Patent Publication Number: US-2023143029-A1

Title: Bulk and tote cart

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     It is commonplace for a large format store to have several types of carts available to the store associates for certain processes throughout the store. For example, they may have a bulk cart, commonly referred to as a “L Cart” utilized to transport large items such as TVs. The same store will also have “Tote Carts” utilized for online/app order fulfilment and curbside vehicle delivery. These carts are separate pieces of equipment that are used and stored throughout the location which takes up large amounts of floor space, even when the carts nest. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an example embodiment described herein, both functions are combined into a single cart. This gives the store associate order picking flexibility between bulk items or totes so that they do not have to go throughout the store to find the appropriate cart. It also allows the store to consolidate and reduce the total number of equipment onsite along with reducing the lost floorspace. 
     In one example embodiment presented herein, a cart includes a platform and a plurality of wheels supporting the platform. A plurality of retractable shelves are supported on the platform. The plurality of retractable shelves are reconfigurable between a deployed position and a retracted position. In the deployed position, a plurality of totes (or other smaller objects) can be supported on the shelves. In the retracted position, the cart is in an L Cart configuration. The platform is uncovered by the shelves and a larger item (or several larger items) can be placed on the platform. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    shows the cart  10  in a tote-carrying configuration. 
         FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view of the cart of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of the cart of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a rear view of the cart of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    is a top view of the cart of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    shows the cart of  FIG.  1    with a plurality of totes carried thereon. 
         FIG.  7    is a front perspective view of the cart and totes of  FIG.  6   . 
         FIG.  8    shows the cart and totes of  FIG.  6    with the ladder removed for use. 
         FIG.  9    shows the cart of  FIG.  1    reconfigured to an L-cart configuration. 
         FIG.  10    is a rear perspective of the cart of  FIG.  9    in the L-cart configuration. 
         FIG.  11    is a top view of the cart of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  12    is a side view of the cart of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  13    is a front view of the cart of  FIG.  9   . 
         FIG.  14    shows a side view of the cart of  FIG.  9    with a large item supported on the platform in the L-cart configuration. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     A cart  10  according to a first embodiment is shown in  FIG.  1   . The cart  10  includes a base  12  having a platform  14  extending forward from a lower end of a housing  16 . The housing  16  extends vertically upward from a rear end of the platform  14 . A plurality of casters  18  support the base  12 . Two of the casters  18  may be fixed and two may be rotatable about a vertical axis, or all four could be rotatable. Optionally, two or more of the casters  18  could include wheels with hub motors for powering the cart  10 . The housing  16  has an upper surface  20 . A rear frame  22  extends upward from a rear end of the upper surface  20  and a pair of handles  24  extend rearward and upward from the rear frame  22 . 
     The platform  14  includes a pair of elongated channels  28  extending along long edges thereof, perpendicular to the housing  16 . A retractable shelf system  30  is secured to the housing  16  and received in the elongated channels  28  of the platform  14 . The retractable shelf system  30  is shown in  FIG.  1    in the deployed position. 
     The retractable shelf system  30  includes a plurality (in this example, three) vertical frame members  32  each received in both elongated channels  28 . Between each adjacent pair of vertical frame members  32  are a plurality of shelves (in this example, three) each defined by a plurality of shelf segments  34  (in this example, two). The shelf segments  34  are pivotably connected to one another and to the vertical frame members  32 . 
     There is also a shelf supported by the rearward-most vertical frame member  32  and the rear frame  22 , which shelf includes a pair of shelf segments  34  pivotably connected to one another and to the vertical frame member  32  and the rear frame  22 . 
     In this example there are two shelves defined between the rearward-most vertical frame member  32  and the housing  16 , which shelves each includes a pair of smaller shelf segments  36  pivotably connected to one another, to the vertical frame member  32  and to the housing  16 . 
     Each of the vertical frame members  32  may include a pair of vertical portions  39  having a plurality (e.g. three) of cross-bars  38  connected therebetween and an upper portion  40  connecting upper ends of the pair of vertical portions  39 . 
     The forward-most vertical frame member  32  may include a pair of handles  42  projecting forward therefrom. 
       FIG.  1    shows the cart  10  in a tote-carrying configuration, although it could also be used for carrying other smaller items. In this configuration, four levels of support surfaces are created (three levels of shelves plus the platform  14 . 
       FIG.  2    is a rear perspective view of the cart  10 . The housing  16  opens rearward to define a cavity within which can be carried, for example, a ladder  50 , such as a small stepladder. The ladder  50  can be carried on a hook  52 . Other hooks  54  can be provided to assist with carrying items. A small bin  56  may be mounted within the housing  16 . A rear shelf  58  extends rearward from the rear frame  22 . The rear shelf  58  may be coplanar with the uppermost shelf segments  34 . Optionally, a battery could be provided within the housing for operating hub motors within the wheels of some of the casters  18 . 
       FIG.  3    is a side view of the cart  10  of  FIG.  1   . The shelf segments  34  are connected to one another and to the vertical frame members  32  by hinges  35 . 
       FIG.  4    is a rear view of the cart  10  again showing the ladder  50 , the hook  54 , and the small bin  56  in the housing  16 .  FIG.  5    is a top view of the cart  10 , showing upper support surfaces of the uppermost shelves and shelf segments  34  and rear shelf  58 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , in this configuration, the shelves can be loaded with totes  60 . The totes  60  are supported on each adjacent pair of shelf segments  34  between each adjacent pair of vertical frame members  32 . There is also one tote  60  supported on the upper surface  20  of the housing  16  and the smaller shelf segments  36 . Two totes  60  are supported on the platform  14 . In this configuration, the cart  10  can be used to carry ten totes  60 . None of the totes  60  are supported on other totes  60 , so each can be removed and replaced independently. The totes  60  may be used for picking orders, such as orders place online, app orders, curbside pickup, or the like, where each order is placed into a different tote  60 . In this example, the totes  60  are sized such that they each occupy substantially all of the space in each bay defined by the shelves. 
       FIG.  7    is a front perspective view of the cart  10  and totes  60  of  FIG.  6   . The loaded cart  10  and totes  60  could be pulled or pushed by the handles  42  and/or  24 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , the ladder  50  can be removed from the hook  52  in the housing  16  and after use can be returned to the hook  52 . 
       FIG.  9    shows the cart  10  reconfigured to an L-cart configuration for moving large items (such as televisions or furniture) on the upper surface  15  of the platform  14 . The retractable shelf system  30  is retracted toward the housing  16  to expose most of the upper surface  15  of the platform  14 . The vertical frame members  32  are slid toward the housing  16 , which causes the shelf segments  34  and smaller shelf segments  36  to pivot upward to a substantially vertical orientation. The cart  10  in the L-configuration can be used to move a large item and then returned to the shelf configuration of  FIG.  1    for carrying totes again. The cart  10  can be returned to the L-cart configuration whenever it is necessary to move a large item. 
       FIG.  10    is a rear perspective of the cart  10  of  FIG.  9    in the L-cart configuration.  FIG.  11    is a top view of the cart  10  of  FIG.  9   .  FIG.  12    is a side view of the cart  10  of  FIG.  9   .  FIG.  13    is a front view of the cart  10  of  FIG.  9   . 
       FIG.  14    shows a side view of the cart  10  of  FIG.  9    with a large item  62  (such as a television or other large box) supported on the platform  14  in the L-cart configuration. The large item  62  is supported on the platform  14  in front of the retracted retractable shelf system  30 . 
     Optionally, the cart  10  may also be provided with a power braking system, which can lock two or all of the wheels when the user presses a button and/or whenever the ladder  50  is removed from the hook  54 . If hub motors are provided in at least some of the wheels, braking can be provided via the hub motors. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.