Method and apparatus for securing a shopping cart

• US 20050051389A1
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Inventors: Scheffer, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,070,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 3/00 Portable devices for preventing unwanted movement of vehicles, e.g. chocks
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/049 locking against movement by contacting the floor or a wall

Abstract

A method and apparatus for securing a wheeled device such as a shopping cart is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a body having a pair of spaced stops with an intermediate trough. In use, the wheels of the cart are rolled along an upwardly extending face of one of the stops, over the stop and into the trough between the stops. In one embodiment, advertising is located on the surfaces of one or more of the stops. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an LCD display located on one of the faces and a control system for presenting advertising and other information using the display.

Claims

1. A cart securing structure for securing a cart having at least two spaced wheels, said cart securing structure including an advertising platform comprising:

a body having a bottom surface and a top surface, a first stop defining a portion of said top surface and a second stop defining a portion of said top surface, said first and second stops having a trough located there between, said trough adapted to accept said at least two spaced wheels of said cart between said first and second stops, said first stop having a first face sloping upwardly over which said pair of wheels of said cart may be rolled and having a second face sloping downwardly towards said trough for engaging said at least two spaced wheels of said cart to prevent said cart from rolling away, said second stop having a first surface sloping upwardly from said trough for engaging said at least two spaced wheels of said cart to prevent said cart from rolling away, and an electronically operated display system, said display system including a display mounted to said first face of said first stop.