Dispensing and display system

• US 9,483,896 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: WestRock 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:
  US14/706,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20150235502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 221/57, 221/279
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 controlling access to at least one product, the system comprising:

an advancement mechanism configured to push the at least one product toward a first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises;

a track that defines an advancement path;

a pusher that is in sliding engagement with the track such that the pusher pushes the at least one product along the advancement path toward the first end of the advancement mechanism; and

a stop configured to selectively lock the pusher relative to the track;

an analysis unit configured to interface with the advancement mechanism, wherein the analysis unit comprises;

a first sensor configured to detect movement of the pusher; and

a second sensor configured to detect a position of the stop.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises a spring configured to bias the pusher toward the first end of the advancement mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis unit is configured to determine at least one of (a) a quantity of products removed from the system and (b) a quantity of products remaining in the system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to initiate a substantial time delay between a removal of a product from the system and an availability of a subsequent product.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a door assembly disposed on the first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein:

the door assembly is configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and

the stop is configured to lock the pusher when the door assembly is in the open position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a potentiometer.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive data related to the advancement mechanism from the analysis unit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication unit receives data from the analysis unit via RF.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a shaft configured to rotate due to movement of the pusher.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first sensor detects rotation of the shaft.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is configured to detect at least one of (1) when the at least one product moves towards the first end of the advancement mechanism and (2) a quantity of products remaining in the system.

12. A system for controlling access to at least one product, the system comprising:

an advancement mechanism configured to push the at least one product toward a first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises;

a rotatable shaft;

a pusher that is in sliding engagement with the rotatable shaft such that the pusher pushes the at least one product toward the first end of the advancement mechanism; and

an analysis unit configured to interface with the advancement mechanism, wherein the analysis unit comprises a sensor configured to detect movement of the rotatable shaft, wherein the sensor is a potentiometer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the advancement mechanism comprises a spring configured to bias the pusher toward the first end of the advancement mechanism.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the analysis unit is configured to determine at least one of (a) a quantity of products removed from the system and (b) a quantity of products remaining in the system.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is configured to initiate a substantial time delay between a removal of a product from the system and an availability of a subsequent product.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a door assembly disposed on the first end of the advancement mechanism, wherein:

the door assembly is configured to move between an open position and a closed position; and

the pusher is prevented from moving toward the first end of the advancement mechanism when the door assembly is in the open position.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a communication unit configured to receive data related to the advancement mechanism from the analysis unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication unit receives data from the analysis unit via RF.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the shaft is a helical shaft configured to rotate due to movement of the pusher.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor detects rotation of the shaft.