Collapsible shopping cart apparatus

• US 9,126,610 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sagi Abiri
• Original Assignee: Sagi Abiri
• Inventors: Abiri, Sagi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US14/279,436
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 280/30, 280/47.34, 280/47.35, 280/79.11, 280/638, 280/639, 280/640, 280/651
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/252 by using ball-shaped wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/027 collapsible shopping trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0003 Adaptations for loading in or on a vehicle

Abstract

A collapsible shopping cart apparatus allows a person to load and unload items from a vehicle without having to remove the items from a shopping cart. The apparatus includes a plurality of panels including a back panel, a bottom panel, a front panel and a pair of side panels. A frame is coupled to and extends around a perimeter edge of the bottom panel. The frame and the plurality of panels define a basket. A plurality of legs is coupled to the frame. Each of the legs is pivotable relative to the frame between a use position and a storage position. A plurality of swivelable casters is configured for contacting a ground surface when the legs are in the use position. Each of the casters is coupled to a bottom end of an associated one of the legs.

Claims

1. A collapsible shopping cart apparatus comprising:

a plurality of panels, said plurality of panels including a back panel, a bottom panel, a front panel and a pair of side panels, said side panels extending between said front panel and said back panel, said bottom panel extending between said side panels and between said front panel and said back panel;

a frame coupled to and extending around a perimeter edge of said bottom panel, said frame coupling said bottom panel to each of said front panel, said back panel and said pair of side panels, said frame and said plurality of panels defining a basket;

a plurality of legs coupled to said frame, each of said legs being pivotable relative to said frame between a use position and a storage position, said plurality of legs including a pair of front legs positioned proximate said front panel and a pair of rear legs positioned proximate said back panel;

a plurality of swivelable casters, each of said casters being coupled to a bottom end of an associated one of said legs, said casters being configured for contacting a ground surface when said legs are in the use position;

a plurality of leg mounts coupled to said frame, each of said leg mounts extending downwardly from said frame, each of said legs being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said leg mounts at an associated leg pivot point on each said leg;

a pair of slots extending into said frame;

a pair of rods, each of said rods being positioned in an associated one of said slots; and

a pair of braces, each of said braces being attached to and extending between said frame and an associated one of said front legs, each of said braces having a first end and a second end, said first end of each of said braces being pivotally coupled to said associated front leg, said second end of each of said braces being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said rods, each of said braces being configured to pivot said associated front leg and said associated rear leg between the use and storage positions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an upper edge of each of said side panels slanting upwardly between said front panel and said back panel such that a height of each of said side panels is greatest proximate said back panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

said basket being pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded position, said front panel having a bottom edge pivotally coupled to a front portion of said frame, said back panel having a lower edge pivotally coupled to a rear portion of said frame, each of said side panels having a lowermost edge pivotally coupled to a respective side portion of said frame; and

a plurality of clips coupling each said side panel to said back panel and said front panel, said clips being selectively detachable from said basket to permit said basket to pivot freely with respect to said frame whereby said basket is collapsible.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising each of said back panel, said bottom panel, said front panel and said pair of side panels being coplanar when said basket is in the folded position.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a top edge of said back panel extending above each of said front panel and said pair of side panels when said basket is in the unfolded position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising each of said legs being telescopic wherein a length of each of said legs is selectively adjustable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a front support having a top surface being planar, said front support having a top edge pivotally coupled to an inner side of said front panel wherein said top surface is configured to support objects positioned thereon when said top surface is positioned transversely relative to said front panel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rear support having an upper surface being planar, said rear support having an upper edge pivotally coupled to an inner side of said back panel wherein said upper surface is configured to support objects positioned thereon when said upper surface is positioned transversely relative to said back panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle coupled to said basket, said handle having a pair of spaced arms and a transverse gripping portion coupled to and extending between said spaced arms.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wheels coupled to said bottom panel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of housings coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom panel, each of said wheels being mounted in an associated one of said housings, said wheels being rotatable within said associated housing and configured for facilitating movement of said basket against a floor surface of a vehicle when said legs are in the storage position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of leg locking assemblies, each said leg locking assembly being coupled to an associated one of said legs and said associated leg mount such that each said leg locking assembly selectively engages said associated leg to said associated leg mount wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said leg locking assemblies includes a plurality of leg locking members and a plurality of retaining members, each said leg locking member being a ball extending from said associated leg, each of said retaining members being coupled to an associated one of said leg mounts, each of said leg locking members selectively engaging an associated one of said retaining members wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position, each of said retaining members comprising a hole extending through said associated leg mount wherein each said ball selectively engages an associated one of said holes wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position, each of said balls being positioned between each of a top end and said leg pivot point of said associated leg.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising said wheels including a pair of front wheels positioned proximate said front panel and a pair of rear wheels positioned proximate said back panel.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising each of said braces urging said associated rod against said associated rear leg between a top end and said leg pivot point of said associated rear leg when said associated front leg is pivoted into the storage position such that said associated rear leg is also pivoted into the storage position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a pair of biasing members, each of said biasing members being positioned in an associated one of said slots, each of said biasing members being positioned between an associated one of said rods and a rear end of said associated slot such that each of said biasing members is positioned proximate said back panel, each of said biasing members biasing said associated rod away from said back panel.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising each of said rods including a tab extending outwardly from said associated rod, each of said tabs abutting an associated one of said rear legs between said top end and said leg pivot point of said associated rear leg.

18. A collapsible shopping cart apparatus comprising:

a plurality of panels, said plurality of panels including a back panel, a bottom panel, a front panel and a pair of side panels, said side panels extending between said front panel and said back panel, said bottom panel extending between said side panels and between said front panel and said back panel, an upper edge of each of said side panels slanting upwardly between said front panel and said back panel such that a height of each of said side panels is greatest proximate said back panel;

a frame coupled to and extending around a perimeter edge of said bottom panel, said frame coupling said bottom panel to each of said front panel, said back panel and said pair of side panels, said frame and said plurality of panels defining a basket;

wherein said basket is pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded position, said front panel having a bottom edge pivotally coupled to a front portion of said frame, said back panel having a lower edge pivotally coupled to a rear portion of said frame, each of said side panels having a lowermost edge pivotally coupled to a respective side portion of said frame, each of said back panel, said bottom panel, said front panel and said pair of side panels being coplanar when said basket is in the folded position, a top edge of said back panel extending above each of said front panel and said pair of side panels when said basket is in the unfolded position;

a plurality of clips coupling each said side panel to said back panel and said front panel, said clips being selectively detachable from said basket to permit said basket to pivot freely with respect to said frame whereby said basket is collapsible;

a plurality of openings positioned in said basket;

a plurality of leg mounts coupled to said frame, each of said leg mounts extending downwardly from said frame;

a plurality of legs coupled to said frame, each of said legs having a top end and a bottom end, said plurality of legs including a pair of front legs positioned proximate said front panel and a pair of rear legs positioned proximate said back panel, each of said legs being telescopic wherein a length of each of said legs is selectively adjustable, each of said legs being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said leg mounts at an associated leg pivot point on each said leg, each of said leg pivot points being spaced from said top end of said associated leg, each of said legs being pivotable between a use position and a storage position, said front legs pivoting toward said back panel and said rear legs pivoting toward said front panel when said legs are pivoted to the storage position;

a plurality of leg locking assemblies, each said leg locking assembly being coupled to an associated one of said legs and said associated leg mount such that each said leg locking assembly selectively engages said associated leg to said associated leg mount wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position, each of said leg locking assemblies including;

a plurality of leg locking members, each said leg locking member being a ball extending from said associated leg, each of said balls being positioned between each of said top end and said leg pivot point of said associated leg; and

a plurality of retaining members, each of said retaining members being coupled to an associated one of said leg mounts, each of said leg locking members selectively engaging an associated one of said retaining members wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position, each of said retaining members comprising a hole extending through said associated leg mount wherein each said ball selectively engages an associated one of said holes wherein said associated leg is retained in the use position;

a pair of slots extending into said frame;

a pair of rods, each of said rods being positioned in an associated one of said slots, each of said rods including a tab extending outwardly from said associated rod, each of said tabs abutting an associated one of said rear legs between said top end and said leg pivot point of said associated rear leg;

a pair of braces, each of said braces being attached to and extending between said frame and an associated one of said front legs, each of said braces having a first end and a second end, said first end of each of said braces being pivotally coupled to said associated front leg, said second end of each of said braces being pivotally coupled to an associated one of said rods, each of said braces being configured to pivot said associated front leg and said associated rear leg between the use and storage positions, each of said braces urging said associated rod against said associated rear leg between said top end and said leg pivot point of said associated rear leg when said associated front leg is pivoted into the storage position such that said associated rear leg is also pivoted into the storage position;

a pair of biasing members, each of said biasing members being positioned in an associated one of said slots, each of said biasing members being positioned between an associated one of said rods and a rear end of said associated slot such that each of said biasing members is positioned proximate said back panel, each of said biasing members biasing said associated rod away from said back panel;

a plurality of swivelable casters, each of said casters being coupled to said bottom end of an associated one of said legs, said casters being configured for contacting a ground surface when said legs are in the use position;

a plurality of wheels coupled to said bottom panel, said wheels including a pair of front wheels positioned proximate said front panel and a pair of rear wheels positioned proximate said back panel, each of said wheels being spherical;

a plurality of housings coupled to and extending downwardly from said bottom panel, each of said wheels being mounted in an associated one of said housings, said wheels being rotatable within said associated housing and configured for facilitating movement of said basket against a floor surface of a vehicle when said legs are in the storage position;

a handle coupled to said basket, said handle having a pair of spaced arms and a transverse gripping portion coupled to and extending between said spaced arms;

a grip coupled to said gripping portion to facilitate grasping of said handle, said grip being cylindrical;

a front support having a top surface being planar, said front support having a top edge pivotally coupled to an inner side of said front panel wherein said top surface is configured to support objects positioned thereon when said top surface is positioned transversely relative to said front panel; and

a rear support having an upper surface being planar, said rear support having an upper edge pivotally coupled to an inner side of said back panel wherein said upper surface is configured to support objects positioned thereon when said upper surface is positioned transversely relative to said back panel.