GB2408968A - Shopping trolley body - Google Patents

Abstract

A shopping trolley body of which all or portions of the leading verical edge corners and or those to the front and sides of the base where they meet the vertical sides of the body are of rounded section along all or part of their length, and are either moulded or formed from sheet material in either metal or plastic. Their incorporation into the structure can either be integral or otherwise, but their principal function is to minimise injury to persons or property in the event of an impact with the trolley body. An added benefit is that these areas can be utelised for either advertising or the application of a high visibility surface treatment to maximise safety in areas such as carparks.

Description

Shopping trolley body.

The invention relates to a development on the traditional shopping trolley, and constitutes an improvement to the open topped storage area (hereafter referred to as the body), which is connected to the wheels via a substructure, and which has a handle attached to the upper rear area.

This design primarily aims to reduce the risk of injury to both adults and children, and minimise damage to property, principally in Superstores and their surrounding environment, through the elimination of projections evident in current trolley designs.

The areas likely to come into contact with persons or property during a collision with a trolley are the leading verticle corners/ edges of the body where the front panel meets the sides, and the lower edges where the base meets the verticle sides and front panel. These areas will hereafter be refered to as the 'areas of likely impact'.

Through the elimination of exposed external corners in the thin wire structure of the traditional basket body in some or all of these areas of likely impact, the risk to persons or property is reduced. This can he achieved through the design of a body which incorprates a more uniform material surface, free from significant surface projections in some or all of the areas outlined above.

Accordingly, the design provides an open topped storage body with some or all of the areas of likely impact being of rounded section along all or a portion of their length.

The incorporation of these areas will result in spreading any impact load over as wide an area as possible.

Specific embodyments of the invention will now bw described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1. shows in perspective the areas of likely impact outlined above, and their possible relationship to the handle in the scheme of the body.

Figure 2. shows in perspective one example of how the structure of the areas of likely impact could be incorporated into forming an integral part of the structure of the body in conjunction with other fabricated components.

Figure 3. illustrates in perspective how parts formed to cover the areas of likely impact could be formed in one or more sections and attached to an otherwise complete body structure.

The area 1 in figure 1 could be formed in either metal, plastic or a combination of materials, either being moulded or formed from sheet.

Figure 2 illustrates how this part or parts 1 could, when combined with wire, plastic or otherwise fabricated components, form an integral part of the structure of the body. The joints between the components in this structure being either welded, bonded or by another mechanical means.

Figure 3 illustrates one way in which these areas could be formed and divided into separate components 2, 3 & 4 to be attached to an otherwise complete body/handle assembly 5 as additional components.

In addition to minimising the risk of injury to persons or personal property in the event of a collision, these areas as identified as areas of likely impact could also be utelised for the application of either advertisments or the receipt of a high visibility surface treatment, such as reflective film to enhance user safety in areas such as carparks.

Some or all of the areas identified above could also be colour coded to incorporate elements of the owners corporate identity or branding. l

Claims (4)

Claims.

1. A shopping trolley body which is formed of five sides (one of which may be movable), to be attached to wheels via a sub-assembly and with a handle to the rear.

2. A body as claimed in 1, which is open to the top surface, and the verticle leading edge corners and those along the base of the sides and the front are formed in a curve along either all or a portion of their length.

3. A body as claimed in 2 where the edges identified are formed in one or more pieces and either form an integral part of the structure, or are applied to an otherwise complete structure as claimed in 2.

4. A shopping trolley body substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

4. A body as claimed in any proceeding claim manufactured from metal or plastic or any combination of these and other materials.