Shopping Cart Handle Sterilization via Wheel-Generated Voltage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Retail store fixtures such as shelves, cold storage devices, and shopping carts are difficult to maintain as sterile and bacteria-free, requiring extensive employee time and resources for cleaning and sanitizing due to frequent human contact.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an electric charge circuit within retail store fixtures that generates a positive electric charge through movable parts, such as wheels or doors, to repel bacteria without the need for chemicals or external power, using voltage generators and capacitors to sterilize surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cleaning and sanitizing methods are used on retail store fixtures, then fixtures can be sterilized, but extensive employee time and resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning processes with an electrical field-based sterilization system. The fixture incorporates an electric charge circuit that generates positive ions to neutralize and repel bacteria, eliminating the need for employees to physically clean and sanitize surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture performs sterilization automatically through its integrated electric charge circuit. When activated, the system self-sterilizes by generating positive charges that repel bacteria, reducing dependence on external human intervention for maintenance.
2Reliability
If traditional cleaning methods are used on retail store fixtures, then fixtures can be sanitized, but high costs are incurred for chemicals and labor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes chemical-based sanitization with an electrical field approach. The electric charge circuit generates positive ions that naturally repel and neutralize bacteria without requiring chemical cleaners, thereby eliminating the need for cleaning substances and associated costs.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If retail store fixtures are frequently cleaned and sanitized, then bacterial contamination is prevented, but employee hours and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture autonomously maintains sterility through its electric charge circuit, which continuously or periodically generates positive charges to repel bacteria. This self-sterilizing capability eliminates the need for repeated manual cleaning interventions, allowing employees to focus on productive tasks rather than maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The electric charge circuit efficiently sterilizes retail store fixtures by repelling bacteria, reducing the time and cost associated with traditional cleaning methods, while maintaining a safe environment for users by preventing bacterial transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage generator that generates a voltage in response to a motion of a moveable portion of the retail store fixture
Implementation Method 2
a capacitor that stores the voltage generated by the voltage generator
Implementation Method 3
The positive electric charge repels bacteria, sterilizing the portion receiving the electric charge
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a retail store fixture that includes an electric charge circuit. The electric charge circuit generates a positive electric charge, or voltage, in response to the motion of a moveable portion of the retail store fixture. The retail store fixture can be a shopping cart or other fixture with a moveable portion. The positive electric charge is deposited on a part of the retail store fixture that it is desired to sterilize. The positive electric charge repels bacteria, sterilizing the portion of the retail store fixture that receives the positive charge. A shopping cart, for example, equipped with the electric charge circuit can be sterilized without requiring chemicals or power to be supplied to the cart. Rotation of the shopping cart wheels can be used to generate the voltage. The voltage can be used to sterilize a shopping cart handle, and/or other parts of the shopping cart.