It may look like a regular shopping cart but the wheels have a special mechanism which can be operated by a lever on the cart handle. The lever releases a pin that turns 360 degrees, allowing the wheels to roll in the sideways direction.
Although poorly thought out, I would like a shopping cart that can easily be moved sideways without the tugging and pushing back and forth to get those regular wheels moving in another direction. I would send one to [longshot9999] so he wouldn't need an *empty aisle indicator* which partly inspired this idea.
(tomorrow is my 3 year hb anniversary and I need to go party shopping on a Friday!)-- xandram, Nov 14 2008 part inspiration Empty_20Aisle_20Indicator [xandram, Nov 14 2008] shopping CARS for kids http://www.sfgate.c...d=29&entry_id=26155 [xandram, Nov 17 2008] how about all four wheels as castors?-- samosa_pirate, Nov 14 2008 Have you ever had one of those carts with one of the wheels a bit stuck and when you push it tends to travel off at an angle? Yes, well then imagine the same phenomenon with your invention. And then smeck over the utter chaos that will ensue +-- daseva, Nov 14 2008 Two words: hover.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 14 2008 That's three words, Max.-- daseva, Nov 14 2008 Omniwheels-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Nov 14 2008 How about a non-direction orientated, circular shopping cart, with a handrail that runs all the way round? (ps +)-- xenzag, Nov 14 2008 Makes me want to turn cartwheels it does.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 14 2008 Good idea, but I give you a fishbone for the sole reason of...
All you need to do to move your cart sideways is lift up the back wheels slightly, and then pull to the side.
Worked grocery stores waaay too long.-- Jerk, Nov 15 2008 a couple of (bicycle) brake-handles which when squeezed allow the front or rear castors respectively to turn... every time you wanted to turn the cart you'd push one of the handles. Releasing the handles return the wheels to a fore/back orientation.
A third brake-handle controls the... brakes ! and can be latched; keep them buggers from escaping into the wild with your purchases on a hilly parking-lot or to stop a poorly thought out four-wheel "drift" in the grocery aisle.-- FlyingToaster, Nov 15 2008 well, we don't have them here! We have terrible one-way, if at all trying to go straight wheels, not including the wobbly, stuck, and not moving at all kind! Never could one just slide sideways! I'm not sure what [Jerk] means but I meant wheels that would turn so you could just push sideways without lifting, pulling, struggling etc. I don't mind the fishbones, though.
Happy Shopping Down Under [UB]!
Today is my hb 3 year anniversary and I'm still glad to be here, even if there are some fruitcakes in my shopping cart!
// New! Poorly thought out! (limited edition) — Ian Tindale, Nov 14 2008//[marked-for-tagline]-- xandram, Nov 15 2008 Four omnidirectional wheels are terrible for aisle racing. The fixed rear wheels make for a much smoother ride.-- mylodon, Nov 15 2008 I think the cart wheels here were omnidirectional, when the stores bought the carts 30 years ago.-- Spacecoyote, Nov 16 2008 Instead of modifying the cart, make the store omnidirectional. I thought I was once in this type of store, but it was simply side effects of a beverage.-- rdy4trvl, Nov 17 2008 Having visited supermarkets all over the world, and having lived for some years in the US and the UK, I feel qualified to comment on this. Supermarkets in most parts of the world have trolleys with 4 freely-steering wheels. Supermarket trolleys ("shopping carts") in the US have two steering wheels at the front, and fixed wheels at the rear.-- hippo, Nov 17 2008 Thank you [hippo], but does this mean that from a complete stand-still, one can slide the *trolley* completely sideways? I would love that!-- xandram, Nov 17 2008 Yes, absolutely. These trolleys are also much more fun for children sitting in the seat at the back. What you do is push the trolley along as normal and give the back of the trolley a sharp push to the side. The trolley will then spin round quickly within its own length and you'll catch the handle again to the delighted screams of your child. On the other hand, the US trolleys are easier to control on sloping ground and in the car park.-- hippo, Nov 17 2008 What you really want is a nearly-airtight skirt along the bottom and a large fan keeping the trolley almost-airborne. Hover-trolley here we come!-- Jinbish, Nov 17 2008 It's for the sloping ground and car park bits that I liked [xenzag]'s //How about a non-direction orientated, circular shopping cart, with a handrail that runs all the way round// suggestion. It's the 'spin the trolley around to face uphill 'cause the handles are only at the back' bit that is always awkward and makes it feel like your trolley driving skills are being put to the test.-- Mony a Mickle, Nov 17 2008 I'm totally fascinated with UK trolleys!! I'll have to visit for the supermarket experience alone! On the other hand, US has little cars and whatnot vehicles attached to the already ridiculously large shopping cart for the children to ride in. Talk about NOT being able to manuever the things in the first place! I will find a link if you've not seen these before.-- xandram, Nov 17 2008 Andronico's (a supermarket chain in California) used to have tiny trolleys for your child to push round - they were about the right size for a 4-year-old.-- hippo, Nov 17 2008 I have seen those before, but YOU are the trolley-afficionado!!-- xandram, Nov 17 2008 Well, come and visit and I'd be more than happy to give you a tour of shopping trolleys of the UK-- hippo, Nov 17 2008 why not add in a horn for rude shoppers that get in your way, a radio so you can choose your muzak, and what happened to shopping carts with the built in calculators they used to have?
you ever see shopping carts at high speed slamming into one another? they are fine afterwards! we should build our cars the same way, including omnidirectional wheels!-- Arcanus, Nov 18 2008 //I live in the only country on Earth where supermarket shopping carts have four omnidirectional wheels//Possibly, unless by "omnidirectional wheels" you mean "castors".True omniwheels are the sort of thing you get in the floors of aircraft cargo holds-- coprocephalous, Nov 18 2008 omnidirectional wheels are called balls - ask Mr Dyson.-- po, Nov 18 2008 hehe, [po] is right!-- xandram, Nov 18 2008 In the U.S., go to Ikea to try four wheels that swivel.
I hate them - they have no tracking. It takes great effort to keep them going straight, and it's damn near impossible on any kind of incline (such as sidewalk ramps)
I think a handlebar release that allows the (nominally) fixed rear wheels to swivel is great. Carts have to extremely robust, so it might be tough to sell, but I imagine you could keep the mechanism very simple.-- feverall, Nov 25 2008 thanks [feverall] and welcome to the halfbakery. I don't have an Ikea store near me, as I live out in the country, but if I go to one, I'll check it out. Swivel is terrible, just as casters are. They seem to go in all directions at once. I have learned so much about carts/trolleys since I posted this idea. It took [hippo] to make me notice about the difference in front and back wheels!-- xandram, Nov 25 2008 Not poorly thought out at all, xandram. This problem arises with hospital gurneys, and was solved long since in just the manner you suggest (exept the release is foot-operated).
The thing about gurneys is, en route you want them easy to steer straight (so: only one pair of wheels on castors) but when you arrive at your destination, you usually have to shove them sideways up against a bed, operating- or CT-table (*much* easier with all four wheels on castors).-- mouseposture, Nov 27 2008 random, halfbakery