Multi-level personal hand cart

Abstract

A multi-level personal utility cart is disclosed as including a handle having an upper portion, opposing side portions and a lower portion, a first basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the first basket assembly being supported by the handle, a second basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the second basket assembly being supported by the handle, the first basket assembly being positioned atop the second basket assembly, and the first and second basket assemblies being pivotally supported to the handle, whereby the first and second basket assemblies are collapsible into a compact and substantially planar structure. Also disclosed is a method for deterring theft of “conventional” shopping carts which entails providing “non-conventional” shopping carts of the inventive type to users for purchase, marking the “non-conventional” shopping carts with information identifying the user as the owner of the cart, marking the “non-conventional” shopping carts with information identifying one or more vendors of services or products offered or sold at a market, and providing the user with discounts on the services or products offered or sold by the one or more vendors to the market.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This application claims priority from, and also incorporates by reference, the entire disclosure of, Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 263,299 filed Jan. 22, 2001, and entitled MULTI-LEVEL PERSONAL HANDCART, is a divisional application of copending U.S. Utility patent application Ser. Nos. 10 / 055,816 filed Jan. 22, 2002 entitled MULTI-LEVEL PERSONAL HANDCART, and 10 / 055,819 filed Jan. 22, 2002 entitled MULTI-LEVEL HAND CART WITH ACCESS DOOR, and is related to U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 747,473 filed Dec. 29, 2003 entitled MULTI-LEVEL HANDCART WITH ACCESS DOOR. [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to the use of hand or utility carts by persons for transporting goods or personal belongings, and more particularly to the use of collapsible hand or utility carts having multiple levels of containment for holding such goods or belongings. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] It is well known that shopping carts, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The preceding examples of carts and personal carts also have limitations as far as their carrying capabilities for purchased goods, and it is clear that there is a need for a personal cart that has significantly greater storage capacity, as for example one which has more than one storage compartment, where the contents of each storage compartment are each uniquely accessible and which will enable shoppers who have purchased their goods to transport their goods from the market to their home in a single trip without the use of motor vehicles. Such a cart must also be collapsible so that storage of the collapsed cart is facilitated as well. The present invention provides a solution to such a need for the shopper as well as the market.

[0016] In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-level personal utility cart including a frame with a handle having a rearwardly positioned upper portion, side portions, and a forwardly extending lower portion, a first basket assembly pivotably supported to the frame, a second basket assembly disposed atop the first basket assembly and pivotably supported to the frame, where the first and second basket assemblies are simultaneously pivotable on the frame toward the handle upper portion so that the first and second basket assemblies can be collapsed against a portion of the frame into a compact and substantially planar structure.

[0018] In another aspect of the invention, a personal shopping cart is provided which is collapsible, inexpensive to manufacture, and inexpensive to own as well.

[0019] In yet another aspect of the invention, the shopping cart is easily storable in its collapsed condition.

[0020] In still another aspect of the invention, the shopping cart will enable shoppers to own and possess a very affordable personal shopping cart with which they can take to their local shopping market, and into which they can load their purchased goods for subsequent check-out and then transport to their respective residences.

[0021] In still another aspect of the invention, a method for deterring theft of “conventional” shopping carts is provided in which shoppers are encouraged to use the “non-conventional” carts of the invention which are sold to the shoppers by markets, and discounts or rebates are made available to the shoppers by vendors who advertise and promote their goods and / or services available at the shopping markets.

Problems solved by technology

However, the removal of shopping carts from market premises by patrons or shoppers is a situation that has not been met with great favor, both in the industry and in the community, and a multitude of solutions for preventing the removal of such carts from the market premises have been devised.

The preceding examples of carts and personal carts also have limitations as far as their carrying capabilities for purchased goods, and it is clear that there is a need for a personal cart that has significantly greater storage capacity, as for example one which has more than one storage compartment, where the contents of each storage compartment are each uniquely accessible and which will enable shoppers who have purchased their goods to transport their goods from the market to their home in a single trip without the use of motor vehicles.

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