AU2003245807A1

AU2003245807A1 - Cigarette dispenser for self-service shops

Info

Publication number: AU2003245807A1
Application number: AU2003245807A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Knupfer
Original assignee: Aldi Einkauf GmbH and Co OHG
Current assignee: Aldi Einkauf GmbH and Co OHG
Priority date: 2002-09-17
Filing date: 2003-04-25
Publication date: 2004-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-04-25
Also published as: DE50305709D1; WO2004026083A3; DE20214425U1; WO2004026083A2; EP1558115A2; AU2003245807B2; EP1558115B1; ATE345072T1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cigarette dispenser (1) for self-service shops, comprising a device (7) for holding and propelling cigarette packets (10), in addition to a device (3) for holding and propelling cigarette cartons (5), said cigarette dispenser (1) being closed by at least one locking grille (14) that can be optionally driven by an electric motor. The invention is characterised in that the device (3) for holding the cigarette cartons (5) is located in a lower position than the device (7) for holding the cigarette packets (10) and that both devices (3, 7) are configured and arranged in such a way that in order to remove the cigarette packets (10) and the cigarette cartons (5), the former (10) are propelled in a horizontal or oblique direction and the latter (5) are propelled in a vertical direction.

Description

PO Box 13 336 (Mail) Aldridge & Co Ltd 14 Fairbum Grove (Courier) Johnsonville PATENT, LEGAL, & TECHNICAL TRANSLATIONS Wellington, NEW ZEALAND From:- Telephone: (64 4) 478-2955 Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Flemish, French, German, Facsimile: (64 4) 478-2955 Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish... E-mail: aco@paradise.net.nz William R. Aldridge MA Hn,-. ATCL, DiL Ttg. DBEA FNZEANAATHi Consulting Linguist & Translator Gillian M. Aldridge-Heine MR & GN. R, Dip.Ng ) Administrator Tuesday, 4 May 2004 My ref: CallawrieCM/Tr1517 I, WILLIAM RUPERT ALDRIDGE, MA Hons, ATCL, Dip. Tchg., FNZEA, DBEA, NAATI III, Consulting Linguist & Translator of Wellington, New Zealand, HEREBY CERTIFY that I am acquainted with the German and English languages, and am a competent translator from German to English, and I FURTHER CERTIFY that, to the best of my knowledge, ability, and belief, the attached translation, made by me, is a true and correct translation of PCT/DE03/01348 As WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL \ 1.- Aldr/ Aldridge & Co. -4MAY 20 0'nL ingui5t Translation from German Cigarette Dispenser for Self-service Stores Description The invention relates to a cigarette dispenser for self-service stores, with a device for holding packets of cigarettes and pushing them onwards, and a device for 5 holding packs of cigarettes and pushing them onwards; said cigarette dispenser being able to be locked by means of at least one locking-grill, which can, optionally, be driven by an electric motor. Cigarette dispensers of this kind are located in the checkout areas of self-service stores, being positioned against or alongside the checkout counters; and customers 10 at the checkout can take packets or packs of cigarettes out of the cigarette dispenser. The objective of the invention is to further develop a cigarette dispenser of the type mentioned above, so that, without being greatly altered in width or depth, it is capable of holding more cigarette packets and more cigarette packs than has 15 hitherto been possible. This objective is achieved in that the device for holding the packs of cigarettes is arranged lower than the device for holding the packets of cigarettes, and these two devices are designed and arranged so that, for the purpose of removing the packets and packs of cigarettes, the pushing of the packets of cigarettes occurs in a 20 horizontal or inclined direction, and the pushing of the packs of cigarettes occurs in a vertical direction. The distinct advantage of the present invention, as can be seen also from the drawing, lies in the fact that the lower boundary of the cigarette dispenser's space for containing packs of cigarettes is at a lower level than the plane of the conveyor 25 belt of a checkout counter. The cigarette dispenser thus utilises a region that has never before been occupied. In all known cigarette dispensers, the lower boundary of the space for containing packets or packs of cigarettes is at either the same level as, or a higher level than, the conveyor belt of the checkout counter. In the present invention, due to the fact that the packs of cigarettes - arranged at a lower level 30 - are pushed up from below, the cigarette dispenser can be placed with one of its 2 walls alongside a checkout counter (see drawing). This too is very advantageous. If a driving-device is provided to drive the one or more locking-grills, then it likewise proves advantageous to arrange this driving-device under the device for holding and pushing the packs of cigarettes. This also results in the utilisation of a 5 previously unused space or region, without getting in the way or creating an inconvenience. Thus, overall, the cigarette dispenser does not have to be made either wider or deeper. Nevertheless, it is able to hold more packets and packs of cigarettes than is possible with comparable prior-art cigarette dispensers. The invention will now be explained on the basis of a drawing. 10 The invention shows a cigarette dispenser 1 in cross-section, and a normal checkout counter 20 adjacent to the cigarette dispenser 1. The cigarette dispenser 1 stands on the floor 19. It comprises a first space 2 in which there is located a device 3 for holding and pushing bar-shaped packs 5 of cigarettes. Above said first space 2, i.e. above said device 3, there is provided a second space 6, in which 15 there is a device 7 for holding and pushing individual cigarette-packets 10. The cigarette dispenser 1 is in the form of a housing, and has, in its upper region, at least one opening 13, which can be closed by at least one locking-grill 14. In the example shown, there are two openings 13. These openings 13 provide access to packets 10 and packs 5 of cigarettes. In a simple form of embodiment, the one or 20 more locking-grills 14 can be moved by hand. In an "exclusive" version, as shown in the drawing, an electric-motor-driven driving-device 15 is provided below the first space 2 and thus below the device labelled 3; in the example shown, there is one driving-device 15 per locking-grill 14. The locking-grills 14 are guided on paths 17 provided with curved regions 18. The driving-wheels 16, engaged with 25 the one or more locking-grills 14, are arranged in curved regions 18 of the paths 17. The packs of cigarettes 5 lie on the spring-action device 3, which pushes the packs of cigarettes 5 vertically upwards through a distance equal to the thickness of one pack, whenever a pack of cigarettes 5 is removed, such removal taking place above the level of the conveyor belt 22 of the checkout counter 20. In the 30 example shown, the device labelled 3 has two pushing-devices 4, so that the packs of cigarettes 15 can be removed at both the front 11 and rear 12 of the cigarette dispenser 1. (Alternatively, it is possible to have just one pushing-device 4.) Thus, the device can also be stocked from the front 11 and rear 12. The device 7 for holding and pushing the packets of cigarettes 10 comprises horizontal or slight 35 sloping tiers 8 equipped with pushing-devices 9 that are known in the art, so that, 3 after cigarette-packet removal, the packets of cigarettes 10 will be pushed onward in a horizontal or inclined direction. The removal of the packets of cigarettes 10, and also restocking, takes place through the openings 13, i.e. at the front 11 and rear 12 of the cigarette dispenser 1 in the example shown. The drawing indicates 5 clearly that the cigarette dispenser 1 utilises the space 21 adjacent to the checkout counter 20, below the level of the conveyor belt 22 of the checkout counter 20.

4 List of Parts 1. Cigarette dispenser 2. First space 3. Device for packs of cigarettes 4. Pushing devices (for packs) 5. Packs of cigarettes 6. Second space 7. Device for packets of cigarettes 8. Tiers 9. Pushing devices (for packets) 10. Packets of cigarettes 11. Front side of cigarette dispenser 12. Rear side of cigarette dispenser 13. Openings 14. Locking grill 15. Driving-device 16. Driving-wheels 17. Curved paths 18. Curved regions 19. Floor 20. Counter 21. Space below the level of the conveyor belt 22. Conveyor belt

Claims

1. A cigarette dispenser (1) for self-service stores, with a device (7) for holding and packets of cigarettes (10) and pushing them onwards, and a device (3) for holding packs of cigarettes (5) and pushing them onwards; said cigarette dispenser 5 (1) being able to be locked by means of at least one locking-grill (14), which can, optionally, be driven by an electric motor; characterised in that the device (3) for holding the packs of cigarettes (5) is arranged lower than the device (7) for holding the packets of cigarettes (10), and these two devices (3, 7) are designed and arranged so that, for the purpose of removing the packets (10) and packs (5) 10 of cigarettes, the pushing of the packets of cigarettes (10) occurs in a horizontal or inclined direction, and the pushing of the packs of cigarettes (5) occurs in a vertical direction.

2. A cigarette dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said device (3) has at least one pushing-device (4), which pushes the packs of 15 cigarettes (5) upwards.

3. A cigarette dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, beneath said device (3), an electric-motor-driven driving-device (15) is provided, for driving the at-least-one locking-grill (14).

4. A cigarette dispenser as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in 20 that the driving-device (15) is equipped with driving-wheels (16), which are arranged in curved regions (18) of the paths (17) in which the one or more locking-grills (14) are guided.

5. A cigarette dispenser as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the at-least-one locking-grill (14) is intended for locking at least one opening 25 (13) through which the packets (10) and packs (5) of cigarettes can be removed.

6. A cigarette dispenser as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that there is an opening (13) at the front (11), and an opening (13) at the rear (12).