Shopping cart organizer

Abstract

The shopping cart organizer is a return system for shopping carts in a parking lot. The shopping cart organizer includes at least one cart passageway having opposing ends. Lateral sides of the passageway are defined by a first and second plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner, the first and second plurality being laterally displaced from each other. Parking spots are disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway. Parking spots that are disposed adjacent to the same lateral side, and also adjacent to each other, form a passageway entry space between them that can be used for placement of the cart into the passageway. Each barrier strip extends across a respective passageway entry space to prevent a cart placed in the passageway from escaping. A pivotal cart stop is provided at one end of the passageway.

1 . A shopping cart organizer, comprising:
 a first plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner;   a second plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner the second plurality of side rails and barrier strips being laterally displaced from the first plurality of side rails and barrier strips to form a cart passageway having lateral sides and opposing ends;   parking spots disposed adjacent to at least one of the lateral sides of the passageway, the parking spots disposed adjacent to a same one of the lateral sides and also adjacent to each other forming a passageway entry space between them, the passageway entry space being adapted for placement of carts into the passageway, each of the barrier strips extending across a respective passageway entry space to prevent one of the carts placed in the passageway from escaping; and   a pivotal cart stop disposed in at least one of the opposing ends to prevent movement of the carts out of the at least one of the opposing ends of the passageway until the pivotal cart stop is pivoted to an open position.   
   
   
       2 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein the cart passageway is about three feet wide. 
   
   
       3 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein the side rails have a height of about thirty-two inches. 
   
   
       4 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , further comprising: wheel bumpers disposed towards a front portion of each parking spot in order to prevent a vehicle from running into the side rails. 
   
   
       5 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , further comprising: at least one cart return sign disposed in a conspicuous location proximate the passageway entry spaces, and at eye level of about six feet high to encourage shoppers to return the cart in a proper direction. 
   
   
       6 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivotal cart stop when in a closed position is disposed at a height proximate a wheel height of a shopping cart. 
   
   
       7 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein a front of the shopping cart passageway faces a storefront. 
   
   
       8 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein the parking spots are slanted with respect to the side rails. 
   
   
       9 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , wherein the parking spots are perpendicular to the side rails. 
   
   
       10 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 1 , the parking spots further comprise handicapped accessible parking spaces. 
   
   
       11 . A shopping cart organizer, comprising:
 a plurality of side rails and barrier strips disposed end to end in an alternating manner laterally displaced from an elongate barrier to form a cart passageway having lateral sides and opposing ends;   parking spots disposed adjacent to the lateral side of the passageway formed by the plurality of side rails and barrier strips, the parking spots disposed adjacent to the lateral side and also adjacent to each other forming a passageway entry space between them, the passageway entry space being available for placement of carts into the passageway, each of the barrier strips extending across a respective one of the passageway entry spaces to prevent a cart placed in the corresponding passageway from escaping; and   a pivotal cart stop disposed in at least one of the opposing ends of the passageways to prevent movement of the carts out of the at least one of the opposing ends of the passageway until the pivotal cart stop is pivoted to an open position.   
   
   
       12 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the cart passageway is about three feet wide. 
   
   
       13 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the side rails have a height of about thirty-two inches. 
   
   
       14 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , further comprising: wheel bumpers disposed towards a front portion of each of the parking spots in order to prevent a vehicle from running into the side rails. 
   
   
       15 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , further comprising: at least one cart return sign disposed in a conspicuous location proximate the passageway entry spaces, and at eye level of about six feet high to encourage shoppers to return the cart in a proper direction. 
   
   
       16 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the pivotal cart stop when in a closed position is disposed at a height proximate a wheel height of a shopping cart. 
   
   
       17 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein a front portion of the shopping cart passageway faces a storefront. 
   
   
       18 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the parking spots are slanted with respect to the side rails. 
   
   
       19 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the parking spots are perpendicular to the side rails. 
   
   
       20 . The shopping cart organizer according to  claim 11 , wherein the parking spots further comprise handicapped accessible parking spaces.