Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5119087?dq=6008737
Timestamp: 2016-10-01 05:20:00
Document Index: 280650851

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'arts 12']

Patent US5119087 - Shopping cart retrieval system with award signal generation based on a ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA system for retrieving shopping carts at a store having a plurality of shopping carts is disclosed. The system includes a counter which can be preset to a first determined count. A target is mounted to each shopping cart while a sensor detects the return of each shopping cart to a designated area. As...http://www.google.com/patents/US5119087?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5119087 - Shopping cart retrieval system with award signal generation based on a predetermined countAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS5119087 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/596,557Publication dateJun 2, 1992Filing dateOct 10, 1990Priority dateMay 22, 1989Fee statusLapsedPublication number07596557, 596557, US 5119087 A, US 5119087A, US-A-5119087, US5119087 A, US5119087AInventorsJ. Hendren LucasOriginal AssigneeLucas J HendrenExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (10), Referenced by (30), Classifications (8), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetShopping cart retrieval system with award signal generation based on a predetermined count
US 5119087 AAbstract
A system for retrieving shopping carts at a store having a plurality of shopping carts is disclosed. The system includes a counter which can be preset to a first determined count. A target is mounted to each shopping cart while a sensor detects the return of each shopping cart to a designated area. As each shopping cart is returned to the designated area, the sensor generates an output pulse which changes the count in the counter. Whenever the count in the counter achieves a second predetermined count, an alarm is activated indicative that a prize is awarded to the person returning the shopping cart to the designated area.
1. For use with a store having a plurality of shopping carts, a system for encouraging people to return the shopping carts to a designated area comprising:a target attached to each of a plurality of shopping carts; a single counter, said single counter being operable between a first and second predetermined limit; means coupled to said single counter for varying said first predetermined limit and presetting said single counter to said first predetermined limit, said first predetermined limit being a user selected limit; means for detecting said target on each shopping cart when returned to the designated area and for generating an output signal representative thereof; means interconnecting said single counter and said detecting means and responsive to said output signal for changing the count in said single counter by a predetermined increment toward said second predetermined limit; means connected to said single counter for detecting when the count in said single counter reaches said second predetermined limit and for generating a detector output signal whenever said count in said single counter reaches said second predetermined limit; an award signal generating means; and means interconnecting said detecting and generating means and said award signal generating means and responsive to said detector output signal for activating said award signal generating means, whereby the last one of a predetermined count of shopping carts returned to the designated area activates the award signal generating means. 2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said single counter is a down counter which is decremented for each output signal and wherein said second predetermined count is zero.
3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said detecting means comprises a sensor at said designated area, said target activating said sensor when said target and sensor are brought in to close proximity with each other.
4. A shopping cart retrieval system for encouraging the return of shopping carts to a designated area, comprising:a target mounted to each of a plurality of shopping carts; means for sensing said target on each of the plurality of shopping carts returned to the designated area and for generating an output signal for each said target sensed; a single counter connected to said sensing means for counting each said output signal from said sensing means; means coupled to said single counter for presetting said single counter to a first and second predetermined count; means connected to said single counter for detecting said single counter reaching said second predetermined count; an alarm; means interconnecting said alarm and said detecting means for activating said alarm in response to said detecting means detecting said second predetermined count, whereby the last one of a predetermined count of shopping carts returned to the designated area activates the alarm. 5. A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sensing means comprises a sensor located adjacent the designated area.
6. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said presetting means comprises a reset circuit connected to said single counter.
7. A system as set forth in claim 6 including means for varying said first predetermined count.
8. A system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said detecting means comprises a detector circuit connected to said single counter to generate a signal in response to said single counter reaching said second predetermined count.
9. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said activating means comprises an alarm driver circuit connected to said detector circuit to receive said signal from said detector circuit.
10. A system as set forth in claim 9 including an amplifier connected to said sensor for amplifying said output signal.
11. A system as set forth in claim 10 including a wave shaper interconnecting said amplifier and said single counter.
12. A shopping cart retrieval system, comprising:a plurality of shopping carts; a target mounted to each of said plurality of shopping carts; a sensor located adjacent a designated area to sense said target of each of said plurality of shopping carts passing thereby when returned to the designated area and generating an output signal in response thereto; an amplifier connected to said sensor for amplifying said output signal; a wave shaper connected to said amplifier receiving a signal from said amplifier; a single counter connected to said wave shaper for counting each said signal from said wave shaper; a reset circuit connected to said single counter to preset said single counter to a first predetermined count; a plurality of switches on said reset circuit to vary said first predetermined count on said single counter; a detector circuit connected to said single counter to generate a signal in response to said single counter reaching a second predetermined count; an alarm driver circuit connected to said detector circuit to receive said signal from said detector circuit; and an alarm which is activated by said alarm driver circuit, whereby the last one of a predetermined count of shopping carts returned to the designated area activates the alarm. Description
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/354,764, filed May 22, 1989, now abandoned.
The present invention relates generally to a system for encouraging people to return shopping carts to a predetermined designated area.
Many stores, especially grocery stores, have a plurality of shopping carts which are used to carry goods purchased from the store by the customers to the customers' vehicles. After the goods or groceries are unloaded from the carts, the customer typically leaves the shopping cart in the parking lot area. This is disadvantageous in a number of different respects.
One problem created by shoppers who simply leave the shopping carts in the middle of the parking lot is that the store must hire personnel to periodically retrieve its shopping carts from the parking lot and return them to the desired shopping cart area. This results in high labor costs for the store.
A still further disadvantage of shopping carts in the parking lot area is that the shopping carts can strike and damage cars and other vehicles in the parking lot. Such damage to the customer vehicles not only results in ill will towards the store, but can also result in financial claims made by customers against the store in order to repair the vehicle damage.
A still further disadvantage of shopping carts left in the parking lot by customers is that a relatively high percentage of the shopping carts are oftentimes in the parking lot. Consequently, it is necessary for the store to purchase additional shopping carts in order to have sufficient shopping carts available at all times for use by customers in the store. Shopping carts are expensive and this results in an additional equipment cost for the store.
The present invention provides a system which, in operation, encourages shoppers to return the shopping cart from the parking lot and to a predesignated area thereby overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages.
In brief, the system of the present invention comprises a counter which is preset to a predetermined count. The predetermined count, however, can be varied, if desired, by the store.
A sensor is located adjacent the shopping cart return area. This sensor cooperates with a target mounted to each shopping cart so that, whenever a shopping cart is returned to the shopping cart area, the sensor generates an output pulse. The output pulse from the sensor is coupled as an input signal to the counter and varies the count in the counter by a predetermined increment or decrement whenever a shopping cart is returned to the shopping cart area.
A detector circuit is coupled to the output from the counter which detects whenever the count in the counter reaches a second predetermined count. Whenever this second predetermined count is reached, the detector generates an output signal which activates an alarm.
The activation of the alarm at the shopping cart return area may be of any conventional audio and/or visual alarm. Whenever the alarm is activated, a prize is awarded to the person returning the shopping cart thereby providing an inducement for shoppers to return the shopping carts to the shopping cart return area.
After activation of the alarm, the counter is reset and the above process is repeated.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
With reference first to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the system 10 of the present invention is thereshown for use with a store having a plurality of shopping carts 12 and a designated shopping cart return area 14. The system 10 is located adjacent the shopping cart return area 14 so that, as each shopping cart 12 is returned from a parking lot to the return area 14, the shopping cart 12 passes by the system 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the system 10 of the present invention comprises a sensor 16 which cooperates with a target 18 mounted to each shopping cart 12 so that the sensor 16 generates an output signal on its output 20 whenever the shopping cart 12 passes the sensor 16 as the shopping cart 12 is returned from the parking lot and to the return area 14. The sensor 16 and target 18 can be of any conventional construction, such as a magnetic target 18 and sensor 16, optical targets, or the like, so that a further description thereof is unnecessary.
The output signal from the sensor 16 is fed as an input signal to an amplifier 22 and then through a wave shaper 24 which produces an output signal on its output 26 corresponding to an output signal from the sensor 16. The output 26 from the wave shaper 24 is fed as an input signal to a counter 28.
A reset circuit 30 is coupled to the counter 28 so that, upon activation of the reset circuit 30, the counter 28 is preset to a predetermined count. Switches 32 on the reset circuit 30, however, can vary the initial count in the counter 28. After the counter 28 has been preset to its predetermined count, each pulse along the line 26 will change the count in the counter 28 by one count. Additionally, the counter 28 is preferably a down counter so that the count in the counter 28 is decremented for each pulse on the output line 26.
A detector circuit 34 is coupled to the counter 28 so that whenever the count in the counter 28 achieves a second predetermined count, for example a zero count, the detector generates an output signal on its output line 36. This output signal is fed as an input signal to an alarm driver circuit 38 which activates an alarm 40 in the system housing 11. The alarm 40 can be either audio, visual, or a combination of the two.
In operation, the counter 28 is preset to a predetermined, but user selectable, amount. Thereafter, the count in the counter is changed by one each time a shopping cart 12 is returned from the parking lot to the shopping cart return area 14 in the fashion previously described. Whenever the count in the counter 28 reaches the second predetermined amount, the alarm 40 is activated and a prize is awarded to the person returning the shopping cart to the return area 14. This prize can be of any sort, such as money, gifts, double coupons, or the like.
A primary advantage of the system of the present invention is that it encourages and induces customers to return the shopping carts from the parking lot and to the return area 14. These customers can be persons who have used the shopping cart 12 to carry goods from the store to their vehicles or customers who, upon arriving and parking in the parking lot, return a shopping cart 12 that has been left there by a prior customer. In either event, the shopping carts 12 are rapidly returned to the return area 14 in the desired fashion.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3176267 *Jun 8, 1961Mar 30, 1965Gen Signal CorpVehicle registering systemUS3441719 *Apr 7, 1966Apr 29, 1969Hecon CorpMonitoring meansUS3882982 *Mar 7, 1969May 13, 1975Cara CharlesMethod and apparatus for encouraging return of shopping cartsUS4424893 *Dec 4, 1980Jan 10, 1984Supermarket SystemsMethod and installation for encouraging the restitution of shopping carts in a supermarketUS4470495 *May 3, 1982Sep 11, 1984Supermarket Sales And Maintenance Corp., Ltd.Device for encouraging the return of shopping cartsUS4549182 *Sep 27, 1982Oct 22, 1985Supermarket SystemsSystem for encouraging the return of vehicles such as trolleysUS4572347 *Oct 9, 1984Feb 25, 1986Schulte-Schlagbaum AktiengesellschaftStoreroom for transport carts, particularly supermarket shopping carts or the likeUS4576274 *May 26, 1983Mar 18, 1986Cart-O-Matic AktiebolagMeans for the storing of carts such as shopping cartsUS4868544 *Jun 28, 1988Sep 19, 1989Rex HavensShopping cart retrieval systemWO1985000961A1 *Aug 31, 1984Mar 14, 1985Chemical And Power Associates Pty. LimitedReceiving and acknowledging the return of a trolley at a check-in point* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5524129 *Jun 23, 1994Jun 4, 1996Ronald K. PettigrewPortable counter and data storage systemUS5589677 *Mar 28, 1996Dec 31, 1996Vendoret Holding S. A.Pledge lock for a shopping trolleyUS5708782 *Dec 2, 1994Jan 13, 1998Larson; BlaineMethod and apparatus for dispensing discount couponsUS5921373 *Sep 21, 1995Jul 13, 1999Smart Carte, Inc.Cart management systemUS6024203 *Sep 19, 1997Feb 15, 2000Smarte Carte, Inc.Cart management system and methodUS6125985 *Mar 9, 1999Oct 3, 2000Smarte Carte, Inc.Cart management systemUS6142283 *Mar 9, 1999Nov 7, 2000Smarte Carte, Inc.Cart management systemUS6206165May 7, 1998Mar 27, 2001Catena-Systems ApsSystem for promoting the returning of service carts, e.g. shopping carts, intended for transporting commodities in an activity center, e.g. shopping centersUS6378684 *Feb 14, 2000Apr 30, 2002Gary L. CoxDetecting mechanism for a grocery cart and the like and systemUS6424884Mar 3, 1999Jul 23, 2002The Coca-Cola CompanyVending machine with transponder interrogatorUS6486768Sep 16, 1998Nov 26, 2002Carttronics, LlcCart return loyalty credit systemUS6975205Mar 23, 2000Dec 13, 2005Carttronics, LlcCart return credit systemUS7031804Jul 22, 2002Apr 18, 2006Brooke Jr Russell JVending machine with transponder interrogatorUS7218225 *Nov 15, 2002May 15, 2007Systec Pos-Technology GmbhSystem and method for detecting and rewarding the return of a supermarket trolley or a luggage trolley taken from a trolley parkUS7295982Nov 19, 2001Nov 13, 2007At&T Corp.System and method for automatic verification of the understandability of speechUS7660716Feb 9, 2010At&T Intellectual Property Ii, L.P.System and method for automatic verification of the understandability of speechUS7996221Aug 9, 2011At&T Intellectual Property Ii, L.P.System and method for automatic verification of the understandability of speechUS8117033Aug 8, 2011Feb 14, 2012At&T Intellectual Property Ii, L.P.System and method for automatic verification of the understandability of speechUS20020183893 *Jul 22, 2002Dec 5, 2002Brooke Russell J.Vending machine with transponder interrogatorUS20040084892 *Apr 7, 2003May 6, 2004Mitchell Robert E.Advertising materials and method for cooperative promotionsUS20040217585 *Jan 29, 2004Nov 4, 2004Adams Enterprises, Inc.Advertising materials and method for cooperative promotionsUS20050072651 *Nov 15, 2002Apr 7, 2005Systec Pos-Technology GmbhSystem and method for detecting and rewarding the return of a supermarket trolley or a luggage trolley taken from a trolley parkUS20060047573 *Aug 26, 2005Mar 2, 2006True Resources, LlcCoupon and sweepstakes dispensing system and method of useUS20090076895 *Sep 13, 2007Mar 19, 2009French John RShopping cart accountability using coupon incentivesUS20100100381 *Dec 22, 2009Apr 22, 2010At&T Corp.System and Method for Automatic Verification of the Understandability of SpeechUS20120123826 *May 17, 2012French John RShopping Cart Accountability Using Coupon Incentives with Participation OptionDE10235727A1 *Aug 3, 2002Feb 19, 2004Wanzl Metallwarenfabrik GmbhLoaning device for self-service supermarket trolleys uses a deposit-payment lock with electrically operated control devices triggered by a device with a transmitter near a collection pointDE19617205A1 *Apr 30, 1996Nov 13, 1997Fuchs PeterDevice for limiting rows of parked shopping trolleyWO1998051197A1 *May 7, 1998Nov 19, 1998Catena-Systems ApsSystem for promoting the returning of service carts, e.g. shopping carts, intended for transporting commodities in an activity centre, e.g. shopping centresWO2004055743A1 *Dec 9, 2003Jul 1, 2004Jean-Claude HuotShopping cart corral management system* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification340/5.92, 194/213, 194/211, 194/905International ClassificationG07F7/06Cooperative ClassificationY10S194/905, G07F7/0636European ClassificationG07F7/06C3Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJan 9, 1996REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJun 2, 1996LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesAug 13, 1996FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 19960605RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services