Shopping cart engageable tote bag

Abstract

A reusable shopping bag, wherein environmentally beneficial avoidance of disposable shopping receptacles is enabled, wherein temporary securing to essentially any type of shopping cart is facilitated by the specially configured hangers defined coincident with a pair of engageable jaws, in order to effectively line the cargo compartment of a cart in order to prevent the passage of small articles therethrough, and wherein the jaws provide structural reinforcement and a general locking of the bag opening edge, requiring a multi-directional application of force in order for unlock and full access to bag contents.

1 . A tote bag, comprising:
 a lockable jaw, wherein each member of said lockable jaw further comprises a shopping cart engagement port.   
   
   
       2 . The tote bag of  claim 1 , wherein each said shopping cart engagement port is adapted for engagement with a plurality of differently dimensioned shopping-cart components. 
   
   
       3 . The tote bag of  claim 1 , wherein said tote bag further comprises two elasticized side walls, wherein each said elasticized side wall is defined between said members of said lockable jaw. 
   
   
       4 . A reusable shopping bag, comprising:
 an expandable liner for a shopping cart;   means for removably securing said liner to the rails of a shopping-cart cargo area, wherein said means for removably securing said liner can receive and engage a first shopping cart rail of a first dimension for a first use, and can receive and engage a second shopping cart rail of a second dimension for a second use; and   means for carrying said bag.   
   
   
       5 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said means for removably securing said liner to the shopping cart is a multi-functional jaw that further enables interlocking closure of said bag. 
   
   
       6 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said reusable shopping bag further comprises a plurality of elongated support members for at least partial structural definition of a bag opening. 
   
   
       7 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 5 , wherein said interlocking closure of said jaw requires rotational and slidable movement of two jaw members relative to each other. 
   
   
       8 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said means for carrying said bag comprises flexible, tote-style handles. 
   
   
       9 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 5 , wherein a first jaw member of said jaw further comprises a receiving aperture and a second jaw member of said jaw further comprises a male locking member configured to cooperatively-engage with said receiving aperture. 
   
   
       10 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 5 , wherein said multi-functional jaw further comprises a pair of opposing grip wells. 
   
   
       11 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 5 , wherein said multi-functional jaw is configured with a step-like profile adapted for accommodation of the first dimension of shopping cart rail and also for accommodation of the second dimension of shopping cart rail. 
   
   
       12 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said expandable liner further comprises at least one wall having an elasticized portion. 
   
   
       13 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein each said expandable liner further comprises at least one wall having a drawstring portion. 
   
   
       14 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 8 , wherein said means for carrying further comprises a grip zone. 
   
   
       15 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said expandable liner further comprises at least one logo display zone defined on an exterior surface thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 5 , wherein said multi-functional jaw further comprises at least one logo display zone defined on an external surface thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , wherein said expandable liner further comprises one or more interior compartments. 
   
   
       18 . The reusable shopping bag of  claim 4 , further comprising a reinforcing frame. 
   
   
       19 . A method of collecting and transporting articles utilizing a shopping cart, comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a tote bag, said tote bag further comprising two expandable sidewalls, two generally fixed-length sidewalls, a bottom, two flexible straps, and a dual-member interlocking handle with cart-receiving areas defined therein;   expanding said two expandable sidewalls across the cargo area of the shopping cart;   engaging said cart-receiving areas of each said member of said dual-member interlocking handle with rails of the shopping cart;   collecting and transporting articles within said tote bag;   disengaging said cart-receiving areas of each said member of said dual-member interlocking handle from the rails of the shopping cart; and   removing said tote bag from the cargo area of the shopping cart for subsequent transport.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 interlocking said members of said dual-member interlocking handle such that said fixed-length sidewalls are secured together.