EP2474956B1 - Transport unit and method for operating the same - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a transport unit for feeding goods to a scanning unit of a self-service cash register system with a conveyor belt for transporting the goods in a transport direction and with a marking unit associated with the conveyor belt for marking released for placing the goods support areas on a goods support surface of the conveyor belt.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for subdividing a goods support surface of a conveyor belt serving for transporting a transport unit into a plurality of released for placing goods in a transport direction of the transport unit successively arranged support areas, wherein the individual support areas are identified by means of a marking unit.

Self-service checkout systems are increasingly being used in trade in order to identify the goods selected by a customer largely automatically and to settle the purchase. For this purpose, the goods are usually optically detected without contact by means of a scanning unit by scanning a surface of the goods and, in particular, a marking serving to identify the goods is detected.

In order to ensure a reliable scanning of the entire surface of the goods come as a scanning unit, for example a so-called tunnel scanner used. The goods are typically fed to the tunnel scanner automatically via a transport unit having a conveyor belt. The tunnel scanner has a plurality of scanning modules which are fastened to a frame which is arranged in the manner of an archway over the conveyor belt. With the help of the scanning modules, the complete surface of the goods, with the exception of a support side, with which the goods rest on a goods support surface of the conveyor belt, be scanned. In this case, the goods which are manually placed on the goods support surface by the customer do not typically have a certain orientation. In addition, for the optical scanning of the bearing surface of the goods, a further scanning module can be arranged below the conveyor belt such that the bearing surface of the goods is also optically detected by a recess in the transport unit.

In order to ensure a high degree of automation and a low error rate, the goods to be detected are fed to the scanning unit sequentially. This is for example from the DE 102 35 865 A1 It is known to assign marking units to the conveyor belt, by means of which the goods support surface formed by the upper run of the conveyor belt can be subdivided into a plurality of bearing areas of predetermined size. The customer is requested to place only one product per support area on the conveyor belt. In this way it is ensured that the goods can be supplied to the scanning unit at a distance and reliably identified. The boundaries of the individual support areas are optically highlighted, for example by means of the marking unit. The disadvantage here is that the bearing areas have a constant predefined and structurally defined size. The Bearing areas can not be adapted to the size of the goods assigned to them. Responsible for this is the rigid assignment of the marking unit to the conveyor belt. In this respect, the distance of the individual goods is unnecessarily large and the goods throughput is limited, in particular for a small product size. In contrast, in particular very large goods can extend beyond the boundaries of the support areas.

DE 10 2008 049 160 B3 describes a method for separating goods on a ticket treadmill, in which the goods separation is electro-optical and is displayed by a customer at the point where the goods are to be separated, sets a switching point on a button bar to identify the goods separation.

US 5543607 A describes a self-service checkout system in which mishaps and deception are prevented by identifying and selectively transporting certain products.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a transport unit and a method for operating the transport unit such that the goods throughput increases at a transport unit having self-service cash system and a reliable, automated collection of goods of any size is possible.

To achieve the object, the invention in conjunction with the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor belt is associated with a detector unit for detecting a rear edge of the goods seen in the transport direction, and that a control unit cooperates with the marking unit and the detector unit, that between a seen in the transport direction front support area and a rear support area seen in the transport direction is not released for the placement of goods Sperrbereich is formed, wherein seen in the transport direction front end face is defined by the rear edge of the product associated with the front support area.

The particular advantage of the invention is that by detecting the rear edge of the product by means of the detector unit, the support areas with a variable, to the size of the respective length of the goods to be collected can be defined. As a result, on the one hand avoids that particularly large goods protrude beyond the limits of the support area. In this respect, a high level of automation can be achieved and the error rate in goods registration can be reduced. In addition, a high packing density and an improved throughput of goods is achieved, especially for small goods sizes. The blocking area, which is provided between in each case two support areas arranged one behind the other in the transport direction, has, for example, a constant length and is dimensioned such that reliable detection of the goods by the scanning unit is ensured. Labeling the overlay area simplifies the handling of the self-service checkout system for the customer.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the detector unit has an optical sensor for non-contact detection of the rear edge of the product. Advantageously, the use of an optical sensor ensures a fast and reliable identification of the rear edge of the product. On a mechanical touch of the goods is waived with the result that the goods are protected from damage. By way of example, the detector unit can have a camera system in order to detect the goods and to identify the rear edge of the product via means of image processing.

According to a development of the invention, a plurality of optical sensors of the goods support surface of the conveyor belt are assigned such that means of the detector unit, the goods support surface spanning light grid is formed, wherein a detection plane of the light grid substantially parallel to a transport plane of the conveyor belt is oriented. Advantageously, the provision of a light grid, the position of the rear edge of the product not only determined once, but are determined during the entire transport continuously or at intervals. In addition, with the help of the light grid several goods can be detected simultaneously.

For example, the optical sensors each have a transmitting and receiving unit in the manner of a light barrier for forming the light grid. The light grid is advantageously oriented parallel to the transport plane of the conveyor belt to reliably detect goods regardless of their position on the conveyor belt and their size, in particular height.

According to a development of the invention, the marking unit has a plurality of laterally adjacent to the goods support surface of the conveyor belt, extending in the transport direction light sources. The light sources serve to optically identify the support area or the blocking areas. Advantageously, placing the goods on the transport unit for the customer is particularly easy if the support areas and blocking areas are visually highlighted and easy to recognize. By providing the plurality of light sources adjacent to one another in the transport direction, for example, the support areas can be illuminated. For example, the light sources can emit differently colored light in order to illuminate the support areas for the customer in a first color (eg green) and the blocking areas in a second color (eg red). The light sources of the marking unit can with the in Moving direction to be moved moving conveyor belt or assigned to the transport unit stationary.

To solve the problem, the invention is characterized in connection with the preamble of claim 7, characterized in that a rear edge of the goods seen in the transport direction of the goods is detected to determine a rear end face seen in the transport direction of the goods associated bearing area on the one hand and a front end of a for the placement of goods not released blocking area of the goods support surface on the other hand, wherein two seen in the transport direction successive support areas are separated by a blocking area from each other.

The particular advantage of the invention is that the bearing areas receive a variable, adapted to the location and size of the goods to be detected length. Due to the variable length, the packing density can be increased and the goods throughput can be improved. In addition, it can be avoided that in particular large or bulky goods protrude beyond rigidly predetermined limits of the support surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the blocking area is indicated by means of the marking unit. Advantageously, the customer receives visual feedback both on the boundaries of the support areas and on the boundaries of the restricted areas. As a result, the correct circulation of goods on the conveyor belt is further simplified. By marking the position of the support areas and the position of the blocking areas, the marking unit assumes a dual function, with the result that the overall solution can be realized particularly low or the additional marking of the blocked areas is possible without significant additional effort.

According to a development of the invention, the position of the support areas or blocking areas during transport is continuously identified to produce a dynamic support and Sperrbereichsanzeige. Advantageously, this makes possible, for example, a dynamic visualization in the manner of a light strip. For this purpose, a plurality of arranged in the transport direction of the conveyor belt, preferably laterally adjacent to the conveyor belt arranged light sources are controlled such that the support and stop areas are not displayed statically, but analogous to the transport speed of the product "wander". The dynamic support and locking range display, based on the non-moving customer, simplifies handling and ensures that the support areas are displayed at all times.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further subclaims.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS.

Figur 1

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel der erfindungsgemäßen Transporteinheit in einem ersten Betriebspunkt,

Figur 2

das erste Ausführungsbeispiel nach Figur in einem zweiten Betriebspunkt,

Figur 3

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel der Transporteinheit und

Figur 4

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel der Transporteinheit.

Show it:

FIG. 1

A first embodiment of the transport unit according to the invention in a first operating point,

FIG. 2

the first embodiment of Figure in a second operating point,

FIG. 3

A second embodiment of the transport unit and

FIG. 4

a third embodiment of the transport unit.

A schematically illustrated in a plan view Selbstbedienungskassenensystem according to the Figures 1 and 2 has as essential components a transport unit 1, a scanning unit 2, a marking unit 3 and a detector unit 4. Such self-service checkout systems are increasingly used in the retail sector to automatically capture the goods selected by the customer and to reduce the cost of the payment process.

The scanning unit 2 is constructed by way of example in the manner of a tunnel scanner. It serves to optically scan the surface of a product 5 to be detected in a non-contact manner and, in particular, to detect a marking serving to identify the product 5. For this purpose, the scanning unit 2 has, for example, a multiplicity of scanning modules mounted distributed on a frame extending in the manner of an archway over the transport unit 1, by means of which the goods 5 are scanned. Typically, the scanning unit 2 also has a further, arranged below the transport unit 1 scanning module, by means of which a support surface of the goods 5, with the goods 5 rests on the transport unit 1, can be optically scanned through a recess of the transport unit 1.

The transport unit 1 has as an essential component on a conveyor belt 6, which preferably as endless conveyor belt is formed and serves to supply the goods 5 in a transport direction 7 of the scanning unit 2. Furthermore, the transport unit 1 comprises a transport means configured as a further conveyor belt 8 for transporting the goods 5 from the scanning unit 2. Via the further conveyor belt 8, the goods 5 are supplied to a goods collecting station, not shown, where the captured goods 5 are removed by the customer provided.

In order to reliably detect goods by means of the scanning unit 2, they must be supplied to the scanning unit 2 sequentially. For this purpose, it is necessary that the goods isolated and spaced on the conveyor belt 6 are placed. In order to assist the customer in the separation of the goods, the detector unit 4 is provided. By means of the detector unit 4, a rear edge 9 of the goods 5 is visually recognized. The detector unit 4 has a plurality of optical transmission units 10 and optical reception units 11 which function in the manner of a light barrier and generate a light grid 12. Depending on a transmitting unit 10 and a receiving unit 11 define an optical sensor of the detector unit 4. The light grid 12 extends transversely to the transport direction 7 via the conveyor belt 6th

The optical transmitting and receiving units 10, 11 are arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor belt 6 laterally adjacent to the same and extend in the transport direction 7 such that the light grid 12 completely spans a defined by the upper run of the conveyor belt 6 goods support surface 13 of the conveyor belt 6. A detection plane of the light grid is here oriented substantially parallel to a transport plane 14 of the conveyor belt 6.

The marking unit 3 is formed by a plurality of laterally adjacent to the goods support surface 13 of the conveyor belt 6, extending in the transport direction 7, fixed to the transport unit 1 associated light sources 17 formed. The marking unit 3 serves to visually identify a plurality of support areas 15, 16 intended for placing goods 5 on the goods support surface 13. For example, for this purpose, the support areas 15, 16 laterally associated light sources 17 of the marking unit 3 can be activated. For the customer is thus easily recognizable, at which point the goods 5 can be placed on the goods support surface 13 of the conveyor belt 6.

The light and grating 12 generating transmitting and receiving units 10, 11 of the detector unit 4 are as well as the light sources 17 of the marking unit 3 of the transport unit 1 fixed and laterally adjacent to the conveyor belt 6 assigned. Transmitting and receiving units 10, 11 and light sources 17 are preferably integrated in a lateral cladding 31 of the transport unit 1, in particular for protection against mechanical loads and contamination. The cladding 31 may protect additional components, in particular the moving components of the transport unit 1, from being accessed from the outside.

In order to improve the goods identification on the one hand and the customer management on the other hand, two support regions 15, 16 adjacent in the transport direction 7 are separated from one another by a blocking region 18. The blocking region 18 has a preferably constant length 19 and is dimensioned so that the scanning unit 2 sequentially supplied goods can be reliably detected.

The blocking regions 18 laterally associated light sources 17 are not active according to the present embodiment of the invention, so that the customer can easily distinguish between the support area 15, 16 and the blocking areas 18 of the goods support surface 13.

In order to increase the goods throughput and the packing density of the goods 5, the bearing areas 15, 16 have a variable length 20, 21. For determining the position of the goods 5 on the conveyor belt 6 and the size of the goods 5 dependent, due to the transport movement time variable length 20, 21 of the support areas 15, 16, a control unit, not shown, works together with the marking unit 3 and the detector unit 4. The detected by means of the detector unit 4 rear edge of the product 9 defines both seen in the direction of transport 7 rear end 22 of the front in the transport direction 7 Warenauflagebereichs 15 and seen in the transport direction 7 front end face 23 of the front support portion 15 of a seen in the transport direction 7 rear support area In this way, it is ensured that the front support area 15 has a minimum length 21 for a given position of the goods 5, and the blocking area 18 adjoins the support area 15 directly. The rear web edge 9 on the one hand and the rear end face 22 of the front support area 15 and the front end face 23 of the blocking area 18 on the other hand can deviate from the schematic representation of the characters 1 and 2 spaced apart, in particular have a distance of 5 cm or less.

As shown, the position and the length change 20, 21 of the support areas 15, 16 during the transport of the goods 5. In order to visualize the support areas 15, 16 and the blocking area 18 also during the transport of the goods 5, the control unit controls the Light sources 17 dynamically and generates in this way a light strip for dynamic Auflagebereichs- and Sperrbereichsanzeige.

By way of example, a second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 shows the conveyor belt 6 with the first product 5 and a second product 24. The second product 24 is placed on the rear support region 16 by the customer at any point. The detector unit 4 identifies a rear edge 25 of the second product 24 in a known manner. The rear support area 16 seen in the transport direction 7 is delimited by the rear edge 25 of the second product 24. At the rear support portion 16, another locking portion 26 connects.

The same components and component functions of the alternative embodiments of the invention are provided with the same reference numerals.

According to the second embodiment of the invention, the marking unit 3 has light sources 17 on opposite sides of the conveyor belt 6. By providing light sources 17 on both sides of the conveyor belt 6, the visualization of the support areas 15, 16 and the stopper areas 18 is improved. For example, goods can be placed on the conveyor belt 6 from both sides.

Of course, more than two goods 5, 24 placed simultaneously on the goods support surface 13 of the conveyor belt 6 and the scanning unit 2 are supplied. The packing density of the transport unit 1 is limited by the number of goods 5, 24, the length 19 of the blocking areas 18, 26 and the position of the goods 5, 24 in the support areas 15, 16. A maximum packing density would be achieved if the support areas 15, 16 have a minimum length, that is, when a front edge of the product 32 32 of the second product 24 directly adjacent to a rear end face 33 of the front in the transport direction 7 blocking area 18. The length of the rear support region 16 is then defined by the length of the second product 24.

According to a third embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 4 the marking unit 3 has a projection module 29. The projection module 29, which is arranged by way of example in the region of the scanning unit 2, serves to project a marking 30 characterizing the blocking region 18 onto the goods support surface 13 of the conveyor belt 6. The customer recognizes by means of the marking 30 that this area is not intended for the placement of goods 5, 24. The illustration of the light grid 12 has been omitted for reasons of clarity alone.

Instead of projecting a marking 30 in the region of the blocking region 18, the respectively next contact region (rear supporting region 16) can be emphasized by means of the projection module 29.

By way of example only, the detector unit 4 has a plurality of transmitting and receiving units 10, 11 arranged adjacent to one another in the transport direction 7 for constructing the light grid 12. Alternatively, any suitable sensor, in particular any suitable optical sensor, can be used to detect the rear edge 9, 25 of the product. For example, a camera-supported detector unit 4 can be provided, wherein the rear edges of the goods 9, 25 are identified by means of image processing. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 1 transport unit 24 second product 2 scanning 25 rear edge of the product 3 marking unit 26 further restricted area 4 detector unit 27 front end 5 Would 28 rear end face 6 conveyor belt 29 projection module 7 transport direction 30 mark 8th another conveyor belt 31 paneling 9 rear edge of the product 32 front edge of the product 10 optical transmission unit 33 rear end face 11 optical receiving unit 12 light Curtain 13 Goods bearing surface 14 transport plane 15 support area 16 support area 17 light source 18 stopband 19 length 20 length 21 length 22 rear end face 23 front end

Claims (10)

1. Transport unit (1) for delivering goods (5, 24) to a scanning unit (2) of a self-service till system, having a transport belt (6) for transporting the goods (5, 24) in a transport direction (7) and having a marking unit (3), assigned to the transport belt (6), for marking placement regions (15, 16) that are approved for the placement of goods (5, 24) on a goods placement surface of the transport belt (6), characterized in that a detector unit (4) for capturing a rear goods edge (9, 25) of the goods (5, 24), as viewed in the transport direction (7), is assigned to the transport belt (6), and in that a control unit interacts with the marking unit (3) and the detector unit (4) such that a blocked region (18) that is not approved for the placement of goods (5, 24) between a front placement region (15), as viewed in the transport direction (7), and a rear placement region (16), as viewed in the transport direction (7), is marked by the marking unit (3), wherein the front end face (23) thereof, as viewed in the transport direction (7), is defined by the rear goods edge (9) of the goods (5) arranged on the front placement region (15).
2. Transport unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the detector unit (4) has an optical sensor (transmission unit 10, receiving unit 11) for the contact-free detection of the rear goods edge (9, 25).
3. Transport unit (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of optical sensors (transmission unit 10, receiving unit 11) are assigned to the goods placement surface (13) of the transport belt (6) such that the detector unit (4) is used to form a light grid (12) that covers the goods placement surface (13), wherein a capture plane of the light grid (12) is oriented substantially parallel with respect to a transport plane (14) of the transport belt (6).
4. Transport unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the marking unit (3) has a plurality of light sources (17) extending in the transport direction (7), which are arranged laterally adjacent to the goods placement surface (13) of the transport belt (6) and can be used to mark the placement regions (15, 16) and/or the blocked regions (18, 26).
5. Transport unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sensors (transmission unit 10, receiving unit 11) of the detector unit (4) and/or the light sources (17) of the marking unit (3) are arranged so as to be integrated in an attachment part (side rail 31) that extends in the transport direction (7) and is arranged laterally of the transport belt (6).
6. Transport unit (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the marking unit (3) has a projection module (29) for projecting a marking (30) that marks the blocked region (18) onto the goods placement surface (13).
7. Method for dividing a goods placement surface of a transport belt (6), which serves for transporting goods, of a transport unit (1) for delivering goods (5, 24) to a scanning unit (2) of a self-service till system and having a marking unit (3) assigned to the transport belt (6) and having a detector unit (4) assigned to the transport belt (6), into a plurality of placement regions which are arranged one behind the other in a transport direction of the transport unit (1) and are approved for the placement of goods, wherein the individual placement regions are marked using the marking unit (3), characterized in that a rear goods edge (9, 25) of the goods (5, 24), as viewed in the transport direction (7), is captured by the detector unit (4) for determining a rear end face (22, 28), as viewed in the transport direction (7), of a placement region (15, 16) assigned to the goods (5, 24) on the one hand and a front end face (23, 27) of a blocked region (18, 26) of the goods placement surface (13) that is not approved for the placement of goods (5, 24) on the other hand, wherein two placement regions (15, 16) which are located one behind the other as viewed in the transport direction (7) are separated from one another by the blocked region (18, 26).
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the blocked region (18) is marked using the marking unit (3).
9. Method according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the location of the placement regions (15, 16) and/or of the blocked regions (18, 26) is continuously marked during the transport of the goods (5, 24) to produce a dynamic placement and blocking indication.
10. Method according to one of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the rear goods edge (9, 25) is optically captured and/or the blocked region (18, 26) and/or the placement region (15, 16) are optically marked.

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