Expandable shopping bag carrier

Abstract

An expandable shopping bag carrier includes two cylindrical tubes telescoping within one another to expand and contract as needed. At respective outer ends of the carrier are radially extending annuli that serve to retain handles of conventional shopping bags thereon whilst a middle portion of the carrier is grasped by a hand, leveraging the weight of the shopping bags and providing a more ergonomically favorable surface to grasp. The carrier can include advertising and be made of an inexpensive plastic material so as to be suitable for free distribution by stores.

1 . An expandable shopping bag carrier comprising: 
 a pair of cylindrical tubes arranged in a telescoping relationship such that a first tube extends out from and retracts into a second tube;    first and second radially outwardly projecting bag retaining annuli disposed at substantially distal edges of said pair of cylindrical tubes;    an elongate slot extending longitudinally in a first of said pair of cylindrical tubes, said elongate slot having a first end spaced from said annulus and a second end spaced from a distal end of said first cylindrical tube; and    a pin secured to the second of said cylindrical tubes, said pin aligned with and extending through said slot in said first cylindrical tube to limit extension of said telescoping tubes.    
   
   
       2 . The expandable shopping bag carrier of  claim 1  further including advertising on an exterior surface of one of said pair of cylindrical tubes.  
   
   
       3 . The expandable shopping bag carrier of claim one wherein said first and second cylindrical tubes are made of plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The expandable shopping bag carrier of  claim 1  wherein said first and second cylindrical tubes are sized so that an inner tube does not move freely within an outer tube.  
   
   
       5 . The expandable shopping bag carrier of  claim 1  further comprising a circumferential slot branching from said longitudinal slot and sized to retain said pin therein to fix an overall length of said shopping bag carrier.