GB2393526A

GB2393526A - Shopping aid in the form of a magnifying glass

Info

Publication number: GB2393526A
Application number: GB0322366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Murray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-24
Filing date: 2003-09-24
Publication date: 2004-03-31
Also published as: GB0322366D0; GB0222145D0

Abstract

A magnifying glass in a plastics frame is located on the handle of a shopping trolley or at fixed locations around the shop. The glass could comprise a profiled lens, e.g. convex lens, or a flat Fresnel lens. A shop logo or other text can be displayed on the frame. A flexible arm may be used to hold the lens and a clamp used to fix the arm to a trolley or shelf.

Description

SHOPPING AID

When selecting items to purchase in a supermarket say, people often want to read text printed on different products, for example, the ingredients list, the nutritional analysis and the cooking instructions. Such printed text is often small and hard to read - this is a particular problem for older people and those who use reading glasses.

Accordingly, to one aspect of the invention there is provided a shopping basket or trolley or like receptacle having a magnifying glass connected thereto to be available for assisting a user in visual inspection of items picked up by the user.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnifying glass mounted in the shop and available for assisting a user in visual inspection of items picked up by the user.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a shopping trolley; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a shopping aid comprising a magnifying glass; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a shelf clamp; and Figures 4 to 6 are respectively an elevation, a section on line v v in Figure 4 and a section on line vi vi in Figure 4 of another shopping aid.

Figure 1 shows part of a known shopping trolley of the kind used in supermarkets. It comprises a wire receptacle 1 with wheels 2 and a handle 3.

Figure 2 shows a device comprising a plastics frame 4 enclosing a magnifying glass 5, i.e. a convex glass. The glass is rectangular in this example but it could be circular or any other suitable shape.

The frame 1 is fixed to one end of a flexible arm 6, i.e. an arm which can be bent to a desired position and will then stay in the position set.

At the other end of arm 6, there is a clamp 7. This comprises two semicylindrical parts 8 and 9 hinged together at hinge 10 and with flanges 11. The two parts can be opened by hinge 10 to admit the handle 3 of the trolley and then closed and fixed by a clamping bolt 12 and winged nut 14. This mounts the magnifying glass carrier device on the trolley so that, as a shopper travels around the shop, he or she can use the magnifying glass to inspect the small print on items picked up by the shopper.

Instead of being fitted to the trolley, magnifying glass devices similar to that shown in Figure 2 can be provided at fixed places around the shop, for example, by being mounted via shelf clamps as shown in Figure 3. Each Figure 3 clamp comprises a channel-shaped metal or plastics material member 20 with a bolt 21 and wing nut 22 enabling it to be clamped to say a product shelf in the shop. A short cylindrical stub 23 enables the free end of the arm of a magnifying glass device such as that in Figure 2 to be fixed to the Figure 3 clamp.

On the top of the frame 4, there is an area 30 carrying branding or advertising text, for example, the name of the relevant shop. Alternatively, the name of a product or the

( name of a product supplier could be put there. The text or branding material need not be as shown. It could be on a different part of the frame or the frame could be multi-

coloured according to the shop's style, for example.

In both the case where the magnifying glass device is to be fitted to a shopping trolley and where it is to be provided in fixed locations about the shop (or other premises), it may be worthwhile to provide a more secure fixing than the illustrated clamps. For example, the device may be fixed by fused metal fixing such as welding or brazing.

Alternatively, the clamps may be retained but with the bolts and wing nuts 12, 14, 21 and 22 replaced by suitable security screws or bolts (not shown).

In the shopping aid of Figures 1 to 3, the magnifying glass comprises a profiled, e.g. convex, lens 5. In a second embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 6, the profile lens 5 is replaced by a thin substantially flat Fresnel lens 40 made of plastics material and laminated for protection between two transparent plates 41 for example of suitable rigid plastics material such as Perspex _. As before, the shopping aid also comprises a decorative plastics material frame 42. Frame 42 is made in two parts 43 and 44 so that the lens 40 and plates 41 can be inserted. After that, parts 43 and 44 can be snap-

fitted together or they could be glued or welded for example. Part 43 has a lower portion 45 with a relatively deep section for receiving a nut and/or bolt 46 by which the frame is fixed to a flexible arm 47 (partly shown) similar to the arm 6 of Figures 1 to 3.

Further the arm 46 is connected at its other end (not shown) to a suitable clamp (not shown) by which the shopping aid is fixed to a shopping trolley or shelf as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. A shop logo can be displayed at the front face 48 of the portion 45 of frame 42.

Claims

( CLAIMS

1. A shopping basket or trolley or like receptacle having a magnifying glass connected thereto to be available for assisting a user in visual inspection of items picked up by the user.

2. In a shop, a magnifying glass mounted in the shop and available for assisting a user in visual inspection of items picked up by the user.

3. What is claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the magnifying glass is supported in a

frame carrying branding or advertising material identifying the shop, products sold in the shop or the names of suppliers of such products.

4. What is claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the magnifying glass is mounted on a flexible support arm terminating in a clamp fixed to the shopping trolley or to a fixed structure such as a shelf in the shop.

5. What is claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the magnifying glass comprises a profiled, e.g. convex, lens.

6. What is claimed in Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the magnifying glass comprises a Fresnel lens, for example of thin plastics material.

7. A magnifying glass or shop substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.