Shipping trolley for self-service shopping

1. A shopping trolley for self-service shopping, comprising:

a frame, wherein the frame includes

a pair of horizontally disposed vertically extending longitudinal beams,

wherein each longitudinal beam includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion,

a handrail configured for manual engagement, wherein the handrail

is in fixed operative connection with the upper end portion of each longitudinal beam, and

extends transversely between the upper end portions of the longitudinal beams,

a plurality of rotatable floor engaging wheels,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative supporting connection with the respective lower end portion of each respective longitudinal beam, whereby the lower end is maintained above the floor,

at least one scale, wherein each at least one scale

is in operative supported connection with the frame,

includes an upward facing weighing surface, wherein the weighing surface extends horizontally intermediate of the longitudinal beams,

an electronic terminal, wherein the electronic terminal includes circuitry, and

is in operative connection with the at least one scale,

a removable shopping bag, wherein the shopping bag includes

an upper opening to a bag interior area,

wherein the upper opening is bounded by a pair of transversely disposed, vertically extending bag side walls,

a bag bottom wall, wherein the bag bottom wall bounds the lower end of the bag interior area,

a pair of transversely disposed bag grips, wherein each bag grip

is in operative connection with the frame,

is releasably operatively engageable with a respective bag side wall,

wherein in an operative position of the shopping bag the bottom wall is in operative supported connection with the weighing surface of the at least one scale, whereby a weight of at least one item within the bag interior area is enabled to be determined.

2. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam includes a respective front edge, wherein the front edge extends vertically intermediate of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein in the operative position the shopping bag extends transversely intermediate of the longitudinal beams and in a forward direction from each front edge,

wherein the at least one upward facing weighing surface of the at least one scale extends in the forward direction from each front edge.

3. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam includes an inner surface, wherein each respective inner surface of a respective longitudinal beam extends in facing relation of the respective inner surface of the other longitudinal beam,

wherein each respective grip includes at least one bar,

wherein the at least one bar includes a bag engagement loop at a bar upper end, and

a bar vertical portion, wherein the bar vertical portion extends between the respective bag engagement loop, vertically along an immediately adjacent longitudinal beam inner surface, and into engagement with the at least one scale.

4. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam includes a respective front edge, wherein the front edge extends vertically intermediate of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein in the operative position the shopping bag extends transversely intermediate of the longitudinal beams and in a forward direction from each front edge,

wherein the at least one upward facing weighing surface of the at least one scale extends in the forward direction from each front edge,

and further comprising:

a protective rail, wherein the protective rail extends in the forward direction ahead of the at least one upward facing weighing surface.

5. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam includes a respective front edge, wherein the front edge extends vertically intermediate of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein in the operative position the shopping bag extends transversely intermediate of the longitudinal beams and in a forward direction from each front edge,

wherein the at least one upward facing weighing surface of the at least one scale extends in the forward direction from each front edge,

wherein the at least once scale includes a visual display,

wherein the display extends from the at least one scale in a rearward direction opposed of the forward direction.

6. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam includes a respective front edge, wherein the front edge extends vertically intermediate of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein in the operative position the shopping bag extends transversely intermediate of the longitudinal beams and in a forward direction from each front edge,

wherein each longitudinal beam is tilted in a rearward direction between the lower end portion and the upper end portion, wherein the rearward direction is opposed of the forward direction.

7. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

a wheel suspension, wherein the wheel suspension extends operatively intermediate of the plurality of wheels and the frame,

wherein the wheel suspension includes

a pair of frame sets, wherein each respective frame set is in operative attached connection with a respective lower end portion of a respective longitudinal beam,

wherein each respective frame set includes

a forward extending frame, wherein the forward extending frame extends in a forward direction from the respective operatively attached the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and

a rearward extending frame, wherein the rearward extending frame extends in a rearward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, wherein the rearward direction is opposed of the forward direction,

wherein the forward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation, and the rearward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative connection with each forward extending frame and is disposed in the forward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and at least one wheel is in operative connection with each rearward extending frame and is disposed in the rearward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam.

8. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

a wheel suspension, wherein the wheel suspension extends operatively intermediate of the plurality of wheels and the frame,

wherein the wheel suspension includes

a pair of frame sets, wherein each respective frame set is in operative attached connection with a respective lower end portion of a respective longitudinal beam,

wherein each respective frame set includes

a forward extending frame, wherein the forward extending frame extends in a forward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and

a rearward extending frame, wherein the rearward extending frame extends in a rearward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, wherein the rearward direction is opposed of the forward direction,

wherein the forward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation, and the rearward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation,

wherein at least one of the forward extending frame and the rearward extending frame in each frame set extend angularly downward from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative connection with each forward extending frame and is disposed in the forward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and at least one wheel is in operative connection with each rearward extending frame and is disposed in the rearward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam.

9. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

a wheel suspension, wherein the wheel suspension extends operatively intermediate of the plurality of wheels and the frame,

wherein the wheel suspension includes

a pair of frame sets, wherein each respective frame set is in operative attached connection with a respective lower end portion of respective longitudinal beam,

wherein each respective frame set includes

a forward extending frame, wherein the forward extending frame extends in a forward direction from the respective operatively attached the lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and

a rearward extending frame, wherein the rearward extending frame extends in a rearward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, wherein the rearward direction is opposed of the forward direction,

wherein the forward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation, and the rearward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation,

wherein the forward extending frame of each respective frame set is operatively attached to the respective operatively attached lower end of the respective longitudinal beam, on an opposed transverse side of the respective longitudinal beam from a transverse side on which the rearward extending frame of the respective frame set is operatively attached,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative connection with each forward extending frame and is disposed in the forward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and at least one wheel is in operative connection with each rearward extending frame and is disposed in the rearward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam.

10. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

a wheel suspension, wherein the wheel suspension extends operatively intermediate of the plurality of wheels and the frame,

wherein the wheel suspension includes

a pair of frame sets, wherein each respective frame set is in operative attached connection with a respective lower end portion of a respective longitudinal beam,

wherein each respective frame set includes

a forward extending frame, wherein the forward extending frame extends in a forward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and

a rearward extending frame, wherein the rearward extending frame extends in a rearward direction from the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, wherein the rearward direction is opposed of the forward direction,

wherein the forward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation, and the rearward extending frames of the frame sets extend in parallel relation,

wherein the forward extending frame and the rearward extending frame of each frame set are operatively attached to the respective lower end of the respective longitudinal beam at a common vertical location, and on opposed transverse sides of the respective longitudinal beam,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative connection with each forward extending frame and is disposed in the forward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam, and at least one wheel is in operative connection with each rearward extending frame and is disposed in the rearward direction of the respective operatively attached lower end portion of the respective longitudinal beam.

11. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein the electronic terminal includes at least one of a display, a loudspeaker, a barcode reader and wireless communication circuitry.

12. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein the electronic terminal is in attached connection with the handrail.

13. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

at least one battery,

at least one charging circuit, wherein the at least one charging circuit is operative to charge the at least one battery.

14. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

and further comprising:

at least one battery,

at least one charging circuit, wherein the at least one charging circuit is operative to charge the at least one battery,

wherein the at least one charging circuit includes an inductive charging circuit.

15. The shopping trolley according to claim 1

wherein each longitudinal beam is bounded by at least one edge,

wherein a light emitter extends along the at least one edge.

16. A shopping trolley for self-service shopping, comprising:

a frame, wherein the frame includes

a pair of horizontally disposed vertically extending longitudinal beams,

wherein each longitudinal beam includes an upper end portion and a lower end portion,

a handrail configured for manual engagement, wherein the handrail

is in fixed operative connection with the upper end portion of each longitudinal beam, and extends transversely between the upper end portions of the longitudinal beams,

a plurality of rotatable floor engaging wheels,

wherein at least one wheel is in operative supporting connection with the respective lower end portion of each respective longitudinal beam, whereby the lower end of the respective longitudinal beam is maintained above the floor,

at least one scale, wherein the at least one scale

is in operative supported connection with the frame,

includes an upward facing weighing surface, wherein the weighing surface extends horizontally intermediate of the longitudinal beams,

an electronic terminal, wherein the electronic terminal

includes electronic circuitry, and

is in operative connection with the at least one scale,

a pair of transversely disposed shopping bag grips, wherein each shopping bag grip

is in operative connection with the frame,

is configured to releasably engage a respective shopping bag wall portion that bounds an interior area of a shopping bag,

wherein the pair of shopping bags grips are configured to releasably hold opposed shopping bag wall portions that bound an upper opening to the interior area of the shopping bag while the at least one weighing surface is in engagement with a bottom wall of the shopping bag that bounds the interior area of the shopping bag,

wherein with each of the shopping bag grips in engagement with the shopping bag the at least one scale is enabled to determine a weight of at least one item within the interior area of the shopping bag.

17. The shopping trolley according to claim 16

and further comprising the shopping bag.

18. The shopping trolley according to claim 17

wherein each respective shopping bag grip includes at least one bar,

wherein the at least one bar includes a bag engagement loop at an upper end, and a bar vertical portion, wherein the bar vertical portion extends intermediate of the bag engagement loop and the at least one scale.

19. The shopping trolley according to claim 17

wherein the opening of the shopping bag and the at least one weighing surface extend in a forward direction from the handrail.

20. A shopping trolley for self-service shopping, comprising:

a frame, wherein the frame includes a pair of transversely disposed, vertically extending, longitudinal beams,

a handrail configured for manual engagement and in operative connection with each of the longitudinal beams,

a plurality of wheels in operative supporting connection with the frame,

a scale, wherein the scale is in operative connection with the frame and includes an upward facing weighing surface extending transversely intermediate of the longitudinal beams,

an electronic terminal including circuitry, wherein the circuitry is in operative connection with the scale,

a shopping bag, wherein the shopping bag

is releasably operatively engageable with the frame,

includes an interior area bounded by at least one vertically extending sidewall and a horizontally extending bottom wall,

a pair of transversely disposed bag engaging grips, wherein each bag engaging grip

is in operative connection with the frame, and

is configured to releasably engage a sidewall portion of the at least one side wall of the shopping bag,

wherein the bottom wall of the shopping bag is in engagement with the upward facing weighing surface of the scale and a weight of at least one item within the interior area of the shopping bag can be determined through operation of the scale.