Signalling method and apparatus for a conventional shopping cart

In a conventional shopping cart having a basket for receiving goods to be transported to a checkout station and a conventional bottom package tray positioned beneath the basket and pivotably coupled to the base portion of the shopping cart frame for upward movement, a bottom tray signalling device for use with an article detecting system for detecting the presence of articles on the bottom package tray comprising:

• spring bias means positioned near the forward end of the bottom package tray to normally maintain said tray in an elevated position relative to the shopping cart frame and to permit movement of said tray between said elevated position and a lower position when an article is placed on said tray;
• and
• reflector coupling means for coupling a reflector to said tray;
• said reflector being oriented and adapted for use with said detecting system so that energy directed from the article detecting system toward the cart contacts the reflector when the tray is in the lower position and is reflected to the article detecting system which signals the presence of articles on the tray.

In a conventional shopping cart having a basket for receiving goods to be transported to a checkout station and a conventional bottom package tray positioned beneath the basket and pivotably coupled to the base portion of the shopping cart frame for upward movement, a signalling device for detecting and signalling the presence of articles on the bottom package tray as the shopping cart is moved through an aisle adjacent the checkout station comprising:

• spring bias means positioned near the front end of the bottom package tray for supporting the tray in an elevated position relative the frame of the cart;
• reflector means coupled to said tray and oriented to reflect energy directed from an energy source toward one side of the cart, said reflector means being normally maintained with said tray in an elevated position by said spring bias means and movable with said tray to a lower position when an article is placed on the tray;
• a source of energy located on one side of the aisle for directing a beam of energy across the aisle in the path of the shopping cart as the cart is moved alongside the checkout station, said energy source being positioned so that the beam passes below said tray when the tray is in the elevated position and contacts said reflector means when said tray is deflected to a lower position by the weight of an article placed on the bottom tray;
• and
• detector means positioned adjacent said energy source for receiving the beam reflected from said reflector means when said tray is in the lower position and for generating an output signal in response thereto.