Means for the storing of carts such as shopping carts

Claim 1

A system for the disposition of shopping carts including an entrance area and at least one storage area for such carts which are intended to be removed from and returned to the storage area by users of the carts, comprising, for each storage area, at least one outlet gate and first control means to permit a cart to pass through said outlet gate only if a deposit is registered by said first control means, at least one inlet passage provided with an inlet gate and second control means to permit a cart to pass through said inlet gate only if said cart is identified as an authorized cart, said second control means being provided with sensing means responsive to actuating means carried by said cart to identify an authorized cart and to permit passage of said cart through said gate only when said sensing means so identifies an authorized cart and to refund at least part of the deposit, said storage area being open for free positioning of said carts in and out of said storage area, and at least one passage for permitting persons without carts free access to and from said entrance area, each gate comprising a housing forming on each side thereof a passage, each passage being provided with stopping means displaceable between an open position for free access of a cart and a closed position to prevent passage of a cart, means for the receiving of a deposit at said outlet gate, means for refunding a deposit at said inlet gate, active sensing means on a wall of said inlet passage formed by said housing to identify a cart presented in said passage, said cart being provided with a passive sensing means to actuate said active sensing means, and actuating means to control the stopping means in said outlet passage to an open position when a deposit is inserted in said deposit receiving means and to position said stopping means in said inlet passage to an open position when said sensing means has identified an authorized cart and to refund a deposit made when said cart was passed through an outlet gate.

Claim 2

A system for the disposition of shopping carts including an entrance area and at least one storage area for such carts which are intended to be removed from and returned to the storage area by users of the carts, comprising, for each storage area, at least one outlet gate and first control means to permit a cart to pass through said outlet gate only if a deposit is registered by said first control means, at least one inlet passage provided with an inlet gate and second control means to permit a cart to pass through said inlet gate only if said cart is identified as an authorized cart, said second control means being provided with sensing means responsive to actuating means carried by said cart to identify an authorized cart and to permit passage of said cart through said gate only when said sensing means so identifies an authorized cart and to refund at least part of the deposit, said storage area being open for free positioning of said carts in and out of said storage area, and at least one passage for permitting persons without carts free access to and from said entrance area, each gate comprising a housing forming on each side thereof a passage, each passage being provided with stopping means displaceable between an open position for free access of a cart and a closed position to prevent passage of a cart, means for the receiving of a deposit at said outlet gate, means for refunding a deposit at said inlet gate, active sensing means on a wall of said inlet passage formed by said housing to identify a cart presented in said passage, said cart being provided with a passive sensing means to actuate said active sensing means, and actuating means to control the stopping means in said outlet passage to an open position when a deposit is inserted in said deposit receiving means and to position said stopping means in said inlet passage to an open position when said sensing means has identified an authorized cart and to refund a deposit made when said cart was passed through an outlet gate.

Claim 6

A system for storing shopping carts including several storage areas for carts which are intended to be removed from and returned to the respective storage areas by users, comprising for each storage area at least one gate provided with first control means in an outlet passage provided to permit a cart through only if a deposit is received by said first control means, and second control means in an inlet passage to permit a cart therethrough if identified by sensing means belonging to carts intended to be stored in a storage area and identified by said sensing means and in connection with the passing of the cart to refund a deposit, each storage area being connected to a parking area for motor cars with the intended number of carts in the storage area adapted to correspond to the intended number of motor cars in the connected parking area, the gate of each storage area being connected to computing means provided to register the number of carts as a reminder of the basic number of carts reduced by the number of carts registered in said gate as leaving the area and added to the number of carts registered in said gate as returned to the area, said computing means being provided to produce information indicating the number of carts available in the different storage area corresponding to the number of probable free parking places in the corresponding parking area.

Claim 7

A system for storing shopping carts including several storage areas for carts which are intended to be removed from and returned to the respective storage areas by users, comprising for each storage area at least one gate provided with first control means in an outlet passage provided to permit a cart through only if a deposit is received by said first control means, and second control means in an inlet passage to permit a cart therethrough if identified by sensing means belonging to carts intended to be stored in a storage area and identified by said sensing means and in connection with the passing of the cart to refund a deposit, each storage area being connected to a parking area for motor cars with the intended number of carts in the storage area adapted to correspond to the intended number of motor cars in the connected parking area, the gate of each storage area being connected to computing means provided to register the number of carts as a reminder of the basic number of carts reduced by the number of carts registered in said gate as leaving the area and added to the number of carts registered in said gate as returned to the area, said computing means being provided to produce information indicating the number of carts available in the different storage area corresponding to the number of probable free parking places in the corresponding parking area.