JP2012115587A - Detection device for merchandise on showcase - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a detection device for a showcase which is capable of detecting the out-of-stock condition before merchandise on a merchandise display shelf is run out.SOLUTION: In the showcase 10 controlled based on a management device 11 and an instruction from the management device and placing the merchandise, a merchandise detection sensor 102 for detecting presence or absence of the merchandise is provided on the side close to the front end of the merchandise display shelf 26. When the merchandise detection sensor 102 detects the absence of the merchandise, the showcase 10 outputs that the merchandise is in an out-of-stock condition to the managing device 11.

Description

  The present invention relates to a showcase in which products are frozen or refrigerated and displayed on a product display shelf in a warehouse, and more particularly to a product detection device that detects that the number of products on the product display shelf has decreased.

  First, as an example of a showcase, a showcase shown in Patent Document 1 is known, and a case body in which a product is displayed and a cool air circulation passage are formed, and a cool air circulation passage is formed by a blower through a cooler. And the inside of the cabinet is kept at a predetermined temperature by the cold air circulating through the front surface of the case body. There are several stages of product display shelves at the top and bottom of the cabinet, and many products are displayed side by side.

  A large number of the showcases are arranged in a store such as a supermarket, and the products in each showcase are freely taken out by the customer through the opening.

  Patent Document 1 for the open showcase discloses a configuration in which a sold-out sensor is provided on the product display shelf.

  In Patent Document 1, for example, as a sold-out sensor, a light emitter and a light receiver are arranged before and after a shelf, and the products are arranged so as to block light from the light emitter to the light receiver. When the light from the receiver reaches the light receiver and a sold-out signal is sent from the light receiver, a configuration is known in which a display mechanism provided separately displays that the sold-out has occurred.

  Further, in Patent Document 1, in addition to the above sold-out detection, a light receiver or a weight sensor is arranged as a sold-out sensor on the shelf, and a product is placed on the light receiver or the weight sensor. A configuration for displaying that a sold-out has occurred in a separately provided display mechanism is known.

JP-A-6-189842

  By the way, in the showcase by the said patent document 1, since it can detect only after the goods on a goods display shelf run out, if the replenishment timing of goods is overdue, there exists a possibility of losing the opportunity to sell.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide a showcase detection device that can detect a shortage of goods before the products on the product display shelf disappear. Is.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a showcase controlled based on a command from the management device and the management device and placing a product on the product display shelf, the side close to the front end of the product display shelf A product detection sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a product is provided in the product, and when the product detection sensor detects that there is no product, the fact that the product is out of stock is output from the showcase to the management device. Is.

Specifically, it is configured in the following manner.
(1) When the merchandise detection sensor continuously detects the absence of merchandise for a predetermined time, the merchandise is output from the showcase to the management device that the merchandise is out of stock.
(2) The management device includes a display device that displays at least one of a position of a showcase or a product where the product is in a low-price state, and an alarm device that notifies a warning.
(3) The product detection sensor is provided at a position for detecting the presence or absence of a product on the back side of the product in the front row on the product display shelf.
(4) The product detection sensor is provided to be movable back and forth or up and down depending on the product to be placed.
(5) The product display shelf is inclined forward.

  According to the present invention, in a showcase that is controlled based on a command from the management device and the management device and places the product on the product display shelf, the product that detects the presence or absence of the product on the side near the front end of the product display shelf When a detection sensor is provided and the product detection sensor detects the absence of a product, the product can be informed early on by outputting that the product is out of stock from the showcase to the management device, The product can be quickly replenished without selling out the products on the product display shelf, and sales opportunities are not missed.

  In addition, when the product detection sensor detects that there is no product for a predetermined period of time, the product is output from the showcase to the management device indicating that the product is in a shortage condition, thereby temporarily Can be prevented due to gaps.

  Furthermore, since the position of the product detection sensor can be easily changed according to the product placed on the product display shelf, it is excellent in workability.

It is a system block diagram in the control apparatus of the showcase by embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the cold air circulation type open showcase used as the object of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic enlarged view of the goods display shelf by embodiment of this invention, (a) is a perspective view, (b)-(d) is a side view. It is a flowchart by embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, as an example of a showcase to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a double-layer air curtain type multistage open showcase.

  In FIG. 2, 20 is a case body of an open showcase that becomes a heat-insulating housing. Between the outer box 20a and the inner box 20b made of a steel plate with an open front surface, there is a double inner / outer outer periphery of the inner box 20b. Cold air circulation ducts 21 and 22 are defined, and air curtain outlets 21a and 22a are provided on the front upper side of the case body 20 and air curtain suction ports 21b are provided on the lower side of the case body 20 in a row. 22b are opened. Further, a cooler 23 and a fan 24 are provided in the cool air circulation duct (inner duct) 21 in the inner layer.

  A honeycomb rectifier 25 is provided at the air curtain outlets 21a and 22a, and two cold air curtains are blown out on the front surface of the interior through the honeycomb rectifier 25 during the cold insulation operation to keep the interior cool.

  In the warehouse, product display shelves 26 on which products 27 are placed are provided in multiple upper and lower stages, and the product display shelves 26 are attached so as to be inclined so that the front (front side) on the product takeout side is lowered.

  Reference numeral 28 denotes a canopy portion provided on the upper front surface of the case body 1, and lighting devices 29 are provided on the canopy portion 28, the lower surface of the product display shelf 26, and the ceiling portion of the inner box 20b.

  During the cold holding operation of the open showcase having such a configuration, cold air is circulated through the inner duct 21 and the outer duct 22, and two layers are formed on the front opening of the case body 20 through the honeycomb rectifier 25 of the air curtain outlets 21a and 22a. A cold air curtain is blown out to keep the product 27 displayed on the product display shelf 26 in the cabinet cold.

  FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of a showcase. Reference numeral 10 denotes a showcase. The showcase 10 includes a timer 101a. The showcase is in response to a command from the management device 11 to be described later. And a control unit 101 that transmits data and the like to the management apparatus 11, a product detection sensor 102, and the like.

  The commodity detection sensor 102 is composed of a light emitting element 102a and a light receiving element 102b. When the commodity is between the elements, the light from the light emitting element 102a is blocked, and when there is no commodity, the light receiving element 102b receives the light from the light emitting element 102a. As a result, it is detected that there is no product between the light emitting element 102a and the light receiving element 102b, and is output to the control unit 101. The control unit 101 receives the output of the product detection sensor 102 and determines that the product on the product display shelf 26 is in short supply.

  The showcase 10 and the management device 11 are connected by a communication line 12.

  The management device 11 receives various commands to the showcase 10 and data from the showcase 10 and receives an output signal of the product shortage state from the control unit 101 of the showcase 10 to warn of the product shortage state. And a display monitor 112 for displaying the position of the showcase in a low-priced state and the product name. Further, the management device 11 stores in advance a memory (not shown) such as the position of the showcase and the product name of the product display shelf 26.

  Next, FIG. 3 shows a schematic enlarged view of the commodity display shelf 26 in the showcase of FIG. 2, FIG. 3 (a) is a perspective view, and FIGS. 3 (b) to 3 (d) are side views.

  3 (b) to 3 (d) are side views, respectively, FIG. 3 (b) shows a state where a product is present, FIG. 3 (c) shows a thin product state, and FIG. 3 (d) shows a product detection sensor 12. The change of the mounting position is shown.

  First, the product display shelf 26 has left and right side surfaces 26a and 26b raised, a product detection sensor 102 is provided on this side surface, a shelf fence 30 is provided at the tip, and a product name, price, etc. are displayed on the front surface. A tag mall (not shown) is provided for this purpose.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the light emitting element 102a and the light receiving element 102b of the commodity detection sensor 102 are arranged so as to face the side surfaces 26a and 26b, and the front and rear positions thereof are shown in FIG. 3B. Thus, it is provided at a position for detecting the presence or absence of at least one product behind the product 27 in the front row.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), when there is no more product, the product on the tilted product display shelf 26 moves forward, so that the light from the light emitting element 102a is received by the light receiving element 102b. In other words, it can be detected that the product is in short supply.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (d), the product detection sensor 102 can be changed in its mounting position back and forth or up and down depending on the shape of the product 27. By providing corrugated grooves on the side surfaces 26a and 26b of the merchandise display shelf 26 in the front-rear direction and fitting the light-emitting element 102a and the light-receiving element 102b into the groove positions, the product display shelf 26 can be easily moved in the front-rear direction.

  In addition, although not shown in the vertical direction, an arm having a plurality of upper and lower grooves is separately provided, and the arm is attached to the side surfaces 26a and 26b of the commodity display shelf 26, and the light emitting element 102a and the light receiving element 102b are used as the arms. By fitting in the provided groove position, it can be easily moved in the vertical direction.

  In this configuration, a process for detecting a product shortage will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in the state where the product 27 is arranged on the product display shelf 26, as shown in FIG. 3B, the light emitting element 102a and the light receiving element 102b of the product detection sensor 102 are blocked by the product 27. In this state, there are enough products on the product display shelf 26, and in step S41, the presence or absence of the product is determined.

  Here, when the product 27 on the product display shelf 26 is taken out and the light of the light emitting element 102a reaches the light receiving element 102b as shown in FIG. 3C, the products between the elements are lost from the light receiving element 102b. And the control unit 101 receives the signal from the light receiving element 102b to determine that the product is in a low state (step S41, Yes).

  Next, the control unit 101 counts whether the signal from the light receiving element 12b is continuously received for a predetermined time by the timer 101a, and determines whether the predetermined time has passed (step S42).

  That is, when the product in the front row is taken out and the product 27 on the product display shelf 26 is moving forward, if there is a gap between the product in front, the light receiving element 102b receives the light of the light emitting element 102a. When the output from the light receiving element 102b is received by the control unit 101 continuously for a predetermined time in order to prevent such a false detection, the product 27 may be detected as being out of stock. Only the product 27 is judged to be out of stock.

  Here, when the predetermined time has elapsed (step S42, Yes), the control unit 101 transmits to the management device 11 that the product 27 is in a low-cost state (step S43).

  In the management device 11, the alarm device 111 notifies that the product is out of stock by a buzzer or a blinking display, and displays the position of the showcase and the product name in the store on the display monitor 112 (step) S44).

  As described above, the product 27 can be transmitted to the management device 11 before the product 27 in the product display shelf 26 is completely removed. Therefore, the administrator can use the alarm device 111 and the display monitor 112 of the management device 11. Is displayed, and the product 27 in the showcase 10 can be quickly replenished.

  In addition, transmission of the product shortage state can be transmitted to the administrator's mobile terminal by e-mail or displayed on the case body 1 in addition to the management device 11.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to one showcase has been described, but the present invention can be applied to all showcases in a store.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case main body 10 Showcase 101 Control part 101a Timer 102 Commodity detection sensor 102a Light emitting element 102b Light receiving element 11 Management apparatus 111 Alarm apparatus 112 Display monitor 26 Commodity display shelf 26a, 26b Side surface 27 Commodity

Claims (6)

  In the showcase that is controlled based on a command from the management device and the management device and places the product on the product display shelf, a product detection sensor that detects the presence or absence of the product is provided on the side near the front end of the product display shelf, A product detection device for a showcase, wherein when the product detection sensor detects that there is no product, the showcase outputs to the management device that the product is out of stock.   2. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein when the product detection sensor detects the absence of a product for a predetermined time, the showcase outputs to the management device that the product is out of stock. Showcase product detection device.   3. The showcase according to claim 1, wherein the management device includes a display device that displays at least one of the position of the showcase or the product in which the product is in a shortage state, and an alarm device that notifies a warning. A product detection device for showcases characterized by   The showcase according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the product detection sensor is provided at a position for detecting the presence or absence of a product on the back side of the product in the front row on the product display shelf. Showcase product detection device.   5. The showcase product detection device according to claim 1, wherein the product detection sensor is provided so as to be movable back and forth or up and down according to a product to be placed. .   6. The showcase product detection device according to claim 1, wherein the product display shelf is inclined forward.

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