Patent ID: 8120190

Claim:
A wheeled shopping cart having an electrically powered component mounted thereon, the component having a rechargeable electrical power supply, the wheeled shopping cart comprising: an electrical generator coupled to the power supply to provide electrical energy to recharge the supply; a potential energy storage component coupled between at least one wheel of the shopping cart and the electrical generator, the storage component configured to store potential energy by rotation of the at least one wheel and further configured to drive the generator by converting the stored potential energy to kinetic energy, wherein the potential energy storage component comprises a coil spring; and an input mechanism coupled between the coil spring and the at least one wheel of the shopping cart, wherein (i) the input mechanism is configured to wind the coil spring as the at least one wheel rotates, and (ii) the input mechanism includes a one-way clutch to transmit rotation in only one direction between the coil spring and the at least one wheel.