Various embodiments herein relate to powered pusher devices configured to push wheeled objects from one location to another. Further embodiments relate to wheeled objects such as carts for transporting items from one location to another. Other embodiments relate to platform powered pushers that can be coupled to a family of various wheeled objects.

Various embodiments herein relate to powered pusher devices configured to push wheeled objects from one location to another. Further embodiments relate to wheeled objects such as carts for transporting items from one location to another. Other embodiments relate to platform powered pushers that can be coupled to a family of various wheeled objects.

Disclosed is a trolley for carrying articles, including a base for carrying articles with wheels; a trolley frame fixedly connected to the base and extending upwards, the trolley frame forming a baffle at the front side of the base, the trolley frame including an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion is connected to the front end of the base, the middle portion is provided with a foldable storage unit, and the upper portion is provided with a handle; and the base and the trolley frame form a carrying space, the foldable storage unit is provided with a retracted location and an unfolded location at which a storage space formed by the foldable storage unit occupies a part of the carrying space. A user may decide to unfold or retract the storage unit as necessary to properly place the articles being carried.

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

A cart includes a chassis configured to carry a basket and a support structure having a carrier coupled to the chassis, a pair of rear legs coupled to the carrier, and a pair of front legs coupled to the carrier, at least one of the pair of front legs and the pair of rear legs having motor driven wheels coupled thereto, at least one carrier actuator configured to move the chassis relative to the carrier, the pair of front legs including actuators which are configured to extend and retract the pair of front legs, and the pair of rear legs including actuators which are configured to extend and retract the pair of rear legs. The cart includes at least one sensor supported on the cart. The cart also includes at least one processing unit configured with software instructions that enable autonomous self-loading of the cart into a vehicle. The processing unit receives signals from the at least one sensor and providing command signals to any of the wheel motors, the at least one carrier actuator, the front leg actuators, and the rear leg actuators.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Various techniques utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Navigation techniques can include navigation history and backtracking, motion direction detection for dual swivel casters, use of gyroscopes, determining cart weight, multi-level navigation, multi-level magnetic measurements, use of lighting signatures, use of multiple navigation systems, or hard/soft iron compensation for different cart configurations.

A shopping cart in one embodiment comprises a uniframe, a mat basket, and a slim-fit cart frame and basket combination, as well as in multiple embodiments, providing individual structural differences and advantages over pre-existing forms of shopping carts.

The present invention provides a system and method for preventing theft of mobile objects which are used by for temporary time period by anonymous users. The system is comprised of: at least one locking mechanism engaging a mobile object to a secure locking arrangement, wherein the locking mechanism can be unlocked by a remote communication device, an identifying tag attached to said mobile object including an identifying code, a controller network device including identification data of plurality of mobile objects, said controller device is enabled to send unlocking instruction to at least one locking mechanism and a mobile communication device enabled to send electronic message to said controller network device.

A bracket assembly includes a bracket for attachment to a shopping cart and a cover connected to the bracket and covering at least part of the bracket. The bracket includes a metal plate having first and second faces, where the length is greater than the width, and the width is greater than the thickness. The bracket has a projection extending outward from the first face and a recess extending inward from the second face and corresponding to the projection. The cover has two walls and a cavity defined between the walls, and the bracket is received within the cavity such that the first and second faces each confront one of the walls. The cover further has a slot in at least one wall, such that the cover is press-fit on the bracket and the projection is received in the slot to retain the cover in connection with the bracket.

Methods and systems are provided for evaluating shopping cart wheels using a sensor module or one or more microphones engaged with the shopping cart. The microphones can be used to detect sounds generated by the wheels of the shopping cart. A sound signature can be determined from the detected sound and compared to sound signatures in a database. If the detected sound indicates that a wheel of the shopping cart is failing, an alert can be generated using an associate alert system.