The Foldable Grocery Cart

Course: Introduction to Engineering Design Course Number: 206326 Section: 10 Team Number: 3

Fig. 1. Team Picture; order from left to right Jason Cornelius, Jacob Briddle, Casey Luddy and Alexandria Conti

Fig. 2. Image of Prototype

Date Submitted: March 24, 2014

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop a working, foldable shopping cart that will make the transport of groceries easier for residents of apartments that do not have access to nearby parking or in-building elevators. This has been done by designing and creating a working prototype that meets the needs of these residents.

Table of Contents

Cover Page ...……………………………………………………………………………………………………... 1 Author: Casey Luddy Abstract ...………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2 Author: Alexandria Conti Introduction ...…………………………………………………………………………………………………... 5 Introduction: Alexandria Conti Description of Design Task ...……………………………………………………………………………. 6 Author: Casey Luddy i. Problem Statement ...…………………………………………………………………….. 6 ii. Mission Statement ...... 6 iii. Design Specifications ...... 6 Design Approach ...... 7-9 Author: Alexandria Conti & Jason Cornelius i. Project Management ...... 7 ii. Customer Needs Assessment ...... 7 iii. Concept Generation ...... 8 iv. Design Selection matrices ...... 9 Final Design & Prototype ...... 10-12 Author: Casey Luddy & Jacob Briddle i. Working Drawings of Final Design ...... 10 ii. Images of Prototype ...... 11 iii. Design Features ...... 12 iv. Operation Instructions ...... 12

3 Engineering Analysis ...... 13 Author: Jacob Briddle & Jason Cornelius i. Working Mechanism ii. Cost Analysis Summary & Conclusion...... 14 Author: Jacob Briddle Acknowledgement ...... 15 Author: Casey Luddy References ...... 16 Author: Alexandria Conti

4 Introduction

This report contains the design and prototype of a foldable shopping cart, titled The Foldable Grocery Cart. This design had a few specifications, including: functionality to transport groceries and/or other materials, ease of use, ability to fold and versatility, and the ability to support 100 pounds all the while staying under a $50 budget. We created our designs around these specifications and made our cart as functional as possible. The importance of this design revolves around the customers that would be using the project itself. Ideally, these customers are residents of apartment communities in which nearby parking and in-building elevators are not offered. These circumstances make it hard for a person to transport groceries from the store into his/her home, especially if there are several flights of stairs to be climbed in the process. The shopping cart created should make that journey easier, and the shopping cart we created certainly has.

5 Description of the Design Task

i. Problem Statement

Living in apartments lacking nearby parking, residents of cities lacking parking near their homes or elevators in their buildings, need an efficient and less demanding way to transport groceries from the store.

ii. Mission Statement

The mission was to design a foldable shopping cart that meets the needs of city residents. The design and prototype created reflect the most important characteristics such as versatility and durability and being lightweight, easy to store, and able to hold 100 pounds.

iii. Design Specification 1) The folding shopping cart should be easy to use (and assemble, if required). 2) The folding shopping cart should be ideal for transporting groceries and some other materials. 3) The folding shopping cart should compactly for easy storage. 4) The material cost for the folding shopping cart should not exceed $50 unless it can be justified. 5) The folding shopping cart should have a weight capacity of 100 lbs.

6 Design Approach

i. Project Management

Table. 1. Gantt Chart

ii. Customer Needs Assessment

1) Lightweight 2) Able to hold 100 pounds 3) Compact 4) Easy to maintain 5) Durable 6) Able to transport groceries through city 7) Stable/sturdy wheels

7 iii. Concept Generation

Fig. 3. Concept A Fig. 2. Concept B

Fig. 5. Concept C Fig. 6. Concept D

8 iv. Design Selection Matrices

Table. 2. Initial Design Matrix

Table. 3. Final Design Metrix

9 Final Design and Prototype

i. Working Drawings of Final Design

Fig. 7. Set of Working Drawings of Final Design

ii. Image of Prototype

Fig. 8. Image of Prototype

iii. Design Features

This design combined characteristics of a shopping cart and mountaineering backpack. The cart has hinges, which allows the cart to unfold during use and refold when being stored. Therefore, the consumer does not need to find as much storage space for the product and it can easily be stored in a car. The handle’s angle and size can be adjusted to ensure people of all heights can use it comfortably and ensure the handle is at the best angle to push the cart. The bag is made with polyester fabric to protect the groceries from weather. On top of the bag there is flap that can cover the bag to prevent water or snow from enter and possibly damaging the contents. There are four tiny holes at the bottom to allow any water or other liquids exit the bag when needed. The bag is attached with Velcro to give the consumer the option of removing the bag to wash it. The bag is slit into the two compartments with a zipped cover separating them. The wheels are three inches and durable enough to withstand use of most terrain. Lastly, the bars on the side that faces the consumers back are placed so they will be at the neck and lower back to increase comfort while walking upstairs with it on.

iv. Operation Instructions

When using the cart to carry groceries, unfold the hinges so the car is full-size. The hinges should lock themselves but before use the cart make sure that hinges are locked. If the hinges are not locked during use the cart could fold on itself and what it contains or fall backwards because it will not be balanced. Next, you can adjust the length and angle of the handle using the levels so that you can push the cart comfortably. If you come to stairs, you can use the cart as a backpack to make the task of walking your groceries up stairs simpler. Simply fold up the handle so that it is parallel to the cart and use the straps to secure the cart to your back. When using the cart as a backpack, please be aware that even though the cart can carry at least 100 pounds only put the amount of weight your back can carry without injury in the bag. If it begins to rain or snow while you are using the cart, Velcro the flap at the top of the bag to the opposite edge of the bag to project your groceries from water damage. When you are done unpacking your groceries you can simply unlock and fold the hinges so the cart becomes flatter and can be easily stored. If you would like to wash the bag, undo the Velcro connecting the bag to the cart and place it in the washer machine or hand wash it in a sink.

12 Engineering Analysis

i. Working Mechanism

The working mechanism of the design can be easily divided into six parts: the backpack, the hinges, the bag, the frame, the wheels and the handle.

a. The sides of the frame are supported by 180 degree folding hinges like those found on ladders and tables. This is what allows for the folding capability of the device and also functions as a part of the frame to support the structure.

b. In addition the frame contains a front and back with cross members for added support as well as a cross member on the bottom hinges to help distribute the weight of the bag.

c. The bag is attached via Velcro at the top of the frame (its weight is supported by the frame beneath it). It consists of two compartments to allow for separation of groceries and to facilitate placing groceries in the lower compartment via the side of the device.

d. There are four wheels in each corner, all of which are freely rotating to allow for easier mobility. They are 3in diameter to be large enough for most city obstacles as well as small enough that they do not interfere with the backpack capability.

e. The backpack portion of the device is placed opposite the handle. It consists of two backpack straps mounted on a foam-padded wall. The interior frame on this face is designed in such a way that the cross members comfortably fit in the crevice of the neck and lower back (based on average male height in the US).

f. The handle was made to be adjustable via a pivoting connector to change the angle as well as telescoping tubing to change the length. This allows for

13 ii. Cost Analysis

Our cost analysis shows that our entire product can be manufactured with a parts total of less than fifty dollars as required by the design task. This is excellent considering the strength and quality of the materials used.

Material Amount Price Source Polyethylene Foam 70 inches $4 Foam Factory Sheets – 1.7LB White PVC 3” small wheels 4 wheels $4 Alibaba Welding Rings 4 rings $4 MSC International Supply Co. General purpose 1 inch $0.05 McMaster-Carr hook and loop fasteners Polyester fabric 15.6 feet $10 McMaster-Carr Aluminum 35 feet $25 Texas Towers Total Cost: $47.05

Table. 4. Cost Analysis

14 Summary & Conclusion

The design conceived in this project is unique in comparison to foldable shopping carts already on the market. The originality and added capabilities offer a new selling point to attract customers to buy our cart. Specifically the target market for the design is younger or middle-aged people in colleges or cities that need an easier way to transport groceries back to their apartment. Elderly shoppers can use the design, however, it is not expected that they will be able to use the backpack functionality of the device.

By offering increased versatility, the device does not adhere to the typically dimensions of other shopping carts. However, volumetric comparisons show that this device has a similar capacity to other foldable designs. In addition, the modified shape was necessary to allow for comfortably carrying the device. The dimensions do still allow for large items such as cases of soda or water to be easily placed inside. To further facilitate loading and organizing groceries, the device comes with a dual compartment bag. This allows the bottom compartment to be loaded from the side as well as from the top. It also allows for items such as eggs and bread to be easily separated from heavier objects.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to our professor, Xinli Wu, and teacher assistances, Ryan Kelly and Benjamin Szoch for the guiding us and teaching us all the skills we used throughout this project.

16 References

"Folding Shopping Cart - Versacart Utility Cart - Transport Up to 120 Pounds (Water-Resistant Heavy Duty Canvas)." Amazon.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Light Duty PVC 3" Small Wheels." Www.alibaba.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "McMaster-Carr." McMaster-Carr. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Polyethylene Foam Sheets - 1.7LB White." Foam Factory, Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Shop Outdoor Gear and Equipment at Eastern Mountain Sports." EMS Store. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. "Texas Towers, Home Page." Texas Towers, Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.