EP2875756B1

EP2875756B1 - Checkout counter with a basket lifting system

Info

Publication number: EP2875756B1
Application number: EP14382459.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mónica Aragón Repiso
Original assignee: Somnun SL
Current assignee: Somnun SL
Priority date: 2013-11-21
Filing date: 2014-11-18
Publication date: 2017-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-18
Also published as: PT2875756T; ES2536332B2; EP2875756A1; ES2536332A1

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a checkout counter with a basket lifting system. More specifically, the present invention provides a checkout counter with a basket lifting system that makes it possible to place shopping baskets, used in shopping centres and supermarkets, at the height of the conveyer belts found at checkouts. The aim behind this is to eliminate the need to continuously bend down in order to take items out of the basket and put them onto the checkout conveyer belt.

STATE OF THE ART

Lately, one may observe how deeper shopping baskets with greater capacity are being manufactured, as they have incorporated wheels in order to enable effortless shopping. However, the drawback of such baskets is that when people reach the checkout, they have to empty these large, deep baskets. The task of emptying them involves either making physical effort or bending down.
In today's society, all kinds of different systems have been created to spare people physical effort. Baskets with wheels facilitate effortless shopping, since it is not necessary to overexert the back by carrying them whilst shopping in shopping centres. However, up until now, there have been no systems on the market that make it possible to empty the contents of shopping baskets easily and effortlessly, without overexertion or having to continuously bend down until it is completely empty, upon arriving at the checkout counter in order to pay for the items acquired.
Conventional baskets (without wheels) have gradually disappeared and have been replaced on the market by baskets with wheels, which are becoming increasingly large and deep. These baskets pose a significant drawback when it comes to putting items onto the conveyer belts at checkouts, especially when one considers elderly people, pregnant women or people with some type of disability.
The present invention aims to create a basket lifting system that makes this task easier.
US-2004/0226488-A1 discloses a retail merchandising apparatus for use with a pallet stackable with merchandise items.
EP-2499941-A1 discloses a prior art system for elevating shopping baskets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a checkout counter with a basket lifting system as defined in claims 1 and 16. Embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
In particular, the present invention provides a checkout counter with a basket lifting system for shopping baskets usually used in shopping centres, wherein the basket lifting system comprises:

a basket carrier, for example in the form of a tray, platform or arms, on which a basket is placed,
a lifting device for moving the basket carrier vertically, comprising:
- a drive device,
- a basket carrier securing device, to which the basket carrier is coupled,
- an electrical power box, from which the power feed cable comes out and which comprises lifting control means,
a protective cover, which covers the entire drive device, and
a control panel, to actuate the basket carrier vertically or make it stop, which is connected to the electrical power box by a cable;

Said lifting control means manage the movements of the drive device and comprise a programmable logic controller and/or a programmable electronic card and/or an electrical relay circuit.
The protective cover may be located below the empty space in checkout counters for the conveyer belt. Alternatively, if there is not such an empty space or even no conveyer belt, the protective cover may be located in front of the checkout (POS). The protective cover may comprise a metal profile structure, secured to the floor and/or to the checkout counter, in order to prevent it from moving or tipping over. The protective cover may be made of stainless steel.
The drive device may comprise an electro-mechanical system, composed of an electric motor driving a spindle and screw or rack and pinion assembly, and even a pneumatic or hydraulic system driving lifting cylinders.
If the basket carrier is of the platform or tray type, it may have a bevelled edge over which the basket with wheels can move up onto the basket carrier. If the basket carrier is of the arm type, the design of the baskets may enable coupling to said arms. In a more complex embodiment, the basket carrier may comprise robotic arms.
The control panel may comprise a button control panel, which may have three options (up, down and stop), it being possible for said control panel to be located in an area that customers and/or the checker can access easily. It may even be automatically actuated, without human intervention.
The basket lifting system of the checkout counter according to the invention may comprise safety systems, for example of the protective barrier type, located between the basket carrier and customer walkways, in order to reduce the access of system users to the moving parts. Further safety systems might be incorporated upon customers' request.
The system proposed may be a separate unit or the unit may be built into the checkout counter, being included and hidden directly in said piece of furniture. According to a first aspect of the invention, the system proposed is complemented with closure means, which comprise at least one flexible, elastic, foldable and/or crushable element, arranged between the floor and the basket carrier itself, in such a way that it obstructs access to the space along which the basket carrier moves.
The present invention helps to prevent overexertion of the back when lifting the weight of the basket to place it at the start of the checkout counter in order to empty it, or when one must bend down in order to empty it out. In other words, the invention makes it easier to empty these baskets, preventing the back from performing unnecessary effort and overexertion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the basket lifting system of the checkout counter according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the lifting device used in the basket lifting system of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the basket carrier used in the basket lifting system of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the basket lifting system of Figure 1, coupled to a checkout counter.
Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a basket lifting system of a checkout counter according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, an embodiment of a basket lifting system according to the invention is presented, which is coupled to a checkout counter 1d.
The system comprises:

a basket carrier 1a in the form of a platform, on which a basket is placed,
a lifting device 1b for moving the platform 1a vertically, comprising:
- a drive device 3a-e,
- a basket carrier securing device, to which the platform 1a is coupled,
- an electrical power box 3f, from which the power feed cable comes out and which comprises lifting control means,
a protective cover 1c, which covers the entire drive device 3a-e,
a control panel 1e to actuate the platform 1a vertically or make it stop, which is connected to the electrical power box 3f by a cable, and
a safety system, in the form of a transparent plate 1f, which in this case is made from methacrylate.

The drive device is formed by a guided carriage 3d, a reduction motor 3a with orthogonal axes, and the corresponding spindle 3c and nut 3b thereof. The spindle 3c has upper and lower track ends 3e, which control the trajectory of the nut and check whether or not a basket is present on the platform 1a, so that, if there is no basket, the nut 3b travels or stays in the lower position (at floor level). Everything is to be driven by the reduction motor 3a located in the lower part of the system.
Said lifting control means manage the movements of the drive device 3a-e by sending signals to the reduction motor 3a from presence detectors, which detect when the basket is in position on the platform and the vertical position at which the platform is located or should be stopped. Said lifting control means may be embodied in the form of a programmable logic controller, programmable electronic card or electrical relay circuit. In the embodiment described in detail herein, said control means include an electronic CDS-3310 card, made by the company GALIL.
The platform 1a comprises: a first part 2a, which is substantially horizontal, through which said platform 1a is screwed to the base plate of the guided carriage 3d by means of a basket carrier securing device in the form of a screw and platform base plate; and a second part 2b, which is hinged to a free edge of said first part 2a. The second part 2b is therefore free to pivot with respect to the first part 2a over an angle, seen from below, which extends from a first inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, predetermined by means of an angular stop and a second inclination of between 180 and 360 degrees. In the lowest position of the platform 1a, the first part 2a is therefore separated from the ground and the second part 2b falls until it comes into contact with the floor, thus creating an access ramp to the first part 2a. At the start of an operation of the system of the invention, said second part 2b is preferably placed at an inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, either resting against said angular stop or resting on the floor. This arrangement furthermore reduces the risk of the platform 1a crushing a nearby person's foot (or a similar object) when it is lowered, since the first part 2a will always stop, as already indicated, at a certain distance from the floor, and the second part 2b can pivot upwards upon coming into contact with a person's foot.
Two cables come out of the electrical power box 3f, one of which is for connecting to the electrical power supply and the other of which is connected to a control box 1e for actuating the system, with three buttons (up, down and stop), which is located wherever the customer so wishes.
The entire system is supported by a metal profile structure 3g, which is secured to the floor and to the checkout counter 1d. The metal profile structure 3g is covered with stainless steel sheets 3h. The metal profile structure 3g and the stainless steel sheets 3h form the protective cover 1c.
Lastly, the transparent plate 1f comprises a flat vertical empty support space, for supporting sheet-like elements, possibly paper or card elements. In this embodiment, this empty support space is created between two transparent sheets, specifically made of methacrylate, which form said transparent plate 1f. At least one of said transparent sheets can be detachable, mainly to facilitate the insertion of the element to be supported and to carry out cleaning tasks. In addition, the transparent plate 1f comprises lighting.
Turning to figure 5, another embodiment of a basket lifting system according to the invention is presented. This embodiment is similar to the first one in so far as it comprises a basket carrier 1a', a protective cover 1c' that covers the entire drive device and the electrical power box, a control panel 1e' and a safety system.
In this case, the safety system is in the form of a frame 1h', which may enclose a mesh, a grating, a plate or similar, in order to provide increased safety. In this embodiment, the frame 1h' encloses a double-sheet metal-methacrylate plate 1f', thereby creating an intermediate space that can support sheet-like elements, potentially paper or card elements. The frame 1h' in this embodiment may be detachable, precisely in order to place said paper or card elements, in addition to other purposes such as cleaning and maintenance. In this embodiment, the safety system includes a frame 1h' at each side of the system of the invention, yet it is clear that this may be limited to just one side, as in the first embodiment (just as the first embodiment could include a transparent plate 1f at both sides).
In addition, the system of this embodiment comprises a bellows 1g', which extends vertically from the platform 1a' to the floor, covering the space along which the platform 1a' moves, thereby obstructing access to the same mainly for safety reasons.
Naturally, if the principle of the present invention is maintained, the embodiments and construction details thereof may vary widely with respect to those described and illustrated herein purely by way of non-limiting example, without however exceeding the scope of the present invention, as defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

A checkout counter with a basket lifting system, particularly for shopping baskets usually used in shopping centres, the basket lifting system comprising:
- a basket carrier (1a; 1a'), on which a basket is placed,

- a lifting device (1b) for moving the basket carrier (1a; 1a') vertically, comprising:
a drive device (3a-e),

a basket carrier securing device, to which the basket carrier (1a; 1a') is coupled,

an electrical power box (3f), from which the power feed cable comes out and which comprises lifting control means,

- a protective cover (1c, 3g-h; 1c'), which covers the entire drive device (3a-e), and

- a control panel (1e; 1e'), to actuate the basket carrier (1a; 1a') vertically or to make it stop, which is connected to the electrical power box (3f) by a cable;
to lift the basket from the floor up to a height that is operationally level with the upper surface of the checkout counter (1d), in order for the basket to be emptied; wherein said lifting control means manage the movements of the drive device (3a-e) and comprise a programmable logic controller and/or a programmable electronic card and/or an electrical relay circuit; characterised in that the system further includes closure means comprising at least one flexible, elastic, foldable and/or crushable element, arranged between the floor and the basket carrier itself, in such a way that it obstructs access to the space along which the basket carrier moves.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 1, characterised in that the basket carrier (1a; 1a') is a platform comprising: a substantially horizontal first part (2a); and a second part (2b) that is hinged to a free edge of said first part (2a).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to clam 2, characterised in that said platform is screwed, by said substantially horizontal first part (2a), to a base plate of a guided carriage (3d) by means of the basket carrier securing device in the form of a screw and platform base plate.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the second part (2b) is free to pivot with respect to the first part (2a) over an angle, seen from below, which extends from a first inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, predetermined by means of an angular stop, and a second inclination of between 180 and 360 degrees.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 2, 3 or 4, configured so that in the lowest position of the platform, the first part (2a) is separated from the floor and the second part (2b) is in contact with the floor, in such a way that it creates an access ramp to the first part (2a).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 4, configured so that at the start of an operation of the system, said second part (2b) is placed with an inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, either resting against said angular stop or resting on the floor.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises safety systems (1f; 1f', 1h') of the protective barrier type, located between the basket carrier (1a; 1a') and customer walkways.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 7, characterised in that said safety systems of the protective barrier type comprise a transparent plate (1f).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 8, characterised in that said transparent plate (1f) comprises a flat vertical support space.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 9, characterised in that said support space is created between two transparent sheets forming said transparent plate (1f).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 10, characterised in that at least one of said transparent sheets is detachable.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 7, characterised in that said safety systems of the protective barrier type comprise a frame (1h').
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 12, characterised in that said frame (1h') encloses a mesh, a grating or a plate,
in that said frame (1h') preferably encloses a double-sheet metal-methacrylate plate (1f'), thereby creating a space between the two sheets,
and in that said frame (1h') is preferably detachable.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to any one of the claims 7-13, characterised in that said safety systems (1f, 1f') of the protective barrier type comprise lighting.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said flexible, elastic, foldable and/or crushable element is a bellows (1g'), which extends vertically from the basket carrier (1a') to the floor.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system, particularly for shopping baskets usually used in shopping centres, the basket lifting system comprising:
- a basket carrier (1a; 1a'), on which a basket is placed,

- a lifting device (1b) for moving the basket carrier (1a; 1a') vertically, comprising:
a drive device (3a-e),

a basket carrier securing device, to which the basket carrier (1a; 1a') is coupled,

an electrical power box (3f), from which the power feed cable comes out and which comprises lifting control means,

- a protective cover (1c, 3g-h; 1c'), which covers the entire drive device (3a-e), and

- a control panel (1e; 1e'), to actuate the basket carrier (1a, 1a') vertically or make it stop, which is connected to the electrical power box (3f) by a cable;
to lift the basket from the floor up to a height that is operationally level with the upper surface of the checkout counter (1d), in order for the basket to be emptied; wherein said lifting control means manage the movements of the drive device (3a-e) and comprise a programmable logic controller and/or a programmable electronic card and/or an electrical relay circuit; characterised in that the basket carrier (1a; 1a') is a platform comprising a substantially horizontal first part (2a) and a second part (2b) that is hinged to a free edge of said first part (2a).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 16, characterised in that the second part (2b) is arranged free to pivot with respect to the first part (2a) over an angle, seen from below, which extends from a first inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, predetermined by means of an angular stop, and a second inclination of between 180 and 360 degrees.
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 16 or 17, configured so that in the lowest position of the platform, the first part (2a) is separated from the floor and the second part (2b) is in contact with the floor, in such a way that it creates an access ramp to the first part (2a).
A checkout counter with a basket lifting system according to claim 17, configured so that at the start of an operation of the system, said second part (2b) is placed with an inclination of between 90 and 180 degrees, either resting against said angular stop or resting on the floor.