Non-contact power supply unit

Abstract

A non-contact power supply unit includes connectable units. Each of the connectable units includes a cart wheel guide, a non-contact power supply device configured to perform wireless power charging of a cart, a first connector, and a second connector. The first connector is connectable to the second connector of another connectable unit and the second connector is connectable to the first connector of another connectable unit. The cart wheel guides of the connectable units are aligned with each other when connected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A charging unit for a configurable cart station, the charging unit comprising:
 a housing;   a non-contact power supply device provided in the housing and configured to perform wireless changing of a plurality of stackable carts, the non-contact power supply device including a first non-contact power supply unit configured to perform wireless charging of a first stackable cart and a second contact power supply unit configured to perform wireless charging of a second stackable cart stacked immediately behind the first stackable cart;   a first connector provided on a first edge of the housing and connectable to a second connector of a second charging unit for the configurable cart station; and   a cart wheel guide extending on the housing from the first edge.   
     
     
         2 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second connector connectable to a first connector of a third charging unit for the configurable cart station.   
     
     
         3 . The charging unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the second connector of the charging unit is on a second edge of the housing opposite to the first edge. 
     
     
         4 . The charging unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the cart wheel guide extends from the first edge to the second edge. 
     
     
         5 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cart wheel guide includes a first wheel guide and a second wheel guide extending in parallel to the first wheel guide, and   the first and second non-contact power supply units are between the first wheel guide and the second wheel guide.   
     
     
         6 . The charging unit according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second wheel guides extends from the first edge of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cart wheel guide includes a first wheel placement region shaped such that a wheel of the first stackable cart will settle thereon by gravity and a second wheel placement region shaped such that a wheel of the second stackable cart will settle thereon by gravity, and   a distance between the first non-contact power supply unit and the second non-contact power supply unit is substantially the same as a distance between the first wheel placement region and the second wheel placement region.   
     
     
         8 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the non-contact power supply device includes a first light emitting device configured to emit light when a non-contact power receiving unit of the first stackable cart is above the first non-contact power supply unit and a second light emitting device configured to emit light when a non-contact power receiving unit of the second stackable cart is above the second non-contact power supply unit, and   a distance between the first non-contact power supply unit and the second non-contact power supply unit is substantially the same as a distance between the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device.   
     
     
         9 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a ramp portion on a second edge thereof opposite to the first edge. 
     
     
         10 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a wheel stop on a second edge of the housing opposite to the first edge.   
     
     
         11 . The charging unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-contact power supply device further includes a third non-contact power supply unit configured to perform wireless charging of a third stackable cart stacked immediately behind the second stackable cart.