Vehicle System Including a Plurality of Wheeled Vehicles Docked for Vending and Recharging

• US 20090174363A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smarte Carte Incorporated (SMARTE CARTE)
• Original Assignee: Nelson Whittaker
• Inventors: Maher, Jay A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,183,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A system employing wheeled vehicles, such as strollers. A plurality of the wheeled vehicles is provided, each having a docking element. A vehicle station has a docking port for each of at least some of the wheeled vehicles. Each docking port has a charging device and is shaped to engage a docking element of an engaged wheeled vehicle. At least two display screens are provided on the wheeled vehicle, one for an occupant and one for an operator. One or more screen drivers is provided for the display screens.

Claims

1. A wheeled vehicle system, comprising

a. a plurality of wheeled vehicles, each wheeled vehicle having a docking element,

b. a vehicle station having a docking port for each of at least some of said wheeled vehicles, said docking port having a vehicle charging device and being shaped to engage a said docking element,

c. an occupant display screen associated with each vehicle,

d. an operator display screen associated with each vehicle,

e. a first screen driver for said occupant display screen, and

f. a second screen driver for said operator display screen.

2. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, including a battery on board each wheeled vehicle connected for providing power to said screen drivers and said display screens.

3. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, in which said docking element comprises an extended docking guide and spaced electric contacts carried by said docking guide.

4. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 3, in which said electrical contacts are displaceable relative to said docking guide.

5. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, in which said docking port is shaped to accommodate penetration by said docking element.

6. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 5, in which said vehicle charging device includes spaced second electrical contacts in registration with and contactable by respective ones of first electrical contacts carried by said docking element when said docking port is penetrated by said docking guide.

7. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, in which said screen drivers are separate from one another.

8. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 7, in which each screen driver includes a memory loadable with content different from content of the other screen driver.

9. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, including a third display screen associated with each wheeled vehicle.

10. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 9, in which said third display screen includes a memory loadable with content different from content of said first and second screen drivers.

11. The wheeled vehicle system according to claim 1, in which said operator display screen is a touch screen.

12. A docking system for charging a battery carried by a wheeled vehicle, comprising

a. a docking element carried by the wheeled vehicle, said docking element comprising an extended docking guide and spaced first electrical contacts carried by said docking guide, said first electrical contacts being displaceable relative to said docking guide, and

b. a fixed docking port, said docking port being shaped to accommodate penetration by said docking guide and having spaced second electrical contacts in registration with and contactable by respective ones of said first electrical contacts when said docking port is penetrated by said docking guide.

13. The docking system according to claim 12, in which said first electrodes each comprise an elongate contact mounted at one end in a contact housing.

14. The docking system according to claim 13, in which each said contact comprises a strip, each strip having a protuberance proximate an opposite free end.

15. The docking system according to claim 14, in which each opposite free end extends into a guide channel in said contact housing.

16. The docking system according to claim 12, including first and second display screens carried by said wheeled vehicle, and a screen driver for each display screen.

17. The docking system according to claim 16, including a separate screen driver for each display screen, and in which each screen driver includes a memory.

18. The docking system according to claim 17, in which the memory of the screen driver of the first display screen has content different from the memory of the screen driver of the second display screen.

19. The docking system according to claim 16, including a third display screen and a third screen driver carried by said wheeled vehicle.

20. The docking system according to claim 19, in which said screen drivers are separate from one another.