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US 9,409,443 B2Granted
Ball bearing braking apparatus
AssigneeCarttronics, LLC
InventorThomas K. Khuu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel braking apparatus includes components that inhibit the rotation of a wheel when a ball bearing is placed in a braking position between a bearing wall of a non-rotating component and a bearing barrier of a hub interface component that is at least resistively connected to a hub of the wheel. In response to a wireless signal, the ball bearing is moved from a non-braking position and allowed to travel to a braking position between a bearing barrier of one side of a bearing groove and the bearing wall of the non-rotating component.
Claims20
A shopping cart wheel comprising:
- a non-rotating component;
- a rotating component configured to rotate relative to the non-rotating component unless the shopping cart wheel is in a braking configuration where a moveable interposer is in a position between at least a portion of the rotating component and at least a portion of the non-rotating component preventing the rotating component from rotating relative to the non-rotating component;
- electronics configured to place the shopping cart wheel in the braking configuration in response to a wireless signal by allowing the moveable interposer to move to the position in response to the wireless signal;
- a wheel hub;
- and
- a clutch mechanism between the rotating component and the wheel hub, the clutch mechanism providing friction between the wheel hub and the rotating component such that the wheel hub can rotate relative to the rotating component only when a force between the wheel hub and the rotating component exceeds the friction.
3 more elements
A shopping cart wheel comprising:
- a non-rotating component;
- a rotating component configured to rotate relative to the non-rotating component unless the shopping cart wheel is in a braking configuration where a moveable interposer is in a position between at least a portion of the rotating component and at least a portion of the non-rotating component preventing the rotating component from rotating relative to the non-rotating component;
- electronics configured to place the shopping cart wheel in the braking configuration in response to a wireless signal by allowing the moveable interposer to move to the position;
- a wheel hub;
- and
- a clutch mechanism formed by a wheel hub surface of the wheel hub and a rotating component surface of the rotating component, the clutch mechanism providing friction between the wheel hub and the rotating component such that the wheel hub can rotate relative to the rotating component only when a force between the wheel hub and the rotating component exceeds the friction.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.