EP0968486B1 - Automatic dispenser of fresh cut flowers making bouquets on request - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic dispenser of natural flowers which is adapted to making bouquets on request by a user comprising a structure for storing and preserving several series of natural flowers. The structure comprises a transparent part which allows the user to view and select the natural flowers, from outside the structure, when the natural flowers are disposed inside the structure. An external control panel is provided. A coin operated meter is provided which is adapted to receive coins from the user. An internal selection mechanism is provided and is controlled by the external control panel. The internal selection mechanism is adapted to enable the user to individually select each of the natural flowers. A unit for packaging and wrapping the flowers into a bouquet is also provided. The unit is adapted to form the bouquet from the natural flowers selected by the user.

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic flower distributor fresh cut making bouquets on demand.

It is intended to be installed in various public places such as station halls, aerodromes, hospitals, etc., or near a florist shop for allow a continuation of the sale outside the opening hours.

Vending machines of all kinds are increasingly widespread. They allow to multiply the points of sale and increase the duration marketing products presented without mobilizing staff whose cost is getting higher and higher.

They give users the possibility of obtaining at any time a increasingly wide range of varied products, from confectionery to bread including cigarettes, hot or cold drinks or toys.

To our knowledge, there are currently no flower distributors fresh allowing to freely choose the composition of a bouquet. It is however certain that many people wishing to buy flowers, in particular to offer them, have to give them up because the shops are closed or absent. It is also certain that the presence of a distributor in a appropriate place may entice people who did not plan to buy it a bouquet.

Document FR-2.588.107 describes a refrigerated isothermal enclosure, the front panel has two superimposed panes, and intended for distribution automatic, by means of a toll, of cut natural flowers individually or in bouquets. The flowers are presented in compartments arranged around the edge of a drum and forming a barrel allowing the visualization of products. The extraction of conditioned flowers is made through an automatically retractable gate, a selection command allowing to choose, among the products presented, that longed for.

This device, which does not seem to have been developed, presents several disadvantages. In particular, the arrangement of the flowers on a drum does not allow to see at the same time that part of the products available. Above all, it is totally impossible to compose a bouquet according to his imagination and his means.

The device according to the present invention aims to remedy this state things. It allows you to develop and personalize your own bouquet request, and to adapt the selection to the financial needs of the clientele.

• une armoire renfermant une structure de stockage et de conservation pouvant recevoir plusieurs séries ou espèces différentes de fleurs fraíches coupées dont un spécimen au moins est visible de l'extérieur, l'une des faces de cette armoire étant équipée d'un tableau de sélection extérieur et d'une fente d'accès à un dispositif de commande logé dans ladite armoire et actionné par l'introduction d'un jeton ou d'un moyen de paiement, pour permettre l'activation dudit tableau de sélection ;
• un mécanisme d'amenée actionné par ledit tableau de sélection et par ledit dispositif de commande, ce mécanisme étant configuré pour extraire les fleurs choisies de la structure de stockage et de conservation et pour les amener jusqu'à une unité de conditionnement ; et
• une unité de conditionnement du bouquet composé à l'aide desdits moyens de sélection, de commande et d'amenée, aménagée pour réaliser le conditionnement de ce bouquet sous emballages individuels extensibles ou au moyen d'un film transparent en rouleau.

It consists of a device comprising:

• a cabinet containing a storage and preservation structure which can receive several different series or species of fresh cut flowers of which at least one specimen is visible from the outside, one of the faces of this cabinet being equipped with an external selection table and an access slot to a control device housed in said cabinet and actuated by the introduction of a token or a means of payment, to allow activation of said selection table;
• a feeding mechanism actuated by said selection table and by said control device, this mechanism being configured to extract the selected flowers from the storage and preservation structure and to bring them to a packaging unit; and
• a unit for packaging the bouquet made up using said selection, control and supply means, arranged to carry out the packaging of this bouquet in individual expandable packages or by means of a transparent film in a roll.

la figure 1 représente un distributeur de bouquets vu de face, en élévation,

la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective cavalière montrant une des possibilités de réalisation du dispositif,

et la figure 3 est une vue agrandie d'un tube avec mousse réserve d'eau se montant sur la tige des fleurs pour assurer leur conservation.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example of one of the embodiments of the subject of the invention:

FIG. 1 represents a bouquets distributor seen from the front, in elevation,

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing one of the possible embodiments of the device,

and Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a tube with water reserve foam mounted on the stem of the flowers to ensure their conservation.

According to the example illustrated (Figures 1 and 2), the device consists of a cabinet 1 similar in appearance to current vending machines confectionery and similar products, preferably made of painted steel or stainless, and of which at least one face has a transparent part 2 leaving see at least one specimen from each series or species of flowers 3 stored at the interior of said cabinet, this same face of the cabinet being equipped with a selection board 4 exterior and provided with a slot 5 for access to a system of payment by coins, tokens, bank cards or other, and this payment system to activate said selection table which can thus control a control mechanism housed in the cabinet. The selection table 4 and the control device actuate a feeding mechanism which is configured to extract the selected flowers from the storage structure and storage and to bring them to a packaging unit described in the rest of this presentation. A door 6, or a drawer, allows to take possession of the bouquet once it is duly constituted and packaged.

In the example illustrated, the selection mechanism, which at the same time ensures storage time, is made up of a set of 7 rotary tendrils with axes horizontal perpendicular to the front face of cabinet 1, two synchronized tendrils (or more) by species of flowers or series of identical flowers, arranged to release a flower when making a turn, while making advance the following flowers arranged in reserve, so that the one that will be released at the next maneuver, always at the front and visible.

Tendrils 7 of each pair of tendrils or each set of tendrils are selectively rotated and synchronized, through of any known suitable motor means and the discharge end of these tendrils is free. It is understood that the flowers 3 resting, through their rod in the bottom of two (or more) aligned turns of pairs or sets of tendrils, the rotation of a pair of tendrils in the proper direction, has for consequently a displacement of all the flowers resting on said pair of tendrils, towards the discharge end of the latter.

The flowers selected and released one by one fall into a receptacle 8 where they are packaged in a bouquet 9 and wrapped in a transparent film 10 delivered by a roller 11, using a mechanism of known type, common in the packaging industry and not described here.

As soon as the packaging is finished, opening the door 6, normally condemned, is released.

To ensure the conservation of flowers 3 during storage, a small tube 12 containing foam 13 sip of water can be threaded on each of the rods 14 (figure 3). In this case, the latter can be advantageously cut. when packaging in a bouquet 9, so as to eliminate the tubes, for example by means of a cutting device fitted to the packaging unit.

Conservation can also be ensured by spraying water, possibly periodic. To fulfill this function the distributor according to the invention can be equipped with a water spraying device, for example controlled by a programmer known per se.

According to an alternative embodiment, the flowers 3 are stored vertically. In this case, it is possible to provide water tanks in which the end soaks rods 14.

If the climatic environment requires it, the storage and flower storage 1 can be equipped with a known refrigeration device in itself.

Selection and storage can be done using different systems, provided that flowers 3 can be released one by one on request. We can for example using inclined rods, drums with cells forming an endless chain, or all systems used in known distributors.

Flowers can be stored vertically in a chute horizontal, held by a rotary spin 7 or several superimposed tendrils, and guided one by one by a tube which pours them into a chute where they are vibrated then packed.

Particularly when the flowers are stored in an upright position, the bouquet 9 can be packaged using individual sachets stretchable pleated paper, preferably in the form of cones stackable.

The fresh cut flowers will be chosen according to the region, the season and local productions. They will be calibrated to a rod length of about 30 centimeters and those whose flower bud will have a diameter exceeding a certain value, for example 10 centimeters will be eliminated. The stems will be de-seeded and leafless beforehand.

As an indication, the system could be designed to store 5 categories each with 20 flowers and make bouquets of up to 21 flowers.

The coin mechanism 5 can advantageously be supplemented with a reader for payment cards, and the control panel 4 include a device luminous display and possibly a sound diffusion system information system, voice control system, and / or Braille embossed keys.

The positioning of the various constituent elements gives the object of the invention a maximum of useful effects which had not, to date, been obtained by similar devices.

Claims (11)

1. Automatic dispenser for cut fresh flowers which makes up bouquets on demand, characterised in that it comprises:

   a cabinet (1) holding a storage and conservation facility which is adapted to take a plurality of different series or varieties of cut fresh flowers, at least one specimen of which is visible from the outside, one of the sides of said cabinet being equipped with an external selection panel (4) and with a slot (5) for accessing a control device housed in said cabinet and actuated by inserting a token or means of payment in order to allow said selection panel to be activated;

   a retrieval mechanism (8) actuated by said selection panel (4) and by said control device, and configured so as to extract the chosen flowers (3) from the storage and conservation facility, and to supply them to a packaging unit; and

   a unit (10, 11) for packaging the bouquet (9) composed with the aid of said means of selection, control and retrieval, and configured so as to perform the packaging of said bouquet in a wrapper.
2. Automatic flower dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the flowers (3) are stored vertically in a horizontal chute, and guided one by one along a tube which empties them into a chute where they are vibrated and then wrapped.
3. Automatic flower dispenser according to claim 2, characterised in that the flowers (3) are held and selected by a rotating spiral (7) or a plurality of spirals disposed one above the other.
4. Automatic flower dispenser according to claim 1, characterised in that the flowers (3) are stored horizontally and that they are held and selected by at least two rotating spirals (7) synchronised by identical flower series, said spirals being disposed so as to release a flower (3) whenever they perform a revolution, at the same time advancing the flowers in stock which are situated to the rear, such that the flower that will be released at the next operation is always situated at the front and visible.
5. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the wrapper for the bouquet (9) is produced by means of extensible individual folded paper bags presented in the form of stackable cones.
6. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the bouquet (9) is wrapped in a transparent film (10) delivered by a roll (11) employing a conventional type of mechanism used in the packaging industry.
7. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that conservation of the flowers (3) during storage is assured by means of a small tube (12) containing foam (13) and attached to each of the stems (14), the packaging unit being equipped with a device that cuts these off when a bouquet (9) is being packaged, thereby removing said tubes.
8. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 3 and 5 to 6, characterised in that it includes a water spraying device.
9. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 3 and 5 and 6, characterised in that the flowers (3) are stored vertically and that they are kept fresh by water containers in which the ends of the stems (14) are immersed.
10. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the storage and conservation facility for the flowers (3) is equipped with a refrigeration device.
11. Automatic flower dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control panel (4) features a device providing audible information and Braille-embossed push-button controls.

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