AU2004245158A1 - Shopping trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shopping trolley (1) comprising a basket (3) and a babyseat (7) that is located above the basket (3). The foot end (8) of said babyseat is positioned in the vicinity of the push bar (5) and the back (9) is supported on a cross connection (10), which connects the two lateral walls (4) of the basket (3). The trolley is equipped with two fixing elements (17) that can be fixed to the lateral walls (4) of the basket (3) and the cross-connection (10) is equipped with a supporting section (11) comprising a tube (12) that is mounted to rotate about the longitudinal axis (13) of the supporting section (11). The invention is characterised in that the supporting section (11) has two supporting arms (15) that are connected to the fixing elements (17) in an articulated manner, in such a way that the cross-connection (10) can be pivoted about a horizontal axis (16).

Description

VERIFICATION OF TRANSLATION INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION NO. PCT/DE2004/000994 I, Colette Elizabeth Jagg BA(Hons) DipTST MIL MICB, of 39 Hanson Close, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1WJ, Great Britain, am the translator of the document attached and I state that the following is a true translation to the best of my knowledge and belief. 17 -- e oU WO 2004/108499 PCT/DE2004/000994 Shopping Trolley Description The invention relates to a shopping trolley having a basket and at least one baby seat which is arranged above the basket and of which the foot end is supported in the vicinity of the pushing handle and the back is supported on a cross connection connecting the two side walls of the basket, wherein two fixing members fixable to the side walls of the basket are provided and wherein the cross connection is provided with a supporting portion carrying a tube which is mounted so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the supporting portion. Shopping trolleys of this type are described in further detail in the applicant's brochure no. 540/2001. The endeavour is to arrange the baby seats on the shopping trolleys in such a way that a child can lie comfortably in a baby seat. Therefore, the baby seats must not be too upright, but also not too flat. In order to achieve this, the cross connections, on which the backs of the baby seats rest, are constructed with different heights so that as many as possible of the different types of shopping trolley on the market can be fitted with baby seats. This has led to the development of a relatively high number of cross connections, which, from the point of view of cost-effective manufacture, cannot be regarded as optimum. The attempt has therefore been made to reduce the number of cross connections, although this has resulted in the production of shopping trolleys with baby seats which are not in the desired ideal position. A further disadvantage is that the fixing members of the cross connections are not always fixable in the desired position because the baskets, which are manufactured from intersecting lattice 2 bars, only provide fixing points at specific intervals. Furthermore, the cross connections known hitherto are rigid structures which simply do not permit optimum adjustment of the position of the baby seats. Therefore, the object of the invention is to develop further a shopping trolley of the present type so that the above-described disadvantage can be avoided. The object is achieved in that the supporting portion has two supporting arms which are articulated on the fixing members in such a way that the cross connection is pivotable about a horizontal axis. The advantage of this solution is that it is possible, on account of the movable arrangement of the cross connection, to mount the cross connection on the side walls of the basket in a position which would be unfavourable if the cross connection were rigid. Now, however, the baby seat can be arranged in an optimum position of use because the movable formation of the cross connection permits this. If, in accordance with one embodiment, the length of the cross connection is also adjustable, a large number of known and different types of shopping trolley can be provided with one and the same cross connection. These cross connections can therefore be inexpensively produced in relatively large numbers. The invention will be further described with reference to embodiments. Fig. 1 shows a shopping trolley provided with a baby seat, and Fig. 2 shows a cross connection. The shopping trolley 1 shown in fig. 1 is representative of all known shopping trolleys 1 to be found in practical use. Accordingly, the 3 shopping trolley 1 comprises a wheel frame 2 which carries a basket 3 for holding items for purchase. In its rear region, the shopping trolley 1 is provided with a pushing handle 5. The basket 3 carries a baby seat 7 for holding an infant in a reclining position. The baby seat 7, which is arranged above the basket 3, is supported by its foot end 8 in the vicinity of the pushing handle 5, preferably on a crossbar 6, and by its back 9 on a cross connection 10 connecting the two side walls 4 of the basket 3. A fixing member 17 is located on each side wall 4. The cross connection 10 is mounted on the two fixing members 17 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis 16. The cross connection 10 shown in fig. 2 has a horizontally arranged supporting portion 11, on which a tube 12 is mounted so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis 13 of the supporting portion 11. In the example, the tube 12 carries at least one fixing portion 14, to which the back 9 of the baby seat 7 is detachably fixed. The fixing portion 14 can be eccentrically arranged on the tube 12, i.e. laterally displaced. The supporting portion 11 carries a vertically arranged supporting arm 15 on each of its two ends. Each supporting arm 15 is mounted on a fixing member 17 so as to be pivotable about the common horizontal axis 16. As indicated by the arrows, the tube 12 is rotatable or pivotable about the longitudinal axis 13 of the supporting portion 11, and the cross connection 10 is rotatable or pivotable about the horizontal axis 16. The supporting portion 11 can be divided into two, in which case two parts each in the form of a round bar are inserted into the tube 12 from outside. In this way, the length of the cross connection 10 can be adjusted.

4 If so desired, the fixing portion 14 can also be omitted. In this case, the back 9 of the baby seat 7 then lies on the tube 12 or, in the absence of the tube 12, on the supporting portion 11.

Claims (4)

1. A shopping trolley (1) having a basket (3) and at least one baby seat (7) which is arranged above the basket (3) and of which the foot end (8) is supported in the vicinity of the pushing handle (5) and the back (9) is supported on a cross connection (10) connecting the two side walls (4) of the basket (3), wherein two fixing members (17) fixable to the side walls (4) of the basket (3) are provided and wherein the cross connection (10) is provided with a supporting portion (11) carrying a tube (12) which is mounted so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis (13) of the supporting portion (11), characterised in that the supporting portion (11) has two supporting arms (15) which are articulated on the fixing members (17) in such a way that the cross connection (10) is pivotable about a horizontal axis (16).

2. A shopping trolley according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one fixing portion (14) is provided on the tube (12) and is intended to fix the baby seat (7) to the cross connection (10).

3. A shopping trolley according to claim 2, characterised in that the fixing portion (14) is eccentrically arranged on the tube (12), i.e. is laterally displaced.

4. A shopping trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the supporting portion (11) is divided into two.