A flatbed shopping cart is disclosed that has a frame, a plurality of casters positioned below the frame, a handle, and a tray. The frame may form an outer perimeter of the cart, where the frame has a first side portion, a second side portion, and a central front portion. The frame may further have a first end on the first side portion and a second end on the second side portion, where the first side portion extends from the first end downward and backward along a curved surface before moving forward toward the central front portion, such that the first end of the first side portion is located forward of a connection point of a rear caster, and a portion of the first side portion extends rearward beyond the connection point of the rear caster before curving forward toward the central front portion. The tray may have a nonsymmetrical elongated hexagon shape.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

A handling system for a receptacle space in a vehicle for storage for containers. A linear guide is on an inner wall of the receptacle space. The linear guide guides at least one carrier element in the movement direction of the container, wherein the storage position of the container is provided having the rear wall thereof in the region of the rear wall of the receptacle space. The removal position is provided in the region of an insertion opening, arranged opposite the rear wall. The at least one carrier element is operatively connected to at least one spindle nut of a spindle drive. The container is thus moved linearly from a stowage and storage position to a removal position and vice versa.

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. Also disclosed are various techniques to 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. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

A system for monitoring shopping carts or other human-propelled carts includes wireless access points that communicate on a wireless network with wheel assemblies of the carts. The system is capable of monitoring a path followed by a cart in a store or building, and using the path (optionally together with other criteria) to determine whether to authorize the cart to exit. For example, if a shopping cart fails to pass through a checkout lane of a store, the system may perform an action that blocks or inhibits the shipping cart from exiting the store.

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.

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. Also disclosed are various techniques to 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. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

A system for monitoring shopping carts or other human-propelled carts includes wireless access points that communicate on a wireless network with wheel assemblies of the carts. The system is capable of monitoring a path followed by a cart in a store or building, and using the path (optionally together with other criteria) to determine whether to authorize the cart to exit. For example, if a shopping cart fails to pass through a checkout lane of a store, the system may perform an action that blocks or inhibits the shipping cart from exiting the store.

The invention relates to a transport means (1) provided with a base frame, comprising a plurality of wheels (5, 6), two legs (3) and a transverse connecting element (4) which connects the legs (3), wherein the legs (3) extend adjacently of each other and taper as seen from a rear side to a front side of the base frame, wherein each of the legs (3) is provided on the rear side with at least one rear wheel (5) and wherein at least one front wheel (6) is mounted on the front side of the base frame, wherein the transport means (1) is provided with coupling means for pairwise coupling of two transport means in a nested position, wherein the coupling means comprise first and second coupling means, wherein the first coupling means are arranged on the inner side of at least one of the legs (3) and wherein the second coupling means are arranged on the outer side of at least one of the legs (3), and wherein the first coupling means of a first transport means (1) are configured to co-act with the second coupling means of a second transport means (1) for the purpose of releasably locking the second transport means (1) in the first transport means (1) in the nested position.

A system for monitoring shopping carts or other human-propelled carts includes wireless access points that communicate on a wireless network with wheel assemblies of the carts. The system is capable of monitoring a path followed by a cart in a store or building, and using the path (optionally together with other criteria) to determine whether to authorize the cart to exit. For example, if a shopping cart fails to pass through a checkout lane of a store, the system may perform an action that blocks or inhibits the shipping cart from exiting the store. The wheel assemblies may include LEDs or other visual indicators that alert store personnel when a wheel assembly is in a particular state.