GB2182000A

GB2182000A - Shopping trolleys and accessories for them

Info

Publication number: GB2182000A
Application number: GB08625073A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Sidney Bonser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-10-26
Filing date: 1986-10-20
Publication date: 1987-05-07
Also published as: GB8526565D0; GB8625073D0

Abstract

A barrier (10) is provided for mounting on supermarket shopping trolleys (1) to prevent a child who is sitting in a seat (5) in the trolley from reaching out to the shelves of goods and meddling with the displayed goods. The barrier is in the form of a three sided pen and has toys (18, 19, 20) to distract and amuse the child. Alternatively the barrier may simulate surroundings to encourage the child to pretend to be a character, such as a driver. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Shopping trolleys and accessories for them This invention relates to vehicles adapted to carry small children, such as supermarket shopping trolleys.

Small children and babies are very inquisitive, or even mischievous, and their parents cannot always be aware of a child's actions.

The combination of these two facts can lead to embarrassment, or distress, for the parents. A particular problem which exemplifies some of the difficulties faced by parents who are accompanied by a small child arises whilst shopping in a supermarket. Shopping trolleys such as are found in supermarkets are frequently provided with a seat at the rear of the trolley upon which the child can be seated.

This prevents the child from running away, but does not prevent if from interfering with the process of shopping. For example if the trolley is carelessly positioned the child can reach food on the shelves and assist the unwitting parent to fill the trolley, or alternatively the child can throw the appropriated food to the four corners of the supermarket. It is trying on the parents to have to replace the goods after the child has meddled, and even more trying to arrive at the till only to discover that additional unwanted goods have found their way into the trolley.

It is the aim of this invention to reduce the problems discussed above.

According to one aspect of the invention a shopping trolley comprises a receptacle for goods, a seat upon which a small child can be seated, and a barrier, the barrier being arranged such that when a child is seated on the seat the barrier inhibits the child from reaching goods which are displayed for sale.

Preferably the barrier has means for attracting the attention of the child so that the child has a reduced inclination to reach out for goods on supermarket shelves. Such a means could be a rotatable plaything or toy, or the whole inside face of the barrier could be arranged to simulate a vehicle or other situation to encourage the child to play a role or pretend to be a character. The barrier may prevent the child from reaching beyond the barrier, impede or hinder him from reaching beyond the barder, or merely dissuade him from wanting to reach beyond the barrier.

According to another aspect of the invention a barrier is adapted to be attached to a vehicle for a small child which when the child is positioned in the vehicle inhibits the child from reaching out from the vehicle to handle surrounding objects, the barrier comprising barrier means to obstruct the reach of the child, attachment means to attach the barrier to the vehicle, and means for attracting the attention of the child.

The barrier is preferably a frame which allows the child to see beyond the barrier so that he can observe his surroundings and may include playthings or toys, or may encourage the child to play a character.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 schematically shows a shopping trolley in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows the barrier of Figure 1; and Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views of other barriers.

A wire shopping trolley similar to those that are commonly found in supermarkets is schematically shown in Figure 1 and is denoted by reference numeral 1. It comprises a basket for goods 2 mounted on wheels 3 and provided with a handle 4. A seat 5 extends from a dividing member 6 to end-wall 7 of the trolley. The dividing member 6 is pivotally connected to the trolley at 8 and can be folded to lie adjacent the end-wall 7 when the seat 5 is not required. A small child can sit on seat 5 facing the rear of the trolley with his legs extending through openings 9 in end-wall 7.

This construction is well-known.

A barrier 10 is releasably attached to the wire rim of the rear portion of the trolley 1 by spring clips 11. The barrier has a front panel 12 and two side panels 13 and 14 which are hinged to panel 12 by hoops 15. The side panels extend vertically upwards and are parallel to the sides of the trolley. The front panel extends vertically upwards and is parallel to the peripheral edge of the end-wall 7. The front panel 12 extends the full width of the trolley and the side panels extend from the front panel along the length of the trolley to a position beyond that of the seat 5.

The barrier 10 is more fully illustrated in Figure 2. The panels 12, 13 and 14 each comprise a peripheral frame 16 each of which carry a horizontal bar, or bars 17. The hoops 15 interlink the frames of the panels so that the two side panels can be pivoted with respect to the front panel. Panel 13 has three figures 18 pivotally connected to its bar 17.

Panel 14 has a plastics mirror 19 slidably mounted on two bars 17 and a series of beads 20 on a further bar 17. Panel 14 has several rows of beads 20 each mounted on a bar 17. The spring clips 11 comprise plungers 21 which carry clamp members 22 and springs 23 which urge the clamp members 22 towards the peripheral frame 16. To mount the barrier on the trolley the plungers 21 are depressed so that the wire rim of the trolley can be held between the clamp members 22 and the frame 16.

It will be appreciated that the barrier can be of any suitable material, such as wood or plastics, and that any toy or distraction can be included in the barrier. The components of the barrier will usually, if not invariably, be made of materials chosen with the safety of he child in mind, for example lead-free paints would be used. Any convenient mechanism for releasably attaching the barrier to the shopping trolley could be used, or the barrier could be integral with the shopping trolley.

The barrier could be permanently attached to the shopping trolley and arranged such that when it is not in use it may be folded to lie compactly inside, or outside, the trolley. There may be provided a fourth panel extending between the two side panels to prevent or dissuade the child from reaching into the receptacle 2, should the child be able to twist around that far.

Other barriers are shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The barrier of Figure 3 simulates the dashboard and internal features of a car. The steering wheel 24 projects from thy plane of panel 12' and is rotatable relative to that panel. Panels 13' and 14' have Pictures of pockets 25. Alternatively the pockets 25 may be real and capable of receiving articles.

Figure 4 shows a simulated spaceship control console. Simulated weapons 26 may be pivotally connected to panels 13" and 14".

Slot 27 allows the child to see out of the 'spaceship' The barriers described, particularly those of Figures 3 and 4 could be of predominantly transparent sheet material. They also have other applications, for example they could be attachable to, or provided on, perambulators or pushchairs, or usable as a freestanding toy.

Claims

1. A shopping trolley comprising a receptacle for goods, a seat upon which a small child can be seated, and a barrier, the barrier being arranged such that when a small child is seated on the seat the barrier inhibits the child from reaching goods which are displayed for sale.

2. A shopping trolley according to claim 1 in which the barrier has means for attracting the attention of the child.

3. A shopping trolley according to claim 2 in which the means for attracting the attention of the child includes a plaything or toy.

4. A shopping trolley according to any preceding claim in which the barrier is such that the child can see through the barrier.

5. A shopping trolley according to any preceding claim in which the seat is arranged such that when the child is positioned on the seat he can only face substantially one plane, and in which the barrier has a front portion which extends in front of the seated child, a first side portion which extends to one side of the seated child, and a second side portion which extends to the other side of the seated child.

6. A shopping trolley according to claim 5 in which the barrier has the form of a frame in which the front, first side, and second side portions of the barrier are each substantially planar and the two side portions are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the front portion.

7. A shopping trolley according to any one of claims 2 to 6 in which the barrier has at least one plaything or toy which the child can cause to move angularly with respect to the remainder of the barrier.

8. A shopping trolley according to any of claims 2 to 7 in which the barrier is adapted to encourage the child ta act the part of a character or play a role.

9. A shopping trolley according to claim 8 in which the faces of the barrier which face the seated child are adapted to simulate the driving station of a motor vehicle to encourage the child to pretend that he is a driver.

10. A barrier adapted to be attached to a vehicle for a small child which when the child is positioned in the vehicle inhibits the child from reaching out from the vehicle to handle surrounding objects, the barrier comprising barrier means to obstruct the reach of the child, attachment means to attach the barrier to the vehicle, and means for attracting the attention of the child.

11. A barrier according to claim 10 in which the means for attracting the attention of the child includes a plaything.

12. A barrier according to claim 10 or claim 11 which permits the child to see through the barrier.

13. A barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 12 in which the barrier comprises a panel framework having a front portion which in use extends in front of the child, a first side portion which in use extends to one side of the child, and a second side portion which in use extends to the other side of the child.

14. A barrier according to claim 13 in which the first and second frame portions are hinged to the front portion.

15. A barrier according to claim 14 in which the frame portions are hinged by means of hoops interlinking one frame portion with another.

16. A barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 15 which has at least one rotatable plaything or toy which the child can cause to move angularly with respect to the remainder of the barrier.

17. A barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 16 which is adapted to encourage the child to act the part of a character or play a role.

18. A barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 17 adapted to be mounted on a shopping trolley.

1 9. A barrier substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 and 2.

20. A barrier .substantially as herein described with reference to Figuie 3.

21. A barrier substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4.

22. A vehicle for a child provided with a barrier according to any one of claims 10 to 21.