WO2013155538A1

WO2013155538A1 - Insulated container for a shopping trolley

Info

Publication number: WO2013155538A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2013/000021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Willie Tommy HESS
Original assignee: Hess Willie Tommy
Priority date: 2012-04-13
Filing date: 2013-04-09
Publication date: 2013-10-17

Abstract

An insulated container (10) attachable to a shopping trolley (14) including a body (30) and a lid (26) connected to the body by hinges, the insulated container (10) assisting in protecting the items housed therein from the ambient temperature. Pivotable support rods (15,16) extend from the top of the container (10) and aid in attaching the container (10) to a trolley (14) in use.

Description

INSULATED CONTAINER FOR A SHOPPING TROLLEY

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an insulated container for a shopping trolley.

BACKGROUND ART

Grocery shopping is predominately carried out by shoppers using shopping trolleys to hold the selected goods while they walk along the supermarket aisles.

In its simplest form, a standard supermarket shopping trolley comprises a chassis including front and rear sets of castors by which the trolley may be wheeled, and a wire or plastic mesh basket attached to the chassis, with a transverse handlebar fixed to the rear of the basket for pushing the trolley. The rear wall of the basket may be upwardly and inwardly pivotable, facilitating trolley stacking by allowing the forward end of the basket to enter the basket of another similar trolley through the rear opening formed when the rear wall pivots inwardly and upwardly.

Most food supermarkets offer a wide range of refrigerated (chilled or frozen) foods and drinks for purchase. While shopping, a customer will normally place refrigerated merchandise chosen from fridge/freezer cabinets into a shopping trolley along with other non-refrigerated items.

The conventional form of shopping trolley presents a problem in relation to the handling of refrigerated merchandise. Once removed from the fridge or freezer and placed in the trolley, refrigerated food is exposed to ambient air. A refrigerated item placed in the trolley will be subjected to the warming effect of the ambient air whilst the trolley is being moved around the supermarket. This exposure to ambient air may occur for a sufficiently long period of time to cause the temperature of the refrigerated item to be raised to an undesirable level. This can lead to the food spoiling and increase the risk of food poisoning and can also cause problems with frozen foods such as ice cream which cannot be re-frozen once thawed, and frozen meats, which should not be re-frozen once thawed.

It is an object of this invention to provide an insulated container for a shopping trolley which, at least partially, alleviates some of the abovementioned problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a container for food securable to a shopping trolley, the container being thermally insulated and including means for attaching the container to the interior of the trolley.

The insulated container may be locatable at either the front or the rear of the trolley.

The insulated container is preferably attached to the top of the rear wall of the trolley.

The insulated container may be removably attached to the trolley.

The attachment means may comprise one or more rods extending from the insulated container and adapted to be pivotably attachable to a transverse bar located at the top of the rear wall of the trolley, below the handlebar.

It is envisaged that the insulated container may be pivotably rotatable, to facilitate lifting and stacking of the container into a corresponding insulated container attached to another trolley, when the trolley is stacked when not in use.

Alternatively, the container may be removed from the trolley when not in use.

The insulated container may additionally include a lid, preferably a hinged lid.

The lid may be adapted to support a shopping basket in which additional goods may be stored at ambient temperature.

The lid may include a peripheral flange or other retaining means for retaining the shopping basket, preventing it from slipping off the lid.

The lid may be reinforced to bear the weight of the shopping basket.

The insulated container may be manufactured from a range of insulating materials, and may be flexible or rigid. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the insulated container has a hard durable plastic finish.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a representation of an insulated container for use in a shopping trolley;

Figure 2 is a representation of the insulated container in a trolley;

Figure 3 is a further representation of the insulated container;

Figure 4 is a representation of the insulated container and trolley stacked when not in use; and

Figure 5 is a further representation of the stacked containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to figure 1 the insulated container 10 includes a body 30 and a lid 26 connected to the body 30 by hinges 32. The lid 26 closes the opening of the container 10, and assists in protecting the items housed in the container 10 from the ambient temperature. Pivotable support rods 15,16 extend from the top of the container 10 and aid in attaching the container to a trolley in use.

Referring to figures 2 & 3, the insulated container 10 is attached to a transverse bar 12 located at the top of the rear wall 20 of a shopping trolley 14 by pivotable support rods 15,16 extending from the container 10. The transverse bar 12 is located below the handlebar 17 of the trolley. The rear wall 20 of the trolley is pivotable about a hinge 22.

In use, a shopper will store perishable chilled and frozen items that he/she has removed from the supermarket's refrigerating units in the insulated container while shopping. This means that the items are protected from the ambient temperature and remain cold.

Alternatively the shopper could store warm food obtained from the delicatessen in the insulated container, to keep it hot. Once the shopper reaches the checkout, the items are removed from the container and rung up on the till. Once the goods have been rung up and paid for, the shopper can restock the container with the chilled and frozen items for transport to the shopper's car.

When not in use, and referring to figures 4 & 5, the trolley 14 may be stacked with other trolleys in the usual manner. The front 24 of the trolley 14 may be pushed into the back 42 of a trolley 44 of similar design. The back 42 of the second trolley 44 pivots upwards and inwards, to allow the first trolley 4 to be stacked.

At the same time, the shopper can pivot the insulated container 10 upwards about the transverse bar 12, and slide the container 10 partway into a similar container 40 located on the second trolley 44. It is envisaged that the containers (10, 40) will be slightly tapered towards their base to allow for stacking.

Numerous modifications to this embodiment are possible, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the insulated container could be manufactured from a range of materials and can be adapted to fit on a range of trolley designs. The container may also be removed from the trolley. Furthermore, the lid may be adapted to support and retain a shopping basket in which additional non-perishable items may be stored at ambient temperature.

The invention therefore provides a novel insulated container for a shopping trolley.

Claims

1. Acontainer (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14), characterised in that the container (10)is thermally insulated and includes means for attaching the container to the interior of the trolley.

2. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the insulated container (10)is located at either the front or the rear of the trolley (14).

3. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the insulated container ( 0)is located at the rear of the trolley (14).

4. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the insulated container (10) is attached to the top of the rear wall (20) of the trolley ( 4).

5. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the attachment means comprises one or more connecting rods (15,16) extending from the insulated container (10).

6. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the connecting rods (15,16) are attachable to a transverse bar (12) located at the top of the rear wall (20) of the trolley (14), below the handlebar (17).

7. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in either of claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the connecting rods (15,16) arepivotably attachable to a transverse bar (12) located at the top of the rear wall (20) of the trolley (14), below the handlebar (17).

8. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the insulated container (10)is pivotably rotatable, to facilitate lifting and stacking of the container (10) into a corresponding insulated container (40) attached to another trolley (44), when the trolley (14) is stacked when not in use.

9. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the insulated container (10) isremoveable from the trolley (14).

10. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to9, characterised in that the insulated container (10) includes a lid (26).

11. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the lid (26) is hinged.

12. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in either of

10 or 11 , characterised in that the lid (26) is adapted to support a shopping basket for storing additional goods at ambient temperature.

13. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in claim 12, characterised in that the lid (26) includes a peripheral flange for retaining the shopping basket, preventing it from slipping off the lid (26).

14. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed ineither of claims 12 or 13, characterised in that the lid (26)is reinforced to bear the weight of the shopping basket.

15. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the insulated container (10) is manufactured from a range of insulating materials, and may be flexible or rigid.

16. A container (10) for food securable to a shopping trolley (14) as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the insulated container has a hard durable plastic finish.