Display shelf modules with projectors for displaying product information and modular shelving systems comprising the same

• US 9,703,179 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• 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, Gonsiorowski, Thomas, Platz, Torsten Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Itskovich, Mikhail
• Application Number:
  US13/734,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 348 61
• 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;

a display shelf module removably coupled to the back plane portion of the shelf support frame and vertically positionable on the back plane portion of the shelf support frame, the display shelf module comprising;

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

a display panel affixed to a front of the display shelf module opposite the rear panel, the display panel extending in a width direction of the front of the display shelf module;

a floating frame positioned within the interior volume of the display shelf module and affixed to the rear panel of the display shelf module, the floating frame comprising a base spaced apart from the top panel and the bottom panel; and

at least one projector disposed in the interior volume of the display shelf module and positioned on the base of the floating frame, the at least one projector being spaced apart from the top panel and the bottom panel of the display shelf module in which it is disposed, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal towards a front of the display shelf module and onto a back surface of the display panel of the display shelf module in which the at least one projector is disposed, image data of the optical signal being visible on a front surface of the display panel.

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 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 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 modular shelving system 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 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 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 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 directing 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 the plurality of discrete optical signals passes through a focusing lens prior to reaching the front mirror, the plurality of focusing lenses focusing the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front mirror; and

the front mirror is positioned proximate the display panel and the at least one rear mirror is positioned proximate a posterior end of the display shelf module, wherein the front mirror is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the at least one rear mirror and the at least one rear mirror 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 floating frame comprises at least one cantilevered support arm attached to the base.

7. 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, the at least one photo detector transmitting an intensity signal indicative of an intensity of the optical signal to the control circuit.

8. The modular shelving system of claim 7, 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.

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

a bar code reader positioned within the 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.

10. The modular shelving system of claim 9, 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.

11. The modular shelving system of claim 10, 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.

12. The modular shelving system of claim 1, wherein the display panel of the display shelf module is a touch screen.

13. The modular shelving system of claim 12, wherein the touch screen comprises:

one or more infrared back lights positioned in the interior volume of the 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 display shelf module and oriented to capture an image of the back surface of the display panel.

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

a structured light device positioned in the interior volume of the 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.

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

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

17. The modular shelving system of claim 16, wherein:

the back plane portion of the shelf support frame comprises a mounting aperture, the mounting aperture comprising an electrical contact coupled to a power source; and

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

24. The modular shelving system of claim 1, further comprising a floating stanchion position in the interior volume of the display shelf module, the floating stanchion extending between the top panel and the bottom panel, the floating stanchion transmitting deflections of the top panel or the bottom panel to an opposing panel to prevent misalignment of the projector.

18. A display shelf module comprising:

a top panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel, and side panels, the top panel, bottom panel, rear 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 opposite the rear panel, the display panel extending in a width direction of the front of the display shelf module;

a floating frame positioned within the interior volume of the display shelf module and affixed to the rear panel of the display shelf module, the floating frame comprising a base spaced apart from the top panel and the bottom panel; and

at least one projector disposed in the interior volume of the display shelf module and positioned on the base of the floating frame, the at least one projector being spaced apart from the top panel and the bottom panel of the display shelf module in which it is disposed, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal towards a front of the display shelf module and onto a rear surface of the display panel of the display shelf module in which the at least one projector is disposed, image data of the optical signal being visible on a front surface of the display panel, an optical path from the at least one projector to the rear surface of the display panel being contained within the interior volume of the display shelf module.

19. The display shelf module of claim 18, 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 mirror 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 mirror, the plurality of focusing lenses focusing the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the front mirror; and

the front mirror 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 mirror is oriented to redirect the plurality of discrete optical signals onto the at least one rear mirror 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.

20. The display shelf module of claim 19, 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.

21. 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 shelf portion, the detachable projector unit comprising;

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

a floating frame positioned within the interior volume of the detachable projector unit and affixed to a rear panel of the detachable projector unit, the floating frame comprising a base spaced apart from a top panel and a bottom panel of the detachable projector unit; and

at least one projector disposed in an interior volume of the detachable projector unit and positioned on the base of the floating frame, the at least one projector being spaced apart from a top panel and a bottom panel of the detachable projector unit in which it is disposed, the at least one projector projecting an optical signal towards a front of the display shelf module and onto a back surface of the display panel, image data being visible on a front surface of the display panel of the detachable projector unit in which the projector is disposed.

22. The display shelf module of claim 21, wherein the shelf portion has a depth D, the detachable projector unit has a depth d, and D>

d.

23. The display shelf module of claim 21, 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.