Shopping cart securing structures and method of securing shopping carts

• US 8,360,206 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kartdox, LLC
• Inventors: Scheffer, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US13/047,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 186/52, 186/26, 186/33, 186/36, 186/53, 211/20, 211/23, 410/66, 410/67, 410/92, 248/346.11, 188/1.12, 188/2.R, 188/4.R, 188/5, 188/6, 188/7, 188/32, 52/27, 52/33, 52/361, 52/364, 521/05, 521/691, 521/699, 521/74, 521/77, 521/80, 521/81, 280/33.994, 280/47, 280/35, 280/DIG.4
• US Class Current: 186/52
• 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 providing cart securing structures for carts used at a retail establishment comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of cart securing structures, 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 longitudinal stop defining a portion of said top surface and a second longitudinal stop defining a portion of said top surface, said first and second stops having a trough located there between, at least one aperture in said bottom surface of said body at said trough, and a first upwardly extending side wall extending generally perpendicular to said first and second stops from said first stop to said second stop at a first side of said body and a second upwardly extending side wall extending generally perpendicular to said first and second stops from said first stop to said second stop at an opposing second side of said body, said trough adapted to accept said at least two spaced wheels of said cart between said first and second stops and between said first and second side walls, 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 said at least one aperture permitting fluid to flow out of said trough through said bottom of said body;

locating a plurality of cart securing structures adjacent at least a plurality of parking spaces marked on a parking surface of a vehicle parking area located adjacent to said retail establishment; and

securing each of said cart securing structures to said parking surface.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of locating comprises locating one of said plurality of cart securing structures in each of said individual ones of said parking spaces.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said parking spaces have a front and back and a left and a right and said cart securing structures are located in a right front portion of said corresponding parking spaces.

4. The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said parking spaces have a front and back and a left and a right and said cart securing structures are located in a left front portion of said corresponding parking spaces.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cart securing structures further comprise at least one pin extending from said bottom surface and said step of securing comprises driving said pin into said parking surface.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of securing comprises securing said bottom surface of said cart securing structures to said parking surface with adhesive.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of securing comprises mounting each of said cart securing structures to said parking surface with at least one anchor.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising associating advertising with said first face of said first stop of each of said cart securing structures.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 further including at least one cut-out extending into said bottom surface of said body.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said at least one cut-out extends from said at least aperture to said first or second side of said body.