FR3055783B1 - CHARGING DEVICE FOR PACKETS OF CIGARETTES - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for locating an article (4), for example a cigarette pack, comprising a linear (1) provided with at least one support (2) such as a shelf, said support (2) having a plurality of sections (3) each of which may contain identical articles (4) in the same section (3) and different from one section (3) to the other, comprising selective lighting means (6) of each section (3), a controller (13) capable of activating one of said lighting means (6), a control (9) provided with an input means (10) for information and a means for processing (11) said information, and means (12) for sending an activation command to said controller (13).

Description

Tracking device for cigarette packs

The present invention is in the field of retail. It relates more particularly to a linear tobacco for use by a tobacconist. Such a linear is for example in the form of a piece of furniture with several shelves, and typically contains packets of cigarettes, cigars, rolling tobacco and tobacco pipe.

Following public health regulations, cigarette packets are largely covered by health notices intended to inform about the dangers of smoking. In the case of the neutral cigarette pack, no distinctive sign is present. Finally the name of the mark is in the lower part of the package, which is at least partially hidden in a conventional linear.

When a customer asks the tobacconist for a pack of cigarettes of a given brand, it is therefore difficult for the tobacconist to identify the location of the package in its linear. This causes a loss of time for the merchant and the customer.

The present invention aims to overcome at least in part these disadvantages. For this purpose, it proposes a device for locating an article, for example a pack of cigarettes, comprising a linear, provided with at least one support such as a shelf, said support comprising a plurality of sections that can each contain identical articles in the same section and different from one section to another, characterized in that it comprises a selective lighting means of each section, a controller able to activate one of said lighting means, a control provided with a means for inputting information and means for processing said information, and means for sending an activation command to said controller.

Thanks to these provisions, the user of this device can easily and quickly identify the location where is stored a particular article, so a tobacconist for example will not waste time looking for a cigarette package of a given brand in a linear filled with similar packages.

According to other features: said support may comprise a receptacle along said support, and a translucent plate disposed in said receptacle, said illumination means comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes, distributed on a support band disposed next to said translucent plate in said receptacle, so that the light emitted by a light emitting diode diffuses into said plate, and becomes apparent to the tobacconist, said translucent plate can overflow above said receptacle, so as to make visible from afar the light diffused from a light-emitting diode, further improving the visibility for the tobacconist, said controller may comprise an electronic card adapted to individually activate each light-emitting diode disposed in said receptacle, to simplify the installation, said sending means may comprise a wired network, ensuring a fast and reliable routing of the order of activation of a lighting means of the control to the controller, and a device inexpensive to manufacture, said input means and said processing means can be arranged on two separate physical entities, and said device comprise a means of transferring said information from said input means to said processing means, this making it easy to adapt an input means that is not dedicated solely to the tracking device, such as a touch pad or an intelligent cash register, said tracking device may comprise a plurality of input means, so that several users can use the device, for example several sellers of the same store, said transfer means may comprise a wireless network, for example a WiFi network, this avoids the installation of wires when the distance between input means and processing means is important, or when the means of seizing is caused to be moved, for example in the case where it is a shelf constantly carried by a seller, said wireless network may include an access point, said input means and said processing means being connected to said access point, this making it possible to use a conventional wireless wifi network, already existing and / or that can be used for other applications.

The present invention also relates to a method of locating an article, for example a pack of cigarettes, using a device according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: selection of an article by the user , input of information identifying said article, determination by the command of the section containing said article, sending by the command to the controller of the activation order of the determined lighting means, activation of said lighting means by the controller .

Thanks to these provisions, the identification of the location of a given article in a linear is faster, especially when the linear contains different but similar items.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a linear according to the invention,

Figures 2 to 4 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments of the invention,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a support of a linear according to the invention.

The term article can therefore be understood as a type, or a cigarette package mark, or any other article intended to be arranged in a linear tobacco.

The term linear is to be understood as a storage unit consisting of a plurality of horizontal shelf-type supports, each subdivided into sections, each section being used to store a particular article. One section may correspond to one spot along the support, and several identical cigarette packs may be aligned, so that only one is visible at the front of the holder.

The tracking device according to the invention, shown in FIG. 1 and 5, comprises a linear 1 provided with one or more supports 2 such as shelves, each support 2 having a plurality of sections 3, in which are arranged articles 4. The articles 4 arranged in the same section 3 are identical . The articles 4 arranged in different sections 3 are different, but similar so that it is not easy to differentiate them.

Along the entire front edge of the shelf, it can be arranged as shown in FIG. 5 a receptacle 5 U-shaped, in which there is arranged a strip of leds 6, and a plate 7 translucent, for example Plexiglas. Preferably the plexiglass plate 7 is higher than the receptacle 5, and protrudes so as to be clearly visible. The lighting of a led of the LED strip 6 creates a light source at the right of the selected section 3; this light then diffuses in the plexiglass 7 which makes it very visible from the tobacconist, and all the better because the plate 7 protrudes from the receptacle 5.

It can be expected to turn on 3 or 4 LEDs, corresponding to the width of a pack of cigarettes, or even 5 LEDs for a pot of rolling tobacco, for example, to illuminate the entire area concerned by the article 4 sought.

We can also provide a chase starting from the beginning of the shelf 2 concerned, to the desired section 3, and facilitate the identification of section 3.

End pieces 8 can be arranged at the end of the receptacle 5, to hold the plate 7 and the led strip 6 securely.

The tracking device also comprises a control 9. The control 9 comprises an input means 10 which can be a touch pad, provided with a dedicated application, or any other computer input means known to those skilled in the art such as an intelligent cash register. The command 9 also comprises a processing means 11 of the information entered. The command 9 may include, or communicate with, a database for matching to a given article 4 the section 3 of the linear 1 in which the article 4 is stored.

The tracking device further comprises a means 12 for sending the information entered, and a controller 13, able to communicate with the control 9 via the sending means 12. The sending means 12 may for example have a cable or wireless network. The controller 13 is able to control a plurality of lighting means 6, each lighting means 6 corresponding to a section 3 so that a section 3 of which the lighting means 6 is activated is easily identifiable by the 'user. The lighting means 6 may for example consist of light-emitting diode (LED) strips installed in the receptacle 5 along the shelf 2. The activation of a lighting means 6 may for example be a continuous ignition or a blink, for several seconds.

One can foresee, when the tobacconist searches for example two articles 4 of a mark, and three of another mark, that it records this need on his tablet, then the system produces two flashes on the section 3 of the first mark , and three flashes on section 3 of the second mark, then after a short pause of a few seconds, again two flashes on section 3 of the first mark, and three flashes on section 3 of the second mark. The tobacconist is therefore guided in the search for items 4 desired, seeing a reminder of the quantities requested, and does not need to memorize the entire order.

In the case where there are several sellers, and several input means 10, it is also possible to assign a color to a seller. LEDs are provided with the three basic colors, red, yellow and blue, which allows them by association to produce flashes of several colors. When a seller enters an item 4, the flashing will be in its color. When two sellers each enter an article 4 at the same time, there will be on the linear 1 flashes of each color, and so each seller knows what blinking is his own seizure, without risk of confusion between Articles 4 of the two sellers.

In a first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the input means 10 and the processing means 11 of the control 9 are separated in two separate physical entities, and the device according to the invention comprises a transfer means 14 allowing the input means 10 and the processing means 11 to communicate with each other. The processing means 11 may consist of an electronic card called motherboard 11, provided with a wireless interface capable of communicating with the input means 10. The transfer means 14 may in this case comprise a wireless network, but It is also possible to use a wired transfer means 14. The controller 13 may consist of a plurality of electronic cards called daughter cards, able to communicate with the motherboard 11 by the sending means 12, which can also be wireless or wired. Each daughter card corresponds to a support 2 of the linear 1 and controls the lighting means 6 of the support 2.

In a second embodiment, the sending means 12 comprises a wireless network, for example a wireless network (registered trademark). The controller 13 is composed of a plurality of electronic cards, each comprising a wireless interface capable of communicating with the control 9 via the sending means 12. Each daughter card is arranged on a support 2 of the linear 1 and controls the lighting means 6 of the support 2.

In a third embodiment, the sending means 12 comprises a wireless network. In this embodiment, a single electronic card 13 can control the lighting means 6 of all the sections 3 of a linear 1. It can then be imagined which the lighting means 6 are formed of a single strip electroluminescent diodes, placed along all the supports 2 of the linear 1.

In a fourth embodiment, the sending means 12 comprises a wireless network, and the controller 13 is composed of a plurality of electronic cards, each comprising a wireless interface capable of communicating with the wireless interface of the 9. Each daughter card is arranged on a linear 1 and controls the lighting means 6 of all sections 3 of this linear 1. This allows to use a plurality of linear 1 according to the invention, from a unique 9 command.

It is of course possible to adopt a hybrid solution, for example with small linear 1 having a controller 13, linear 1 large with several controllers 13, all of which can be used with a single command 9 having one or several input means 10.

The figs. 2-4 are examples of installation. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a single input means 10 is connected to a single linear 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, several input means 10 are connected to a single linear 1. Finally, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, a single input means 10 is connected to several linear lines 1.

The tracking device according to the invention can be used with a plurality of input means 10. Thus in a store in which several employees work, each employee can have its input means 10, for example a touch pad.

The transfer means 14 and / or the sending means 12 may comprise a wireless network. This wireless network may consist solely of input means 10, processing means 11 and controllers 13, communicating with each other in "ad hoc" mode, the advantage being the non-necessity of an additional entity on the network. In another embodiment, the input means 10 and / or processing means 11 and / or controllers 13 are connected to a wireless network comprising an access point. This embodiment is particularly simple to implement in the case where a wireless network is already existing in the store, for example via a Wifi point (registered trademark). In the case where the dimensions of the magazine make it necessary, it is possible to have repeaters to make sure that all the entities of the network are connected in a reliable way.

The tracking device according to the invention can be used according to the following method: The user, for example a tobacconist, seeks a particular article 4 in the linear 1, for example a cigarette pack of a given mark. The user uses the input means 10 on which he selects the desired item 4.

The control 9 determines the section 3 of the linear 1 in which is found the article 4.

The control 9 requests the controller 13 to activate the lighting means 6 of the desired section 3.

The controller 13 activates the lighting means 6 requested. As soon as the cashing is done, the lighting means 6 can be extinguished.

Fig. 1 shows the example of a linear cigarette pack 1, containing five supports 2 A, B, C, D and E. Each support 2 is subdivided into nine sections 3 corresponding to nine locations for, for example, nine different brands. The name of the marks is partially hidden by the edge of the support 2, which must be present to prevent cigarette packets from falling off the support 2. The user uses a tablet 10 to select the desired mark, for example B7, and the section 3 then lights up in linear 1, which allows the user to immediately identify the package to take to sell it to his client.

Claims (9)

1. Device for locating an article (4), for example a pack of cigarettes, comprising a linear (1) provided with at least one support (2) such as a shelf, said support (2) comprising a plurality of sections (3) which can each contain identical articles (4) in the same section (3) and different from one section (3) to the other, characterized in that it comprises a lighting means (6) of each section, a controller (13) capable of activating one of said lighting means (6), a control (9) provided with an input means (10) for information and a means for processing (11) said information, and means (12) for sending an activation command to said controller (13), and in that said medium (2) includes a receptacle (5) along said medium (2). ), and a translucent plate (7) disposed in said receptacle (5), said illumination means (6) having a plurality of light-emitting diodes distributed on a strip support disposed next to said translucent plate (7) in said receptacle (5), so that the light emitted by a light emitting diode diffuses into said plate (7). 2. marker device according to the preceding claim, wherein said plate (7) translucent overflowing above said receptacle (5), so as to make visible from afar the light scattered from a light-emitting diode. 3. A marking device according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein said controller (13) comprises an electronic card adapted to individually activate each light-emitting diode disposed in said receptacle (5), 4. Tracking device according to the preceding claim, wherein said sending means (12) comprises a wired network. The marking device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said gripping means (10) and said processing means (11) are arranged on two distinct physical entities, and said device comprises a transfer means (14) for said information of said input means (10) to said processing means (11). 6. Tracking device according to the preceding claim, wherein said transfer means (14) comprises a wireless network, for example a wifï network. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of input means (10). 8. A tracking device according to the preceding claim, wherein said wireless network comprises an access point, said input means (10) and said processing means (11) being connected to said access point. 9. A method of locating an article (4), for example a pack of cigarettes, using a device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: selection of an article (4) ) by the user, inputting information identifying said article (4), determination by the command (9) of the section (3) containing said article (4), flight by the command (9) to the controller (13) of the activation order of the lighting means (6) determined, activation of said lighting means (6) by the controller (13).