Shopping cart bagging station and method of forming the same
Shopping cart bagging stations are described that can be used by customers to bag their purchases as they shop. A shopping cart bagging station holds and dispenses at least one shopping bag. The shopping cart bagging stations are formed of a plurality of shopping cart bagging station elements that fit together using slot joints. Some of the slot joints may be rotational slot joints, which allow rotation of one or more of the shopping cart bagging station elements. The shopping cart bagging station may include a hinged support bar that allows the shopping cart bagging station to be folded. The hinge and the rotation of one or more of the shopping cart bagging station elements allows the shopping cart bagging station to be folded into a compact form when not in use, and quickly and easily opened for use.
1. A shopping cart bagging station comprising:
a support bar comprising:
a first support bar slot extending into the support bar from a support bar bottom edge;
a first rod positioned inside the first support bar slot and coupled to the support bar at a first rod first end;
a second support bar slot extending into the support bar from the support bar bottom edge;
a second rod positioned inside the second support bar slot and coupled to the support bar at a second rod first end; and
a third support bar slot extending into the support bar from a support bar top edge;
a bag holder hook removeably coupled to the support bar;
a first and a second cart coupling hook removeably and rotatably coupled to the support bar; and
a first and a second handle holder arm removeably and rotatably coupled to the support bar.
2. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 1 , wherein:
the bag holder hook comprises a bag holder hook slot;
the bag holder hook slot couples to the third support bar slot to form a slot joint;
the first cart coupling hook is rotatably coupled to the first rod; and
the second cart coupling hook is rotatably coupled to the second rod.
3. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 2 , wherein:
the first handle holder arm is rotatably coupled to the first rod; and
the second handle holder arm is rotatably coupled to the second rod.
4. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cart coupling hook comprises a first hollow sleeve;
the first cart coupling hook is rotatably coupled to the support bar by sliding the first rod through the first hollow sleeve;
the second cart coupling hook comprises a second hollow sleeve;
the second cart coupling hook is rotatably coupled to the support bar by sliding the second rod through the second hollow sleeve;
the first handle holder arm comprises a third hollow sleeve;
the first handle holder arm is rotatably coupled to the support bar by sliding the first rod through the third hollow sleeve;
the second handle holder arm comprises a fourth hollow sleeve; and
the second handle holder arm is rotatably coupled to the support bar by sliding the second rod through the fourth hollow sleeve.
5. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 1 , wherein the support bar comprises a hinge, and wherein the support bar folds at the hinge.
6. A shopping cart bagging station comprising:
a support bar comprising a hinge;
a bag holder assembly removeably coupled to the support bar;
a first shopping cart mounting assembly removeably coupled to the support bar, wherein the first shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a first handle holder arm; and
a second shopping cart mounting assembly removeably coupled to the support bar, wherein the second shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a second handle holder arm.
7. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 6 , wherein the support bar further comprises:
a first support bar portion; and
a second support bar portion, wherein the hinge couples the first support bar portion to the second support bar portion.
8. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 7 , wherein:
the first shopping cart mounting assembly is removeably coupled to a first support bar slot in the first support bar portion;
the second shopping cart mounting assembly is removeably coupled to a second support bar slot in the second support bar portion; and
the bag holder assembly is removeably coupled to a third support bar slot in the second support bar portion.
9. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 8 , wherein
the first support bar slot extends into the first support bar portion from a first support bar portion bottom edge;
the second support bar slot extends into the second support bar portion from a second support bar bottom edge; and
the third support bar slot extends into the second support bar portion from a second support bar portion top edge.
10. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 9 , wherein the first shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a first mounting assembly slot, and wherein the first mounting assembly slot couples to the first support bar slot to form a first slot joint.
11. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 10 , wherein the second shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a second mounting assembly slot, wherein the second mounting assembly slot couples to the second support bar slot to form a second slot joint.
12. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 11 , wherein the bag holder assembly comprises a bag holder assembly slot, and wherein the bag holder assembly slot couples to the third support bar slot to form a third slot joint.
13. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 6 , wherein the first shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a first cart coupling hook, and wherein the second shopping cart mounting assembly comprises a second cart coupling hook.
14. The shopping cart bagging station of claim 13 , wherein the bag holder assembly comprises a bag holder hook and a third cart coupling hook.