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Shopping cart chassisRelated Patent Categories: Land Vehicles, Wheeled, Nesting VehiclesShopping cart chassis description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060273535, Shopping cart chassis. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/937,024, which was filed on Sep. 9, 2004. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention pertains to a shopping cart which has a chassis constructed from one or more tubular frame members. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART [0003] A conventional shopping cart has a one-piece or multi-piece chassis that is mounted to swivel casters and that typically supports at least a wire or polymer basket. One such conventional shopping cart design is illustrated in the U.S. Patent Publication US 2004/0084863 A1 published on May 6, 2004 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The chassis for that cart is fabricated from a plurality of tubular frame members. [0004] The tubular frame members are conventionally formed from hollow, steel tubing, and the frame members are preferably and typically connected or joined together by welding. [0005] Another shopping cart design has a chassis formed from a single length of tubing that is bent into the desired configuration. [0006] The cost of the shopping cart is dependent upon, among other things, the amount of the steel that is used in the tubular frame member or members of the chassis. It would be desirable to provide an improved design for a shopping cart or a portions of shopping cart in which the amount of steel in one or more tubular frame members could be minimized, or at least reduced. [0007] It would be particularly desirable to provide an improved design in which the wall thickness of a hollow tubular frame member could be reduced, at least over a portion or portions of the length of the tubular frame member. [0008] Because shopping carts are typically subjected to various dynamic and static loads, including loads imposed by goods being carried, as well as by loads resulting from impacts, it would be advantageous to provide an improved design for a shopping cart chassis or portions thereof wherein the chassis could withstand the anticipated dynamic and static loads without failure or other damage. [0009] Although it would be beneficial to provide an improved design for a shopping cart chassis (or portions thereof) that could be made from a tubular frame member having a reduced amount of steel or other structural material, it would also be desirable to provide such an improved design that can employ tubing that is of a conventional type which is readily available in the tubing market--rather than requiring special non-stock tubing. [0010] The present invention provides an improved shopping cart chassis which can accommodate designs having the above-discussed benefits and features. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] A novel arrangement for at least a portion of a shopping cart chassis is provided which can reduce material costs while providing a chassis structure that can withstand the anticipated dynamic and static loads. [0012] Further, the novel chassis arrangement of the present invention may be made with stock tubing that is readily available from tubing manufacturers. [0013] The improved design readily accommodates the connection of one load-bearing portion of a tubular frame member to another portion of the same tubular frame member in the chassis. [0014] The improved design can be relatively and easily manufactured without requiring the use of unusual and expensive manufacturing techniques. [0015] The improved design can withstand the anticipated dynamic and static loads imposed on the chassis. [0016] According to one aspect of the invention, a shopping cart chassis is provided with at least one tubular frame member. [0017] At least a first part of the length of the frame member has a wall with a hollow cylindrical configuration defining an annular transverse cross-section. At least a second part of the length of the frame member has a wall with a hollow configuration defining an elongated transverse cross-section having a longer dimension and a shorter dimension. The second part of the frame member is oriented so that the longer dimension of the elongate transverse cross-section is generally parallel to the direction of the force of gravity when the shopping cart is in its normal use orientation. [0018] In a presently preferred embodiment, the frame member second part wall that defines the elongated transverse cross-section has two spaced-apart, parallel straight sections joining two semi-circular sections. [0019] In a preferred form of a chassis incorporating the invention, the chassis frame member has one or more bends so that one or more portions of the frame member are adjacent to each other at a location or locations where the portions can be connected. In one preferred embodiment there is one connection of one part of the frame member to another part of the frame member. In particular, the frame member has at least a first part that includes a first connection portion, and the frame member has at least a second part that includes a second connection portion. Each first and second connection portion defines a generally longitudinal central axis. The first connection portion is disposed adjacent the second connection portion so that the longitudinal central axes of the connection portions are aligned generally parallel. A weld joins the first connection portion with the second connection portion to provide a strong chassis. [0020] The novel structure of the present invention permits the use of a tubular frame member with a reduced thickness wall. This requires less material, and reduces costs. The flexural rigidity of one part of the frame member in a particular loading direction of interest may actually be increased even though the flexural rigidity of that part of the tubular frame member with respect to a certain other loading directions may be decreased where higher flexural rigidity is not required because the loading in such other directions is not anticipated to be as high, or where the chassis otherwise provides increased strength or rigidity as a result of connection with another portion of the tubular frame member or with a reinforcing member of the chassis. However, by appropriate orientation of an elongate transverse cross-section of the one part of the tubular frame member, the one part of the tubular frame member can exhibit sufficient flexural rigidity in a desired direction where needed to accommodate the imposed load. Continue reading about Shopping cart chassis... Full patent description for Shopping cart chassis Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Shopping cart chassis patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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