Shopping trolley

Abstract

The shopping trolley comprises a foldable trolley frame, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, and the foldable trolley frame further comprises a pair of vertical rods and a folding mechanism movably connected between the pair of vertical rods; the pair of rear wheels are fixedly connected to the pair of vertical rods respectively, so that the pair of rear wheels can only rotate around rotating shafts of the pair of rear wheels; the pair of front wheels are pivotally connected to the pair of vertical rods respectively, so that the pair of front wheels can rotate around rotating shafts of the pair of front wheels and rotate around a virtual steering shaft in the vertical direction; the pair of uprights further each include a respective brake controller operatively connected to the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels to brake rotation of the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels. When the shopping trolley is in the unfolded state, the storage bag or the shopping basket is supported through the bracket, large-size or heavy-weight objects can be contained in the shopping trolley, and the transportation requirement of a user is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a non-motorized vehicle, and more particularly to a shopping trolley. Background Art

[0002] Carts are often used in daily life and work to transport objects that are large in size and / or weight. However, the carts available on the market are generally large in size, making them inconvenient to use in certain application scenarios. In addition, shopping carts are usually equipped with a fixed basket. If the basket is relatively large, just like the cart itself is large, it will also make the cart inconvenient to use. If the basket is relatively small, even if its smaller size and capacity improve the maneuverability of the cart, it still has typical disadvantages, such as a small storage capacity and the need to bend over to put in or pick up items. Furthermore, the brake device of a typical cart is directly configured on the caster, such as a brake pad that can be stepped on by the user. This means that the user must adjust / stop the original walking posture and step on the brake pad with their foot to stop the cart. This braking method also causes inconvenience to the user.

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a foldable shopping cart that is large enough to carry bulky and / or heavy items when in use, and can be folded up when not in use for easy maneuvering in crowded areas. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide such a shopping cart that can be braked without interrupting the user's walking posture. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, according to the present application, a shopping trolley is proposed, comprising a foldable frame, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, wherein the foldable frame further comprises a pair of uprights and a folding mechanism movably connected between the pair of uprights; the pair of rear wheels are respectively fixedly connected to the pair of uprights, so that the pair of rear wheels can only rotate around their rotation axes; the pair of front wheels are respectively pivotally connected to the pair of uprights, so that the pair of front wheels can rotate around their rotation axes and rotate around a virtual steering axis in the vertical direction; the pair of uprights also respectively comprise respective brake controllers, which are effectively connected to the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels so as to brake the rotation of the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels.

[0005] According to one embodiment, each of the pair of front wheels comprises:

[0006] a wheel comprising a tire, spokes, a hub, and an axle, the axle being pivotally mounted in the hub;

[0007] a connecting seat, comprising a seat body and a fork-shaped component, wherein the seat body and the fork-shaped component are fixedly connected to each other, and distal ends of the fork-shaped component are respectively fixedly connected to both ends of the wheel axle; and

[0008] A magnetic induction lighting mechanism includes a permanent magnet, a coil winding, and at least one light-emitting body. The permanent magnet is fixedly mounted to the wheel hub, and the coil winding is fixedly mounted to the wheel axle, so that the coil winding rotates relative to the permanent magnet within the cavity defined by the permanent magnet. At least one light-emitting body is embedded in the seat body, and the coil winding is electrically connected to the at least one light-emitting body.

[0009] According to another embodiment, the luminous bodies include first type luminous bodies, which are arranged to horizontally surround the base body and embedded therein, so that the interface of the first type luminous bodies is flush with the side surface of the base body.

[0010] According to another embodiment, the light-emitting body includes a second type of light-emitting body, which is embedded in the side surface of the seat body so that the interface of the second type of light-emitting body is flush with the side surface, and the direction of the second type of light-emitting body is opposite to the direction of the distal end of the fork-shaped component.

[0011] According to yet another embodiment, the connection base further includes a male connector, and the male connector extends vertically upward from the top surface of the connection base.

[0012] According to yet another embodiment, each of the pair of upright poles includes a female plug-in hole located at a front bottom thereof, the female plug-in hole being coaxial with the male plug-in connector in direction and complementary in shape to the male plug-in connector.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the folding mechanism includes a pair of connecting rods, each of the pair of connecting rods having a first end pivotally connected to one of the pair of uprights and a second end connected to the other of the pair of uprights and slidable along the other of the pair of uprights; and

[0014] The pair of links are pivotally connected relative to each other at respective centers.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the pair of connecting rods further includes a pair of sleeves, which are respectively connected to the second end of each of the pair of connecting rods, and the pair of sleeves are respectively sleeved on the corresponding pair of vertical rods so as to slide on the corresponding pair of vertical rods.

[0016] According to yet another embodiment, each of the pair of sleeves includes a locking mechanism such that when the locking mechanism is activated, sliding of the pair of sleeves relative to the corresponding pair of uprights is inhibited.

[0017] According to yet another embodiment, the shopping trolley further comprises a bracket mounted to the pair of uprights and / or the pair of connecting rods for supporting a load.

[0018] Based on the above configuration, the shopping trolley provided by the present application, when unfolded, can accommodate large or heavy objects by means of a bracket supporting a storage bag or shopping basket, thus meeting the user's transportation needs. Furthermore, the shopping trolley is foldable, meaning that after removing the storage bag or shopping basket, the size of the folded shopping trolley, particularly its lateral dimensions, is relatively small, enabling it to pass through narrow passages and be easily stored in smaller indoor locations. Furthermore, the front wheels of the shopping trolley provided by the present application utilize the principle of magnetic induction power generation to instantly generate electricity and illuminate while driving, resolving the issues with prior art trolleys that lack lighting or require manually operated lighting devices. Finally, the shopping trolley has a brake controller that can be operated by the user's hands, eliminating the need for the user to adjust their posture to depress the brake pads while driving. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a shopping cart according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 A perspective view showing a front wheel according to an embodiment of the present application; and

[0022] Figure 3 A perspective view showing a brake controller according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0023] List of reference numerals:

[0024] 1-foldable frame; 11-left upright; 12-right upright; 13-folding mechanism; 14-first connecting rod; 15-second connecting rod; 16-sleeve; 17-support arm; 18-brake controller; 19-bracket; 2-front wheel; 210-wheel; 211-tire; 212-spoke; 213-hub; 214-axle; connecting seat 220; main body 221; fork-shaped component 222; male connector 223; first type light-emitting body 224; second type light-emitting body 225; rear wheel 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "X-axis", "Y-axis", "Z-axis", "vertical", "parallel", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0027] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] Reference Figure 1 , which shows a perspective view of a shopping trolley according to an embodiment of the present application. The shopping trolley includes a foldable frame 1, a pair of front wheels 2 and a pair of rear wheels 3. The foldable frame 1 includes a pair of uprights, namely a left upright 11 and a right upright 12, and a folding mechanism 13 movably connected between the pair of uprights 11 and 12. In this embodiment, the folding mechanism 13 includes a pair of connecting rods, namely a first connecting rod 14 and a second connecting rod 15. Taking the first connecting rod 14 as an example, its first end is hinged to the left upright 11, thereby being able to swing relative to the left upright 11; its second end is connected to the right upright 12 and is slidable along the right upright 12. A similar connection method is also applicable to the second connecting rod 15, which will not be repeated here. The first connecting rod 14 and the second connecting rod 15 are hinged relative to each other at their respective centers, thereby being able to pivot relative to each other.

[0029] Specifically, the first link 14 and the second link 15 include a pair of sleeves 16, which are respectively connected to the second ends of the first link 14 or the second link 15, and the pair of sleeves 16 are respectively sleeved on the left upright 11 and the right upright 12 so as to slide on the left upright 11 and the right upright 12.

[0030] Thus, when the user unfolds the shopping cart, the left and right uprights 11, 12 gradually move away from each other in the transverse direction. At this point, the first and second connecting rods 14, 15 gradually transition from a nearly parallel position to a nearly perpendicular position about their centers. Simultaneously, the pair of sleeves 16 slide downward along the left and right uprights 11, 12, respectively, until they contact stops (not shown) on the left and right uprights 11, 12. This indicates that the shopping cart is fully unfolded, its transverse dimensions have reached their maximum, and the volume and weight of the items it can carry have reached their upper limits. Conversely, when the user folds the shopping cart, the left and right uprights 11, 12 gradually move toward each other in the transverse direction. At this time, the first link 14 and the second link 15 gradually change around their centers from a state of nearly perpendicular intersection to a state of nearly parallel to each other, and at the same time, the pair of sleeves 16 slide from bottom to top along the left upright 11 and the right upright 12 respectively until the first link 14 and the second link 15 are almost parallel to each other, which means that the shopping trolley is completely folded, and the lateral size of the shopping trolley is minimized, making it easy to pass through narrow passages or be stored in an inconspicuous location (for example, the edge or corner of a storage room).

[0031] The pair of sleeves 16 each include a locking mechanism (not shown) such that, when activated, the pair of sleeves 16 are inhibited from sliding relative to the left upright 11 or the right upright 12. In other words, during the unfolding process of the shopping trolley, when the shopping trolley is between the fully folded state and the fully unfolded state, the user can activate the locking mechanism as needed at any time, and the pair of sleeves 16 will be unable to slide, resulting in the shopping trolley being in the current semi-expanded state, which may still be suitable for certain application scenarios.

[0032] Reference Figure 2, which shows a perspective view of a front wheel according to an embodiment of the present application. A pair of front wheels 2 each include a wheel 210 and a connecting seat 220. The wheel 210 includes a tire 211, a spoke 212, a hub 213 and an axle 214, wherein the axle 214 is pivotally mounted in the hub 213. The connecting seat 220 includes a seat body 221 and a fork-shaped component 222, the seat body 221 and the fork-shaped component 222 are fixedly connected to each other, for example, integrally formed, and the distal ends of the fork-shaped component 222 are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the axle 214. Each front wheel 2 also includes a magnetic induction lighting mechanism, which includes a permanent magnet, a coil winding and at least one light-emitting body. The permanent magnet is fixedly mounted to the inner ring of the hub 213, while the coil winding is fixedly mounted to the axle 214, for example, wound around the outer circumference of the axle 214. This allows the coil winding to rotate relative to the permanent magnet within the cavity defined by the permanent magnet. Consequently, when the wheel 210 rotates while the axle 214 remains stationary, the coil winding cuts through the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. At least one light-emitting element is embedded in the seat body 221, and the coil winding is electrically connected to the at least one light-emitting element. As a result, the electrical energy generated by the coil winding using the principle of magnetic induction is instantly supplied to the at least one light-emitting element, causing it to illuminate.

[0033] The connecting base 220, specifically the base body 221, includes a male connector 223, such as a latch. The male connector 223 extends vertically upward from the top surface of the connecting base 220. Conversely, the left and right uprights 11 and 12 each include a female connector (not shown) located at their front bottoms, coaxial with and complementary in shape to the male connector 223. Inserting the male connector 223 into the female connector allows the front wheels 2 to rotate horizontally relative to the foldable frame 1, thereby enabling the shopping cart to steer.

[0034] In this embodiment, the at least one light-emitting element includes a first-type light-emitting element 224 and a second-type light-emitting element 225. The first-type light-emitting element 224 is a ring-shaped LED that horizontally surrounds and is embedded in the base body 221. The second-type light-emitting element 225 is oriented such that the direction of the second-type light-emitting element 225 and the direction of the fork-shaped member 222 are opposite to each other when projected on a horizontal plane.

[0035] Back to Figure 1 The pair of rear wheels 3 are connected to the left upright 11 and the right upright 12, respectively. In this embodiment, the pair of rear wheels 3 are connected to the left upright 11 and the right upright 12 via supporting arms 17. Therefore, the rear wheels 3 cannot rotate in the horizontal plane relative to the foldable frame 1. In other words, the rear wheels 3 can only roll along the travel path of the shopping trolley.

[0036] Reference Figure 3, which shows a perspective view of a brake controller according to an embodiment of the present application. A brake controller 18 is disposed on either the left upright 11 or the right upright 12, such that when a user pulls a button on the brake controller 18, the brake controller 18 immediately operates (e.g., via brake cables) the brakes (e.g., brake discs or the like) of the front wheels 2 and / or rear wheels 3 to stop the wheels.

[0037] The shopping trolley also includes a bracket 19, see Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, this bracket 19 is installed to left vertical rod 11 and right vertical rod 12, so that support storage bag or shopping basket.Similarly, this bracket 19 can also be installed to first connecting rod 14 and second connecting rod 15, can support storage bag or shopping basket equally.

[0038] It should be understood that what is described in the above drawings and specific embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the present application, and are not exhaustive of the possible implementation methods of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various changes to the above specific implementation methods within the scope of protection of the present application without departing from the main purpose of the present application.

Claims

1. A shopping trolley comprising a foldable frame, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, characterized in that: The foldable frame further includes a pair of uprights and a folding mechanism movably connected between the pair of uprights; the pair of rear wheels are respectively fixedly connected to the pair of uprights so that the pair of rear wheels can only rotate around their rotation axes; the pair of front wheels are respectively pivotally connected to the pair of uprights so that the pair of front wheels can rotate around their rotation axes and rotate around a virtual steering axis in the vertical direction; the pair of uprights also respectively include respective brake controllers, which are effectively connected to the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels so as to brake the rotation of the pair of front wheels and / or the pair of rear wheels.

2. The shopping trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the pair of front wheels comprises: a wheel comprising a tire, spokes, a hub, and an axle, the axle being pivotally mounted in the hub; a connecting seat, comprising a seat body and a fork-shaped component, wherein the seat body and the fork-shaped component are fixedly connected to each other, and distal ends of the fork-shaped component are respectively fixedly connected to both ends of the wheel axle; and A magnetic induction lighting mechanism includes a permanent magnet, a coil winding, and at least one light-emitting body. The permanent magnet is fixedly mounted to the wheel hub, and the coil winding is fixedly mounted to the wheel axle, so that the coil winding rotates relative to the permanent magnet within the cavity defined by the permanent magnet. At least one light-emitting body is embedded in the seat body, and the coil winding is electrically connected to the at least one light-emitting body.

3. The shopping trolley according to claim 2, characterized in that: The luminous bodies include first-type luminous bodies, which are arranged to horizontally surround the seat body and embedded therein, such that interfaces of the first-type luminous bodies are flush with side surfaces of the seat body.

4. The shopping trolley according to claim 3, characterized in that: The illuminant includes a second type illuminant, which is embedded in the side surface of the seat body so that the interface of the second type illuminant is flush with the side surface and the direction of the second type illuminant is opposite to the distal end of the fork-shaped component.

5. The shopping trolley according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting seat further comprises a male connector, which extends vertically upward from the top surface of the connecting seat.

6. The shopping trolley according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each of the pair of vertical rods includes a female plug-in hole located at the front bottom thereof, the direction of the female plug-in hole is coaxial with the male plug-in piece and the shape of the female plug-in piece is complementary to the male plug-in piece.

7. The shopping trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding mechanism includes a pair of connecting rods, each of the pair of connecting rods having a first end pivotally connected to one of the pair of vertical rods and a second end connected to the other of the pair of vertical rods and slidable along the other of the pair of vertical rods; and The pair of links are pivotally connected relative to each other at respective centers.

8. The shopping trolley according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pair of connecting rods further includes a pair of sleeves, which are respectively connected to the second end of each of the pair of connecting rods, and the pair of sleeves are respectively sleeved on the corresponding pair of vertical rods so as to slide on the corresponding pair of vertical rods.

9. The shopping trolley according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pair of sleeves each include a locking mechanism such that when the locking mechanism is activated, sliding movement of the pair of sleeves relative to the corresponding pair of uprights is inhibited.

10. The shopping trolley according to claim 7, characterized in that: Also included is a bracket mounted to the pair of uprights and / or the pair of connecting rods to support the load.

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