TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of elevators.

More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for transporting goods therethrough.

BACKGROUND ART

Transport of goods from vehicle to apartment via an elevator may be aided by a trolley or a cart.

However, it is inconvenient to store the cart in either the vehicle or the apartment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for providing a convenient solution for transporting goods from vehicle to apartment, or vice versa.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an elevator (10), comprising:

- a foldable cart (12), for use by habitants of a building in which the elevator (10) is installed;

- a locking mechanism (36), built in said elevator (10), for locking the foldable cart (12) in a folded state thereof, to an internal wall (38) of the elevator (10); and

- a management system (16), for allowing canceling the locking to an authorized person,

thereby allowing only authorized persons, being the habitants, to use the foldable cart (12), and

thereby the folded state of the cart (12) allows storing thereof in the elevator (10) in a compact manner.

The foldable cart (12) may comprise four facets (28, 44, 46, 48) foldable one in relation to the other, the four facets (28, 44, 46, 48) comprising:

- two non-foldable wide facets (28, 44); and

- two foldable narrow facets (46, 48),

wherein upon the locking of the cart (12), one of the non- foldable wide facets (44) is placed parallel and adjacent to the wall (38) of the elevator (10), and the other (28) is placed parallel thereto.

The foldable cart (28) in the folded state thereof is preferably designed to visually and mechanically match with the wall (38). The foldable cart (12) may be carriable by non-motorized means.

The foldable cart (12) may comprise:

- an electric motor (58), for driving at least one wheel (26) of the cart (12); and

- a battery (54), for powering the electric motor (58), the battery (54) being rechargeable by the elevator (10).

The locking mechanism (36) may comprise :

- a rack (50) fixed to the wall 38 of the elevator (10);

- a stationary protrusion (14), protruding from a bottom of the rack (50), for confining a bottom of the cart (12) in the folded state! and

- a reed (18), for confining a top of the cart (12) in the folded state, wherein for canceling the locking, the reed is shifted by the management system (16).

The management system (16) may comprise identity inputting means (16), for inputting the identity of a person, for approving authorization thereof.

The authorization of the person may allow canceling the locking.

The authorization of the person may debit the person. The management system (16) may comprise communication means (16), for communicating with the person(s). The management system (16) may comprise authorization management, for allowing authorized persons only to cancel the locking.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of using an elevator (10), the method comprising the steps of

- locking a folded cart (12) to an internal wall (38) of the elevator (10);

- inputting an identification code!

- upon verifying authorization of the identification code, canceling the locking!

- unfolding the cart (12) for use!

- folding the cart (12) after use! and

- locking the cart in the folded state, to the internal wall (38) of the elevator (10),

thereby allowing only authorized persons, being habitants of a building in which the elevator is installed, to use the foldable cart, and

storing the cart in the elevator in a compact manner.

The method may further comprise the steps of

- upon the verifying authorization of the identification code, debiting a person of the authorization! and upon the locking the cart in the folded state, crediting the person of the authorization.

The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings :

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shared elevator cart system according to one embodiment of the present invention at the first step of returning the cart.

Fig. 2 depicts the shared elevator cart system of Fig. 1 at the second step of returning the cart.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the shared elevator cart system of Fig. 1 at the third step of returning the cart.

Fig. 4 depicts the shared elevator cart system of Fig. 1 in the folded state. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments ("best mode"), which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shared elevator cart system according to one embodiment of the present invention at the first step of returning the cart.

A shared elevator cart system 40 includes a foldable cart 12, and a locking mechanism 36, for locking cart 12 to a rack 50 fixed to an internal wall 38 of an elevator 10.

According to one embodiment, cart 12 includes two non- foldable wide facets 28 and 44, and two foldable narrow facets 46 and 48. Narrow facet 46 may include foldable handles 30 for manually carrying cart 12. At the first step of returning cart 12, the bottom base 30 is rotated upwards about a horizontal hinge 42 disposed at the bottom.

Fig. 2 depicts the shared elevator cart system of Fig. 1 at the second step of returning the cart. At the second step, cart 12 is being folded about vertical hinges 24 thereof, being four hinges for folding the facets 28, 44, 46 and 48 one towards the other, and two hinges for folding each of narrow facets 46 and 48.

Facets 28, 44, 46, and 48 are foldable one in relation to the other. Facets 28 and 44 preferably are wider than facets 46, 48. Upon locking cart 12, facet 44, being one of the wider ones, is placed parallel and adjacent to wall 38; facet 28, being the other wider one, is placed parallel to facet 44; and each of narrower facets 46 and 48 is folded and disposed between facets 28 and 44. Fig. 3 is a side view of the shared elevator cart system of

Fig. 1 at the third step of returning the cart.

At the third step, the bottom portions of facets 28, 44, 46 (not shown) and 46 (not shown) of cart 12, which have been folded at the second step, are disposed between a rack 50 of locking mechanism 36 and a stationary protrusion 14 thereof. This may require slight lifting of a portion of the cart above the ground 52, and then releasing the cart downwards.

Cart 12 may include an electric motor 58 powered by a rechargeable battery 54, for driving wheels 26. According to this embodiment, this step may connect plugs of rechargeable battery 54 to plugs 56 supplying power.

At the fourth step, the user descends a reed 18 of locking mechanism 36, as shown by the arrow, for confining the top portion of facet 28 of the cart. Fig. 4 depicts the shared elevator cart system of Fig. 1 in the folded state. The folding of cart 12 preferably is characterized in that cart 12 does not protrude, as illustrated by cart 12 being placed under a handle 20 of elevator 10.

The pattern and color of facet 28 of cart 12 preferably is designed to match that of wall 38 of the elevator 10.

Opening reed 18 for releasing cart 12 for use is enabled by a management system 16. Management system 16 requests to input the identity of the user, by a keyboard 58 or by another identity inputting means, such as telephone transmittance. Upon verifying that the code represents an authorized habitant, management system 16 allows opening reed 18, and also records the identity. This recording debits the user, such that if cart 12 is not returned, this user will pay for a new cart. Preferably, the identity contains the telephone number or other means for allowing another authorized user of the system to communicate the user borrowing cart 12. Thus, the telephone transmittance identity presentation means is advantageous. Upon returning cart 12, management system 16 credits the last user.

Management system 16 may further include functions for tracking cart 12. For instance, the display of the elevator may indicate, except for the current floor of disposition, also whether cart 12 is present, or details of the user currently borrowing it. A user may request a call from management system 16 for being informed when cart 12 is available.

In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned:

- numeral 10 denotes an elevator according to one embodiment of the present invention!

- numeral 12 denotes a foldable cart;

■ numeral 14 denotes a stationary protrusion protruding from the bottom of the rack;

- numeral 16 denotes a management system, for managing locking and releasing the cart, and for managing the information regarding who is credited regarding the cart; ^■ numeral 18 denotes a reed for locking the cart;

- numeral 20 denotes an internal handle of the elevator;

- numeral 24 denotes a hinge, for folding the car!

numeral 26 denotes a wheel for transporting the cart;

- numeral 28 denotes a facet of the cart;

■ numeral 30 denotes a foldable handle of the cart;

- numeral 36 denotes a locking mechanism!

- numeral 38 denotes an internal wall of the elevator;

- numeral 40 denotes the system including the elevator and the cart;

■ numeral 42 denotes a hinge!

- numeral 26 denotes a wheel of the foldable cart;

- numerals 44, 46 and 48 denote facets of the cart; - numeral 50 denotes a rack, for locking the cart to the wall of the elevator!

- numeral 52 denotes the ground!

- numeral 54 denotes a rechargeable battery!

■ numeral 56 denotes a plug of the electrical system of the elevator, for recharging the battery! and

- numeral 58 denotes an electric motor.

The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.

The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.