WO2018069304A1

WO2018069304A1 - Apparatus for presenting goods

Info

Publication number: WO2018069304A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/075786
Authority: WO
Inventors: Udo Vosshenrich; Andreas Bellgardt
Original assignee: Pos Tuning Udo Vosshenrich Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2016-10-10
Filing date: 2017-10-10
Publication date: 2018-04-19
Also published as: EP3523787A1; DE202016105648U1

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for presenting goods, having at least one compartment (3) in which goods (11) are stocked, wherein the lowermost or foremost goods item (11) in the at least one compartment (3) can be removed from the compartment (3) via an ejector or manually, wherein an optical sensor (5) is provided on the at least one compartment (3), said sensor being intended to determine the filling level of the goods in this compartment (3) and having an emitter (12) and a receiver (13) for electromagnetic radiation (14), wherein the filling level of the compartment (3) can be determined by means of a controller (15) on the basis of the propagation time of the signal (14) emitted by the emitter (12) between the emitter (12) and the receiver (13).

Description

Device for presenting goods

Device for the presentation of goods with at least one compartment are stored in the goods, wherein the respective lowermost or foremost product of the at least one compartment via an ejector or manually removed from the tray, wherein at least one compartment, an optical sensor for determining the level the goods are provided in this compartment having an emitter and a receiver for electromagnetic radiation.

There are known devices for presenting goods as a dispensing machine or as a means for storing goods, for example in the form of shelves, chutes or sloping floors to spend goods. In this case, the facilities for storing goods with or without a goods slide for conveying the goods are provided.

US 8 260 456 B2 discloses a merchandise display device having at least one device for determining the goods slide position. In addition, it includes at least one rail system. The rail system includes a pusher that provides tension to a front end of the rail. In addition, the device comprises a sensor which is located on a position fixed to the rail and a controller which communicates with the sensor. Claim 10 also discloses an optical system with which conclusions about the signal strength of an emitted and subsequently detected signal can be drawn regarding the position of the goods slide with respect to the rail. It also discloses a fastened to the goods slider reflector, which reflects the signal back to the sensor. However, the signal strength of the detected signal is dependent on the transparency of the passing medium and, with the use of a reflector, on a constant reflectance thereof. The disclosed solution is thus highly dependent on the installation situation and requires complex cleaning, maintenance and protection against air changes in order to provide a consistently accurate information on the level of the goods. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for dispensing goods, which allows reliable detection of the level of the individual subjects. This object is achieved with a device having the features of claims 1 or 3.

The sensor according to the invention is designed as an optical sensor and has an emitter and a receiver for electromagnetic waves. The emitter emits a signal in the form of electromagnetic radiation, whereupon this signal is detected by the receiver for the determination of the level. The distance s, which travels the signal until detection by the receiver, is linked to the level of the goods in the compartment. The inventive device for presenting goods comprises at least one compartment in which goods are arranged, wherein at least one compartment of one of these sensors is provided for detecting the level of the goods in this compartment. Preferably, corresponding sensors for detecting the fill level can be provided on all compartments. As a result, a refilling operation can be triggered during operation of the device when it falls below a certain level, so that a draining of a compartment can be avoided. In addition, by the sensor and a theft situation, in the simultaneous removal of several goods, are detected and reported. The receiver can also be placed in such a way that it detects the electromagnetic wave which is changed in its direction of propagation via at least one device for deflection.

An electronic computing unit can calculate the distance s that has traveled from the transit time f of the signal between the emitter and the receiver:

s = t ^* c,

where c is the speed of light. Since the speed of light c is slightly dependent on the temperature of the medium being traversed, a temperature calibration may preferably be provided.

It is also possible by means of a temperature sensor to collect information about the temperature and to transmit it to a controller.

In order to precisely determine the transit time f and from there the level of the goods, diodes, preferably single photon avalanche diodes, which are operated above the breakdown voltage can be used in the receiver, whereby a gain with a value around e008 is achieved. Thus, the signal can be utilized even with very low reflectivity of a reflector. In addition, these diodes enable a reduction in the dead time between two detectable light pulses, preferably to less than 200 ns, in particular less than 100 ns, whereby a high temporal resolution can be ensured.

Alternatively, an electronic computing unit may calculate the distance s traveled from the phase difference phi between the signal emitted by the emitter and that detected by the receiver:

s = c ^* phi / (4 ^* pi ^* fmod)

It is also possible to use a signal processing circuit which supplies the emitter preferably via an integrated DAC (digital-to-analog-converter) circuit with voltage and a frequency modulation, preferably with a modulation frequency fmod, for example in a range of fmod = 3 up to 6 MHz. This offers the advantage of improving the signal-to-noise ratio and enables a more reliable determination of the distance s traveled over the phase difference of the phased reflected wave:

s = c ^* phi / (4 ^* pi ^* fmod) In order to further increase the accuracy of both embodiments, the emitter may emit monochromatic light, which preferably has a coherence length that is at least twice the length of the bin. In order to reduce the dependence of the propagation velocity on the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, the influence of dispersion effects on the refractive index of the air is reduced by using radiation in the IR range. Radiation from this area is also not visible to the human eye and often low energy, which also emitters from one of the lowest laser classes, preferably class 1, 1 M, 2 or 2M (accident prevention regulation "laser radiation" BGV B2 and the DIN standard EN 60825 -1 (VDE 0837-1, May 2008 edition with a correction of December 2008)).

Thus, the device according to the invention for the presentation of goods includes a sensor for precise length measurement, with the aid of which the level of the corresponding compartment can be calculated. For this purpose, the control of the thickness of the stored goods or an associated size, preferably also the length of the compartment or an associated size, must be stored in a controller. The measured values thus determined can then be forwarded by means of a wireless or wired communication interface.

For device control and data transmission, different bus systems can be provided, which are optimally adapted to the present demands on the sensor. For example, to allow a more compact design of the sensor, an I2C bus system can be used within the assembly, whereas, for example, an RS-485 bus system can be used for data transmission to higher-level systems.

The area of the sensor without electronics in plan view perpendicular to the radiation direction is preferably less than 5.0 cm ² , in particular less than 2.5 cm ² . The thickness of the sensor is preferably less than 8 mm, in particular less than 3 mm. As a result, the sensor can be made very compact and can also be used with narrow compartments. If the sensor is installed as an assembly with the electronics, the surface of the assembly in plan view in a range of 5 cm ² to 15 cm ² , in particular 8 cm ² to 12 cm ² are. The thickness can remain unchanged. For example, a goods slider is provided on the compartment, which rests behind the last goods package. Thereby, a promotion of the goods in the tray to the removal opening can be done reliably and also certain clamping forces can be provided on the runner, by means of which the goods are held in the desired position.

Instead of a goods slide, any desired mechanical or technical device can be provided in order to convey the remaining goods to a specific position after removal of a foremost goods, which may for example also be designed as a sliding mat, on the goods after removal of the foremost goods to slide the gravity against a stop.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to two embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention for the presentation of goods.

Figure 2 is a schematic arrangement of the sensor with respect to the goods.

A device 1 for the presentation of goods comprises a guide profile 9, on which a goods slider 4 biased by a spring 10 is displaceably guided. For this purpose, two grooves for guiding the goods pusher 4 are formed on the guide profile 9. The guide profile 9 is fixed via an anchor on an adapter rail 19, which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide profile 9. Over the length of the adapter rail 19 more guide profiles 9 can be mounted side by side. On each guide profile 9, at least one vertically projecting compartment divider 2 is provided laterally, which divides the device into compartments 3 and guides the goods 11 conveyed by the goods slide 4 into lateral guidance. In addition, the goods discharge opening opposite side of the compartments 3 is provided with a rear wall 8. The rear wall 8 is fastened with clamps on the compartment dividers 2. At the goods issue opening facing side of the rear wall, an optical sensor 5 per compartment 3 for detecting the level of the goods is attached in each case. In the sensors 5 are each an emitter 12 and a Receiver 13 included. At one or more sensors 5, a temperature sensor 7 for detecting the temperature at the location of the compartment 3 is arranged. On the rear wall 8 facing side of the product pusher 4, a deflection device 6 is also attached, which reflects back the emitted from the emitter 12 signal 14 to the receiver 13 back.

The power supply 1 6 of the sensor 5 is carried out with batteries or via a bus system. When the device is first put into operation at the intended location, the length / of the goods compartment can be determined by a measurement without goods 11 and stored on a controller 15. Subsequently, the emitter 12 emits in operation at regular intervals signals 14, which are reflected at the device for deflection 6 and detected by the receiver 13. The measurement data thus determined are forwarded to the controller 15. This central control 15 for a plurality of sensors of one or more devices for presenting goods determines the route from the signal 14:

D = s / 2

and by the previous input of the thickness c / the goods 1 1, the level n of the compartment 3:

n = (I-D) / d

Furthermore, a minimum level n can be set, whereby a refilling process is triggered when falling below this level. By setting a maximum level change, an alarm is triggered when exceeded. In the structure shown in Figure 2, a mounting situation is shown in which a last product 1 1 at a distance D from the optical sensor 5 is located. By means of a controller 15, the thickness c / the goods 1 1 and the length / of the compartment 3 can be determined. Also, the minimum level from which a refilling process is initiated, the number of maximum goods to be taken without theft warning per measurement run and the frequency of the measurements can be varied.

The emitter 12 emits electromagnetic radiation 14, which propagates in the direction of the product 11. After reflection on the product 1 1, the radiation 14 of Receiver 1 3 detected. The internal data transmission is performed by a bus system 1 8, whereby a control 1 5 from the measured data, the distance s = 2 * D

can determine. The fill level n is determined from the previously stored data, and the fill level change is determined from the difference to the fill level determined in a previous measurement. If the maximum fill level change is exceeded or a minimum fill level is undershot, a wireless communication interface or a wired communication interface forwards a warning signal.

Instead of attaching the sensors 5 to the rear wall 8, these can also be fixed in each case to a holder which is optionally connected to the guide profile 9 or the bottom of the compartment 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 device

2 compartment dividers

3 compartment

4 pushers

5 optical sensor

6 device for redirection

7 temperature sensor

8 rear wall

9 leadership profile

10 spring

1 1 goods

12 emitters

13 recipients

14 signal

15 control

16 power supply

17 communication interface

18 bus system

19 adapter rail

Claims

claims

1 . Device (1) for the presentation of goods with at least one compartment (3) are stored in the goods (1 1), wherein the respective lowest or foremost goods (1 1) of the at least one compartment (3) via an ejector or manually from the Compartment (3) is removable, wherein at least one compartment (3) an optical sensor (5) for determining the level of the goods in this compartment 3) is provided, comprising an emitter (12) and a receiver (13) for electromagnetic Radiation (14), characterized in that by means of a controller (15) the level of the compartment (3) depending on the transit time between emitter (12) and receiver (1 3) of the emitter (12) emitted signal (14) can be determined is.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver (12) comprises a diode, preferably a single-photon avalanche diode SPAD).

3. Device for presenting goods with at least one compartment (3) in the goods (1 1) are stored, wherein the respective lowest or foremost product (1 1) of the at least one compartment (3) via an ejector or manually from the tray (3), wherein at least one compartment (3), an optical sensor (5) for determining the level of the goods in this compartment 3) is provided, comprising an emitter (12) and a receiver (13) for electromagnetic radiation (14), characterized in that by means of a control (15), the phase difference between the emitter (12) and emitted by the receiver (13) detected signal (14) is measurable.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a controller (15), preferably a DAC circuit is provided, by means of which the signal (4) can be modulated, preferably frequency-modulated.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is the signal (14) is electromagnetic radiation from the IR range.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one means for deflecting (6) of the emitter (12) emitted signal (14) is provided.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is at the emitter (12) emitted signal (14) is monochromatic, preferably coherent electromagnetic radiation.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a temperature sensor (7) is provided for detecting the temperature.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by means of a controller (15), a temperature calibration can be made.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the device control and the data transmission different bus systems (18) are provided.

1 1. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a communication interface (17) for wireless and / or wired forwarding of the data is provided.

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a power supply (1 6) via a cable, a bus system (18) and / or provided with batteries or rechargeable batteries.