Merchandizing means and method

• US 5,595,263 A
• Filed: 02/15/1995
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony Pignataro
• Original Assignee: Anthony Pignataro
• Inventors: Pignataro, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US08/388,794
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 186/53, 186/55, 186/56, 186/57, 186/60, 186/69, 235/383, 414/268, 414/277, 414/283, 414/331, 414/787, 414/223, 414/226, 901/6, 901/7, 198/359, 198/370.01, 198/703, 198/801, 193/12
• US Class Current: 186/53
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0211 Fruits and vegetables
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/04 Indication location means
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 14/00 Buildings for combinations of different purposes not covered by any single one of main groups E04H1/00-E04H13/00 of this subclass, e.g. for double purpose E04H3/02, E04H9/06 take precedence; Buildings of the drive-in type
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/04 Restaurants or shops having arrangements for self-service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

Merchandising apparatus and method wherein there is provided an upstanding hollow structure which is multi-sided and has grid walls defining a series of compartments. The structure has vertical columns surrounding it and guiding robot carriages carrying robots which can reach into the compartments, withdraw articles and place them onto a descent conveyor. The descent conveyor lowers the articles onto a transfer conveyor which transfers them to a packing station. The requirements of a customer are determined at an order station by examination of a visual display unit. The order station can be operated from within a vehicle and the customer need not leave his vehicle until the order has been packed at the packing station. Loading of the compartments of the structure is effected from a storage basement by an elevator moving through a floor opening and upwardly within the hollow structure.

Claims

1. A merchandising method comprising customer identification and supply order of required articles by viewing one of a plurality of visual display units each of which identifies saleable articles at an associated one of a plurality of order stations each having a command facility, transmission of command signals from the command facility at said one station to at least one of a plurality of electronically controlled robots, withdrawal of said required articles from a storage facility by said at least one robot, transfer of said required articles to a packaging station by a transfer conveyor, command signals from each said command facility controlling each said robot independently of control from other of said command facilities, said transfer conveyor further comprising divisions which form side-by-side channels above said transfer conveyor, and respective release gates at the entry ends of said channels, and the method further comprising opening of each said gate after completion of withdrawal of required articles by a respective said robot to satisfy a said supply order.

2. Merchandising means comprising a visual display unit, electronic imaging means coupled to said display unit by an electrical circuit which comprises a scroll facility which sequentially scrolls images and intelligence identifying articles of merchandise on a screen of said display unit,

a command locality having command switches adjacent to and electrically coupled to said display unit, a floor overlying a loading basement, a hollow upstanding structure surmounting said floor, a surface defining an opening in said floor coaxial with said structure, an elevator having a loading platform and being movable upwardly into the hollow of said structure from said loading basement,

said structure comprising a storage facility containing shelves and divisions defining a grid of storage compartments,

a plurality of robots each having driving means electrically coupled to and controlled by command switches, said compartments being accessible by said robots,

a descent conveyor external of said structure but accessible by said robots for depositing articles from said compartments onto said descent conveyor, a packaging conveyor, and a transfer conveyor operative between said descent conveyor and said packaging station to transfer articles released onto said transfer conveyor by said descent conveyor and transfer to said packaging station, and

a plurality of upstanding columns spaced circumferentially around said structure, a plurality of robot carriage guides each extending between adjacent columns, said robots being movable along a respective said robot carriage guide, each said robot carriage guide terminating in elevating carriages which engage surfaces of said columns for vertical movement.