Patents by Inventor James G. Prather
James G. Prather has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7445215Abstract: An anti-theft system for a shopping cart includes a mounting structure for supporting anti-theft apparatus on the cart, the mounting structure being secured to the base frame of the cart. The anti-theft apparatus is removably carried by the mounting structure, with the anti-theft apparatus including a collapsible front suspension assembly having a housing; a first set of casters mounted to the housing, retractable pin elements carried by the housing and engagable with the mounting structure for maintaining the front suspension assembly in operative mode in which the first set of casters engage a supporting surface, a sensor assembly for detecting an activation signal and actuating the retractable pin elements to cause retraction of the pin elements and render the front suspension assembly inoperative, and a second set of casters fixed to the shopping cart base frame for preventing the cart from moving in a linear direction when the front suspension assembly is rendered inoperative.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: Mind Wurx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick A. Maandag, Harold Duffy
-
Patent number: 7322582Abstract: A new shopping cart includes a wheeled base having forward and rear portions, a pedestal formed on the base for supporting a container or basket thereon, where the pedestal is secured to the base at a location between the forward and rearward ends of the base, and the container is supported on the pedestal so that the rear of the container is disposed forwardly of the rear of the base, and the cart as a whole exhibits a lowered center of gravity. The cart also includes an upwardly extensive handle member, and the pedestal includes a surface for supporting the rear of the basket forwardly of the rear of the base. The basket is hung from the handle member at a location disposed a substantial distance from the upper part of the handle member. A pair of connecting rods attaches the handle member to the rear of the pedestal to support the latter against excessive longitudinal forces.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2003Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Mind Wurx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick A. Maandag
-
Patent number: 7246814Abstract: A multi-level personal utility cart includes a frame including a vertical rear panel and a handle including latching structure on side portions of the handle, each latching structure being structurally engaged with a portion of the rear panel, a lower basket assembly carried by and pivotably attached to the frame, an upper basket assembly carried by and pivotably attached to the frame, where the upper and lower basket assemblies are pivotable in a direction toward the upper portion of the handle so that the upper and lower basket assemblies can be collapsed against a portion of the frame into a compact and substantially planar structure. The latching structure on the handle operatively cooperates with the rear panel to automatically lock the cart in an opened position. An access door to the lower basket assembly is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Mind Wurx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Miguel Orozco
-
Patent number: 7182349Abstract: A shopping cart having a lowered center of gravity and including a wheeled base having forward and rear portions, a pedestal formed on the base between the forward and rearward portions for supporting a container or basket thereon, so that the rear of the container is disposed forwardly of the rear of the base. The cart includes an upwardly extensive handle member, and the basket is hung from the handle member at a substantial distance from the upper part of the handle member. The pedestal is supported against excessive longitudinal forces by connecting rods attaching the rear of the pedestal to the handle member. Two horizontal hinge rods are mounted to the handle member, one above the other, with the lower hinge rod pivotably securing the rear pivoting gate of the basket. A child seat on the pivoting gate is disposed in the rear of the basket substantially below the upper end of the handle member.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Mind Wurx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick Maandag
-
Patent number: 6869097Abstract: A multi-level personal utility cart includes a handle having an upper portion, opposing side portions and a lower portion, a first basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the first basket assembly being supported by the handle, a second basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the second basket assembly being supported by the handle, the first basket assembly being positioned atop the second basket assembly, and the first and second basket assemblies being pivotally supported to the handle, so that the first and second basket assemblies are collapsible into a compact and substantially planar structure. An access door to the lower basket assembly is provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Mind Wurx, LLPInventors: James G. Prather, Miguel Orozco
-
Patent number: 6866289Abstract: A multi-level personal utility cart includes a handle having an upper portion, opposing side portions and a lower portion, a first basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the first basket assembly being supported by the handle, a second basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the second basket assembly being supported by the handle, the first basket assembly being positioned atop the second basket assembly, and the first and second basket assemblies being pivotally supported to the handle, so that the first and second basket assemblies are collapsible into a compact and substantially planar structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: March 15, 2005Assignee: Wynd Wurx, LLCInventor: James G. Prather
-
Publication number: 20040051263Abstract: An anti-theft system for a shopping cart includes a mounting structure for supporting anti-theft apparatus on the cart, the mounting structure being secured to the base frame of the cart. The anti-theft apparatus is removably carried by the mounting structure, with the anti-theft apparatus including a collapsible front suspension assembly having a housing; a first set of casters mounted to the housing, retractable pin elements carried by the housing and engagable with the mounting structure for maintaining the front suspension assembly in operative mode in which the first set of casters engage a supporting surface, a sensor assembly for detecting an activation signal and actuating the retractable pin elements to cause retraction of the pin elements and render the front suspension assembly inoperative, and a second set of casters fixed to the shopping cart base frame for preventing the cart from moving in a linear direction when the front suspension assembly is rendered inoperative.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2002Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: James G. Prather, Patrick A. Maandag, Harold Duffy
-
Publication number: 20020171214Abstract: A multi-level personal utility cart is disclosed as including a handle having an upper portion, opposing side portions and a lower portion, a first basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the first basket assembly being supported by the handle, a second basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the second basket assembly being supported by the handle, the first basket assembly being positioned atop the second basket assembly, and the first and second basket assemblies being pivotally supported to the handle, whereby the first and second basket assemblies are collapsible into a compact and substantially planar structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Inventor: James G. Prather
-
Publication number: 20020167139Abstract: A multi-level personal utility cart is disclosed as including a handle having an upper portion, opposing side portions and a lower portion, a first basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the first basket assembly being supported by the handle, a second basket assembly including panels at the front, sides, and bottom thereof, the second basket assembly being supported by the handle, the first basket assembly being positioned atop the second basket assembly, and the first and second basket assemblies being pivotally supported to the handle, so that the first and second basket assemblies are collapsible into a compact and substantially planar structure. An access door to the lower basket assembly is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2002Publication date: November 14, 2002Inventors: James G. Prather, Miguel Orozco
-
Patent number: 6271755Abstract: An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprises a collapsible front suspension mounted between the front side members of a base frame of the shopping cart, the front suspension including a support, a first set of casters mounted to the support, retractable pin means carried by the support and engagable with the side members of the base frame for maintaining the front suspension in an operative mode in which the first set of casters engage a supporting surface, a sensor for detecting a first external signal, apparatus functionally coupled to the sensor for transmitting an activation signal to the retractable pin means to cause retraction of the pin means and render the front suspension inoperative, and a second set of casters fixed to the base frame for preventing the cart from moving in a linear direction, when the front suspension is rendered inoperative.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2000Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Inventors: James G. Prather, Miguel Orozco, Patrick Maandag, Harold Duffy
-
Patent number: 6054923Abstract: An anti-theft shopping cart with a collapsible front suspension that is triggered by a magnetic field or an audio frequency.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Mind Quirx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick Maandag, Harold Duffy
-
Patent number: 5669821Abstract: An easily modifiable ride is provided with a track and a car for carrying at least one passenger along the track. The track creates changes of movement of the car to thereby produce G-forces to the passenger. A plurality of detectors are provided for detecting movements of the car. At least one display device is used for producing a series of images to create a displayed scenario of an amusement ride. There is also provided signal generators responsive to the detectors for synchronizing between the images and the movements of the car.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 1994Date of Patent: September 23, 1997Inventors: James G. Prather, Richard T. Headrick
-
Patent number: D493594Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: MindWurx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick Maandag
-
Patent number: D493932Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: Mind Worx, LLCInventors: James G. Prather, Patrick Maandag