FR3057448A1 - DISTRIBUTOR OF GOODS - Google Patents

Abstract

A goods dispenser, comprising: a receiving block (4) provided with shelves (8, 9, 12) so as to form stacked bins (13) open on the same side; an upper roller shutter system (14) comprising an upper apron (15) and an upper horizontal means (16) for winding / unwinding the upper apron, a portion (15a) of the upper apron unfolding downwards facing said side said block, a lower roller shutter system (19) comprising a horizontal apron (21) for winding / unwinding of the lower deck, a portion (20a) of the lower deck extending upwardly opposite said side of said block; and a control device (124) adapted to control said winding / unwinding means (16, 21) to relative positions such that horizontal end edges (18, 23) of said aprons leave an access passage between them (P) to a selected bin.

Description

® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY © Publication number: 3,057,448 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 16 59963

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : A 47 F1 / 04 (2017.01), G 07 F 11/62, G 05 B 19/02

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 14.10.16. (© Priority: © Applicant (s): NESTORE GREEN TECHNOLOGIES — FR. ©) Date of public availability of the request: 20.04.18 Bulletin 18/16. @ Inventor (s): DUFOUR GREGORY and ROBIN JEAN MARC. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): NESTORE GREEN TECHNOLOGIES. ©) Extension request (s): (© Agent (s): CASALONGA.

£> 4 / DISTRIBUTOR OF GOODS.

FR 3 057 448 - A1

Distributor of goods, comprising: a receiving block (4) provided with shelves (8, 9, 12) so as to form stacked compartments (13) open on the same side;

an upper roller shutter system (14) comprising an upper deck (15) and an upper horizontal means (16) for winding / unrolling the upper deck, a portion (15a) of the upper deck extending downward facing said side of said block, a lower rolling shutter system (19) comprising a horizontal apron (21) for winding / unwinding the lower apron, a portion (20a) of the lower apron extending upwards facing said side of said block; and a control device (124) capable of controlling said winding / unwinding means (16, 21) towards relative positions such that horizontal end edges (18, 23) of said decks leave an access passage between them (P) to a selected locker.

i

Goods distributor

The present invention relates to the field of merchandise distributors.

In the field of electronic commerce, it is known that a customer places an order via the Internet at a chosen store and that the customer comes to collect the products ordered at a location adjacent to the store.

Attempts have been made to make goods available in places or points of withdrawal closer to the customers. The best known is to provide individual lockers for temporary storage, such as locker lockers or letter boxes. For this, the customer is provided with an identification of a specific locker in which the goods ordered will be stored and the opening of this locker will be authorized by reading the customer's credit card or by a code previously communicated to the customer when of his order.

However, equipping each locker with an access door makes such dispensers very expensive to manufacture and manage. In addition, the lockers having determined dimensions, it sometimes happens that the goods occupy a small volume inside the lockers and it also happens that goods do not enter the lockers.

A merchandise distributor is proposed which comprises: at least one receiving block provided with shelves arranged one above and at a distance from the other so as to form lockers open on the same side of said block;

an upper roller shutter system comprising an upper deck and an upper horizontal means for winding / unwinding the upper deck, so that a vertical portion of the upper deck can be deployed downward facing said side of said receiving block, a lower roller shutter system comprising a lower deck and a lower horizontal means for winding / unwinding the lower deck, so that a vertical portion of the lower deck can be deployed upwards facing said side of said receiving block; and a control device able to control said winding / unwinding means to selectively place said aprons in selected relative positions such that horizontal end edges of the deployed portions of said aprons leave between them an access passage to a selected locker .

The dispenser may include opposite vertical slides to guide the opposite vertical edges of the deployed portions of said aprons.

The dispenser may include a vertical wall separating an interior space and an exterior space, having an access opening, the receiving block being placed inside the interior space, said deployed portions of said aprons being capable of obscuring at least partially said access opening of said wall.

At least some of said shelves can be removable, the receiving unit being able to be provided with a plurality of support means capable of selectively carrying the removable shelves so as to form racks of adjustable heights.

The control device may include means for detecting the presence / absence of one or more removable shelves for storing, in said storage means, the positions of the shelves placed in said reception block.

The detection means can be carried by at least one of said aprons.

The control device may comprise means for memorizing the vertical relative positions of said shelves in said reception block, means for selecting any one of said compartments, and means for activating said winding / unwinding means under the effect of storage means and selection means.

The dispenser may include means of translational transport to which said receiving block is coupled.

The dispenser may include a plurality of receiving blocks coupled to said means of transport.

The distributor may include a box in which the receiving block is installed, this box having a vertical wall having an access opening to said receiving block, said aprons being able to at least partially obscure said access opening.

A merchandise distributor will now be described by way of nonlimiting example, illustrated by the appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the dispenser, perpendicular to a vertical wall;

- Figure 2 shows a vertical section of the dispenser parallel to said wall;

- Figure 3 shows a horizontal section of the dispenser; and

- Figure 4 shows a diagram of an electronic device of the dispenser.

According to the present description, the term “goods” in particular means all kinds of objects, packages, envelopes.

In Figures 1 to 3 is illustrated a merchandise distributor 1 located in the vicinity of a vertical partition wall 2 which defines an interior space INT and an exterior space EXT and which has an access opening 3, for example rectangular.

The dispenser 1 comprises a merchandise receiving block 4 which is placed in the interior space INT, one front open front face 4a of which is located opposite and at a short distance from the access opening 3 from the wall 2 and which comprises opposite vertical side walls 5 and 6, perpendicular to the partition wall 2, a rear vertical wall 7 which is parallel to the partition wall 2 and which joins the rear vertical edges of the side walls 5 and 6, a fixed horizontal lower shelf 8 which joins the lower horizontal edges of the side walls 5 and 6 and of the rear wall 7 and a fixed horizontal upper shelf 9 which joins the upper horizontal edges of the side walls 5 and 6 and of the rear wall 7, so that the receiving block 4 is of parallelepiped shape.

The side walls 5 and 6 of the receiving block 4 have a plurality of opposite horizontal support rails 10 and 11 spaced apart vertically and capable of receiving and supporting the opposite side edges of intermediate horizontal shelves 12.

Thus, between the lower shelf 8 and the horizontal upper shelf 9 can be arranged superimposed lockers 13 separated by intermediate shelves 12 and open on the same side of the receiving block 4, namely on the side corresponding to the front face 4a of the reception block 4 and opposite the opening 3 of the wall 2.

According to an alternative embodiment, the intermediate shelves 12 can be permanently installed.

According to another alternative embodiment, the intermediate shelves 12 can be removable so that the number and the height of the compartments 13 are adjustable and depend on the number and relative vertical arrangements of the intermediate shelves 12 put in place. The removable intermediate shelves 12 can be put in place and removed for example through the opening 3 of the wall 2 or through corresponding slots in the rear wall 7 of the receiving block 4.

The dispenser 1 comprises an upper roller shutter system 14 which comprises an upper deck 15 formed from a plurality of longitudinal horizontal blades connected to each other by articulations and comprises an upper winding / unwinding means 16 mounted in an upper horizontal box 17 disposed above the access opening 3 of the wall 2 and for example fixed to an interior face of the wall 2.

The upper winding / unwinding means 16 comprises a longitudinal horizontal axis to which is fixed an upper end of the upper deck 15 and whose rotation is controlled by an electric motor.

During the rotation of the axis of the upper winding / unwinding means 16 in one direction or the other, the upper deck 15 can be wound or unwound and flows through a slot in the upper chest 17, so that a deployed vertical portion 15a of the upper deck 15, extending downward and having a lower horizontal edge 18, can rise or fall to more or less obscure the access opening 3 of the wall 2, from the top of this opening 3 of the wall 2.

The dispenser 1 comprises a lower rolling shutter system 19 which comprises a lower apron 20 formed from a plurality of longitudinal horizontal blades connected to each other by articulations and comprises a lower winding / unwinding means 21 mounted in a lower horizontal box 22 arranged below the opening 3 of the wall 2 and for example fixed on the inside of the wall 2.

The lower winding / unwinding means 21 comprises a longitudinal horizontal axis to which is fixed a lower end of the lower deck 20 and the rotation of which is controlled by an electric motor.

When the axis of the lower winding / unwinding means 21 is rotated in one direction or the other, the lower deck 20 can be rolled up or unwound and flows through a slot in the lower boot 22 so that 'a deployed vertical portion 20a of the lower deck 20, extending downwards and having an upper horizontal edge 23, can go up or down to more or less obscure the access opening 3 of the wall 2, from the bottom of this wall opening 3 2.

To guide the up and down movements of the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the aprons 15 and 20, there are provided opposite vertical slides U-shaped 24 and 25 which are fixed on either side of the access opening 3 of the wall 2, for example against the interior face of wall 2, and in which the opposite ends of the horizontal blades forming the decks 15 and 20 can slide.

According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in the figures, the opposite vertical slides 24 and 25 may be common to the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the decks 15 and 20. In this case, the horizontal end edges 18 and 23 of the deployed portions 15a and 20a can come into abutment against one another to obscure the opening 3 of the wall 2.

According to another alternative embodiment, pairs of opposite vertical slides 24 and 25 can be provided to guide the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the decks 15 and 20 respectively. In this case, the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the decks 15 and 20 may overlap, each then being able to conceal the opening 3 of the wall 2 by constituting a double wall.

The dispenser 1 operates as follows.

To completely close the access opening 3 of the wall 2, the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 are activated so that the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper deck 15 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower deck 20 are brought together and placed one in contact with the other in the case where common vertical slides 24 and 25 are provided. In the case where pairs of vertical slides 24 and 25 are provided, the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper deck 15 is placed at the bottom of the opening 3 of the wall 2 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower deck 20 is placed at the top of the opening 3 of the wall 2. Access to the lockers 13 of the reception block 4 is then impossible from the external space EXT. This closed position can be obtained regardless of the vertical position of the edges 18 and 23, in contact with each other, relative to the access opening 3 of the wall 2.

To completely open the access opening 3 of the wall 2, the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 are activated so that the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper deck 15 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower deck 20 are distant and placed respectively at the top and bottom of the access opening 3. The front face of the receiving block 4 is released and the lockers 13 of the receiving block 4 are then all accessible from the external space EXT through the access opening 3 of wall 2.

To establish an access passage P between the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper deck 15 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower deck 20, of access to a locker selected from any one of the lockers 13, the means d 'winding / unwinding 16 and 21 so that the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper deck 15 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower deck 20 are placed in the vertical direction respectively opposite, horizontally, the shelves which vertically delimit this selected box . The other lockers are then inaccessible.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the distributor 1 is equipped with an electronic control device 124 capable of activating the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 to selectively place the aprons 15 and 20 in selected relative positions, corresponding to the positions described above.

This electronic control device 124 includes electronic means 125 for memorizing the vertical relative positions of the shelves 8, 9 and 12 in the reception unit 4, 3 electronic means 126 for selecting the positions to reach the aprons 15 and 20 and electronic means 127, for example an electronic microcontroller, for controlling the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 selectively as a function of the positions to be reached of the aprons 15 and 20 to close or open the access opening 3 of the wall 4 or establish a passage access P corresponding to any one of the compartments 13 of the reception unit 4.

In the case where the intermediate shelves 12 are removable, the electronic device 124 can also comprise a detector 28 for the presence / absence of at least some of these intermediate shelves 12. The detector 28 can be worn for example by the apron 15, near its end edge 18, and can be a proximity detector, for example sensitive to the presence of a metallic object formed by a metallic shelf or a metallic object carried by a shelf.

The electronic storage means 125 can be programmed as follows.

The relative vertical positions of the shelves 8 and 9 and the opposite horizontal support rails 10 and 11 are memorized.

An operator having installed at least some of the intermediate shelves 12 in the receiving block 4, a learning step is carried out during which the winding / unwinding means 16 is activated to move the deck 15 so that the detector 28 detects the intermediate shelves installed and that the electronic storage means 125 store the positions of these installed shelves, which will be taken into account later by the electronic control means 127.

In a relationship between a distribution operator and a recipient of a commodity, the distributor 1 can be used in the following manner, in conjunction with a management computer.

By implementing the electronic control device 124, the distribution operator deposits the goods in a bin 13 selected from the receiving block 4, possibly after having dimensioned the height of this bin 13 as described above, according to the dimension of the merchandise. The removal of the goods can be carried out through the opening 3 of the wall 2, by activating the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 to move the aprons 15 and 20. The removal of the goods can also be carried out for example through the rear wall 7 of the receiving block 4, this rear wall 7 having for this purpose lockable doors.

An identification code for this selected locker 13 is assigned, this identification code possibly being a specific code made available to the recipient by the distribution operator or a specific code associated with a payment card belonging to the recipient in the in the event of a prior purchase of the goods by the recipient.

When the recipient wishes, they come to distributor 1 to collect their goods.

Thanks to a suitable means provided, the recipient enters his identification code into the selection means 126 for recognition, for example by remote control.

This being done, the control device 24 activates the unwinding winding means 16 and 21 to establish an access passage P between the aprons 15 and 20 opposite the selected locker 13. The recipient takes the goods through this passage.

After which, the control device 124 activates the winding / unwinding means 16 and 21 to close the access passage P.

For each recipient, the above operations can be repeated.

The dispenser 1 can further comprise the following provisions.

it is desirable to limit the fall of the goods during withdrawal and to prevent access by a recipient to the lockers 13 other than that which concerns him, by limiting the spaces between the receiving block 4 and the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the aprons 15 and 20, without hampering the movements of the aprons 15 and 20.

For this, according to an alternative embodiment, the lower horizontal edge 18 of the upper apron 15 and the upper horizontal edge 23 of the lower apron 20 can be fitted with horizontal internal flaps 29 and 30 extending towards the front face of the receiving block 4 According to another alternative embodiment, these are the shelves 8, 9 and 12 which can be fitted with flaps extending towards the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the aprons 15 and 20.

In addition, vertical interior partitions 31 and 32 can be fitted from the wall 2 and on either side of the access opening 3, these partitions extending as far as the walls 5 and 6 of the block. receiving 4. The side walls 5 and 6 of the receiving block 4 could also be fitted with flaps extending forward

In the case where common vertical slides 24 and 25 are provided, the edges 18 and 23 of the aprons 15 and 20 can be shaped to avoid, when they are in contact in the closed position, any penetration of an object in order to s oppose vandalism. In the case where pairs of vertical slides 24 and 25 are provided, the double wall formed by the deployed portions 15a and 20a of the aprons 15 and 20 in the closed position also makes it possible to oppose vandalism.

According to an alternative embodiment, the receiving block 4 can be fixed and permanently installed.

According to another alternative embodiment, the receiving block 4 can be coupled to transport means 33 able to transport it in translation, for example along a closed horizontal circuit. Other reception blocks 4 are advantageously coupled to this means of transport 33 to form a plurality of reception blocks, in the manner of a carousel.

In the latter case, the control device 124 can also be programmed to bring a selected reception block 4 containing a locker 13 selected in the position described above so that its front end face is opposite the opening 3 of the wall 2 .

According to an alternative embodiment, the dispenser 1 can be installed in an interior space of a building whose wall has the opening 3.

According to another alternative embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the dispenser 1 can be installed in a box 34, one of the walls of which is constituted by the wall 2.

According to an alternative embodiment, the means for detecting the presence / absence of one or more removable shelves 12 could comprise electrical contacts mounted on the receiving block 4 and activated when the shelves are put in place.

Claims (10)

1. Distributor of goods, comprising: at least one receiving block (4) provided with shelves (8, 9, 12) arranged one above and at a distance from the other so as to form compartments (13) open on the same side of said block; an upper roller shutter system (14) comprising an upper deck (15) and an upper horizontal means (16) for winding / unwinding the upper deck, so that a vertical portion (15a) of the upper deck can be deployed towards the bottom facing said side of said receiving block, a lower shutter system (19) comprising a lower deck (20) and a lower horizontal means (21) for winding / unwinding the lower deck, so that a portion vertical (20a) of the lower deck can be deployed upwards opposite said side of said receiving block; and winding / unwinding means (16, 21) for selectively placing said aprons (15, 20) in selected relative positions such as horizontal end edges (18, 23) of the deployed portions (15a, 20a) of said aprons leave between them an access passage (P) to a selected locker. 2. Dispenser according to claim 1, comprising opposite vertical slides (24, 25) for guiding the opposite vertical edges of the deployed portions of said aprons. 3. Dispenser according to one of claims 1 and 2, comprising a vertical wall (2) of separation between an interior space and an exterior space, having an access opening (3), the receiving block (4) being placed inside the interior space, said deployed portions (15a, 20a) of said decks (15, 20) being able to at least partially obscure said access opening (3) of said wall. 4. Dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least some of said shelves (12) are removable and in which the receiving block (4) is provided with a plurality of support means (10, 11) capable to selectively carry the removable shelves so as to form racks of adjustable heights. 5. Dispenser according to claim 4, in which the control device (124) comprises means for detecting (28) the presence / absence of one or more removable shelves (12) for storing, in means of memorization (125), the positions of the shelves placed in said reception block. 6. Dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the detection means (28) are carried by at least one of said aprons (15, 20). 7. Dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (124) comprises means for memorizing (28) the vertical relative positions of said shelves (12) in said receiving block, selection means (126 ) any one of said compartments, and means for activating said winding / unwinding means (16, 21) under the effect of the storage means (125) and selection means (126). 8. Dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means of transport (33) in translation to which said receiving block is coupled. 9. A dispenser according to claim 8, comprising a plurality of receiving blocks (4) coupled to said means of transport (33). 10. Dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a box (34) in which the receiving block (4) is installed, this box having a vertical wall having an access opening (3) to said receiving block ( 4), said aprons (15, 20) being able to at least partially obscure said access opening (3). 1/4