19580218 10:00:00

19580218 10:00:00

HSF #101.0246

Doctor O12 reporting on initial completion of Consumer Project "EZ Cart".

Project completion has occurred three days before estimated time of completion and using five hundred bucks less than budgeted allocation. Special thanks is hereby made to Doctor W7 for his assistance in implementation of the signal detection of metal presence.

Dimension: The EZ Cart system is to be designed on a per model basis and is will not have an overall universal size; this is mostly due to the variance in trunk sizes among the various car models. Custom construction is also required for the retractable wheel legs, in order to ensure that the cart is at the proper height from the ground so that loading and removing the cart container requires no additional lifting by the user. Footprint for EZ Cart requires two boxed bases at the horizontal sides of the cart which may be up to four inches wide, but can be less. Additional space of three inches on the side of the cart compartment which is opposite of the lifting units is required for the retractable wheels.

Functionality: EZ Cart's supporting structure operates on a two button panel which is contained in a separately wired switch box and kept within the trunk. In the "off" state, the EZ Cart support arms are contained within the vehicle trunk and hold the cart in place. Switching to or from the "off" state will respectively contract or extend the EZ Cart arms. In removing the cart from the trunk, the EZ Cart arms will follow a predetermined path to first elevate the entire cart body to a certain height out of the trunk area (Z axis movement), then move the arms horizontally to position it out of the vehicle area (X axis movement). The arms will remain in this position until the switch is activated to return the EZ cart arms to the original "off" position, using a process which is the reverse of the procedure undertaken when the switch is activated "on". Folding latches on each arm will hold the cart in place as well as serve as one means with which the system will be able to detect that system operation is being conducted normally; in the "on" state, "off" cannot be activated until the latches are opened, and in the "off" state, "on" cannot be activated unless the latches are secured onto the cart.

Possibility for future improvements include ways for the arms to move other than one singular Z axis direction followed by one singular X axis direction. Telescoping retractable legs would also reduce effort required for use as well as ease construction costs for the necessity of making separate measurements on the basis of car model. An additional current limitation which either improvement could address is the present necessity for the vehicle to be on a level surface for ideal functionality.

Suggested marketing angles: Less wasted time compared to the manual unloading of items from a shopping cart to the trunk. Having a cart in hand ensured upon approach to the store. Having a cart which does not possibly have the contamination of other shoppers. Having a cart which the user can individually customize. Considering the potential limited market on the basis of required construction costs, these last two points may prove to be the most effective.