HK1113427B - Supermarket trolley - Google Patents

Description

Shopping cart

Technical Field

【0001】 The invention relates to a shopping cart equipped with a token system and a stopper.

【0002】 The purpose of the token system is not to remove such a shopping cart from a collection station until a token is inserted, and not to retrieve a token until the shopping cart is returned to a collection station. The shopping cart is not available until a token is reinserted into the token system.

【0003】 The immobilizer prevents that a shopping cart can be used outside a defined area.

Background

【0004】 Various token systems are known in the art. In some systems, a plurality of shopping carts, which may be nested one within another, are connected with a lock and chain. To use the shopping cart, a token must be inserted into the lock. Tokens are released only after the shopping cart is nested into another shopping cart and re-linked to another shopping cart by a chain.

【0005】 In many token systems, the shopping cart also requires another chain to be tied above a collection station to release tokens in order to release tokens.

【0006】 Several types of stoppers are also known in the prior art. These stops are used to prevent the shopping cart from being used outside a defined permitted area. These immobilizers comprise means for detecting the permissible area and additional mechanically acting means for preventing the use of the shopping cart. There are stops in which the shopping trolley can be stopped by means of at least one roller. In other immobilizers, the turning of the shopping cart is limited such that it can no longer be moved in a straight line.

Disclosure of Invention

【0007】 The invention resides in the fact that: i.e. the known elements in the token system interact with the elements of the stopper and this new interaction provides a new combination with a synergistic effect.

【0008】 The token system uses an element for holding and releasing the token, and the stopper uses an element that blocks the roller or limits its turning.

Detailed Description

【0009】 The element for holding and releasing tokens comprises a sensor which can detect whether the shopping cart on which the element for holding and releasing tokens is mounted is pushed into another shopping cart.

【0010】 The element for holding and releasing the token then activates the stopper and releases the token.

【0011】 In order to use the shopping cart, a token must be inserted into the element for holding and releasing the token. The stopper is then deactivated.

【0012】 The activation of the immobilizer prevents the shopping cart from being rolled away unintentionally.

【0013】 In a development of the invention, provision is made for the function of the sensor to be expanded to the extent that one or more further conditions are present and the tokens are released only if the further condition or conditions are additionally met.

【0014】 One of these further conditions may be location information which ensures that tokens are only released when the shopping cart is parked at a particular location.

【0015】 This makes it possible to release tokens again only when the shopping cart is at a collection point and is pushed correctly into another shopping cart.

【0016】 The collection point must be configured such that the information received by the sensor of the first shopping cart arranged in front of the series of shopping carts corresponds to the information received by the sensor when pushing the shopping cart into another shopping cart.

【0017】 This prevents shopping carts that have been pushed into one another from forming a "chaotic arrangement" outside the collection point provided according to the plan.

【0018】 At the collection point, the shopping carts are braked by the stopper and form a group of shopping carts which are individually braked.

【0019】 In a development of the invention, provision is made for an arrangement to enable an authorised person to deactivate the immobilizer of one or more shopping carts using a special device without having to use a token.

【0020】 This may be necessary, for example, if a service person is to push a shopping cart from one collection point to another.

【0021】 If a token is inserted into the last shopping cart, the immobilizer of the shopping cart is deactivated and the shopping cart can be moved.

【0022】 The shopping cart is then available for general purposes of transporting the purchased goods.

【0023】 The immobilizer is activated if an attempt is made to push the shopping cart outside the permissible area defined by the shopping cart provider.

【0024】 In which case tokens are not released.

【0025】 Fig. 1 shows the invention in one schematic illustration:

【0026】 A plurality of shopping carts are parked in a stack 1. Each shopping trolley has a token element 2 for holding and releasing tokens and a stopper 3 acting on at least one wheel. The stops 3 are functionally connected to the element 2.

【0027】 A key to release the token is inserted into the token element 2. The stopper 3 is enabled at the same time as the token is released.

【0028】 The last shopping cart is actually pushed into the stack 1. In this token element 2a there is a token, the immobilizer 3a is not activated and the shopping cart can be moved normally.

【0029】 The token element may also comprise a sensor which releases tokens only when the shopping trolley is pushed completely into the preceding shopping trolley.

Industrial applicability

【0030】 The invention can be applied anywhere a shopping cart is provided on token basis and sent back to a collection point.

Claims (6)

1. A shopping cart comprises

A token element for keeping and releasing tokens, and

comprising a stopper which prevents the roller of the shopping cart or limits the turning of the shopping cart, and which can be activated and deactivated at will, characterized in that the stopper is deactivated if a token is located in the token element.

2. A shopping cart comprises

A token element for holding and releasing tokens, and

comprising a stopper which prevents the roller of the shopping cart or limits the turning of the shopping cart and which can be activated and deactivated at will, characterized in that the stopper is activated if there is no token in the token element.

3. A shopping cart comprises

A token element for holding and releasing tokens, and

comprising a stopper which prevents the roller of the shopping cart or limits the turning of the shopping cart, and which can be activated and deactivated at will, characterized in that the token element comprises a sensor, and that a token can be released only when the sensor detects that the shopping cart has been pushed into another shopping cart, and the stopper is deactivated if the token is located in the token element.

4. The shopping cart as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor requires position information and the token can be released only if valid position information is present.

5. The shopping cart as claimed in claim 4, wherein the position information is generated by an electromagnetic, magnetic or light source.

6. Shopping cart according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the immobilizer can be activated on insertion of the token if the shopping cart leaves a predefinable area.