WO2007041996A1

WO2007041996A1 - Department store

Info

Publication number: WO2007041996A1
Application number: PCT/DE2006/001763
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erwin Krause
Original assignee: Erwin Krause
Priority date: 2005-10-07
Filing date: 2006-10-09
Publication date: 2007-04-19
Also published as: DE102005048500A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a department store with a stockroom (3) and with a presentation area (1), which has a conveyor (14) for goods (5). The goods (5) can be conveyed from the stockroom (5), through the presentation area (1) and then back into the stockroom (3). The inventive department store is advantageous in that even in the existence of a stock containing a high number of individual items, goods can be exhibited without a large effort with regard to decorating the presentation area.

Description

department store

[Ol] The invention relates to a department store with a warehouse and a presentation area, wherein both the warehouse and the presentation area has a ring conveyor for goods, which can convey goods from the warehouse into the presentation area back into the warehouse.

In itself, there are a variety of different department stores, which usually have a warehouse, a self-service area and show windows, which are arranged in a presentation area. Depending on the specific situation, especially for larger department stores, a warehouse is dispensed with and all goods are made available to the customer in the self-service area. In corresponding shop windows, this product is then advertised accordingly. Here, the organization of the department store is designed so that a shop window can remain decorated with the corresponding goods for a long time, since a sufficient amount of corresponding goods is kept in the warehouse or self-service area.

[03] Problems may arise when there is very little window space available, which may be the case in particular in areas with high real estate prices or high rents for real estate. In such cases, it is known through the showcase of the presentation area goods by means of a single conveyor, which was previously equipped manually and accordingly promotes the decoration as a wrapper in a circle to present continuously. Corresponding conveyors are also known, for example, in laundries or as sushi conveyors and are also disclosed accordingly in DE 486 150 C or DE 542 211 C, the former document in particular describing a ring conveyor which is fitted in a bearing and then inserted into the ring Shop window and a customer area goes through.

However, all these devices have the disadvantage that they lead to a considerable amount of decoration or poor presentations with a very variable inventory, as can be found for example in factory outlets, stock sales or the sale of leftovers, since goods advertised in the presentation area - if at all - are only available in small quantities, so that they have to be regularly redecorated.

[05] It is an object of the present invention to remedy this situation. [06] As a solution, the present invention proposes a department store having a warehouse and a presentation area, wherein both the warehouse and the presentation area have a ring conveyor for goods which can convey goods from the warehouse into the presentation area back into the warehouse, which is characterized in that the conveyor has at least one area with a higher density of goods in the warehouse than in an area of the presentation area.

[07] Such a configuration of the presentation area and its conveyor need not be equipped separately. Rather, it is sufficient to equip the bearing, which ultimately also corresponds to a loading of the conveyor.

[08] Such an arrangement has the advantage that the conveyor is a genuine part of the warehouse and in the presentation area directly goods can be put on display from the warehouse, so that a customer can possibly immediately reserve or buy the goods shown him in the presentation area , If this product is then taken from the warehouse or the department store, it is no longer available for the presentation area, so that the risk of duplicate orders is reduced to a minimum. In addition, if necessary elaborate decoration work can be omitted. Also, the customer receives in this way a variety of goods, especially when the presentation area includes a directed to a public area shop window, presented at any time without the intervention of sales personnel in an appropriate manner.

[09] Contrary to the already known from DE 35 06 619 Al arrangement in which a silo storage as storage and a linear placement of the presentation area is done and thus a very complex and space-requiring sorting system is necessary to supply all goods to the presentation area, designed the erfϊndungsgemäße arrangement in particular with regard to the presentation of all goods in stock as a particularly simple structure and manageable in their warehouse logistics. In this case, in deviation from DE 486 150 C or DE 542 211 C, in which the respective conveyor is designed with a consistently constant product density, the variation of the product density makes it possible to integrate the presentation area and the warehouse.

[10] Preferably, the ring conveyor passes through both the warehouse and the presentation area. In this way, in particular conveyors and bearings can be integrated, wherein in particular the conveying path can represent the entire or the essential bearing.

[11] It is also possible to include a self-service area in this concept. This can be done, for example, by the fact that the conveyor also passes through a corresponding area of the department store and the customers remove the desired product from the conveyor himself or directly and personally request. By suitable and known per se in the prior art measure a theft can be excluded here. Alternatively or cumulatively, individual cabins or individual dressing rooms can be offered, which are accordingly ange- or traversed by the conveyor. Here, too, theft can be prevented by measures known per se and it can be ensured that the customer also pays the goods taken away from him. However, as already indicated above, there is usually an unsorted warehouse at factory outlets, warehouse sales and the like, the goods of such cabins can also be pre-sorted, in particular pre-sorted according to customer wishes.

Such a sorter, with which, for example, in an intermediate loop of the conveyor goods can be selected out and cached from the main conveyor, is also independent of any cabins advantageous to create at least some order in the unsorted stock itself. This may in particular be the case, for example, if special campaigns are to be carried out for certain product groups or brands. Preferably, the sorter also includes an ironing station, i. a station where the goods, for example clothing, are hung on hangers and given to the conveyor. In this way, in the range of the sorter and a manual sorting done, since naturally the sorting possibilities in a conveyor, even if this may include switches, are limited, unless extremely high investments are made.

[13] Such a sorter can on the one hand be provided by a dead end, in which goods are stored, if they pass a switch, by means of which the dead end branches off from the ring conveyor, and then sorted to be returned to the ring conveyor. Such a dead end may also be formed, for example, by a goods issue or service or the like. Also, such a sorter can be formed by a bypass in the ring conveyor. Particularly preferred, albeit expensive, is a sorter comprising a separate ring in which goods can be selectively guided in a circle in order to sort them in different ways without having to guide the entire warehouse in a circle, although such a sorter from the DE 94 03 105 Ul is already known. In particular, the sorter can be part of a goods task or -ausgäbe, as so goods on the one hand automatically and on the other hand manually can be sorted easily.

Cumulative or alternatively to the possibility, the self-service area in which a customer usually has the ability to choose between a variety of goods very individual and also to touch or test them, the department store on a Goods issue associated with the conveyor have. Here, a customer can then receive a desired by him, so reserved or already purchased goods. Here, the goods issue on the one hand with staff be occupied, so that there hand over the goods and if necessary can be paid. On the other hand, the goods issue can also be carried out automatically by the customer at the goods issue the goods he wants identified at a corresponding input device and the customer this product via a lock, in particular a double door lock, is issued, and the corresponding purchase price is paid. In this case, in particular known devices, such as a credit or check card reader, a cash machine, a receipt printer, a bill validator and a change currency, come to the application, as they are already well known in vending machines.

In order to reduce the waiting time at the goods issue, an interim storage may be provided for the storage of reserved or already purchased goods. This is advantageous in particular because of the essentially linear dimensioning of a conveyor, in particular of a circulating conveyor or annular conveyor, since otherwise the waiting times until the output of the corresponding goods can be very considerable.

[16] On the one hand, the intermediate storage facility can be designed as a linear intermediate storage facility in order to extend the time for a potential customer to make a purchase decision. It may be advantageous if a bypass for goods is provided, in which a purchase decision has already been made. By the latter bypass already purchased goods can be supplied to a goods issue very quickly, while all the rest of the goods is stored in the cache and thus the time until a switch is passed to the goods issue is extended.

[17] On the other hand, behind a turnout for goods issue another buffer, preferably provided with a sorter, so that purchased goods can be selectively removed from this buffer or can be selectively supplied from this cache to a goods issue when a buyer has paid the purchase price ,

[18] Particular care should be taken in these designs to prevent misuse. Thus, the switch described above as "purchased" soft only the goods in which the purchase price is already paid to remove accordingly from the ring conveyor.This is especially advantageous if before the "purchased" - a soft intermediate buffer is provided gives the customer time for the purchase decision and the transaction of the purchase, where appropriate, the ring conveyor can also be stopped until an already begun purchase process is completed, which usually takes only a few minutes and affects the presentation of the goods only insignificantly.

On the other hand, the switch can also be designed as a "reserved" switch, which initially removes reserved goods, including already purchased goods, from the ring conveyor At this time, goods removed via this "reserved" diverter will be returned to the ring conveyor, unless a purchase has been completed by then.

It is understood that such buffers, whether for a reservation, be it to extend the period for a purchase or reservation decision, be it for similar purposes, also independent of the other features of the present invention are advantageous, so as possible simple means without personnel a continuous operation becomes possible.

[2I] It should be understood that the conveyor may be any suitable device suitable for transporting the goods of the department store. This is preferably a linear conveyor, which is configured essentially as an annular conveyor and has points at appropriate points for the removal and introduction of goods and for the formation of buffers or sorters. Preferably, the conveyor on its own brackets, such as roll adapter, on which the respective goods are then attached. These brackets can be fitted at appropriate locations, for example at a Aufbügelstation, with the appropriate goods. The holders preferably have an independent identification, which is then linked ("married") by means of a suitable database with the information about the goods which is attached to this holder also determine the position of the goods hanging from it.

[22] The conveyor preferably has both passive and active areas.

In the active areas, the brackets and the goods are subject to their own drive, which can be controlled for example via a motor. Such active areas are particularly suitable for overcoming slopes, for example to connect a presentation area arranged at ground level with a storage area lying in a higher level, or for the presentation area itself, in which the goods at a defined speed, possibly with individual breakpoints, In this case, in particular, a specific speed can be predetermined for the entire annular conveyor, wherein the speed of the annular conveyor as a whole can be varied if, for example, goods are to stay for a short time at a presentation point slow running ring conveyors advantageous, usually low speeds for the ring conveyor are sufficient, since this is essentially only serve the presentation area It is conceivable to stop the entire ring conveyor if goods are to be presented at the presentation areas or to be held during a purchase process. In the passive areas, the goods or a holder is not driven but driven only by external influences, such as gravity or by the thrust of subsequent goods. Such passive areas are particularly suitable for the storage area and as an intermediate buffer, for example, in particular before the entrance to the presentation area or before feeding parts in active areas or, between separate active areas.

[25] In particular, it may be advantageous to operate all active areas at the same speed and the same product density, while deviating speeds, such as in a storage area or in a bypass, pass through passive areas in which the goods either free and fast one Slope can run down or freely accumulated in front of a stop, be realized. In this way, only one drive system for the entire conveyor is needed.

It is to be understood that the formation of both passive and active areas, independently of the other features of the present invention, provides a cost-effective structure of a store with a store and a display area, where both the store and the presentation area have a ring conveyor for goods. the goods from the warehouse in the presentation area can promote back into the camp, is advantageous.

[27] Depending on the specific design of the department store, means for identifying the goods with regard to their position in the conveyor may be attached to supports belonging to the conveyor or to the goods themselves. Barcodes or RFIDs are suitable for this purpose, for example. Here, the latter has the advantage that, if necessary, in the warehouse can be searched globally for a particular product, since RFIDs have an undirected interaction radius. Instead of RFIDs, of course, other identification measures that allow an undirected search of the goods can be used advantageously. On the other hand, it is understood that also in such devices, such as the RFIDs, locally read-out devices can be provided in order to identify the type of goods in certain positions, for example immediately before entering the presentation area.

[28] The department store preferably comprises a device for displaying the goods located in the conveyor. This presentation device can also provide further information, in particular information relevant to the purchase, such as size, color, brand, price identification number or the like. Moreover, it is advantageous if the department store has means for digital imaging of the goods located in the conveyor, which is easy to implement, for example, by a digital camera, on which the product is passed by the conveyor, in which case the image is preferably with the rest Data is appropriately linked so that all relevant information is presented together. can be made. Such digital imaging means may for example be provided immediately after the ironing station.

Such a configuration makes it possible for a customer to get the goods located in the department store on the presentation device with all the relevant information available. This applies in particular to goods that are in the presentation area. Accordingly, it is advantageous if at least one presentation device is arranged in the presentation area. On the other hand, corresponding display devices can also be arranged at various other locations, whereby in particular also modern communication devices, such as the Internet or similar networks, such as the mobile network or the telephone network, can be used.

It is understood that such a display device and / or the means for digital representation and independent of the other features of the present invention, in particular for a department store with a very finely structured inventory, as it is an outlet center or, for example, a Seckondhandladen , is particularly advantageous if the bearing has a conveyor.

[31] The presentation device preferably also has means for reserving and / or means for purchasing the goods presented. In this way, a customer who is interested in a displayed product, this secure by simple means, such as a telephone call or text message and the identification number, for themselves. Preferably, the goods are then marked accordingly in a management system or in a database and displayed in the presentation device or their representation is no longer made available to the presentation device. In this way, it is ensured that a product is not reserved for multiple customers, which is the underlying store concept, which is particularly suitable for factory outlets, warehouse sales or sale of residual items, is advantageous. Depending on the specific configuration, the reservation can be limited in time. The system then makes it possible to easily return the goods back to the warehouse.

[32] In a particular embodiment, a product of the presentation device is provided for presentation only as long as it is in the presentation area. At the end of the presentation area, a decision is then made as to whether the goods will be returned to the warehouse or forwarded to a goods issue or to a temporary store for the storage of reserved or purchased goods. In this way it is ensured that even with a very linear system only goods are available for selection, which could be made almost immediately then a goods issue. It is possible in an alternative embodiment, goods that are in the In this way, the customer can adjust to the longer delivery time if he is looking for a special product. It is also conceivable that in the presentation devices different assortments, for example in the presentation device on-site, only the assortment located in the presentation area and in a display device accessible via the Internet the entire assortment are displayed.

Preferably, the conveyor has in the presentation area on stops, where the goods can stay. In this way, a slightly longer viewing time for a customer is possible, so that he can look at the goods in peace. If the presentation area has areas with a preferred viewing direction, such as shop windows, it is advantageous if the conveyor comprises means for arranging the goods in different arrangements with respect to the viewing direction. This also makes it easier to present the goods to the customer, for which purpose, for example, changes in direction of the conveyor, such as curves and / or turning points, can be used. On the other hand, it is also conceivable to provide a separate turntable or the like which, for example, can rotate the holder for the goods by 360 °.

Depending on the specific design can be on separate and complex configured stops, where the goods relatively expensive taken from an active conveyor and this must be abandoned, waived if instead the entire active conveyor is stopped when goods in such Stop is located and should be held there. This is particularly advantageous for arrangements in which the conveyor is moved anyway at a low speed, which is usually the case with the arrangements described here, since the conveyor is used essentially only for the presentation area and its speed anyway Requirements in the presentation area is adjusted where no high speeds are necessary, since anyway a customer should receive time to view the goods.

[35] According to the above explanations, it may cumulatively or alternatively be advantageous to present a department store with a warehouse in an electronic manner to potential customers by listing every single product of the warehouse in an electronic catalog. Such a presentation can be made, for example, via the Internet without further ado. This display can also move goods displays on the screen of a user with a virtual conveyor movement, wherein stops can also be provided, so that the real conveyor is also displayed virtually in the display device. [36] Such an electronic catalog, which lists each individual product of a warehouse, deviates from the catalogs known in the prior art, in which the goods are only shown abstractly and a customer can assume that an arbitrarily large stock exists , In addition, in the case of electronic department stores with a relatively low stock, it is customary to indicate the inventory as appropriate. The present department store deviates from this by the fact that each individual product can be included separately in the electronic catalog. These activities seem unnecessary in view of the well-known catalogs, where setting up new goods is much easier. On the other hand, this novel catalog design also allows a very individual pricing.

[37] In addition, the electronic catalog may preferably constitute a reservation and / or a purchase. In this way it can be avoided that several people make reservations or purchases of the corresponding product at the same time, which is not necessary per se in catalogs known from the prior art, since they can cooperate with a very large inventory.

[38] In this case, the presentation of a reservation preferably takes place in such a way that, in particular, further reservations or any purchases of this special item are no longer possible. In a successful purchase, the product is preferably removed directly from the catalog, wherein in a particularly preferred embodiment, such a removal also takes place with making a reservation, so that the catalog actually only offers the goods to a potential buyer and represents, this also for sale be available.

[39] In order to avoid abuse, the reservation of a personal identification, such as a credit card number or the like, is preferably also requested for reservations.

It is understood that sorting functions, such as size or brand, may be provided in such an electronically constructed catalog. In particular, it is also understood that such a combination of stock and catalog at a department store, regardless of the other features of the present invention is advantageous in order to provide an extremely differentiated warehouse in a catalog can. In this case, the catalog can in turn by means of a reservation or purchase function preferably access the warehouse and its presentation accordingly, by removing the corresponding product and treating it separately. It is also conceivable that an on-site presentation device acts on the presentation of goods in a presentation area of a department store connected to a warehouse, that reserved goods are sorted out of the warehouse and selectively supplied to a presentation area, so that a customer on site from him reserved or selected goods faster in the original can see than this in a normal passage of the goods by Presentation area and storage area would be possible. In this way, of course, larger quantities of goods can be pre-sorted for a customer, which is also possible in a separate customer area, if suitable sorters and locks are available.

[4I] It is understood that several display devices, prescaler and / or locks can be provided accordingly.

[42] Preferably, the individual goods are added to the electronic catalog by recording a single item in the warehouse semiautomatically or automatically. Here it is assumed that the warehouse of a department store is stocked by hand. In the case of an automatic addition to the catalog, means are provided in the warehouse which then recognize a product placed in the warehouse and accept it into the catalog without human intervention. This is possible in particular if the goods themselves have readable identification possibilities, such as, for example, an RFID attached to the goods. Preferably, this RFID already contains a price associated with the item, which otherwise has to be fixed manually, which ultimately already causes a semiautomatic addition to the catalog. On the other hand, it is also conceivable that the price of a machine-readable label, which is attached to the goods when receiving in the warehouse, also automatically from the camp is detected.

In the case of a semiautomatic addition to the electronic catalog, it is preferably carried out during the mounting or while "marrying" the goods with or on a conveying device of the bearing The item for automatic stock management attached to the conveyor can be identified by assigning the corresponding item data to a particular position in the conveyor or a specific support of the conveyor, typically by hand, with certain data, such as a digital image Record can then be subsequently added automatically.

[44] In the present context, therefore, the term "automatic" refers to an operation taking place in the warehouse of the department store without any further manual intervention.Accordingly, the term "semi-automatic" means operations involving manual intervention, such as manual ironing and marriages. manually entering a price into a database. With appropriate preparation, for example, the attachment of the goods with their price identifying RFID before or when receiving in the warehouse then the acquisition in the catalog can be done entirely automatically. It is understood in this context that the electronic catalog described above also regardless of the other features of the present invention for a store with a warehouse is advantageous if this warehouse has a high inventory of items.

[45] In particular, a department store with a warehouse, which also has a conveyor, can also be operated semiautomatically by providing goods to one or more customers for viewing but also for being touched or trying on in a customer area. This product can be preprogrammed or, however, also presorted on request via a presentation device. For example, a customer may request goods of a particular brand or size accordingly. Likewise, such a request can be made by sales personnel.

[46] It is also possible that the individual goods are initially reserved for the inquiring customer in such inquiries, so that while other customers in the customer area also feel this product or can not try it on, however. In the customer area, the department store can be operated like a well-known department store by a customer with the reserved for him or with his desired goods to checkout, paid there and then leaves the department store. But it is also a higher degree of automation conceivable by an anti-theft device prevents customers leave the store with unpaid goods, so that the purchase process may also automatically, that is carried out with a non-staffed cash register, the customer at this

Checkout pay the goods and inactivate or remove a corresponding anti-theft device.

[47] Irrespective of this, however, it may be advantageous to carry out an identification of the customer during a reservation, as already explained above, so that the risk of misuse can be minimized.

[48] Further advantages, objects and features of the present invention will be elucidated on the basis of the description enclosed, in which exemplary department stores according to the invention are shown.

[49] In the drawing show:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the department store; Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the department store of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of another department store in a similar representation as FIG

1; and

Figure 4 is a schematic view of another department store in a similar representation as Figures 1 and 3. [50] The department store shown in the drawing has a presentation area 1 with a plurality of shop windows 2 and a storage area 3, which are respectively run through by a substantially linear conveyor 4,

[5I] Goods 5 (numbered only by way of example) are attached to this conveyor 4 and can be transported by the conveyor 4. In this case, the goods 5 pass through the department store in FIG. 1 essentially in a clockwise direction, wherein the conveyor 4 comprises, as an essential component, an annular conveyor which at least also passes through the presentation area.

[52] In a part of the presentation area 1, as shown schematically in FIG. 1, the goods 5 are separated and transported at greater distances, for example at intervals of 900 mm. The conveyor has in this area curves 6 (exemplified) and turning points 7 (exemplified), so that a customer can view the goods 5 through the shop window 2 from all the essential pages. In addition, the conveyor includes stops 8 (exemplified), where the goods for a certain time, for example, for 5 seconds, lingers. In particular, at these breakpoints 8 turntable can be provided, for example, so that the goods can be pivoted at these stops 8 by 360 °.

Moreover, in the area of the shop windows 2, display devices 9 (numbered as an example) are provided on which, on the one hand, a digital image of the article 5, which is currently located in the vicinity in the presentation area 1, and, on the other hand, further information, such as various prices ( old price, reduced price), the goods, an identification number or reservation number and the like, are presented on this product. Preferably, the presentation is carried out in the vicinity of a stop 8 arranged display devices only for the goods located at the stop 8, while corresponding preferably further off standing display means via means to sheets between the individual located in the warehouse 3 goods 5. The presentation devices moreover have means for reserving the corresponding goods, which in the present embodiment are realized by a large button. By pressing the large button, the corresponding product is reserved, wherein a reservation number is displayed on the display device 9, on which the reservation was made. Here, the customer is also informed that - in this embodiment - the goods are withheld for 24 hours. On the other display devices 9, the corresponding product is displayed as reserved, so that further reservations can not be made or can be made. In order to reduce the risk of abuse, the reservation means may also be connected to an identification device, such as a credit card or check card reader, or only in a secure manner Area, such as an only in special circumstances, such as during business hours or with a PIN code or other identification, to be entered antechamber.

[54] At the end of the presentation area 1, a switch 10 is provided, via which reserved goods can be transferred into a temporary storage 11. The buffer 11 comprises a separate ring conveyor 12, in which reserved goods can be temporarily stored over the reservation time. By a circle promotion in the ring conveyor 12, a certain product can be selected and fed via a switch 13 a goods issue 14, which can be realized in this embodiment readily by a gap between the switch 13 and the goods issue 14. The goods issue 14 works in this embodiment as a per se known machine in which a customer enter his reservation number, the goods held and can be removed after their payment. In this way, a 24-hour operation of the department store according to the invention is possible.

After expiry of the reservation time, the goods not removed are returned to the warehouse 3 via a switch 15.

[56] It is understood that the presentation device 9 can also have modern communication facilities, such as an Internet connection or a telephone network connection, so that the viewing of the goods can also be done elsewhere. Depending on the specific embodiment, a purchase or a reservation can accordingly be made via a computer standing far away or via a telephone, in particular via a mobile telephone. Accordingly, a mobile phone can be used for on-site reservation by a customer receives a notice to the shop window, which can be dispensed with separate on-site reservation. Optionally, the entire stock can also be displayed in the display devices, in which case a correspondingly longer delivery time is indicated for goods that are not in the presentation area 1.

[57] As can be seen directly in FIG. 2, the storage area 3 is arranged above the presentation area 1. This can save a lot of space. In addition, a slight gradient can be realized in this way easily in the storage area 3, so that the goods 5 is promoted in the direction of presentation area 1 due to gravity. The shop windows 2 are designed in this embodiment such that the storage area is visible from the outside. As a result, a very large and visually interesting surface for the viewer is created so that the shop window 2 optimally fulfill their task of interest to customers. This is promoted by the constant movement of the goods both in the presentation area 1 and in the storage area 3. [58] In order to be able to reach the storage area 3, the conveyor has at the beginning of the storage area 3 a steep incline 16, at which the goods 5 are motor-lifted at the storage level,

At the end of the storage area 3, a switch 17 is provided, which leads over a relatively steep slope 18 to an ironing station 19, At the ironing station 19 goods can be conveniently placed in the conveyor, at this point in particular the goods with the Conveyor or, with individual holders (not shown) of the conveyor is "married", so that the conveyor is the exact position of a particular product 5 within certain limits available at any time which digitally images the goods, so that a digital image of the respective display devices 9 can be made available Alternatively, such a camera can also be arranged at the beginning of the presentation area 1, in which case advantageously each article is currently digitally recorded In this way, a current picture of the W are provided for a representation, which represents a very high level of automation of the overall arrangement and in particular in an embodiment in which only the present in the presentation area 1 product for purchase or reservation operations is provided, the system corresponds and cost to realize is.

In itself, the switch 17 is not absolutely necessary, since not equipped with goods mounts actually incurred only at the goods issue 14 and - for cost reasons - rather brought manually to the ironing station 19 and there again the conveyor can be issued. Of course, an automatic feedback can be done at this point. It is also conceivable that empty brackets can be discharged to the switch 17. In addition, a sorter 20 is provided by the switch 17 due to a bypass arranged for this purpose, since goods can also be removed from the storage area 3 by the switch 17 and made available to the presentation area 1 separately. In this way, for example, special promotions can be carried out with certain goods or groups of goods. Also, it is possible due to the switch 17, specifically to remove goods from the warehouse and otherwise recycle.

[61] Towards the end of the storage area 3, shortly before entering the presentation area 1, the main conveyor line has a relatively steep slope 23. This allows the ironing station to be located below the main conveyor line.

[62] At the beginning of the presentation area 1, the goods are forwarded both to the sorter 20 and to the main conveyor line via a lock at the intervals already described above, while they only move up to the lock due to gravity. [63] It goes without saying that additional outlets can be realized via further switches or the warehouse can be expanded as required.

[64] The arrangements shown in Figures 3 and 4 substantially correspond to the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2, so that identical components are provided with identical reference numerals, which may be represented by additional letters differences, which are explained in detail below.

[65] Thus, in the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, specially designed stops 8 have been dispensed with. Instead, the entire conveyor is stopped when goods are located at these stops 8A. Here, the stops 8A with respect to the goods distance in the conveyor 4 are spaced such that at the same time all possible stops 8 A goods are located when the conveyor comes to rest. Accordingly, a stop 8B is provided directly in front of a switch 13 which points towards the goods issue 14A, which is designed as a double lock in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the mode of operation of which will be explained in detail below.

[66] The course up to the goods issue is configured somewhat differently in the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4 than in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, a separate ring conveyor 12 has been dispensed with and the buffer IIA is formed in each case by a passive region. which of the goods 5 is traversed within four to five minutes. Depending on the specific requirements, a longer or a shorter period may be provided here. In addition, it is only possible to purchase a product directly at the goods issue 14A until it reaches the stop 8B. If stop 8B has happened then only one reservation remains. If, while the goods reach the stop 8B, a purchase process is taking place, the conveyor 4 may be stopped during the purchase process until it is completely finished. If this is the case, then the goods are routed via the switch to the goods issue 14A. If the purchase process is not completed successfully or no purchase process takes place at all, then the goods remain in the circulation and are forwarded to the warehouse 3.

An immediate reservation on presentation devices is not permitted in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, so that a corresponding button is dispensed with in the display devices 9A of these two exemplary embodiments. In these embodiments, a reservation is made exclusively via modern means of communication, such as over the Internet or a telephone or mobile phone, in this regard, in particular a reservation via SMS with switched off phone number suppression is preferred, as this the risk of abuse can be minimized and the operation on site without any mobile phone user is known. In this case, if the number is suppressed, a reservation is not made to avoid misuse.

[68] Such reservations as well as any orders or purchases via the Internet will be sent to a

Weiche 21 discharged from the ring conveyor 4 to a dead end 22 and can be taken to normal store opening hours accordingly or sent by the sales staff, the latter may also be further automated. It is understood that instead of a switch 21 further switches, especially with dead ends, can be provided, for example, to a

Shipping point or in changing rooms lead. Instead of dead ends and circuits can be provided so that the goods can then automatically go back into the main circuit, if they do not like fallen or not picked up. In the latter, however, care should be taken that the goods do not lose their relationship with their mount.

[69] In all embodiments, the storage areas 3 are constructed a little different. Focus of the storage area of Figures 1 and 2 is a meander-shaped linear bearing, wherein the meander is mainly to be found in far above arranged areas of the camp.

Focus of the bearing 3 shown in Figure 3 is its good accessibility, which in particular an ironing and manual sorting is facilitated directly in the storage area, since the main components are arranged at ground level. This camp has essentially two parallel strands, wherein the strand 24 represents the actual storage area, while the strand 25 is used for ironing, sorting and as overflow for the bearing strand 24. The bearing 3 of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 furthermore has a sorting loop 26 with a slight rise, which can be used on the one hand for rapid, extended sorting and on the other hand for inventories and the like, in which the product moves at increased speed in a circle through the sorting loop 26 is moved. The increase ensures that the bearing strands 24 and 25 can be made purely passive. It is understood that this camp can be extended by other strands almost arbitrary, here, by virtue of the fact that it is arranged substantially at ground level, where appropriate, spatially narrow limits are set, as this is the case for the other camps shown. On the other hand, a further tightly packed storage area, such as, for example, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, can readily be provided in the upper area, in which the product is actively conveyed in this embodiment with the distances of the presentation area.

[71] In contrast, the bearing 3 of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 is characterized in that it is arranged in the upper region of the building and has a multiplicity of parallel strands 27 (numbered as an example). Such a warehouse allows the storage of a very large amount of goods and a Very good sorting possibility on the individual strands 27. A faster sorting can be realized for example by a bypass from the end 28 of the strands 27 to the base 29 of the slope 16, this bypass can lead directly from point 28 to point 29 on the one hand or dead End 22 can be extended accordingly. A disadvantage of this embodiment is that an ironing either made in the upper region of the bearing or a separate ironing branch, for example, in extension of the dead end 22 to a circuit guide, must be provided. Likewise, the bearings of the embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 can be combined without major structural changes.

As indicated by way of example with reference to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the department store may have one or more reading stations 30A to 30C to which, in particular for safety reasons, the goods 5 or an identification number assigned to the goods or a holder number of the holder which the goods 5 are attached, is checked or determined. True, the position of each product in the warehouse is actually calculated. However, since no errors may occur in particular at critical points or when assigning a digital image to the respective product or to the data of a product, such a control or separate abatement has proven to be advantageous. In the present embodiment, retaining bars are used with RFIDs that can be read out at locations 3OA to 3OC. Instead, of course, other IDεntifizierungs- measures, such as a barcode with corresponding reading devices, be provided. Thus, especially at the point 3OA, a stop SC can also be provided, which enables a digital recording of the goods, if such a digital image is not already stored in the data associated with the goods. By means of the electronic readout 30A, it can be ensured in this case that the digital recording is in each case assigned to the applicable product. This procedure also ensures that every product is presented electronically to the customer in the same way and in the same presentation. This facilitates the customer's overview and also a comparison of the different goods.

[73] Accordingly, a reading possibility 3OB is provided in the area of the stop 8B in order to ensure that only the purchased goods reach the goods issue 14A. The same applies to the points 21, by means of which reserved goods can be discharged into the dead end 22, for which a reading possibility 3OC is provided at this point.

It is understood that such reading points 30A to 3OC can also be provided in suitable places in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. [75] If the goods also have their own means of identification by which the goods can be identified in their category, for example by brand, size and color, this assignment can also be made automatically, similar to the digital image. In such a case, a manual intervention may be completely dispensed with, since the department store can then independently recognize the goods located on a holder and make an assignment ("wedding") between the holder and the goods. for example, to make price changes.

[76] As can be seen immediately, an electronic catalog can be provided in this way, which is directed in each case at individual, concrete goods and thus in particular adapted to the nature of an "outlet".

Claims

claims:

1. Department store with a warehouse and a presentation area, wherein both the warehouse and the presentation area has a ring conveyor for goods, which can promote goods from the warehouse in the presentation area back into the camp, characterized in that the conveyor in the warehouse at least an area with a higher density of goods than in an area of the

Presentation area.

2. Department store according to claim 1, characterized in that parts of the ring conveyor to go through both the warehouse and the presentation area.

3. Department store according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a sorter.

4. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by a goods issue, which is connected to the conveyor.

5. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by an intermediate storage for storage reserved or purchased goods.

6. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by means for identifying the goods with regard to their position in the conveyor.

7. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a device for displaying the goods located in the conveyor.

8. store according to claim 7, characterized in that the presentation device also other information, in particular sales-relevant data, such as size, brand, price o.a., represents represents.

9. Department store according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by means for digital imaging of the goods located in the conveyor.

10. department store according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the presentation means comprises means for reserving and / or means for purchasing the product shown.

11. Department store according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that at least one display device is arranged in the presentation area.

12. Department store according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that at least one display device via an interface to conventional communication devices, such as a mobile phone or the Internet, has.

13. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the conveyor in the presentation area has stops, where the goods can stay.

14. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the presentation area has areas such as shop windows, with a preferred viewing direction and the conveyor comprises means for arranging the goods in different arrangements with respect to the viewing direction or promote.

15. Department store according to claim 14, characterized in that the conveyor in the presentation area or in the areas with a preferred viewing direction changes direction, such as curves and / or turning points has.

16. Department store according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized by an electronic catalog, which lists each product of the warehouse individually.

17. Store according to claim 16, characterized in that the electronic catalog represents a reservation and / or a purchase.

18. Store according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that with the inclusion of a single item in the warehouse, the item is semiautomatically or automatically added to the electronic catalog.