontal bar  34 , one at the left and one at the right. Pedestals  10  and bottom horizontal bar  34  thereof together include four wheels  18 . 
         [0098]    According to this embodiment, each of the entire pedestals  10  includes telescopic tubes which may move one into the other by telescopic mechanism  54 . According to the example of  FIG. 9 , each of pedestals includes from top to bottom tubes  40 ,  38 ,  44  and external tube  50 . 
         [0099]    Like  FIG. 1 , cart  2  according to this embodiment also features horizontal handle  14  or luggage box  12  at the top, and horizontal rod  46  below connect the side bars completing the frame of the cart. Horizontal rod  46  of this embodiment is disposed on the lowest tube  50 . 
         [0100]      FIG. 10  depicts the first and second steps of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car trunk. 
         [0101]    Like  FIG. 1 , upon bringing cart  2  of this embodiment to the front, bottom horizontal bars  34  are located beneath car trunk  30  and top horizontal bars  36  are located above trunk  30 . 
         [0102]    Like  FIG. 1 , at the first step the user manually slides luggage box  12  horizontally along slideable connection  62  forward, in relation to top horizontal bars  34 . 
         [0103]      FIG. 11  depicts the second and third step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car trunk. 
         [0104]    At the second step, the user activates telescopic mechanism  54  to lower luggage box  12  by diminishing telescopic pedestal  10  into tube  50 , such that luggage box  12  rests on the floor of trunk  30 . 
         [0105]    At the third step, telescopic pedestal  10  is diminished even deeper. Cart  2  is not based on the ground any more. 
         [0106]    Hinge  48  between horizontal bars  34  and external tube  50  rotates horizontal bars  34  upon being lifted from the floor. 
         [0107]    The rotation for folding is directed in the opposite direction of  FIG. 5 . Thus,  FIG. 11  depicts that the deployed state of this embodiment is advantaged of being based on gravity only. The deployed state attaches diagonal sides  56  of bottom horizontal bars  34  to diagonal bottom sides  58  of external tube  50  of pedestal  10 , thus disposing bottom horizontal bars  34  perpendicular to pedestals  32 . Thus, safety latches  22 , which are a must for  FIG. 1 , may provide this embodiment an extra safety level. 
         [0108]      FIG. 12  depicts the fourth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car trunk. 
         [0109]    At the fourth step, the user may manually rotate each of the bottom horizontal bars  34 , which were perpendicular to pedestal  32  thereof, 270 degrees about hinge  48 , until attaching external tube  50  of pedestals  10  from the back. 
         [0110]      FIG. 13  depicts the fifth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car trunk. 
         [0111]    For illustration purposes,  FIG. 13  depicts only the bottom horizontal bar  34  and pedestal  10  behind, indicating that bottom horizontal bar  34  and pedestal  10  are disposed at the side of top horizontal bars  36 . 
         [0112]    According to this embodiment, pivot  52  allows rotation between tube  40 , which is the internal and highest tube of pedestal  10 , and top horizontal bar  36 . 
         [0113]    At the fifth step, the user may manually rotate bottom horizontal bars  34  together with the pedestals, 270 degrees about pivot  52  from the vertical position to a horizontal position mostly in trunk  30  above luggage box  12 . 
         [0114]      FIG. 14  depicts the resulting state of the fifth step of  FIG. 13 . 
         [0115]    After the fifth step joining bar  46 , which connects the two pedestals  10  is disposed at the front of pedestals  10 , i.e. right to pedestals  10  in  FIG. 14 . 
         [0116]      FIG. 15  depicts the sixth step of inserting the cart of  FIG. 9  into the car trunk. 
         [0117]    Like the fifth step of the cart of  FIG. 1 , the user may, at the sixth step of this embodiment, slide the frame including bars  34 , pedestals  10  and bars  36  forward in relation to luggage box  12  along slideable connection  62 . 
         [0118]    Joining bar  46  may be disposed in front of luggage box  12 , allowing being disposed below the top of luggage box  12 , for reducing the overall height. 
         [0119]    Then the trunk may be closed by the cover of trunk  30 . 
         [0120]    According to another embodiment, at the fifth step the user may manually rotate bottom horizontal bars  34  together with the pedestals only 90 degrees instead of 270 degrees about pivot  52 , resulting in the state that joining bar  46  is behind pedestals  10 , i.e., left close to shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0121]      FIG. 16  depicts another reducing mechanism, for reducing the pedestal. 
         [0122]    Reducing mechanism  68  may be a crossbreed folding mechanism  66 , including a plurality of crossed hinged bars  70 . An electric motor  64  or a pneumatic mechanism (“piston”) or other means may activate the reducing mechanism  68  by non-manual force. 
         [0123]    In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned:
       numeral  10  denotes a pedestal;   numeral  12  denotes a luggage box;   numeral  14  denotes a handle;   numeral  16  denotes a user interface;   numeral  18  denotes a wheel;   numerals  20  and  22  denote safety latches;   numeral  24  denotes a button for raising the luggage box;   numeral  26  denotes a button for lowering the luggage box;   numeral  28  denotes a button for locking or unlocking the safety latches;   numeral  30  denotes a trunk, such as of a car;   numeral  32  denotes a telescopic pedestal;   numeral  34  denotes a bottom horizontal bar, i.e., a horizontal bar close to the floor;   numeral  36  denotes a top horizontal bar supporting the luggage box;   numerals  38  and  40  denote telescopic tubes of the pedestal;   numeral  42  denotes a vertical bar of the pedestal;   numeral  44  denotes a hinge;   numeral  46  denotes a horizontal bar, connecting the two pedestals to a frame;   numeral  48  denotes a hinge between the bottom horizontal bar and the pedestal;   numeral  50  denotes the bottom tube of the pedestal;   numeral  52  denotes a pivot between the top horizontal bar and the pedestal;   numeral  54  denotes a telescopic mechanism, for reducing or extending the length of the pedestals;   numeral  56  denotes a diagonal side of the bottom horizontal bar;   numeral  58  denotes a diagonal side of the pedestal;   numeral  60  denotes a frame or a support for a basket; and   numeral  62  denotes a slideable connection, allowing sliding between two components;   numeral  64  denotes an electric motor or other means, for activating the reducing mechanism by non-manual force;   numeral  66  denotes a crossbreed mechanism, for folding the pedestal; and   numeral  68  denotes a reducing mechanism, which may include the telescopic mechanism, the folding mechanism, the crossbreed folding mechanism, or other.       
 
         [0152]    The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form. 
         [0153]    Any term of the claims that has been defined above, has to be interpreted according to this definition.