EP1202655B1 - Produktabgabegerät - Google Patents

Produktabgabegerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1202655B1
EP1202655B1 EP00946161A EP00946161A EP1202655B1 EP 1202655 B1 EP1202655 B1 EP 1202655B1 EP 00946161 A EP00946161 A EP 00946161A EP 00946161 A EP00946161 A EP 00946161A EP 1202655 B1 EP1202655 B1 EP 1202655B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
packages
container
dispenser according
walls
package
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP00946161A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1202655A1 (de
Inventor
Ian Alexander Webb
Richard 119 Addison Road APPLEBY
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gillette Co LLC
Original Assignee
Gillette Co LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gillette Co LLC filed Critical Gillette Co LLC
Publication of EP1202655A1 publication Critical patent/EP1202655A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1202655B1 publication Critical patent/EP1202655B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
    • A47F1/00—Racks for dispensing merchandise; Containers for dispensing merchandise
    • A47F1/04—Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles, e.g. by means of gravity or springs
    • A47F1/08—Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles, e.g. by means of gravity or springs dispensing from bottom
    • A47F1/10—Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles, e.g. by means of gravity or springs dispensing from bottom having mechanical dispensing means, e.g. with buttons or handles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
    • A47F1/00—Racks for dispensing merchandise; Containers for dispensing merchandise
    • A47F1/04—Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles, e.g. by means of gravity or springs
    • A47F1/08—Racks or containers with arrangements for dispensing articles, e.g. by means of gravity or springs dispensing from bottom

Definitions

  • This invention is concerned with dispensers for storing a supply of separate product packages and presenting the packages for removal by customers in a self-select retail environment in which customers collect items they wish to purchase and pay for the selected items at a so-called check-out station.
  • security can be a problem, and in particular small packages of consumable products having a relatively high sales value can be stolen with several packages of the same product being taken at the same time. It is known to present such packages to self-select customers in dispensers which are designed to enable removal of only one package at a time.
  • a dispenser including a container for holding a substantially upright stack of horizontal packages, and a dispensing device, in particular a drawer member, for receiving a lowermost package from the stack contained within the container, the dispensing device being actuable by a customer to present the received package for removal from the dispenser.
  • a dispensing device in particular a drawer member, for receiving a lowermost package from the stack contained within the container, the dispensing device being actuable by a customer to present the received package for removal from the dispenser.
  • This dispenser has been found in tests to be effective and reliable in achieving controlled dispensing of product packages.
  • US-A-1782597 there is described a dispenser with a container which holds a stack of packages.
  • the front wall of the container has a delivery opening through which a lowermost package in the stack that rests on a bottom of the container can be removed.
  • the rear wall of the container has a forwardly curved section so that when the lowermost package is removed from the dispenser the next package is caused to move forwardly so as to project through the delivery opening when it takes up the lowermost position, and the packages above the lowermost package are inclined forwardly and downwardly at a shallow angle so that the forward end of a package is aligned with the delivery opening to allow it to move therethrough as the package is displaced by the curved rear wall section.
  • a dispenser comprising a container and a stack of packages (2), the container holding said stack of packages, a dispensing device for receiving a package from a lower end of the stack and in use movable relative to the container for displacing the received package to a position for removal from the dispenser, wherein opposed walls of the container are so arranged that over the majority of the height of the stack the packages are disposed in horizontally inclined orientations therebetween, and that the distance between the opposed walls is increased at a bottom end portion of the container so that as each package approaches the dispensing device at the lower end of the container the package adjusts to a substantially horizontal orientation.
  • the dispensing device is arranged to displace a package received thereby forwardly away from the lower end of the stack, and the front and rear walls of the container are spaced apart at such a distance that the packages in the upper part of the container are held in rearwardly upwardly inclined positions at 20 to 40° to the horizontal.
  • the rear wall is profiled so that it is downwardly rearwardly inclined at a bottom end portion of the container to increase the spacing between the front and rear walls in this region so that the packages can move to the horizontal position before or at the time of being received by the dispensing device.
  • the distance between the front and rear walls be variable, which is conveniently achieved by the position of at least one of the front and rear walls being selectively variable.
  • the rear and/or front wall is selectively engageable with any one of a plurality of slots formed in the side walls of the container.
  • the width of the container between its side walls can be changed by mounting inserts of appropriate thickness on the insides of the side walls.
  • the dispenser shown in Figure 1 of the drawings of the present application includes a container 5 for receiving an upright stack of packages 2, and a dispensing device in the form of a sliding drawer 6 movable horizontally forwardly from the closed position in which it is illustrated in the drawing to an open position in which a package 2 received within an upwardly open recess 8 defined in the drawer is presented for removal, the drawer 6 having a pull handle 10 at the front for operating the drawer.
  • the container has a front wall 501 and a rear wall 502.
  • the rear wall 502 has forwardly projecting vertical ribs 504 which form slide rails for packages as they move downwardly as a result of packages being delivered from the dispenser.
  • the front wall 501 may have similar ribs 505 (see Figure 3A) forming slide rails.
  • the distance F separating the front and rear walls, in particular the surfaces of their slide rails 504,505 is arranged to be slightly shorter, preferably about 2 to 5mm shorter, than the length of the packages 2 to be dispensed.
  • the packages are unable to lie flat between the front and rear walls, at least in the upper part of the container, and the packages are constrained to adopt orientations in which they are inclined rearwardly and upwardly at an angle of about 30° to the horizontal.
  • the packages are indicated to be of a type having a backing card 201 with a compartment 202 which houses the packaged product formed on the front of the backing card and extending over slightly less than half the length of the backing card.
  • the stacked packages 2 are inclined in the dispenser container 5 with the product compartments lowermost, which the packages naturally favour due to the product weight.
  • the ribs 504 of the rear wall 502 are relieved at the bottom end of the container, and in particular they have rearwardly downwardly inclined portions 506 so that the distance between the front and rear walls increases at the bottom of the container enabling the first package in the container above that received in the recess 8 of the dispensing drawer 6 to fall to a horizontal position ready to drop into the drawer recess when the drawer has been emptied and is returned to the closed position.
  • the profile of the rear wall rails 504 is shown in more detail in Figure 2 in which the rear wall is shown to slope forwardly again after the rearwardly sloping section 506, which is to encourage the packages to move to the front of the drawer recess 8.
  • any tendency for the packages to become disorganised and jam in the dispenser can be averted.
  • the dispenser can be adapted to suit packages of different sizes by the distance between the front and rear walls 501,502 being variable.
  • Shown in figure 3A is a dispenser with a container 5 forming two compartments 510,512 for holding respective stacks of packages. Each compartment is confined by a front wall, a rear wall and opposite side walls. At a medial section the container side walls 514,516 are formed with a series of parallel grooves or slots 515.
  • the rear wall 502 of the front compartment 510, and the front 501 wall of the rear compartment are selectively engageable in the slots 515 to vary the length F of the two compartments to suit the packages to be stacked therein and to be dispensed.
  • the two adjustable walls 501 and 502 are positioned so that packages 2A of a shortest length can be dispensed.
  • the position of the rear wall 502 of the front compartment 510 is changed to enable larger packages 2B and 2C respectively, to be dispensed whilst the rear compartment is intended to dispense the smallest packages 2A.
  • the rear wall 502 of the front compartment 510 is positioned for the largest length packages 2D to be dispensed, but as these packages are also narrower, inserts 525 are mounted on the compartment side walls.
  • the inserts 525 are slidable into and out of engagement with the side walls which are equipped with retaining elements 526 of L-shaped cross-section for engaging lips provided on the side edges of the inserts 525. Similar elements 526 are provided at the sides of the rear compartment 512 for mounting inserts in this compartment if required.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a two compartment dispenser with a first dispensing drawer 106 for delivering product packages 2 from the front compartment 510, and a second dispensing drawer 106' for delivering product packages from the rear compartment 512.
  • the construction and operation of the dispensing drawers 106, 106' will be understood from the description of International Application No. WO 00/10433.
  • the packages 2 stack in rearwardly and upwardly inclined positions, except at the bottom of the compartment where, on arrival, the packages are allowed to tip down to a horizontal orientation ready to drop into the top recess 8 of the dispensing drawer 106 or 106'.
  • This inclined stacking followed by falling into a horizontal position is achieved by appropriate spacing between the front and rear walls 501, 502 of the compartment 510, 512 in relation to the length of the packages, as explained above in connection with Figures 1 and 2.
  • the required spacing between the front and rear walls of each compartment 510, 512 is obtained by fitting separately formed ribs 504 of appropriate depth to the fixed rear walls 502.
  • Two spaced parallel ribs 504 are clipped onto each of the rear walls 502.
  • the depth of each rib is reduced over a bottom end section 506 of the rib to allow the packs to fall to the horizontal position.
  • FIG. 5 shows the same dispenser as that of Figure 4 but fitted with ribs 504 of greater depth to suit packages 2 which are of shorter length. Also, in this embodiment the packages 2 are thinner, and a spacer 530 is installed in the recess 8 of each dispensing drawer 106, 106' to reduce the depth of the recess to suit the package thickness.

Landscapes

  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
  • Cartons (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Abgabeeinrichtung, die einen Behälter (5) und einen Stapel Packungen (2), wobei der Behälter den Stapel Packungen (2) aufnimmt, eine Abgabevorrichtung (6), die eine Packung von einem unteren Ende des Stapels annimmt und in Funktion relativ zu dem Behälter bewegt werden kann, um die angenommene Packung an eine Position zum Herausnehmen aus der Abgabeeinrichtung zu verschieben, wobei einander gegenüberliegende Wände (501, 502) des Behälters so angeordnet sind, dass über den Großteil der Höhe des Stapels die Packungen in horizontal geneigten Ausrichtungen dazwischen angeordnet sind, und dass der Abstand zwischen den einander gegenüberliegenden Enden an einem unteren Endabschnitt des Behälters zunimmt, so dass, wenn sich jede Packung der Abgabevorrichtung (6) an dem unteren Ende des Behälters nähert, die Packung eine im Wesentlichen horizontale Ausrichtung einnimmt.
  2. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Behälter eine Vorderwand (501), eine Rückwand (502) und Seitenwände (514, 516) aufweist und die Abgabevorrichtung (6) so betätigt werden kann, dass sie eine von ihr angenommene Packung nach vom vom unteren Ende des Stapels zum Herausnehmen verschiebt, und die einander gegenüberliegenden Wände die Vorder- und die Rückwand (501, 502) sind.
  3. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 2, wobei die Vorder- und die Rückwand (501, 502) so angeordnet sind, dass die Packungen im oberen Teil des Behälters (5) darin in nach hinten und nach oben geneigter Ausrichtung gehalten werden.
  4. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, wobei die Vorderwand (501) im Wesentlichen senkrecht ist und die Rückwand (502) so profiliert ist, dass der Abstand zwischen der Vorder- und der Rückwand am unteren Endabschnitt des Behälters größer ist als über dem unteren Endabschnitt.
  5. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 4, wobei die Rückwand am unteren Endabschnitt nach unten und nach hinten geneigt ist.
  6. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 5, wobei der Abstand zwischen der Vorder- und der Rückwand (501, 502) um 2 bis 5 mm kleiner ist als die entsprechende Abmessung der Packungen.
  7. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 6, wobei die Vorder- und die Rückwand (501, 502) so weit voneinander beabstandet sind, dass die Packungen im oberen Teil des Behälters um 20 bis 40° zur Horizontalen geneigt sind.
  8. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 7, wobei die Vorder- und die Rückwand (501, 502) so beabstandet sind, dass die Packungen um ungefähr 30° zur Horizontalen geneigt sind.
  9. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 8, wobei die Rückwand (502) nach vorn vorstehende Rippen (504) aufweist, die sich an der Rückwand nach unten erstrecken und Gleitschienen für die Packungen bilden, wenn sich die Packungen in dem Behälter nach unten bewegen, wobei die Rippen (504) an ihren unteren Enden zurückgesetzt sind, so dass die Packungen in die im Wesentlichen horizontale Ausrichtung fallen können.
  10. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 9, wobei der Abstand zwischen der Vorder- und der Rückwand (501, 502) so verändert werden kann, dass er verschiedenen Packungsgrößen entspricht.
  11. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 10, wobei die Position wenigstens der Vorderoder der Rückwand (501, 502) selektiv verändert werden kann.
  12. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 11, wobei wenigstens die Vorder- oder die Rückwand Seitenkanten hat, die in Schlitze (515) in den Behälter-Seitenwänden (514, 516) eingreifen, wobei jede Seitenwand eine Vielzahl von Schlitzen hat, mit der die Seitenkanten der wenigstens einen Wand (501, 502) selektiv in Eingriff gebracht werden können.
  13. Abgabeeinrichtung nach Anspruch 9, wobei die Rippen (504) separat von der Rückwand (502) ausgebildet und daran angebracht sind und die Rippen eine Tiefe haben, die entsprechend der Größe der abzugebenden Packung ausgewählt wird.
  14. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 13, wobei die Behälter-Seitenwände (514, 516) so eingerichtet sind, dass sie Abstandshalter (525) tragen, die eingeführt werden können, um den Abstand zwischen den Seitenwänden zu ändem, so dass er verschiedenen Packungsbreiten entspricht.
  15. Abgabeeinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 14, wobei es die einander gegenüberliegenden Wände (501, 502) einer einzelnen Packung ermöglichen, eine horizontale Position am unteren Ende des Stapels einzunehmen, bevor sie von der Abgabevorrichtung angenommen wird.
EP00946161A 1999-07-29 2000-07-19 Produktabgabegerät Expired - Lifetime EP1202655B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9917868.3A GB9917868D0 (en) 1999-07-29 1999-07-29 Product dispensers
GB9917868 1999-07-29
PCT/GB2000/002783 WO2001008535A1 (en) 1999-07-29 2000-07-19 Product dispensers

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1202655A1 EP1202655A1 (de) 2002-05-08
EP1202655B1 true EP1202655B1 (de) 2004-02-25

Family

ID=10858193

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00946161A Expired - Lifetime EP1202655B1 (de) 1999-07-29 2000-07-19 Produktabgabegerät

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1202655B1 (de)
AU (1) AU6003600A (de)
DE (1) DE60008542T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2215687T3 (de)
GB (1) GB9917868D0 (de)
WO (1) WO2001008535A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015013366A1 (en) 2013-07-23 2015-01-29 S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Toilet caddy assembly with a cleaning implement and its forming method

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE488545C (de) * 1927-06-14 1930-01-07 Wilhelm Benselmann Warenausgabevorrichtung
US1782597A (en) * 1928-05-24 1930-11-25 Parker Pen Co Dispensing cabinet
GB1543561A (en) * 1976-05-05 1979-04-04 Mars Inc Vending machines
US4850511A (en) * 1987-04-17 1989-07-25 M&M/Mars Dispensing rack
GB9818141D0 (en) 1998-08-19 1998-10-14 Gillette Co Product dispensers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE60008542T2 (de) 2004-07-29
DE60008542D1 (de) 2004-04-01
GB9917868D0 (en) 1999-09-29
ES2215687T3 (es) 2004-10-16
WO2001008535A1 (en) 2001-02-08
AU6003600A (en) 2001-02-19
EP1202655A1 (de) 2002-05-08

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