JPH0670828B2 - Check-out counter with lifting basket - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a checkout counter equipped with an elevator car loading platform used in a self-service supermarket or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a self-service supermarket, a customer puts a desired product in a shopping basket provided at the store side, and the customer places the basket on the upper surface of the front of the checkout counter. , The clerk reads the price of the product taken out of the basket with the bar code reader installed on the upper surface of the center of the counter,
Check-out work such as payment of the price is done.

[0003]

The upper surface of the above-mentioned checkout counter is set at a height corresponding to the height of the store clerk in consideration of the work efficiency of the store clerk who is the worker, so that the position is relatively high. Therefore, it takes a considerable amount of labor for the customer to lift and place the shopping basket containing a large amount of goods on the upper surface of the counter, and especially for the women, the elderly, and the children who make up the majority of the customers. It is a heavy burden.

[0004]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional checkout counter, and in front of the main body of the checkout counter,
From the car loading position lower than the front end upper surface of the main top plate,
A car platform that can move up and down to a car pulling position that is level with the top surface of the front end of the top plate is provided, and when it is detected that the shopping basket is placed on the car platform at an appropriate position on the top of the car platform,
Raise the car loading platform to the car pulling position, and lower the car loading platform to the car loading position when detecting that the shopping cart has been pulled from the car loading platform to the upper surface of the counter. In order to do so, a detection device for activating the lifting device is provided.

[0005]

[Function] When a customer puts a shopping cart containing products on the car loading table at a car loading position lower than the top of the checkout counter, the car loading platform automatically draws a car that is level with the top of the counter. Ascending to the approaching position, the clerk can pull the shopping cart onto the upper surface of the counter, read the price of the product taken out of the cart with a barcode reader, and perform checkout work such as payment.

If the detection devices are provided at a plurality of positions on the upper surface of the car mounting stand so as to be spaced apart from each other and the car mounting bases are raised when the detection devices detect the car at the same time, the fixed position of the car mounting base is determined. If the car is not placed, the car stand will not rise, so the car will be placed in an unstable state and the car will be prevented from falling while rising, and the child will sit on the car stand. Even if a small shopping product other than the car is placed on the car platform, the car platform does not rise and it is safe.

The detection device is of a long push button type, the tip of which is made to protrude from the car platform, and when the detection device is pushed down by the leg frame of the shopping basket, the tip is provided mainly. If you keep it immersed in the slot,
The detection device is convenient because it serves as a bridge when the shopping cart moves from the car loading platform to the main body.

If a plurality of push button switches are provided facing the front end of the counter and spaced apart from each other in a V-shape, the push button switches are placed on the lower surface of the underframe of the car when the shopping basket is pulled and moved. There is no erroneous operation in which the car is constantly contacted and the car platform lowers midway.

Therefore, the customer does not have to lift the shopping basket and place it on the upper surface of the counter, and the burden on the customer is reduced. Also, when the store clerk pulls the shopping basket and moves it to the top of the counter, the car platform will automatically lower to its original position.Therefore, it is not necessary for the store clerk to move the car platform up and down. Also, the burden on the clerk is reduced.

If a fall prevention frame having an inwardly inclined inner surface is provided on the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the car loading platform except for the edge on the counter side, falling of the car during lifting is prevented, Moreover, the car can be properly placed at a predetermined position in the fall prevention frame of the car mounting table, and the car can be reliably detected by the detection device.

At this time, if a reflection type photoelectric sensor that faces the counter and detects the distance of the car is provided on the inner surface of the fall prevention frame opposite to the counter, the shopping basket can be attracted and moved and separated. When you do, you can lower the car platform.

[0012]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a checkout counter according to the present invention, which is a frame body provided in front of the main body (1).
In (2), it is operated by a lifting device (not shown),
A car platform that can be moved up and down from a car loading position that is lower than the front end upper surface of the top plate (3) of the main body (1) to a car pulling position that is level with the front end upper surface of the top plate (3) (4) is provided.

Fall prevention frames (5) and (5) are provided at the left and right corners of the front end of the car platform (4), and a shopping basket is placed on the upper surface of the car platform (4) at an appropriate position. At this time, detection devices (6) and (6) for detecting it are provided. Detection device (6)
Is a reflective photoelectric sensor that detects the distance to the car, but may be any other known appropriate sensor or switch.

A locking body (7) is provided at a portion of a portion of the car platform (4) which is inserted into the frame body (2), and the frame body is projected.
The inner surface of (2) has locking bodies when the car platform (4) is raised to the upper limit and lowered to the lower limit.
Limit switches (8) and (9) that are opened by making contact with (7) are provided.

FIG. 2 shows that both detection devices (6) and (6) are connected to the shopping cart (1
(0) is detected, the motor (M) in the lifting device (not shown) is started, and the car platform (4) is locked.
An example of a circuit for raising and lowering until the (7) contacts the upper and lower limit switches (8) and (9) is shown.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a drop prevention frame (5) facing upward is provided at a corner of the upper surface of the car platform (4). However, in this case, when the shopping basket (10) hits the fall prevention frame (5), the fall prevention frame (5) may be deformed or damaged.

In order to eliminate such a fear, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear surface of the frame body (2) is provided with a notch (11) so that the size of the rear surface of the frame body (2) is slightly lower and the car platform (4). It is preferable that the front end portion and both side end portions of the upper surface are slopes (12) that are inclined downward inward.

In this way, the shopping cart (10) is guided to the correct position by the slope (12), as shown in FIG.
A reliable operation is expected.

When the detection device (6) is of a long push button type that protrudes and retracts from the surface of the car platform (4),
Instead of arranging them in parallel as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable to arrange them in a V-shape that spreads in the transfer direction of the shopping basket, as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, when the rectangular leg frame of the shopping basket (10) is laterally displaced by a certain amount or more, one of the detection devices is detected.
Although (6) is immediately deactivated, in the case of FIG. 6, the allowable amount of lateral displacement of the shopping basket (10) is large.

Further, in the case of such a long push-button type detection device (6), as shown in FIG. 7, the tip of the detection device is made to project from the car mounting base (4) toward the main body (1). Every time, when the detection device (6) is pushed down by the leg frame of the shopping basket (10), the tip of the detection device (6) is set in the slot (13) provided in the main body (1). 6) is convenient because it serves as a bridge when the shopping cart (10) is moved from the car platform (4) to the main body (1).

[0022]

The customer does not have to lift the shopping basket and place it on the upper surface of the counter, which reduces the burden on the customer.
Also, when the store clerk pulls the shopping basket and moves it to the top of the counter, the car platform will automatically lower to its original position.Therefore, it is not necessary for the store clerk to move the car platform up and down. Also, the burden on the clerk is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a checkout counter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the same.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a preferable car mounting base and a frame body.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a shopping cart is placed on a car platform in the one shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a car mounting table in which long detectors are arranged in parallel.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a shopping basket in which similar detection devices are arranged in a V shape which spreads in a transfer direction of the shopping basket.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the tip of the detection switch is pushed by the shopping basket and is recessed into the main slot.

[Explanation of symbols]

(1) Main body (2) Frame body (3) Top plate (4) Car platform (5) Fall prevention frame (6) Detection device (7) Locking body (8) (9) Limit switch (10) Shopping basket (11) Notch (12) Slope (13) Groove

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A car loading platform on the front side of the main body of the check-out counter, which can move up and down from a car loading position lower than the front end upper surface of the top plate of the main body to a car pulling position equal in height to the front end upper surface of the top plate. When it is detected that the shopping cart has been placed on the upper surface of the car loading table and the shopping cart is placed on the upper surface of the car loading platform, the car loading platform is raised to the car pulling position, and the shopping cart is placed in the basket. When it is detected that the cart has been pulled to the upper surface of the counter,
A checkout counter equipped with a lifting car loading table, characterized in that a detection device for activating the lifting device is provided for lowering to the car loading position. 2. The fall prevention frame, the inner side surface of which inclines inward from the upper end to the lower end, is provided on the peripheral edge of the upper surface of the car platform except the edge on the counter side. Check-out counter equipped with an elevator car stand. 3. The reflection type photoelectric sensor, wherein the detection device is provided on the inner side surface of the fall prevention frame opposite to the counter, and detects the distance of the shopping cart placed on the upper surface of the car platform. A checkout counter equipped with the elevator car loading platform described in 1 or 2. 4. The car detectors are provided at a plurality of positions on the upper surface of the car stand, spaced apart from each other. When the detectors simultaneously detect that the shopping basket is placed, the car stand is pulled by the car puller. A checkout counter equipped with a lifting car stand according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the checkout counter is adapted to be raised to the approaching position. 5. A push button, wherein the detection device is provided adjacent to the front end of the counter and projects upward from the upper surface of the car loading table, and is pushed in contact with the lower surface of the underframe of the loaded shopping cart. A checkout counter comprising a lifting car stand according to claim 1, which is a switch. 6. The elevating and lowering basket mounting base according to claim 5, wherein the push button switch is composed of a plurality of long-sized ones which are arranged side by side in a V shape which spreads toward the front end of the counter. Checkout counter equipped with. 7. The push button switch is long and its tip projects from the car carrier toward the main body. When the push button switch is pushed down by the shopping cart, the tip is provided on the main body. 7. A checkout counter equipped with a lifting car loading platform according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the checkout counter is immersed in the slot to serve as a bridge when the shopping cart is transferred from the car loading platform to the main body.