Dispensing and display system

• US 8,190,289 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Rock-Tenn Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Lockwood, Thomas A., Miller, Roger K., Stapleford, Scott H., Stapleford, Gary N.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/567,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 221/151, 221/152, 221/125, 221/126, 221/3, 221/15, 221/270, 221/279, 312/35, 312/71, 700/236
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/126 the pushing device being urged by spring means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2010/025 using stock management systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/002 Devices for protection against sunlight or theft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/10 for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/14 for fastenings for doors of containers for safe keeping G07F17/12; for turnstiles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A system for controlling advancement of and access to product and for generating data associated with such advancement and access. Systems of this invention include a pusher system having a track, a pusher, and mechanisms for generating data relating to the movement of the pusher. Certain embodiments of the invention include a door assembly, which controls consumer access to product located behind the door assembly, a stop for limiting the forward progression of the pusher along the track, and mechanisms for generating data relating to when and/or for how long the door assembly is open.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing products comprising:

(a) a device that controls access to products stored within the device comprising;

(1) a door having an open position and a closed position, the door restricting access to the products stored within the device when the door is in the closed position;

(2) a stop configured to be activated by the door; and

(3) a movable pusher assembly that urges the products toward the door;

(4) a rotatable shaft that rotates as the pusher assembly urges the products toward the door;

(b) one or more sensors configured to sense the proximity of the stop to generate at least one signal relating to at least one of the following;

whether the door is in the open or closed position;

how long the door has been in the open position;

when the pusher assembly moves to urge the products toward the front of the device; and

the number of products stored within the device;

wherein the one or more sensors are not accessible to a consumer attempting to access the products stored within the device;

(c) a processor in electronic communication with the one or more sensors and configured to process data; and

(d) a transmitter in electronic communication with the processor, the transmitter capable of transmitting at least some of the data processed in the processor to at least one device external to the system,

wherein the rotatable shaft cooperates with a position sensor and wherein the processor is in electronic communication with the position sensor to process data received from the position sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprises one of the following:

a Hall-Effect proximity sensor;

a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and a photoelectric sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a resistance mechanism that slows the speed at which the movable pusher assembly urges the products toward the door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the stop is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, and wherein when the stop is in the engaged position, the stop prevents the pusher assembly from urging the products toward the door.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein moving the door to the open position moves the stop to the engaged position, preventing the pusher assembly from urging the products toward the door.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the position sensor is a potentiometer that converts the rotation of the shaft into an electrical signal received by the processor relating to at least one of the following:

(a) removal of a product from the device;

(b) the number of products removed from the device; and

(c) the number of products remaining in the device.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a receiver system that receives the processed data from the transmitter and generates an output signal based on the processed data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the output signal generated by the receiver system indicates at least one of the following:

(a) removal of a product from the device;

(b) the number of products removed from the device; and

(c) the number of products remaining in the device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the output signal triggers an audible alert.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver system that receives the processed data from the transmitter and generates an output signal based on the processed data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the output signal generated by the receiver system indicates at least one of the following:

(a) that the door is in the open position (b) removal of a product from the device; and

(c) the amount of time that the door has been in the open position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the output signal triggers an audible alert.

13. A system for dispensing products comprising:

(a) a device comprising;

(1) a track configured to receive a plurality of products;

(2) a pusher in sliding engagement with the track, wherein the pusher urges the plurality of products toward a front of the track; and

(3) a shaft that extends through an aperture in the pusher, wherein forward movement of the pusher rotates the shaft; and

(b) one or more sensors configured to sense rotation of the shaft to generate at least one electrical signal relating to one or more of the following;

(i) removal of a product from the device;

(ii) the number of products remaining in the device;

(iii) the number of products removed from the device,

wherein the one or more sensors are not accessible to a consumer attempting to access the plurality of products stored within the device;

(c) a processor in electronic communication with the one or more sensors and configured to process the at least one electrical signal received from the one or more sensors; and

(d) a transmitter in electronic communication with the processor, the transmitter capable of transmitting at least some data processed in the processor to at least one device external to the system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more sensors is a potentiometer.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a resistance mechanism that slows the speed at which the spring urges the pusher toward the front of the track.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a receiver system that receives the processed data from the transmitter and generates an output signal based on the processed data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the output signal generated by the receiver system indicates at least one of the following:

(a) removal of a product from the device;

(b) the number of products removed from the device; and

(c) the number of products remaining in the device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the output signal triggers an audible alert.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the shaft is substantially helix-shaped.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the shaft is capable of rotating within the aperture in the pusher without obstruction.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the shaft is configured so that when the pusher moves in a linear direction, the linear movement of the pusher is converted into a rotary motion of the shaft.

22. The system of claim 13, the device further comprising:

(1) a door having (a) an open position and (b) a closed position for restricting access to the plurality of products stored within the device; and

(2) a stop, wherein the stop is engaged and prevents the pusher from urging the plurality of products toward the front of the track when the door is in the open position and the stop is disengaged and allows the pusher to urge the plurality of products toward the front of the track when the door is in the closed position,

wherein the system further comprising a proximity sensor configured to sense the proximity of the stop to generate at least one signal relating to at least one of the following;

(a) whether the door is in the open or closed position;

(b) how long the door has been in the open position;

(c) when the pusher moves to urge product toward the front of the device; and

(d) the number of products stored in the device, and

wherein the processor is in electronic communication with the proximity sensor to process the at least one signal received from the proximity sensor.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a receiver system that receives the processed data from the transmitter and generates an output signal based on the processed data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the output signal generated by the receiver system indicates one or more of the following:

(a) that the door is in the open position;

(b) removal of a product from the device; and

(c) that the door has been in the open position for more than a predetermined period of time.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the output signal triggers an audible alert.

26. A system for dispensing products comprising:

(a) a device comprising;

(1) a track configured to receive a plurality of products;

(2) a door having an open position and a closed position, the door restricting access to the plurality of products on the track when the door is in the closed position;

(3) a stop configured to be activated by the door;

(4) a pusher in sliding engagement with the track;

(5) a spring that urges the pusher toward a front of the track; and

(6) a shaft that extends through an aperture in the pusher, wherein forward movement of the pusher rotates the shaft;

(b) one or more proximity sensors configured to sense the proximity of the stop to generate at least one signal relating to at least one of the following;

(i) whether the door is in the open or closed position;

(ii) how long the door has been in the open position;

(iii) when the pusher assembly moves to urge product toward the front of the device; and

(iv) the number of products stored within the device;

wherein the one or more proximity sensors are not accessible to a consumer attempting to access product stored within the device;

(c) one or more position sensors configured to sense rotation of the shaft to generate at least one electrical signal relating to one or more of the following;

(i) removal of a product from the device;

(ii) the number of products remaining in the device;

(iii) the number of products removed from the device,

wherein the one or more position sensors are not accessible to a consumer attempting to access product stored within the device;

(d) a processor in electronic communication with the one or more proximity sensors and the one or more position sensors, the processor configured to process the at least one or more signals generated from the one or more proximity sensors and the one or more position sensors; and

(d) a transmitter in electronic communication with the processor, the transmitter capable of transmitting at least some data processed in the processor to at least one device external to the system.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a receiver system that receives the processed data from the transmitter and generates an output signal based on the processed data.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the output signal generated by the receiver system indicates one or more of the following:

(a) the number of products removed from the device;

(b) removal of a product from the device;

(c) the number of products remaining in the device;

(d) the door being in the open position (e) that the door has been in the open position for more than a predetermined period of time.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the output signal triggers an audible alert.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the stop prevents the pusher from moving toward the front of the track when the stop is in an engaged position, and wherein the pusher is permitted to move toward the front of the track when the stop is in the disengaged position.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the stop is in the engaged position when the door is in the open position and the stop is in the disengaged position when the door is in the closed position.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more position sensors is a potentiometer that converts the rotation of the shaft into an electrical signal.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more proximity sensors is a Hall-Effect sensor.