Cart management system
First Claim
1. A cart management system for vending carts, comprising:
- (a) a cart key mounted to a cart at a predetermined height;
(b) a retainer sized to selectively retain the cart key; and
(c) a key identification sensor operable to identify the cart when the cart key is retained by the retainer, the key identification sensor including;
(i) a first transmitter disposed within the cart key, operable to provide an identification signal indicative of the cart; and
(ii) a first receiver coupled to the retainer and operable to detect the identification signal when the cart key is retained by the retainer.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cart management apparatus for retaining and vending carts such as luggage carts, shopping carts, and strollers, includes a retaining rail for receiving cart keys disposed on the carts, a rotatable paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles, at least one of which projects into the retaining rail to provide an obstruction therein, an electromagnetic brake coupled to the paddlewheel to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel and restrict removal of cart keys from the rail, and a one-way clutch, also coupled to the paddlewheel to allow free rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction to allow cart keys to be inserted into the retaining rail when carts are returned to the apparatus. The preferred apparatus may be used with existing carts which are retrofit with cart keys that are suitable for being retained within the rail. Furthermore, a plurality of electronic sensors are utilized to detect the removal and return of carts to the apparatus and thereby prevent theft of rewards dispensed by the system. In particular, one such sensor utilizes a transmitter and a receiver which are coupled to a transmitter and receiver of a cart key located in close proximity thereto to determine whether a valid cart key is being detected by the sensor, as well as the unique identity of that cart key, so that the apparatus may maintain a queue of the carts retained therein.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A cart management system for vending carts, comprising:
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(a) a cart key mounted to a cart at a predetermined height; (b) a retainer sized to selectively retain the cart key; and (c) a key identification sensor operable to identify the cart when the cart key is retained by the retainer, the key identification sensor including; (i) a first transmitter disposed within the cart key, operable to provide an identification signal indicative of the cart; and (ii) a first receiver coupled to the retainer and operable to detect the identification signal when the cart key is retained by the retainer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A cart management system for vending a plurality of carts, comprising:
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(a) a retainer configured to selectively retain a plurality of carts in a queue; (b) a cart identification sensor operable to uniquely identify each of the plurality of carts retained by the retainer; and (c) a controller, coupled to the retainer and to the cart identification sensor, to control the vending and return of the carts from the retainer, the controller being responsive to the order of the uniquely identified carts within the queue. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A cart management system for vending a plurality of carts, comprising:
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(a) a retainer configured to selectively retain at least one of the plurality of carts, wherein the retainer comprises; (1) a retaining rail having an open end for receiving the cart keys; (2) a paddlewheel rotatably mounted with a paddle projecting into an access aperture in the retaining rail; and (3) a locking mechanism coupled to the paddlewheel, to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel; (b) a plurality of cart keys, each disposed on one of the plurality of carts; (c) a cart identification sensor to uniquely identify carts retained by the retainer; and (d) a controller, coupled to the retainer and the cart identification sensor, to control the vending and return of carts, wherein the controller maintains a queue of carts identified by the cart identification sensor and retained by the retainer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A cart management system for vending a plurality of carts, comprising:
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(a) a retainer to selectively retain at least one of the plurality of carts, wherein the retainer comprises a rotatable paddlewheel having a plurality of paddles extending radially from a rotational axis thereof, wherein the paddlewheel is rotated by the insertion and removal of carts; (b) a paddlewheel position sensor to detect a rotational position of the paddlewheel; (b) a cart identification sensor to uniquely identify carts retained by the retaining means; and (c) a controller, coupled to the retainer and to the cart identification sensor, to control the vending and return of carts, wherein the controller maintains a queue of carts identified by the cart identification sensor and retained by the retainer. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification