GB2234894A

GB2234894A - Infant carrier for attachment to a shopping cart

Info

Publication number: GB2234894A
Application number: GB9017803A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark A Sedlack
Original assignee: Century Products Co
Current assignee: Century Products Co
Priority date: 1989-08-15
Filing date: 1990-08-14
Publication date: 1991-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-14
Also published as: DE4025761C2; CA2023271C; FR2650978B1; CA2023271A1; GB9017803D0; FR2650978A1; DE4025761A1; GB2234894B

Abstract

An infant carrier (2) for secure attachment to a shopping cart (4) includes a seating section (5) which includes a bottom portion (6), a back portion (8) disposed at an angle to the bottom portion, and side portions (10) located adjacent to and substantially perpendicular to the back and bottom portions; and a lock for securely attaching the carrier to a horizontal wire (20) of the shopping cart. <IMAGE>

Description

1 INFANT CARRIER AND SHOPPING CART While shopping, parents often take

children with them. It can be difficult for parents to keep an eye on children who demand attention while, at the same time, the parents are trying to shop. It is generally easier to carry children in a shopping cart rather than allowing the child to walk or wander by themselves. Shopping carts are often constructed having a flat seating section for toddlers. Small children can be carried by seating them on the seating section.

However, infants who are unable to sit upright cannot support themselves on the flat surface. The surfaces are often too wide and do not provide adequate support.

Carriers providing adequate support for infants have been developed for use in automobiles. A child's carseat may be removed froin the vehicle to provide a comfortable seat for the infant. When removed from the vehicle, these.carseats must be supported on a flat level surface and are not adaptable for use with a shopping cart.

The present invention relates to an infant carrier which may be securely attached to a shopping cart. As in conventional carseats, the carrier includes a bottom portion for supporting the infant's seat and a back portion disposed at an angle to the bottom portion for supporting the infant's back. Two side portions, each adjacent to and preferably perpendicular to both the back and bottom portions retain the infant within the seat. The infant carrier of the present invention includes a lock for attaching the seating section to the shopping cart.

For ease of reference, forward and rearward directions are indicated in Fig. 1 by Arrows F and R, respectively. The inward direction of the opening corresponds to the forward direction as seen by Arrow F in Fig. 1. The i;rl 1 2 outward direction corresponds to the rearward direction as seen by Arrow R.

In the preferred embodiment, the infant carrier includes a- pair of rear side extensions coplanar with the side portions and extending rearwardly therefrom. Each rear side extension includes a protrusion extending rearwardly and a recess formed between the protrusion and a rear surface of the rear side extensions. The recess is configured to rest on a horizontal wire of the shopping cart.

The lock is positioned in an opening formed in the rear surface. The lock includes a resilient member formed integrally with the rear surface at a lower end of the opening and is received in the opening. A rear side extension is coplanar with each of the side portions and extends rearwardly.

A latch is preferably disposed at a remote end from the lower end and is positioned at an angle to the resilient member. The resilient member is movable within the opening such that when a horizontal wire of the shopping cart is pushed against an actuator side of the latch, the resilient member acts as a cantilever, moving inwardly through the.opening, in a forward direction toward the side portions. Once the horizontal wire is positioned within the recess, the resilient member returns to its normal outwardly biased position such that a support surface of the latch engages the horizontal member, thereby retaining the infant carrier in locked position with the shopping cart.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention illustrating the infant carrier locked to a shopping cart.

Fig, 2A is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-A-2A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2BAs a cross-sectional view of the present invention as the lock is being engaged.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lock.

Fig. 4_is a bottom plan view of the lock.

41 1.1.

3 Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates an infant carrier 2 constructed in accordance with the present invention shown attached to a shopping cart 4. Infant carrier 2 includes a seating portion 5 for supporting and retaining the infant within the infant carrier. A first protrusion 16 includes a recess 22 for supporting one end of infant carrier 2 on shopping cart 4. A second protrusion 18 includes an indentation 24 for supporting the opposite end of infant carrier 2 on shopping cart 4. A lock 14 is formed adjacent first protrusion 16 for secure attachment of infant carrier 2 to shopping cart 4.

Seating portion 5 includes a bottom portion 6, a back portion 8 and side portions 10. Bottom portion 6 supports the infant's seat. Back portion 8 is disposed at an obtuse angle to bottom portion 6. Side portions 10 are adjacent bottom portion 6 and back portion 8 for enclosing the infant within carrier 2.

Recess 22 has a downwardly directed rounded configuration formed at the juncture of protrusion 16 and rear side extension 12 for supporting infant carrier 2.on a horizontal wire 20 of shopping cart 4. Similarly, indentation 24 supports infant carrier 2 on a forward rod 50 of shopping cart 4. Recess 22 and indentation 24 are oriented such that the horizontal member received within the recess or indentation is positioned perpendicularly to the forward and rearward directions indicated by Arrows F and R. A rear surface 13 is formed in rear side extension 12 forward of recess 22. Lock 14 is formed on rear surface 13.

As most clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4, lock 14 includes an opening 26 formed in rear surface 13 forward of protrusion 16, adjacent recess 22. A resilient member 28 is disposed within opening 26. Resilient member 28 is formed integrally with rear surface 13 at a connection end 32 located at a lower end 30 of opening 26. Sides 29 of resilient member 28 are spaced from edges 27 of opening 26. A latch 34 is positioned on resilient member 28 at a remote end 36 of the resilient member. Latch 34 is generally triangular in side view 4 having a first side 38 coincident with resilient member 28. second, actuator side 40 is disposed at an angle to resilient member 28, extending rearwardly toward protrusion 16. Triangular latch 34 includes a third side in the form of flat support surface 42. In the locked position as seen in Fig. 2A, horizontal wire 20 is received in recess 22, resting upon support surface 42. Recess 22 is disposed on rear side extension 12, adjacent remote end 36 of opening 26, above latch 34.

In the normal position of lock 14 as seen in Fig. 3, resilient member 28 is biased outwardly acting as a cantilever formed integrally with rear surface 13 at connection end 32. In its normal position, latch 34 is positioned at remote end 36 of resilient member 28 such that support surface 42 is spaced from and faces recess 22.

Infant carrier 2 includes straps 44 having a releasing mechanism 46 for securing the child within infant carrier 2. A slot 48 is formed in each side portion 10 for receiving a seat belt to retain infant carrier 2 within a vehicle.

The operation of infant carrier 2 will now be described. Infant carrier 2 is generally positioned in its use position on shopping cart 4 as shown in Fig. 1. Indentations 24 formed by second protrusions 18 are placed over rod 50 of shopping cart 4 as seen in Fig. 1. Recesses 22 support infant carrier 2 on horizontal wire 20 of shopping cart 4. Horizontal wire 20 may be securely retained within recess 22 by lock 14.

In order to employ lock 14 to secure infant carrier 2 onto shopping cart 4, after balancing infant carrier 2 on rod 50, the rear portion of infant carrier 2 is snapped downwardly such that lock 14 engages horizontal wire 20. Horizontal wire 20 exerts a force on actuator side 40 of latch 34 in the direction of arrow A as seen in Fig. 2B, forcing resilient member 28 inwardly toward opening 26 in the direction of arrow B as seen in Fig. 2B. Horizontal wire 20 is thus stably received within recess 22. During operation of lock 14, resilient member 28 acts as a cantilever attached to rear surface 13 of rear side extension 12 at connection end 32.

k Once horizontal wire 20 is positioned within recess 22, resilient member 28 returns to assume its normal outwardly biased position as seen in Fig. 3. The direction of this movement is indicated by arrow C as seen in Fig. 2B. Support surface 42 of latch 34 abuts horizontal wire 20 to retain the horizontal wire securely within recess 22 as seen in Fig. 2A. Fig. 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of infant carrier 2 securely fastened to horizontal wire 20 (shown in dashed lines) by lock 14.

Removal of infant carrier 2 from shopping cart 4 will now be described. The user lifts infant carrier 2 such that horizontal wire 20 exerts a force in the opposite direction of arrow A. Resilient member 28 moves further outwardly in the direction of arrow C so that horizontal wire 20 may be removed from recess 22. Once horizontal wire 20 is removed from recess 22 and first protrusion 16, resilient member 28 returns to its normally biased position, in the direction of arrow B, as seen in Fig. 2B.

Conventional straps 44 and releasing mechanism 46 may be employed to retain the infant within carrier 2. Infant carrier 2 may be securely fastened within a vehicle by inserting a seat belt through slot 48, as is conventional.

This invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Variations-and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

ik 6

Claims

CLAIMS:

An infant carrier for secure attachment to a shopping cart comprising: a seating section including a bottom portion, a back portion disposed at an angle to said bottom portion, and side portions disposed adjacent to and substantially perpendicular to said back portion and said bottom portion; and lock means for attaching said seating section to the shopping cart.
2. The infant carrier according to claim 1 further comprising rear side extensions of the side portions and wherein the lock means is formed in the rear side extensions.
3. The infant carrier according to claim 2 wherein the rear side extension includes a rear surface, the lock means being formed integrally with the rear surface.
4. The infant carrier according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the lock means comprises a resilient member.
5. The infant carrier according to claim 4 wherein the resilient member comprises a cantilever member.
6. The infant carrier according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the resilient member is movable in a forward direction.
7. The infant carrier according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the resilient member has a latch for engaging a horizontal member of the shopping cart.
8. The infant carrier according to claim 7 wherein the latch is disposed at an angle to said resilient member.

rk 7
9. The infant carrier according to claim 7 or claim 8 further comprising a rearward protrusion having a recess for receiving the horizontal member.
10. The infant carrier according to claim 7, claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the latch includes an actuation surface for displacing the lock means from its carrier-attaching position and a support surface for retaining the horizontal member within said recess.
11. The infant carrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the angle between the bottom and back is an obtuse angle.
12. The infant carrier according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for allowing retention of the seating section in a vehicle.
13. An infant carrier substantially as herein describe&with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
14. A shopping cart in combination with an infant carrier according to any one of the preceding claims.

---------Al l nffl"-CZ#2tp 14-1-FIR/71 Mirrh Hnlhnm- LondonWC I R 41P. Further copies maybe obtained from