DE102017110820A1 - Vending Machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vending machine with a housing (2) and at least one magazine (3), wherein the vending machine side by side storage slots (4), in which goods are stackable and can be removed via a goods issue device. Furthermore, the storage shafts (4) are arranged in or on the magazine (3) and the entire vending machine can be received in a checkout counter (1). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for filling a vending machine.

Description

The invention relates to a vending machine according to the preamble of independent claim 1 and an associated method according to claim 6.

Such vending machines are usually used for the sale of theft-prone goods.

State of the art

The WO 2014/019573 A1 shows a goods issuing device, which consists of at least one goods shaft, in which individual goods arranged one above the other, are stored, which comprises at least one goods issue area, from which the individual goods can be removed one behind the other.

The goods shaft of the WO 2014/019573 A1 has a cuboidal shape and an inner, displaceable in the direction of the goods issue area bottom plate, wherein the goods are stacked on the bottom plate and wherein the bottom plate is operatively connected to a spring, whereby the bottom plate experiences a force in the direction of the goods issue area.

The DE 202 11 140 U1 discloses a vending machine comprising a plurality of goods shafts in which individual goods are stored one above the other. The goods shafts each have a bottom plate, which experiences a force in the direction of the goods issue area via a spring. The top product is thereby pressed against a stop plate, which serves all goods shafts alike. The vending machine also has a goods issue area over which all goods shafts can be reached simultaneously.

The disadvantage, however, is that the shafts are laborious only within the vending machine and only individually refillable. Although a solution is given by the filling with bulk material, but with this filling method a sorted output of the goods is not possible.

task

The object of the invention is to propose a vending machine, which can be arranged seamlessly in the modern business operations of department stores.

The object is solved by the characterizing features of independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The invention relates to a vending machine with a housing and at least one magazine, wherein the vending machine has side by side storage shafts in which goods are stackable and can be removed via a goods issuing device, and the storage slots are arranged in or on the magazine.

The entire vending machine can be made freestanding or receivable in a cash register system. The vending machine serves the theft and youth protection in the range of certain categories of goods. These categories of goods include, for example, high-priced products such as memory cards or razor blades or products covered by the Youth Protection Act, such as alcohol or tobacco / cigarettes.

The housing of the vending machine can be closed or, if the vending machine is received in a cash register system, designed only as struts.

The storage shafts may consist of independent, closed at least three sides elements which are mounted to each other. Alternatively, the storage shafts can also consist of individual side parts, which can be mounted on a perforated wall, for example, and thus form an element closed at least three sides. In a preferred embodiment, each storage slot has its own retention function for the remaining goods, so that only one product can currently be issued at a time.

The magazine is a receptacle which can be combined with a POS system with a goods issue unit. This magazine is designed so that it can accommodate an indefinite number of storage slots and thus serves as a warehouse in the POS system. The removal of the goods via a well-known from the prior art goods issue unit.

According to the invention, the storage shafts can be arranged in or on the magazine. In this case, the magazine means that the magazine is a receptacle closed on three sides into which side parts of the storage shafts can be hung. The magazine means that the storage bays are independent, closed on three sides elements. The arrangement of the storage shafts on or in the magazine offers the advantage of flexibility of filling the magazine.

In an advantageous embodiment, the magazine is completely removed from the vending machine. The magazine can be easily removed from the vending machine, making it easy for an employee to fill. This reduces the workload for the employee.

In a preferred embodiment, the magazine is exchangeable by a magazine of identical design. This offers the advantage that the empty magazine can be removed from the vending machine and an already filled magazine can be pushed back into it. This allows a short filling time and reduces the blocking time of the cash register system, which is normally completely blocked for the filling time. The empty magazine can then be refilled at rest, for example, in a warehouse or at another location where the goods are stored and is then available for replacement at any time. Ideally, each division holds several such magazines per vending machine so that, for example, only at the beginning or end of the daily opening time the magazines must be filled. This further reduces the POS system lock-up time, increases service to the customer as employees are not busy filling magazines, and optimizes process flow in the business area.

In an advantageous embodiment, the magazine is at least one door or at least one roller carriage or at least one Apothekerauszug. These are different embodiments of the magazine, which can all be easily integrated into a vending machine and are also good for an employee to handle. Furthermore, these three variants of the magazine ensure safe storage and simultaneous transportability of goods on the way from the actual warehouse in the vending machine.

In a preferred embodiment, the magazine is slid over rollers. The roles under the magazine, the transport of the goods in the magazine for the employee is made even easier, because by the roles of the magazine is well movable, while it would have to be sanded or worn without rollers, which means a burden on the employee and the magazine would.

1. a) Entnahme eines Magazins, welches aus zumindest zwei Speicherschächten besteht,
2. b) Transport des Magazins in ein Lager
3. c) Befüllen des Magazins im Lager
4. d) Transport des Magazins zurück zum Warenautomaten
5. e) Aufnahme des Magazins im Warenautomaten.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for filling a vending machine, wherein the method comprises the following steps

1. a) removal of a magazine, which consists of at least two storage shafts,
2. b) Transport the magazine to a warehouse
3. c) Filling the magazine in the warehouse
4. d) transport the magazine back to the vending machine
5. e) Recording the magazine in the vending machine.

Through this process and the above-mentioned embodiment of the magazine, the workload is reduced and the resources of the employee are spared.

• c1) Austausch des leeren Magazins gegen ein schon gefülltes Magazin und daran schließen sich die Schritte
• d1) Transport des gefüllten Magazins zum Warenautomaten
• e1) Aufnahme des gefüllten Magazins im Warenautomaten an. Dies optimiert den Befüllprozess, verkürzt die Befüllzeit und somit auch die Sperrung des Kassentisches, sodass der laufende Betrieb nicht unnötig unterbrochen werden muss.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method for filling a vending machine takes place instead of c) the step

• c1) Replacing the empty magazine with an already filled magazine and then closing the steps
• d1) Transport of the filled magazine to the vending machine
• e1) Recording of the filled magazine in the vending machine. This optimizes the filling process, shortens the filling time and thus also the blocking of the cash desk, so that the ongoing operation does not have to be interrupted unnecessarily.

list of figures

• 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Kassentisches
• 2 eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung des Kassentisches
• 3 eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung des Kassentisches
• 4 eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung des Kassentisches

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of a cashier desk
• 2 another perspective view of the cash desk
• 3 another perspective view of the cash desk
• 4 another perspective view of the cash desk

The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, identical reference numerals are used for the same but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

The 1 shows a perspective view of a cash desk 1 as is well known in the art. The 2 to 4 show the course of the exchange of the magazine 3 of the vending machine.

The cash desk 1 comprises a goods conveyor belt, a checkout zone, a vending machine and a packaging area. The vending machine is in the area of the checkout zone of a department store, for example, a supermarket arranged. Like in the 1 the vending machine is even shown here in the checkout counter 1 integrated below the checkout zone of such a department store. Further elements in the area of the cash desk 1 are conceivable, but not shown here, since they are irrelevant to the invention. Likewise, more of each of the above elements can also be found at the checkout counter 1 be arranged.

The vending machine is in a housing 2 used in the cash desk 1 is arranged. Alternatively, an arrangement of the housing would be 2 at the cash desk 1 conceivable. The vending machine has a magazine 3 and a conveyor for the received goods.

The same perspective view from 1 is in the 2 shown. Unlike the 1 is the magazine 3 now from the vending machine and consequently also from the cash desk 1 partially removed.

In this embodiment, the magazine 3 presented as a combination of door and trolley. In the magazine 3 it is a bottom plate, which is provided with rollers for better displacement and handling. At the bottom plate at right angles to a door, in the sense of a front with a handle formed. This door closes flush with the cash desk 1 when the vending machine in the housing 2 is included.

The 3 also shows the cashier desk 1 as he is in the 1 is shown. The difference between the 2 and the 3 is that in the 3 the magazine 3 completely from the vending machine and its housing 2 is taken and next to the cash desk 1 is set up.

The magazine 3 is in the 3 empty and must be put in a warehouse for refilling.

The exchange of the magazine 3 is in the 4 shown. In the 4 is also the same cash desk 1 from the 1 shown. The difference to the previous figures is that in the 4 instead of just the one magazine 3 two magazines 3 are shown.

In the magazine shown near the goods conveyor 3 it is the magazine, which is empty from the housing 2 was taken from the vending machine. The removal movement is indicated by the arrow, which leaves the housing 2 in the direction of the magazine 3 points, illustrates.

The magazine 3.1 , which is closer to the sales area of the cash desk 1 is, comes out of the warehouse and is there already accordingly with goods in storage shafts 4 been filled. The filled magazine 3.1 is returned to the housing along the associated arrow 2 of the vending machine in the checkout counter 1 used.

The illustrated, filled magazine 3.1 has 24 storage bays, which are arranged in three rows one above the other and eight rows next to each other. Any other number and arrangement of storage shafts is conceivable as long as the goods issuing device, which has the vending machine, has a corresponding conveying device to reach the storage shafts.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

countertop

2

casing

3

magazine

3.1

filled magazine

4

storage slots

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2014/019573 A1 [0003, 0004]
• DE 20211140 U1 [0005]

Claims (7)

Vending machine with a housing (2) and at least one magazine (3), wherein the vending machine side by side storage shafts (4), in which goods are stackable and removable via a goods issuing device, characterized in that the storage shafts (4) in or on the Magazine (3) are arranged. Vending machine after Claim 1 characterized in that the magazine (3) is completely removed from the vending machine. Vending machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (3) by an identical magazine (3) is interchangeable. Vending machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (3) is at least one door or at least one trolley or at least one pharmacist extract. Vending machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (3) via rollers is displaceable. A method of filling a vending machine, the method comprising the following steps a) removal of a magazine (3), which consists of at least two storage shafts (4), b) Transport the magazine (3) to a warehouse c) filling the magazine (3) in the warehouse d) Transporting the magazine (3) back to the vending machine e) Recording the magazine (3) in the vending machine. Method for filling a vending machine according to Claim 6 , wherein instead of c) also the step c1) exchange of the empty magazine (3) against an already filled magazine (3.1) takes place and the steps d1) transport the magazine (3.1) to the vending machine e1) recording the magazine (3.1) in Connect vending machines.

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