A cargo device, cargo management system and method of managing cargo are provided. A cargo device includes a platform having a top side configured to support cargo thereon; a cassette attached to the platform, the cassette configured to engage with at least one corresponding rail in a surface, and electrically communicate with the at least one corresponding rail to receive power and/or data related to the cargo from a controller to actuate the wheels, the cassette, or both; and wheels attached to the platform, the cassette, or both, the wheels being configured to move the platform along the surface. One or both of the cassette and the wheels are retractable based on the data such that the cassettes are moved between an engaged position with the corresponding rail and a disengaged position with the corresponding rail.

Disclosed is a charging connector for a trolley having a power storage module, including a body carrying a circuit and a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate provided at two ends of the body respectively, the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate being electrically connected through the circuit and the first electrode plate or the second electrode plate having an elastic arch portion with a variable arch height. The charging connector can keep the elastic contact between the second electrode of a front charging connector and the first electrode of a rear charging connector during front-back series connection, eliminating the defect that the current charging connector has bad contact. The trolley with the connector can be charged reliably and the power energy can be used to a peripheral device onboard the trolley. Such a multimedia trolley does not need repeated manual checking.

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.

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.

A power supply device that supplies power to multiple carts, a cart, and a method for charging such cart are provided. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power supply device that supplies the power to the multiple carts calculates charging allocation of carts based on priorities of the carts to control charging of the carts.

A contactless power feeding device of an embodiment includes: a placement portion on which a plurality of carts including a device and a power receiving unit that receives power to be fed to the device is placed in a state of being arranged in one direction; a power transmitting unit that is provided at each of placement positions at which the cart is placed in the placement portion and transmits power to the power receiving unit by contactless power feeding; a lock unit that is provided at each of at least a first placement position at which a first cart in the one direction is placed and a second placement position at which a next cart is placed among the placement positions, and locks movement of the cart; and a control unit that controls an operation of the lock unit.

A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. In some embodiments the wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.

A device for dispensing and locking carts disposed in a stack, comprising: a dual-lever mechanism, comprising: a locking lever which is blocking movement of a first cart of a plurality of carts disposed in a stack when in open position; a base adjacent to said locking lever which is movable forward and backward with respect to the stack; and a dispensing lever mounted on the base which is blocking movement of a second cart of the plurality of carts when in open position; and a drive belt driving the plurality of carts in parallel to movement of said base by moving forward and backward in coordination with the base.

A device for dispensing and locking carts disposed in a stack, comprising: a dual-lever mechanism, comprising: a locking lever which is blocking movement of a first cart of a plurality of carts disposed in a stack when in open position; a base adjacent to said locking lever which is movable forward and backward with respect to the stack; and a dispensing lever mounted on the base which is blocking movement of a second cart of the plurality of carts when in open position; and a drive belt driving the plurality of carts in parallel to movement of said base by moving forward and backward in coordination with the base.

A cart has a wheeled base unit with a first frame portion on one side and a second frame portion on another. The frame portions are coupled by a frontend part. A handle unit connects the frame portions at a backside of the cart and also connects the base unit to a basket. An inner frame portion is between the frame portions and extends to the frontend part of the base unit. The inner frame portion includes a front contact portion and a stopper portion. A spacer portion is attached to the inner frame portion closer to the backside of the base unit than the stopper portion. The spacer portion is positioned to contact a front contact portion of another cart when carts are nested. A coupling portion is sandwiched between the inner frame portion and a frontend part of another cart when carts are nested.