The present invention relates generally to strap retainers and, more particularly, to strap retainers for retention of shopping cart safety straps.
It is well known in the prior art to secure a nylon safety strap child restraint to a grocery shop cart in order to assure the safety of a child riding in the cart. It is important that such devices are securely attached to the shopping cart and it is desirable that the retainer does not become accidentally detached. In addition, the strap retainer should be resistant to damage, or removal, as a result of vandalism. This latter consideration is important because, in many cases, shopping carts are left in open parking lots for substantial periods of time thereby affording opportunities for vandalization.
Several conventional devices have been used to secure a child safety strap to a grocery cart. In general, these devices are complicated, sometimes made of metal and subject to rust, and are relatively expensive to produce. An example of a complicated device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,118 in which a complicated combination of retainer elements is utilized. This device, as well as some other conventional devices, is relatively difficult to use.
Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient, low cost and effective technique for attaching a safety strap to a shopping cart.
The environment in which the device is to be used typically dictates the desirable characteristics of a suitable safety strap retainer. In a typical case, the safety strap retainer is fixed to a convenient shopping cart rail and is thereafter subject to somewhat rough usage. It is not unusual for shopping cart to be left outside, in wet weather, for long periods of time and a metal strap retainer tends to rust under these circumstances. Clearly, it would be desirable to have a strap retainer that is relatively weather resistant and able to withstand rough usage.
As another consideration, retail store employees often attach the strap retainer to the shopping cart. In this regard, it would be desirable if the retainer could be installed conveniently, without any need for a tool. In addition, a suitable strap retainer should be simple in construction and inexpensive to produce. Further, the strap retainer should be difficult to remove, after it has been installed, so that the retainer would not be susceptible to damage by vandals.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that there is a need for a strap retainer for use in securing a safety strap to a shopping cart that is mechanically simple, easy to use, low in cost and resistant to easy removal.