초록 ▼

A child seat assembly for use in a shopping cart and secured to the hinged rear gate of the shopping cart that is configured for lifting to expose a rear opening for nesting like carts. The child seat is secured in a lower portion of the shopping cart basket by hinged connections such that the seat

A child seat assembly for use in a shopping cart and secured to the hinged rear gate of the shopping cart that is configured for lifting to expose a rear opening for nesting like carts. The child seat is secured in a lower portion of the shopping cart basket by hinged connections such that the seat assembly is moveable between a use and a non-use configuration, and the hinged connection of the seat back is within a sliding track arrangement with the support strut such that the hinged connection of the seat bottom and seat back travels in an upward arcuate path as the seat assembly is moved from a use position to a non-use position. The rear gate having at least one lower leg opening and an upper void region between the basket top and the seat bottom. The seat bottom at least partially covering the leg opening and the seat back covering the upper void region when the seat is in the non-use configuration.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A shopping cart and child seat assembly, comprising; a cart having a lower frame supporting a basket formed of a sidewall arrangement and a basket bottom, the sidewall arrangement having a basket height extending between the basket bottom and an upper edge defining an open to

What is claimed is: 1. A shopping cart and child seat assembly, comprising; a cart having a lower frame supporting a basket formed of a sidewall arrangement and a basket bottom, the sidewall arrangement having a basket height extending between the basket bottom and an upper edge defining an open top of the basket; at least an extent of a sidewall of the basket having a gate, the gate having a gate height between the basket bottom and an upper hinged connection, the gate being pivotal about said hinged connection to provide an opening of the basket sidewall arrangement for insertion of a portion of a similar shopping cart; a child seat assembly secured to said gate and moveable between a storage position to a use position, said seat assembly in the use position having the seat bottom resides along a generally horizontal plane positioned below half of said height of the basket. 2. The cart and seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat bottom in the use position is positioned no greater than one third of the basket height up from the basket bottom. 3. The cart and seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat bottom in the use position is positioned in the lower quarter of said basket height. 4. The cart and seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat bottom in said use position is located less than 6 inches above the basket bottom. 5. The cart and seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat bottom in the use position is located approximately 3-5 inches above the basket bottom. 6. The cart and seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat assembly in the storage configuration, is positioned against the gate with the seat back located above the seat bottom. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat bottom and seat back reside along a common plane when the seat assembly is in the storage position. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein, an extent seat bottom and seat back and strut member lies in a common plane when the seat assembly is in the storage position. 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein, the seat assembly is at least partially supported in the use position by a strut member located above the seat bottom and extending generally horizontally between the gate and said seat back. 10. A shopping cart and child seat assembly, comprising; a cart having a lower frame supporting a basket formed of a sidewall arrangement and a basket bottom, the sidewall arrangement having a basket height extending between the basket bottom and an upper edge defining an open top of the basket, said bottom and sidewall arrangement defining a basket chamber; at least an extent of a sidewall of the basket having a gate, the gate having a gate height located between the basket bottom and a gate hinge at a top region of the gate; a child seat assembly secured to said gate and having a seat bottom portion and a seat back portion, the child seat assembly being moveable between a storage configuration and a use configuration for use of the seat, said seat assembly in said second configuration having the seat bottom and seat back positioned in a bottom region of the basket chamber. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein, said seat bottom in said use position is located in the lower third of the basket chamber and said seat back extends generally upward from the seat bottom to a top of the seat back, said top of the seat back being positioned below the upper third of the basket chamber. 12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the seat back and seat bottom are connected in hinged relationship, whereby said seat back and seat bottom in the storage position generally reside along a common plane. 13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the seat back and seat bottom positioned in said common plane substantial planar alignment is positioned tandem said gate. 14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein, the gate has at least one leg opening in the lower region of the basket chamber, and a void region located between said leg opening and said gate hinge, said void region including an opening of the gate. 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein, the seat assembly in said storage position at least partially covers the opening in the gate at the void region. 16. The assembly of claim 10, wherein, the seat assembly in the storage configuration is positioned adjacent the gate with the seat back being located above the seat bottom. 17. The assembly of claim 10, wherein, the seat assembly is at least partially supported in the use configuration by a strut member located above the seat bottom and extending generally horizontally between the gate and said seat back. 18. A shopping cart and child seat assembly, comprising; a cart having a lower frame supporting a basket formed of a sidewall arrangement and a basket bottom, the sidewall arrangement having a basket height extending between the basket bottom and an upper edge defining an open top of the basket, said bottom and sidewall arrangement defining a basket chamber; at least an extent of a sidewall of the basket having a gate, the gate having a gate height located between the basket bottom and said top of the basket; a child seat assembly secured to said gate and having a seat bottom portion and a seat back portion in hinged connection to the seat bottom, said seat assembly is moveable from a use configuration wherein the seat back is generally transverse a major extent of said seat bottom and the seat bottom is located in the bottom portion of the cart, to a storage configuration wherein said hinged connection is opened for the seat back and seat bottom to substantially reside along a common plane and positioned adjacent the gate. 19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the hinged connection between the seat back and seat bottom is configured to be moved in an upward arcuate path when the seat assembly is moved from the use position to the storage position. 20. The assembly of claim 18; wherein, the hinged connection between the seat back and seat bottom defines an axis of angular displacement of said seat bottom to said seat back, the angular displacement of said axis being approximately 180 degrees when the seat assembly is in said storage position. 21. The assembly of claim 18, wherein, the seat back is located above the seat bottom when the seat assembly is in the storage configuration. 22. The assembly of claim 18, wherein, the seat bottom is in the lower third of the basket when the seat assembly is in the use position. 23. The assembly of claim 18, wherein, the seat assembly is at least partially supported in the use configuration by a strut member located above the seat bottom and extending generally horizontally between the gate and said seat back. 24. The assembly of claim 22, further comprising means for restricting angular displacement of the seat bottom to seat back to not exceed 180째. 25. A combination rear gate and collapsible child seat assembly for a shopping cart, comprising, a rear gate wall configured to form a rear wall of a shopping cart and having an upper hinged connection thereto for movement of the gate pivotal about the hinged connection; a seat assembly formed of a seat bottom secured to a seat back by a hinged connection, the seat back being connected to the rear gate by at least one strut member located above the seat bottom, said strut having a first portion secured to the gate and a second portion secured to the seat back; said seat assembly being moveable between a storage configuration wherein the assembly lies generally flat against the rear gate and a use configuration wherein the seat bottom resides in a generally horizontal plane, the assembly being at least partially supported in said use configuration by the connection of said strut extending from the rear gate to the seat back. 26. The assembly of claim 25; wherein, the seat assembly in the storage configuration is positioned along the rear gate with the seat back located above the seat bottom. 27. The assembly of claim 26; wherein, the seat back and seat bottom are in hinged connection with a hinge angle along the hinged connection defined between the back and bottom, said hinge angle being substantially 180 degrees when the assembly is in the storage configuration. 28. The assembly of claim 27; further comprising, means for restricting the hinge angle to not exceed 180째. 29. The assembly of claim 28; wherein, said means for restricting the hinge angle includes a blocking member extending from the seat back. 30. A rear gate child seat assembly for a shopping cart, comprising, a rear gate wall configured to be secured to a shopping cart basket and having an upper hinged connection thereto for movement of the gate pivotal about the hinged connection; a seat assembly formed of a seat bottom cooperatively dimensioned with a seat back, said seat back and bottom being in hinged relationship with a seat hinge axis, the seat assembly configured for movement from a use position located in the lower portion of the gate and moveable to a storage configuration, said assembly in the storage configuration having said seat hinge axis located adjacent the rear gate and having said seat back positioned above the seat hinge axis with the seat bottom below said seat hinge axis. 31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein, the seat bottom is located in the lower portion of the shopping cart basket when in the use position. 32. The assembly of claim 30, wherein, the seat bottom is located in the lower third of the shopping cart basket when in the use position. 33. The assembly of claim 30, wherein, the rear gate has a void region located above the seat assembly to provide an opening for an upper torso of a child. 34. The assembly of claim 30, wherein, the seat assembly in the storage configuration is positioned against the gate with the seat back located above the seat bottom. 35. The assembly of claim 30, wherein, the seat assembly is at least partially supported in the use configuration by a strut member located above the seat bottom and extending generally horizontally between the gate and said seat back. 36. A combination rear gate and collapsible child seat assembly for a shopping cart, comprising, a rear gate wall configured to form a rear wall of a shopping cart and having an upper hinged connection thereto for movement of the gate pivotal about the hinged connection; a seat assembly formed of a seat bottom secured to a seat back by a hinged connection wherein the seat assembly is moveable between a collapsed configuration to rest against the rear gate to a use configuration wherein the seat resides along a generally horizontal plane and the seat back is positioned a distance away from the rear gate to provide space for positioning a child in the seat assembly in a lower portion of the gate; said seat back being connected to the rear gate by at least one elongated strut member located above the seat bottom, said strut member having a first portion secured to the gate and a second portion connected to the seat back, said strut member having an extent positioned generally along a horizontal plane when said seat is in the use position. 37. The assembly of claim 36, wherein, said at least one strut member is positioned adjacent the rear gate when the seat is in said collapsed configuration. 38. The assembly of claim 36; wherein, the seat back is hingedly connected to the strut member with a guide track arrangement configured for movement of the hinged connection away from the rear gate as the assembly is moved to the use configuration. 39. The assembly of claim 36; wherein, two strut members are secured to the seat back and positioned at each side of the seat back. 40. A child seat assembly for a rear gate of a shopping cart, comprising; a seat bottom platform and a seat back platform with a hinged connection to the seat bottom, said hinged connection having a hinge angle defined by the angle between the seat platform and the back platform, said seat assembly being collapsible between a use configuration wherein the seat back is generally transverse to the bottom, and a non-use configuration wherein said hinge angle is increased as the hinged connection is opened, such that the seat back and seat bottom reside substantially flat and along a common plane. 41. The assembly of claim 40; wherein, the assembly is at least partially supported in the use configuration by at least one strut member extending between the seat back and the rear gate in a location entirely above the seat bottom platform. 42. The assembly of claim 41; wherein, the strut member is positioned along a substantially horizontal plane when the assembly is in the use configuration. 43. A combination rear gate and collapsible child seat assembly for a shopping cart, comprising, a rear gate configured for securement to a rear portion of a shopping cart and having an upper gate hinge segment for connecting to the cart with a pivotal hinged connection, said rear gate having a wall region with at least one leg opening; a seat assembly formed of a seat bottom secured to a seat back by a hinged connection wherein the seat assembly is moveable between a collapsed configuration to rest against the rear gate to a use configuration for the seat to reside along a generally horizontal plane and the seat back is positioned a distance away from the rear gate to provide space for positioning a child in the seat assembly in the bottom portion of the rear gate and with the seat bottom located below the at least one leg opening; wherein said wall region of the rear gate has a void region providing a shoulder region opening for a child, said opening being located below the gate hinge and above the leg opening. 44. The assembly of claim 43, wherein, the seat assembly in the storage configuration is positioned along the rear gate with the seat back located above the seat bottom. 45. The assembly of claim 44; wherein, the seat back and seat bottom are in hinged connection with a hinge angle along the hinged connection defined between the back and bottom, said hinge angle being substantially 180 degrees when the assembly is in the storage configuration. 46. The assembly of claim 45; further comprising, means for restricting the hinge angle to not exceed 180 degrees. 47. The assembly of claim 43; wherein, the seat back is connected to the rear gate by at least one strut member located above the seat bottom, said strut member having a first portion secured to the gate and a second portion with a guide surface engaged with a mating surface of the seat back, the engagement of said guide surface of the strut and the mating surface of the seat back is configured to provide a guide track arrangement for movement of the seat back relative the rear gate. 48. The assembly of claim 46, wherein, said strut member is positioned adjacent the rear gate when the seat is in the storage configuration, and the strut member extends from the rear gate to the seat back positioned a distance away from the rear gate when the seat assembly is moved to the use configuration. 49. The assembly of claim 43; wherein, said at least one leg opening is configured to provide openings for more than one child.