초록 ▼

A shopping cart includes a base, a pair of masts, and a basket. The base extends generally horizontally between a front portion and a rear portion of the cart and including a plurality of wheels. The pair of masts extends generally vertically upward from the base in a generally singular plane exten

A shopping cart includes a base, a pair of masts, and a basket. The base extends generally horizontally between a front portion and a rear portion of the cart and including a plurality of wheels. The pair of masts extends generally vertically upward from the base in a generally singular plane extending laterally across the rear portion of the cart. Each mast includes a rear portion facing the rear portion of the cart and defining a generally straight surface, and a front portion facing in a direction generally opposite the rear portion of the respective mast and defining a generally concave curved portion. The basket includes a front portion and a rear portion with the rear portion of the basket connected to the base via the pair of masts to support the front portion of the basket in a vertically spaced relationship over the base adjacent the front portion of the cart.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A shopping cart comprising: a front portion and a rear portion; a base made exclusively from a plastic material and extending generally horizontally between the front portion and the rear portion of the cart, the base including: a frame member supporting a pair of front wheel

What is claimed is: 1. A shopping cart comprising: a front portion and a rear portion; a base made exclusively from a plastic material and extending generally horizontally between the front portion and the rear portion of the cart, the base including: a frame member supporting a pair of front wheels positioned adjacent the front portion of the cart, wherein the frame member extends through a generally horizontal plane; a pair of masts extending generally vertically upward from the frame member, wherein each respective mast includes: a rear portion defining a generally straight upper portion and a generally convex curved lower portion; a front portion facing in a direction generally opposite the rear portion of the respective mast and defining a generally concave curved portion; and a pair of fixed legs wherein each respective fixed leg extends from the generally convex curved lower portion of the rear portion of each respective mast, in a direction rearward of and opposite to the front portion of the cart, to form an obtuse angle relative to the generally horizontal plane through which the frame member of the base extends, and wherein each respective fixed leg extends from an apex of the generally convex curved lower portion of the rear portion of each respective mast, the apex being vertically higher than the generally horizontal plane through which the frame member of the base extends; and a basket made exclusively from a plastic material and including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the rear portion of the basket is connected to the pair of masts to support the front portion of the basket in a vertically spaced relationship over the frame member of the base adjacent the front portion of the cart. 2. The shopping cart of claim 1 wherein the plastic material of the base and the basket is made of at least one of a nylon material and a high density polyethylene material. 3. The shopping cart of claim 1 wherein the basket comprises a pair of generally vertical rear frame members adjacent the rear portion of the basket and laterally spaced apart on opposite sides of the rear portion of the basket, each generally vertical rear frame member defining a slot; wherein the respective masts of the base are laterally spaced apart from each other adjacent the rear portion of the cart; and wherein each respective mast defines generally vertical support slidably inserted and secured within the slot of one of the respective generally vertical rear frame members of the basket. 4. The shopping cart of claim 3 wherein each slot has a length extending along a majority of a length of the respective rear frame member of the basket, and each generally vertical support of one of the respective masts of the base comprises an elongate prong having a length substantially the same as the length of the slot in the respective rear frame member of the basket. 5. The shopping cart of claim 1 wherein the generally concave curved portion of the front portion of each respective mast comprises a generally 180 degree curve. 6. The shopping cart of claim 1 wherein the obtuse angle is between about 120 and about 140 degrees. 7. The shopping cart of claim 1 wherein each respective leg forms a single unitary member with the respective mast from which the respective leg extends, and each respective leg comprises a pair of spaced flanges configured to mount a wheel. 8. The shopping cart of claim 7 wherein each wheel is made exclusively from a plastic material. 9. The shopping cart of claim 1 and further comprising a handle separate from and independent of the base, the handle being connected to an upper portion of the basket separate from and independent of the respective masts. 10. A shopping cart comprising: a base extending generally horizontally between a front portion and a rear portion of the cart and including a plurality of wheels for supporting the cart on a surface, the base including a frame and a pair of generally vertical supports extending generally upward from the frame, the generally vertical supports being laterally spaced apart adjacent the rear portion of the cart; a pair of masts extending generally vertically upward from the base and in a generally singular plane extending laterally across the rear portion of the cart, each respective mast being made of a plastic material and including: a rear portion facing the rear portion of the cart and defining a generally straight surface; and a front portion facing in a direction generally opposite the rear portion of the respective mast and defining a generally concave curved portion; and a basket including a front portion and a rear portion with the rear portion of the basket connected to the base via the pair of masts to support the front portion of the basket in a vertically spaced relationship over the base adjacent the front portion of the cart, wherein the basket comprises a pair of generally vertical rear frame members adjacent the rear portion of the basket and laterally spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the rear portion of the basket, with each generally vertical rear frame member defining a slot, wherein each respective mast comprises one of the respective generally vertical supports of the base slidably inserted and secured within the slot of one of the respective generally vertical rear frame members of the basket. 11. The shopping cart of claim 10 wherein each slot has a length extending along a majority of a length of the respective rear frame member of the basket, and each generally vertical support of the base comprises an elongate prong having a length substantially the same as the length of the slot in the respective rear frame member of the basket. 12. The shopping cart of claim 10 wherein the rear portion of each respective mast comprises: a rear surface portion of the respective rear frame member of the basket; and a rear surface portion of the respective vertical support of the base. 13. A shopping cart comprising: means for containing articles extending between a front portion and a rear portion of the cart, wherein the means for containing articles comprises a basket including a pair of rear frame members laterally spaced apart from each other, with each rear frame member defining a slot; means for supporting the means for containing articles in a generally cantilevered relationship over the means for supporting adjacent the front portion of the cart, the means for supporting extending in a single generally vertical plane laterally across the means for containing articles adjacent the rear portion of the cart, wherein the means for supporting comprises a base comprising a pair of generally vertical members laterally spaced apart from each other adjacent the rear portion of the cart, each of the respective generally vertical members positioned on an opposite side of the cart and each respective generally vertical member comprising a single component that provides exclusive vertical support for the means for containing on one of the respective opposite sides of the cart, and each of the respective generally vertical members of the base comprising a prong slidably insertable into and secured within the slot of each respective rear frame member of the basket; and means for locomotion of the cart including at least one portion extending from the means for supporting in a direction generally opposite the means for containing articles and defining a generally obtuse angle relative to a plane through which the means for supporting extends adjacent the front portion of the cart, wherein the means for containing articles, the means for supporting, and the at least one portion of the means for locomotion are made exclusively from a plastic material. 14. A shopping cart comprising: a front portion and a rear portion; a base made exclusively of a plastic material and including a front portion and a rear portion, the base extending generally horizontally between the front portion and the rear portion of the cart, with the base including a plurality of wheels and a frame member extending generally from the front portion to rear portion of the base, wherein the rear portion of the base includes a pair of trunks extending generally vertically upward from the frame member at a rear portion of the base, wherein the respective trunks are laterally spaced apart from, and independent from, each other, and wherein each respective trunk comprises a generally concave curved front portion; and a basket made exclusively of a plastic material and including a front portion and a rear portion, the basket including a lower connecting portion on opposite sides of the basket at the rear portion of the basket wherein each respective lower connecting portion includes a generally concave curved front portion, wherein one of the respective lower connecting portions of the basket and one of the respective trunks of the base together define a mast to support the front portion of the basket in a vertically spaced relationship over the base adjacent the front portion of the cart, wherein the generally concave curved front portion of the one of the respective trunks of the base and the generally concave curved front portion of one of the respective lower connecting portions of the basket together define a substantially continuous concave curved portion when assembled together to form the shopping cart. 15. The shopping cart of claim 14 wherein the substantially continuous concave curved portion defines a generally 180 degree curve. 16. The shopping cart of claim 14 wherein the basket comprises a pair of generally vertical rear frame members at the rear portion of the basket and laterally spaced apart on opposite sides of the rear portion of the basket, each respective generally vertical rear frame member defining a slot, wherein the slot further extends through the respective lower connecting portion of the basket; wherein each respective trunk of the base defines a prong extending generally vertically upward; and wherein each respective mast is further defined by one of the respective prongs being slidably inserted and secured within one of the respective slots of the respective generally vertical rear frame members of the basket and of the respective lower connecting portions of the basket. 17. A shopping cart comprising: a base extending generally horizontally between a front portion and a rear portion of the cart and including a plurality of wheels for supporting the cart on a surface, wherein the base comprises a frame and a pair of generally vertical supports extending generally vertically upward from the frame of the base adjacent the rear portion of the cart, the pair of generally vertical supports defining a pair of masts laterally spaced apart from, and independent from, each other; and a basket including a front portion and a rear portion with the rear portion of the basket connected to the frame of the base via the pair of masts to support the front portion of the basket in a vertically spaced relationship over the frame of the base adjacent the front portion of the cart, wherein the basket comprises a pair of generally vertical rear frame members adjacent the rear portion of the basket and laterally spaced apart on opposite sides of the rear portion of the basket, each respective generally vertical rear frame member defining a slot, wherein each respective mast further comprises one of the respective generally vertical supports of the base slidably inserted and secured within one of the respective slots of the respective generally vertical rear frame members of the basket.