Shopping Cart Seat Assembly with Pivot Gate
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shopping carts are heavy, bulky, and difficult to maneuver due to their rugged construction, which prioritizes durability over consumer comfort and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A shopping cart design featuring a panoramic handle, a cantilevered basket supported by a single vertical axis, and a seat assembly with a pivotally mounted gate, all made from lightweight plastic materials to enhance maneuverability and comfort while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shopping carts are constructed with steel components to ensure ruggedness and durability, then the cart can withstand weather, misuse, and rough handling, but the cart becomes heavy, bulky, and difficult to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to plastic, fundamentally altering the physical properties of the cart components. This material substitution reduces weight and improves maneuverability while maintaining sufficient durability for retail environments, directly resolving the contradiction between ruggedness and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs plastic as a composite or alternative material to replace traditional steel components. This material choice provides a balance between durability and lightness, creating a cart that is both robust enough for retail use and easy to maneuver, thereby resolving the technical contradiction
2Reliability
If shopping carts are constructed with steel components to ensure ruggedness, then the cart can withstand weather and misuse, but the cart develops a stodgy feel and unattractive appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to plastic, which fundamentally alters the aesthetic properties of the cart. Plastic allows for smoother surfaces, rounded edges, and more attractive designs while maintaining durability, directly resolving the contradiction between ruggedness and appearance
3Reliability
If shopping carts are constructed with steel components to ensure ruggedness, then the cart can withstand rough handling, but the cart has rough edges and sharp corners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to plastic, which allows for smoother surface finishes and rounded edges. Plastic can be molded to eliminate sharp corners and rough edges while maintaining the structural durability needed for withstanding rough handling in retail environments
Data Source
AI summary
A seat assembly for a shopping cart includes a gate pivotally mounted to a rear portion of the shopping cart and a seat member made from a plastic material. The seat member is mounted to the gate of the shopping cart via a pivot mechanism to extend in a position to support a child within the shopping cart. The seat member includes a generally curved concave portion having an apex adjacent the gate and a generally straight portion on a side of the seat member opposite the apex of the generally curved concave portion.