Patent Publication Number: US-2001000283-A1

Title: Apparatus comprising at least two transport carts and a collection station

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     1. The present application claims priority of German Patent Application No. 199 15 316.7, filed on Apr. 3, 1999 and International Application No. PCT/DE00/00994, filed on Mar. 30, 2000. The contents of both applications are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the present application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/DE00/00994, which designated the United States of America.  
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       2. 1. Field of the Invention  
       3. The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising at least two transport carts and a collection station intended for holding the transport carts, and in particular to an apparatus wherein the transport carts are provided with a manually operated shunting device and are designed so that they can be pushed inside other transport carts in a space-saving manner, and whereby the collection station has guides in which the transport carts can be stored aligned in at least one row and can be removed from the row again.  
       4. 2. Description of Related Art  
       5. In the past, suggestions have been made to provide transport carts with a power source. This makes it possible to drive transport carts with an electric drive, which can be driven at walking speed. A power source on transport carts also can be used to supply information devices, for example a display, with electricity. Since the power source is usually at least one battery, it must be recharged now and then.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY  
       6. It is an object of the present invention to further develop an apparatus of this type so that a transfer of energy to the transport carts can be accomplished in a simple and practical manner when the transport carts are within the collection station.  
       7. The objective can be realized by providing the collection station with at least one longitudinally extending arrangement designed to transfer energy, which arrangement extends parallel to the guides, and by providing each transport cart with a receptacle device for receiving the transmitted energy.  
       8. One embodiment of the present invention advantageously utilizes the fact that the transport carts within the collection station are aligned in a row by guides. And, the arrangement intended for transmitting the energy can be arranged parallel to the guides. In this way, a greater dimensional accuracy is achieved for performing the energy transmission, for example, inductively or with wiper contacts.  
       9. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the receiving device for the transmitted energy is arranged always at the same place on the transport cart in the area of the stacking dead space of the transport cart. As a result, exciter coils that act inductively on the receiver coils that form the receiving devices on the transport carts can be provided at regular intervals on the arrangement for transmitting the energy. The receiving devices are arranged on one of two rear lateral areas of the transport carts.  
       10. In a second exemplary embodiment, the transport carts are provided with a running wheel located on a frame in the center between four casters, and the running wheel has a directionally stabilizing effect when the transport cart is moved. The running wheel is guided inside a guide that is arranged on the bottom inside a collection station, whereby the arrangement for transmitting energy is arranged very close to the guide and extends parallel to it, and whereby the arrangement has two longitudinally extending wiper contacts that act as plus and minus poles and whereby cooperating contacts, located close to the running wheel, are in contact with these two wiper contacts.  
       11. The arrangement is preferably permanently under current so that the power source of the transport carts is always automatically charged when the carts are in the collection station.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     12. The present invention is explained in more detail in reference to exemplary embodiments, whereby:  
     13.FIG. 1 is a top view of a collection station with two rows of stored carts;  
     14.FIG. 2 is a view of a transport cart with a shunting device;  
     15.FIG. 3 is a view of a row of transport carts pushed inside one another, and,  
     16.FIG. 4 is a view of another embodiment of a transport cart.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     17.FIG. 1 is a top view and a schematic portrayal of an apparatus  1  comprising at least two transport carts  2  and a collection station  15 , in which the transport carts  2  are stored in two rows  22 . The collection station  15  is preferably a shed-like structure with a roof supported by three walls.  
     18. In a preferred embodiment, the transport carts  2  are stored with the help of deposit locks  23  so as to be connected with one another. By paying a deposit, a transport cart  2  can be removed from a row  22 . When the transport cart  2  is returned, it is again connected to this row  22 , and the user receives back his deposit.  
     19. At the bottom of the collection station  15 , guides  18  are provided that extend from the open entrance  17  towards the back wall  16  of the collection station  15 . The transport carts  2  are designed in a known manner so that they can be pushed inside other identical transport carts  2  in a space-saving manner. The transport carts  2  are guided preferably with their wheels or casters  8  inside the guides  18 . This causes the transport carts  2  to be aligned accurately in one direction. Each row  22  of transport carts  2 , is provided with one arrangement  19  that is designed to transmit energy, whereby each arrangement  19  extends longitudinally to the row  22 , parallel to the guides  18 .  
     20. Each transport cart  2  is provided with a receiving device  9  that is intended to receive energy transmitted by the arrangement  19 . See FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a view of the back side  3  of a transport cart  2 .  
     21. A shunting device  4  is located at the back side of the cart  2 . The shunting device  4  comprises a push and/or steering device  5 . The transport cart  2  may include an electric motor drive unit. In this case, the shunting device  4  also includes control elements  6  that can be used to control and influence the electric motor drive unit. In the same manner, an electronic information device  7 , for example an electrical display, can be provided at or near the shunting device  4 .  
     22. The transport cart  2  is preferably designed so that it can be used to transport goods in self-service shops or luggage for travelers. The two rear wheels or casters  8  of the transport cart  2  are designed so as to fit within the guides  18 .  
     23. At the right side of the wheelbase of the transport cart  2 , a receiving device  9  is located. From the receiving device  9 , a power-carrying cable leads to a power source (not shown here), preferably a battery, on the transport cart  2 . Electrically acting exciter coils  19 ′ are arranged at regular intervals on the arrangement  19 . The exciter coils create with alternating current a pulsating magnetic field that acts on the receiving device  9 , which includes a receiving coil. The exciter coils transmit energy, in the form of an electrical current, to the receiving coils, which transfer the power to the power source on the transport cart  2 . In the example, energy is transmitted inductively from the exciter coils to the receiving coils. The arrangement  19  in the example has a longitudinally extending, horizontally arranged, bar-supported rail  20  on which the exciter coils  19 ′ are arranged.  
     24.FIG. 3 is a side view of a row  22  of transport carts  2  pushed inside each other and guided in guides  18 . In the figure, a portion of the arrangement  19  is broken away to illustrate the structure behind it. The receiving devices  9  on the transport carts  2  each are shown schematically in the form of a dot. The dimension T designates the portion of each cart that extends from the preceding cart, when the carts are stacked together. These portions are referred to as the stacking dead spaces  13  of the individual transport carts  2 . Each receiving device  9  is located within a stacking dead space  13  so that the receiving device is not covered by part of the adjacent transport cart  2 . The energy therefore can be transmitted by the arrangement  19  to the receiving devices  9  at any time. The exciter coils  19 ′ on the arrangement  19  are placed in accordance with intervals T.  
     25.FIG. 4 is also a view of the back  3  of a transport cart of an alternative embodiment, and shows a transport cart  2  that is provided between its four wheels  8  with a running wheel  11  that is provided on its frame  10 , for example in such a way as described in European Patent No. 0 352 647. At least the center running wheel  11  is located in a guide  18 . An arrangement  19  is provided on the guide  18  and extends parallel to it. In the example, this arrangement is formed by two current-bearing, low voltage rails  21 , whereby one rail forms the plus pole, the other rail the minus pole. Near the running wheel  11  and at a suitable place in the frame  10 , the receiving device  9  is provided in the form of a two-pole, spring-loaded wiper contact  12  that presses against the arrangement  19  so that the electrical energy can be transmitted.  
     26. When the transport carts  2  leave the collection station  15 , the energy transmission is interrupted. This also applies to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2.  
     27. Although only preferred embodiments are specifically illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.