CA2417171A1

CA2417171A1 - Cart handle-sanitizer

Info

Publication number: CA2417171A1
Application number: CA 2417171
Authority: CA
Inventors: Leonidas C. Notidis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-27
Filing date: 2003-01-27
Publication date: 2004-07-27

Abstract

This invention allows for the sanitizing of a shopping cart handle from common bacteria, viruses or biological agents as well as the marketing and promotion of consumer products. The device is secured around the handle of a shopping cart, and consists of an encapsulated multiple-use container, designed in various configurations tilled with an anti-bacterial alcohol based sanitizing solution. Within the center of the unit is a perforated guide clip lined with an absorbent material that surrounds the perimeter of the shopping cart handle. when slid across the handle of a shopping cart, this device will dispense the sanitizing solution, via perforations found on the circumference of the internal guide clip, across the entirety of the handle. As the sanitizing solution is being forced through the perforations it will become absorbed by the material lining the inside of the clip, and transfer said solution to the handle via the sliding of the unit across the cart's handle, thereby sanitizing it.

Description

Cart Handle-Sanitizer Specification This invention relates to a hand sized, encapsulated multiple-use disposable unit, encompassing the handle of shopping carts, which when grasped with one hand and swiped across the handle, will sanitize said handle from common bacteria, viruses or biological agents through the application of an alcohol based sanitizing solution or gel located from within the encapsulated container onto the shopping cart handle.
Prior to this idea, if an individual wished to sanitize the handle of a shopping cart prior to use, they had to carry on their person some anti-bacterial sanitizing gel or solution in a bulky container and a tissue or cloth with which to apply the said solution on and wipe the handle of the shopping cart with. They would then have to apply the anti-bacterial solution on to their hands or a cloth, and physically wipe across the handle of the shoppin' cart thereby rendering the handle of the cart free of harmful bacteria and vinrses. At the end of this endeavor, they would still be left with the used tissue or cloth to dispose of 'this problem would still not be solved even if the individual were to carry a pre-soaked alcohol tissue or towelette commonly found in first aid kits.
They would still have to take the towellete out of their pocket gar purse, assuming they had one with them, tear open the packet. remove the towelette and physically wipe down the handle of the shopping cart, making sure in the process that they completely wrap the towelette around the whole circumference of the shopping cart handle as they are wiping.
Once finished there would still be the issue of the disposal of the used towelette.
We find then that the aforementioned are both cumbersome and not very practical, as many individuals do not make it a habit to carry the necessary things required to sanitize a shopping cart handle. Furthermore, as the majority of consumers are more than likely not even aware of the numerous transmittable bacterial agents on shopping cart handles and the real possibility of contracting various conditions such as the common cold from them, many wouldn't even think to sanitize a shopping cart handle prior to use.
It should be noted in particular, that many shopping cart manufacturers build their shopping carts in such a way so as to allow parent to place their children in the basket of the cart, facing the parent, with the child's feet hanging through openings located under the handle of the cart. This placement is conducive to having the child constantly grasp the handle ofthe cart while being pushed. The inevitable result is that the child's hands come into contact with the shopping can handle and subsequently foreign harmful bacteria on numerous occasions, and ultimately trod themselves in the child's mouth and touching their face.
I have found that these concerns may be overcome if the handle of the shopping cart is sanitized prior to each use with an alcohol based sanitizing solution or gel that would render these harmful biological agents harmless. This may be accomplished by attaching an encapsulated multiple-use disposable unit filled with an alcohol based sanitizing solution or gel, around the circumference of the handle of the shopping cart, thereby encompassing the handle of the can in its entirety. Prior to use, the individual can grasp the unit with one hand, and gently slide it across the shopping cart handle to the opposite side of the handle, in other words from the far left side of the cart across to the far right of the handle, or from the far right side of the carts handle across to the left side. As the device is being slid across the handle, the sanitizing solution or gel, is being forced, by the pressure being exerted on the unit by virtue of the hand grasping said unit, through the perforations located on the circumference of the internal guide clip, which has its inner circular portion lined with an absorbent sponge-like material and is in direct contact with the shopping cart handle's perimeter.
In drawings, which illustrate the embodiments of the invention, Figurel is the cross section of an encapsulated disposable container designed in various configurations, but not limited to, the group consisting of a sphere, cylinder or disk.
lts external shell ".A" is made of a malleable composition such as a rubber or plastic composite. Said object is filled with an alcohol based anti-bacterial sanitizing solution or gel "B". Located within the unit is a clip "C" made of a plastic or metal, and is securely adhered to the center of the encapsulated unit, thereby comprising a closed unit.
Said wide clip is flexible enough to slide over a shopping cart handle "G", through the opening ''D" and to serve as a guide for the unit's path across the shopping cart handle.
This clip has perforations "E" surrounding the circular portion of the clip, large enough to allow the encased sanitizing solution to pass through these and onto the absorbent material "F" which is what ultimately encompasses the handle of the cart and acts as the medium by which the sanitizing solution is transferred across the handle.
Figure 2 is simply a three dimensional representation ot'the invention in cylinder form with "A" being the external shell of the device. The internal guide clip "C"
is made of a plastic or metal that is flexible enough to slide over the shopping cart handle by virtue of its opening "D" and is securely adhered to the center of the encapsulated unit, thereby comprising a closed unit. Along the length and circumference of the internal guide clip are the perforations, with the internal circular portion of the clip being lined along its entire length with an absorbent sponge-like material "F" and ultimately coming into contact by encompassing the shopping cart handle "G". As the cross-section of the spherical device, disk, and cylindrical device are identical any further figures pertaining to this would be redundant.
It is the force exerted by the hand of the individual squeezing the device "A", as they gasp the unit to slide it across the shopping cart handle "G", that forces the sanitizing solution "B" throu~~h the perforations "E" on the circumference of the guide clip "C" and dispenses it onto the absorbent sponge like material "F" which lines the inner portion of said clip. The design of the clip is what secures the unit to the shopping cart handle and acts as a guide for the unit as it slides across the length of the handle. As the alcohol based sanitizing solution is being forced through the perforated clip, the absorbent material lining the clip and encompassing the handle of the cart in question will absorb it.
and transfer said solution to the handle thereby sanitizing it from common bacteria, viruses and biological agents In order to prevent the easy removal of the device.. it will have a locking mechanism located at the opening of the clip "D". However as this is not integral to the primary function of the unit, which is to sanitize a shopping cart handle from harmful bacteria prior to each use, the locking mechanism or theft deterrent mechanism, will be chosen at a future date.
A secondary but just as important function of the cart handle-sanitizing device will be as a marketing tool. Having the device on the shopping cart handle will provide another surface on which retail vendors may place their logos thereby generating marketing revenue for the retailer while simultaneously adding value to the shopper, by virtue of the sanitizing of the handle, and likewise associating the vendor's product with a positive message. This would be of particular interest to vendors of household products including sanitizing products, such as Purell, Proctor and Gamble, Johnson and Johnson etc.
Vendors may be approached and ot~ered the opportunity to have their logos, and a positive message, placed on the device for a monthly charge e.g. A cylindrical unit in the form of a horizontal AA battery may be made to look like a popular brand of battery, in essence becoming a three dimensional billboard of the product. Every time the customer wishes to clean the handle of the cart, they have to grasp the unit with their hand, and slide it across the handle to the opposite side Throughout this sanitizing process, the customer is holding the three dimensional bil Iboard of the popular brand of battery in their hand.
Once a consumer sanitizes their shopping cart handle from harmful bacteria with the device, it will personalize their shopping experience. Similar to an animal marking its territory, the sanitizing of the cart handle by t he consumer, gives the impression of the can becoming theirs for the duraticm of the shopping experience. The consumer will feel that they are in possession of a "fresh" new cart, and will serve to make their experience a more relaxing one by not feeling subconsciously anxious that they are in possession of a "dirty" shopping cart.
Furthermore, when a store makes available a method by which the consumer may sanitize the handle of their shopping cart from harmful bac;ter-ia, prior to each use, the message they are conveying is "We care about the consumer." This is particularly important for the sought after demographic of mothers, age ?5-~9 with 2 children They can rest assured that they will have a safe shopping experience in so far as the issue of contracting any contagious conditions trom the handle of their cart is concerned, such as the common cold. Let us also consider the tact that the majority of carts in use have a system by which parents may seat their children in the basket of the cart. Whilst seated, it is common to see a child grasping the handle of the shopping cart, and subsequently, place their fingers in their mouth By outfitting a shopping cart handle with a sanitizing device, and making consumers aware of the foreign bacteria on shopping cart handles through various advertising campaigns and awareness prof;rams, parents will be made to feel snore comfortable in the store's shopping environrnent The cart handle-sanitizing device can also serve to replace the physical coupon that allows for a discount on a featured item. Instead of giving out coupons, vendors may wish to sponsor a month of their logo on the unit, while concurrently placing a UPC code for that month, on said unit, which will be scanned by the cashier at the time of purchase, in et~ect turning the device into a three dimensional multiple-use coupon.
This will serve the purpose of associating their brand with a positive image (something clean and ''fresh"), promoting their product, saving the print cost of physical coupons, and moving more product by virtue of it being a three dimensional mobile billboard.
People likewise will not have to collect a physical coupon, but rather will know that the product featured on the cart handle-sanitizing device is on sale and will receive the discount at time of purchase The device further allows for promotions to be run as well as contests e.g.
Featured product on unit if spotted in the shopping cart of a consumer by in store spotters may win a gift. The spotter ideally would want to be in the vicinity of the check out to deter people from simply walking around with the product in their cart but ultimately not purchasing it. This however would nut be such a bad thing, as it would still serve the purpose of keeping the product foremost in the consumer's mind and in their shopping cart. Imagine if you will a shopping environment in which people have all placed the identical product in their shopping cart and are strolling about the store, while inadvertently parading the featured product to each other, in hopes that they will be spotted with the product featured in the current contest. It is a well-known fact within the advertising industry, that tbr a product's advertisement or jingle to have the desired effect on the consumer. they must be exposed to a visual or audio stimulus of the product for seven repetitions These visual repetitions will be easily achieved once contests are designed utilizing the cart haIldle-SaT3itlzitl~ device. Cross-promotions and synergies as well may be achieved with the products being featured on the mini billboards already present on shopping carts.

Claims

1. A manually operable device for sanitizing the handle of a shopping cart, comprising an encapsulated multiple-use but ultimately disposable container, encircling a perforated guide clip lined with a sponge-like absorbent material to transfer the anti-bacterial sanitizing agent found within the unit onto the handle of the shopping cart.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 designed in various configurations, but not limited to, the group consisting of a sphere, cylinder or disk.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, in which the external shell of the encapsulated container is comprised of a malleable material with said material being a rubber or plastic or a composite of the two.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, where the encapsulated unit contains an alcohol based anti-bacterial sanitizing solution or gel.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, where there is an internal circular plastic, or metal, guide clip.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, where there is a direct correlation of the circumference of the guide clip to the diameter of a shopping cart handle.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, where said guide clip is adhered to the center of the encapsulated unit thereby comprising a closed unit.

8. A device as defined in claim 7, where said guide clip is perforated along its circumference.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, where there is an opening on the guide clip to allow it to pass through a shopping, cart handle and come to rest and encompass the perimeter of the entire cart handle.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, where the guide clip serves to secure the unit to the perimeter of the shopping cart handle.

11. A device as defined in claim 10. where the clip serves as a guide for the path of the unit.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, where an absorbent sponge-like material lines the inner circle of the perforated guide clip.

13. A device as defined in claim 12, where the lining of the clip serves to act as the medium by which the sanitizing agent is transferred from within the unit and onto the shopping cart handle by virtue of its contact with said handle.