Display Shelf Modules With Projectors For Displaying Product Information and Modular Shelving Systems Comprising the Same

• US 20130176398A1
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Platz, Torsten Volker, Gonsiorowski, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/103 Display shelving racks with the uprights aligned in only one plane
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/00 Boards, hoardings, pillars, or like structures for notices, placards, posters, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00

Abstract

Modular shelving systems and display shelves for modular shelving systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a modular shelving system includes a shelf support frame comprising a back plane portion and a base portion. At least one display shelf module is removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame such that the display shelf module is vertically and horizontally positionable on the back plane portion of the shelf support frame. The display shelf module may include a top and bottom panels, and side panels that define an interior volume. A display panel may be affixed to a front of the display shelf module. A projector may be disposed in the interior volume of the display shelf module. The projector projects an optical signal onto a rear surface of the display panel such that image data is visible on a front surface of the display panel.

Claims

1. A modular shelving system comprising:

a shelf support frame comprising a back plane portion and a base portion;

at least one display shelf module removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame, the at least one display shelf module comprising;

a top panel, an optional bottom panel and side panels, the top panel, optional bottom panel and side panels defining an interior volume;

a display panel affixed to a front of the at least one display shelf module;

at least one projector disposed in the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal onto a back surface of the display panel such that image data is visible on a front surface of the display panel;

wherein, the at least one display shelf module is removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame such that the at least one display shelf module is vertically positionable on the back plane portion of the shelf support frame.

2. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein:

the shelf support frame comprises an array of mounting apertures formed in the back plane portion, individual mounting apertures of the array of mounting apertures being spaced at regular intervals in a vertical direction; and

the at least one display shelf module comprises at least one mounting clip, the at least one mounting clip engaging with a corresponding mounting aperture in the back plane portion such that the at least one display shelf module is removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame.

3. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display shelf module comprises a plurality of display shelf modules removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame such that a vertical distance between adjacent display shelf modules is adjustable.

4. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein an optical path from the at least one projector to the back surface of the display panel is contained within the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module.

5. The modular shelving system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of optical components positioned within the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module, the plurality of optical components comprising a condenser lens, an image divider, a plurality of focusing lenses, a front mirror, and at least one rear minor, wherein:

the image divider is positioned such that the optical signal from the at least one projector is incident on the image divider, the image divider dividing the optical signal from the at least one projector into a plurality of discrete optical signals and directing the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front minor;

the condenser lens is disposed in an optical path between the at least one projector and the image divider such that, when the optical signal is projected from the at least one projector, the optical signal passes through the condenser lens before reaching the image divider, the condenser lens concentrating the optical signal projected from the at least one projector;

each of the plurality of focusing lenses is positioned in an optical path of the plurality of discrete optical signals such that each of the plurality of discrete optical signals passes through a focusing lens prior to reaching the front minor, the plurality of focusing lenses focusing the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front mirror; and

the front minor is positioned proximate the display panel and the at least one rear mirror is positioned proximate a posterior end of the at least one display shelf module, wherein the front minor is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the at least one rear minor and the at least one rear minor is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the back surface of the display panel.

6. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the at least one projector is positioned on a floating frame which is spaced apart from a top of the at least one display shelf module and a bottom of the at least one display shelf module such that the at least one projector is mechanically isolated from the top surface of the at least one display shelf module and the bottom surface of the at least one display shelf module.

7. The modular shelving system of claim 6, wherein the floating frame comprises a base and at least one cantilevered support arm attached to the base.

8. The modular shelving system of claim 1, further comprising at least one photo detector communicatively coupled to a control circuit of the at least one projector and positioned such that at least a portion of the optical signal from the at least one projector is incident on the at least one photo detector, wherein the at least one photo detector transmits an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the optical signal to the control circuit.

9. The modular shelving system of claim 8, further comprising a warning indicator, wherein the warning indicator is activated when the intensity signal indicates that an optical intensity of the optical signal is below a threshold level.

10. The modular shelving system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bar code reader positioned within the at least one display shelf module; and

an external computer system communicatively coupled to the at least one projector and the bar code reader, wherein the external computer system is programmed with a machine readable and executable instruction set stored in a memory of the external computer system such that, when the instruction set is executed by a processor of the external computer system, the external computer system;

receives a signal from the bar code reader indicative of a scanned bar code;

searches a database of product information indexed according to bar codes to identify a product associated with the scanned bar code; and

projects product information related to the product onto the display panel with the at least one projector.

11. The modular shelving system of claim 10, wherein the external computer system is further programmed to:

project a prompt on the display panel with the at least one projector prompting a user to input customer account information; and

store product information related to the product in an electronic account associated with the customer account information received from the user.

12. The modular shelving system of claim 11, wherein the external computer system is further programmed to email product information related to the product to an email address associated with the customer account information.

13. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the display panel of the at least one display shelf module is a touch screen.

14. The modular shelving system of claim 13, wherein the touch screen comprises:

one or more infrared back lights positioned in the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module and arranged to illuminate the back surface of the display panel; and

one or more detectors positioned within the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module and oriented to capture an image of the back surface of the display panel.

15. The modular shelving system of claim 1, further comprising:

a structured light device positioned in the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module and oriented to project an array of light downward, onto a vertically adjacent display shelf module; and

an external computer system communicatively coupled to the at least one projector and the structured light device, wherein the external computer system is programmed with a machine readable and executable instruction set stored in a memory of the external computer system such that, when the instruction set is executed by a processor of the external computer system, the external computer system;

receives a data signal from the structured light device indicative of a captured image of the projected array of light;

compares the captured image of the projected array of light to an image of the array of light when the vertically adjacent display shelf module has a predetermined amount of product on the vertically adjacent display shelf module; and

determines an amount of product positioned on the vertically adjacent display shelf module based on the comparison of the captured image of the projected array of light to the image of the array of light when the vertically adjacent display shelf module has a predetermined amount of product on the vertically adjacent display shelf module.

16. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display shelf module further comprises a stereoscopic vision system positioned in the interior volume of the at least one display shelf module and oriented to capture images of an adjacent display shelf module positioned below the at least one display shelf module.

17. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display shelf module is provided with power through the back plane portion of the shelf support frame.

18. The modular shelving system of claim 17, wherein:

the back plane portion comprises at least one electrical contact; and

the display shelf module comprises at least one corresponding electrical contact, such that, when the at least one display shelf module is removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame, the at least one display shelf module is electrically coupled to the back plane portion and the at least one projector of the at least one display shelf module is provided with power.

19. A display shelf module comprising:

a top panel, an optional bottom panel and side panels, the top panel, optional bottom panel and side panels defining an interior volume of the display shelf module;

at least one mounting clip, the at least one mounting clip for engaging with a corresponding mounting aperture of a back plane portion of a shelf support frame;

a display panel affixed to a front of the display shelf module; and

at least one projector disposed in the interior volume of the display shelf module, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal onto a rear surface of the display panel such that image data is visible on a front surface of the display panel, wherein an optical path from the at least one projector to the rear surface of the display panel is contained within the interior volume of the display shelf module.

20. The display shelf module of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of optical components positioned within the interior volume of the display shelf module, the plurality of optical components comprising a condenser lens, an image divider, a plurality of focusing lenses, a front minor and at least one rear mirror, wherein:

the image divider is positioned such that the optical signal from the at least one projector is incident on the image divider, the image divider dividing the optical signal from the at least one projector into a plurality of discrete optical signals and directs the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front mirror;

the condenser lens is disposed in an optical path between the at least one projector and the image divider such that, when the optical signal is projected from the at least one projector, the optical signal passes through the condenser lens before reaching the image divider, the condenser lens concentrating the optical signal projected from the at least one projector;

each of the plurality of focusing lenses is positioned in an optical path of the plurality of discrete optical signals such that each of plurality of discrete optical signals passes through a focusing lens prior to reaching the front minor, the plurality of focusing lenses focusing the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front mirror; and

the front minor is positioned proximate the display panel and the at least one rear mirror is positioned proximate the posterior end of the display shelf module, wherein the front minor is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the at least one rear minor and the at least one rear mirror is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the rear surface of the display panel.

21. The display shelf module of claim 20, wherein the display panel is a touch screen and the display panel further comprises:

an optical sensor positioned in the interior volume of the display shelf module; and

an array of infrared LED elements positioned in the interior volume of the display shelf module and oriented to illuminate a rear surface of the display panel with infrared light, wherein the optical sensor captures an image of the rear surface of the display panel based on infrared light reflected from the rear surface of the display panel.

22. A display shelf module comprising:

a shelf portion comprising a top panel and at least one mounting clip for mounting the shelf portion to a back plane portion of a modular shelving system;

a detachable projector unit removably coupled to the to the shelf portion, wherein the detachable projector unit comprises;

a display panel affixed to a front of the detachable projector unit; and

at least one projector disposed in an interior volume of the detachable projector unit, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal onto a back surface of the display panel such that image data is visible on a front surface of the display panel.

23. The display shelf module of claim 22, wherein the shelf portion has a depth D, the detachable projector unit has a depth d, and D>

d.

24. The display shelf module of claim 22, further comprising at least one adapter conduit positioned between a posterior end of the shelf portion and a rear portion of the detachable projector unit.