Patent US3789957A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3789957A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Check out system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-04-05
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1992-04-05
Abstract
Abstract A check out system for a supermarket, or other retail merchandise store or the like, having a cooperating shopping cart and check out counter. The check out counter is provided with a horizontal check out surface which is elevated above the floor at a convenient work height. This surface can support apparatus such as scales, or be provided with conveyors in the surface thereof for moving merchandise. The check out surface is also provided with a centrally located groove which extends along the length thereof, the groove being narrow enough in width so that ordinary merchandise will not fall therein. Located below the groove is a clearance area which extends the length of the check out counter. This area has an inclined ramp surface for supporting a check out cart therein. A check out cart is provided with an undercarriage portion having a plurality of rotatable wheels thereon for allowing the cart to move over the surface of the store or supermarket, as required. Also attached to the undercarriage is an auxiliary merchandise receiving portion and a narrow upstanding support to which is pivotably attached an upper basket portion for receiving merchandise and the like. The merchandise cart is provided with a foldable infant seat assembly for use in transporting infants about the store. The carts are also provided with means for allowing the carts to nest together to reduce the storage space required therefor. The upstanding support on the cart is such a size that it will slide through the groove with the undercarriage portion moving through the clearance area and the upper basket portion being supported above the upper surface of the counter. Also, the upper basket portion is provided with a vertically swinging door in the side thereof which allows easy access to the interior of the basket portion.
Inventors
- 👤 J Close
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 19:08
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47F; A47F9/00; A47F9/02; A47F9/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
In combination, a cart comprising an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion positioned over and attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, and counter means comprising surface means for defining an elongated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, said surface means having a slot extending along the length of said counter surface from said first end to said second end of said counter means, and being positioned to provide a portion of counter surface on each side thereof, said slot being substantially narrower in width than said upper basket or said undercarriage and of a size to allow said upstanding support means to slide therethrough from said first end to said second end of said counter means thereby allowing said upper basket portion to pass over both portions of said counter surface, said counter means having a clearance opening therein positioned under said slot and extending from said first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said clearance opening being of a size to allow said undercarraige of said cart to move therethrough.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
In combination, a cart comprising an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion positioned over and attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, and counter means comprising surface means for defining an elongated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, said surface means having a slot extending along the length of said counter surface from said first end to said second end of said counter means, and being positioned to provide a portion of counter surface on each side thereof, said slot being substantially narrower in width than said upper basket or said undercarriage and of a size to allow said upstanding support means to slide therethrough from said first end to said second end of said counter means thereby allowing said upper basket portion to pass over both portions of said counter surface, said counter means having a clearance opening therein positioned under said slot and extending from said first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said clearance opening being of a size to allow said undercarraige of said cart to move therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a ramp positioned in said clearance opening for supporting said cart on said rotatable wheels in a position elevated above the floor when said undercarriage is inside said clearance opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein a gate means movable between an open and closed position is provided attached to the upper basket portion for providing access to said upper basket portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
A combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said gate means comprises a portion of at least one side of said upper basket portion, and wherein said gate means rotates about a horizontal axis located adjacent the lower edges of said horizontal side, and wherein said gate is provided with sides which extend transverse to the plane of said gate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper basket portion is provided with a foldable infant seat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said slot extends centrally along said counter surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said cart additionally comprises nesting means for allowing high density storage of said carts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein selectively operable conveyor means are mounted in said counter surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein resilient seal means are provided along said slot for sealing said slot when said upstanding support means is removed from said slot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said undercarriage of said cart additionally comprises an auxiliary basket means on said cart for receiving additional merchandise.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A combination as defined in claim 10 wherein means are provided on said upper basket portion for allowing rotation thereof about a horizontal axis and for allowing access to said auxiliary basket.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said counter surface is located vertically above the floor at a height higher than the lowest point of said upper basket portion, and the improvement which comprises means on said counter for allowing said upper basket portion to pass over said counter surface when said undercarriage of said cart moves through said clearance opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said upstanding support means is attached to said upper basket at a poInt adjacent to and vertically below the center of gravity of said upper basket portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said upstanding support means is attached to said upper basket at a point adjacent to and vertically below the center of said upper basket portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
244 words
In combination, a cart comprising an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, an upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion fixed to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, and a counter for placement on the floor comprising surface means for defining an elongated counter surface elevated above said floor and extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, a customer side extending along the length of one side of said counter surface for location adjacent a customer occupation area of said floor, a checkout personnel side extending along the length of said counter surface for location adjacent a checkout personnel occupation area, said customer and checkout personnel sides being located on opposite sides of said counter surface, and the improvement which comprises a narrow slot in said counter positioned between said customer and checkout personnel sides to provide a surface on each side of said slot and for allowing said upper basket portion to pass over said counter surface from said first end to said second end while said undercarriage passes under said counter surface and through said counter thereby to allow said cart to pass from said first end to and through said second end while supporting said basket and without extending into or entering said customer or personnel occupation areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
244 words
In combination, a cart comprising an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, an upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion fixed to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, and a counter for placement on the floor comprising surface means for defining an elongated counter surface elevated above said floor and extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, a customer side extending along the length of one side of said counter surface for location adjacent a customer occupation area of said floor, a checkout personnel side extending along the length of said counter surface for location adjacent a checkout personnel occupation area, said customer and checkout personnel sides being located on opposite sides of said counter surface, and the improvement which comprises a narrow slot in said counter positioned between said customer and checkout personnel sides to provide a surface on each side of said slot and for allowing said upper basket portion to pass over said counter surface from said first end to said second end while said undercarriage passes under said counter surface and through said counter thereby to allow said cart to pass from said first end to and through said second end while supporting said basket and without extending into or entering said customer or personnel occupation areas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
104 words
A combination as defined in claim 15 wherein: said slot extends along the length of said counter surface from said first end to said second end of said counter, said slot being narrower than said upper basket portion or said undercarriage and of a size to allow said upstanding support means to slide therethrough from said first end to said second end of said counter; and a passageway through said counter located under said slot, and extending between said first end to said second end of said counter, said passageway being of a size to allow said undercarriage of said cart to move therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A combination as defined in claim 15 wherein storage means are provided in the personnel side of said counter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A combination as defined in claim 16 additionally comprising a ramp positioned in said passageway for supporting said cart on said rotatable wheels in a position elevated above the floor when said undercarriage is inside said passageway.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
228 words
A counter for use with a cart having an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on said floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion positioned over and attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, said counter comprising: surface means for defining an elongated elevated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, a customer side extending along the length of one side of said counter surface for location adjacent a customer occupation area of said floor, a checkout personnel side extending along the length of said counter surface for location adjacent a checkout personnel occupation area, said customer and checkout personnel sides being located on opposite sides of said counter surface, and a narrow slot in said counter positioned to provide a portion of counter surface on said customer and checkout sides of said slot for allowing said upper basket portion to pass over both portions of said counter surface from said first end to said second end while said undercarriage paSses under said counter thereby to allow said cart to pass from said first end to and through said second end without extending into or entering said customer and personnel occupation areas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
228 words
A counter for use with a cart having an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on said floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion positioned over and attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, said counter comprising: surface means for defining an elongated elevated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, a customer side extending along the length of one side of said counter surface for location adjacent a customer occupation area of said floor, a checkout personnel side extending along the length of said counter surface for location adjacent a checkout personnel occupation area, said customer and checkout personnel sides being located on opposite sides of said counter surface, and a narrow slot in said counter positioned to provide a portion of counter surface on said customer and checkout sides of said slot for allowing said upper basket portion to pass over both portions of said counter surface from said first end to said second end while said undercarriage paSses under said counter thereby to allow said cart to pass from said first end to and through said second end without extending into or entering said customer and personnel occupation areas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
209 words
A counter for use with a cart having an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, said counter comprising: surface means for defining an elongated elevated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, said surface means having a narrow slot extending along the length of said counter surface from said first end to said second end of said counter means, said slot being narrower than said upper basket portion and said undercarriage and of size to allow said upstanding support means to slide therethrough from sand first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said slot extending along the center of said counter surface, said counter means having a clearance opening therein positioned under said slot and extending from said first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said clearance opening being of a size to allow said undercarriage of said cart to move therethrough and out of said opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
209 words
A counter for use with a cart having an undercarriage, a plurality of rotatable wheels mounted on said undercarriage for movably supporting said cart on a floor, a narrow upstanding support means attached to said undercarriage, an upper basket portion attached to the upper end of said support means and spaced above said undercarriage, said counter comprising: surface means for defining an elongated elevated counter surface extending horizontally from a first end of said counter means to a second end of said counter means, said surface means having a narrow slot extending along the length of said counter surface from said first end to said second end of said counter means, said slot being narrower than said upper basket portion and said undercarriage and of size to allow said upstanding support means to slide therethrough from sand first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said slot extending along the center of said counter surface, said counter means having a clearance opening therein positioned under said slot and extending from said first end to and through said second end of said counter means, said clearance opening being of a size to allow said undercarriage of said cart to move therethrough and out of said opening.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |