Shopping basket system

Abstract

A shopping basket system has a handbasket 1 with at least one wheeled extendable leg 4, 16 that can be retracted and extended. The leg can be telescopic, and have a mechanism (figs 16-19) to deploy le

Description

TITLE: SHOPPING BASKET SYSTEM DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to apparatus for transporting groceries. Shopping trolleys are well known in the art and provide a convenient way for shoppers at a supermarket to move groceries around a store and to move purchased groceries from the store to their vehicle. Typically shopping trolleys comprise a nestable tapered trolley basket mounted on a wheeled chassis. The applicant’s earlier-filed application GB 2 589 170 discloses an improved trolley system operative to make loading and unloading of shopping in a trolley easier whilst also assisting a user unloading shopping from the trolley to the inside of a vehicle. The present applicant has identified the need for an improved shopping basket system that provides many of the benefits of the system of GB 2 589 170 but with additional flexibility. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a shopping basket system comprising a handbasket (e.g. rigid-walled or semirigid-walled handbasket). In one embodiment, the shopping basket system further comprises at least one extendable leg coupled to the handbasket, the at least one extendable leg being movable between a retracted position (e.g. stowed in the handbasket) and an extended position; and wheel means (e.g. a wheel or wheel arrangement) supported by the at least one extendable leg. In this way, a shopping basket system is provided in which the handbasket is operable in a handbasket mode with the at least one leg in the retracted position (e.g. to allow the shopping basket system to be carried like a handbasket or placed in a trolley / mounted on a wheeled chassis) and a freestanding trolley mode with the at least one leg in the extended position (e.g. to allow the shopping basket system to be operated as a trolley using the wheel means). Typically the at least one extendable leg is of sufficient length to allow the shopping basket system to operate as a shopping trolley when the at least one extendable leg is in the fully extended position. In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg is lockable in one or more of the retracted and extended positions. In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg is a telescopic leg (e.g. includes a leg member slidably received in a leg receiving housing (e.g. leg receiving tube) provided in the handbasket). In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg comprises a plurality of extendable legs. In one embodiment, the at least one handbasket has at least one (e.g. a pair of) extendable front legs and at least one (e.g. a pair of) extendable rear legs. In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg comprises a pair of laterally spaced leading extendable legs and a pair of laterally spaced trailing extendable legs. In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg comprises a pair of laterally spaced leading extendable legs. In one embodiment, each extendable leg is associated with a respective wheel means (e.g. associated with a respective individual wheel). In another embodiment, a single extendable leg or a pair of (e.g. laterally spaced) extendable legs is associated with a wheel assembly (e.g. group of wheels mounted to a support structure). In this way, a single extendable leg or pair of laterally spaced extendable legs may be used to deploy front and rear wheels mounted to the support structure. In one embodiment, the at least one extendable leg comprises first and second extendable legs (e.g. first and second laterally spaced extendable legs) and an alignment member (e.g. rigid or non-rigid alignment member) having a first end configured to engage the first extendable leg and a second end configured to engage the second extendable leg (e.g. an operative to maintain a predetermined axial rotational alignment of the first and second extendable legs). In one embodiment, the alignment member comprises an elongate member (e.g. non- rigid elongate member such as a flexible rod) having a first anchor provided at the first end and a second anchor provided at the second end, at least one of the first and second anchors being configured to be inserted through an aperture in the first or second extendable leg when in a first orientation and configured to be unable to be inserted through the aperture when in a second orientation In one embodiment, the shopping basket system further comprises a deployment mechanism (e.g. operative to deploy the plurality of extendable legs at substantially the same time). In one embodiment, the deployment mechanism is operative to centrally deploy the plurality of the extendable legs. In one embodiment, the deployable mechanism comprises locking means and a trigger release mechanism operative to alter the locking means from a locked configuration (e.g. locked position) to an unlocked configuration (e.g. unlocked position). In one embodiment, the locking means comprises a detent mechanism operative to selectively engage a plurality of axially spaced apertures (e.g. upper and lower apertures corresponding to the extended and retracted positions respectively). In one embodiment, the detent mechanism is provided on the leg receiving housing and the plurality of axially spaced apertures (e.g. upper and lower apertures) are provided along the leg member. In one embodiment, the deployment mechanism comprises biasing means operative to bias the locking means in the locked configuration (e.g. to bias the detect mechanism to engage one of the plurality of axially spaced apertures). In one embodiment, the trigger release mechanism is operative to overcome the biasing means. In one embodiment, the biasing means returns the locking means to the locked configuration once the trigger release mechanism is deactivated (e.g. once an activation input (e.g. activation force) is removed from the trigger release mechanism). In one embodiment, the locking means comprises a longitudinally extending rod system operative to control locking of longitudinally spaced extendable legs. In one embodiment, the handbasket further comprises a rear handle (e.g. foldable rear handle) operative to steer the handbasket system when in a trolley mode. In one embodiment, the shopping basket system comprises at least one further handbasket (e.g. nestable within the first-defined handbasket). In one embodiment, the at least one further handbasket is couplable to the first-defined handbasket. In one embodiment, the shopping basket system includes attachment means for attaching the handbasket to an outer wall of the trolley basket and / or to the at least further handbasket. In one embodiment, the at least one further handbasket is couplable to the first-defined 5 handbasket by means of a coupling member (e.g. hook and cooperating locking pin) mounted to one of the handbasket and the further handbasket. In one embodiment, the shopping basket system comprises at least one extendable front leg coupled to the at least one further handbasket and front wheel means (e.g. a front wheel) supported by the at least one extendable front leg. 10 In one embodiment, the shopping basket system further comprises a seat (e.g. fold down seat), e.g. coupled or couplable to the handbasket or further handbasket. In one embodiment, the shopping basket system further comprise a headrest (e.g. detachable headrest) provided in proximity to the seat, e.g. coupled or couplable to the handbasket or further handbasket. 15 In one embodiment, the seat is an internal seat provided within the handbasket or further handbasket (e.g. coupled or couplable to an inner wall of the handbasket or further handbasket). In another embodiment, the seat is an external seat provided externally of the handbasket or further handbasket (e.g. coupled or couplable to an outer wall of the handbasket or further handbasket). 20 In one embodiment, the external seat is provided on a lateral side of the handbasket or further handbasket. In another embodiment, the external seat is provided on a rear face of the handbasket (e.g. to allow a user at the rear of the shopping basket system to be seated). In one embodiment, the external seat is supported by an extendable leg of the shopping 25 basket system (e.g. extendable front leg or extendable rear leg), e.g. an extendable leg of the shopping basket system supporting wheel means. The extendable leg may be one of the extendable legs used to operate the shopping basket system in the trolley mode or may be an extendable leg specially provided to support the external seat. In the case of a shopping basket system comprising a further handbasket with at least 30 one extendable front leg, the seat may comprise a support structure forming part of the at least one extendable front leg. For example, the support structure may comprise first and second pitvotable base members and one of the pivotable base members may form part of the at least one extendable front leg. In one embodiment, the shopping basket system forms part of a shopping trolley system for transporting groceries, the shopping trolley system comprising: a wheeled chassis (e.g. a shopping trolley comprising a trolley basket mounted on a wheeled chassis or a basic wheeled chassis without a trolley basket); and the shopping basket system as defined hereinabove. 5 In one embodiment, the shopping basket system includes a total of (e.g. set of) n handbaskets (e.g. » rigid-walled or semirigid-walled handbaskets). In one embodiment, the » handbaskets are configured to be mounted alongside each other when mounted on the wheeled chassis (e.g. when mounted inside the trolley basket of the shopping trolley) or when connected together in a freestanding trolley mode. 10 In the case of a shopping trolley system comprising a shopping trolley, typically the shopping trolley is a conventional shallow shopping trolley (e.g. 70-80 litre shopping trolley) of the type already provided at supermarkets and the handbaskets are designed for use with this shallow shopping trolley design. Advantageously, this means that no modification of the supermarket equipment is required. However, in another embodiment the shopping trolley may 15 be a shopping trolley with a low-profile trolley basket (e.g. 2 inches in depth or less) configured for use with the #7 handbaskets. In the case of a shopping trolley system using a basic wheeled chasses (i.e. without a trolley basket), the wheeled chassis may include a mounting plate configured to mate with an underside of the handbasket. 20 In one embodiment, n> 3 (e.g. n>4). In one embodiment, the » handbaskets are nestable. In one embodiment, the plurality of baskets are configured to be mounted inside a trolley basket such that the plurality of baskets are arranged along a longitudinal axis of the trolley basket (e.g. in a single line of 7 handbaskets). 25 In the case that the trolley basket has a tapered profile (e.g. a narrower lateral front basket width relative to a wider lateral rear basket width to permit the shopping trolley to be nested ‘with another shopping trolley of the same kind), each of the # handbaskets may have a different lateral width (e.g. different mean lateral width) and be assigned a different predetermined position along the longitudinal axis of the trolley basket. 30 In one embodiment, the or each handbasket comprises side walls formed from metal, plastics or cardboard (e.g. a metal handbasket, a plastics handbasket or a cardboard handbasket). In one embodiment, the or each handbasket includes at least one carry handle. In one embodiment, the least one handle comprises a pair of carry handles (e.g. pair of flexible carry handles) mounted on opposed sides of the handbasket. In one embodiment, the pair of handles are mounted on opposed lateral sides of the handbasket In one embodiment, the or each handbasket has a depth substantially equal to a depth of the trolley basket. In one embodiment, the or each handbasket has a depth substantially great than a depth of the trolley basket (e.g. at least 1.5 x as deep, e.g. at least 2 x as deep, e.g. at least 3 x times as deep). In one embodiment, the or each handbasket is configured to allow the contents of the handbasket to be viewed from at least one side of the handbasket. In one embodiment, one or more (e.g. each) wall of the or each handbasket comprises a mesh (e.g. wire mesh) construction. Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a shopping basket system in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention comprising a set of nestable wire mesh handbaskets of different sizes; Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the handbaskets fully nested; Figure 3 is an exploded schematic perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 when used in combination with a conventional shopping trolley; Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 when used in combination with a flatbed trolley; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the large basket of Figure 1 when used with a trolley chassis with mounting plate; Figure 7 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 when used in combination with the trolley chassis of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 when used in a standalone trolley mode with telescopic trolley legs in a deployed position and with an optional child seat and headrest; Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a first locking mechanism for use with the apparatus of Figure 1 with the telescopic trolley legs in a retracted position; Figure 10 is a schematic side view of the first locking mechanism with the telescopic trolley legs in the deployed position; Figure 11 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 when used in the standalone trolley mode showing details of an alternative optional child seat; Figure 12 shows details of the optional child seat of Figure 11; Figure 13 is a schematic side view of an alternative telescopic trolley leg arrangement with the telescopic trolley leg arrangement shown in the deployed position; Figure 14 is a schematic side view of the alternative telescopic trolley leg arrangement of Figure 13 with the telescopic trolley leg arrangement shown in the retracted position; Figure 15 is a schematic plan view of the alternative telescopic trolley leg arrangement of Figure 13; Figure 16 is a schematic perspective view of a second locking mechanism for use with the apparatus of Figure 1 with the telescopic legs in the deployed position; Figure 17 is a schematic plan view of the second locking mechanism of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a detailed side view of the second locking mechanism of Figure 16 with the telescopic legs in the retracted position; and Figure 19 is a detailed side view of the second locking mechanism of Figure 16 with the telescopic legs in the deployed position. The present invention relates to a set of baskets, for this example three of any suitable material, when all put together, fit neatly into a standard supermarket trolley, and when not in use are stacked one inside the other in a vehicle. These baskets could be much taller than the height of the trolley body, so more shopping could be purchases in the same space of the trolley body floor area. Because the baskets would be the trolley body the height of the standard trolley body could be reduced or dispensed with altogether and instead a plate, for example, attached to the standard trolley leg frame could be used that would allow the largest basket to fit. The other baskets could hook over the largest basket, and then over each other, so for example if there were four baskets it would be longer than the standard trolley body. The baskets could have cut outs on the sides or side for easy access to the bottom of the basket floor and the shopping there. If only a small amount of shopping is required a user could just grab any basket out of the vehicle, and sling it over their shoulder due to the detachable straps or carry due to detachable handles. These handles or straps could be detachable or non-detachable. If a user does not want to use the baskets in conjunction with a trolley, they could use the basket as a pull or push along basket via removable or non-removable legs and wheels either telescopic or detachable, that raise the height of the basket for ease of use. The basket could have its own handle. Due to the fact the basket is raised off of the ground the user would not have to bend down so low to get their shopping out of the basket at the tills, so the tables next to the tills that would normally be used to put a basket on to remove shopping would be mostly redundant, and the user could unload their shopping from the basket around the till wherever space is available. ‘When the user returns to their vehicle and is ready to load their basket / baskets into their vehicle the legs would need to fall into the receiving tubes on the basket at the same time keeping the basket floor level as it falls toward the ground thus keeping the shopping level. This could be achieved by either a push or pull lever that detaches from the holes in the legs allowing the legs to go up inside the receiving tubes. The basket falls to the wheels equally at each corner. Or the system could simply have long rods that fit into receiving tubes and wheel tubes and are clipped in place, and when the shopping is done and the user is back at their vehicle, they could simply unclip the leg rods from the basket and put in the vehicle or just lift up and put in the vehicle with leg rods and wheels attached. The leg rods for example could have a magnet at the top and bottom, and when put inside the receiving tube at the bottom of the basket could attach to another magnet as well as a magnet at the bottom of the receiving tube of the wheel arrangement. One of the baskets could transform into a child seat with a detachable head and back rest that fit into fixed or detachable tubes that would house the rods attached to the head rest. Detachable leg rods and wheels could be attached to the bottom of the child basket due to detachable clips to house the leg rods, to stop the basket or baskets from tipping up or over. Also the system could include an optional removable child seat with clips and because everything is detachable more than one basket could have a child seat and leg rod and wheel attached to the largest basket with the added safety pins or clips could go through holes in the hooks that allow each basket to hook over each other, this would stop the baskets from coming apart or falling until the pins or clips are removed. Another adaptation is a foldable seat that can be clipped onto any basket or handle or rod of the basket / baskets or to the standard trolley body so when in a queue at the checkout tills a user can sit and relax. There is a multitude of ways a person can connect all the various baskets, tubes, hooks, wheels, etc. as everything is interchangeable as long as the tubes are the same diameter and the leg rods the same diameter and all pins hinges, etc. are the same. Figure 1 shows three baskets made of any see-through material, in this case metal wire, 5 much like a supermarket basket. They are about to be put one inside the other. Basket 1 is the largest basket and basket 2 is medium size, and basket 3 is the smallest of the baskets. Basket 1 has four lockable extendable telescopic legs in the form of four metal receiving tubes 4 configured to house legs 5 that go up inside and come down when needed into the leg receiving tubes 4. The largest basket 1 also has a foldable handle 6 that folds over 180° when not in use. 10 There are also detachable straps 7 attached to any of the baskets so they can be carried for a small amount of shopping. Also it shows hooks 8 and holes 9 in the hooks 8, so that a pin can be threated through the hooks 8 later. Also, gaps 10 in each basket are provided so the user can easily reach the basket floor. Figure 2 shows all three baskets one inside the other with the handle 6 folded over 180°. 15 The receiving leg tubes 4 go through the gaps in each of the other two baskets. Figure 3 shows how the tubes 4 for holding the legs fit into the square gaps 11 in each of the baskets 2 and 3. Figure 3 shows all three baskets about to be put one inside the other. Also, a clip 12 is provided so as to stop the handle 6 from falling to the ground when in use. A pin 13 is also shown with dotted lined indicating where it fits into the holes 9 in the hooks 8. 20 Figure 4 shows a side view of a standard supermarket trolley 13 with all three of the baskets fitted inside the trolley, with basket 3 hooked over basket 2 and basket 2 hooked over basket 1 via hooks 8. The pin 13 inside the holes 9 on basket 2 and about to be threaded inside the holes 9 on basket 3. Figure 5 shows how the supermarket trolley body 13 can be only approximately five 25 inches high, for shoppers who walk or bus to the store, and only want a small amount of shopping, but do not want to use a store’s basket. The three baskets are about to be lowered into the trolley body. Again, the leg receiving tubes 4 slot into the gaps of the shopping trolley base. After the baskets have been put into the trolley the shopper can use the handle 6 that is attached to the largest basket 1. An optional seat 14 can be attached to either the baskets or the shopping 30 trolley via hooks 8 that hook over a ledge of the basket / trolley and are held in place with a clip or pin 13. Also, a seat can be attached to the back of the trolley body via a removable tube attachment 15 and a leg tube 16, so the shopper can transport both seats in a vehicle and attach them when at the store. A leg 16 and wheel attachment 21 are shown. Figure 6 shows how a full trolley base is not required, just a plate 17 attached to the trolley leg frame 18 at manufacture, the leg receiving tubes 4 fit into the four holes 19 in the plate 17. It also shows how the largest basket 1 uses the foldable handle 6. Figure 7 shows a side view of the three baskets about to be fitted into the plate 17 via 5 the tubes 4 going through the holes 19 in the plate 17. It shows the hooks 8 and the pins 13 going through the holes in the hooks 8 to keep the two smaller baskets 2 and 3 in place. The three baskets become the trolley body. The legs can be held in the tubes 4 via magnets or pins 13 via holes in the tubes 4 and legs. Figure 8 shows an extra baskets 22 for a small child with a fold-down seat 23 and an 10 extra receiving tube 24 for a leg 16 with a wheel attachment 21. Again, baskets 3 and 2 attach over the largest basket 1 via hooks 8 and pins 13 that fit into holes 9 to keep the baskets secure. The three or four baskets can be used without a supermarket trolley as the baskets become the trolley and the legs 16 and wheel attachment 21 allow use of the system as a trolley or simply put baskets 1, 2 and 3 in the trolley or basket 1 in the plate 17 with holes 19 as shown in Figure 15 6 and hook the fourth basket 22 over basket 3. Also there are receiving tubes 25 for a headrest 26. Figure 9 shows a simple version of the how the legs 16 may connect to the large basket 1 with short leg receiving tubes 28. These tubes 28 do not protrude into the basket 1 more than approximately 4 inches, instead the legs 16 protrude into the basket 1 when not in use as legs, 20 but when the legs 16 are in use they come down to the ground and a flexible rod 31 is threaded through holes 29 in the legs 16 keeping the legs 16 in place, the basket 1 falls onto the rod 31 and rests in place as shown in Figure 10. ‘When the user has finished with the basket 1, they would pull out the flexible rod 31 from the higher hole 29 and push legs 16 up into the receiving tubes 28 and re-thread through 25 the lower holes 30 thus keeping the legs 16 in place protruding into the basket as shown in Figure 9. A rod 32 is connected to all the legs 16 so as the legs 16 come down or go up the holes 29 and 30 would be all aligned so ease of threading the flexible rod 31 through the holes. If no rods 32 the legs would all spin out of sync with each other and it would be harder to threat the 30 flexible rod 31 through. If a user wanted to put the basket 1 into a trolley or welded plate 17 with holes 19 as in Figure 6, instead of the receiving tubes 4 going into the holes 19 of the plate 17 due to the bars 32 running along all sides of the legs 16 it would be the legs 16 that fit into the holes 19 of the plate 17. The legs 16 or inside the wheel tubes 21 have magnets 27 so the wheel attachments 21 can connect to the legs 16. The flexible rod 31 can be threaded easily through holes 29 and 30 due to pointed tips 33 so easy threading and pulling out form the holes 29 and 30. Figure 11 shows how a tube attachment 34 can be clipped to a basket to hold a leg for a 5 special cargo in this case a child 35. It shows the headrest 26 that attaches into the tubes 25. It also shows how a fold down seat 23 can be connected to the basket 22 set for a larger child 35. The seat 36 is removable and foldable via pivots 40 and can be stored in the user’s vehicle once opened out and put into any basket. The large balls 37 are clipped into the holes 38 in the legs 39 via clips or pins 13 in order to stop the legs 39 from falling further than wanted out of the 10 base of the basket. The seat 36 can also be put straight into the supermarket trolley as well as a basket. Figure 12 shows a more close up version of Figure 11. As the child 35 grows the balls 37 would be clipped further up the legs 39 so the legs 39 would fall further down into the base 41 of the basket, so the child 35 sits lower on the seat 36 in the basket. 15 Figure 13 shows a simpler version, instead of four receiving tubes and legs only two short leg receiving tubes 28 are used. The legs are down and the basket 1 is ready for use. A rod 42 goes through holes 43 of the leg 44 and the basket 1 and short receiving tubes 28 all rest on top of the rod 42. The rod 42 has a pivot 45 and the pivot 45 allows the ends of the rod 47 to fall down vertically keeping the rod 42 in place in the holes preventing the rod from coming 20 out. It shows also basket 2 hooked over basket 1 via the hook 8 and pins 13. Figure 14 shows when the basket is not in use the leg 44 is pushed up through the short receiving tube 28 and the rod 42 is pushed through holes 46 of the leg 44 again the end of the rod 42 falls vertically due to the pivot 45 keeping the rod in place. Figure 15 shows an aerial view of how the rod and 42 first into the legs in Figures 13 25 and 14. Showing the handle 6 the short receiving tubes 28, the legs 44 and the rod 42 that goes through the holes in the leg receiving tubes 28 and legs at the same time. Also showing the pivot 45, with the ends of the rod 47 not showing as they have dropped down vertically, keeping the rod 42 in place. Figure 16 shows a trigger type system attached to the basket 1 including a trigger 30 mechanism 49 that a user squeezes with their hand 54 disengaging detents / clips 50 from holes in the legs thereby allowing the legs to come down at the same time into the deployed position. ‘When the trigger mechanism 49 is released clips 50 spring back to engage the holes in the legs 16 and lock the legs in the deployed position. When the user wants the legs to go back up into the retracted position they squeeze the trigger 49 and the weight of the basket 1 would push down making the legs go back up. When the legs are up the user lets go of the trigger 49 and the clips will reengage into the holes in the legs keeping them up inside the receiving tubes. The bar 32 that goes along each leg 16 keeps the legs in place when going in or out of the receiving tubes 4. Figure 17 shows an aerial view of the trigger system. As well as working with four legs it could also work with two legs in the same position as show in Figure 15. All the clips 50 are connected to each other via a solid rod 53. Figures 18 and 19 show how the mechanism of the leg 16 inside the receiving tube 4 works. Figure 18 shows the leg 16 inside the receiving tube 4 when the user pulls on trigger 49 with their hand 54 the spring 57 compresses and pulls out a clip 50 from the hole 52 in the leg 16 allowing the leg to fall down to the used in conjunction with the wheel attachment 21, as a push or pull along basket. Figure 19 shows once the leg 16 is out of the receiving tube 4 the trigger 49 is released and the spring decompresses, forcing the clip 50 to go into the hole 51 on the leg 16.

Claims

Claims:

1. A shopping basket system comprising: a handbasket; 5 at least one extendable leg coupled to the handbasket, the at least one extendable leg being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and wheel means supported by the at least one extendable leg.

2. A shopping basket system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one extendable leg 10 is a telescopic leg.

3. A shopping basket system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one extendable leg comprises a plurality of extendable legs. 15 4. A shopping basket system according to claim 3, wherein the shopping basket system further comprises a deployment mechanism.

5. A shopping basket system according to claim 4, wherein the deployment mechanism is operative to centrally deploy the plurality of the extendable legs at substantially the same time. 20 6. A shopping basket system according to claim 5, wherein the deployable leg system comprises locking means and a trigger release mechanism operative to alter the locking means from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration. 25 1. A shopping basket system according to claim 6, wherein the deployable leg system comprises biasing means operative to bias the locking means in the locked configuration.

8. A shopping basket system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the handbasket further comprises a rear handle operative to steer the handbasket system when in a 30 trolley mode.

9. A shopping basket system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the shopping basket system comprises at least one further handbasket.

10. A shopping basket system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one further handbasket is couplable to the first-defined handbasket.

11. A shopping basket system according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the shopping basket system comprises at least one extendable front leg coupled to the at least one further handbasket and front wheel means supported by the at least one extendable front leg.

12. A shopping basket system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the shopping basket system further comprises a seat coupled or couplable to the handbasket.

13. A shopping basket system according to claim 12, wherein the shopping basket system further comprises a headrest provided in proximity to the seat.

14. A shopping basket system according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the seat is an internal seat positioned within the handbasket.

15. A shopping basket system according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the seat is an external seat positioned externally of the handbasket.

16. A shopping trolley system for transporting groceries, the shopping trolley system comprising; a wheeled chassis; and a shopping basket system as defined in any of claims 1-15.

Images