7, for example, a plurality of carts 1 configured in this way can be stored in a cart storage area 60 installed at a predetermined position in the store. Note that directions indicated by arrows of FIGS. 6 and 7 are described as front, rear, right, and left sides of the cart storage area.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cart storage area 60 includes a cart gate 61 that guides and stores the cart 1 in the front-rear direction, and an external power supply device 70 that can supply (transmit) power to the plurality of carts 1 stored in the cart gate 61.

The cart gate 61 is configured in a roughly U-shape in a plan view to surround the front side, the right side, and the left side of the cart storage area 60 except for the rear side by right and left fixed plates 62 and 62 fixed to both right and left sides of the floor surface of the cart storage area 60 and extending in the front-rear direction, coupling plates 63 and 63 directed in the right-left direction to couple the right and left fixed plates 62 and 62 to each other at front and rear positions of the cart gate 61, right and left horizontal pipes 64 extending back and forth and supported by the right and left fixed plates 62 and 62, and a front pipe 65 coupling the right and left horizontal pipes 64, and can guide and store the cart 1 entering from the rear side in a straight line toward the front side.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the external power supply device 70 is provided with power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b on the right and left sides of the rear surface side. On the inside of the rear wall 73 in the base 21, a power transmitting-side case 71 having cylindrical protrusions 71e and 71e protruding rearward and formed on the right and left sides thereof is arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction. The right and left sides of the power transmitting-side case 71 laterally protrude from the protrusions 71e and 71e, and protruding ends 71f and 71f are inserted into guide shafts 75a and 75a fixed to a fixing plate 74 and the rear wall 73 at both ends and directed in the front-rear direction. In addition, compression springs 75 and 75 are fit between the ends 71f and 71f and the fixing plate 74 around the guide shafts 75a and 75a to bias the ends 71f and 71f on the right and left sides of the power transmitting-side case 71 rearward.

The power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b include the protrusions 71e and 71e formed on the power transmitting-side case 71, and are provided to protrude rearward from circular connection openings 74a and 74b formed in the rear wall 73. In this way, a power transmitting portion 76 for external power supply is biased by the compression springs 75 and 75 and is movable between a retraction position and a protrusion position behind the retraction position.

A connection terminal 71c connected to the power transmission wire and having a plurality of cylindrical protrusions arranged vertically in a row is provided on the rear surface of each of the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b. In addition, S-pole magnets MGs are provided on right and left sides on the rear surface of the connection terminal 71c of the power transmitting-side connection portion 71a, and N-pole magnets MGn are provided on right and left sides of the connection terminal 71c of the power transmitting-side connection portion 71b. In addition, a hemispherical protrusion 71d that can be accommodated in the recess 40d is formed on each of right and left sides of the magnets MGs on the rear surface of the power transmitting-side connection portion 71a on the left side. In this way, the power transmitting portion 76 for external power supply includes the connection terminal 71c and the power transmitting-side case 71. In addition, height positions of the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b from the floor surface are approximately the same as height positions of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b from the floor surface.

Next, an operation example of each part when the cart 1 is stored in the cart storage area 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. Note that, in the following description, for convenience of description, the order in which the carts are stored in the cart storage area 60 will be described using alphabetical reference numerals such as carts 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the foremost cart 1A stored first in the cart storage area 60 is positioned at a foremost storage position in the cart storage area 60, the front surfaces of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1A contact the rear surfaces of the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b located at protrusion positions in the external power supply device 70, so that the connection terminal 71c of each of the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b of the external power supply device 70 is inserted into the connection terminal 40c of each of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1A, and the connection terminal 71c is electrically connected to the connection terminal 40c by contacting the connection terminal 40c (see FIG. 8A).

Note that, when the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b approach the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b, the N-pole magnets MGn of the power receiving-side connection portion 40a and the S-pole magnets MGs of the power transmitting-side connection portion 71a are attracted by magnetic force, and the S-pole magnets MGs of the power receiving-side connection portion 40b and the N-pole magnets MGn of the power transmitting-side connection portion 71b are attracted by magnetic force, so that the magnetic force of the magnets MGn and MGs induces the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b to the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b, the connection terminals 40c and 71c are in a connected state, and then the connected state becomes difficult to be released. In addition, by accommodating the protrusion 71d in the recess 40d, the positions of the connection terminals 40c and 71c are induced and guided so that the connection terminals 40c and 71c are connected to each other.

Next, when the cart 1A moves further forward, the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b are pushed toward the retraction positions against biasing force of the compression springs 75 and 75 while maintaining the connected state of the connection terminals 40c and 71c. Then, when the cart 1A moves to a foremost storage position, and the front casters 3 of the cart 1A contact the front coupling plate 63, so that forward movement is restricted, the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b are located at the retraction positions (see FIG. 8B). That is, in the present embodiment, the connection terminals 40c and 71c are in a connected state at positions immediately before the cart 1A is stored in the foremost storage position, and the cart 1A moves to the foremost storage position while the connected state is maintained, so that the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b move from the protrusion positions to the retraction positions.

In this way, when the connection terminals 40c and 71c are in a connected state, power can be supplied from the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b to the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b. In addition, power received by the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b is supplied to the battery 7 via an electric circuit (not illustrated). Therefore, when the cart 1A is stored at the foremost storage position in the cart storage area 60, the connection terminals 40c and 71c of the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b and the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b are in a connected state, and the battery 7 of the cart 1A is charged with power supplied from the external power supply device 70. In addition, power supplied from the external power supply device 70 can be supplied not only to the battery 7 of the cart 1A but also to the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the plurality of carts 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, . . . is configured to be allowed to be nested, that is, stacked in a row in the front-rear direction. For example, when another cart 1B is stacked and stored on the rear side of one cart 1A, a front portion of the lower body part 2a of the cart 1B on the rear side is fit to a space, which has a substantially concave shape in a plan view and whose rear side is open, formed by the base 21 and the right and left side frames 22a and 22b in the lower body part 2a of the cart 1A on the front side, and the upper body part 2b of the cart 1B on the rear side approaches the rear side of the upper body part 2b of the cart 1A on the front side, so that the cart 1B is stored in a row to stack the cart 1A in the front-rear direction.

In addition, when outer surfaces of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b in the lower body part 2a of the cart 1B on the rear side contact inner surfaces of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b of the cart 1A on the front side, movement of the cart 1B on the rear side in forward and right-left directions is restricted, another cart 1 is stored on a rear side of one cart 1 in a row.

Note that, the present embodiment illustrates a mode in which the outer surfaces of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b in the lower body part 2a of the cart 1B on the rear side contact the inner surfaces of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b of the cart 1A on the front side, so that movement of the cart 1B on the rear side in the forward and right-left directions is restricted. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and movement of the cart 1B on the rear side in the forward and right-left directions may be restricted by the outer surface of one of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b of the cart 1B on the rear side contacting the inner surface of one of the base 21 and the side frames 22a and 22b of the cart 1A on the front side. In addition, at least forward movement of the cart 1B on the rear side may be restricted by the upper body parts 2b contacting each other.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the following cart 1B is guided forward by the cart gate 61 and positioned at a storage position on the rear side of the foremost cart 1A while the cart 1A is stored at the foremost storage position of the cart storage area 60, by the front surfaces of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1B contacting the rear surfaces of the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b located at protrusion positions in the cart 1A, the connection terminal 41c of each of the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the foremost cart 1A is inserted into the connection terminal 40c of each of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the following cart 1B and electrically connected thereto by contacting the connection terminal 40c (see FIG. 8C).

Note that, when the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the following cart 1B approach the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the foremost cart 1A, the N-pole magnets MGn of the power receiving-side connection portion 40a and the S-pole magnets MGs of the power transmitting-side connection portion 41a are attracted by magnetic force, and the S-pole magnets MGs of the power receiving-side connection portion 40b and the N-pole magnets MGn of the power transmitting-side connection portion 41b are attracted by magnetic force, so that the magnetic force of the magnets MGn and MGs induces the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b to the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b, the connection terminals 40c and 41c are in a connected state, and then the connected state becomes difficult to be released. In addition, by accommodating the protrusion 41d in the recess 40d, the positions of the connection terminals 40c and 41c are induced and guided so that the connection terminals 40c and 41c are connected to each other.

Next, when the cart 1B moves further forward, the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are pushed toward the retraction positions against biasing force of the right and left compression springs 43 and 43 while maintaining the connected state of the connection terminals 40c and 41c. Then, when movement of the cart 1B in the forward and right-left directions is restricted at a storage position on the rear side of the cart 1A, the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are located at retraction positions (see FIG. 8C). That is, in the present embodiment, the connection terminals 40c and 41c are in a connected state at positions immediately before the cart 1B is stored at the storage position on the rear side of the cart 1A, and the cart 1B moves to the storage position while the connected state is maintained, so that the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b move from the protrusion positions to the retraction positions.

In this way, when the connection terminals 40c and 41c of the cart 1A supplied with power from the external power supply device 70 and the following cart 1 are in a connected state, power can be supplied from the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the foremost cart 1A to the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1B. In addition, power received by the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1B is supplied to the battery 7 via an electric circuit (not illustrated). Therefore, by storing the following cart 1B so as to be stacked on the rear side of the cart 1A stored in the cart storage area 60, the connection terminals 40c and 41c of the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the cart 1A and the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1B are in a connected state, and the battery 7 of the following cart 1B is charged with power supplied from the external power supply device 70 via the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the cart 1A.

Furthermore, when power supplied from the external power supply device 70 via the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the cart 1A is supplied to the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the cart 1B, power is supplied from the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of the cart 1B to the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of each of the following carts 1C and 1D, and thus power is supplied to the battery 7 and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b of each of the carts 1C and 1D.

In this way, when the plurality of carts 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, . . . is stored in the cart storage area 60, the foremost cart 1A is electrically connected to the external power supply device 70, and thus power is supplied to the cart 1A. Further, when the following carts 1B, 1C, 1D, . . . are sequentially stacked and stored on the foremost cart 1A, adjacent front and rear carts 1A and 1B, carts 1B and 1C, carts 1C and 1D . . . are electrically connected to each other, and power supplied from the external power supply device 70 is supplied to the cart 1 on the rear side via the cart 1 on the front side.

As described above, in the cart 1 according to the embodiment, the cart body 2, which can be nested in the front-rear direction, is equipped with the battery 7 that supplies power to the electronic device 6 used for commodity registration processing, payment processing, or registration processing and payment processing, the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b electrically connectable to the power transmitting-side connection portions 71a and 71b of the external power supply device 70 are provided on the front surface side, and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b for supplying power to the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the following cart 1 nested in this cart 1 are provided on the rear surface side of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b. In this way, by sequentially storing the following carts 1B, 1C, 1D, . . . on the foremost cart 1A electrically connected to the external power supply device 70 of the cart storage area 60, the battery 7 mounted on each of the plurality of carts 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, . . . can be charged using one power supply, and thus a power supply for each cart 1 becomes unnecessary, and equipment of the cart storage area 60 can be simplified.

In addition, the magnets MGn and MGs for determining relative positions between carts are provided near the connection terminals 40c in the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and near the connection terminals 40c in the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b, and relative positions of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b can be maintained by the magnets MGn and MGs, so that electrical connection between the connection terminals 40c and 41c of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b can be prevented from being easily released by receiving external force in a nesting state.

In addition, the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are provided to be movable in the front-rear direction between the retraction position and the protrusion position, and are biased toward the protrusion position side by the right and left compression springs 43 and 43 serving as right and left biasing members constituting a biasing device. More specifically, in the cart 1 of the present embodiment, since the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b and the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40a are provided on the front side of the lower body part 2a, and the side frames 22a and 22b extending rearward from the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are arranged on the right and left sides of the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b protruding rearward, the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b protrude rearward, whereas the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b do not protrude forward, so that contact with another customer or another cart 1 is prevented, and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b and the connection terminal 41c that can move due to impact during nesting are prevented from being damaged.

In addition, the connection terminals 40c and 41c are in an electrically connected state when the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b contact the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b while being located at the protrusion positions, and an electrically and mechanically connected state is maintained while the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are moving between the protrusion position and the retraction position. Thereafter, even when the front and rear carts 1 are slightly separated from each other in the front-rear direction after adjacent carts 1 are lined up to be stacked in the front-rear direction, and thus the connection terminals 40c and 41c are in a connected state, the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are biased by the compression springs 43 and 43 to follow the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b, so that the connected state of connection terminals 40c and 41c is maintained while the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b move from the retraction positions to the protrusion positions. Therefore, the electrical connected state is prevented from being easily released.

In addition, the power transmitting portion 11 has the right and left power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b that separately protrude toward the rear side, and the connection terminals 41c and 41c are provided on respective rear end surfaces of the right and left power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b. In this way, since the two connection terminals 41c and 41c are independently provided on the right and left power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b, the power transmitting portion reliably easily contacts the power receiving portion 10 of another cart 1 during nesting.

In addition, the right and left power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are integrally formed by the power transmitting-side case 41 serving as a connection member that connects the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b, and as a result are integrally formed with the power transmitting-side case 41, and the power transmitting-side case 41 is biased rearward by the compression springs 43 and 43 provided on the right and left sides, so that the right and left power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b can be stably biased toward the protrusion position side.

In addition, when the connection terminals 40c and 41c are provided to extend in the vertical direction on the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b, respectively, the power transmitting portion 11 and the power receiving portion 10 of another cart 1 are easily connected even if the power transmitting portion 11 and the power receiving portion 10 are vertically misaligned, and thus it is less likely to be affected by differences in height of another cart 1 due to unevenness of the floor surface, adhesion of dust to wheels, etc.

In addition, the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b are each provided in front of the placing portion 5a of the lower body part 2a, and thus can be prevented from being damaged by contact with a foot of the user, etc. operating on the rear side of the cart 1. In addition, in the lower body part 2a, by being provided on the front and rear surfaces of the strong base 21 that supports the frame members 31a and 31b included in the upper body part 2b, it is possible to prevent damage by contact with another customer or another cart 1.

In addition, when the side frames 22a and 22b serving as cart guide frames extending rearward are provided on the right and left sides of the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b in the cart body 2, the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b of the cart 1 on the rear side are guided to the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b on the front side by the right and left side frames 22a and 22b of the cart 1 on the front side, and thus the connection terminals 40c and 41c are easily connected to each other.

In addition, when the bases 21 of the front and rear carts 1 contact each other, relative positions of the front and rear carts 1 in the front-rear direction are determined. Further, when the right and left side frames 22a and 22b determine relative positions of the front and rear carts 1 in the right-left direction, mutually relative movement becomes difficult. Therefore, connection between the connection terminals 40c and 41c of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b is less likely to be released.

In addition, the front wall 51 formed around the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b includes the cover member 25. That is, by providing the cover member 25 as a cushioning material around the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b, impact at the time of electrical connection between the connection terminals 40c and 41c of the power receiving-side connection portions 40a and 40b and the power transmitting-side connection portions 41a and 41b is relieved by the cover member 25, and thus the connection terminals 40c and 41c are prevented from being damaged.

In addition, when the upper body part 2b of the cart body 2 includes the two frame members 31a and 31b and the cover member 32 covering the outside of the two frame members 31a and 31b, and the battery 7 is provided between the two frame members 31a and 31b, there is no need to provide a separate storage place for holding the battery 7. Therefore, resource saving can be achieved, and an extra protruding part is not formed, so that an appearance is excellent, and personal safety is ensured.

In addition, the opening/closing portion 32a of the cover member 32 is removably attached to the frame members 31a and 31b, so that maintenance such as replacement of the battery 7 can be easily performed.

Even though the embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any additions or modifications not depart from the scope of the invention are included in the invention.