Motor Driven Shopping Trolley Automatic Activation and Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motor-driven shopping trolleys lack features that cater to the needs of elderly or physically challenged individuals, such as ease of use, emergency assistance, and navigation of obstacles, while existing technologies do not adequately address the challenges of varying speed and load-dependent movement.
Innovation Solution
The shopping trolley is equipped with an automatic electric motor activation system, a foldable seat, a GSM transmission system for emergency calls, GPS tracking, thermal compartments, and a step-climbing mechanism, allowing for adjustable speed, load-independent movement, and enhanced user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual speed adjustment is provided, then user control over movement speed is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The electric motor automatically activates when the trolley is inclined into the transport position, eliminating the need for manual speed adjustment or intervention. The system serves itself by detecting the inclination state and autonomously controlling motor activation and speed regulation, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining appropriate automation level.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the trolley's inclination angle through sensors and uses this feedback to automatically regulate motor speed and activation. This closed-loop feedback system ensures the motor responds appropriately to the user's handling actions without requiring manual speed adjustments, resolving the contradiction between automation and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the trolley is designed for load-independent movement, then ease of operation is improved, but use of energy deteriorates due to constant motor activation
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit incorporates load detection capabilities that monitor the trolley's weight and adjust motor activation and speed accordingly. When the trolley is empty or lightly loaded, the motor remains inactive or operates at minimal speed, conserving battery energy. When loaded, the motor activates automatically to provide load-independent movement, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor activation and speed regulation are dynamically adjusted based on real-time detection of load conditions and user handling actions. The system transitions between active and inactive states, and between different speed levels, based on actual operational needs rather than constant activation, optimizing the balance between ease of use and energy efficiency.
3Reliability
If multiple safety and comfort features are added, then reliability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it detects inclination angle, regulates motor speed, monitors load weight, controls the retractable seat, and manages emergency alert systems. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional control unit, the patent improves reliability through comprehensive safety and comfort features while minimizing the increase in device complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the control unit, sensors, motor controller, seat mechanism, and emergency alert system into an integrated architecture where components work together as a unified system. This merging approach allows multiple safety and comfort features to operate coordinationedly without proportionally increasing overall system complexity, as shared components and communication protocols reduce the cumulative burden of individual features.
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 trolley provides enhanced usability and safety for elderly or physically challenged users by enabling automatic movement, emergency assistance, temperature control, and obstacle navigation, ensuring greater serenity and ease of use during shopping.
Implementation Method 1
wheels driven by an electric motor
Implementation Method 2
a rechargeable battery 7 inserted between the container 5 and the base 2
Implementation Method 3
thermal compartments for cooling and/or heating of its contents
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A motor-driven shopping trolley comprising a container (5) provided with wheels (8) driven by an electric motor (9), a handle (4) for guiding the trolley, and an electronic control unit (10) configured to automatically activate the electric motor (9) when the trolley, by means of the handle (4), is inclined into a transport position and with an initial pulling or pushing movement.