Protective guards for mounting an identification tag on a shopping carrier

• US 7,911,347 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Consumer LLC (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Alonso, Rafael, Lee, Morris, McGill, John G., Peiffer, John C., Shirilla, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US12/239,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20100078902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.8, 340/572.1, 340/568.5, 340/693.5, 340/693.9, 362/186
• US Class Current: 340/572.8
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/00 Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts B62B3/1404 , B62B9/00 take precedence; wheels, axles, or axle bearings for vehicles B60B; castors for vehicles, castors in general B60B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0006 Bumpers; Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0096 Identification of the cart or merchandise, e.g. by barcodes or radio frequency identification [RFID]

Abstract

A housing for mounting an identification tag to a shopping carrier is disclosed. An example housing includes a base for mounting the housing to the shopping carrier and a guard cover for protecting the identification tag. The guard cover includes a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base plate and a top wall extending between the sidewalls, the sidewalls and the top wall bounding an interior having an opening. The identification tag is mounted at least partially inside the interior of the guard cover.

Claims

1. A housing for mounting an identification tag to a shopping carrier comprising:

a base for mounting the housing to the shopping carrier; and

a guard cover having a plurality of sidewalls extending from the base and a top wall extending between the sidewalls, the sidewalls and the top wall bounding an interior having an opening, wherein when the identification tag is mounted it is at least partially inside the interior of the guard cover.

2. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the identification tag is adapted to broadcast a wireless signal.

3. A housing as defined in claim 2, wherein the wireless signal propagates through the opening in the guard cover.

4. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the shopping carrier is a shopping cart.

5. A housing as defined in claim 4, wherein the protective guard is to be mounted to a front wall of the shopping cart.

6. A housing as defined in claim 4, wherein the housing is to be mounted to a surface of the shopping cart and oriented such that the opening in the housing is oriented downward towards a surface upon which the shopping cart is supported.

7. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the guard cover is releasably secured to the base.

8. A housing as defined in claim 1, further comprising a rib extending between the base and the guard cover.

9. A housing as defined in claim 1, further comprising a reflector extending at least partially in front of the opening.

10. A housing as defined in claim 9, wherein the reflector includes at least one angled surface.

11. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the base is mounted to a first side of a surface of the shopping carrier, and further comprising a mounting plate located on a second side of the surface opposite the first side, and wherein the mounting plate is coupled to the base by a fastener extending through the surface of the shopping carrier.

12. A housing as defined in claim 1, wherein the shopping carrier is a shopping basket including a floor and a plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the floor to form a cargo area having a opening along a perimeter of an upper end of the sidewalls.

13. A housing as defined in claim 12, wherein the housing is to be mounted to the floor of the shopping basket.

14. A housing as defined in claim 13, further comprising a standoff mounted to a first shopping basket proximate to the perimeter and including a lip adapted to contact the perimeter of a second shopping basket when the first shopping basket is nested within the second shopping basket.

15. A housing as defined in claim 13, further comprising a standoff mounted to a first shopping basket proximate to the perimeter and including an engagement surface adapted to contact a corresponding engagement surface of a second standoff mounted to a second shopping basket when the first shopping basket is nested within the second shopping basket.

16. A housing as defined in claim 13, further comprising a standoff mounted to the floor of a first shopping basket and adapted to contact the floor of a second shopping basket when the first shopping basket is nested within the second shopping basket.

17. A protective guard for mounting a broadcast tag to a shopping cart comprising:

a housing comprising;

a base for mounting the housing to the shopping cart; and

a cover having a plurality of walls extending from a surface of the base and defining an interior having an opening wherein the broadcast tag is mounted inside the interior of the cover; and

a mounting plate coupled to the base by a fastener extending through a surface of the shopping cart.

18. A protective guard as defined in claim 17, further comprising a reflector mounted to the protective guard and extending at least partially in front of the opening.

19. A protective guard as defined in claim 18, wherein the reflector includes at least one angled surface.

20. A guard for mounting an identification tag to a shopping basket comprising:

a housing having a base for mounting the housing to the shopping basket;

a cover extending from a surface of the base and having a plurality of walls defining an interior having an opening, wherein the identification tag is to be mounted at least partially within the interior of the housing; and

a standoff mounted to a surface of the shopping basket and including a surface adapted to contact a portion of a second shopping basket when the shopping basket is stored within the second shopping basket.