GB2460094A

GB2460094A - Improved shopping basket

Info

Publication number: GB2460094A
Application number: GB0809024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas James Mclaughlan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-05-17
Filing date: 2008-05-17
Publication date: 2009-11-18
Also published as: GB0809024D0

Abstract

A stackable shopping basket 14, where the carrying handles 1 are positioned at either side of the basket, in a recessed section 2 and are extended through the rim 7 to pivot towards the longitudinal axis of the basket to provide the grip for holding 6. The recess 2, provides clearance for the handles when the basket is stacked and this is further enhanced by the curve in the basket wall 10. The handles may be guided by a channel in the handle 4 and by a guide on the basket rim 5, which also allows the basket to pivot.

Description

Improved Shopping Basket A conventional shopping basket as used in supermarkets and other retail outlets has the carrying handle positioned horizontally across it's width so that the person holding the basket must rotate their wrist forwards or backwards to hold it. This is not a natural way to hold something and can cause fatigue and pain, in the wrist and back for the person holding the basket, particularly as the load increases with the addition of items during the shopping process.

Even with baskets which have the handle positioned longitudinally, there is a draw back.

The pivot points at each end of basket can prevent easy access for storing items, in particular larger items and this again leads to twisting of the wrist to allow access to the basket, which could bring with it the associated pain and fatigue.

Further designs have tried to overcome these problems by having a handle which rises from the certain of the basket, but this limits the amount of space available within, reducing the volume of items which can be stored.

This invention overcomes these problems by proposing a hand held shopping basket in which the handles are stored, one on each long side of the basket, in a recessed section of the basket rim and at such an angle as to allow the basket to be stacked.

Each handle is pulled up and guided through a slot in the rim of the basket and when extended, pivots towards the centre of the basket, meeting in the middle and thus allowing both a natural carrying position and free access to place goods in the end of the basket.

Each side wall of the basket may be curved inwards to make room between the stored handle and the basket wall to allow easy stacking of the baskets.

Each handle preferably sits higher than the basket rim to allow the handle to be easily lifted, when in the stored position.

The handles are prevented from falling through the rim of the basket preferably by means of the grip of the handle being wider than the slot and resting against the rim of the basket.

The handles are preferably guided by means of a groove in the centre of the non carrying part of the handle which slides freely over a guide on the basket rim, although this could be made smoother by addition of a roller in the rim and/or the guide.

Preferably, the guide also stops the handles, in conjunction with the groove, from being pulled completely out of the basket and allows the handles to pivot to meet forming the grip.

The handles consist preferably of two separate parts, the grip for holding and the slide for extending and are fixed together preferably in the basket rim slot, encompassing the guide.

When stacked, the baskets are held apart preferably by means of spacers situated below the basket rim.

The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the basket with the handles in the extended position for carrying.

Figure 2 shows the basket with the handles in the stored position.

Figure 3 shows a head on view of the basket.

Figure 4 shows a top down view of the basket.

Figure 5 shows the two constituent parts of the handle.

As shown In Figure 1, the basket handles are in the extended position 1 forming a grip for carrying 6. The handles would have been pulled through the rim slot 7 and kept in line by means of the channel 4 and the guide 5.

Figure 2 illustrates the basket when the handle is in the stored position 3. The channel 4 and the guide 5 also assist when the handle is returned from the extended position.

The recess 2, gives the handle of the next basket clearance when the baskets are stacked. This is helped by the curve in the basket wall 10.

The handle itself has a thicker grip than the lower part which prevents it from falling through the rim slot 7 and rests on the rim 8. This allows the basket handle to sit proud of the rim 13, making it easier to pick the basket up.

The vertical spacers 9 keep the baskets apart when stacked preventing them from wedging, which could make the lifting of each basket troublesome.

Figure 3 shows the angle of the handle 3 when stored. The increased thickness of the handle grip 8 which allows it to rest on the basket rim is also illustrated.

Figure 4 shows more clearly the curve of the basket wall 10 and the recess 2 which provides clearance for the handle 3, when stacking the basket.

Figure 5 illustrates the two part construction of the handles by means of a grip 11, lower section 12 and the channel 4 which allows smooth and straight lifting and lowering.

Claims

Claims 1. A hand held basket in which the handles are stored, one on each long side of the basket, which allows the basket to be stacked and allows each handle to be extended through the basket rim to pivot and meet forming a grip for carrying.
2. A hand held basket according to claim 1, in which each handle is stored in a recessed section in each side of the basket.
3. A hand held basket according to claim 1, in which each handle extends through the basket rim.
4. A hand held basket according to claim 1, in which each handle when stored, sits above the basket rim.
5. A hand held basket according to claim 1, in which each handle rests against the basket rim when stored.
6. A hand held basket according to claim 1, in which the handles are guided, allowed to pivot and prevented from being pulled clear of the basket by means of a channel in the hand'e and a guide on the basket rim.
7. A hand held basket according to any previous claim in which each long side of the basket is curved inwards.
8. A hand held basket according to any previous claim where the handles consist of two separate parts, a grip for holding and a lower section for extending and are fixed together in the slot in the basket rim encompassing the guide.
9. A hand held basket according to any previous claim in which the baskets are held apart when stacked by means of spacers situated below the basket rim.