초록 ▼

A charging station for charging a battery that powers a portable data collection device. The shopping cart carrying the data collection device is provided with one or more connection elements that engage a guide rail of the charging station and conduct current to the battery disposed on the cart. Th

A charging station for charging a battery that powers a portable data collection device. The shopping cart carrying the data collection device is provided with one or more connection elements that engage a guide rail of the charging station and conduct current to the battery disposed on the cart. The data collection device is mountable to a shopping cart and includes a housing having a clamping assembly for releasably clamping the housing to a pushing bar of a shopping cart. The housing defines an interior region supporting device electronics. The device further includes an interactive touch sensitive visual display screen and a retractable, tethered dataform reader releasably mounted on the housing. When mounted on the housing, an imaging assembly and illumination assembly of the reader are continuously actuated to read a dataform presented to the reader. When removed from the housing, the reader is actuated by depressing a trigger on the reader. The device also includes a magnetic stripe reading assembly and communications circuitry including a radio transceiver module.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] Apparatus for electrically charging a battery carried by a shopping cart for providing electrical power to a portable data collection device affixed to the shopping cart, the apparatus comprising:an attachment element fixedly attached to the shopping cart and extending from the shop

[ I claim:] [1.] Apparatus for electrically charging a battery carried by a shopping cart for providing electrical power to a portable data collection device affixed to the shopping cart, the apparatus comprising:an attachment element fixedly attached to the shopping cart and extending from the shopping cart, the attachment element including a first electrical contact electrically coupled to the shopping cart battery and being at a fixed position with respect to the shopping cart;a guide rail configured to engage the attachment elementthe guide rail having a first electrically conductive area for electrical connection with the first electrical contact of the attachment element; andmeans for conducting electrical current from a source to the at least one electrically conductive area of the guide rail;wherein the shopping cart battery is charged when the attachment element is engaged by the guide rail and the guide rail first electrically conductive area is contacted by the attachment element first electrical contact. [13.] Method for electrically charging a battery carried by a shopping cart equipped with an electronically powered device, the method comprising the steps of:providing a charging station including a guide rail configured for engaging a plurality of shopping carts each of which is provided with a battery and at least one electronically powered device, the guide rail having at least one first conductive portion positioned to make electrical contact with a second conductive portion located on each of the plurality of shopping carts, the guide rail having a reduced size opening leading to an enlarged interior configured to slidably receive attachment elements carried by the plurality of shopping carts, the plurality of shopping carts being locked to the track while charging;positioning each of the shopping carts at the charging station with the first conductive portion of the guide rail in electrical contact with the second conductive portion located on each of the shopping carts; andconduction current from a source of electricity through said first conductive portion and each of the second conductive portions to simultaneously charge the batteries of each of the shopping carts. Method according to claim 13, wherein the charging station is provided with means for selectively permitting removal of each of the plurality of shopping carts from the guide rail.