Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
  • G01G19/40—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight
  • G01G19/413—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means
  • G01G19/414—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means using electronic computing means only
  • G01G19/4144—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means using electronic computing means only for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01G—WEIGHING
  • G01G23/00—Auxiliary devices for weighing apparatus
  • G01G23/18—Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication; Recording devices; Scales, e.g. graduated
  • G01G23/36—Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells
  • G01G23/37—Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells involving digital counting
  • G01G23/3707—Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells involving digital counting using a microprocessor
  • G01G23/3721—Indicating the weight by electrical means, e.g. using photoelectric cells involving digital counting using a microprocessor with particular representation of the result, e.g. graphic

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a weighing scale for an object, in particular a consumer product, in particular a food product sold retail by a seller to a buyer, this scale comprising a weighing member, at least a first and a second unit for displaying data relating to the nature, weight and price of the object purchased, oriented respectively towards the seller and towards the buyer, at least one calculation unit for determining the price of this object object according to its weight and a label printing unit bearing data relating to the nature, weight and price of the object.
• Weighing scales are already known, used for the sale of cut food products such as meat, cured meats, cheese, fish or other products, in particular fruits or vegetables in retail stores, which have these different components.
• the display is made by means of a large screen oriented on the seller's side and which displays all the data it needs, such as the nature of the product sold, its weight, its price, etc. and a second small screen oriented towards the buyer, which displays the essential data for him, namely the weight and the cost.
• this second screen is designed to also display a scrolling advertising message, in written form, for example an alphanumeric message concerning a promotional action made inside the store.
• This display is to draw the consumer's attention to the products on promotion, given that his gaze is automatically, and almost necessarily, attracted by the screen which displays the weight and cost of the product he just bought.
• the known weighing scales are complete instruments of which all the components are integrated and the electronic part of which is specific to each type of balance.
• the components of these scales essentially include a weighing member, a computer with its keyboard and a display unit.
• the calculator offers no other possibility than its elementary calculation function for displaying the price and printing a label.
• Each type of balance is specific and almost no main component is standard.
• the cost price of these scales is high and any functional modification can only be carried out following a structural modification. Any improvement involves the design and production of a new product or a new range of products whose design and construction are different from those of previous products.
• the purpose of the present invention is to overcome all of the drawbacks mentioned above by offering a balance which, by design and construction, can fulfill new functions corresponding to the requirements of the market, also by means of equipment. as close as possible to standard materials, which do not require fundamental constructive modifications to adapt to the changing needs of the market, and which also make it possible to provide effective and attractive advertising means.
• said second display unit oriented towards the buyer is arranged to also allow the broadcasting of audiovisual advertising spots.
• said first and said second display unit are constituted by two standard screens of the standard computer which integrates said calculation unit associated with said weighing member.
• said standard computer is equipped with specific software to allow the display of menus, called drop-down menus, on said first display unit.
• said standard computer is equipped with specific software to allow the display of animated advertising spots on said second display unit.
• said standard computer preferably includes at least one reader of a standard data carrier corresponding to said advertising spots.
• This reader is advantageously a magnetic tape reader or an optical compact disc reader.
• said standard computer can be connected to a network with a server arranged to control in a predetermined manner the broadcasting of advertising spots on said second display unit.
• said standard computer may include a personal card reader of the buyer and means for broadcasting a advertising spot selected from a database and adapted to characteristics corresponding to consumer habits. purchases identified from this personal card.
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of the weighing balance according to the invention
• FIG. 2 represents a second preferred embodiment of the weighing scale according to the invention.
• FIG. 3 shows, by way of illustration, a view of the screen which constitutes the second display unit of the weighing scale according to the invention.
• the weighing scale 10 of the invention mainly comprises a weighing member 11, a standard computer 12 with its screen which constitutes a first display unit 13 and a second display unit 14
• the weighing member 11 comprises a standard autonomous weighing cell, known per se and not shown, housed in a base 15 in the form of a box on which a weighing plate 16 is disposed.
• This box also contains a label printing device (not shown) which delivers labels bearing the indications relating to the nature of the product, its weight and the price through a slot 17 made in the base 15.
• the standard computer 12 is advantageously mounted on a support 18 and connected by cables passing inside the support to the weighing member 11.
• This computer comprises, in a manner known per se, calculation software arranged for calculate the price of the weighed products by means of the weighing member and the function keys 19.
• the screen 13 of this computer is preferably a touch screen which makes it possible to display all the indications necessary for the operation of the balance, by example by means of so-called “drop-down menus”. Furthermore, it is equipped with means for reading data carriers, such as for example a reader 20 for magnetic tapes or an optical reader 21 for compact discs.
• the second display unit 14 preferably consists of a liquid crystal screen or the like and of a device for reproducing and broadcasting sound messages, for example speakers 22 incorporated or fixed laterally to this screen.
• FIG. 2 represents a preferred embodiment of the weighing scale 110 according to the invention. It includes, like that of FIG. 1, a weighing member 111, a standard computer 112 which is associated with a first display unit 113 and a second display unit 114.
• the two display units are directly mounted on frames 113a and 114a articulated relative to the housing 112a of the computer 112. They are advantageously flat, of the liquid crystal type.
• the weighing member 111 is extended at the rear by a support 115 composed of a base 116 and two columns 117 carrying the computer 112 and the two display units 113 and 114. This very compact embodiment allows to fulfill all the planned functions.
• the computer is equipped with software that allows the two screens to be managed simultaneously. It is networked with a server which allows advertising spots to be broadcast automatically, pre-programmed or on demand, selectively. The spots can be downloaded or loaded using appropriate readers.
• this balance acquires all the intelligence of a computer and can evolve according to the evolution of the software which is loaded in the computer.
• the screen constituting said second display unit 14, facing the buyer has a central area 23, preferably of relatively large size, which makes it possible to display a static advertising spot or animated.
• Other display ranges are provided at the bottom of the screen or laterally, for example, a first range 24 for displaying the nature of the product purchased, a second range 25 for displaying the weight of this product and a third range 26 for displaying its price.
• the loudspeakers 22 can possibly broadcast a sound message simultaneously with the emission of the advertising spot on the screen.
• the advertising spot is mainly intended for the buyer.
• the software contained in the computer selectively controls the information displayed.
• the computer is linked to a database which contains a set of advertising spots and which can broadcast them. selectively on demand.
• the request can be adapted to the client. It is for example identified by means of a loyalty card which allows to know with certainty the purchasing intentions of the customer based on his previous purchases.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mathematical Physics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Display Racks (AREA)
• Indexing, Searching, Synchronizing, And The Amount Of Synchronization Travel Of Record Carriers (AREA)
• Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4553657

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (11)

Family Cites Families (17)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-23 CH CH01030/00A patent/CH694106A5/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-05-22 AU AU2001262567A patent/AU2001262567B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-05-22 WO PCT/IB2001/000895 patent/WO2001090706A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2001-05-22 AU AU6256701A patent/AU6256701A/xx active Pending
  • 2001-05-22 US US10/276,308 patent/US20030168260A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-22 JP JP2001586426A patent/JP2003534544A/ja active Pending
  • 2001-05-22 EP EP01936700A patent/EP1285243A2/de not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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