JP2011207578A - Commodity carrying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity carrying device capable of putting carrying-in and carrying-out of a package commodity in an FIFO state.SOLUTION: A stocked tobacco package STP is carried out from one of the uppermost position. A new tobacco package STP is carried in under the lifted and held tobacco package STP by holding the stocked tobacco package STP by a commodity holding mechanism. Thus, the carrying-in and the carrying-out of the tobacco package STP can be put in the FIFO state with a structure for carrying out the tobacco package STP from above.

Description

  The present invention relates to a product transporting device for carrying out and carrying in packaged products that are sold face-to-face at a supply chain store such as a convenience store.

  At present, supply chain stores such as convenience stores sell various packaged products on so-called furniture and product inventory racks. Furthermore, in the supply chain stores as described above, sales processing devices called so-called POS (Point Of Sales) terminals and electronic cash registers are installed.

  In general supply chain stores, furniture and product inventory racks are installed in so-called product sales floors, and sales processing devices are installed in register counters in so-called cash register worker spaces.

  Therefore, the general consumer acquires a desired packaged product from a fixture or a product inventory rack and transfers it to the cashier worker space. Then, the general consumer and the store worker face each other through the cashier counter, and in this state, the store worker executes the sales process using the sales processing device.

  However, for example, some products such as cigarette packages may not be stored in the product storage rack in the user movement space of the convenience store, but may be stored in the product storage rack behind the cashier worker space.

  In such a case, in order for a general consumer to purchase a desired cigarette package, it is necessary to verbally convey the name to the store worker and obtain it from the commodity storage rack. However, this is complicated for both general consumers and store workers.

  In addition, in this case, a store worker who has faced a general consumer reverses backward and acquires a cigarette package. For this reason, the facing state with a general consumer cannot be maintained.

  The cigarette package referred to here is a minimum unit package that is sold by storing a predetermined number of cigarettes that are actually smoked in soft packaging or hard boxes.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, for example, there is a proposal of a unit that can be used for product sales that can display products in a store and that does not increase the burden on store workers. The technology includes a cashier counter having a merchandise sample display section on the front, a merchandise storage section provided at a position separate from the cashier counter, and a merchandise unloading section. It is made to carry out by a goods carrying-out part more (patent document 1).

  As a similar proposal, a store worker sets up a product sample display section in front of a cashier counter corresponding to a general consumer to display a plurality of product samples, and the general worker offers a bar code on the cashier counter to the store worker. There is also a proposal in which a product is selected from a table by a barcode reader, a selection signal is sent to a product carry-out unit, and the product storage unit inside the register counter is carried out by the product carry-out unit to the product carry-out port (Patent Document 2).

  In addition, it can be used for a sales method in which a cashier is used to settle the price, and the selected product can be taken out without fail, and the internal structure can be simplified to reduce the manufacturing cost, and the product using this fixture. There is also a sales system proposal.

  In that technology, a display shelf for multiple types of product samples, a selection button, a column that accommodates multiple types of products, and a setting operation for each column to be carried out when a product is selected by the selection button This product is equipped with a product transporting device and a product outlet provided on the back or side of the main body so that the product transported by the product transporting device can be taken out. An outlet is provided (Patent Document 3).

JP 2004-298344 A JP 2004-275516 A JP 2009-098714 A

  Although the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not disclose how the package product is carried into the product transport device, it is expected that the package product is dropped with the rear surface opened. Here, when packaged products are dropped and stored in the product transport device in sequence, the products below are compared to the product transport device or the product above by the cumulative weight of many products loaded on it. It will be in the state where it is easy to stick. This is remarkable in a packaged product that is lightweight and packaged with a resin film, such as a tobacco package.

  In addition, in the case of products such as cigarettes with expiration dates set and the number of inventory days at the store differ greatly for each brand, so-called products that are carried out from the oldest date of delivery to the product transport device are so-called A FIFO (First In First Out) state is preferable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and can transport a packaged product easily and efficiently, and can transport the packaged product to and from the FIFO state. Providing the device.

  The product transport device of the present invention includes a product support member on which a plurality of package products are stacked in the vertical direction, a product lift mechanism that lifts and lowers the product support member, and a product by the product lift mechanism. A carry-out control unit that controls the lifting of the support member and places the top package product loaded at a predetermined product take-out position, and a product take-out that takes out the top package product placed at the product take-out position to the side A mechanism, a product unloading mechanism for unloading the packaged product taken out from the side from the predetermined product unloading position, a product holding mechanism for holding the packaged product raised by the product support member, and the packaged product is held A loading control unit that lowers the product support member in a state to secure a product loading position, and a packaged product that is loaded from the outside to a predetermined product loading position It has a product loading mechanism for loading to the side how the goods on position, and product shooting mechanism of the packaged product which is placed on the product loading mechanism is introduced to the product loading position of the lateral, loading the product support member.

  Therefore, in the commodity conveyance device of the present invention, a plurality of packaged commodity is stacked on the commodity support member in the vertical direction. The product elevating mechanism raises and lowers the packaged product loaded by raising and lowering the product support member. The carry-out control unit controls the rise of the product support member by the product lifting mechanism, and places the uppermost packaged product loaded at a predetermined product take-out position. The product takeout mechanism takes out the uppermost packaged product arranged at the product takeout position to the side. The product carry-out mechanism carries out the packaged product taken out from the side to the outside from a predetermined product carry-out position. The product holding mechanism holds the packaged product raised by the product support member. In the state where the packaged product is held, the carry-in control unit lowers the product support member to secure the product input position. A product carry-in mechanism carries a packaged product carried from the outside to a predetermined product carry-in position to the side of the product input position. The package product placed on the product carry-in mechanism is loaded into the product loading position by the product loading mechanism and loaded on the product support member. For this reason, when it is desired to carry in a packaged product, for example, it is not necessary to open the rear surface of the product transporting device, pull out the internal mechanism, and carry a small number of packaged products there. Further, the packaged goods in stock are carried out from the uppermost one, and the new packaged goods are carried in below the packaged goods that are raised and held.

  Moreover, in the above-described merchandise conveying apparatus, the merchandise holding mechanism may support a merchandise holding latch that holds packaged merchandise so as to be able to appear and retract.

  Further, in the commodity transport apparatus as described above, the commodity support member may be formed with a latch insertion recess into which the commodity holding latch is inserted.

  Further, in the commodity transport apparatus as described above, the commodity holding mechanism may be formed integrally with the commodity loading mechanism.

  Further, in the above-described product conveyance device, the product support member and the product input mechanism are arranged in parallel in two left and right rows separated via a product carry-in mechanism that is shared, and are carried in by the product carry-in mechanism. The packaged product may be put into the left and right two-row product holding mechanism by a common product loading mechanism.

  Further, in the product transport device as described above, a plurality of product introduction mechanisms are arranged in the front-rear direction together with a plurality of product support members, and a carry-in designation unit that designates one type of carry-in from a plurality of types of packaged products, And a corresponding product input mechanism may input the designated package product.

  Further, in the commodity transport apparatus as described above, a number accumulating means for accumulating the number of packaged goods that are successively carried in at a time, and a number monitoring means for monitoring whether the accumulated number is a predetermined number, You may have.

  Further, in the commodity transport apparatus as described above, it may be built in at least the lower space of the cashier counter on which the sales processing apparatus is placed.

  Further, in the commodity transport apparatus as described above, at least a cash register counter on which the sales processing apparatus is placed may be formed integrally.

  Moreover, in the above-described merchandise conveying apparatus, the package merchandise may be a cigarette package.

  The various constituent elements of the present invention need only be formed so as to realize their functions. For example, dedicated hardware that exhibits a predetermined function, and a computer device provided with a predetermined function by a computer program It can be realized as a predetermined function realized in a computer apparatus by a computer program, any combination thereof, or the like.

  In addition, the various components of the present invention do not have to be individually independent, a plurality of components are formed as a single member, and a single component is formed of a plurality of members. It may be that a certain component is a part of another component, a part of a certain component overlaps a part of another component, and the like.

  Note that the product conveyance device built in the lower space of the cash register counter in the present invention means that the product conveyance device is installed in the lower space of the cash register counter with almost no gap, but the predetermined gap is It is allowed to occur.

  In the product transport apparatus of the present invention, packaged products that are stocked inside are not only carried out from the product take-out position to the outside by the product take-out mechanism and the product take-out mechanism, but are also brought into the product carry-in position from the outside. Can be introduced into the interior by the product carry-in mechanism and the product input mechanism. Therefore, when it is desired to carry in a packaged product, for example, it is not necessary to perform a complicated operation such as opening the rear surface of the product transporting device, pulling out the internal mechanism, and carrying a small number of packaged products there. Further, the packaged goods in stock are carried out from the uppermost one, and the new packaged goods are carried in below the packaged goods that are raised and held. Therefore, the packaged product can be brought into and out of the so-called FIFO state while the loaded cigarette package is carried out from above.

It is a typical vertical side view which shows the internal structure of the goods conveyance apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a typical longitudinal rear view which shows the internal structure of a goods conveyance apparatus. It is a rear view which shows the external appearance of the rear surface of a goods conveyance apparatus. It is a typical perspective view which shows the external appearance of the cashier worker space of the convenience store which is a supply chain store where the goods conveyance apparatus etc. were installed. It is an enlarged rear view which shows the external appearance of the principal part of a goods conveyance apparatus. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the external appearance of the principal part of a goods conveyance apparatus. It is a front view which shows the external appearance of the card accommodation panel which accommodated the tobacco dummy card. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the cigarette dummy card was accommodated in the card accommodation pocket of a card accommodation panel. It is a typical front view which shows the external appearance of various tobacco dummy cards. It is a typical back view which shows the external appearance of a tobacco dummy card. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state where the general consumer and the shop worker faced through the cashier counter with which the goods conveyance apparatus was built-in. It is a typical rear view which shows the process in which the goods extraction unit which is a goods extraction mechanism carries out the tobacco package which is a packaged product. It is a typical rear view which shows the process in which the goods insertion unit which is a goods insertion mechanism carries in a tobacco package. It is a typical rear view which shows the process in which a goods insertion unit carries in a tobacco package. It is a typical rear view which shows the process in which a goods insertion unit carries in a tobacco package. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which a goods conveyance apparatus carries out a tobacco package. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement in which a goods conveyance apparatus carries in a tobacco package. It is a typical back view which shows the internal structure of the goods taking-out mechanism of one modification.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the product transport apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a product lifter 110 that is a product support member on which cigarette packages STP that are a plurality of packaged products are stacked in the vertical direction, and a product lifter 110. The lifter lifting mechanism 120, which is a product lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the stacked cigarette package STP, and the lift of the product lifter 110 by the lifter lifting mechanism 120 are controlled, and the uppermost tobacco package STP loaded is An operation control unit 130 which is a carry-out control unit arranged at a predetermined product take-out position, a product take-out unit 140 which is a product take-out mechanism for taking out the uppermost cigarette package STP arranged at the product take-out position, and a side Product unloader for unloading the cigarette package STP taken out from a predetermined product unloading position The product carry-out conveyor 151, the package holding unit 165 which is a product holding mechanism for holding the lowest cigarette package STP raised by the product lifter 110, and the product lifter 110 are lowered while the cigarette package STP is held. An operation control unit 130 that is a carry-in control unit that secures a product loading position, and a product loading conveyor that is a product loading mechanism that loads a cigarette package STP that is loaded from outside into a predetermined product loading position to the side of the product loading position. 152 and a product input unit 160 that is a product input mechanism that inputs the cigarette package STP placed on the product carry-in conveyor 152 to a side product input position and loads the product on the product lifter 110.

  Further, in the product transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the product lifter 110 and the lifter lifting mechanism 120 are formed in four rows in the left-right direction, and these are arranged in two sets of left and right rows. Has been.

  Note that the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom referred to here do not have to be strictly orthogonal to each other. For example, the positions of the product lifter 110, the lifter lifting mechanism 120, and the product carry-out conveyor 151 may be displaced from front to back, left, right, up and down, or may be inclined (not shown).

  A common product take-out unit 140 is disposed above the left and right two-row product lifters 110, and the left and right two rows of cigarette packages STP are taken out to the left and right two rows of product carry-out conveyors 151 by the common product take-out unit 140. .

  Similarly, a product input unit 160 and a product carry-in conveyor 152 are respectively arranged at the left and right lower portions of the left and right two-row cigarette packages STP. To the product input unit 160.

  However, the product unloading conveyor 151, the product loading unit 160, and the product loading conveyor 152 located in the center of the two sets of the product lifter 110 and the lifter lifting / lowering mechanism 120 in two sets of left and right rows are shared by each other. Therefore, the product carry-out conveyor 151, the product input unit 160, and the product carry-in conveyor 152 are arranged in three rows in the left-right direction.

  In the product transport device 100 of the present embodiment, the package holding unit 165 is formed integrally with the product input unit 160. Furthermore, a package holding unit 165 separate from the product input unit 160 is arranged in parallel with the package holding unit 165 at the lower center of the two left and right rows of cigarette packages STP.

  The package holding unit 165 as described above, which will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15, supports a product holding latch 166 that holds the lowest cigarette package STP so as to be able to appear and retract.

  Thus, the product lifter 110 is formed with a latch insertion recess 114 into which the product holding latch 166 is inserted. Further, the product holding latch 166 of the present embodiment supports the lower surface of the lowermost tobacco package STP downward.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the product lifter 110, the lifter lifting mechanism 120, the product take-out unit 140, the product input unit 160, and the package holding unit 165 are arranged in five sets in the front-rear direction. A product carry-out conveyor 151 and a product carry-in conveyor 152 are located from the front end to the rear end.

  For this reason, 4 × 5 = 20 types of cigarette packages STP are accommodated in the commodity conveyance device 100 of the present embodiment. In addition, the part which accommodates the cigarette package STP for every kind in this way is called a product column below.

  In the product transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the product carry-out conveyor 151 and the product carry-in conveyor 152 are so-called belt conveyors, and are each rotated in a predetermined direction by a conveyor drive motor (not shown). Moved.

  The package holding unit 171 includes a product lifter 110 and a lifter lifting / lowering mechanism 120 that are unitized every two rows, and is supported by a slide rail 172 laid on the lower surface of the transport device housing 170 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Yes.

  A guide handle 173 is attached to the front end of the package holding unit 171. Therefore, by holding the guide handle 173, the package holding unit 171 can be manually moved back and forth.

  When the package holding unit 171 is inserted to the front end of the transport device housing 170, a unit detection sensor 174 that detects this is attached to the front inside the transport device housing 170.

  The lifter lifting mechanism 120 supports the product lifter 110 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction by guide rails (not shown) communicating in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the product lifter 110 has a female screw member 111 projecting laterally from the product lifter 110, which is screwed into the male screw shaft 121 of the lifter lifting mechanism 120.

  The male screw shaft 121 is rotatably supported so that the axial direction is parallel to the vertical direction, and the lower part is connected to the lifter drive motor 123 by the belt mechanism 122. For this reason, when the lifter drive motor 123 is driven, the male screw shaft 121 is rotated by the belt mechanism 122 and the product lifter 110 is moved up and down.

  An upper limit detection sensor 131 that detects that the product lifter 110 has been raised to the uppermost position and a lower limit detection sensor 132 that detects that the product lifter 110 has been lowered to the lowest position are located near the lower and upper portions of the male screw shaft 121. Has been placed.

  Furthermore, in the product transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, when the product lifter 110 is arranged at a position where a predetermined number of cigarette packages STP can be stacked, the replenishment detection sensor 133 that detects this is also the male screw shaft 121. It is arranged on the side of.

  As described above, since a large number of cigarette packages STP are loaded on the product lifter 110, dropout prevention guides 124 for preventing the dropout are provided at the center and both sides of the left and right product columns. .

  In addition, the product take-out unit 140 is provided with a product take-out arm 141 that projects the cigarette package STP at the highest product take-out position loaded on the product lifter 110 to the side. The product take-out arm 141 projects downward. Is supported movably in the left-right direction.

  Similarly, the product input unit 160 is also provided with a product input arm 161 that projects the cigarette package STP placed on the product carry-in conveyor 152 to the side product input position. 161 is supported movably in the left-right direction.

  The product take-out unit 140 is also provided with a package detection sensor 134 that detects that the uppermost cigarette package STP has been placed at the product take-out position, and the package detection sensor 134 can be moved up and down in the vertical direction. Is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the commodity transport apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is built in the lower space of the register counter 200. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, product outlets 175 are formed on the rear surface of the product transport apparatus 100 at positions where the three rows of product carry-out conveyors 151 communicate with each other. A product holding tray 176 that holds the tobacco package STP to be carried out is formed at the outlet 175.

  Similarly, product carry-in entrances 177 are formed at positions where the three rows of product carry-in conveyors 152 communicate with each other, and product feed guides 178 for guiding the cigarette packages STP to be carried into these three product carry-in entrances 177. Is formed.

  Further, a carry-out detection sensor 135 for detecting the cigarette package STP to be carried out is installed above the inside of the product carry-out port 175, and a cigarette package STP to be carried in is detected above the inside of the product carry-in port 177. A carry-in detection sensor 136 is installed. Further, an unloading completion lamp 181 for notifying the unloading of the cigarette package STP is installed above the exterior of the product unloading port 175.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, above the rear surface of the commodity transport apparatus 100, twenty color stock lamps 182 for notifying the stock status of the cigarette package STP for each of four rows and five sets of product columns in a colored manner. Are installed in four rows and five rows.

  The color inventory lamp 182 is lit in green when the product lifter 110 is not detected by the replenishment detection sensor 133 and the inventory quantity is sufficient. Further, in a state where the commodity lifter 110 is detected by the replenishment detection sensor 133, it is lit in yellow because the stock quantity is ten or less. Then, in a state where the product lifter 110 is detected by the upper limit detection sensor 131, it blinks red because there is no stock.

  A cigarette brand switch 183 for displaying the product name of the corresponding cigarette package STP is individually installed on the side of each such color stock lamp 182. As will be described in detail later, the cigarette brand switch 183 is a display for displaying the product name of the cigarette package STP as described above, and also serves as a switch for designating the cigarette package STP to be carried out or carried in. .

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a barcode reader 184 is provided at the center of the rear upper surface of the commodity transporting apparatus 100 as a carry-out designation unit for designating one type of carry-out from a plurality of types of cigarette packages STP. It is installed with 185.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, a cigarette dummy card 320 having a product barcode 321 written on the back surface is detachably inserted into the cigarette card holder 185. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the above-described cigarette card holder 185 is also formed with a merchandise insertion recess 186 for causing the bar code reader 184 to read the merchandise barcode of the cigarette package STP. Has been.

  On the side of the cigarette card holder 185, as shown in FIG. 3, a number designation switch 187 for designating the number of cigarette packages STP to be carried out is installed. Here, the number designation switch 187 includes three types of one, two, and three.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, for example, the cigarette dummy card 320 is printed on the surface with a pattern schematically representing the face of the cigarette package STP. In particular, as shown in FIG. 9, a promotional message, a guidance message for the promotional material 330, and the like are printed as necessary.

  Such a cigarette dummy card 320 is accommodated in the cigarette card pocket 310 of the card accommodation panel 300 as shown in FIGS. In addition, since the goods conveyance apparatus 100 of this Embodiment accommodates 20 types of cigarette packages STP as mentioned above, here the 20 types of tobacco dummy cards 320 are fundamentally prepared.

  However, when the promotional material 330 or the like is given as described above, for example, as shown in FIGS. 8B and 9C, the guidance message of the promotional material 330 is displayed on the cigarette dummy card 320, for example. In addition, the promotional material 330 may be attached to the cigarette card pocket 310.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the card storage panel 300 for storing the cigarette dummy card 320 as described above is installed, for example, in a movement area of a general consumer CUU in a convenience store CVS store.

  In the configuration as described above, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the commodity transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is built-in at least in the lower space of the cashier counter 200 on which the POS terminal 210 as a sales processing apparatus is placed. Is done.

  Twenty kinds of cigarette packages STP are individually accommodated in twenty-four commodity columns in four rows and five sets of the commodity transport apparatus 100. On the other hand, a card storage panel 300 is installed in a movement area of a general consumer CUU in a convenience store CVS store, and a cigarette dummy card 320 corresponding to twenty kinds of tobacco packages STP is stored in the card storage panel 300.

  In this state, when the general consumer CUU who has visited the convenience store CVS requests to purchase the cigarette package STP, as shown in FIG. 4, it is installed in the movement area of the general consumer CUU in the store. A desired cigarette dummy card 320 is selected and acquired from the card storage panel 300.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 11, such a general consumer CUU moves to the cashier counter 200 and hands the cigarette dummy card 320 to the store worker CSC. In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, the store worker CSC inserts the cigarette dummy card 320 into the cigarette card holder 185 of the merchandise carrying apparatus 100 set in the merchandise carry-out mode (step S1-Y).

  Then, the merchandise carrying device 100 specifies the cigarette package STP to be carried out by reading the merchandise barcode 321 of the cigarette dummy card 320 with the barcode reader 184 (step S2-Y).

  In addition, the general consumer CUU may bring a cigarette package STP that he / she wishes to purchase. In such a case, the cigarette package STP is inserted into the commodity insertion recess 186 of the cigarette card holder 185.

  Then, since the barcode reader 184 reads and operates the product barcode on the side surface of the cigarette package STP (step S2-Y), the product transport apparatus 100 identifies the tobacco package STP to be carried out.

  In addition, the general consumer CUU may verbally convey the purchase of the cigarette package STP to the store worker CSC without bringing the cigarette dummy card 320. In such a case, the merchandise carrying device 100 identifies the cigarette package STP to be carried out by manually operating the tobacco brand switch 183 corresponding to the store worker CSC (step S3-Y).

  When the cigarette package STP to be carried out is specified as described above (steps S2-Y, S3-Y), for example, the three number designation switch 187 blinks, so that the store worker CSC asks the general consumer CUU to purchase. Ask the number of

  Therefore, when the purchase quantity is transmitted from the general consumer CUU to the store worker CSC, the store worker CSC manually operates the corresponding number designation switch 187 (step S4-Y).

  However, the number designation switch 187 is composed of three for designating one, two, or three. Therefore, if five pieces are requested, for example, two and three number designation switches 187 are manually operated. If eight pieces are requested, for example, two number designation switches 187 are provided. Is operated once and three number designation switches 187 are operated twice.

  When the cigarette package STP to be carried out is specified together with the number thereof as described above, as shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C, the cigarette package STP is taken into the product take-out arm 141 of the product take-out unit 140 at the corresponding position. Are carried out from the product column to the product delivery conveyor 151 (step S5).

  When the cigarette package STP is placed on the product carry-out conveyor 151 in this way, as shown in FIG. 12D, the product carry-out conveyor 151 is activated to move the cigarette package STP from the product carry-out port 175 to the product holding tray 176. Unload (Steps S6, S10).

  At this time, when the cigarette package STP is carried out from the product column to the product carry-out conveyor 151 (step S5), the product lifter 110 is driven to rise until the stacked cigarette package STP is detected by the package detection sensor 134. Therefore, the uppermost cigarette package STP is arranged at the product take-out position where it is taken out by the product carry-out conveyor 151 (step S7).

  Therefore, when it is desired to purchase a plurality of cigarette packages STP as described above, the above operation is repeated (steps S5 to S9), and the plurality of cigarette packages STP are carried out (step S10). ).

  At this time, the cigarette package STP may be carried out from the product carry-out opening 175 to the product holding tray 176 and then the next-stage tobacco package STP may be carried out. It may be conveyed.

  When the carry-out of the cigarette package STP is completed as described above, the carry-out completion lamp 181 at the carry-out position blinks (step S11). Therefore, the store worker CSC can sell the cigarette package STP held in the product holding tray 176 to the general consumer CUU.

  Of course, the number of inventory of the cigarette package STP is reduced by carrying out as described above. Therefore, when the number of stocked cigarette packages STP becomes zero (step S12-Y), the color stock lamp 182 corresponding to the cigarette package STP blinks red (step S17).

  In addition, when the stock quantity is less than the predetermined quantity of 10 (step S13-Y), the color stock lamp 182 is lit yellow (step S20). When the stock quantity is ten or more, which is the specified quantity (step S13-N), the color stock lamp 182 remains lit in green (step S14).

  In addition, the inventory of the cigarette package STP may be insufficient in the middle of carrying out as described above. In this case, when the upper limit detection sensor 131 detects the product lifter 110, the shortage of inventory is specified (step S8-Y).

  Then, as many cigarette packages STP as possible are carried out (step S15), the carry-out completion lamp 181 blinks (step S16), and the color stock lamp 182 corresponding to the cigarette package STP blinks red (step S17). .

  For this reason, the store worker CSC can quickly recognize the shortage of the cigarette package STP. Therefore, the store worker CSC can inform the general consumer CUU of the shortage of inventory, and can sell, for example, only the cigarette package STP that has been carried out or immediately take out and sell the cigarette package STP from the backyard.

  When the color stock lamp 182 is lit yellow or blinks red as described above, the store worker CSC carries the corresponding cigarette package STP into the merchandise transport apparatus 100 at an appropriate timing.

  For example, when there is no general consumer CUU in the convenience store CVS store and no store visit is expected, the store worker CSC pulls the package holding unit 171 backward, and puts a plurality of cigarette packages STP on the product column at one time. Can be refilled (not shown).

  However, in that case, since the cigarette package STP is carried into the commodity column from above, the cigarette package STP is brought into and out of the so-called LIFO (Last In First Out) state.

  In order to solve this, all the tobacco packages STP in stock in the product column are manually taken out, a new tobacco package STP is carried into the product column, and the tobacco package STP that has been taken out on the tobacco package STP is then taken out. Must be reintroduced. However, this is extremely complicated.

  Therefore, the commodity transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is formed so that the cigarette package STP can be brought into and out of the so-called FIFO state. In that case, the tobacco package STP is carried into the product column from the product carry-in port 177 without pulling out the package holding unit 171 as described above.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the operation mode of the product transport apparatus 100 is switched from the product carry-out mode to the product carry-in mode by a designated operation (steps S1-N, S18-Y, S19, T1- Y).

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 17, for example, the cigarette dummy card 320 corresponding to the cigarette package STP carried in by the store worker CSC is inserted into the cigarette card holder 185.

  Then, the merchandise transport device 100 specifies the cigarette package STP to be carried in by reading the merchandise barcode 321 of the cigarette dummy card 320 with the barcode reader 184 (step T2-Y).

  Even if the cigarette package STP is inserted into the product insertion recess 186 of the cigarette card holder 185 as described above, and the product barcode on the side surface of the tobacco package STP is read by the barcode reader 184 (step T2-Y), The cigarette package STP to be carried in is specified.

  Further, the merchandise carrying device 100 also specifies the cigarette package STP to be carried in by manually operating the tobacco brand switch 183 corresponding to the cigarette package STP carried in by the store worker CSC (step T3-Y).

  When the cigarette package STP to be carried in is specified as described above, the product transport apparatus 100 causes the product loading unit 160 and the package holding unit 165 to project the product holding latch 166 as shown in FIG. T4).

  Further, the merchandise throwing unit 160 moves the merchandise throwing arm 161 to the side to be in a ready state (step T5). In this state, the product lifter 110 descends to the side of the product carry-in conveyor 152.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 13B, the uppermost cigarette package STP is separated from the package detection sensor 134, and the lowermost cigarette package STP is held by the product holding latch 166. This secures a product input position as a gap between the lowest cigarette package STP and the product lifter 110.

  In this state, when the store worker CSC manually inserts the cigarette package STP into the product carry-out port 175, this is detected by the carry-in detection sensor 136 (step T7-Y). Then, as shown to Fig.14 (a), the goods carrying-in conveyor 152 is driven and the tobacco package STP is conveyed to the side of the corresponding goods column (step T8).

  Then, as shown in FIG. 14B, the cigarette package STP placed on the product carry-out conveyor 151 is introduced into the product input position of the product column by the product input arm 161 of the product input unit 160, and the product lifter 110 is loaded (step T9).

  As shown in FIG. 15, the product lifter 110 placed in the product take-out position and placed with the cigarette package STP ascends to a position where the cigarette package STP is held by the product holding latch 166 (step T10). .

  In such a state, since the commodity transport apparatus 100 prepares for the next cigarette package STP to be carried in (steps T11-N to T4 to T6), the cigarette package STP that the store worker CSC carries into the merchandise carry-out port 175 is prepared. In order, they are placed at the bottom of the product column.

  When the delivery of the cigarette package STP is completed, the store worker CSC manually operates the tobacco brand switch 183. Then, in the product conveyance device 100 that has detected this, the product lifter 110 is raised until the uppermost tobacco package STP in the product column into which the tobacco package STP is carried is at the product removal position detected by the package detection sensor 134. (Step T12).

  When the processing operation as described above is completed, the protrusion of the product holding latch 166 is also released (step T13). Also in this case, the inventory quantity of the tobacco package STP is confirmed in all the product columns.

  Therefore, in the product column in which the number of cigarette packages STP in stock is zero (step T14-Y), the color stock lamp 182 corresponding to the cigarette package STP blinks red (step T17).

  In a product column with a stock quantity smaller than ten, which is the specified quantity (step T15-Y), the corresponding color stock lamp 182 is lit yellow (step T20). In the case of ten or more commodity columns whose stock quantity is the specified quantity (step T15-N), the corresponding color stock lamp 182 is lit green (step T16).

  In the commodity transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, a plurality of cigarette packages STP are stacked on the commodity lifter 110 in the vertical direction as described above. The lifter lifting mechanism 120 moves the product lifter 110 up and down to raise and lower the stacked cigarette package STP.

  The operation control unit 130 controls the lift of the product lifter 110 by the lifter lifting mechanism 120, and the uppermost cigarette package STP loaded is placed at a predetermined product take-out position.

  The product take-out unit 140 takes out the uppermost tobacco package STP arranged at the product take-out position to the side. The cigarette package STP taken out to the side is carried out by the product carry-out conveyor 151 from a predetermined product carry-out position to the outside.

  The package holding unit 165 holds the lowest cigarette package STP raised by the product lifter 110. With the cigarette package STP being held, the operation control unit 130 lowers the product lifter 110 to secure the product input position.

  The product carrying conveyor 152 carries the cigarette package STP carried from the outside to a predetermined product carrying position to the side of the product loading position. The product input unit 160 inputs the cigarette package STP placed on the product carry-in conveyor 152 into the product input position on the side and loads it on the product lifter 110.

  For this reason, in the commodity transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the stocked tobacco packages STP are carried out from the uppermost one, and a new tobacco package STP is carried in below the lowest tobacco package STP.

  Accordingly, the cigarette package STP can be brought into and out of the so-called FIFO state while the stacked cigarette package STP is carried out from above.

  The FIFO state here means that a new cigarette package STP can be carried under the cigarette package STP in stock, for example, not from the bottom of the lowest cigarette package STP but from the bottom Several cigarette packages STP may be inserted above.

  That is, when a plurality of new cigarette packages STP having the same best-before date are carried below the stocked tobacco packages STP, the expiration date management is performed after the delivery timing of the new plurality of tobacco packages STP. The relationship is arbitrary.

  Therefore, in the commodity transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, for example, with respect to a plurality of cigarette packages STP that are carried in by a single carry-in operation, the cigarette packages STP that are thrown in immediately before are put into the product lifter 110 in order from the bottom. The next cigarette package STP may be placed above the. Such an aspect is also referred to as a FIFO state in the present embodiment.

  Furthermore, in the product transport apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, when it is desired to carry in a very small number of cigarette packages STP, the cigarette is introduced into the product column from the product carry-in port 177 without pulling out the package holding unit 171 as described above. Package STP can be carried in.

  Moreover, since the cigarette package STP is carried out at the upper part of the commodity transport apparatus 100, for example, the store worker CSC can sell the cigarette package STP while maintaining the facing state with the general consumer CUU at the register counter 200. it can.

  The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and various modifications are allowed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the product take-out arm 141 of the product take-out unit 140 and the product take-in arm 161 of the product take-in unit 160 are horizontally moved in a straight line to execute the carry-out and carry-in of the cigarette package STP.

  However, the moving direction of the product take-out arm 141 and the product input arm 161 is not limited to the linear horizontal movement as described above. More specifically, in the product carry-out unit 190 illustrated in FIG. 18, a female screw slider 192 is screwed onto a male screw shaft 191 that is rotatably supported.

  A product take-out arm 193 is pivotally supported by the female screw slider 192 and is elastically maintained vertically by a tension spring 194. However, stopper members 195 that are in contact with the upper end of the product take-out arm 193 so as to be able to come into contact with and away from each other are located at both ends.

  In the product carry-out unit 190 having such a structure, as the male screw shaft 191 is rotationally driven, as shown in FIGS. 18 (a) and 18 (b), as shown in FIGS. Thus, the cigarette package STP is carried out.

  When the horizontally moving female screw slider 192 reaches the side end, as shown in FIGS. 18B and 18C, the stopper member 195 comes into contact with the upper end, so that the commodity take-out arm 193 is inclined.

  For this reason, the lower end of the product take-out arm 193 moves greatly to the side without the male screw shaft 191 interfering with another adjacent product take-out unit 190, and the cigarette package STP is taken out from the side. The upper surface of the conveyor 151 can be reliably discharged.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, in the said form, it assumed that the goods extraction unit 140 (and goods input unit 160) was installed separately for every some goods column in the front-back direction.

  However, one product take-out unit 140 (and product input unit 160) is provided for each of a plurality of product columns in the front-rear direction, and the product take-out unit 140 (and product input unit is moved to the position of the product column where the cigarette package STP is carried out and loaded. 160) may move back and forth (not shown).

  Note that the size of the planar shape of the tobacco package STP differs depending on the type. Therefore, product guide recesses corresponding to the smallest tobacco package STP are formed in the product lifter 110 in three directions, etc., and a guide member corresponding to the cigarette package STP to be stacked is erected on the product column to form the product guide recesses. By positioning, it may correspond to the cigarette package STP of various sizes (not shown).

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the commodity conveyance device 100 having four commodity columns is illustrated. However, corresponding to the space of the cashier counter, etc., the product column may form a six-row or eight-row product transport device (not shown), and the product column has two rows of product transport device (not shown). May be formed.

  In the above embodiment, the cigarette package STP is designated by the cigarette brand switch 183 or the barcode reader 184 in advance when the cigarette package STP is carried in from the commodity carry-in entrance 177.

  However, such a barcode reader 184 may be installed in the product carry-in entrance 177 to automatically detect the brand of the cigarette package STP carried in. In this case, it is necessary to limit the direction of the cigarette package STP to be inserted when the bar code reader 184 is installed on both sides of the product carry-in entrance 177 or when it is installed on one side. Can be specified.

  Alternatively, the number of cigarette packages STP carried in at a time may be accumulated by the number accumulating unit, and whether the accumulated number is a predetermined number may be monitored by the number monitoring unit. In this case, for example, when the number of cigarette packages STP carried in at one time does not correspond to the number of cigarette cartons, an alert can be recorded or output (not shown).

  Furthermore, in the said form, it illustrated that the goods conveyance apparatus 100 carries out the cigarette package STP as package goods. However, such a packaged product may be a cigarette carton (not shown).

  Moreover, in the said form, it illustrated that the goods carry-out conveyor 151 consisted of a horizontal belt conveyor. However, such a product carry-out conveyor may be formed by a roller conveyor that is inclined by rotatably supporting a number of free rollers with a guide rail.

  In this case, the electric power required for carrying out the tobacco package STP can be reduced. In addition, a plurality of product carry-in conveyors can be formed by a plurality of inclined roller conveyors individually communicating to the side of the product input positions of the plurality of product columns (not shown).

  Furthermore, in the said form, it illustrated that the goods conveyance apparatus 100 was built in the lower space of the cash register counter 200 currently formed separately. However, such a cashier counter and the commodity transporting device may be integrally formed from the beginning (not shown).

  Needless to say, the above-described embodiment and a plurality of modifications can be combined within a range in which the contents do not conflict with each other. Further, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, the structure of each part has been specifically described, but the structure and the like can be changed in various ways within a range that satisfies the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Commodity conveyance apparatus 110 Commodity lifter 111 Female screw member 114 Latch insertion recessed part 120 Lifter raising / lowering mechanism 121 Male screw shaft 122 Belt mechanism 123 Lifter drive motor 124 Fallout prevention guide 130 Operation control unit 131 Upper limit detection sensor 132 Lower limit detection sensor 133 Replenishment detection sensor 134 package detection sensor 135 unloading detection sensor 136 unloading detection sensor 140 unloading unit 140 unloading mechanism 141 unloading arm 151 unloading conveyor 152 unloading conveyor 160 unloading unit 161 unloading arm 165 package holding unit 166 unloading latch 170 transport Device housing 171 Package holding unit 172 Slide rail 173 Guide handle 174 Unit detection sensor 175 Product outlet 17 6 Product holding tray 177 Product loading port 178 Product loading guide 181 Unloading completion lamp 182 Color stock lamp 183 Tobacco brand switch 184 Bar code reader 185 Tobacco card holder 186 Product insertion recess 187 Quantity designation switch 190 Product unloading unit 191 Male screw shaft 192 Female Screw slider 193 Product take-out arm 194 Tension spring 195 Stopper member 200 Cash register 210 POS terminal 300 Card housing panel 310 Tobacco card pocket 320 Tobacco dummy card 321 Product bar code 330 Promotional goods CSC Store worker CUU General consumer CVS Convenience store STP Cigarette package

Claims (10)

A product support member on which a plurality of packaged products are stacked vertically;
A product elevating mechanism for elevating the product support member and elevating the packaged product being stacked;
A carry-out control unit for controlling the raising of the product support member by the product lifting mechanism, and placing the stacked uppermost packaged product at a predetermined product take-out position;
A product take-out mechanism for taking out the topmost packaged product arranged at the product take-out position to the side;
A product unloading mechanism for unloading the packaged product taken out from the side from a predetermined product unloading position;
A product holding mechanism for holding the packaged product raised by the product support member;
A carry-in control unit that lowers the product support member in a state where the packaged product is held to secure a product input position;
A product carry-in mechanism for carrying in the package product that is carried into a predetermined product carry-in position from the outside to the side of the product input position;
A product loading mechanism for loading the packaged product placed on the product carry-in mechanism into the product loading position on the side and loading the product on the product support member;
Commodity transport device having   The product transporting device according to claim 1, wherein the product holding mechanism supports a product holding latch for holding the lowest packaged product so as to be able to appear and retract.   The product transport device according to claim 2, wherein the product support member is formed with a latch insertion recess into which the product holding latch is inserted.   The product transporting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the product holding mechanism is formed integrally with the product loading mechanism. The product support member and the product input mechanism are respectively arranged in parallel in two left and right rows spaced apart through the product carry-in mechanism.
5. The product transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the packaged product that is carried in by the product carry-in mechanism is put into the left and right two-row product holding mechanisms by the shared product feeding mechanism. A plurality of the product introduction mechanisms are arranged in the front-rear direction together with the plurality of product support members,
It further has a carry-in designation unit for designating one type of carry-in from a plurality of types of packaged products,
6. The product transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product input mechanism corresponding to the specified packaged product inputs the product. A number accumulating means for accumulating the number of the packaged goods that are successively carried in at a time;
Number monitoring means for monitoring whether the accumulated number is a predetermined number;
Furthermore, the goods conveyance apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 6.   The commodity transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the commodity transport apparatus is built in at least a lower space of a cashier counter on which a sales processing apparatus is placed.   8. The commodity transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the commodity transport apparatus is formed integrally with a cash register counter on which at least a sales processing apparatus is placed.   The product conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the packaged product is a cigarette package.

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