Shopping Cart Bagging Station Foldable Slot Joint Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

The need for bagging stations in retail stores has evolved with the rise of electronic purchasing and self-checkout, requiring a solution to allow customers to bag their purchases as they shop, rather than being limited to checkout stations.

Innovation Solution

A shopping cart bagging station that can be mounted on a shopping cart, made from lightweight and recyclable materials, featuring a plurality of elements that fit together using slot joints, allowing rotation and folding for compact storage, with a hinged support bar for easy handling and placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a traditional checkout station bagging station is used, then bagging function is provided, but it cannot be used in locations other than checkout stations and reduces shopping flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebagging location flexibilityVSAvoidsystem configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bagging station is divided into separable components including a bag holder assembly, a support bar, and mounting hooks that can be independently attached and detached from the shopping cart, enabling flexible deployment at various locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support bar incorporates a hinge mechanism that allows it to fold between extended and retracted positions, enabling the bagging station to adapt between providing full bagging functionality and being compact for storage or transport

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a portable shopping cart bagging station is introduced, then shopping flexibility is enhanced, but device complexity increases due to additional mounting and folding mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidmounting mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting hooks are designed to be easily attached to and removed from the shopping cart by the customer without requiring tools or complex assembly procedures, enabling self-service portability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The bag holder assembly and support bar are designed to fold into a compact nested configuration when not in use, minimizing space requirements for storage while maintaining full functionality when deployed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS10336358B2Shopping cart bagging station and method of forming the same

Publication Date: 2019.07.02 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

Shopping cart bagging stations are described that can be used by customers to bag their purchases as they shop. A shopping cart bagging station holds and dispenses at least one shopping bag. The shopping cart bagging stations are formed of a plurality of shopping cart bagging station elements that fit together using slot joints. Some of the slot joints may be rotational slot joints, which allow rotation of one or more of the shopping cart bagging station elements. The shopping cart bagging station may include a hinged support bar that allows the shopping cart bagging station to be folded. The hinge and the rotation of one or more of the shopping cart bagging station elements allows the shopping cart bagging station to be folded into a compact form when not in use, and quickly and easily opened for use.