Collapsible Shopping Cart Foldable Frame Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shopping carts are heavy, poorly sanitized, and contribute to environmental pollution due to the need for plastic bags, as they are not easily collapsible or transportable, leading to issues like spoilage and increased costs for grocers.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible shopping cart design featuring a basket portion, a platform with foldable bars and wheels, and a handle system that allows the cart to transition from an in-use position to a flat, collapsed position for easy storage and transport without unpacking groceries, reducing the need for plastic bags and enhancing sanitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional shopping carts are used, then shoppers can collect groceries, but the carts are heavy and take up valuable marketable space for the grocer
Solution Approach 1:
The shopping cart is designed with collapsible side panels and a foldable structure that allows it to transition from an expanded shopping configuration to a compact collapsed configuration. The side panels can be folded inward and the handle can be collapsed, transforming the cart from a bulky stationary object occupying marketable space to a compact portable object that can be easily stored.
2Ease of operation
If stationary carts are used by grocers, then shoppers can conveniently shop, but the carts are poorly sanitized and incur labor costs for rounding up and securing
Solution Approach 1:
The shopping cart is designed as a personal portable cart that shoppers bring themselves to the store, eliminating the need for grocer employees to sanitize, round up, or secure stationary carts. Each shopper is responsible for their own cart, which can be easily collapsed and taken home, ensuring consistent sanitation without requiring grocer intervention.
3Length of moving object
If foldable shopping carts with narrow deep baskets are used, then the carts are more portable, but groceries are piled on top causing spoilage and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cart features expandable side panels that can be extended outward during shopping to provide ample horizontal storage space, preventing groceries from being piled on top. When collapsed for transport, the panels fold inward compactly, maintaining portability while preserving grocery integrity during the shopping phase.
4Ease of operation
If shoppers use plastic bags to carry groceries, then transport is simple, but environmental pollution increases due to disposal of billions of plastic products
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable collapsible shopping cart replaces single-use plastic bags as the primary container for groceries. The cart is designed to be collapsed into a compact form that fits in vehicle trunks or storage spaces, providing a durable alternative to disposable plastic bags and reducing environmental pollution from plastic waste.
5Adaptability or versatility
If personal foldable shopping carts are used, then shoppers have their own cart, but they must remove groceries before collapsing the cart for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The cart features a collapsible design where the side panels and handle can be folded without requiring removal of groceries from the basket. The basket remains stable and accessible during the collapsing process, allowing shoppers to transport groceries directly in the cart from the store to their vehicle or home, eliminating the time-consuming step of unpacking.
Data Source
AI summary
A shopping cart for personal use includes a basket portion for collecting items, a platform supporting the basket portion, and a frame operatively attached to the platform configured to position the cart in an in-use position and in a collapsed position for transport and storage. The frame includes foldable bars constructed with upper and lower bars lockably hinged via a lockably hinged connector, to convert the shopping cart from in-us to the collapsed position. A handle bar is connected across the upper bars, wherein upward pulling on the handle unlocks the cart from the in-use position, allowing the upper and lower bars to hingedly collapse parallel to one another. An upper set of wheels positioned on the platform contacts a ground surface only when the shopping cart is in a collapsed horizontal position.