IES86513B2 - Improved storage and dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage and dispensing apparatus (100) includes at least one section (120) for storing and dispensing gas cylinders (A). The section (120) has a number of compartments (122) for storing the gas cylinders. Each compartment (122) has a lockable and releasable door (124) and means for detecting the presence of a gas cylinder in the compartment. The apparatus (200) includes means for releasing the door of an empty compartment for the receipt of an empty gas cylinder which, when detected by the detection means, releases the door of a compartment having a filled gas cylinder. <Figure 1>

Description

The present invention relates to an improved storage and dispensing apparatus and in particular to an improved storage and dispensing apparatus for use in the retail trade for large bulky items such as propane and butane domestic gas cylinders, bags of coal and other such fuel, bales of peat briquettes, large bags of animal food, vegetables and many other bulky items which may be stored outside of a shop.

Typically, this type of arrangement of storing and dispensing bulky items occurs with retail 10 premises located on the forecourts of garages and filling stations where the products are stored on the garage or filling station forecourt.

A particular problem occurs with the storage and sale of domestic gas cylinders, including the storage and retention of empty gas cylinders. Because gas cylinders are large and expensive items, they are generally stored in outdoor cages or chained to one another to prevent their theft. Therefore, when a customer purchases a replacement gas cylinder, a shop assistant must stop dealing with other customers, leave the shop area, collect the empty cylinder from the customer, unsecure the full cylinder and give it to the customer. All of these actions are time consuming while removing the shop assistant from their main area of responsibility within the shop. With other large bagged items, there is also a large risk of theft occurring which can cause a great deal of loss of income to the shop.

The object of the invention is to provide a storage and dispensing apparatus for bulky items which alleviates the above problems.

The present invention provides a storage and dispensing apparatus, including at least one section for storage and dispensing domestic cylinders, said section having a plurality of components for storing gas cylinders, each component having a lockable and releasable door and means for detecting the presence of a gas cylinder in the compartment, the apparatus including means for releasing the door for an empty compartment for the receipt of an empty cylinder which when detected by the detection means releases the door of a compartment having a filled cylinder.

Advantageously, the means for releasing the doors of the compartments comprises a code entry key pad or a payment receiving means such as a credit/debit card reader.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one embodiment of a storage and dispensing apparatus according to the invention arranged in a plurality of configurations. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a first configuration of the storage and dispensing apparatus according to the invention, with 6 compartments for gas bottles, 8 compartments for large bulky items and 16 compartments for small compact items; Figures 2 to 4 are a top view and two side view of the configuration shown in Figure 1; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are elevation, plan and side views of a pivotally mounted bin forming part of each large compartment; Figure 8 is a series of front views of a slam latch lock used in each compartment of the apparatus; Figure 9 is a schematic front view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, which includes a 20 total of 30 compartments; Figure 10 is a schematic front view of the arrangement shown in Figure 9 showing a total of 24 compartments to the left of the keypad area; Figure 11 is a schematic front view of a second arrangement of the apparatus with a total of 60 compartments, Figure 12 is a schematic view of a third configuration with a total of 90 compartments; Figure 13 is a schematic view of a fourth configuration of two back to back units providing a total of 60 compartments; and Figure 14 is a schematic view of a fifth configuration of two separate units arranged around a shop entrance with a total of 120 compartments.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 10, the first configuration 100 of the embodiment of a storage and dispensing apparatus comprises a section 120 for storing and dispensing domestic gas cylinders A, a section 130 for storing and dispensing large items and a section 140 for storing and dispensing smailer items.

The access to each section is controlled by a code input key pad 110 which operates a controller (not shown) to allow access to a compartment in each section.

The gas cylinder section 120 comprises six compartments 122 each of which can accommodate a domestic gas cylinder A and is closed by a lockable and releasable door 124. The section 130 for large items has eight compartments 132 each of which is closed by a lockable and releasable door 134 and the section 140 for smaller items has sixteen compartments 142 each of which is closed by a lockable and releasable door 144.

Each of the large compartments 132 is provided with a bin 136 into which the large item, such as a bag of coal, is placed. When the door 134 of a compartment 132 is opened the bin 136 pivots forward about the pivot point 137 under the action of a spring, so as to make it easier for a customer to remove the bag of coal or the like from the bin 136.

Each of the smaller compartments 142 is suitable in size to accommodate an item, such as a bale of peat briquettes or a bag of kindling.

All of the compartments 122, 132 and 142 are provided with individual slam latch locks 150 of each of which has a cam lock 151 which engages against a striker bolt 152 located on each door, 124, 134 and 144. An electric signal to a lock 150 releases the cam lock 151 through the operation of an electric motor with the lock 150.

In order to operate the apparatus, a customer goes into a shop and pays for an item such as a gas bottle refill, a bag of coal or a bale of peat briquettes. The shop assistant then prints off and gives to the customer a slip of paper with a specific code number on the slip. The customer then takes the slip and inputs the code number into the code input key pad 110.

If the purchase is a gas refill bottle, then the controller opens a door 124 of an empty compartment 122 so that the customer can insert an empty cylinder into the compartment 122 until it contacts a pivot switch or lever and pushes it forward to make a contact thus indicating that the compartment is no longer empty. The customer then closes the door 124 and a second door 124 of a different compartment 122 opens to allow the customer to remove a full container.

If the purchase is a bag of coal, the customer inputs the given code into the key pad 100 and the controller opens a door 134 of a full compartment 132 so that the customer can withdraw the bag of coal or whatever item is in the bin 136 of the compartment. Likewise, if the purchase is a bale of briquettes or a smaller item, the customer inputs the given code into the key pad 110 and the controller opens a door 144 of a full compartment 142 so that the customer can withdraw the item from the compartment.

When it is desired to restock the apparatus, the shop assistant or operator inserts a restocking code into the key pad 110. The controller then opens ali the doors of the sections being restocked in a sequential manner, thus reducing the power required to open all doors.

Figures 11 to 14 show four additional configurations 200, 300, 400 and 500 having different numbers of gas cylinder compartments 122, large item compartments 132 and smaller item compartments 142.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A storage and dispensing apparatus, including at least one section for storage and dispensing gas cylinders, said section having a plurality of compartments for storing 5 individual gas cylinders, each compartment having a lockable and releasable door and means far detecting the presence of a gas cylinder in the compartment, the apparatus including means for releasing the door for an empty compartment for the receipt of an empty cylinder which when detected by the detection means releases the door of a compartment having a filled cyfinder in which the means for detecting the presence of a 10 gas cylinder comprises a pivot switch or lever moveable by the gas cylinder on insertion into the compartment and thereby indicate the presence of a cylinder, or alternatively the means for detecting the presence of a gas cylinder comprises at least two electrical contact rails in the compartment with a cylinder in the compartment making electrical contact between the contact rails and thereby indicating the presence of a cylinder in said 15 compartment.

2. A storage and dispensing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which the means for releasing the doors of the compartments comprises a code entry means or a payment 20 receiving means such as a credit/debit card reader, the apparatus including a section (120) for storing and dispensing gas cylinders (A), a section (130) for storing and dispensing large items and a section (140) for storing and dispensing smaller items, the apparatus including means for accessing each section, including a controller in conjunction with the code entry means (110) which operates the controller to allow access 25 to a compartment in each section, and in which the code entry means comprises a key pad for inputting a code or a bar code reader for reading the bar code.

3. A storage and dispensing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 in which 30 the gas cylinder section (120) comprises a plurality of compartments (122) each of which can accommodate a gas cylinder (A) and has a lackable and releasable door ¢124), the section (130) for large items has a plurality of compartments (132) each of which has a lockable and releasable door (134) and the section (140) for smaller items has a plurality of compartments (142) each of which has a lockable and releasable door (144), in which 35 each of the large compartments (132) is provided with a bin (136) into which the large item, such as a bag of coal, is placed, the bin (136) being pivotable forward about a pivot point (137) under the action of a spring, so as to make it easier for a customer to remove the bag of coal or the like from the bin (136) and in which the compartments (122), (132), (142) are provided with individual slam latch locks (150) of each of which has a cam lock (151) which is engageable against a striker bolt (152) located on each door, (124), (134) and (144) and in which an electric signal to a specific lock (150) releases the associated cam lock (151) through the operation of an electric motor with the lock (150).

4. A storage and dispensing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, including a power supply means and optimally in which the power supply means includes a solar panel.

5. A storage and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including a code issuing terminal apparatus adapted to print or display a unique entry code or bar code for releasing a selected compartment door, a receiving terminal associated with the issuing terminal for reading the unique entry code or barcode, and an electronic point of sale (POS) apparatus linked to the code issuing terminal and the receiving terminal and to control the sale of products from the storage and dispensing apparatus and to record the successful vending of the products, the apparatus including means for generating stock control and reports of sales of products contained in the storage and dispensing apparatus and the apparatus including a plurality of transport wheels and means for securely locating the apparatus in a desired location.