FR3068873A1 - DEVICE FOR PRESENTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ARTICLES WITH STAGES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for presenting and dispensing articles (2) for conveying articles (2) to a sampling zone, the device (1) comprising: - a first base (10), at least two separators (30), and a second base (20), said second base (20) being fixed on the separators (30) so as to extend substantially parallel to the first base (10).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an article presentation and distribution device comprising an article reception corridor and allowing the automatic routing of articles received in the corridor towards a manual picking area.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Devices for presenting and distributing articles are used, for example, in supermarket shelving to advance the articles towards the edge of the shelving (or manual picking area) and thus make it possible to improve the appearance of the shelving (“facing In Anglo-Saxon language, for interfacing), to improve the visibility of the articles and to allow customers to access these articles more easily.

Devices of this type have already been proposed in the shelving.

For example, there are display and distribution devices in which the items advance to the gravity picking area. These devices comprise for this purpose one or more substantially identical sets of conveyor rollers, each roller being mounted for rotation on a chassis around an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the articles. Where appropriate, corridors for the articles, configured to guide the articles during their movement, can be delimited using dividers fixed to the chassis in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of movement.

These devices can be placed on inclined shelves, to allow the movement of articles by gravity towards the edge of the shelves and / or be mounted on tilt wedges configured to tilt the device relative to the shelf.

In order to prevent the articles from falling when they reach the picking area, the presentation and distribution devices generally comprise a plate, fixed on the front face of the frame so as to form a stop for the articles and keep them straight on the device, and one or more separators defining a distribution corridor for the articles and limiting their lateral movements. The plate and the separators are generally detachably attached to the chassis so that they can be replaced or removed at will.

A greater or lesser space may exist between the upper face of the articles and the overlying shelving. Indeed, the height of the articles is not standard and varies from one article to another, knowing that the height between two shelves is generally fixed. This useful space is therefore lost, unless the articles are stacked on top of each other in order to fill it.

However, stacked items can fall off the shelf when removing an item, especially when the device is tilted. It is certainly possible to use a stop whose height is sufficient to retain the items stacked on top. However, such a stop then hinders the withdrawal of the underlying articles.

It has therefore been proposed to place separators between each column of product and to attach feelers to these separators in order to block the superimposed products while allowing, by the flexibility of the separators, easy removal of the articles. However, the height of the separators is fixed, which implies that the separators are systematically sized according to the height of the articles to be distributed. Furthermore, the dimensioning of the probes, and in particular their flexibility, must be adapted when the articles are heavy in order to guarantee their maintenance as well as the possibility, for a user, of easily gripping the articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the invention is therefore to propose a device for the presentation and distribution of articles making it possible to reduce the loss of useful space in the shelving, which is easy to carry out, of moderate cost, and which can easily be adapted to shelving, whatever their height.

For this, the invention provides a device for presenting and distributing articles allowing the conveying of articles to a sampling area, the device comprising:

- a first base, having a front edge disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge opposite the front edge and lateral edges, extending between the front edge and the rear edge),

- at least two separators, each separator being fixed parallel to the lateral edges of the first base, and

a second base, having a front edge disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge opposite the front edge and lateral edges, extending between the front edge and the rear edge), said second base being fixed on the separators so as to extend substantially parallel to the first base.

Some preferred but non-limiting characteristics of the device described above are the following, taken individually or in combination:

- the dividers are each fixed at one of the side edges of the first base.

the attachment of each separator to the first and / or to the second base is removable.

- The first and the second base have an upper face intended to receive articles, and a lower face opposite to the upper face, and in which: at least one notch is formed in the upper face of the first base, at each side edge of the first base, at least one notch is formed in the underside of the second base, at each side edge of the second base, and each separator includes protrusions configured to penetrate the notches of the first and the second base in order to removably fix the separators to said bases.

- The first and the second base each comprise two notches, formed near their front edge and their rear edge, and each separator comprises two corresponding protuberances.

- A length of each lateral edge of the second base is less than a length of each lateral edge of the first base.

- The device further comprises a reinforcing bar, fixed on the dividers at the rear edge of the first base.

- The device further comprises: conveying means, fixed on the first base and / or on the second base, said conveying means extending between the front edge and the rear edge of the corresponding base, and a stop, fixed in an area adjacent to the front edge of the first and / or second base and configured to prevent articles from passing past their front edge.

the conveying means comprise at least one of the following elements: a set of conveying rollers, mounted for rotation on the first and / or the second base around an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the articles, a set of spherical balls, mounted freely in rotation on the first and / or second base, a set of spherical balls, mounted in rotation on the first and / or second base around an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the articles, or a smooth face with a low degree of roughness.

- the separators include a plate made of one of the following materials: steel, aluminum alloy, acrylic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the detailed description which follows, and with regard to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a presentation and distribution device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of a presentation and distribution device according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view from behind of a third embodiment of a presentation and distribution device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

A device 1 for presenting and distributing articles 2 allowing the conveying of articles 2 to a sampling zone comprises:

a first base 10, having a front edge 11 disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge 12 opposite to the front edge 11 and lateral edges 13, extending between the front edge 11 and the rear edge 12,

- at least two separators 30, each separator 30 being fixed at one of the side edges 13 of the first base 10, and

- A second base 20, having a front edge 21 disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge 22 opposite the front edge 21 and lateral edges 23, extending between the front edge 21 and the rear edge 22, said second base 20 being fixed on the separators 30 so as to extend substantially parallel to the first base 10.

The device 1 therefore comprises two stages for the articles 2, formed respectively by the first base 10 and the second base 20, the second base 20 being kept fixed and at a distance from the first base 10 thanks to the separators 30.

In what follows, the invention will be described in the case where the first base 10 is in the lower part of the device 1 and intended to be placed on the shelving, while the second base 20 is fixed to the first base 10 by the separator 30 and is therefore not in direct contact with the shelving.

The dividers 30 can be removably attached to the first base 10 and / or the second base 20, in order to allow the height between the first base 10 and the second base 20 to be adapted as a function of the height of the articles 2 and d use these same bases 10, 20 with different heights of separators 30. Typically, if an article 2 has a given height h, the height of the separators 30 can be chosen so that the distance between the first and second bases 20 is slightly greater than h in order to reduce the useful space lost.

For example, the first and second bases 20 each comprise an upper face 14, 24 (intended to receive articles 2) and a lower face 15, 25 (substantially parallel and opposite to the upper face 14, 24). One or more notches 16, 26 can then be formed in the upper face 14 of the first base 10 and in the lower face 25 of the second base 20, while the separators 30 comprise at least as many corresponding protrusions 31, 32, s extending from its lower part 33 and from its upper part 34 and configured to penetrate the notches 16, 26 of the first and second base 20, respectively, in order to removably fix the separators 30 to said bases 10, 20. Where appropriate, notches 16, 26 can be formed both on the upper face 14, 24 and in the lower face 15, 25 of the first base 10 and of the second base 20 in order to allow the bases 10 to be inverted, 20: in other words, by making the notches 16, 26 in the two faces of the bases 10, 20, each base 10, 20 can be used in the lower part (on the shelving) or in the upper part (placed and fixed on the separators 30) of the device 1.

It will be noted that, generally, the conventional bases 10, 20 are already provided with such notches 16, 26 in their lower face 15, 25 and in their upper face 14, 24 in order to allow the attachment of conventional separator 30. These notches 16, 26 are moreover often through, so that the same notch 16, 26 opens both into the lower face 15, 25 and into the upper face 14, 24 of the bases 10, 20. On the other hand, conventional separators 3 do not include a protrusion in the upper part making it possible to place and fix a second base 20 so as to form a device 1 with two stages.

In one embodiment, two notches 16, 26 are formed at each lateral edge 13, 23. Preferably, one of the notches 16, 26 is formed near the front edge 11 while the other of the notches 16 , 26 is formed near the rear edge 12, in order to stabilize the associated separator 30. If necessary, one or more additional notches can be formed between these two notches 16, 26, for example in the middle of the lateral edges 13, 23.

Optionally, the second base 20 can be shallower than the first base 10. In other words, the length of each lateral edge 23 of the second base 20 is less than the length of each lateral edge 13 of the first base 10.

In this case, the front edge 21 of the second base 20 is preferably offset with respect to the front edge 11 of the first base 10 so as to reveal the upper face 14, 24 of the articles 2 placed on the first base 10. This shape in particular makes it possible to further reduce the space between the top of the articles 2 placed on the first base 10 and the underside 15, 25 of the second base 20, since the articles 2 can be easily grasped by a user in the area where their upper face 14, 24 is revealed, despite the small space available between the top of the articles 2 and the lower face 15, 25 of the second base 20.

The shape of the separator 30 can then be adapted so that its upper part 34, which is fixed to the second base 20, is narrower than its lower part 33, which is fixed to the first base 10, as illustrated in FIG. 2 .

Where appropriate, the device 1 can also comprise a reinforcing bar 4, fixed on the dividers 30 at the rear edges of the first base 10 and the second base 20. For example, the reinforcing bar can be fixed so inclined relative to the first base 10: in this case, the reinforcing bar 4 can be fixed in the upper part 34 of one of the separators 30 and in the lower part 33 of the other of the separators 30. The reinforcing bar 4 thus makes it possible to reinforce the stability and the rigidity of the device 1, in particular when the second base 20 is of large dimension and / or if the separators 30 have a significant height.

For example, the reinforcement bar 4 can be introduced into grooves 35 formed in the separators 30 in order to fix the reinforcement bar 4 to said separators 30. As a variant, the reinforcement bar can also be fixed by gluing, snap-fastening, screwing, etc.

The device 1 can include one or more additional separators 30 from:

- conventional separators 3, that is to say separators 3 fixed to the first base 10 or the second base 20 only and not playing any role in supporting the second base 20, and / or

- additional separators 30, that is to say separators similar to the separators 30 fixed at the lateral edges 13 of the first base 10 and of the second base 20 and configured to keep the second base 20 fixed and at a distance from the first base 10. These additional separators 30 thus make it possible to stiffen and stabilize the device 1, by forming additional supports for the second base 20. It will however be noted that it is preferable to add a reduced number of such additional separators 30 , insofar as they increase the number of steps necessary for the installation of the device 1 as well as the cost price of the device 1.

The separators 30 are preferably planar. They can in particular be produced in a metal plate, for example by laser cutting. If necessary, recesses 36 can be made in the metal plate forming the separators 30 in order to reduce the mass and to reveal the articles 2 placed on the first base 10. Such separators 30 are then of negligible cost and low mass.

The metal plate may in particular include one of the following materials: steel, aluminum. The metal plate can then have a thickness of the order of 1.7 mm. This thickness thus allows the separators 30 to support the second base 20 as well as the articles 2 which it supports while allowing the introduction of the separators 30 into the pre-existing slots 16, 26 of the conventional bases 10, 20.

Alternatively, when the articles 2 are of moderate weight and / or height, the separators 30 can be made of thermoplastic material, for example acrylic.

It will of course be understood that the device 1 can comprise a number of stages greater than or equal to two. It suffices to fix two additional separators 30 on the upper face 14, 24 of the second base 20, along its lateral edges 13, and to attach and fix a third base on these additional separators 30, in order to add a additional floor.

The number of floors is only limited by the height available on the shelves and, possibly, the weight and height of the items 2.

Note that the first base 10 and the second base 20 may have conventional conveying means. Typically, each base can comprise one or more chassis fitted with article supports 2 arranged to receive the articles 2 (see FIG. 1).

In a manner known per se, the article supports 2 can comprise a set of conveyor rollers mounted for rotation on a corresponding chassis around an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the articles 2. In this case, each chassis can comprise one or more parallel receiving lanes each delimited by two fins extending substantially parallel to the lateral edges 13, configured to slide the carriages (not visible in the figures) comprising grooves in which the axes of the conveyor rollers are mounted . Preferably, the width of the corridors corresponds substantially to a multiple of the width of the carriages and the length of the axis of the rollers, in order to avoid any play.

Alternatively, the article supports 2 may comprise spherical balls, mounted free to rotate or pivot on the corresponding chassis in order to reduce the friction of the article 2 when it is moved over the receiving surface of the chassis.

According to yet another variant, the article supports 2 may comprise a wall, fixed to the corresponding chassis. When the articles 2 are to be conveyed to the sampling zone, the surface of the wall preferably has a low roughness so as to generate only a low friction with the articles 2 during their movement. In this case, the smooth face can for example be made of a material of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) type. Alternatively, the wall of the article support 2 can be smooth or rough.

Whatever the embodiment, the notches 16, 26 can be formed in the chassis.

The device 1 may further comprise a stop 5, fixed on the first base 10 and / or on the second base 20 in an area adjacent to their front edge 11 and / or rear 12, in order to prevent the passage of articles 2 to beyond the stopper 5. Preferably, the height of the stopper 5 is less than the height between the first base 10 and the second base 20 so as not to prevent the removal of the articles 2 by a user.

Claims (11)

1. Device (1) for presenting and distributing articles (2) allowing the conveying of articles (2) to a sampling area, the device (1) comprising: - A first base (10), having a front edge (11) disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge (12) opposite the front edge (11) and lateral edges (13), extending between the front edge (11) and the rear edge (12), - at least two separators (30), each separator (30) being fixed parallel to the lateral edges (13) of the first base (10), and - A second base (20), having a front edge (11) disposed at the level of the sampling zone, a rear edge (22) opposite the front edge (21) and lateral edges (23), extending between the front edge (21) and the rear edge (12), said second base (20) being fixed on the dividers (30) so as to extend substantially parallel to the first base (10). 2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the separators (30) are each fixed at one of the side edges (13) of the first base (10). 3. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the attachment of each separator (30) to the first and / or to the second base (20) is removable. 4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first (10) and the second base (20) have an upper face (14, 24) intended to receive articles (2), and a lower face (15, 25) opposite the upper face (14, 24), and in which: - at least one notch (16, 26) is formed in the upper face (14, 24) of the first base (10), at each lateral edge (13, 23) of the first base (10), - at least one notch (16, 26) is formed in the lower face (15, 15) of the second base (20), at each lateral edge (13, 23) of the second base (20), and - Each separator (30) comprises protrusions (31, 32) configured to penetrate into the notches (16, 26) of the first and second base (20) in order to removably fix the separators (30) to said bases. 5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the first and the second base (20) each comprise two notches (16, 26), formed near their front edge (11, 21) and from their rear edge (12, 22), and each separator (30) comprises two corresponding protrusions (31, 32). 6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which a length of each lateral edge (23) of the second base (20) is less than a length of each lateral edge (13) of the first base (10). 7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a reinforcing bar (4), fixed on the separators (30) at the rear edge (12) of the first base (10). 8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: - conveying means, fixed on the first base (10) and / or on the second base (20), said conveying means extending between the front edge (11) and the rear edge (12) of the corresponding base , and - a stop (5), fixed in an area adjacent to the front edge (11) of the first and / or second base (20) and configured to prevent the passage of the articles (2) beyond their front edge ( 11). 5 9. Device (1) according to claim 8, in which the conveying means comprise at least one of the following elements: - a set of conveyor rollers, rotatably mounted on the first and / or the second base (20) about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the articles (2); 10 - a set of spherical balls, mounted to rotate freely on the first and / or the second base (20), - a set of spherical balls, mounted in rotation on the first and / or the second base (20) around an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the articles (2), 15 - a smooth face having a low degree of roughness. 10. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the separators (30) comprise a plate made of one of the following materials: steel, aluminum alloy, acrylic.