Motor vehicles – Power – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-04
2001-04-24
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Power
Electric
C280S033992
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220379
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device designed to assist in the retrieval of wheeled shopping carts in parking lots and more particularly to an electric powered vehicle with an improved electronic controller that provides allowing one operator to use the device for retrieval of wheeled shopping carts.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
Retrieving shopping carts in large parking lots is primarily a manual task. Workers push or pull a column of stacked wheeled shopping carts from various collection areas located throughout large parking lots. The longer the column of carts being pushed or pulled, the more difficult it becomes to control. Thus, workers limit the number of carts. Even with more than one worker, the collecting and guiding of long columns of carts is difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, in large parking lots workers must push or pull the column of carts a great distance. The retrieval task can be physically exhausting and may result in injury to the workers. Carts also can be damaged as the workers struggle to push or pull long columns to the store door.
In response to the difficulties with manual retrieval of shopping carts, a prior art apparatus involves using a motorized device for pulling a column of shopping carts through the parking lot in a train-like fashion. A rope extends from the motorized device and is fastened to the last cart in the column of carts. Each time a cart is added to the column, the rope must be unfastened from the previous cart, extended further and then secured to the cart added at the end of the column. The operator walks alongside the motorized device as it pulls up to thirty-five carts. This prior art device requires operators at both ends of the column or requires the operator to run back and forth between the cart end of the column and the motorized device end of the column because operations occur at both ends of the column of carts. Additionally, the speed of the device is limited to a preset speed which can only be adjusted by programming the microprocessor controller in the device. When the carts are brought to the entrance of the store, the prior art device is difficult to maneuver inside the store. The carts must still be manually pushed or pulled into the store. This can be a difficult task if the column is quite long.
Therefore, what is needed is a cart retrieval system which allows operation by a single individual and eliminates the need for the individual to manually manipulate the long column of carts. The present invention addresses this concern by providing an electrically powered cart retrieval vehicle which can be operated by remote control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a vehicle for retrieving wheeled shopping carts in parking lots. The vehicle is an electric powered vehicle housing six 6-volt batteries in two parallel banks in the vehicle's chassis. An upper housing is hinged to the chassis and contains a seat for the operator, a steering wheel, a control console and an antenna pole. The vehicle can be operated in a remote or manual mode. When operated manually, the operator sits in the seat, controls the vehicle speed and direction with a foot pedal, the control console and the steering wheel. In the remote mode, a remote transmitter is used by the operator to control the speed and direction of the vehicle and column of carts secured to the vehicle. The operator then steers the column of carts at the end of the column opposite the vehicle.
The vehicle includes a cart coupler located on its front end which secures one shopping cart to the vehicle. The cart coupler contains a jaw bar having two arcuate jaw members which will surround the lower back tubular members of the shopping cart. The cart coupler additionally includes a locking pin on one jaw member which extends across the open portion of the jaw to lock the shopping cart tubular member to the arcuate jaw.
The vehicle includes a worm gear drive connected to the drive motor. The motor utilizes dynamic braking for stopping the vehicle. Additionally, an emergency or parking brake assembly is included in the drive assembly. The drive motor shaft includes a tachometer disc assembly which is used to determine the speed of the vehicle. The emergency or parking brake is activated by a solenoid with a core that is forced by a spring against a parking brake disc when the emergency brake is activated. The friction between the lever and the tachometer disc causes the braking action of the emergency brake.
A central controller is used to operate the vehicle. The central controller receives the operation signals from either the control console on the vehicle or the remote transmitter received by the vehicle via the antenna. The remote transmitter communicates the signals using pulse code modulation on a 400 Mhz signal that carries information in digital format. The controller extracts commands from the digital signal and sends an appropriate signal to the drive motor and brake motor. The central controller also receives a signal from the tachometer disc assembly regarding the speed of the vehicle. The controller uses pulse width modulation with speed and acceleration limiting circuits to provide load variation compensation capabilities.
The vehicle includes various safety features such as a rotating beacon at the top of the antenna pole, a brake light and reflective material stripes surrounding the vehicle. The vehicle may include optional features such as brackets for receiving weights to act as ballast, a trailer hitch and a refuse container located on top of the housing.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle for retrieving wheeled shopping carts in large parking lots with the vehicle being operable in a remote control or manual mode thus eliminating the need for individual workers to manually manipulate the long column of carts.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rechargeable electric powered vehicle for retrieving wheeled shopping carts which is easily used in either a manual or remote control mode for retrieving long columns up to seventy-five shopping carts.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart retrieval vehicle that maintains a desired speed under changing load conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart retrieval vehicle that operates by remote control using a communication system in which commands are contained in a signal transmitted over a wireless medium.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shopping retrieval vehicle that incorporates a safety feature limiting the speed of the vehicle and having a controller which automatically limits the top output rpm of the drive motor at a predetermined speed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle which is easily driven and steered by an operator sitting on the vehicle when operating in the manual mode or when the operator is located at the opposite end of the column of carts from the vehicle when operating in the remote control mode.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle for retrieving wheeled shopping carts which can operate in all types of weather conditions including snow, sleet, rain and ice and which can push up to seventy-five carts.
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Dominguez Stephan
Schugt William
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Cuff Michael
Dane Industries, Inc.
Nichols G. Peter
Swann J. J.
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