초록 ▼

A new and improved shopping cart collection vehicle, system, adapter, or device is disclosed for use in collecting, transporting, and storing various types of carts, carriers, or the like. The vehicle may additionally include hydraulic lifters, lights, a slip clutch, an extendable carrying arm, carr

A new and improved shopping cart collection vehicle, system, adapter, or device is disclosed for use in collecting, transporting, and storing various types of carts, carriers, or the like. The vehicle may additionally include hydraulic lifters, lights, a slip clutch, an extendable carrying arm, carrying boom, a carrying ram, secondary support rods, rear cart retrieval, holding pins, holding bumps, holding numbs, rollbars, a windshield, an operator weather cover, removable cover, doors, side windows, and back window, and/or the like. In another embodiment of the invention, a cart trailer includes a floor, side rails, loading ramp, holding pin, trailer hitch, and chain lock connector. An improved method of collecting shopping carts is disclosed wherein a shopping cart collection vehicle is used to pickup the shopping carts and return them to the store. A further embodiment of the present invention is an interchangeable forklift system to allow a standard forktruck or forklift to be used with a shopping cart collection system, device or adapter and serve as a shopping cart collection vehicle. An additional embodiment of the present invention is an extendable and/or articulated shopping cart collection arm to allow for the efficient collection of a number of shopping carts, while being easily driven with a shorter length and/or raised arm when carts are not being carried. A further embodiment of the present invention is a convertible shopping cart collection and forklift vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A shopping cart collection vehicle comprising:a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controllin

1. A shopping cart collection vehicle comprising:a self propelled vehicle adapted to support an operator thereon and to be driven by an operator, and including frame means, motor means, drive means, wheel means, steering means, operator support means, and operator controls for selectively controlling the movement and direction of the vehicle, at least one shopping cart support device selected from at least one of an arm, boom, lift, cylinder, and shaft extending from at least one of the front and rear of the vehicle and providing for the collection, storage and transport of a plurality of shopping carts thereon with each cart being supported above the ground by the shopping cart support device at least during transport, device extending means for selectively extending and retracting at least a portion of the device, and device adjustment means for selectively raising and lowering at least one end of the device, wherein said at least one shopping cart support device is vertically adjustable to provide for the lowering of the device to sequentially collect each cart, and the raising of the device for storage and transportation of the carts, and wherein said vertically adjustable at least one shopping cart support device is also extendable to increase the effective length of the device and thereby provide for the collection, storage and transport of additional carts.