A motorized cart retriever, which may be a cart pusher or a cart puller, can apply a force to a nest of human-propelled, wheeled carts to facilitate retrieval of the carts. The cart retriever can include a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive cart status information from cart transmitters of the wheeled carts and wirelessly report event data to a control unit. The cart status information may include an identification of the cart transmitter, a location of the cart, a lock or unlock status of a cart wheel, a misuse condition, etc. The event data can include the cart status information, a number of wheeled carts being retrieved, etc. The cart wheel may include a brake. The transceiver may communicate a message to the cart wheel to keep the brake unactuated during retrieval. The control unit may analyze the event data to detect traffic patterns of the carts.

An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) transport cart comprising: a wheeled frame including vertical posts, a front end, and a rear end; a UUV cradle adjustably clamped to the vertical posts such that the UUV cradle is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame; a U-shaped handle pivotally attached to the front end of the frame such that the U-shaped handle pivots up and down around a first axis, wherein the U-shaped handle includes a handle spring that acts between the U-shaped handle and the frame so as to bias the U-shaped handle toward an upward orientation; side handles pivotally attached to the UUV cradle such that the side handles pivot up and down around side axes that are perpendicular to the first axis; and a hand brake affixed to the U-shaped handle and configured to provide active brake control of the wheeled frame.

A brake/ballast assembly for a movable structure. The brake/ballast assembly includes a movable brake/ballast plate movable between a movable brake/ballast plate first position in which the movable brake/ballast plate is positioned proximate the fixed member and a movable brake/ballast plate second position in which the movable brake/ballast plate is spaced from the fixed member. An engagement member is connected to the movable brake/ballast plate. The engagement member is movable between an engagement member first position and an engagement member second position. When the engagement member is in the engagement member first position, the movable brake/ballast plate is provided in the movable brake/ballast plate first position allowing the movable structure to be moved along a surface, when the engagement member is in the engagement member second position, the movable brake/ballast plate is provided in the movable brake/ballast plate second position preventing the movable structure from moving relative to the surface.

A walk-behind vehicle includes a vehicle body assembly, a driving wheel, a power assembly, a braking assembly, a control assembly and a power supply device. The driving wheel is connected on the vehicle body assembly. The power assembly is mounted in the driving wheel. The braking assembly is arranged on the driving wheel. The control assembly is arranged on the vehicle body assembly and is electrically coupled to the power assembly and the braking assembly. The power supply device is arranged on the vehicle body assembly and is electrically coupled to the power assembly, the braking assembly and the control assembly. The control assembly includes a steering control device, which is electrically connected with the power assembly in the driving wheel on both sides of the vehicle body assembly and configured for controlling a steering of the driving wheel on both sides of the vehicle body assembly.

A weight-bearing device includes a single wheel, a frame attached to the wheel, and an electric motor attached to the frame. The electric motor is configured to rotate a first gear, connected to a second gear with a chain. The second gear is connected to the wheel. The second gear and the first gear may have a gear ratio of greater than 8:1.

A walker is disclosed. The walker includes a frame, a wheel, a brake selectively positionable in an engaged state, in which the brake resists wheel rotation, or a disengaged state, in which the brake does not resist wheel rotation, a brake actuator configured to place the brake in the engaged state or the disengaged state, a handle, a hand-position sensor configured to provide a first signal responsive to the handle being grasped in a walking grasp and to provide a second signal responsive to the handle being grasped in a standing/sitting grasp, and a processor configured to cause the brake actuator to place the brake in the disengaged state based at least in part on the first signal and to cause the brake actuator to place the brake in the engaged state based at least in part on the second signal. Related devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

A power generation system for wheeled objects comprises a generator mechanically coupled to one or more of the object's wheels to convert wheel rotational energy into electrical energy. The power generation system may comprise an electrical storage device configured to store the electrical power produced by the generator. Power from the generator and/or the electrical storage device can be used to provide power to other electrical systems in or on the object. In certain embodiments, the electrical storage device comprises a bank of high-capacity capacitors connected in series. Some embodiments use a control circuit, for example, to regulate the charging and discharging of the capacitor bank and to provide suitable voltages for other systems. The power generation system may be disposed within an object's wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

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.

A collapsible dolly assembly includes a pair of frames that are each selectively urged between a deployed position and a collapsed position. A pair of rear wheels is rotatably coupled to the frame to roll along a support surface. A pair of front wheels is rotatably coupled to the frame to roll along the support surface. A dolly is hingedly coupled to the frame to support an object thereby facilitating the object to be transported along the support surface. A pair of skid units is movably coupled to an associated one of the frames. Each of the skid units is selectively positioned in a deployed position. In this way each of the skid units frictionally engages a staircase thereby facilitating the object to be urged upwardly and downwardly along the staircase. A braking unit is movably coupled to the frame to selectively engage the staircase when the skid unit is positioned in the deployed position. Thus, the braking unit retains the object at a selected point along the staircase.

A mobility walker comprising a pair of rear legs and a pair of front legs, each configured to support the mobility walker on the ground. The mobility walker further comprises a transverse handle extending laterally across a width of the mobility walker. The transverse handle is configured to be grasped by a user when operating the mobility walker. At least sixty percent of the length of each of the front legs is formed with a concave curvature, as viewed from a front of the mobility walker.