Enhanced shopping cart with lowered center of gravity and frame therefor

Abstract

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. A pair of vertically spaced apart horizontal hinge rods are mounted to the handle member, a first one of the hinge rods being located in the vicinity of the upper end of the handle member and the other of the hinge rods being disposed below the first one of the hinge rods, wherein the lower hinge rod pivotably secures the rear pivoting gate of the basket. The pedestal is supported to the base on resilient elements, and the storage space beneath the basket is essentially eliminated. A child seat is disposed in the rear of the basket at a height substantially below the height of the upper end of the handle member. Upstanding side extension panels are mounted atop the upper rim of the basket. A barrier panel is affixed to the handle and cooperates with the side extension panels to form a protection zone about the head and torso of a child sitting in the child seat. A merchandise carrier, disposed behind and below the basket, is mounted to the wheeled base and the pedestal. Various other merchandise carriers are included either behind the basket or within the basket.