Cart management system

A cart management apparatus for retaining carts of the type having a cart key mounted thereto at a predetermined height, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a retaining rail having an open end for receiving a cart key and an access aperture defined in at least one side thereof;
• (b) a paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles extending radially from a rotational axis thereof, wherein the paddlewheel is rotatably mounted with at least one paddle projecting through the access aperture of the retaining rail;
• (c) locking means, coupled to the paddlewheel for selectively inhibiting rotation of the paddlewheel and thereby restricting removal of the cart key from the retaining rail;
• and
• (d) a one-way clutch, coupled to the paddlewheel, for allowing rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction and thereby allowing the cart key to be inserted into the retaining rail.

A cart management apparatus for retaining carts of the type having a cart key mounted thereto at a predetermined height, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a retaining rail having an open end for receiving cart key;
• (b) a paddle wheel including first and second paddles extending radially from a rotational axis thereof for selectively retaining the cart key in the retaining rail, wherein the first paddle has a notch defined at a first predetermined radial distance from the rotational axis of the paddle wheel and the second paddle has a notch defined at a second predetermined radial distance from the rotational axis of the paddle wheel;
• and
• (c) paddle wheel position sensing means for sensing the rotational position of the paddle wheel including first sensor arranged at the first predetermined radial distance and a second sensor arranged at the second predetermined radial distance.

A cart management apparatus for retaining carts of the type having a cart key mounted thereto at a predetermined height, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a retaining rail having an open end for receiving a cart key of a cart;
• (b) a rotatably mounted paddle wheel including a plurality of paddles extending radially from a rotational axis thereof for selectively retaining the cart with the cart key retained in the rail;
• (c) an electromagnetic brake, coupled to the paddle wheel, for selectively inhibiting rotation of the paddle wheel and thereby restricting removal of the cart key from the retaining rail;
• and
• (d) control means, coupled to the electromagnetic brake, for controlling vending and return of carts.

A cart management apparatus for retaining carts of the type having a cart key mounted thereto at a predetermined height, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a retaining rail having an open end for receiving a cart key of a cart;
• (b) a rotatably mounted paddle wheel including a plurality of paddles extending radially from a rotational axis thereof for selectively retaining the cart with the cart key retained in the rail;
• and
• (c) an electromagnetic brake, coupled to the paddle wheel, for selectively inhibiting rotation of the paddle wheel and thereby restricting removal of the cart key from the retaining rail, wherein the electromagnetic brake is normally biased in a locked configuration, and wherein the electromagnetic brake is released in response to the application of an electrical signal thereto.