Brakes – Vehicle – Top shoes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2001-09-25
Graham, Matthew C. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Vehicle
Top shoes
C188S001120, C188S019000, C280S033994
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293369
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shopping cart locking system and more particularly pertains to precluding inadvertent rolling of shopping carts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of shopping carts and locking systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, shopping carts and locking systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of precluding inadvertent rolling of wheeled shopping carts are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,622 to Smith et al. discloses a shopping cart foot brake assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,000 to Rutter et al. discloses a foot actuated wheel base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,536 discloses a foot actuated wheel brake. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,367 to Brubaker discloses a hand operated shopping cart brake.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a shopping cart locking system that allows abating accidents associated with shopping carts through known methods and aparatuses.
In this respect, the shopping cart locking system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of abating accidents associated with shopping carts through known methods and apparatuses.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved shopping cart locking system which can be used for abating accidents associated with shopping carts through known methods and apparatuses. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shopping carts and locking systems of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved shopping cart locking system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a shopping cart. The shopping cart has a basket for supporting items to be transported. The shopping cart also has a frame with a four-cornered base coupled with respect to the basket. An upwardly extending handle is provided at the upper end of the cart. Four rotatable wheels are provided at the bottom of the cart. A locking assembly is next provided. The locking assembly includes a generally cylindrical vertical retainer. A vertically extending axial slot is provided along a first edge of the retainer. The retainer is secured to the frame above one wheel with an adhesive. The cylindrical retainer has a rigid bracket secured by rivets at spaced locations of the retainer along a second edge of the retainer opposite from the slot. A clevis is provided at a lower extent of the bracket. Horizontal apertures are provided through the clevis and a first vertical space is defined between the horizontal apertures. The bracket also has an upper member. The upper member has two forwardly extending fingers. A second vertical space is defined between the fingers. The second vertical space is vertically aligned with the first space between the clevis. Shields are next provided. The shields extend upwardly and downwardly from the retainer. Next provided is a foot. The foot is formed of an elastomeric material selected from the class of elastomeric materials including plastic and rubber, natural or synthetic, or blends thereof. The foot has a lower end with teeth. The foot is selectively positionable between an upper inactive orientation and a lower orientation in frictional braking contact with a wheel below. An upper end of the foot has a generally rectangular recess. A knob extends laterally from the foot to assist a user in raising and lowering of the foot. A joining leg is next provided. The joining leg has a length of between about 4 and 12 inches. An upper end of the leg is provided with an aperture located between the first space of the clevis. A first pin is provided. The first pin rotatably couples the leg to the clevis. The leg has a lower end extending into the recess of the foot. A coupling pin couples the leg and the foot through an aperture in the leg and an aperture in the foot. In this manner pivotal coupling is effected between the leg and the foot. In operation and use pivoting of the leg upwardly to an upper orientation into the space between the fingers will frictionally restrain the leg and foot to allow free movement of the shopping cart and prevent movement of the leg downwardly. Alternatively, pivoting of the leg to the downward orientation with the foot in contact with the wheel will preclude inadvertent movement of the wheel and shopping cart.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system which has all of the advantages of the prior art shopping carts and locking systems of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such shopping cart locking system economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart locking system for precluding the inadvertent rolling of shopping carts.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shopping cart locking system. A locking assembly includes a generally cylindrical retainer having a vertically extending axial slot along the first edge. A rigid bracket is secure
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