Shopping cart collection vehicle and method

• US 6,832,884 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coy J. Robinson
• Original Assignee: Coy J. Robinson
• Inventors: Robinson, Coy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US10/219,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 414/27, 414/434, 414/435, 414/436, 414/539, 414/551, 414/642, 414/662, 414/785, 414/789.7, 280/33.991, 280/33.992, 280/33.996, 280/33.997, 280/33.998
• US Class Current: 414/539
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1404 Means for facilitating stowing or transporting of the trolleys; Antitheft arrangements B62B5/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/12 Platforms; Forks; Other load supporting or gripping members
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/18 Load gripping or retaining means

Abstract

A new and improved shopping cart collection vehicle is disclosed for use in collecting, transporting, and storing various types of carts and carriers. The vehicle may additionally include hydraulic lifters, lights, a slip clutch, an extendable carrying arm, carrying boom, a carrying ram, secondary support rods, rear cart retrieval, holding pins, holding bumps, holding numbs, roll bars, a windshield, an operator weather cover, removable cover, doors, side windows, and back window, and/or the like. In another embodiment of the invention, a cart trailer includes a floor, side rails, loading ramp, holding pin, trailer hitch, and chain lock connector. An improved method of collecting shopping carts is disclosed wherein a shopping cart collection vehicle is used to pickup the shopping carts and return them to the store.

Claims

1. A shopping carts collection vehicle comprising:

a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controlling the movement and direction of the vehicle;

at least one shopping cart support device selected from at least one of an arm, boom, lift, cylinder, and shaft extending from at least one of the front and rear of the vehicle and providing for the collection, storage and transport of a plurality of shopping carts thereon with each cart being supported above the ground by the shopping cart support device at least during transport; and

,

at least two side arms having front wheels being capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of each of said carts being supported above the ground by the shopping carts support device;

device adjustment means for selectively raising and lowering at least one end of the device, wherein said at least one shopping cart support device is vertically adjustable to provide for the lowering of the device to sequentially collect each cart, and the raising of the device for storage and transportation of the carts;

device extending means for selectively extending and retracting at least a portion of the device wherein said vertically adjustable at least one shopping cart support device is also extendable to increase the effective length of the device and thereby provide for the collection, storage and transport of additional carts.

2. The shopping cart collection vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said vertically adjustable and extendable shopping cart support device is also articulated to provide for the raising of the device when not in use to at least shorten the overall length of the shopping cart collection vehicle and thereby provide for enhanced maneuverability thereof.

3. The shopping cart collection vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein said articulated shopping cart support device is raised to a substantially vertical position within a frame member and thereafter extended and retracted to selectively raise and lower the frame member and thereby provide for a forklift type operation of a fork bar attached to the frame member using at least one forklift fork adapted to be attached to the fork bar attached to said frame member.

4. A shopping cart collection vehicle comprising:

a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controlling the movement and direction of the vehicle;

at least one shopping cart support device selected from at least one of an arm, boom, lift, cylinder, and shaft extending from at least one of the front and rear of the vehicle and providing for the collection, storage and transport of a plurality of shopping carts thereon with each cart being supported above the around by the shopping cart support device at least during transport; and

,

at least two side arms having front wheels being capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of each of said cart being supported above the around by the shopping cart support device;

wherein said shopping cart support device includes attachment means adapted to be selectively attached to a fork bar of a forklift, vertical support means extending from said attachment means for supporting a substantially horizontally extending shopping cart support arm, boom, lift, cylinder, or shaft, and at least one shopping cart stabilizer rod or shaft extending substantially horizontally from said vertical support means to facilitate and maintain upright positioning of one or more shopping carts during collection, storage, or transport thereof.

5. A shopping cart collection vehicle comprising:

a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controlling the movement and direction of the vehicle,

at least one shopping cart support device selected from at least one of an arm, boom, lift, cylinder, and shaft extending from at least one of the front and rear of the vehicle and providing for the collection, storage and transport of a plurality of shopping carts thereon with each cart being supported above the around by the shopping cart support device at least during transport, and wherein said at least one shopping cart support device is vertically adjustable to provide for the lowering of the device to sequentially collect each cart, and the raisins of the device for storage and transportation of the carts;

device extending means for selectively extending and retracting at least a portion of the device;

device adjustment means for selectively raisins and lowering at least one end of the device, wherein said device adjustment means comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder; and

,

at least two side arms having at least two front wheels and capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of each of said carts being supported above the ground;

wherein said vertically adjustable at least one shopping cart support device is also extendable to increase the effective length of the device and thereby provide for the collection, storage and transport of additional carts.

6. The shopping cart collection vehicle as recited in claim 5, wherein said vertically adjustable and extendable shopping cart support device is also articulated to provide for the raising of the device when not in use to at least shorten the overall length of the shopping cart collection vehicle and thereby provide for enhanced maneuverability thereof.

7. The shopping cart collection vehicle as recited in claim 6, wherein said articulated shopping cart support device is raised to a substantially vertical position within a frame member and thereafter extended and retracted to selectively raise and lower the frame member and thereby provide for a forklift type operation of a fork bar attached to the frame member using at least one forklift fork adapted to be attached to the fork bar attached to said frame member.

8. A shopping cart collection vehicle comprising:

a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controlling the movement and direction of the vehicle,

at least one shoppina cart support device selected from at least one of an arm, boom, lift, cylinder, and shaft extending from at least one of the front and rear of the vehicle and providing for the collection, storage and transport of a plurality of shopping carts thereon with each cart being supported above the ground by the shopping cart support device at least during transport, and wherein said at least one shopping cart support device is vertically adjustable to provide for the lowering of the device to sequentially collect each cart, and the raising of the device for storage and transportation of the carts; and

,

device adjustment means for selectively raising and lowering at least one end of the device, wherein said device adjustment means comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder; and

,

at least two side arms having at least two front wheels and capable of supporting substantially all of the weight of each of said carts being supported above the ground;

wherein said shopping cart support device includes attachment means adapted to be selectively attached to a fork bar of a forklift, vertical support means extending from said attachment means for supporting a substantially horizontally extending shopping cart support arm, boom, lift, cylinder, or shaft, and at least one shopping cart stabilizer rod or shaft extending substantially horizontally from said vertical support means to facilitate and maintain upright positioning of one or more shopping carts during collection, storage or transport thereof.