Trolley regulation equipment

Abstract

A locking unit 21 is adapted to be fixed to a manually-propelled wheeled cart (e.g. shopping trolley handle 7). The unit comprises locking means controllably and releasably lockable to a second locking unit, e.g. on another trolley, by both mechanical means 22 by insertion of a coin (15, fig. 2) or coin-like token, and electrical means 23 in response to a (e.g. wireless) signal from a remote control unit (31, fig. 5). The electrical means may act on the mechanical means to release the lock, e.g. via an electromagnet or solenoid. The locking unit may have a wireless receiver 26, 27, control unit 24, card reader with NFC device 25, a GPS 28, and a rechargeable battery 30 which may recharge via motion of the cart. It may also have an indicator 29, e.g. a light or display. An apparatus and method including a plurality of the locking units is provided, wherein the control unit may be connected to a payment handling system (36, fig. 5) for confirming a payment card validity to release the locking means. A usage charge may be taken. A punitive charge may also be taken if using the cart outside pre-set parameters.

Description

The present invention relates to equipment for regulating the use of loaned hand-propelled wheeled vehicles. More particularly but not exclusively, it relates to electro-mechanical equipment to regulate the issue, use and return of hand-propelled carts such as shopping trolleys. Shopping trolleys, also known as shopping carts or shopping buggies, are very widely provided by retail businesses, to allow customers to collect and transport goods around retail premises while shopping, and to allow customers to transport purchased goods to their own motor vehicles located in associated parking areas. It has long been a problem that shopping trolleys can readily be removed from the environs of the retail premises and never returned. Barrier arrangements have been used to prevent the removal of trolleys from the vicinity of retail premises. However, this is likely to be inconvenient for consumers using their own wheeled trolleys for shopping. Such barriers may in any case be deemed unacceptable because they will interfere with the freedom of wheelchair users and baby carriages to enter and leave the vicinity of the retail premises. In some regions of the world, the removal of shopping trolleys from shopping centres, malls and other retail premises has effectively become an accepted event, and businesses have grown up that are hired to hunt down trolleys taken away from the respective premises and to return them. Thus, the trolley provider must both pay to get its own trolleys back, and maintain a larger stock of trolleys, so as to allow for those temporarily out of circulation until retrieved. The intention is that shopping trolleys should be taken to a customer’s vehicle in a parking area adjacent the respective retail premises, and the customer’s purchases are then transferred from the trolley to the vehicle. However, a further problem then arises, in which the emptied trolley is then abandoned rather than being returned to the retail premises. These abandoned trolleys can block parking spaces, can cause a hazard for those driving around the parking area and will require the employment of additional staff to retrieve the trolleys and return them to a convenient location for subsequent users to collect them for use, such as adjacent an entrance to the retail premises. A frequently-used solution has been to equip shopping trolleys with coin-released mechanical locking mechanisms. These are to allow a trolley to be locked to another trolley, particularly to an adjacent trolley within a nested stack of such trolleys. To collect a trolley for use, a customer has to insert a specific coin into the locking mechanism. This then releases a chain that had been connecting the locking mechanism of the trolley to the adjacent trolley in the stack, allowing the trolley to be removed from the stack for use. When the consumer has no further need for the trolley, they then return it to the stack and reconnect the locking mechanism to a terminal trolley within the stack. This releases their coin to be retrieved from the locking mechanism. The coin thus acts as a deposit for the loan of the trolley. However, this approach still has drawbacks. There is still nothing to prevent a customer removing the trolley from the area, as long as they are willing to sacrifice the coin (or they are prepared to force open the locking mechanism once away from the premises). A typical shopping trolley may have a replacement value of a hundred or more times the value of the typical coin used as a deposit. Also, suitable coins of a suitable value may not be readily available. Conveniently available coins may have too low a value to persuade a customer that it is worthwhile to return the trolley and retrieve the coin. In the UK, the one-pound coin has been considered to have a convenient size and value, as has the one-Euro coin elsewhere in Europe, or the one-dollar coin in Australia and in Canada. However, while a relatively limited number of US dollar coins are minted, dollar bills are still far more commonly used in the USA. The highest-value coins routinely carried by consumers in the USA are probably quarters ($0.25), which may be part of the reason why such coin-released locking systems are currently less widely used on shopping carts in the USA, compared to shopping trolleys in the UK and Europe. In any case, there has been a trend in recent years away from using cash, especially coinage, and many people routinely carry no cash with them. Instead, there has been an increasing trend towards the use of electronic payment systems, such as credit and debit cards. Such cards have become accepted for smaller and smaller purchases, making even small change hardly worth carrying. The development of Internet commerce has made so-called “microtransactions” more widely acceptable to both consumers and retailers. It appears that these trends have accelerated during the Covid pandemic, to a point at which many consumers will not have a suitable coin in their possession to deposit to release a trolley. Some use has been made of tokens having substantially the same size and shape as the appropriate coin, but these do not appear to have achieved widespread acceptance. They are inconvenient to carry since they have no other purpose, and they are of course even less of an incentive for the user to return a trolley. Even so, there is still a sufficiently large group of consumers for whom the use of “hard cash” comes more naturally than making electronic payments, and so a purely electronic trolley release system will not be universally acceptable. It is hence an object of the present invention to provide apparatus that obviates the above disadvantages of existing systems and allows any potential user conveniently to collect a shopping trolley or the like for use, while encouraging them to return the shopping trolley to a suitable location after use. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a locking unit adapted to be fixed to a manually-propelled wheeled cart, said locking unit being provided with locking means by which it is releasably lockable to a second said locking unit, said locking means being controllably releasable by both mechanically-operable release means and electrically-operable release means, wherein said mechanically-operable release means is adapted to be operated by insertion of a coin or coin-like token, and said electrically-operable release means is adapted to operate in response to a signal received from a remotely-located central control unit. In a preferred embodiment, the electrically-operable release means is adapted to operate in response to a wireless signal received from a remotely-located central control unit. Preferably, the electrically-operable release means releases the locking means by acting operatively on the mechanically-operable release means. The electrically-operable release means may comprise an electromagnetic element, such as a solenoid, adapted to act mechanically on an element of the mechanically-operable release means when electrically activated. Preferably, the locking unit is provided with card reader means adapted to read data from a credit, debit or charge card presented thereto. Advantageously, the card reader means comprises a near-field communications (NFC) device adapted to interact operatively with an electronic chip of a smart card (also known as an EMV card). The NFC device may be adapted for contactless interaction with a smart card. The NFC device may be provided with means to enter a personal identification code, such as keyboard means to enter a PIN or a password. Said means to enter a personal identification code may be adapted for use by a visually-impaired user. Preferably, the locking unit is provided with electronic control means, operatively connected to the electrically-operable release means. The electronic control means is advantageously operatively connected to the card reader means. The electronic control means is preferably adapted to communicate with a remotely-located central control unit. Advantageously, the electronic control means is adapted to communicate wirelessly with said central control unit. The electronic control means may comprise or be provided with a communications unit adapted to carry out said wireless communication. Preferably, the electronic control means is adapted to receive card details read by the card reader means and to pass these details to the central control unit via the communications unit. Optionally the communications unit comprises a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card for connection to conventional telecommunications networks. Alternatively, the communications unit is adapted to communicate with a dedicated limited-range wireless communications system, such as a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or the like. The locking unit may be provided with a satellite navigation system unit, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or Galileo, adapted to provide location data for the locking unit. The locking unit may comprise aerial means, operatively connected to the electronic control means, optionally via the communications unit. The locking unit is preferably provided with a linking element releasably connectable to a locking means of a third said locking unit. Said linking element may comprise a locking element receivable within said locking means, mounted to the locking unit by an elongate flexible connector means, such as a chain. Preferably, the locking unit is provided with a power supply comprising rechargeable electrical battery means. Advantageously, the power supply is operatively connected or connectable to electrical power generation means mounted or mountable to the wheeled cart and activated by motion of the cart. The power supply may then be charged while the cart is in use. Alternatively or additionally, the power supply is operatively connectable to external power cable means. The power supply may then be charged while the wheeled cart is not in use. The locking unit is preferably provided with indicator means to provide information to a user regarding its operation. Said indicator means may comprise a visual display screen. Additionally or alternatively, said indicator means may comprise indicator light means, optionally colour-coded to indicate particular events. Additionally or alternatively, said indicator means may comprise audible indicator means, particularly to indicate undesirable events. Preferably, the electronically-releasable release means is further adapted to detect connection or reconnection of the locking unit to a further locking unit. The electronic control means may then be adapted to receive an indication of said connection or reconnection from the electronically-releasable release means and to forward this indication to the remotely-located central control unit. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for controlling the use of a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts comprising a central control unit, a communications unit operatively linked to the central control unit, and a plurality of locking units as described in the first aspect above, each mounted to a respective manually-propelled wheeled cart, wherein the electrically-operable release means of each said locking unit is adapted to operate in response to a signal received from the central control unit via the communications unit. Preferably, the communications unit comprises a wireless communications unit. The wireless communications unit may comprise an element of a WLAN, optionally hub means of the WLAN. Alternatively, the wireless communications unit may be adapted to communicate via conventional telecommunications networks. The wireless communications unit may be provided with aerial means. In a preferred embodiment, the central control unit is operatively connected or connectable to a remote electronic payment handling system. Advantageously, the central control unit is so connected or connectable via the Internet. Preferably, the central control unit is adapted to receive card details read and passed on by a locking unit, to forward these to said remote payment handling system, and to receive confirmation of card validity from the remote payment handling system. Preferably, the central control unit is adapted to transmit instructions to a locking unit to operate its electri cally-operable release means. Advantageously, the central control unit is adapted to transmit said instructions if and only if it has received confirmation from the remote payment handling system of the validity of a card presented to said locking unit. The central control unit is preferably adapted to receive an indication from a locking unit of its connection or reconnection from a further locking unit. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manually-propelled wheeled cart adapted for the transport of goods, said cart being provided with a locking unit as described in the first aspect above operatively mounted thereto. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling the use of a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts, each having a locking unit as described in the first aspect above mounted thereto; providing apparatus for controlling the use of said plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts as described in the second aspect above; receiving from a locking unit details of a smart card presented thereto; forwarding said details to a remote payment handling system; receiving confirmation of card validity for the remote payment handling system; and transmitting instructions to the locking unit to operate its electrically-operable release means, thereby releasing the respective cart to which the locking unit is mounted for use. Preferably, the method comprises the further step of receiving an indication from the locking unit of its reconnection to a further locking unit, marking completion of use of the cart. The method preferably then comprises the step of making a usage charge via the remote payment handling system against the smart card presented to the respective locking unit. Advantageously, the method comprises the steps of monitoring for use of the cart outside preset parameters and in the event of such use making a punitive charge via the remote payment handling system against the smart card presented to the respective locking unit. Optionally, the method may comprise the steps of making said punitive charge when the card is first presented and cancelling the punitive charge when use of the cart is completed without use of the cart outside preset parameters. The punitive charge may thus act as a returnable deposit for the cart. Said preset parameters may comprise use of the cart for a preset maximum period. Said preset parameters may comprise use of the cart only within a predefined area or region. Said preset parameters may comprise use of the cart outside a predefined area or region for longer than a preset maximum period. An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a conventional shopping trolley; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view from above of a conventional coin-released trolley lock unit; Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the conventional trolley lock unit of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a trolley lock unit embodying the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a central control unit for a trolley management system embodying the present invention; and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a retail site operating the trolley management system of the present invention. Referring now to the Figures, and to Figure 1 in particular, this shows a conventional shopping trolley 1 (also known as a shopping cart, a shopping buggy, a shopping caddie, or a range of other names, depending on where one lives). The shopping trolley 1 comprises a basket 2 of wire mesh to hold goods during shopping, mounted on a chassis 3 having four wheels 4, which usually castor independently, to allow a user to propel and manoeuver the shopping trolley 1 around a supermarket or other retail premises. (Note: details of the wire mesh of the basket 2 are not shown in these Figures for simplicity). The basket 2 usually tapers from a first end 5 to a second end 6 remote from the first 5. A transverse handle 7 is mounted to an upper rim of the basket 2 adjacent its first end 5, by which a user may manually propel and steer the shopping trolley 1. For most shopping trolleys 1, in the UK at least, an end wall 8 of the basket 2 at its first end 5 is pivotably mounted to a remainder of the basket 2. This end wall 8 is pivoted adjacent its upper edge to an upper edge of the basket 2. Thus, if the second end 6 of the basket 2 of a second shopping trolley 1 is brought into contact with the end wall 8 of the basket 2 of a first shopping trolley 1, the end wall 8 will be deflected, swinging upwardly to allow the basket 2 of the second shopping trolley 1 to be disposed substantially within the basket 2 of the first shopping trolley 1. The shopping trolleys 1 may thus be nested together in a horizontally-extending linear stack for more compact storage (see US Patent No 2,479,530 from 1949 for the first disclosure of this feature). Figures 2 and 3 show a trolley lock unit 11 of conventional form, mounted to the handle 7 of a first shopping trolley 1. The trolley lock unit 11 has an outer casing 12, which is mounted to the handle 7 by a bracket 13. A coin slot 14 is located in a face of the trolley lock unit 11 facing a user of the first shopping trolley 1, and is configured to receive a coin 15 or similar token to operate the trolley lock unit 11. An opposite face of the trolley lock unit 11 has a locking slot 16, configured to receive a locking connector 17, which is linked to a second shopping trolley 1 by a chain 18. Figure 3 also shows a further such locking connector 17 on a chain 18, mounted to the trolley lock unit 11 of the first shopping trolley 1. This locking connector 17 can thus be inserted into the locking slot 16 of the trolley lock unit 11 of a further shopping trolley 1, which has been added to the stack after the first shopping trolley 1. Thus, a stack of shopping trolleys 1 can be conveniently stored, nested together, with each shopping trolley 1 fastened to its neighbours in the stack by lock connectors 17 retained within respective locking slots 16 of the trolley lock units 11 of adjacent shopping trolleys 1 in the stack. To take a shopping trolley 1 from the stack, a user inserts a coin 15 of the correct value (or a token of substantially the same dimensions) into the coin slot 14 of the trolley lock unit 11 of the shopping trolley 1 located at an end of the stack. This operates a locking mechanism of known form within the casing 12 and releases the lock connector 17 from the locking slot 16 (or in some cases actually ejects it from the locking slot 16). The end shopping trolley 1 is thus no longer secured to the stack and may be removed for use. To return the shopping trolley 1 to the stack, the user nests their shopping trolley 1 within the shopping trolley 1 that is currently at the end of the stack, and inserts the lock connector 17 of the trolley lock unit 11 of this end shopping trolley 1 into the locking slot 16 of the trolley lock unit 11 of their own shopping trolley 1. This resets the trolley lock unit 11, securing the lock connector 17 in place and connecting the user’s shopping trolley 1 back to the stack. This action also releases the coin 15 from the coin slot 14 for the user to retrieve. The coin 15 thus acts a returnable deposit for the shopping trolley 1. However, as noted above, this is only useful if the user has a coin of the correct value and hence dimensions, or has obtained a token of substantially the same effective dimensions. The coin 15 is also unlikely to have a value anything like the true value of the shopping trolley 1, so is a relatively nominal deposit. Figure 4 shows in schematic form the components of a multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 of the present invention. This has a conventional outer casing 12, mounted to a handle of a shopping trolley 1 by a bracket 13, very much as for the existing trolley lock unit 11 shown in Figures 2 and 3. The multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 has a conventional lock connector 17 hanging from its underside on a chain 18 (not visible in Figure 4 but essentially the same as that of the conventional trolley lock unit 11 shown in Figure 3). The multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 also has a locking slot 16 to receive the lock connector 17 of a trolley lock unit 21 of an adjacent shopping trolley 1, and a coin slot 14 to receive a coin 15 or token, again very much as for the conventional trolley lock unit 11 of Figures 2 and 3. As shown in schematic form in Figure 4, the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 has a mechanically-operated locking mechanism 22, operable by inserting a coin 15 or token into the coin slot 14 so as to release or eject a lock connector 17 held within the locking slot 16. Thus far, this substantially corresponds to the locking mechanism of the conventional trolley lock unit 11 above. However, in the present invention, this mechanical locking mechanism can also be operated or overridden by an electrically-operated activation unit 23. This allows operation of the locking mechanism 22, release of the lock connector 17 and removal of the associated shopping trolley 1 from the stack for use, without the need for insertion of the appropriate coin 15 or equivalent token. The activation unit 23 may for example comprise a solenoid arrangement acting physically on a component of the locking mechanism 22 to produce the same movements of its mechanical components as if a coin 15 had been introduced into the locking mechanism 22. As shown in Figure 4, for this purpose the multifunctional lock unit 21 also comprises several further components, operatively connected. In this particular example, these comprise an electronic control unit 24, aNear-Field Communication (NFC) device 25, a wireless communications device 26 (here including a SIM card or equivalent) with an associated aerial 27, a geolocation unit or GPS 28, indicator lights 29 and a power source 30, here a rechargeable battery. The electronic control unit 24 is a dedicated computing device programmed to control the operation of the trolley lock unit 21 as described below. The NFC device 25 is set up to detect the presence of a contactless payment card, which may be a credit card, a debit card, a charge card or a prepayment card. Such a contactless payment card contains a read-only RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip, which can be interrogated and identified by the NFC device 25 over a range of four centimetres or less. This identification is reported by the NFC device 25 to the electronic control unit 24. A user can thus activate the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 by selectively bringing their payment card close to a marked point on the outer casing 12, and hence within range of the NFC device 25. A common security measure for contactless payment cards is to require the input of a security code, such as the PIN (personal identification number) associated with the card, after a set number of consecutive contactless uses of the card, typically five. Therefore, the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 may be provided with a keypad (not shown) to allow the user to input the respective PIN to authenticate their use of the card, should they attempt to activate the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 after they have carried out the set number of contactless uses of their card. To render the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 suitable for use by visually-impaired users, this keypad may be provided with tactile markings, for example in Braille, or at least a raised feature on one key of the keypad (typically the central number 5 key) to allow the user to position their fingers correctly relative to the keypad. The wireless communications device 26 and its associated aerial 27 allow the electronic control unit 24 to communicate with a remotely-located central control unit 31, described in more detail in association with Figure 5 below. The electronic control unit 24 can thus pass the identity of the payment card to the central control unit, which will send back an authorisation for the trolley lock unit 21 to operate (see below for more details). The electronic control unit 24 then energises the activation unit 23, causing the locking mechanism 22 to operate without the presence of a coin 15, releasing the lock connector 17 from the trolley lock unit 21 and thus permitting the user to remove the associated shopping trolley 1 from the stack to be used as required. The geolocation unit 28 monitors the physical location of the trolley lock unit 21 and its shopping trolley 1, which is reported to the electronic control unit 24 and via the wireless communication device 26 to the central control unit. The purpose of this information will be described below. The indicator lights 29 are an optional feature present in this particular example, which can be operated by the electronic control unit 24 to signal successful operation to the user, or optionally to signal problems with such operation. In addition to or instead of these lights 29, audible notifications may be generated, which may be optimised to provide information to visually-handicapped user. In another option (not shown), the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 is provided with a display screen controlled by the electronic control unit 24 to provide more detailed information to the user. This display screen may comprise a touchscreen and then may double as the keypad for input of a PIN, as referred to above. The battery 30 providing power to the above electronic components is preferably rechargeable. In one option, a charging cable can be provided to recharge the battery 30 at times when the shopping trolley I is not in use. One variant of this option would involve charging cables being mounted to each lock connector 17 and its associated chain 18, with a corresponding socket or contact being disposed within the locking slot 16 to receive current through the charging cable whenever the lock connector 17 is connected to the trolley lock unit 21. Thus, charging current can be passed sequentially along an entire stack of shopping trolleys 1, from trolley lock unit 21 to trolley lock unit 21 in series. Additionally or alternatively, an electrical generation system may be incorporated into one or more wheels 4 of the shopping trolley 1, operatively connected to the trolley lock unit 21 so as to charge the battery 30 while the shopping trolley 1 is being propelled around by the user. Referring now to Figure 5, the multifunction trolley lock units 21 of a stock of shopping trolleys 1 are all controlled by a central control unit 31, shown here in schematic form. The central control unit 31 comprises a central processing unit 32, which is operatively connected to a wireless communications module 33 with a dedicated aerial 34 (or aerials), capable of two-way communication with the wireless communication device 26 of any multifunctional trolley lock unit 21 located on or near a selected retail premises, supermarket, shopping mall, shopping centre or the like, including their respective parking facilities. The central processing unit 32 is also provided with an Internet modem unit 35, telephone line or similar hardwired communication arrangement for communicating securely externally. The central control unit 31 also comprises a billing unit 36, either as a separate element or as a function of the central processing unit 32. The billing unit 36 deals specifically with charging functions of the system, as described below. The central control unit 31 is preferably a physical unit located relatively centrally within the shopping centre, etc, with its aerial 34 (or aerials) located for optimum communication with the multifunctional trolley lock units 21 of shopping trolleys on or near the shopping centre (or equivalent) and its parking facilities. Figure 6 illustrates a typical shopping centre / shopping mall 41 in which a system comprising multiple shopping trolleys 1 equipped with multifunctional trolley lock units 21 and the central control unit 31 would be employed. The shopping centre 41 comprises a central building 42 located within a dedicated parking area 43 for customers’ vehicles, which is connected to external roads 44 for vehicular access and to footpaths 45 for pedestrian access, for example to a nearby residential area. The central building 42 in this case contains multiple individual retail businesses 46 accessible via internal corridors 47 and external building doors 48. There are multiple trolley storage areas 49, located external to the building 42 adjacent each external building door 48. Each trolley storage area 49 contains one or more stacks of nested shopping trolleys 1, located conveniently for customers to collect for use, on their way to one of the retail businesses 46. The central control unit 31 is in this example located within an administration and operations office 50 for the shopping centre 41. Its aerial 34 may be located on a roof of the central building 42 or an aerial 34 may be located near each trolley storage area 49, as preferred (these aerials are omitted from Figure 6 to avoid cluttering the image). A customer uses the system as follows. The customer goes to a shopping trolley 1 at the end of a stack of nested trolleys 1 within a convenient trolley storage area 49. If the customer has a suitable coin 15 available, for example a pound coin in the UK, they may insert this coin 15 into the coin slot 14 of the trolley lock unit 21, operating the locking mechanism 22 to release the lock connector 17 from the locking slot 16, and so disconnecting the shopping trolley 1 from the stack. They may take the trolley 1 into the shopping centre 41, fill it with their purchases, and take the filled shopping trolley 1 to their vehicle in the parking area 43. Once their purchases have been transferred to their vehicle, they return the shopping trolley 1 to a trolley storage area 49, nest it into another trolley 1 at the end of a stack, insert the lock connector 17 of the trolley lock unit 21 of the trolley 1 in the stack into the locking slot 16 of the trolley lock unit 21 of their trolley 1, and so release their coin 15 to be reclaimed. The system of the present invention may therefore be used in a conventional manner by a customer who wishes to do so and has a suitable coin 15 in their possession. However, the original feature of the present invention is its operation without a coin 15 or equivalent token to operate the trolley lock unit 21 mechanically. In this mode of operation, the customer again goes to the shopping trolley 1 at the end of the stack of nested trolleys 1 within the trolley storage area 49. The customer then takes a selected contactless payment card and presents it to the NFC device 25 of the multifunctional trolley lock unit 21. The location of the NFC device 25 may be marked on the outer casing 12, since such NFC devices 25 are generally constructed with a maximum range of under four centimetres, to avoid accidental activation. The NFC device 25 reads the details of the payment card and communicates them to the electronic control unit 24 of the trolley lock unit 21. The electronic control unit 24 then transmits these card details via the wireless communications device 26 to the central control unit 31. The central processing unit 32 of the central control unit 31, in conjunction with the billing unit 36, then checks these card details with the card provider via the Internet modem unit 35. Assuming that the card details are authenticated by the card provider, the billing unit 36 makes a charge to the payment card to act as a deposit for the use of the shopping trolley 1, typically representing a significant proportion of the replacement value of the trolley 1. In this example, the billing unit 36 also makes a smaller charge to the payment card, for example a few pence or cents, representing a rental fee for the shopping trolley 1. Once these payments have been charged to the customer’s payment card, the central processing unit 32 sends an authorisation via its wireless communications module 33 back to the trolley lock unit 21, instructing the electronic control unit 24 to release the trolley 1. The electronic control unit 24 commands the electrically-operated activation unit 23 to operate the locking mechanism 22 and thus release the lock connector 17 from the locking slot 16, disconnecting the shopping trolley 1 from the stack. The shopping trolley 1 is thus available for the customer’s use, exactly as described above for the conventional mode of operation. However, in the mode of operation of the present invention, when the trolley 1 is returned to a trolley storage area 49 and the lock connector 17 of a trolley lock unit 21 of an adjacent trolley 1 within the stack is inserted into the locking slot 16 of the trolley lock unit 21 on the customer’s trolley 1, the resulting movement of the locking mechanism 22 is detected by the activation unit 23 and communicated to the electronic control unit 24. The electronic control unit 24 transmits this information to the central control unit 31 via the wireless communications device 26. Once the central control unit 31 has this information, it instructs the billing unit 36 to contact the payment card provider to cancel the charge representing the deposit. However, the smaller charge representing the rental of the trolley 1 remains on the account associated with the card. Optionally, the central control unit 31 sends a confirmatory message back to the trolley lock unit 21 to inform the customer that the deposit has been “returned”. This might take the form of a message on a display screen or a flashing green indicator light 29, for example. If the customer does not return the shopping trolley 1 to a stack, however, an alternative procedure takes place. It is typical for such dedicated parking areas 43 to be operated with a maximum duration of stay, for example two hours or four hours, depending on the size of the shopping centre 41 and how long a customer might reasonably wish to stay there. In a similar arrangement, either the trolley lock unit 21 or the central control unit 31 notes the time expired since the trolley lock unit 21 was unlocked, and if the trolley 1 is not returned within a set period of two, four or even six hours (a notification of this period will be prominently displayed adjacent the trolley storage area 49 to warn the customer), the central control unit 31 will consider that the trolley 1 is not being returned by the customer. In this case, the billing unit 36 contacts the payment card operator to make the deposit charge permanent, in addition to the rental fee. This gives the customer a substantial incentive to return the trolley 1 to a trolley storage area 49 after use, and penalises those customers who would be prepared simply to take the trolley away. In an alternative embodiment, when the trolley lock unit 21 is unlocked, the billing unit 36 makes a small charge to the payment card, for example a few pence or cents, representing a rental fee for the shopping trolley 1, as above. However, the aforementioned charge to the payment card representing a significant proportion of the replacement value of the trolley 1 is only charged to the payment card by the billing unit 36 after the set period for the return of the trolley 1 has expired without the trolley lock unit 21 being reconnected to a stack. The embodiment used is at the discretion of the operator of the system. The particular example illustrated implements additional features. It is possible to penalise taking the shopping trolley 1 outside the shopping centre 41 and its associated parking area 43, by means of the trolley lock unit 21 emitting a continuous wireless signal via the wireless communications device 26. The central control unit 31 monitors for this signal and if the signal is no longer received, due to the shopping trolley 1 having been taken out of range, the central control unit 31 will immediately consider that the trolley 1 is not being returned and act as noted above for prolonged failure to return the trolley 1, making the deposit payment permanent or implementing the charge for failure to return the trolley 1 immediately, as appropriate. Optionally, the system can be programmed to allow short-term removal, for example to a vehicle parked outside the dedicated parking area 43, by waiting for a set period of a few minutes once the signal is lost, and only acting if the signal is not detected again by the end of this period. With the specific example of a multifunctional trolley lock unit illustrated, a dedicated GPS 28 or other geolocation device may be incorporated, allowing better real-time tracking of a current location of each shopping trolley 1. Known techniques such as “geofencing” may thus be employed to determine whether a trolley 1 has passed outside a perimeter of the parking area 43. If this is the case, then the above procedure to retain the deposit payment, etc, may be activated, either as soon as the trolley 1 passes outside the perimeter, or after a pre-set period to allow temporary removal and return. In either case, a red indicator light 29 or a message on a display screen may optionally be used to alert the customer that their deposit is at risk. This system thus ensures that the customer can collect and use a shopping trolley without the need to carry cash. However, it also allows those customers preferring to use cash to collect and use the trolley conventionally. For the shopping trolley owner, it provides a significant deposit “left” by the user, which should improve the chances of users returning trolleys properly after use, so as to “retrieve” the deposit. Forfeited deposits will help to compensate the owner for any trolleys that still go missing, or which are abandoned after use and have to be retrieved at the owner’s expense. It also provides an income from the microcharging for use of the trolley that should at least contribute to the cost of maintenance and 5 repair of the trolleys, without the need to collect thousands of tiny payments in the form of small change.

Claims

1. A locking unit adapted to be fixed to a manually-propelled wheeled cart, said locking unit being provided with locking means by which it is releasably lockable to a second said locking unit,5 said locking means being controllably releasable by both mechanically-operable release means and electrically-operable release means, wherein said mechanically-operable release means is adapted to be operated by insertion of a coin or coin-like token, andsaid electrically-operable release means is adapted to operate in response to a 10 signal received from a remotely-located central control unit.

2. A locking unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically-operable release means is adapted to operate in response to a wireless signal received from a remotely-located central control unit.

153. A locking unit as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electrically-operable release means releases the locking means by acting operatively on the mechanically-operable release means, optionally comprising an electromagnetic element adapted when electrically activated to act 20 mechanically on an element of the mechanically-operable release means.

4. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking unit is provided with card reader means adapted to read data from a credit, debit or charge card presented thereto.

255. A locking unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the card reader means comprises a near-field communications (NFC) device adapted to interact operatively with an electronic chip of a smart card (also known as an EMV card) by contactless interaction.

306. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking unit is provided with electronic control means, operatively connected to the electrically-operable release means and to the card reader means.

7. A locking unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electronic control means is adapted to communicate wirelessly with a remotely-located central control unit, optionally comprising or being provided with a communications unit 5 adapted to carry out said wireless communication.

8. A locking unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic control means is adapted to receive card details read by the card reader means and to pass these details to the central control unit via the communications unit.

109. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, provided with a satellite navigation system unit, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or Galileo, adapted to provide location data for the locking unit.15 10. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, provided with ac\i power supply comprising rechargeable electrical battery means, optionallybeing operatively connected or connectable to electrical power generation means mounted or mountable to the wheeled cart and activated by motion of the cart.CO 2011. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, provided with indicator means to provide information to a user regarding its operation.

12. A locking unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the25 electronically-releasable release means is further adapted to detect connectionor reconnection of the locking unit to a further locking unit.

13. A locking unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electronic control means is adapted to receive an indication of said connection or reconnection from the30 electronically-releasable release means and to forward this indication to theremotely-located central control unit.

14. Apparatus for controlling the use of a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts comprising:a central control unit,a communications unit operatively linked to the central control unit, anda plurality of locking units as described in the first aspect above, each mounted to a respective manually-propelled wheeled cart,5 wherein the electrically-operable release means of each said locking unit isadapted to operate in response to a signal received from the central control unit via the communications unit.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the communications unit comprises 10 a wireless communications unit.

16. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the central control unit is operatively connected or connectable to a remote electronic payment handling system.1517. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the central control unit is adapted to receive card details read and passed on by a locking unit, to forward these card details to said remote payment handling system, and to receive confirmation of card validity from the remote payment handling 20 system.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the central control unit is adapted to transmit instructions to a locking unit to operate its electrically-operable release means, if and only if it has received confirmation 25 from the remote payment handling system of the validity of a card presented tosaid locking unit.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the central control unit is adapted to receive an indication from a locking unit of its 30 connection or reconnection from a further locking unit.

20. A manually-propelled wheeled cart adapted for the transport of goods, said cart being provided with a locking unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 operatively mounted thereto.

21. A method for controlling the use of a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts, comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts, each having a 5 locking unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 mounted thereto;providing apparatus for controlling the use of said plurality of manually-propelled wheeled carts as described in the second aspect above;receiving from a locking unit details of a smart card presented thereto; forwarding said details to a remote payment handling system;10 receiving confirmation of card validity for the remote payment handlingsystem; andtransmitting instructions to the locking unit to operate its electrically-operable release means,thereby releasing the respective cart to which the locking unit is mounted for 15 use.CM22. A method as claimed in claim 21, comprising the further step of receiving an indication from the locking unit of its reconnection to a further locking unit, marking completion of use of the cart.CO 2023. A method as claimed in claim 21, comprising the step of making a usage charge via the remote payment handling system against the smart card presented to the respective locking unit.25 24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, comprising the steps ofmonitoring for use of the cart outside pre-set parameters and in the event of such use making a punitive charge via the remote payment handling system against the smart card presented to the respective locking unit.30 25. A method as claimed in claim 24, comprising the steps of making saidpunitive charge when the card is first presented and cancelling the punitive charge when use of the cart is completed without use of the cart outside pre-set parameters.

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