shopping cart

Abstract

To provide a shopping cart capable of achieving high convenience.SOLUTION: A shopping cart includes: a cart body; a reception device; and a basket setting base. The cart body is provided with a gripping part gripped by a user. The reception device is provided with a display screen. The reception device is mounted on the cart body so that the display screen faces the user gripping the gripping part. The basket setting base is configured to be mounted on the cargo body so that a basket arranged below the reception device and at a storage space between the gripping part and the reception device is placed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a shopping cart equipped with a display device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in stores such as supermarkets, shopping carts equipped with display devices for displaying information about products to users are becoming increasingly popular. Conventional shopping carts are used by multiple users and are stacked and stored in a predetermined location after use. Shopping carts equipped with display devices have the display device on the user side (front side) of the basket stand so that the display device does not interfere with other shopping carts when stacked.

[0003] When there is a display device on the user side of the basket stand, the display device gets in the way when putting products in and taking them out of the basket. Also, when there is a display device on the user side of the basket stand, the products in the basket are difficult to see because they are hidden by the display device. If the display device is made larger, it becomes more difficult to put products in and take them out of the basket, and the products in the basket become even more difficult to see.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a shopping cart according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shopping cart from the rear. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing shopping carts stacked together. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of an interlocking mechanism that links the basket stand and arm of a shopping cart. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the shopping cart's arm positioned at an angle. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows another example of an interlocking mechanism that links the basket stand and arm of a shopping cart. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows a product sales processing system including a shopping cart. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a shopping cart's customer service device. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a side view showing a shopping cart equipped with two levels of basket storage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings used in the following description may be simplified or omitted in order to make the explanation easier to understand.

[0009] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a shopping cart 100 according to one embodiment includes a cart body 10, a customer service device 20, a basket stand 30, and an arm 40. In the following description, the vertical and horizontal directions of the shopping cart 100 are defined as viewed from the perspective of a user P who grasps the gripping portion 42 of the arm 40 and faces the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20 (viewed from the direction of the arrow in Figure 1). The side of the cart body 10 to which the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 are attached is defined as the front side of the shopping cart 100, and the back side of the customer service device 20 is defined as the rear side of the shopping cart 100. In the shopping cart 100, the side with the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20 facing the user P can also be defined as the front side of the shopping cart 100. Therefore, when the shopping cart 100 is pushed by grasping the gripping portion 42, the direction in which the shopping cart 100 moves is from the front to the rear of the shopping cart 100 (the direction of the arrow in Figure 1). Furthermore, the front of the shopping cart 100 can also be considered the upstream side in the direction of travel, and the rear of the shopping cart 100 can be considered the downstream side in the direction of travel.

[0010] The cart body 10 has a leg frame 12 and a support column 14. The leg frame 12 has a structure in which a metal pipe with a rectangular cross-section is bent into a roughly U-shape. The opening between the left and right ends 121 and 122 of the leg frame 12 is located on the front side of the shopping cart 100, making it less likely to interfere with the feet of the user P pushing the shopping cart 100. The leg frame 12 is equipped with four casters 11 on its underside. Two of the four casters 11 are located on the left and right ends 121 and 122 on the front side of the leg frame 12, and the remaining two casters 11 are located on the curved portion 123 that extends in the left and right direction on the rear side of the leg frame 12. These four casters 11 allow the shopping cart 100 to move freely on the floor surface 1 of the store.

[0011] The support column 14 has a roughly rectangular prism shape, and horizontal frames 131 and 132 connected to the leg frame 12 are integrally provided on both the left and right sides of its lower end 141. The left horizontal frame 131 extends roughly horizontally to the left from the lower end 141 of the support column 14 and is integrally connected to the intermediate part between the left end 121 and the curved portion 123 of the leg frame 12. The right horizontal frame 132 extends roughly horizontally to the right from the lower end 141 of the support column 14 and is integrally connected to the intermediate part between the right end 122 and the curved portion 123 of the leg frame 12. In other words, the leg frame 12 erects the support column 14 via the horizontal frames 131 and 132.

[0012] The support column 14 is slightly inclined towards the rear of the shopping cart 100 from its lower end 141 to its upper end 142. The inclination angle of the support column 14 with respect to the vertical is, for example, about 10°. Therefore, the upper end 142 of the support column 14 is located above the curved portion 123 of the leg frame 12. By inclining the support column 14 towards the rear, when a basket 2 is placed on the basket stand 30 provided in front of the support column 14 and filled with goods, the center of gravity of the shopping cart 100 can be brought closer to the center in the front-to-back direction of the four casters 11, allowing the shopping cart 100 to move stably.

[0013] The front of the support column 14 has a storage compartment 15 that houses the battery. The back of the support column 14 has a solar panel 50 that generates electricity from the store's lighting. Instead of the solar panel 50, an advertising monitor or a space for displaying POPs may be provided. At least one of the four casters 11 may be equipped with a generator that generates electricity through the rotation of the caster 11. The battery can be charged by the power generated by the solar panel 50 or the caster 11. The battery can also be charged by connecting it to a charging connector installed in the storage location when the shopping cart 100 is stacked in a designated storage location as described later. The battery supplies power to the customer service device 20, arm lamps 481 and 482, and the warning light 60.

[0014] The support column portion 14 has a relatively large vertically long elongated hole 16 penetrating in the left - right direction. The upper end of the elongated hole 16 terminates near the upper end 142 of the support column portion 14, and the lower end of the elongated hole 16 terminates near the lower end 141 of the support column portion 14. On the inner surface 161 on the front side of the elongated hole 16, there is a pattern lamp 60 that can change the color of the emitted light or change the emission form (lighting, blinking). Another inner surface 162 on the opposite side of the elongated hole 16 facing the pattern lamp 60 functions as a reflecting surface for reflecting the light of the pattern lamp 60. The pattern lamp 60 is an example of the light - emitting portion described in the claims of the present application.

[0015] When the pattern lamp 60 is attached to the inner surface of the elongated hole 16 penetrating the support column portion 14 left - and - right, the light from the pattern lamp 60 can be seen from substantially all directions of the shopping cart 100. Also, since the pattern lamp 60 is attached to the inner surface 161 on the front side of the elongated hole 16, the possibility that the user P using the shopping cart 100 directly sees the pattern lamp is low, and the user will see the reflected light from the reflecting surface on the opposite side of the elongated hole 16 or the inner surface of the arm 40 described later. Therefore, the light amount of the pattern lamp 60 can be increased, and it is possible to make the light of the pattern lamp 60 easier to see for a store clerk who is far away.

[0016] The basket placing table 30 is a horizontally long substantially rectangular plate, and has a shape in which the tip 32 of rotation, which is one of the long sides, is slightly bent upward. The four corners of the basket placing table 30 are rounded in an arc shape. The basket placing table 30 is rotatably connected in front of the support column portion 14 and at the vertical middle portion of the support column portion 14. The height of the basket placing table 30 is determined by the height of the arm 40 described later, the height of the customer service device 20, and the height to the opening of the basket 2 (FIG. 3) placed on the placing surface 34 of the basket placing table 30. The basket 2 is a general term for a resin basket for putting goods prepared in the store, a my - bag brought by the user P, and the like.

[0017] The basket stand 30 is rotatable about a rotation axis 18 (Fig. 4) between the use state (first position) shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the storage state (second position) shown in Fig. 3. The rotation axis 18 extends in the left - right direction and rotatably connects the proximal end 36 of the rotation of the basket stand 30 to the support column portion 14. The rotation axis 18 is an example of the first rotation axis described in the claims of the present application. When the basket stand 30 is arranged in the use state, its placement surface 34 becomes substantially horizontal. When the basket stand 30 is arranged in the storage state, it takes a posture arranged in the vertical direction with its tip 32 flipped upward (for example, the posture in Fig. 4(b)).

[0018] The basket stand 30 integrally includes a stopper 39 in the shape of a substantially rectangular block on the back surface 38 opposite to the placement surface 34 (Fig. 3). When the basket stand 30 is rotated to the use state shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stopper 39 abuts against the abutting surface 144 of the abutting portion 143 protruding from the front surface of the support column portion 14, and has a locking surface 391 for prohibiting further downward rotation of the basket stand 30. The locking surface 391 is the end surface on the rotation axis 18 side of the stopper 39 and is a surface orthogonal to the back surface 38 of the basket stand 30. Further, the basket stand 30 includes a weight sensor for detecting the weight of an article (basket 2 containing goods) placed on the basket stand 30 arranged in the use state.

[0019] The arm 40 has a shape formed by bending a long rod-shaped member into a roughly rectangular ring. The arm 40 may also be formed from a hollow pipe. The four corners of the arm 40 are gently curved. The arm 40 integrally includes a gripping portion 42 extending in the left-right direction for the user P to grasp, an L-shaped left portion 44 that is continuous with the left end of the gripping portion 42 and connects to the upper end 142 of the support column 14, and an L-shaped right portion 46 that is continuous with the right end of the gripping portion 42 and connects to the upper end 142 of the support column 14. In this embodiment, the gripping portion 42 is positioned opposite the customer service device 20 when in use, and is configured on the shopping cart 100 as a gripping portion that the user P grasps in order to move the shopping cart 100. Specifically, the gripping portion 42 is positioned upstream of the shopping cart in the direction of travel and opposite the customer service device 20. The gripping portion 42 can also be said to be positioned between the customer service device 20 and the customer. The user P may also grip the left portion 44 and the right portion 46.

[0020] With the arm 40 positioned in the horizontal operating position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the left portion 44 integrally comprises a vertical portion 441 extending rearward from the left end of the gripping portion 42, and a horizontal portion 442 extending to the rightward from the rear end of the vertical portion 441 toward the upper end 142 of the support column 14. The right portion 46 integrally comprises a vertical portion 461 extending rearward from the right end of the gripping portion 42, and a horizontal portion 462 extending to the leftward from the rear end of the vertical portion 461 toward the upper end 142 of the support column 14. The end of the horizontal portion 442 of the left portion 44 on the support column 14 side and the end of the horizontal portion 462 of the right portion 46 on the support column 14 side are rotatably connected to the upper end 142 of the support column 14 via a pivot shaft 19. The pivot shaft 19 extends in the left-right direction at a position spaced above the pivot shaft 18. The pivot shaft 19 is an example of the second pivot shaft described in the claims of this application.

[0021] The arm 40 is rotatable around the pivot axis 19 to the usage state (third position) shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the stored state (fourth position) shown in Figure 3. When the arm 40 is positioned in the usage state, it has a shape that surrounds the outside of the storage space S (Figure 1) of the basket 2 so that the basket 2 can be placed on the basket stand 30. When the arm 40 is positioned in the usage state, the gripping portion 42 is positioned spaced apart on the front side of the customer service device 20, with the storage space S in between. The arm 40 is sized and shaped so that it can be rotated between the usage state and the stored state with the basket 2 on the basket stand 30, and does not interfere with the basket 2 during this rotation. Furthermore, when the arm 40 is positioned in the usage state, it restricts the lateral movement of the basket 2 placed on the basket stand 30 in the usage state.

[0022] The storage space S in which the basket 2 is placed is located inside the area enclosed by the gripping portion 42, the left portion 44, and the right portion 46 of the arm 40. The storage space S is located below the customer service device 20 and between the gripping portion 42 and the customer service device 20. Therefore, the upper opening of the basket 2 placed in the storage space S and on the basket stand 30 will be below the lower end of the customer service device 20. In other words, the height of the basket stand 30 when it is in use is such that the upper opening of the basket 2 placed on the basket stand 30 is at least below the lower end of the customer service device 20.

[0023] Furthermore, the dimensions of the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions are such that the length in the depth direction of the storage space S is shorter than the width in the left-to-right direction (making it horizontally elongated). By making the storage space S between the gripping portion 42 of the arm 40 and the customer service device 20 horizontally elongated in this way, it is possible to position the customer service device 20 within reach of the user P while ensuring sufficient capacity in the storage space S, and the user P can operate the customer service device 20 which is positioned at the back of the storage space S.

[0024] Furthermore, the arm 40 can rotate around the pivot axis 19 to the inclined position shown in Figure 5. When the arm 40 is positioned in the inclined position, the arm 40 is rotated around the pivot axis 19 to lower the gripping portion 42 below the usage position. In this position, the gripping portion 42 may come into contact with the basket stand 30. The arm 40 can rotate between the usage position and the inclined position while the basket 2 remains on the basket stand 30. Rotating the arm 40 to the inclined position shown in Figure 5 makes it easier to remove the basket 2 from the basket stand 30 and to place the basket 2 back onto the basket stand 30.

[0025] Arm 40 is equipped with an arm lamp 481 on the upper surface of a curved section 443 that smoothly connects the vertical section 441 and the horizontal section 442 of the left section 44. Arm 40 is equipped with an arm lamp 482 on the upper surface of a curved section 463 that smoothly connects the vertical section 461 and the horizontal section 462 of the right section 46. By placing the arm lamps 481 and 482 in these positions, they are easily recognizable by the user P facing the display screen 22. The arm lamps 481 and 482 provide various information to the user P by changing the color of the light emitted or the light emission pattern (on, flashing). The light from the patrol lamp 60 installed on the inner surface of the elongated hole 16 of the support column 14 is reflected by the reflective surface on the opposite side of the elongated hole 16 and hits the inner surface of the arm 40. Therefore, in addition to the arm lamps 481 and 482, the user P can see the light from the patrol lamp 60 reflected off the inner surface of the arm 40.

[0026] The customer service device 20 has, for example, a 15-inch display screen 22. The display screen 22 is a touch panel that can accept various input operations from the user P. The width of the customer service device 20 in the left-right direction is slightly smaller than the width of the storage space S in which the basket 2 is placed. The customer service device 20 is sized to fit inside the arm 40 when the arm 40 is flipped up to the storage position shown in Figure 3.

[0027] The customer service device 20 is rotatable around a pivot shaft 24 located at its lower end relative to the upper end 142 of the support column 14. The pivot shaft 24 extends in the left-right direction. By rotating the customer service device 20 around the pivot shaft 24, the vertical angle of the display screen 22 can be adjusted. The angle adjustment of the customer service device 20 is performed manually by the user P.

[0028] The customer service device 20 includes, for example, a scanner 26 below the display screen 22 for registering purchased items. The scanner 26 reads product codes, such as barcodes, attached to the products. The scanner 26 may also be a camera with a function to capture a face for facial recognition of the user P. If the scanner 26 is a camera, the product can be identified from the image captured of the product. The customer service device 20 also includes a camera 28 (Figure 2) on its rear side near its upper end for capturing images of the store interior. The circuit configuration of the customer service device 20 will be described in detail later. Note that the placement of the scanner 26 that reads product codes is not limited to below the display screen 22. For example, the scanner 26 (or camera) may be placed in a suitable position above, below, to the left or to the right of the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20. Alternatively, the scanner 26 (or camera) can be placed in a suitable position inside the arm 40.

[0029] The basket stand 30 and the arm 40 may be connected by the connecting mechanism 70 shown in Figure 4. Figure 4(a) shows the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 connected by the connecting mechanism 70 in their usage state, and Figure 4(b) shows the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 in their stored state. The connecting mechanism 70 functions to rotate the arm 40 from the usage state to the stored state in conjunction with the movement of the basket stand 30 from the usage state to the stored state. The connecting mechanism 70 also functions to rotate the arm 40 from the stored state to the usage state in conjunction with the movement of the basket stand 30 from the stored state to the usage state.

[0030] The coupling mechanism 70 is, for example, a gear provided on the pivot shaft 18 of the basket stand 30 and a gear provided on the pivot shaft 19 of the arm 40, around which an endless toothed belt 72 is wrapped. The basket stand 30 and the arm 40, coupled by the coupling mechanism 70, can be operated manually by the user P. Alternatively, a drive motor may be connected to the pivot shaft 18 of the basket stand 30 so that the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 rotate in conjunction with each other electrically.

[0031] Furthermore, the connecting mechanism 70 may be equipped with a clutch mechanism on the pivot axis 19 of the arm 40 in order to allow the arm 40 to rotate independently of the basket stand 30. For example, the arm 40 may be equipped with a switch for activating this clutch mechanism, and while the switch is pressed, the arm 40 may be allowed to rotate freely independently of the basket stand 30. This allows the arm 40 to be positioned in the above-described usage state, storage state, and tilted state regardless of the state of the basket stand 30.

[0032] Alternatively, the basket stand 30 and the arm 40 may be connected by a connecting mechanism 80 shown in Figure 6. This connecting mechanism 80 has a structure in which, for example, the end of a projection 301 protruding from the base end 36 of the basket stand 30, spaced apart from the pivot axis 18, and the end of a projection 401 protruding from the base end of the arm 40, spaced apart from the pivot axis 19, are rotatably connected by a link arm 82.

[0033] The store using the shopping cart 100 described above is equipped with the product sales processing system 200 shown in Figure 7. The product sales processing system 200 includes a server 201, a cashier 202, a customer service device 20 for each shopping cart 100, and a network 203. The network 203 is, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

[0034] Server 201 is the central computer for processing product sales. The customer service device 20 displays various information to user P using the shopping cart 100 and accepts product registration by user P. The customer service device 20 is equipped with a wireless communication device and communicates wirelessly with server 201, which is connected via network 203. The checkout machine 202 processes the payment for products registered by user P via customer service device 20. Server 201 and checkout machine 202 are connected via a dedicated communication line 205.

[0035] The customer service device 20 transmits data related to the registration of purchased items, read by the scanner 26, to the server 201 via the network 203. The data related to the registration of purchased items is, for example, a product code. A product code is a unique code set for each product to identify it. The data related to the registration of purchased items may also include the number of items, or so-called quantity, of products with the same product code.

[0036] Server 201 generates the data necessary for accounting based on the data transmitted from the customer service device 20. Server 201 transmits this accounting data to the accounting machine 202 via the communication line 205. Based on the data received from Server 201, the accounting machine 202 calculates the cost of the items purchased by user P.

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, the customer service device 20 comprises a processor 211, main memory 212, auxiliary storage device 213, wireless communication device 214, input device 215, display device 216, scanner 26, camera 28, device interface 217, and system transmission path 218. The system transmission path 218 includes an address bus, data bus, control signal lines, etc. The system transmission path 218 connects the processor 211 to the other components directly or via signal input / output circuits, and transmits data signals exchanged between them. The computer of the customer service device 20 is formed by connecting the processor 211, main memory 212, and auxiliary storage device 213 with the system transmission path 218.

[0038] The processor 211 corresponds to the central part of the computer described above. The processor 211 controls each part in order to realize various functions as a customer service device 20 according to the operating system or application program. The processor 211 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0039] Main memory 212 corresponds to the main memory portion of the computer described above. Main memory 212 includes non-volatile memory areas and volatile memory areas. In the non-volatile memory area, main memory 212 stores the operating system or application programs. Main memory 212 may also store data necessary for the processor 211 to perform processing to control each part in non-volatile or volatile memory areas. Main memory 212 uses the volatile memory area as a work area where data is rewritten as needed by the processor 211. The non-volatile memory area is, for example, ROM (Read Only Memory). The volatile memory area is, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0040] The auxiliary storage device 213 corresponds to the auxiliary storage portion of the computer described above. For example, an EEPROM (Electric Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) (registered trademark), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive) can be the auxiliary storage device 213. The auxiliary storage device 213 stores data used by the processor 211 in performing various processes, as well as data created by the processing performed by the processor 211. The auxiliary storage device 213 may also store the application program described above.

[0041] The wireless communication device 214 is a device for performing data communication in accordance with a wireless communication protocol. The processor 211 controls the wireless communication device 214 to perform data communication with the server 201 via the network 203.

[0042] The input device 215 is a device for receiving user input. The display device 216 is a device for displaying information to the user. The input device 215 and the display device 216 are integrally configured by the touch panel of the display screen 22 described above.

[0043] The scanner 26 is a device for reading product codes and registering products. The camera 28 is a device for taking pictures inside the store. The device interface 217 is for connecting the customer service device 20 with the weight sensor of the basket stand 30, the arm lamps 481 and 482, and the warning light 60.

[0044] The following describes the usage method, operation, and effects of the shopping cart 100 of this embodiment.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, multiple shopping carts 100 can be stacked and stored in a designated cart storage area within the store. When a user P stores a used shopping cart 100 in the cart storage area, they flip up the arm 40 to the stored position. If the shopping cart 100 is equipped with a connecting mechanism 70, the basket stand 30 also rotates to the stored position in conjunction with the arm 40. In this state, the arm 40 and basket stand 30 can be positioned vertically for compact storage, and multiple shopping carts 100 can be stacked front to back. Furthermore, when the arm 40 is rotated to the stored position, it can be positioned around the customer service device 20, protecting the customer service device 20.

[0046] If the coupling mechanism 70 is not provided, the user P can rotate the arm 40 and the basket stand 30 independently. Even if the coupling mechanism 70 is provided, the user P can rotate the arm 40 independently of the basket stand 30 by operating the clutch. As in this embodiment, by having a structure in which the arm 40 and the basket stand 30 can be rotated to a stored state, the shopping cart 100 can be stacked and stored in the cart storage area even in a layout in which the customer service device 20 is placed at the back of the storage space S where the basket 2 is placed.

[0047] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 may be configured to switch the power of the customer service device 20 on and off according to the rotational position of the basket stand 30. In other words, the customer service device 20 may be powered on when the basket stand 30 rotates from the stored position to the usage position, and the customer service device 20 may be powered off when the basket stand 30 rotates from the usage position to the stored position.

[0048] When using a stacked shopping cart 100, user P holds the gripping part 42 and rotates the arm 40 to the usable position, pulling the shopping cart 100 forward from the cart storage area. At this time, the basket stand 30 also rotates to the usable position in conjunction with the arm 40. This state is shown in Figure 1. After this, user P places an empty basket 2 into the storage space S from above the arm 40 and places it on the basket stand 30. This state is shown in Figure 3.

[0049] Alternatively, user P may position the arm 40 in an inclined position as shown in Figure 5 before placing the basket 2 on the basket stand 30. In this case, the clutch of the connecting mechanism 70 can be disengaged, allowing the arm 40 to rotate to the inclined position independently of the basket stand 30. This makes it easier for user P to place the basket 2 on the basket stand 30. Furthermore, when removing the basket 2 from the basket stand 30 after shopping, rotating the arm 40 from the usage position in Figure 3 to the inclined position in Figure 5 makes it easier to remove the basket 2. Alternatively, when placing or removing the basket 2 from the basket stand 30, the arm 40 may be flipped up to the storage position independently of the basket stand 30.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shopping cart 100 can be positioned for use without being pulled out from its stacked location (while still stacked). Therefore, unlike conventional shopping carts, it is not always necessary to pull the cart out from its stacked location before placing a basket on it. The user P can move to the stacked location with a basket 2 and place the basket 2 on the shopping cart 100 while it is still stacked, thus improving convenience.

[0051] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, shopping carts 100 with baskets 2 containing goods can be stacked in the cart storage area. In this case, as shown in Figure 3, after stacking the shopping carts 100 with baskets 2 on them, only the arm 40 can be rotated to an inclined position to remove the baskets 2. After removing the baskets 2, the arm 40 and the basket storage base 30 can be rotated to a stored position in order to stack the next shopping cart 100.

[0052] When shopping using the shopping cart 100, user P pushes the shopping cart 100, which has the basket 2 set inside, as they move around the store. User P picks up the items they want to buy, holds them up to the scanner 26 of the customer service device 20 to have the product code read, and places them in the basket 2. Because the scanner 26 is located near the bottom edge of the customer service device 20, which is at the back of the basket 2, user P can place the items scanned by the scanner 26 into the basket 2 with almost no movement from that position, allowing for a smooth and fluid shopping experience.

[0053] Furthermore, when registering products that do not have a product code, displaying coupons, displaying purchase history, or displaying store product flyers, user P can operate the customer service device 20 to register the products or display various information. In this case, user P can reach out from the front of the basket 2 and touch the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20 to input the necessary information. At this time, since the storage space S that houses the basket 2 is horizontally elongated, it is easy to reach the display screen 22. The customer service device 20 can also constantly display information about recommended products or display characters for each sales area via the display screen 22.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the shopping cart 100, since the customer service device 20 is located at the back of the basket 2, the customer service device 20 does not get in the way when placing items in the basket 2, nor does it obstruct the view of the items inside the basket 2. As a result, the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20 can be made larger, and sufficient and meaningful information can be provided to the user P. In other words, this embodiment of the shopping cart 100 is easy to use and highly convenient for the user P.

[0055] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can capture images of the store interior using a camera 28 located on the back of the customer service device 20, and overlay directional graphics onto the captured camera footage on the display screen 22. This, along with a map of the store displayed on the display screen 22, can guide user P to the product they wish to purchase. In this case, user P searches for the product they wish to purchase by operating the customer service device 20. The customer service device 20 displays a map of the store interior via the display screen 22 and shows the route from the shopping cart 100's location to the product user P wishes to purchase on the map. The position of the moving shopping cart 100 moves on the map displayed via the display screen 22.

[0056] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can photograph products on the shelves using the camera 28 of the customer service device 20 and obtain information about the photographed products from the server 201. The obtained information can be displayed via the display screen 22 of the customer service device 20. At this time, the information about the product provided to the user P includes product images, prices, discount information, coupons, and information about related products.

[0057] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can photograph the inside of the store with the camera 28 of the customer service device 20, detect obstacles and people in the path of the shopping cart 100, and display warnings via the display screen 22 or emit warnings via the arm lamps 481 and 482.

[0058] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can capture real-time images of the store using the camera 28 of the customer service device 20, display the congestion status via the display screen 22, and send the images to the server 201. Store staff can view the real-time images sent to the server 201 to understand the inventory status of products, the congestion status, and other information.

[0059] Furthermore, if the scanner 26 of the customer service device 20 is a camera, the shopping cart 100 can determine if an unregistered item has been placed in the basket 2, and can issue a warning to the user P via arm lamps 481 and 482, and also notify the store staff via the warning light 60. For example, if an item is registered via the scanner 26, the arm lamps 481 and 482 will light up in blue, and if an unregistered item is placed in the basket 2, the arm lamps 481 and 482 will flash orange.

[0060] Furthermore, if the scanner 26 of the customer service device 20 is a camera, the shopping cart 100 can monitor whether or not the user P has rescanned the items after they have been placed in the basket 2 and returned to the shelf, and can issue a warning via the arm lamps 481 and 482 if the user P forgets to rescan the items.

[0061] Furthermore, if the scanner 26 of the customer service device 20 is a camera, the shopping cart 100 can take a picture of the user P's face to determine whether or not the user P is a registered member of the store. Also, when the basket 2 is placed in the storage space S, the basket 2 can be photographed to determine whether the basket 2 is a shopping basket permanently installed in the store or a reusable bag owned by the user P.

[0062] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can measure the weight of the basket 2 placed on the basket stand 30 via a weight sensor installed on the basket stand 30. The weight of the basket 2 changes each time an item is placed in the basket 2. The shopping cart 100 determines from the image transmitted via the scanner 26 that an empty basket 2 has been placed on the basket stand 30, and at this point measures the weight of the basket 2 via the weight sensor and automatically sets the output of the weight sensor to zero. Alternatively, the shopping cart 100 may measure the weight of the items only, subtracting the weight of the basket 2 each time an item is placed in the basket 2 and the measurement value of the weight sensor changes.

[0063] Furthermore, the shopping cart 100 can inform users P and store staff of its status via the warning light 60. For example, when the shopping cart 100 is stacked in the cart storage area and the battery is charging, the warning light 60 may be illuminated orange when the battery is charging, and green when the battery charging is complete. In addition, a lamp may be provided on the gripping part 42 of the arm 40 to inform users P and store staff of the battery status (charging, fully charged), making the lamp easily visible even when the cart is stacked.

[0064] Furthermore, the warning light 60 may be illuminated in blue while user P is shopping using the shopping cart 100, illuminated in green when payment has been completed, flashed in orange in case of an error or malfunction, and flashed in yellow in case of fraud or mistake. In addition, the warning light 60 may be illuminated or flashed to call a store employee when user P performs a predetermined operation via the customer service device 20.

[0065] As shown in Figure 9, the shopping cart 300 may be equipped with two basket holders 30 and 310, one above the other. In this case, a scanner 312 may be provided at the tip 32 of the upper basket holder 30 in order to read the items to be placed in the lower basket 2. Because the support column 14 of the cart body 10 is tilted upward and backward, the basket 2 placed on the lower basket holder 310 is positioned further forward than the basket 2 placed on the upper basket holder 30. By shifting the two baskets 2 back and forth in this way, it is possible to easily put items in and take them out of each basket 2.

[0066] In the above-described embodiment, the arm 40 is annular, but it may be separated in the middle of the gripping portion 42. In this case, the user P's luggage can be hooked onto the separated portion of the gripping portion 42. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the arm 40 is rotatable around the pivot axis 19 to a usage state, a stored state, and an inclined state, but a structure that allows it to slide vertically may be provided using the elongated hole 16 provided in the support column 14 of the cart body 10. Furthermore, in a shopping cart 100 equipped with upper and lower basket holders 30, 310, a guide or the like may be provided to prevent the lower basket 2 from falling off.

[0067] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. The invention described in the original claims of this application is listed below. [1] A cart body equipped with a gripping section for the user to hold, A customer service device equipped with a display screen, attached to the cart body such that the display screen faces the user who is gripping the gripping part, A basket holder is attached to the cart body to support a basket that is to be placed in the storage space below the customer service device and between the gripping part and the customer service device, A shopping cart with a [2] The length in the depth direction of the storage space extending from the gripping portion toward the customer service device is shorter than the width in the left-right direction as seen from the user. [1] The shopping cart described. [3] The customer service device includes a scanner for reading products near the display screen. [1] The shopping cart described. [4] The basket stand is rotatable between a horizontal first position on which the basket is placed and a vertically positioned second position, with respect to a first pivot axis provided between it and the cart body. The cart body has an arm that is rotatable between a third position in which the gripping portion is located on the opposite side of the storage space relative to the customer service device, and a fourth position in which the gripping portion is located above the second pivot axis, with the gripping portion having the gripping portion at the tip of the rotation. [1] The shopping cart described. [5] The arm, when positioned in the third position, is formed in an annular shape surrounding the basket so as to restrict the lateral movement of the basket placed on the basket stand positioned in the first position. [4] The shopping cart described. [6] The system further includes a connecting mechanism that links the arm and the basket stand in an interlocking manner. [4] The shopping cart described. [7] The cart body has holes that penetrate the cart body in the left-right direction as viewed from the user, The inner surface of the aforementioned hole has a light-emitting part for conveying various information by changing its color, and the other inner surface of the aforementioned hole opposite the light-emitting part has a reflective surface. [1] The shopping cart described. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 10...Cart body, 11...Casters, 12...Leg frame, 14...Support column, 15...Storage section, 16...Slotted hole, 18, 19...Rotating shaft, 20...Customer service device, 22...Display screen, 26...Scanner, 30...Basket stand, 40...Arm, 42...Grip section, 481, 482...Arm lamp, 50...Solar panel, 60...Warning light, 70, 80...Connecting mechanism, 100...Shopping cart, 200...Product sales processing system, 310...Basket stand, S...Storage space.

Claims

1. A cart body equipped with a gripping section for the user to hold, A customer service device equipped with a display screen, attached to the cart body such that the display screen faces the user who is gripping the gripping part, The basket rest is attached to the cart body so as to be rotatable between a horizontal first position for placing the basket and a vertically positioned second position, around a first pivot axis provided between the cart body and the customer service device, so as to support the basket which is to be placed in the storage space below the customer service device and between the gripping part and the customer service device. The cart body has an arm that is rotatable between a third position in which the gripping portion is located on the opposite side of the storage space from the customer service device, and a fourth position in which the gripping portion is located above the second pivot axis, with the gripping portion having the gripping portion at the tip of the rotation. shopping cart.

2. The length in the depth direction of the storage space extending from the gripping portion toward the customer service device is shorter than the width in the left-right direction as seen from the user. The shopping cart according to claim 1.

3. The customer service device includes a scanner for reading products near the display screen. The shopping cart according to claim 1.

4. The arm, when positioned in the third position, is formed in an annular shape surrounding the basket so as to restrict the lateral movement of the basket placed on the basket stand positioned in the first position. The shopping cart according to claim 1.

5. The system further includes a connecting mechanism that links the arm and the basket stand in an interlocking manner. The shopping cart according to claim 1.

6. A cart body equipped with a gripping section for the user to hold, A customer service device equipped with a display screen, attached to the cart body such that the display screen faces the user who is gripping the gripping part, The cart body has a basket stand attached to it for placing a basket that is to be placed in the storage space below the customer service device and between the gripping part and the customer service device, The cart body has holes that penetrate the cart body in the left-right direction as viewed from the user, The inner surface of the aforementioned hole has a light-emitting part for conveying various information by changing its color, and the other inner surface of the aforementioned hole opposite the light-emitting part has a reflective surface. shopping cart.

Images