Abstract:
A utility cart and docking apparatus are disclosed. The docking apparatus is configured to be attached to a utility vehicle and to receive the utility cart and raise the utility cart off the ground. The utility card has electronics which allow the utility cart to communicate with a point-of-sale system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/999,730, filed on Aug. 1, 2014, entitled “THE “MY CART” SYSTEM”. This application is also related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/197,727, filed on Jul. 28, 2015, entitled “TOWABLE MULTI-PURPOSE CART”, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a method and system for a utility cart and docking apparatus for the utility cart. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments described herein advantageously provide a utility cart and docking apparatus for docking the utility cart. Some embodiments include a utility cart docking apparatus configured to hold a utility cart remove-ably position-able onto the docking apparatus. The docking apparatus includes a frame, the frame having first arms foldable to a closed position and un-foldable to an open position and further configured to pivot to wrap around the utility cart. The docking apparatus includes a second arm extending from the frame and mate-able to a receiver hitch of an automobile. The docking apparatus includes a first gear affixed to remain stationary with respect to the second arm; and a second gear meshed with the first gear and affixed to remain stationary with the frame, the second gear moveable with respect to the first gear so that when the second gear is moved, the frame moves in a vertical direction with respect to the second arm to one of raise and lower the frame. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, the utility cart docking apparatus further includes a set of resting arms configured to be affixed to the frame in substantially horizontal support positions to support the utility cart when the utility cart is positioned to be held by the docking apparatus. In some embodiments, the set of resting arms are remove-able when the utility cart is not held by the docking apparatus. In some embodiments, the set of resting arms are position-able to be mounted against the frame and remove-ably affixed to the frame when the set of resting arms have been removed from the substantially horizontal support positions. In some embodiments, the first arms are hinged to be foldable to a first position to securely hold the utility cart, and foldable to a second position when the utility cart is not being securely held by the docking apparatus. In some embodiments, the first arms are telescoping. In some embodiments, the frame of the docking apparatus is lower-able to a position where the utility cart rests upon a ground and raise-able to a position where the utility cart is suspended above the ground. In some embodiments, the frame is driven by a motor that turns one of the first and second gears. 
         [0005]    Some embodiments include a utility cart. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes an insulated cold storage compartment; a dry storage compartment, the dry storage compartment configured to retract-ably extend horizontally; and front and rear wheels. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, the utility cart further includes a pivot-able handle. In some embodiments, the cold storage compartment is refrigerated. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes a rechargeable battery to power refrigeration of the cold storage compartment. The rechargeable battery may be recharged from a battery of a vehicle or from another power source. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes a leverage foot pad providing leverage to tilt the utility cart backward onto the rear wheels to enable the cart to be pulled up a flight of stairs. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes a wireless transceiver to communicate with at least one of a point-of-sale device and a mobile device. In some embodiments, the utility cart has a display. In some embodiments, the utility cart further includes at least one weight sensor to weigh contents of at least one of the dry storage compartment and the cold storage compartment. In some embodiments, the utility cart further includes a wireless transceiver to communicate a weight of the contents to a point-of-sale device. In some embodiments, the utility cart further includes an electrical brake locking apparatus configured to electrically lock a brake applied to at least one of the front and rear wheels. In some embodiments, the utility cart further includes at least one docking sleeve configured to receive arms of a utility docking apparatus. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes a motor to drive at least the rear wheels. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a utility cart constructed in accordance with principles described herein; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the utility cart with the lower compartment extended; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is front view of the utility cart; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the utility cart; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a docking apparatus constructed in accordance with principles described herein; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the docking apparatus with folding cage arms rotated outward to a fully open position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is top view of the docking apparatus; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the utility cart docked onto the docking apparatus; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front view of a platform that can be docked to the docking apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Before describing in detail example embodiments that are in accordance with the present disclosure, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in a utility cart and docking apparatus for the utility cart. Accordingly, the embodiments have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
         [0018]    As used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of a utility cart  100 . The utility cart  100  has a cold storage compartment  1  above a dry storage compartment  2 .  FIG. 2  is a side view of the utility cart  100  with the dry storage compartment  2  in an extended position. Thus, the dry storage compartment  2  is retractably extendible by pulling outward on the dry storage compartment  2 .  FIG. 3  is a front view of the utility cart  100 .  FIG. 4  is a top view of the utility cart  100  with the dry storage compartment  2  in the extended position. In some embodiments, the utility cart  100 , when the dry storage compartment  2  is in the fully extended position, is about the size of a typical grocery cart such as those found in grocery stores. 
         [0020]    The utility cart  100  has front wheels  3  and rear wheels  4 . The front wheels  3  may pivot 360 degrees. The utility cart  100  also has a handle  5  and a grab bar  6 . Further, the utility cart has a vertical frame  7  to which the handle  5  and grab bar  6  are attached. The utility cart  100  also has a horizontal extension frame  8  which provides support for the dry storage compartment  2  and possibly also the cold storage compartment  1 . 
         [0021]    The handle  5  may pivot to a rearward position via of a handle arm  9 . A leveraging foot pad  10  enables a user of the utility cart  100  to tilt the utility cart  100  backward to pivot on the rear wheel  4  by pressing a foot down on the leveraging foot pad  10  while pulling backward on the handle  5 . This facilitates moving the utility cart  100  up a flight of stairs. Optionally, the rear and/or front wheels  3 ,  4  can be powered by a motor (not shown). Note that in some embodiments, the front and/or rear wheels can be supplied with a manual or electrical braking system (not shown). 
         [0022]    The cold storage compartment  1  may be secured to the vertical frame  7  by horizontal straps  11  and vertical straps  12 . The dry storage compartment has a drawer/extension frame latching mechanism  13  to lock the retractably extendible portion of the dry compartment  2  in a retracted or extended position. The dry storage compartment  2  is supported by an extension frame on glide sleeves  14  to achieve the retracted or extended position. Slide glides  15  facilitate the sliding of the retractably extendible dry compartment  2 . A bottom glide frame  16  houses the extension frame on glide sleeves  14  that extend when the dry storage compartment  2  is extended. 
         [0023]    The utility cart  100  also includes forward weight sensors  18  and rear weight sensors  20  which detect weight of at least the dry storage compartment  2  and its contents. A WiFi transceiver  22  is mounted on the vertical frame  7  and may communicate via an antenna  23  with a wireless access point, point-of-sale terminal or wireless device. A small computer  24  such as a micro-controller may be in communication with at least the sensors  18  and  20 , and may be calibrated to determine the weight of the contents of at least the dry storage compartment  2 . A rechargeable battery  25  may provide power to the computer  24 , the transceiver  22  and possibly also the sensors  18  and  20 . 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, the sensors  18  and  20  are accelerometers and the computer  24  is calibrated to indicate via a display  26  only the weight of the contents of the dry storage compartment  2  and/or the cold storage compartment  1 . The transceiver  22  may receive the contents weight calculated by the computer  24  and communicate the contents weight to a point-of-sale device or inventory tracking system. In some embodiments, the utility cart  100  may also include a bar code reader (not shown) to read bar codes of products to be placed in one of the storage compartments  1  and  2 , and the computer  24  may record information associated with the bar codes. Thus, for example, the computer may keep a running total of prices of items placed in the cart as well as a list of the items. 
         [0025]    The cold storage component  1  may be insulated and may include a refrigerated compartment refrigerated by a refrigerator (not shown) mounted on the vertical frame  7 . In some embodiments, the refrigerator is removably attachable to the utility cart  100  and is powered by the rechargeable battery  25 . Also, power may be supplied by a utility vehicle when the utility cart  100  is docked to the docking station  200  described below. 
         [0026]    Note that the utility cart  100  is specially adapted to be removably secured to a docking apparatus via folding cage arms  26 .  FIG. 5  is a side view of a docking apparatus  200  configured to carry the utility cart  100 . The docking apparatus includes a mast  28 .  FIG. 6  is a front view of the docking apparatus  200  with open folding cage arms  26 .  FIG. 7  is a top view of the docking apparatus  200  with the folding cage arms  26  in an extended position. 
         [0027]    The docking apparatus has a frame  27  from which the folding cage arms  26  extend. Connected to the frame  27  is the mast  28  and connected to the mast  28  is a motor  29  that drives a gear in a gear box  30  which meshes with a gear in a base box frame  31 . The first gear in the base box frame  31  is affixed to remain stationary relative to a hitch insert  32 . The second gear of the gear box  30  is meshed with the first gear and is affixed to remain stationary relative to the frame  27 . When the gears move in relative motion with respect to each other, the frame  27  is lowered or raised. When the utility cart  100  is docked in the docking apparatus  200 , raising or lowering the frame  27  raises or lowers the utility cart  100 , thereby lifting the utility cart  100  off the ground and lowering the utility cart  100  to the ground. 
         [0028]    The utility cart  100  is docked to the docking apparatus  200  by aligning resting support arms  33  of the docking station  200  with docking sleeves  33 ′ of the utility cart  100  and rolling the cart toward the docking station so that the resting support arms  33  insert into the docking sleeves  33 ′. The resting support arms  33  may be detachable from the docking apparatus  200  when the resting support arms  33  are not in use. In some embodiments, the resting arms may be mounted against the frame  27  for storage when not in use. The docking sleeves  33 ′ are shown in  FIG. 3 . The docking arms  33  extend from the bottom support plate  34 . In one embodiment, the front wheels  3  are closest to the docking station  200  when docking the utility cart  100  to the docking station  200 . Control knobs  35  are for locking the utility cart  100  into a docking position when the resting support arms  33  are inserted into the docking sleeves  33 ′. 
         [0029]    Each of the folding cage arms  26  may consist of a first tier  26 - 1 , a second tier  26 - 2  and a third tier  26 - 3 . The tiers are telescoping so that the reach of the folding cage arms  26  is maximum when the telescoping tiers are fully extended, and minimum when the telescoping tiers are fully retracted. The third tier  26 - 3  is hinged to the second tier  26 - 2  and the first tier  26 - 1  is hinged to the frame  27 . Thus, the entire folding cage arms assembly can swing outward to a fully open position as shown in  FIG. 6 , or be positioned perpendicular to the frame  27  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . Further, the third tier  26 - 3  can be folded inward to wrap around the utility cart  100  when docked.  FIG. 8  illustrates the utility cart  100  docked on the docking station  200 . Further, the third tiers of opposite sides of the docking apparatus  200  have a locking mechanism to lock into place opposite corresponding folding cage arms to securely wrap around the utility cart  100 . 
         [0030]    Note that the docking station  200  can be used to dock other objects and equipment such as bicycles. For example, shown in  FIG. 9  is a platform  36  with docking sleeves  33 ′ that receive resting support arms  33 . This enables other equipment to be carried by the docking apparatus  200 . 
         [0031]    It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiments are not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope of the following claims.