Power-assisted cart retriever with attenuated power output
US7493979B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 2008 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T10/70
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes a controller that attenuates the power provided to the drive system of the retriever to prevent the retriever from being utilized to move an excessively heavy load of shopping carts. By preventing the retriever and carts from being subjected to overloaded conditions, the operational lives of the retriever and carts are maximized. The retriever is also provided with a burst mode that allows the power provided to the drive system to rapidly increase past the normal attenuated level for a brief period of time in order to reduce the time required to accelerate a retriever loaded with carts to a terminal velocity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.