GB2403458A - A shopping trolley for attachment to a stroller or like vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A trolley attachable to a push-chair by means of a pair of attachment elements 15, one at each side, attachable to the upper regions of the side frame elements 16 of the pram or push-chair adjacent to or on the handle. Each attachment element comprises a strap with a pair of clasps formed thereon. The trolley has four fully castor-mounted wheels 12 such that it can remain in fixed relationship to the pram or push-chair as the latter is moved. The trolley has a tray which can preferably hold substantially more than a standard supermarket basket. The trolley may have handle means by which it and the pram or push-chair attached to it can be moved, and is designed so that several such trolleys can be stacked horizontally together like standard supermarket trolleys. The trolley may also be used on its own.

Description

Shopping Trolleys s The present invention relates to shopping trolleys,

and snore specifically to shopping trolleys intended for use in conjunction with push-ehairs7 perambulators, baby buggiest and so one andlor for use by people with limited mobility such as the old and those with injuries.

in It is conventional for shoppers in supermarkets and the like to use shopping trolleys. The standard shopping trolley comprises a large rectangular receptacle mounted on four wheels and provided with a handle whereby it can be pushed in front of the shopper. The shopper walks round the store with the trolley, col lecting the articles they wish to buy. They then push the trolley to a check-out is station where the articles are paid for. The articles are put into plastic bags, whirls are stacked back in the trolley firom which the articles themselves have now been removed. The trolley is then taken to the shopper's car and the bags transferred Tom the trolley to the car. The trolley itself is finally left in a collection area in the car park.

For shoppers wanting only a relatively small amount of shopping, smaller trolleys with a high-level tray may be used; also' baskets may be used instead of trolleys. (With baskets, only one or two plastic bags are:normally needed, and the baskets are Connally left at the check-outs.) Arc While this procedure is convenient for most shoppers. it is distinctly awk ward for a shopper with a pram or push-chair. It is far ii om easy for such a shop per to pUS}I both a trolley and a pram or push- chair, or to carry a basket while pushing the pram or pusl-chair.

To overcome this problem' proposals have been made tor trolleys of a design such that they cart be linked to prams or push-chairs. The combined trol- ley and pram or push-chair can then be pushed around the store as a unit, and separated when the shopper reaches the check-out. One linking technique invol- ves providing a low-leYel cradle on the trolley onto whim the rear wheels of tile pram or push-chair can be lifted; another involves providing, a central pillar at the front of the trolley having attachment means for attachment to the pram or push- chair handle. The shopper will normally take a trolley and link it to the pram or push-chair as they enter the market and detach it again either at the check-out or at iG their car.

These arrangements, however, have their drawbacks. The lo-w-level cradle attachment requires the shopper to lift the pram or push-chair. With the high- level attachment, the alignment of the trolley with the push-chair or pram is not fixed, and there are potential diffictilbes in steering the combination. Both sys- tems also potentially space the shopper inconveniently far from the pram or push- chair, and pose potential dangers to the occupantts) of the pram or push- chair.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved no trolley which is attachable to a pram or push-chair.

According to its main aspect, the invention provides a trolley attachable to a push-chair by means of a pair of attachment elements, one at each side, attach- able to the upper regions of the side frame elements of the pram or push- chair adjacent to or on the handle. In the case of a pram, the handle is generally a horizontal bar passing between the upper ends of the side- frame elements; in the case of a push-cI-air, the two side Dame elements may be separate, each ending in a respective handle element. Preferably each attachment element comprises a clasps of plastics material. Preferably the trolley has four fully castor-mounted so wheels such that We trolley can remain in fixed relationship to the pram or pushchair as the latter is moved; at least some of the wheels preferably have brakes.

Preferably the trollers has a tray or basket. The trolley may have handle means by which it and the pram or push-chair attached to it can be moved. The trolley is preferably designed so that several such trolleys can be stacked horizontally together like standard supermarket trolleys. s

Two trolleys embodying the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. I is a diagrammatic perspective view of the first trolley; and Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe second trolley.

The trolley shown in Fig. I comprises an upper tray portion 10 mounted on a lower frame portion 1 I by means of vertical so uts 13 and 14. A single strut may be used on each side of the trolley; alternatively, a pair of struts on each side may be used as shown. If two struts per side are used, the front strut 14 is is preferably curved as shown to alloyed trolleys to be stacked together.

The lower frame portion I 1 is generally rectangular, although its sides may be slightly skewed to allow close packing of the trolleys. Also, the rear transverse bar may be curved inward to provide more room for the user?s legs and feet when so pushing the trolley. Four wheels 12 are mounted below the main lower frame as shown. (Three wheels could be used, with two rearward wheels and one central formed wheel, but the stability of the trolley is then less.) All these wheels are Wily castor mounted so that the trolley can be moved in any direction.

The upper tray portion 10 comprises a basket mounted on the top of the stouts 13 and 14. This basket has a conventional mesh structure so that the user can place desired articles in it. The basket can be sized so that the user can instead place a standard store basket in it if they wish. The basket is preferably slightly sloped and with a hinged front induce (not shown) to allow successive trol so leys to fit closely into each other for tight packing.

Alternatively, the upper tray portion 10 may be formed of a simple framework with little or no mesh structure, so that it is necessary for the user to place a separate store basket in the framework to hold the articles being selected.

The size of a typical store basket generally matches the storage space available in s a typical pram or push-chair.

In one arrangement, the size of the tray or basket may roughly match the Volume of storage provided under a typical pram or push-chair, so that the user is restricted to the quantity of goods that they can conveniently transfer to the pram lo or push-chair. (It is envisaged that with this arrangement, the users will normally leave the trolleys at the check-out.) It is generally preferable, however, for the size of the basket to be substantially larger than the size of a standard supenna,*et basket.

is The front upper edge of the tray portion 10 has a pair of attachment means mounted on it. Each attachment means comprises a strap attached to the tray portion and having clasp means at its end, the clasp means can conveniently be formed of plastics material. In use, the attachment means are attached to the upper regions of the side frame elements of the pram or push-chair, such as the two handle portions 16 of a push-chair as shown. Alternatively, the attachment means may comprise a short rod portion hinged to the tray portion and having at its outer end a strap provided with a patch of hook material and a corresponding patch of eye material. The rigid rod portions may be of adjustable length by a "click" mechanism or the like.

The size of the upper tray portion or basket means is restricted by the requirement that the trolley should not protrude excessively far behind the pram or push-chair. The height of the upper tray portion may also be chosen to be somewhat below the height of the handle means of typical pranks and push-chairs.

so This father reduces the protrusion of the trolleys behind the pram or push-chair to which it is attached. -s

We have found that the two adachrnent means may be located in a subsidetially universal position, ie in a position such that the trolley can he attached to substantially all widely available prams and push-chairs. This includes prams with a single transverse handle and push-chairs with a pair of separate handle means, one on each side.

It is desirable that the trolley should be attached to the pram or pushchair relatively tightly, with minimal resilience or"gi.,e'' This will result in Blue trolley lo and push-chair moving as a single unit. The management and manoeuverability of the combination is significantly greater than if the trolley were movable relative to the pram or pushchair. The use of two attachment means, one on each side, is important in achieving this.

is If desired, the trolley may be provided with handle means (not shown) towards the rear edge of the upper tray means. This enables users to use the trol 1eys independently of a pram or pushchair should they so wish. People with restricted movement or agility, such as the elderly, mar find the present trolley convenient for such use arc Fig. 2 shows a second trolley, which is functionally equivalent to the first trolley although its appearance is somewhat different As shown, it comprises a pair of A Tames, one for each side. Each A frame consists of a rear bar 20 with its upper end bent back to form a handle with the attachment means I 5' attached to Jar it, a forward bar 2!2, and a linking bar 22. They are linked together near their upper regions, and the basket 10' is positioned between them. The bars 21 are spaced apart, and optionally splayed, so as to accommodate a typical baby buggy between them, with the rear wheels of the buggy substantially adjacent to the forward wheels 23 of else trolley T he rear wheels 24 of the trolley are provided A with.oot-operated brakes 25.

Claims (1)

1. CI8ims s 1 A trolley attachable to a push-clair lay means of a pair of

   attachment elements one at each side attachable to the upper regions of the side Came elements of the pram or pushchair adjacent to or on the handle.

   2 A trolley according to claim I wherein each attachment element c; oinprises lo a strap with a pair of clasps at its end.

   3 A trolley according to claim I where), each attachment element comprises a strap with a pair of patches of hQok-and-eys material formed thereon.

   s 4 A trolley according to ally previous claim wherein the trolley has four Filly castor-mounted 'heels such that the trolley can remain in fixed relationship to the pram or push-chair as the latter is moved A trolley according to any previous claim wherein at least one of the wheels has break means.

   6 A trolley according to any previous claim wherein the trolley has a tray which can hold a single standard supermarket basket or which can hold substantially the same amount of goods as such a basket-. 2s

   7 A trolley according to any of claims I to 5 wherein the trolley has a tray which can hold substantially more than a single standard supermarket basket.

   8 A trolley according to any previous claim wherein the trolley has handle so means by which it and the pram or push-chair attached to it can be moved.

   9 A trolley according to any previous claim designed so that visceral such trolleys can be stacked horizontally together like standard supermarket trolleys.

   I O A trolley subvtattialy as herein described with Inherence to Fig 1 or Fig. 2.

   11 Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).