Protection devices for shopping carts

Abstract

According to embodiments of the invention, systems, methods and devices are directed to a shopping cart with safety features which prevent or reduce the risk of injury caused to those using the cart as well as those in the vicinity of the shopping cart. A wheelbase of the shopping cart may have a set of wheels. Each wheel may have an airbag stored therein. The airbag may be deployable from any one of the wheels such the wheel is engulfed, fully or partially, within the inflated airbag. A pressure sensor may be attached to each of the wheels. The pressure sensor may constantly monitor the force being exerted in the wheel in order to identify moments when the traction may be comprised or when the cart may be at risk of toppling over. A speed or velocity sensor is attached to the wheelbase to monitor and detect for excessive speeds. The airbags may be inflatable by one or more compressed air or compressed gas cylinders or vessels.

1 . A shopping cart, comprising:
 at least three wheels, wherein each of the wheels has an airbag associated therewith, further wherein each airbag is deployable in proximity of each wheel;   a pressure sensor attached to each of the wheels for continuously monitoring the pressure of the wheels on the ground, wherein the pressure sensor detects any disparities in pressure between the at least three wheels;   a speed sensor associated with the shopping cart for monitoring the velocity of the shopping cart; and   a vessel having a compressed fluid, wherein the fluid is injectable into one or more of the airbags.   
     
     
         2 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a seat for a child or infant, wherein the seat has an inflatable bag embedded therein.   
     
     
         3 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein the speed sensor detects when the shopping cart is starting to accelerate to an excessive speed and injects fluid into one or more of the airbags. 
     
     
         4 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein detected disparities in pressure causes injection of fluid into the airbag associated with the wheel experiencing the highest pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein detected disparities in pressure causes injection of fluid into the airbag associated with the wheel experiencing the lowest pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein detected disparities in pressure cause:
 the seat to be detached and ejected from the shopping cart;   the inflatable bag embedded in the seat to be inflated with fluid; and   the seat to be suspended in the air due to the fluid.   
     
     
         7 . A method of preventing shopping cart accidents, wherein a shopping cart has a plurality of wheels, each wheel having a corresponding uninflated airbag, the method comprising the following steps:
 detecting disparities in pressure between the wheels using a plurality of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor associated with one of the wheels;   detecting increases in velocity using a velocity sensor disposed on the shopping cart; and   triggering activation of one or more of the plurality of airbags in response to detected disparities in pressure and/or increases in velocity.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the triggering of airbags corresponds to feedback detected from the pressure sensors such that the airbags are inflated with respect to the wheels which are experiencing the highest pressure levels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein if the pressure sensors detect a pressure high enough to pose a rollover risk to the shopping cart, a seat disposed on the shopping cart is ejected and inflatable bags associated with the seat are inflated. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the volume of the inflatable bags is sufficient to cause the seat to become suspended when the inflatable bags are filled with a lighter-than-air fluid. 
     
     
         11 . A shopping cart with features preventing injuries caused to others nearby, comprising:
 a seat attached to the shopping cart;   a plurality of wheels, each wheel has an airbag stored inside the wheel, such that when an airbag is activated any one of the wheels becomes embedded inside a corresponding airbag;   a pressure sensor attached to each of the wheels wherein the pressure sensors determine a likelihood of the shopping cart falling over;   a speed sensor attached to the shopping cart for measuring velocity;   a vessel containing fluid that is denser than air, wherein the fluid is selectively injectable into the airbags associated with the wheels such that the wheel becomes embedded therein.   
     
     
         12 . The shopping cart of  claim 11 , wherein the speed sensor detects whether the shopping carts velocity is increasing to an unsafe level and takes the following steps:
 slowing down the shopping cart by injecting the fluid into all the airbags causing the airbags to be expanded; and   upon detecting that the shopping cart is coming close to falling over as indicated by the pressure sensor detecting lighter pressure on a wheel, injecting the fluid into the airbag associated with the wheel causing the associated airbag to be expanded.   
     
     
         13 . The shopping cart of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the seat is ejectable from the shopping cart such that, upon ejection, an inflatable bag disposed in the seat inflates to suppress velocity and impact.   
     
     
         14 . The shopping cart of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a GPS receiver associated with the seat for detecting a current location of the seat and sending the information to a user wirelessly.