CN113223229A - Shared rental and vending apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shared leasing and vending equipment, which comprises a base, a first control module, a second control module and a third control module, wherein the base is provided with a first control module and a second control module; sales counter; and the shared rental cabinet is detachably connected with the sales counter, and an electric connection capable of transmitting current is formed between the shared rental cabinet and the sales counter. The shared leasing and goods selling equipment is formed by splicing the goods selling cabinet and the shared leasing cabinet, the whole machine can meet the operation of all components only by supplying power through one charging port, the requirement on the wall surface charging port is reduced, and the popularization and the application are facilitated. In addition, the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet are detachably spliced, so that integration of the rental equipment and the retail equipment is realized, namely, commodities such as the shared charge pal and the like can be rented, and commodities such as electronic cigarettes, chewing gums, data lines and the like can be retail.

Description

Shared rental and vending apparatus

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of intelligent vending equipment, in particular to multifunctional shared leasing and vending equipment.

Background

On one hand, the traditional shared leasing equipment such as a shared charger leasing machine, an unmanned sales counter and the like are independent equipment, and on the other hand, the equipment needs to be respectively installed and placed, so that a large amount of space is occupied, and the operation cost is increased; on the other hand, the operation of solitary equipment also need charge respectively, and it is higher to the wall mouth that charges, also is not favorable to popularizing and applying.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, there is a need for a multi-functional shared rental and vending apparatus that requires a low-level wall charging port.

A shared rental and vending apparatus, the shared rental and vending apparatus comprising; sales counter; and the shared rental cabinet is detachably connected with the sales counter, and an electric connection capable of transmitting current is formed between the shared rental cabinet and the sales counter.

The shared leasing and goods selling equipment is formed by splicing the goods selling cabinet and the shared leasing cabinet, the whole machine can meet the operation of all components only by supplying power through one charging port, the requirement on the wall surface charging port is reduced, and the popularization and the application are facilitated. In addition, the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet are detachably spliced, so that integration of the rental equipment and the retail equipment is realized, namely, commodities such as the shared charge pal and the like can be rented, and commodities such as electronic cigarettes, chewing gums, data lines and the like can be retail.

In one embodiment, the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet are stacked in a vertical direction.

In one embodiment, the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet are snapped together or connected by fasteners.

In one embodiment, one of the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet is provided with a containing cavity, and the other one of the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet is embedded into the containing cavity and is in interference fit with the containing cavity.

In one embodiment, the sales counter comprises a bottom cover, a first power interface is arranged on the bottom cover, and a second power interface detachably connected with the first power interface is arranged at the top of the shared rental cabinet.

In one embodiment, the sales counter comprises a control system and a first communication module, wherein the control system is used for receiving request information and sending out a control instruction, and the first communication module is used for transmitting the control instruction; the shared rental cabinet comprises a second communication module used for receiving the control instruction transmitted by the first communication module.

In one embodiment, the sales counter comprises a first communication interface, the first communication interface being connected with the first communication module; the shared rental cabinet comprises a second communication interface, the second communication interface is connected with the second communication module, and the second communication interface is detachably connected with the first communication interface.

In one embodiment, the sales counter comprises a user communication interface, the user communication interface is connected with the control system, and the user communication interface is used for a user to input the receiving request information.

In one embodiment, the user communication interface is a touch screen.

In one embodiment, the shared rental cabinet is a shared treasured rental cabinet.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an overall structure of a shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a communication connection between a sales counter and a rental cabinet in a shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a sales counter in the shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of another perspective view of a sales counter in the shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the sales counter according to the embodiment of the present invention with the upper cover in an open state.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another perspective of the sales counter according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the sales counter with the protective cover removed according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the upper cover of the sales counter according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the overall structure of the shelf of the sales counter of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a top view of the pallet shown in fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the pallet shown in fig. 8.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the positional relationship between the shelves and the inner roof of the sales counter of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a schematic view of the structure of the bottom cover of the sales counter of the present invention.

The relevant elements in the figures are numbered correspondingly as follows:

100. sales counter;

10. a housing; 101. a goods outlet; 110. an upper cover; 111. pressing the protrusion;

120. a housing; 121. a displacement detector; 122. a first tact switch; 123. a second tact switch;

130. a bottom cover; 131. a first power interface; 132. a first communication interface;

140. an inner top cover; 150. a protective cover; 160. a first communication module;

20. a shelf; 201. an accommodating space; 202. a storage bin; 210. a detection module; 220. an inner barrel; 221. a first opening; 230. an outer cylinder; 231. a second opening; 30. a push-out structure; 310. a drive unit; 311. a first motor; 312. a first rack; 313. a first gear; 314. a guide chute; 320. a movable push rod;

40. a control system; 50. a drive mechanism; 60. a user communication interface;

70. an article identification unit;

80. a lock structure; 810. locking; 811. a card slot; 820. a drive structure; 821. a second motor; 822. a second rack; 823. a second gear; 824. a guide groove; 830. a movable rod; 831. a trigger section;

300. a shared rental cabinet; 301. a rental port; 302. a lock unit; 303. a second power interface; 304. a second communication module; 305. a second communication interface.

Detailed Description

In order to make the aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center," "vertical," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," and the like are used in the orientations and positional relationships indicated in the drawings for convenience in describing the present invention and to simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly stated or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "secured," and the like are to be construed broadly and can, for example, be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally formed; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be directly connected or indirectly connected through intervening media, or they may be connected internally or in any other suitable relationship, unless expressly stated otherwise. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

Referring to fig. 1, fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall structure of a shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the shared rental and vending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vending cabinet 100 and a shared rental cabinet 300. The sales counter 100 is a retail floor that shares rental and vending equipment and is used for selling goods. After the user pays a cash or code-scanning payment, the purchased goods can be picked up from the outlet 101 (shown in FIG. 3) of the sales counter 100. The commodity (or goods) referred to in the embodiments of the present invention is a general concept, and is not limited to a specific product. In some examples, the merchandise includes beverages, power packs, blind boxes, dolls, etc., cigarettes, chewing gum, data cords, etc.

The shared rental cabinet 300 is a product based on a shared economic concept, and the basic idea is to obtain a reward as a main purpose, and is a product based on an economic mode of temporary transfer of the use right of a live person and an article. In this embodiment, the shared rental cabinet 300 is specifically a shared treasured rental cabinet, and a plurality of rental ports 301 for storing the shared treasured that charges are opened on a front end surface of the shared rental cabinet 300. The rental pocket 301 is provided therein with a lock unit 302 for closing or opening the rental pocket 301. The specific implementation manner of the lock unit 302 is not limited, and the rental port 301 can be closed or opened according to the control instruction. In other embodiments, the shared rental cabinet 300 can also be a shared umbrella rental cabinet, a shared basketball rental cabinet, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sales counter 100 is detachably connected with the shared rental cabinet 300. In specific implementation, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are stacked in the vertical direction. More specifically, the sales counter 100 is located above the shared rental cabinet 300. In other embodiments, the sales counter 100 may be located below the shared rental cabinet 300.

As shown in FIG. 2, after the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are detachably connected, an electrical connection capable of transmitting current is established between the two. Wherein, the bottom of the shell 10 of the sales counter 100 is provided with a first power interface 131, and the top of the shared rental cabinet 300 is provided with a second power interface 303 detachably connected with the first power interface 131. After the sales counter 100 is placed on the shared rental cabinet 300, the first power interface 131 and the second power interface 303 contact each other to achieve electrical connection. In one example, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, the sales counter 100 comprises a housing 10 accommodating a shelf 20 therein, wherein the housing 10 comprises an upper cover 110, a housing 120 and a bottom cover 130, wherein a side of the bottom cover 130 facing away from the upper cover 110 is provided with said first power interface 131. The outlet 101 is specifically provided on the housing 120.

The manner in which the first power interface 131 is connected to the second power interface 303 is not limited. For example, the first power interface 131 and the second power interface 303 may be connected by a male-female fit manner, for example, the first power interface 131 is a plug, and the second power interface 303 is a socket. For another example, the first power interface 131 and the second power interface 303 may be pressed against each other, for example, the first power interface 131 includes a conductive elastic sheet, and the second power interface 303 includes a conductive sheet capable of being pressed against the conductive elastic sheet; when the sales counter 100 is connected to the shared rental cabinet 300, the conductive sheet of the second power interface 303 is tightly pressed against the conductive elastic sheet of the first power interface 131, thereby achieving electrical connection. For another example, the first power interface 131 may include a conductive sheet, and the second power interface 303 also includes a conductive sheet, when the sales counter 100 is connected to the shared rental cabinet 300, the conductive sheet of the first power interface 131 and the conductive sheet of the second power interface 303 are arranged side by side and attached to each other.

The shared leasing and vending equipment is formed by splicing the sales counter 100 and the shared leasing cabinet 20, and has no requirement on the appearance of the sales counter 100 and the shared leasing cabinet 20. In the exemplary embodiment, the sales counter 100 is rectangular in cross section in the horizontal direction, and the shared rental cabinet 20 is rectangular in cross section in the horizontal direction. In other embodiments, the horizontal cross-sections of the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 20 can be circular. Further, the shapes of the cross sections of the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 20 in the horizontal direction may be different.

The shared leasing and vending equipment of the embodiment is formed by splicing the vending cabinet 100 and the shared leasing cabinet 300, and the whole machine can meet the operation of all components only by supplying power through one charging port, so that the requirement on the wall charging port is reduced, and the popularization and the application are facilitated. In a specific implementation, the charging port for connecting to an external power source may be provided in the sales counter 100 or in the shared rental cabinet 300.

Further, in the shared rental and vending apparatus of the above embodiment, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental counter 300 are independent modules, and can be put into use by being spliced together when used. When the sales counter 100 or the shared rental cabinet 300 breaks down, the sales counter is replaced by a new one and then splicing is completed again, and the broken equipment is returned to the factory for maintenance, so that the normal use of the shared rental and sales equipment is not delayed, and the user experience is ensured.

Preferably, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are stacked and spliced together in the vertical direction, so that the space in the vertical direction can be fully utilized, and the space in the lateral direction (horizontal direction) can be saved. However, in other embodiments, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 can be horizontally spliced, and at this time, similarly, the entire machine can meet the operation of all the components by only one charging port for power supply, so that the requirement for a wall charging port is reduced, and the popularization and the application are facilitated.

Further, when the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are stacked in the vertical direction, and the first power interface 131 is disposed on the bottom cover 130 of the sales counter 100, and the second power interface 303 is disposed on the top of the shared rental cabinet 300, the first power interface 131 and the second power interface 303 can be tightly combined together under the self-weight of the sales counter 100.

The sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are also mechanically connected when being spliced. Specifically, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are snapped together or connected by fasteners, including screws, bolts, hoops, etc., or both, as further described below.

When the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are connected in a snap-fit manner, one of the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet 300 may be provided with a receiving cavity, and the other one of the sales counter and the shared rental cabinet 300 may be embedded in the receiving cavity and be in interference fit. In the exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the bottom end of the housing 120 of the sales counter 100 protrudes from the bottom cover 130, and the protruding portion and the bottom cover 130 together enclose a receiving cavity (not numbered). When the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are spliced, the top of the shared rental cabinet 300 is embedded into the accommodating cavity. It will be appreciated that the receiving cavity is provided with a depth to better secure the shared rental cabinet 300.

In an exemplary embodiment, when the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are connected by a fastener, the sales counter 100 may be provided with a first flange portion, the shared rental cabinet 300 may be provided with a second flange portion for abutting against the first flange portion, respectively, and both flange portions may be provided with through holes, and the fastening connection may be achieved by bolts and nuts.

In the shared rental and vending apparatus of the above embodiment, the selling cabinet 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 can achieve a relatively firm mechanical connection after being spliced, so as to ensure the stability of the electrical connection between the first power interface 131 and the second power interface 303, and avoid the electrical connection failure caused by the accidental shaking of the selling cabinet 100 or the shared rental cabinet 300.

Further, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are stacked and spliced together in the vertical direction, and the self weight of the sales counter 100 or the shared rental cabinet 300 can be utilized, so that the mechanical connection is more reliable; especially, when the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are spliced by clamping, the effect of increasing the reliability of the mechanical connection is more prominent.

The sales counter 100 also comprises a control system 40 and it is configured as an intelligent sales counter 100. The control system 40 can receive the purchase request information of the user and then send the goods out of the outlet 101 of the sales counter 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the control system may be implemented by one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors or other electronic components for performing the above-described functions.

The sales counter 100 further comprises a user communication interface 60 exposed to an outer surface of the housing 10, the user communication interface 60 being connected to the control system 40, the user communication interface 60 being for a user to input purchase request information. In one example, the user communication interface 60 is a touch screen mounted on a sidewall of the housing 120. Specifically, a window may be formed on a side wall of the housing 120, and then a touch screen is installed, and the touch screen is electrically and/or communicatively connected to the control system 40 through the window. The touch screen may be a capacitive touch screen or a resistive touch screen. In other embodiments, the user interface 60 may also be a function keyboard, and different keys of the function keyboard correspond to different products. When the user presses a key, the control system 40 determines that the user wants to purchase the corresponding product. In other embodiments, control system 40 receives the user's purchase request information via wireless communication. For example, the user inputs the purchase request information by scanning the two-dimensional code, and the cloud server sends the confirmation information to the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 after receiving the purchase request information.

For the shared rental cabinet 300, especially the shared charger baby, the overall volume is small. To enable the user to rent or return the shared charger baby, the shared charger baby must be able to communicate with the shared rental cabinet 300 to ensure that the shared rental cabinet 300 can correctly start, process, and end a rental order. In the conventional art, the shared rental cabinet 300 needs to be configured with an MCU (micro control unit) to communicate with the MCU inside the shared charge pal, but the above method has a drawback that the MCU of the shared rental cabinet 300 has a large volume, which greatly affects the number of the shared charge pal in the shared rental cabinet 300.

In view of the above problem, in an embodiment of the present invention, the sales counter 100 is used as a host of the shared rental cabinet 300, so as to omit the MCU provided in the shared rental cabinet 300.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, the sales counter 100 comprises a control system 40, a first communication module 160, the control system 40 is used for receiving the request information and sending out the control instruction, and the first communication module 160 is used for transmitting the control instruction. Shared rental cabinet 300 includes a second communication module 304 for accepting control instructions transmitted by first communication module 160. The first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304 are configured to be able to communicate in a wired or wireless manner. In an exemplary embodiment, the first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304 receive a broadcast signal or broadcast associated information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304 further include Near Field Communication (NFC) modules to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (IrDA) technology, Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

The process of using the sales counter 100 to implement the rental service of the shared rental cabinet 300 is as follows: the user inputs the lease request through a mobile device such as a mobile phone or the user communication interface 60 of the sales container 100, and after receiving the lease request, the control system 40 of the sales container 100 sends a control instruction to the second communication module 304 of the shared lease cabinet 300 through the first communication module 160, so that the lock unit 302 of the lease port 301 of the shared lease cabinet 300 is unlocked, and the user can take out the shared charger from the lease port 301.

Further, the returning of the shared charger baby of the shared rental cabinet 300 can be realized by using the sales counter 100. Specifically, the user inputs the returning request through the mobile device or the user communication interface 60 of the sales container 100, and after receiving the lease request, the control system 40 of the sales container 100 sends a control instruction to the second communication module 304 of the shared lease cabinet 300 through the first communication module 160, so that the lock unit 302 of the lease port 301 of the shared lease cabinet 300 is unlocked. The user can place the shared charger baby into the rental pocket 301 of the shared rental cabinet 300. At this time, the control system 40 may read the identifier on the returned shared power bank through an identifier, such as an RFID identifier, provided in the rental port 301, and further determine whether the return occurs. After determining that the return occurs, the control system 40 controls the lock unit 302 of the rental lot 301 of the shared rental cabinet 300 to close the rental lot 301.

In the above embodiment, the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 is used to control and realize the rental service and the return service of the shared rental cabinet 300, and the shared rental cabinet 300 does not need to be additionally provided with devices such as an MCU, so that the volume of the shared rental cabinet 300 is saved.

In one embodiment, the first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304 communicate with each other in a wired manner. Specifically, the sales counter 100 comprises a first communication interface 132, the first communication interface 132 being connected with a first communication module 160; shared rental cabinet 300 includes a second communication interface 305, the second communication interface 305 is connected to the second communication module 304, and the second communication interface 305 is detachably connected to the first communication interface 132. In the embodiment of the present invention, the type of the communication protocol between the first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304 is not limited,

Further, on the basis of the wired communication between the first communication module 160 and the second communication module 304, when the sales counter 100 is spliced with the shared rental cabinet 300, the first communication interface 132 and the second communication interface 305 are just connected together. Through the above means, the user only needs to ensure that the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are correctly spliced, and how to perform communication connection does not need to be considered additionally.

In one example, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are stacked in a vertical direction, and the sales counter 100 is located above the shared rental cabinet 300. As shown in FIG. 4, the first communication interface 132 is provided at the bottom cover 130 of the sales counter 100. Correspondingly, second communication interface 305 is located at the top of shared rental cabinet 300. When the sales counter 100 is placed on the shared rental cabinet 300 and in place, the first communication interface 132 and the second communication interface 305 are just plugged together. The specific types of the first communication interface 132 and the second communication interface 305 are not limited, and may be a standard serial port (RS232), a GPIB interface, an ethernet interface, a USB interface, or the like, as long as the two can achieve a communication connection.

In the above embodiment, when the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are spliced together, the first communication interface 132 and the second communication interface 305 are just connected together, so that the sales counter 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300 are also communicatively connected, and the sales counter 100 can be used as a host of the shared rental cabinet 300, thereby simplifying the structure of the shared rental cabinet 300.

Further, in the conventional technology, the sales counter 100 itself has a large volume, so the user communication interface 60 is suitable for using a touch screen, but the shared rental cabinet 300 with a small volume is difficult to use the touch screen or even if the touch screen is provided, the area of the touch screen is relatively small, and the effect is relatively limited. In the embodiment of the present invention, since the sales counter 100 can be used as the host of the shared rental cabinet 300, the user communication interface 60 of the sales counter 100 can also be used as the user communication interface 60 of the shared rental cabinet 300, thereby greatly improving the convenience of the shared rental service.

The shared rental and vending equipment of the embodiment is formed by detachably splicing the vending cabinet 100 and the shared rental cabinet 300, so that integration of the rental equipment and the retail equipment is realized, that is, commodities such as a shared charger and the like can be rented, and commodities such as electronic cigarettes, chewing gums, data lines and the like can be retail.

As shown in fig. 5 to 13, the sales counter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be detachably connected to the shared rental cabinet 300, and can store a large amount of commodities and save the volume. As described in detail below.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, they illustrate from different angles the perspective views of the sales counter 100 according to an embodiment of the invention with its upper cover 110 in an open position. Referring to fig. 3, 5 to 6, 9 and 10 together, a sales counter 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10, a shelf 20, and a push-out structure 30, wherein the shelf 20 is disposed in the housing 10 for storing goods; the pushing structure 30 is disposed inside the shelf 20, and is used for pushing the goods out of the shelf 20 to the outside of the housing 10 for being taken by the user. The commodity (or goods) referred to in the embodiments of the present invention is a general concept, and is not limited to a specific product. In some examples, the merchandise includes beverages, power supplies, blind boxes, cloth dolls, and the like.

The shell wall of the shell 10 is provided with a goods outlet 101 for goods to pass through. The cargo outlet 101 communicates the inner cavity of the housing 10 with the outside. In a specific arrangement, the shape of the cargo outlet 101 is a rectangle whose length direction is along the vertical direction, but the shape of the cargo outlet 101 is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention. The shape and size of the outlet 101 may be set so that the product in the shelf 20 can pass through, and may be specifically determined according to the product type.

The shelf 20 is rotatably provided in the housing 10. As shown in fig. 9 to 11, the shelf 20 is provided with an accommodating space 201, a plurality of storage bins 202 are disposed on the periphery of the accommodating space 201, the storage bins 202 are distributed around the rotation axis X of the shelf 20, and the storage bins 202 are communicated with the accommodating space 201. When the shelf 20 is rotated about its axis of rotation X, different storage compartments 202 can be moved into a position opposite the outlet opening 101 in the housing 10. In this embodiment, the housing 10 includes an upper cover 110, a housing 120, and a bottom cover 130 sequentially arranged in a vertical direction, wherein the upper cover 110 is assembled to the top end of the housing 120, the bottom cover 130 is assembled to the bottom end of the housing 120, and the cargo outlet 101 is disposed in the housing 120. When the sales counter 100 is normally placed on the ground in the manner of placement in use, the rotation axis X of the shelf 20 extends in the vertical direction, and each storage bin 202 can rotate in the horizontal plane. The upper cover 110 has an open state as shown in fig. 5 to 6 and a closed state (not shown) with respect to the housing 120. Wherein, when the upper cover 110 is in the open state, the goods can be supplied from the top end of the housing 120 to the shelf 20. When the upper cover 110 is in the closed state, the top end of the shelf 20 is closed by the upper cover 110, and the sales counter 100 can be used normally. In other embodiments, the shelves 20 may be filled from one side of the housing 120. For example, a replenishment opening is formed in a side wall of the housing 120, and when the supply of the commodity is needed, the storage rack 20 is rotated to sequentially rotate the storage bins 202 to positions opposite to the replenishment opening, and then the commodity is replenished to the storage bins 202, and the commodity falls to a position where the commodity can be pushed by the push-out structure 30 under the action of gravity.

In other embodiments, when the sales counter 100 is normally placed on the ground, the rotation axis X of the shelf 20 may also extend in a horizontal direction, while each storage bin 202 can rotate in a vertical plane. In this case, the outlet can be provided at the top of the sales counter 100.

Preferably, as shown in fig. 9, the plurality of bins 202 are evenly distributed around the rotational axis X of the rack 20. Therefore, after the goods shelf 20 rotates for a preset angle every time, one of the storage bins 202 can be just opposite to the goods outlet 101, which is beneficial to realizing that the goods shelf 20 is driven to rotate automatically by the driving mechanism 50.

In other embodiments, the storage compartment 202 may be an annular space surrounding the rotational axis X of the shelf 20. At this time, the storage bins 202 are communicated in sequence, and no partition is arranged between the adjacent storage bins 202; accordingly, the position of each storage bin 202 is not fixed, so that goods can be placed more conveniently.

The storage bins 202 of the shelves 20 are used for storing goods. The shape and size of each storage bin 202 can be set to be the same so as to store the same commodity; and can be set to be different so as to better adapt to the requirements of storing different types of commodities. However, even if the various bins 202 are configured to be identical in shape and size, they can still be used to store different types of merchandise. In one example, the storage compartments 202 are the same size and are sized to store the largest size of the different types of merchandise, which improves the versatility of the storage compartments 202.

With reference to fig. 10 and 11, the pushing-out structure 30 is disposed in the accommodating space 201 and supported by the housing 10, and the pushing-out structure 30 is used for pushing out the articles in the storage bin 202 from the goods outlet 101 to the outside of the housing 10. The ejection mechanism 30 can be controlled by the control system 40 of the sales container 100 to be activated upon receiving a purchase request from a user, thereby ejecting the articles in the storage compartment 202 out of the housing 10 from the outlet 101. In other embodiments, the ejection mechanism 30 may be activated by manual operation, such as a user pressing a purchase button to turn on power to the ejection mechanism 30 to activate the ejection mechanism 30. The push-out structure 30 may be implemented in various ways, including a push rod, a track, a coil spring, etc.

Preferably, the outlet 101 is provided at only one position, and when the shelf 20 rotates around the rotation axis X, the storage compartments 202 are distributed in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X of the shelf 20, so that each storage compartment 202 can be rotated to be opposite to the outlet 101. That is, each storage bin 202 may share one outlet 101. Because the quantity of the goods outlets 101 is less, the structure of the equipment is simplified, and the cost is reduced.

The sales counter 100 adopts the rotary shelf 20, and the pushing-out structure 30 is arranged in the accommodating space 201 of the shelf 20, so that the volume of the equipment can be saved; the products are distributed around the periphery of the ejector structure 30 so that more products can be stored in the same space. Therefore, the sales counter 100 described above can store a larger number of commodities and can save the equipment volume.

As shown in fig. 11, the sales counter 100 further comprises a drive mechanism 50, the drive mechanism 50 being arranged at one side of the shelf 20, the drive mechanism 50 being adapted to drive the shelf 20 in rotation about said axis of rotation. Specifically, the rotation axis X of the shelf 20 is in the vertical direction, and the driving mechanism 50 is provided on the bottom side of the shelf 20, that is, the driving mechanism 50 is located below the shelf 20 in the vertical direction. The driving mechanism 50 may be provided on the bottom cover 130 of the housing 10. And when the rotation axis X of the shelf 20 is in the horizontal direction, the driving mechanism 50 is disposed side by side in the horizontal direction with the shelf 20. The driving mechanism 50 is a motor system, and includes a motor and a transmission mechanism, wherein the transmission mechanism is used for transmitting the power of the motor to the shelf 20, and the transmission mechanism also has the function of supporting the shelf 20.

The above-mentioned sales counter 100, through setting up the actuating mechanism 50, can realize the automatic rotation of the goods shelves 20, make the goods shelves 20 can rotate the storage bin 202 to the position fast. In specific implementation, the driving mechanism 50 can always drive the shelf 20 to rotate according to different occasions, so that the shelf 20 has a display function. The drive mechanism 50 can also be connected to the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 and can be activated after the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 has received a purchase request from a user, thereby driving the shelf 20 to rotate about its axis of rotation X.

As shown in fig. 12, the sales counter 100 further comprises a control system 40, the control system 40 being adapted to control the ejecting structure 30 to eject the articles in the storage compartments 202. The control system 40 can control the operation of the push-out structure 30 according to the purchase request of the user, thereby increasing the degree of automation of the sales counter 100. The control system 40 can receive external commands and send out commands to the controlled mechanism, including but not limited to an industrial personal computer. The control system 40 may be disposed above or below the shelf 20. In an exemplary embodiment, the control system may be implemented by one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors or other electronic components for performing the above-described functions.

The control system 40 is also connected to a drive mechanism 50. When the control system 40 receives a purchase request from a user, the control system 40 controls the driving mechanism 50 to operate, the driving mechanism 50 drives the shelf 20 to rotate, and the control system 40 controls the pushing structure 30 to operate. By providing the control system 40, the merchandiser 100 is configured as an intelligent merchandiser, meeting the demand for unmanned vending.

In order to facilitate the purchase of the goods by the user, as shown in fig. 5 and 6, the sales counter 100 further includes a user communication interface 60 exposed to the outer surface of the housing 10, the user communication interface 60 being connected to the control system 40, the user communication interface 60 being used for the user to input purchase request information. In one example, the user communication interface 60 is a touch screen mounted on a side wall of the housing 120. Specifically, a window may be formed on a side wall of the housing 120, and then a touch screen is installed, and the touch screen is electrically and/or communicatively connected to the control system 40 through the window. The touch screen may be a capacitive touch screen or a resistive touch screen. In other embodiments, the user interface 60 may also be a function keyboard, and different keys of the function keyboard correspond to different products. When the user presses a key, the control system 40 determines that the user wants to purchase the corresponding product.

In other embodiments, control system 40 receives the user's purchase request information via wireless communication. For example, the user inputs the purchase request information by scanning the two-dimensional code, and the cloud server sends the confirmation information to the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 after receiving the purchase request information.

In addition, in the sales counter, in addition to the large number of products to be stored, the user also desires to purchase different types of products from the same sales counter, thereby achieving the purpose of "one-stop shopping". However, even if different types of goods are stored in the conventional sales counter, a relatively complicated mechanism design is required to supply the different types of goods, and the complicated mechanism design cannot store more goods. Therefore, it is a pain and difficulty of the conventional sales counter that the number of stored goods is large, the types of goods are large, and the goods are convenient to purchase.

In view of the above problem, in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 6 and 9, an article identification unit 70 is further disposed in the housing 10, the article identification unit 70 is fixed to the housing 10 and connected to the control system 40, and the article identification unit 70 is located on one side of a rotation track of the storage bin 202. The type of the item identification unit 70 is not limited, and may be, for example, an NFC identification unit, a two-dimensional code recognizer, an RFID reading device, or the like. Identification marks such as NFC marks, two-dimensional codes and RFID labels are correspondingly arranged on the commodities.

The article recognition unit 70 is specifically located above the storage bin 202. As the shelf 20 rotates, each bin 202 passes under the item identification unit 70 in sequence, and the item identification unit 70 can read the identification on the item and send the identification to the control system 40. The control system 40 compares the identification structure with the purchase request information of the user, and controls the driving mechanism 50 and the ejecting mechanism 30 to operate after confirming the correspondence.

The sales counter 100 can send out the goods meeting the purchase requirement of the user from the outlet 101 by combining the article recognition unit 70 with the rotary shelf 20, thereby flexibly selecting the matched goods for the user, storing a large number of different types of goods and solving the trouble of the traditional sales counter 100.

In order to facilitate the installation of the push-out structure 30, the item recognition unit 70, and the like, as shown in fig. 6 and 12, an inner top cover 140 is further provided in the housing 10, the inner top cover 140 is supported on the housing 10 and located on the top side of the shelf 20, and both the item recognition unit 70 and the push-out structure 30 are installed on the inner top cover 140. The push-out structure 30, the item identification unit 70, etc. are mounted and supported on the inner roof 140 and form a module which is assembled with the housing 10, thereby simplifying the mounting of the sales counter 100.

In one example, the inner top cover 140 is supported by the outer shell 120 in the housing 10, the inner top cover 140 is compressed by the upper cover 110, and the inner top cover 140 and the outer shell 120 are connected without a fastener, so that the inner top cover 140 and the outer shell 120 are detachably connected and the inner top cover 140 is conveniently removed. When the goods need to be replenished into the storage bin 202, the upper cover 110 is opened, then the inner top cover 140 is separated from the shell 120, the fastening piece does not need to be detached, the operation is convenient, and the replenishment efficiency is improved. In other embodiments, the inner top cover 140 and the outer shell 120 may not be pressed together by the upper cover 110, but may be assembled as a single body only by a snap-fit method, or may be connected by a fastener.

Further, as shown in fig. 5, a protective cover 150 is further disposed inside the housing 120. The protective cover 150 is located above the inner top cover 140, and the protective cover 150 is fastened to the inner top cover 140 or the outer casing 120, and shields the article identification unit 70 and the pushing-out structure 30 for protection. Also, the protective cover 150 is interposed between the inner top cap 140 and the upper cap 110, which provides a relatively flat pressing surface. The upper cover 110 is provided with a pressing protrusion 111, and the pressing protrusion 111 can be pressed against the pressing surface to reliably fix the inner top cover 140. In addition, the protection cover 150 can be omitted, that is, only the upper cover 110 is used to cover the outer shell 120, so as to ensure that the upper cover 110 can press against the inner top cover 140.

As shown in fig. 10, in an embodiment, the pushing structure 30 includes a driving unit 310, and a movable pushing rod 320 driven by the driving unit 310 to move towards or away from the cargo outlet 101, the driving unit 310 is connected to the control system 40, and the cargo outlet 101 is located on the moving path of the movable pushing rod 320 or at one end of the moving path of the movable pushing rod 320. After the control system 40 receives the purchase request information of the user, the control system 40 controls the driving unit 310 to operate, and the driving unit 310 drives the movable pushing rod 320 to move forward towards the shipment port 101. When the storage bin 202 rotates to be aligned with the position of the goods outlet 101, the end part of the movable push rod 320 can extend into the storage bin 202 so as to push out the goods. After the movable push rod 320 pushes out the commodity, the movable push rod 320 is reset to prepare for the next pushing-out.

The driving unit 310 includes a power mechanism and a motion conversion mechanism, wherein the power mechanism includes a first motor 311, and the motion conversion mechanism is specifically a rack and pinion mechanism, and the rack and pinion mechanism is configured to convert a rotational motion of the first motor 311 into a reciprocating motion of the movable push rod 320. The motion conversion mechanism includes a first rack 312 and a first gear 313, the first rack 312 is connected with the movable push rod 320, and the first gear 313 is connected with an output shaft of the first motor 311.

In particular, as shown in fig. 10, the first rack 312 of the rack and pinion mechanism is integrated with the movable push rod 320, i.e. both are the same element, so as to greatly simplify the overall structure of the pushing-out structure 30. Further, the push-out structure 30 further includes a guide chute 314, and a sidewall of the guide chute 314 has a notch (not numbered) to expose a portion of the first rack 312. The movable push rod 320 is slidably inserted into the guide chute 314, and the first rack 312 is engaged with the first gear 313 of the motion conversion mechanism through the notch.

In other embodiments, the motion conversion mechanism may be a screw fit structure, a slider-crank structure, a screw structure, or the like. In other embodiments, the driving unit 310 may also be a linear motor, and the movable push rod 320 is connected to a mover of the linear motor and driven by the mover of the linear motor to reciprocate so as to be close to or far from the cargo outlet 101.

As shown in fig. 6 and 11, the sales counter 100 further comprises a detection module 210 for detecting whether the goods are pushed out. The detection module 210 is connected to the control system 40, and when the commodity is pushed out to the outlet 101, the detection module 210 detects a signal and feeds the signal back to the control system 40, and the control system 40 starts to control the pushing structure 30 to retreat.

As shown in fig. 9, in one example, the shelf 20 includes an inner cylinder 220 and an outer cylinder 230, the storage bin 202 is disposed between the outer cylinder 230 and the inner cylinder 220, one end of the storage bin 202 is open, and the inner cylinder 220 encloses an accommodating space 201. The inner cylinder 220 is provided with a first opening 221 for communicating the storage bin 202 with the accommodating space 201, and the outer cylinder 230 is provided with a second opening 231 for communicating the storage bin 202 with the goods outlet 101. Specifically, the top end of the bin 202 (i.e., the end away from the bottom cover 130) is open and serves as an entrance for restocking the bin 202. The bottom wall of the second opening 231 of the outer tub 230 is provided with a detection module 210 for detecting whether an article passes through. The detection module 210 is embodied as a micro switch. When the commodity is pushed out to the outlet 101 and the microswitch is pressed by the commodity, the control system 40 receives a trigger signal triggered by the microswitch, and the control system 40 judges that the commodity is pushed to the outlet 101. When the user takes the merchandise, the trigger signal disappears, representing that the purchase is complete. The control system 40 controls the ejecting mechanism 30 to retract, and the shelf 20 can be rotated again to enable the next purchase. In other embodiments, the detection module 210 may be disposed on an inner wall of the cargo outlet 101. At this time, the working mode of the detection module 210 is the same as that when the detection module 210 is disposed on the inner wall of the second opening 231, and is not described again.

By arranging the detection module 210 and matching with the rotary design of the shelf 20, the sales counter 100 of the above embodiment can accurately realize the pushing out of the goods, and has a simple structure and relatively low cost. It should be noted that the detection module 210 is not limited to be a micro switch. For example, the detection module 210 may also be an optoelectronic switch, a distance sensor, a pressure sensor, etc.

As shown in fig. 3, in one embodiment, the housing 10 includes a housing 120, a bottom cover 130, and an upper cover 110, wherein the shelf 20 is rotatably supported on the bottom cover 130, and one end of the upper cover 110 is rotatably connected to the housing 120 to have an open state and a closed state with respect to the housing 120. The upper cover 110 serves to enclose the shelf 20 within the housing 120, preventing external factors from interfering with the rotation of the shelf 20.

In the closed state, the upper cover 110 needs to be able to be fixed to the housing 120. To meet this requirement, a lock structure 80 controlled by the control system 40 is further provided in the housing 10, and the lock structure 80 is used for fixing the other end of the upper cover 110 to the housing 120 when the upper cover 110 is in the closed state.

As shown in fig. 6 and 7, the locking structure 80 includes a locking buckle 810 disposed at the other end of the upper cover 110, and a driving structure 820 supported by the housing 120, wherein the driving structure 820 is connected to the control system 40, and the driving structure 820 has a movable rod 830 capable of reciprocating relative to the housing 120. Specifically, the movable bar 830 is configured such that when the cover 110 is engaged with the housing 120, the control system 40 can control the end of the movable bar 830 to move to a position where it engages the catch 810 to limit the rotation of the cover 110 relative to the housing 120. When the upper cover 110 needs to be fixed, the control system 40 controls the driving structure 820, and the movable rod 830 of the driving structure 820 moves towards the latch 810 at the other end of the upper cover 110 and cooperates with the latch 810, so as to fix the upper cover 110 to the housing 120, and prevent the upper cover 110 from being opened accidentally. The driving structure 820 includes a second motor 821 and a transmission structure, which is a gear-rack structure, and converts the rotational motion output by the motor into a linear motion of the movable rod 830. The transmission structure includes a second rack 822 and a second gear 823, the second gear 823 is connected to an output shaft of the second motor 821, and the second rack 822 is connected to the movable rod 830.

In particular, as shown in fig. 7, the second rack 822 is integrated with the movable rod 830, i.e., both are the same element, which greatly simplifies the overall structure of the driving structure 820. Further, the driving structure 820 further includes a guide slot 824 for guiding the movable bar 830 to advance, and a side wall of the guide slot 824 has a notch (not numbered) to expose a portion of the second rack 822. The movable rod 830 is slidably inserted into the guide groove 824, and the second rack 822 is engaged with the second gear 823 through the above-mentioned gap. The driving structure 820 is not limited to the above example, and may drive the movable rod 830 to reciprocate.

The movable bar 830 can be engaged with the latch 810. In specific implementation, as shown in fig. 8, a locking groove 811 is disposed on the lock 810 for being locked with an end of the movable rod 830. The movable bar 830 moves toward the locker 810 at the other end of the upper cover 110, and the end of the movable bar 830 may be inserted into the catching groove 811, thereby restricting the rotation of the upper cover 110. In other embodiments, the movable bar 830 can cooperate with the latch 810, specifically, the end of the movable bar 830 abuts against the latch 810 from one side of the latch 810, pressing the latch 810 firmly against the housing 120.

As shown in fig. 7 and 12, in an embodiment, a displacement detector 121 connected to the control system 40 is further disposed in the housing 120, and the displacement detector 121 is used for detecting the position of the movable bar 830. Wherein, when the movable bar 830 moves toward the latch 810 of the upper cover 110, the displacement detector 121 can detect whether the movable bar 830 moves to a predetermined position. When the displacement detector 121 detects that the movable lever 830 has moved to the predetermined position, the displacement detector 121 sends a signal to the control system 40, and the control system 40 determines that the upper cover 110 is locked.

In one example, as shown in fig. 7 and 12, the displacement detector 121 includes a first tact switch 122 and a second tact switch 123 spaced apart in the moving direction of the movable lever 830, wherein the first tact switch 122 is close to the rotational connection of the upper cover 110 and the housing 120. The movable lever 830 has a trigger 831 that extends between the first tact switch 122 and the second tact switch 123. The trigger 831 is embodied as a protrusion. When the upper cover 110 needs to be locked, the movable rod 830 moves toward the side where the second tact switch 123 is located, and when the trigger 831 touches the second tact switch 123, the control system 40 determines that the upper cover 110 is locked. When the upper cover 110 needs to be opened, the movable rod 830 moves toward the side of the first tact switch 122, and when the trigger 831 touches the first tact switch 122, the control system 40 determines that the upper cover 110 is unlocked, and the upper cover 110 can be safely opened. In this example, when the movable rod 830 retreats by a certain distance, the trigger portion 831 contacts the first tact switch 122, so that the end of the movable rod 830 is completely separated from the latch 810 of the upper cover 110, and the movable rod 830 is prevented from excessively retreating. In other embodiments, the displacement detector 121 may be a pressure sensor, a distance sensor, or the like.

As shown in fig. 13, a side of the bottom cover 130 facing away from the upper cover 110 is provided with a first power interface 131 and a first communication interface 132. The first power interface 131 is responsible for connecting an external power source for supplying power to the sales counter 100. Power interface 131 may also interface with other smart devices to share an external power source. The first power interface 131 may be a dc power interface or an ac power interface. The first communication interface 132 may be used for communication connection with an external device to receive signals from the external device or to send control instructions to the external device.

In one example, the aforementioned embodiment of the sales counter 100 can be connected to a shared rental device, and the two devices transmit current through the power interface 131 and transmit signals through the communication interface 132. The sales counter 100 can host the shared rental equipment, and the control system 40 of the sales counter 100 processes the rental request of the shared rental equipment. In this way, the sales counter 100 and the shared rental device can share one external power source and one control system 40, thereby enriching the functions of the devices and reducing the cost. The shared rental equipment can be equipment such as a shared charger rental cabinet.

In the above embodiments, the concrete structure of the sales counter 100 is described by taking the case where one shelf 20 is provided. In other embodiments, the number of shelves 20 may be greater than 1 and greater than 2. At this time, the racks 20 are stacked in the vertical direction, and the push-out structures 30 are provided in common to or individually in the racks 20.

In one example, the number of the shelves 20 is two, the shelves are arranged side by side in a vertical direction, the shelves 20 are fixedly connected to each other, and the push-out structures 30 are respectively arranged on the shelves 20. In another example, the number of shelves 20 is two, and two shelves 20 share a push-out structure 30. At this time, the push-out structure 30 may be configured to be also capable of reciprocating in the vertical direction to selectively cooperate with one of the shelves 20; or the ejector structure 30 may be sized to cooperate with two shelves 20 simultaneously.

The technical features of the embodiments described above may be arbitrarily combined, and for the sake of brevity, all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments described above are not described, but should be considered as being within the scope of the present specification as long as there is no contradiction between the combinations of the technical features.

The above-mentioned embodiments only express several embodiments of the present invention, and the description thereof is more specific and detailed, but not construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that, for a person skilled in the art, several variations and modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concept, which falls within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present patent shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A shared rental and vending apparatus, comprising;

sales counter;

and the shared rental cabinet is detachably connected with the sales counter, and an electric connection capable of transmitting current is formed between the shared rental cabinet and the sales counter.

2. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the merchandiser and the shared rental cabinet are stacked in a vertical orientation.

3. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 2, wherein the merchandiser and the shared rental cabinet are snapped together or connected by fasteners.

4. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of the merchandiser and the shared rental cabinet is provided with a receiving cavity, and the other of the merchandiser and the shared rental cabinet is inserted into the receiving cavity and is in interference fit.

5. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 2, wherein the merchandiser includes a bottom cover, the bottom cover having a first power interface, and the shared rental cabinet having a top portion having a second power interface detachably connected to the first power interface.

6. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 1,

the sales counter comprises a control system and a first communication module, wherein the control system is used for receiving request information and sending a control instruction, and the first communication module is used for transmitting the control instruction;

the shared rental cabinet comprises a second communication module used for receiving the control instruction transmitted by the first communication module.

7. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 6,

the sales counter comprises a first communication interface, and the first communication interface is connected with the first communication module;

the shared rental cabinet comprises a second communication interface, the second communication interface is connected with the second communication module, and the second communication interface is detachably connected with the first communication interface.

8. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 6, wherein the merchandiser includes a user interface coupled to the control system, the user interface for a user to input the receipt request information.

9. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user communication interface is a touch screen.

10. The shared rental and vending apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shared rental cabinet is a shared treasured rental cabinet.

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