Shopping cart organizer

Abstract

The shopping cart organizer is a return system for shopping carts in a parking lot. The shopping cart organizer includes at least one cart passageway having opposing ends. Lateral sides of the passageway are defined by a first and second plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner, the first and second plurality being laterally displaced from each other. Parking spots are disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway. Parking spots that are disposed adjacent to the same lateral side, and also adjacent to each other, form a passageway entry space between them that can be used for placement of the cart into the passageway. Each barrier strip extends across a respective passageway entry space to prevent a cart placed in the passageway from escaping. A pivotal cart stop is provided at one end of the passageway.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/850,287, filed Oct. 10, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system for organizing and gathering shopping carts on parking lots.

2. Description of the Related Art

Stray shopping carts can often cause problems in the parking lots of supermarket stores and discount stores that use many shopping carts. One of the problems with these stray shopping carts include persons driving into the shopping carts, which can cause damage to the shopping cart and the vehicle that runs into the shopping cart. Various systems are reflected in the related art that attempt to address this problem. However, there is no known system that has all of the features described in the present invention.

Thus a shopping cart organizer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The shopping cart organizer is a return system for shopping carts located in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spots. The shopping cart organizer includes at least one cart passageway having opposing ends. Lateral sides of the passageway are defined by a plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner. Parking spots may be disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway. Those parking spots that are disposed adjacent to the same lateral side, and also adjacent to each other, form a passageway entry space between them that can be used for placement of the cart into the passageway. Each barrier strip extends across a respective passageway entry space to prevent a cart placed in the passageway from escaping back to the entry space. A pivotal cart stop is provided in at least one of the opposing ends of the passageway to prevent movement of the carts out of that end until the pivotal cart stop is pivoted upward to an open position.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a shopping cart organizer, according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the shopping cart organizer, according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternate configuration of the shopping cart organizer, according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a shopping cart organizer that provides a return system for shopping carts located in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spots. As shown in FIG. 1, the shopping cart organizer 105 includes at least one cart passageway 107 having opposing ends. Lateral sides of the passageway 107 are defined by a first plurality of side rails 110a and barrier strips 115a disposed end to end in an alternating manner separated laterally from a second plurality of side rails 110b and barrier strips 115b similarly disposed, i.e., end to end in an alternating manner. Preferably, the passageway 107 has a width W of approximately three feet. Preferably, the side rails 110a, 110b have a height H of approximately thirty-two inches.

As shown in FIG. 2, parking spots 116 may be disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway 107. Wheel bumpers 120 may be disposed towards the front of each parking spot 116 in order to prevent a vehicle such as car C from running into railing element of the system 105. Those parking spots 116 which are disposed adjacent to the same lateral side of passageway 107, and also adjacent to each other, form a passageway entry space 117 between them that can be used for placement of the cart SC into the passageway 107. Preferably, the carts SC can be lined up in the passageway 107 so that they face a STORE FRONT. At least one cart return sign 125 can be disposed in a conspicuous location proximate the passageway entry spaces 117, and at eye level, e.g., approximately 6 feet high, to encourage shoppers to return the cart in the proper direction. Preferably, to prevent movement of the carts out of the passageway until desired, a pivotal cart stop 130 having a pivotal attachment 132 to one of the side rails 110a or 110b is disposed to extend across the passageway 107 at an end that faces or is closer to the STORE FRONT. Preferably, the pivotal cart stop 130 when in a closed position is disposed at a height near the wheel height of the shopping cart SC. When the pivotal cart stop 130 is pivoted to an open position, the shopping carts SC can flow freely out the end of passageway 107.

Each barrier strip 115a, 115b extends across a respective passageway entry space 117 to prevent a cart placed in the passageway 107 from escaping the passageway 107.

As shown in FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the present invention 105, utilizes a single plurality of side rails and barrier strips, such as side rails 110a and barrier strips 115a. disposed parallel to a fence F in order to form the passageway 107. Preferably the front of passageway 107 in this alternative embodiment also faces the STORE FRONT.

Although FIGS. 1-3 show parking spots 116 that are slanted or angled, it is also contemplated by the present invention to configure the parking spots 116 so that they are perpendicular to the passageway 107 as well. The present invention 105 can also accommodate handicapped parking spaces (not shown).

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A shopping cart organizer, comprising:

a first plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner;

a second plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner the second plurality of side rails and barrier strips being laterally displaced from the first plurality of side rails and barrier strips to form a cart passageway having lateral sides and opposing ends;

parking spots disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway, the parking spots disposed adjacent to a same one of the lateral sides and also adjacent to each other forming a passageway entry space between them, the passageway entry space being adapted for placement of carts into the passageway, each of the barrier strips extending across a respective passageway entry space to prevent one of the carts placed in the passageway from escaping; and

a pivotal cart stop disposed in at least one of the opposing ends to prevent movement of the carts out of the at least one of the opposing ends of the passageway until the pivotal cart stop is pivoted to an open position.

2. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein the cart passageway is about three feet wide.

3. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein the side rails have a height of about thirty-two inches.

4. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, further comprising: wheel bumpers disposed towards a front portion of each parking spot in order to prevent a vehicle from running into the side rails.

5. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one cart return sign disposed in a conspicuous location proximate the passageway entry spaces, and at eye level of about six feet high to encourage shoppers to return the cart in a proper direction.

6. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal cart stop when in a closed position is disposed at a height proximate a wheel height of a shopping cart.

7. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein a front of the shopping cart passageway faces a storefront.

8. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein the parking spots are slanted with respect to the side rails.

9. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, wherein the parking spots are perpendicular to the side rails.

10. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 1, the parking spots further comprise handicapped accessible parking spaces.

11. A shopping cart organizer, comprising:

a plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner laterally displaced from an elongate barrier to form a cart passageway having lateral sides and opposing ends;

parking spots disposed adjacent to the lateral side of the passageway formed by the plurality of side rails and barrier strips, the parking spots disposed adjacent to the lateral side and also adjacent to each other forming a passageway entry space between them, the passageway entry space being available for placement of carts into the passageway, each of the barrier strips extending across a respective one of the passageway entry spaces to prevent a cart placed in the corresponding passageway from escaping; and

a pivotal cart stop disposed in at least one of the opposing ends of the passageways to prevent movement of the carts out of the at least one of the opposing ends of the passageway until the pivotal cart stop is pivoted to an open position.

12. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the cart passageway is about three feet wide.

13. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the side rails have a height of about thirty-two inches.

14. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, further comprising: wheel bumpers disposed towards a front portion of each of the parking spots in order to prevent a vehicle from running into the side rails.

15. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, further comprising: at least one cart return sign disposed in a conspicuous location proximate the passageway entry spaces, and at eye level of about six feet high to encourage shoppers to return the cart in a proper direction.

16. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the pivotal cart stop when in a closed position is disposed at a height proximate a wheel height of a shopping cart.

17. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein a front portion of the shopping cart passageway faces a storefront.

18. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the parking spots are slanted with respect to the side rails.

19. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the parking spots are perpendicular to the side rails.

20. The shopping cart organizer according to claim 11, wherein the parking spots further comprise handicapped accessible parking spaces.