JPH03273491A - Automatic merchandise vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve operability by forming a cart passage at the operator side of a scanning device, forming almost a perpendicular cylindrical rotation supporting shaft and providing engaging recessed sections engaged with the rotation supporting shaft on a cart for carrying merchandises. CONSTITUTION:At the depth side of a scanner 22, a keyboard 23 inclined toward an operator side is disposed. The front side of a main body case 20, namely, the operator side is designated as a cart passage 24. A cylindrical rotation supporting shaft 25 is vertically formed and located almost at the center of the operator side of the main body case 20. At the tip ends of a base 28 and the merchandises housing section 30 of a cart 26, the engaging recessed portion 32 engaged with the rotation supporting shaft 25 are formed. Thus, since the cart 26 can rotate arround the rotation supporting shaft 25 as a center, the movement thereof is facilitated and the positioning thereof can be easily attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product vending device equipped with a scanner for reading barcodes provided on products.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, supermarkets and the like sell a large amount of products in a short period of time by reading barcodes attached to products, and are able to compile various data on the products sold.

In a system that employs such a sales method, the present applicant has proposed a system that allows customers to check out products while they are still loaded in a cart.
No. 7995 proposes and implements one method. That is, the structure will be explained based on FIGS. 3 and 4.

First, reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyance path determined to have a length to continuously convey two carts 2. This conveyance path 1 connects the lower ends of opposing cart guides 3 and 4 with a connecting plate 5, and connects one example of the cart guides 3 and 4 with an inverted U-shaped vibro which is higher than the height of the cart 2. One cart guide 3 has the length of two carts 2, but the other cart guide 4 has a short length. A columnar support 7 is fixed to the center of one of the cart guides 3, and this support 7 has a scanner 9 having a reading window 8 on the front, a checker display 10, and a display for customers. 11 is installed,
A keyboard 12 is held at the top of the casing of the scanner 9. Further, on the extension surface 13 extending from one end of the connecting plate 5, a stand 15 on which a cash register 14 is placed is provided.
is located. The scanner 9 is located inside the transport path l and above the cart 2. Furthermore, the display 10 is located on the loading side of the scanner 9 and is mounted on a support 7.
is held in

In such a configuration, FIG. 4 shows a state in which an empty cart 2 is sent to the discharge side of the conveyance path 1, and a customer 18 sends a cart 2 containing products to the carry-in side of the conveyance path 1.

In this state, the products in Cart 2 on the carry-in side are
16, the product data is read by the scanner 9 during the process of passing through the front side of the reading window 8 and being stored in the cart 2 on the carry-out side. For products that do not have data such as barcodes attached, input is made using the keyboard 12. On the other hand, the customer 18 who is currently paying the bill moves to the cashier 17 and waits for payment, and when the customer 18 has finished checking out all the items in one cart 2, the customer 18 receives the total amount charged by the cashier 17. After payment, the cart 2 sent out from the delivery side on the conveyance path is picked up by the checker 16 and moved to a predetermined packaging location. After this, the checker 16
The empty cart 2 on the carry-in side is sent to the carry-out side of the conveyance path 1, and waits for the next customer 18 to send the cart 2 containing goods to the carry-in side of the conveyance path 1. Therefore, the carts 2 can be sequentially circulated as part of the checkout operation. Further, the cart 2 for taking out products and the cart 2 for storing products are continuous in the transport path 1, and the scanner 9, keyboard 12, and display 10 are located inside the transport path 1 without interfering with the transport of the cart 2. Since the product can be moved closer to the checker 16 with a small movement, the product can be passed in front of the reading window 8 or the keyboard 12 can be operated, thereby reducing the labor of the checker 16. It can be reduced. Furthermore, the checker 16 needs to confirm the location of the product when taking out the product from the cart 2 on the carry-in side rather than when storing the product in the cart 2 on the carry-out side after reading the product data. By arranging the display device 10 on the loading side of the scanner 9,
The data of the previously read product can be confirmed on the display 10 along the line of sight that searches for the next product to be read from the cart 2 located on the carry-in side, and this allows the user to greatly change the direction of the line of sight. This can alleviate eye fatigue and improve the efficiency of checkout operations.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Although the conventional method has various features as described above, when a customer transports a cart,
It is not clear where to move the cart. Additionally, there is a risk that the cart may collide with the operator. Furthermore, the movement of the customer is troublesome because the cart must be handed over to the operator and then turned around to face the operator. Furthermore, the operator must move the empty cart to the opposite side after finishing reading the products in one cart, but this operation is cumbersome and positioning is difficult.

Means for Solving the Problem A scanning device equipped with a scanner is provided, and a cart path is formed on the operator side of the scanning device, and a substantially vertical columnar rotating shaft is formed, and a cart for transporting products is provided with a cart path. A recessed fitting recess that engages with the rotation support shaft was formed.

The cart can be moved using the rotating shaft formed on the main body case as a target, so the target is clear and the cart can be moved easily.Furthermore, the main body case of the scanning device acts as a guard for the operator, making it easy to move the cart. The operator can be protected even if the machine is handled roughly, and the customer only needs to be located on the customer side of the main body case, so the flow line is continuous, making it easy to move, and the reader can easily move when reading is completed. Even when moving the next empty cart to the opposite side, it is only necessary to rotate the cart around the rotational shaft, so the operation is easy and the cart can be easily positioned.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1 and 2. First, the scanning device 19 has a main body case 2o, and a scanner 22 with a reading window 21 facing upward is provided on the main body case 20. At the back of the scanner 22 is a keyboard 2 that is slanted toward the operator.
3 are arranged. The front side of the main body case 20, that is, the operator side is a cart passage 24. A cylindrical rotation support shaft 25 is vertically formed approximately at the center of the main body case 20 on the operator's side.

Thus, the cart 26 is mounted on a base 2 on which wheels 27 are provided.
8, a support 29 erected from the base 28, a sieve-shaped product storage section 3o for storing products, and a handle 31 disposed on the customer side. Then, the base 2 of the cart 26
A fitting recess 32 into which the rotation support shaft 25 fits is formed at the tip of the product storage section 8 and the product storage section 30 .

Next, a register unit 33 is disposed on the left side of the main body case 20. This register unit 3
3, a keyboard 34, a display section 35, and a printer 36;
and a drawer 37 are provided.

In such a configuration, the customer grasps the handle 31 to move the cart 26, but when making payment, the customer moves the cart 26 toward the rotation shaft 25 of the scanning device 19. That is, the fitting recess 32 at the tip of the cart 26 is fitted into the rotation support shaft 25 of the main body case 20. As a result, the cart 26 containing the products is set on the left side of the operator. At this time, the position where the cart 26 should be set becomes clear, and the cart 26 does not hit the operator, effectively protecting the operator.

On the other hand, an empty cart 26 is set in advance on the right side of the operator.

In this state, the operator takes out the product from the left cart 26 and reads the barcode using a laser beam emitted from the reading window 21 of the scanner 22. The read product is then thrown into the cart 26 on the right side. At this time, the two carts 26 located on the left and right sides of the operator can be placed close to each other, making it easy to move the products and greatly improving operability.

When all the products have been read in this way, the cart 26 on the right side is filled with products.The customer pulls out this cart 26, and then the empty cart 26 on the left side is moved to the cart aisle 26 on the operator side. Move the top and send it to the right side. At this time, since the cart 26 can be rotated about the rotating support shaft 25, its movement operation is easy, and its positioning can also be easily performed. After preparing like this, wait for the next customer.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides a scanning device equipped with a scanner, forms a cart path on the operator side of the scanning device, and forms a substantially vertical cylindrical rotation shaft to carry out products. Since the cart to be transported has a recess-shaped fitting recess that engages with the rotational support shaft, the cart can be moved with the rotational support shaft formed in the main body case as the target, so that the target is not clearly defined. In addition, since the main body case of the scanning device acts as a guard for the operator, the operator can be protected even if the cart is handled roughly. Because of this, the flow line is in a continuous flow shape, making it easy to move, and when moving an empty cart to the opposite side after reading, all you have to do is rotate the cart around the rotation axis. Therefore, the operation is easy and the positioning of the cart is also easy.

22...Scanner, 24...Cart aisle, 25...
・Rotation shaft, 26... Cart, 32... Fitting recess

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof. 19...Scanning device, 20...Body case,
1” Diagram

Claims (1)

[Claims] A scanning device equipped with a scanner is provided, and a cart path is formed on the operator side of the scanning device, and a substantially vertical columnar rotating shaft is formed, and a cart for transporting products is engaged with the rotating shaft. A product sales device characterized in that a fitting recess is formed in the shape of a recess.