Multi-level personal hand cart

a hand-held cart, multi-level technology, applied in the direction of hand-held carts, hand carts with one axis, transportation and packaging, etc., can solve the problem that patrons or shoppers cannot remove shopping carts from market premises, and the situation has not been met with great favor

US20050156406A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-07-21PRATHER JAMES G
24 Cites 13 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2005-07-21
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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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.
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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, ...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0032] The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a personal hand cart having multiple levels of storage compartments, while also being collapsible for storage.

[0033] Referring now to the drawings, and specifically first to FIG. 1, the personal cart 10 of the present invention, shown in a functional opened position, is seen to include an upper container or basket assembly 12 and a lower container or basket assembly 14. The upper basket assembly 12 is disposed atop the lower basket assembly 14, and the basket assemblies are capable of being pivoted into a partially functional position (as shown in FIG. 6) or a fully non-functional position (...