Method of disseminating advertising information via shopping cart securing structures

• US 20090150243A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Inventors: Scheffer, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,905,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.230
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 3/00 Portable devices for preventing unwanted movement of vehicles, e.g. chocks
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/14 characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/049 locking against movement by contacting the floor or a wall
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49959 Nonresilient fastener

Abstract

Cart securing structures are provided for securing shopping carts. In one embodiment, the structures include 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, an electronic display is located on one of the faces of the structure and a control system is provided for presenting advertising and other information using the display.

Claims

1. A method of disseminating advertising comprising the steps of:

locating a plurality of cart securing structures in a parking area outside of a retail establishment, each of said cart securing structures configured to accept at least two spaced wheels of a cart, each of said cart securing structures 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, a power source, and at least one information receiver;

transmitting advertising information from a transmitter of a remotely located base station;

receiving said advertising information at said receivers of said cart securing structures; and

displaying said advertising information via said displays of said cart securing structures

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of locating said base station in said retail establishment.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said advertising information is transmitted wirelessly.

4. The cart securing and advertising system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said display system of each cart securing structure includes a light detector and including the step of back-lighting said display when said light detector indicates that it is dark.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cart securing structures each include a motion detector and including the step of displaying said advertising at said cart securing structures when motion is detected at said cart securing structure.