Patent ID: 7377538

Claim:
A portable folding shopping cart and utility carrier comprising: a foldable substantially rectangular frame having, four substantially vertical members; a substantially rectangular upper horizontal platform having end and side members, each of the end and side members comprising two components, the upper platform being hingedly connected to the vertical members adjacent a top end of the vertical members; a substantially rectangular lower horizontal platform having end and side members, each of the end and side members comprising two components, the lower platform being hingedly connected to the vertical members adjacent a lower end of the vertical members; wherein each of the end and side members of the upper and lower platforms are operatively connected between the two components so as to be foldable between a substantially aligned open position and a folded position; a flexible top basket, having a peripheral upper edge, closed ends, sides and a bottom and an open top, supported at the upper edge by the upper platform, the top basket being foldable into a space defined by the substantially rectangular frame in the folded position; a flexible lower shelf having a peripheral edge supported by the lower platform and being foldable in the space defined by the substantially rectangular frame in the folded position; a plurality of wheels connected to bottoms of the vertical members; and a tensile connector connected between a bottom of the top basket and a top of the lower shelf for supporting the top basket and lower shelf in spaced relationship in the open position, for retaining the top basket and the lower shelf within the space defined by the rectangular frame in the folded position and for assisting in folding the lower shelf when the top basket is in a folded position.