Shopping cart bagging station and method of forming the same

• US 10,399,587 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Bacallao, Yurgis Mauro
• Primary Examiner(s): Skurdal, Corey N
• Application Number:
  US15/433,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20170174242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/26 Handbags, e.g. shopping bags
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/106 the objects being bags
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/146 Lockers, hooks, e.g. for personal belongings

Abstract

A shopping cart bagging station that couples to a shopping cart is described. The shopping cart bagging station includes a bag dispenser and a shopping cart coupler. The bag dispenser holds a plurality of shopping bags, and dispenses the shopping bags one at a time as products are placed in a shopping bag. The shopping cart coupler is coupled to the bag dispenser and couples the shopping cart bagging station to a shopping cart. The shopping cart bagging station is coupled to a shopping cart by coupling the shopping cart coupler to the bag dispenser such that a side of the shopping cart is clamped between the shopping cart coupler and the bag dispenser. The shopping cart bagging station can be mounted in various locations on a shopping cart, making it easy and convenient for a customer to carry and load a number of shopping bags as they shop.

Claims

1. A shopping cart system comprising:

a shopping cart; and

a shopping cart bagging station coupled to a side of the shopping cart, wherein the shopping cart bagging station comprises;

a bag dispenser, wherein the bag dispenser holds at least one shopping bag; and

a shopping cart coupler that couples the bag dispenser to the shopping cart, wherein the shopping cart coupler comprises;

a back plate;

a first L bracket coupled to the back plate; and

a second L bracket coupled to the back plate;

wherein the back plate is coupled to the bag dispenser with the side of the shopping cart clamped between the bag dispenser and the back plate.

2. The shopping cart system of claim 1, wherein:

a first L bracket stem of the first L bracket having a first L bracket longitudinal axis is coupled to a rear surface of the back plate at a back plate first end;

the first L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to a back plate longitudinal axis of the back plate;

a first leg extends perpendicularly from the first L bracket stem in a direction towards the shopping cart;

a second L bracket stem of the second L bracket having a second L bracket longitudinal axis is coupled to the rear surface of the back plate at a back plate second end;

the second L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the back plate longitudinal axis; and

a second leg extends perpendicularly from the second L bracket stem in a direction towards the shopping cart.

3. The shopping cart system of claim 2, wherein the first leg and the second leg extend through the side of the shopping cart, and wherein the first and the second L bracket hang from a rod of the shopping cart.

4. A shopping cart bagging station comprising:

a bag dispenser, wherein the bag dispenser holds at least one shopping bag; and

a shopping cart coupler that couples the bag dispenser to a shopping cart, wherein the shopping cart coupler comprises;

a back plate comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a back plate longitudinal axis, a back plate first end and a back plate second end; and

a first L bracket coupled to the rear surface at the back plate first end, wherein the first L bracket comprises;

a first L bracket stem having a first L bracket longitudinal axis, wherein the first L bracket stem is coupled to the back plate first end, and wherein the first L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the back plate longitudinal axis;

and

a first leg coupled to the first L bracket stem, wherein the first leg extends perpendicular to the first L bracket stem; and

a second L bracket coupled to the rear surface at the back plate second end.

5. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 4, wherein the second L bracket comprises:

a second L bracket stem having a second L bracket longitudinal axis, wherein the second L bracket stem is coupled to the back plate second end, and wherein the second L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the back plate longitudinal axis; and

a second leg coupled to the second L bracket stem, wherein the second leg extends perpendicular to the second L bracket stem.

6. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 5, wherein the first leg and the second leg each extend in a direction towards the front surface.

7. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 4, wherein the second L bracket comprises:

a second L bracket stem having a second stem first end and a second stem second end opposing the second stem first end;

a second L bracket longitudinal axis extending longitudinally from the second stem first end to the second stem second end; and

a second leg coupled to the second stem second end, wherein the second leg extends perpendicular to the second L bracket stem;

wherein the second L bracket is coupled to the rear surface at the back plate second end with the second leg extending in a direction towards the front surface.

8. A method of forming a shopping cart system, the method comprising:

providing a bag dispenser;

coupling a first L bracket and a second L bracket to a back plate to form a shopping cart coupler;

and

coupling the back plate to the bag dispenser with a side of the shopping cart held between the bag dispenser and the back plate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the back plate is an elongate rigid bar having a back plate first end, a back plate second end opposing the back plate first end, a front surface, a rear surface, and a back plate longitudinal axis, wherein the back plate longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the back plate first end to the back plate second end.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the coupling the first and the second L bracket to the back plate to form the shopping cart coupler comprises:

coupling the first L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate first end; and

coupling the second L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate second end.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first L bracket comprises:

a first stem with a first stem first end and a first stem second end opposing the first stem first end;

a first L bracket longitudinal axis, wherein the first L bracket longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the first stem first end to the first stem second end; and

a first leg coupled to the first stem, wherein the first leg extends perpendicular to the first stem;

wherein the coupling the first L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate first end comprises coupling the first stem to the rear surface, wherein the first leg extends in a direction towards the front surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling the first L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate first end further comprises coupling the first stem to the rear surface wherein the first L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the back plate longitudinal axis.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second L bracket comprises:

a second stem with a second stem first end and a second stem second end opposing the second stem first end;

a second L bracket longitudinal axis, wherein the second L bracket longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the second stem first end to the second stem second end; and

a second leg coupled to the second stem, wherein the second leg extends perpendicular to the second stem;

wherein the coupling the second L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate second end comprises coupling the second stem to the rear surface, wherein the second leg extends in a direction towards the front surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the coupling the second L bracket to the rear surface at the back plate second end further comprises coupling the second stem to the rear surface, wherein the second L bracket longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the back plate longitudinal axis.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first leg and the second leg hang from a rod of the shopping cart after fixedly mounting the bag dispenser to the back plate with the side of the shopping cart held between the bag dispenser and the back plate.