EP0737947A2 - Parking system for self-service shopping trolleys - Google Patents

Abstract

The trolley stacking system uses a series of vertically arranged platforms(2) which are arranged in a frame designed to displace them in a vertical direction. The lowest platforms is arranged so that it faces an opening from which a trolley(1) can be extracted or inserted from or onto the platform(2). If the stacking system is empty the platforms rest on each other and when a platform is full the platform it can be displaced upwards by operating a control system(10).

Description

In commercial establishments such as supermarkets, supermarkets, etc., it is usual to have trolleys intended to be used for customers as means of transport of the objects and products purchased, while they are circulating in the premises. A similar case is that of airports where, similarly, we are used to having trolleys to facilitate the transfer of luggage.

Because it is necessary that the said carriages are properly assembled in specific places, in order to avoid the discomfort that their dispersion would cause, and so that users can identify and collect them when they frequent the places in question , the solution consisting in immobilizing the carriages in the parking system is already generally applied by means of hooks, the release of which requires the use of a coin, which is returned when the carriage is reincorporated again. parking system, so that the interest in recovering coins means that the carts are returned and placed in a good place in the parking system.

However, the solutions currently used in this sense are provided for the parking arrangement of the carriages on a horizontal surface, which supposes the occupation of a large space, with the disadvantage that this presents, especially in cases where the cost the land is very high, as occurs in the case of implantation in urban centers, leading to the fact that the economic exploitation of commercial space is very loss-making, with an obvious detrimental impact on profits.

To overcome these drawbacks, and in accordance with the object of the present invention, a parking system is provided for the self-service trolleys mentioned, with which it is possible to reduce the occupancy to a minimum. from the surface to the ground, providing a stacking solution in height to reach the storage capacity of the carts that is necessary.

This system which is the subject of the invention essentially consists in the superimposed arrangement of platforms having practically the same width as the carriages in question, and a length provided to allow storing on each of them a determined number of assembled carriages, the flat aforementioned forms being in a provision capable of elevation, which makes it possible to transfer them between a high situation, of waiting, and a lower positioning, of entry and exit of the carriages, the whole of the mentioned platforms being able be operated in combination so that there is always one of these platforms in a position to supply and admit trolleys through an access port, the others being located below or above, depending on whether 'They are empty or loaded with carts.

In this way, we obtain a practical and simple system with which we efficiently solve the exploitation of the space for parking the self-service trolleys mentioned in the places in question, by providing a means of high storage which makes it possible to obtain a large capacity in number of admissible carriages, with occupation of a small surface on the ground.

This undoubtedly contributes to improving the profitability of the shops in which said trolleys are used, in the sense that it considerably reduces dead or useless space; by also making it possible to make the carts available where the limitation of space made it impossible with conventional solutions.

The activation of the functional assembly of the system is carried out in the same way by introduction of a coin, which is restored when the carriage is replaced in the parking system, which means that it also exists here stimulation of the return of the carts to the parking system.

The entire structural system also benefits a possibility of adaptation to different dimensions of carriages, so that it can be applied by simple assembly operations, for all the different types of carriages of this kind which currently exist; while the own structural assembly can likewise be adapted, by means of simple supplements, to different capacities of the numbers of admissible carriages, so as to be made adequate according to the available space and the number of carriages that desire in each case.

In this way, this system which is the subject of the invention certainly has very advantageous characteristics which give it its own existence and a preferred character for the mentioned function of parking the self-service carts in question so that they are available for their use. rally and their reintegration.

FIG. 1 represents a front view, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, of the structural body of the installation of the recommended system.

Figure 2 is a side view of the aforementioned structural body of the installation of the system, with a partial section to show the situation of the carriages inside.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation in side view of the entire installation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the upper stop device of the carriages in the parking system and the corresponding support which can be positioned to adapt in mounting to the carriage in question.

Figure 6 is a partial view detail of the platforms stacked in assembly, on which we can notice the guide wheels that said platforms have for sliding, as well as the existing guides in these platforms to guide the carriages .

LIST OF REFERENCES

• 1. Trolleys
• 2. Platforms
• 3. Access port
• 4. Adjustable stop
• 5. Supports
• 6. Tipping supplement
• 7. Balance wheel
• 8. Gear motor
• 9. Ramp
• 10. Control module
• 11. Hydraulic cylinder
• 12. Deflection pulleys
• 13. Timing pulleys
• 14. Guide wheels
• 15. Longitudinal groove
• 16. Screen
• 17. Restraint mechanism.

The object of the invention relates to a system provided for parking self-service trolleys (1) which are used in supermarkets and similar places, by providing a solution for collecting said trolleys (1) in vertical storage. , to overcome the drawbacks of the large occupation of space on the horizontal surface that entails the conventional parking system of such carts (1).

This recommended system is basically based on the provision of a series of platforms (2) placed in superposition, to place on these platforms the trolleys (1) to be stored so that they can be positioned in groups to different levels in height, thus making it possible to obtain a large capacity of admission of these trolleys on a very reduced space on the ground.

The platforms (2) mentioned are arranged for this purpose in a mobile assembly which allows them to be raised and lowered, with the possibility of placing each of them in correlation with an access mouth (3) through which the carriages (1) can be inserted and removed.

The mobility of the separate platforms (2) is provided in combination with their actuation in such a way that, when one of them is facing the mouth (3), those located above, loaded with carriages (1) are spaced in height by a spacing distance suitable for the housing of the carriages (1), while those located below, which are empty of carriages, are positioned in direct superposition one above the other.

In such circumstances, the carriages (1) to be parked can be inserted to be placed on the platform (2) located opposite the mouth (3) so that, when this platform (2) fills , a detector located in the rear part, which is made sensitive to the arrival of the stack of carriages (1) up to it, activates the mobility mechanism of all the platforms (2), ensuring that the one that has finished filling rises, if not the lowest of the set and that the immediately lower platform is placed in its place, to continue to receive carts (1 ) which are introduced.

The platforms (2) are arranged with a certain inclination towards the front, so that the carriages (1) situated on these platforms tend to fall by themselves towards this front part, and there is provided a stop (4) which keeps the carriages (1) on the separate platforms (2).

Said stop (4) can be positioned in variable mounting on supports (5), so that it can adapt its situation according to the carriages (1) used; this stop (4) being provided in its upper part with a tilting supplement (6) by means of which it can be extended for retaining the carriages (1) of the upper platform (2) when necessary; while, in the lower part, is disposed a pendulum (7) by means of which is carried the retention of the carriages (1) of the platform located in front of the mouth (3).

Said balance (7) can however freely tilt inward, which allows the trolleys (1) to be introduced by a simple push; while, on the other hand, this pendulum (7) is also coupled for the transmission of mobility to a geared motor (8) by means of which it can be actuated in tilting towards the side, thus allowing to release the stop to make it possible to extract the carriages (1). The pendulum (7) mentioned can likewise be variably positioned in its mounting on the stop (4) for adaptation to the height of the carriages (1).

In the area of the mouth (3), in front of the position positioning of platforms (2), is arranged an exit ramp (9) on which it is expected that there is always a carriage (1) waiting to be extracted, by occupying this zone of the entry so that the corresponding vacuum does not remain free and to maintain in each case the carriage (1) to be extracted in a state of easy and convenient access.

In this zone of the entrance occupied by the ramp (9) mentioned, are arranged in their turn retaining means (17) which prevent the extraction of the carriage (1) waiting until said retaining is released, being provided, according to an embodiment which is not limiting, that said means (17) are formed of a pair of reciprocating actuating pliers and which can be transferred to the situation area of the platforms (2) of so that these clamps each in turn provide the aforementioned function of retaining the carriages (1) waiting on the ramp (9) and the function of transferring said carriages to this position, as well as the reintegration of these up to inside when a new cart is introduced from the outside.

All of the aforementioned functional actuation is controlled automatically from a module (10) whose activation occurs under the effect of the introduction of a coin, which is returned when the carriage returns (1) used up to the interior of the parking system installation.

That is to say, for the extraction of the carriage (1), it suffices to introduce the corresponding coin into the module (10), after which the carriage (1 ) which is waiting on the ramp (9), so that it can be extracted and that, when this is done, the balance (7) is tilted by the gear motor (8) at the same time as the another clamp of the retaining assembly (17) of the carriages (1) on hold extracts the first carriage (1) from the queue located on the platform (2) placed opposite the mouth (3), this new carriage (1) remaining in the waiting position.

If the carriage transported from the platform (2) to the waiting position is the last of those which were on the mentioned platform (2) located opposite the mouth (3), the mobility mechanism platforms (2) starts in the same way, lowering the platform (2) which has emptied to a slightly lower position, and lowering the following platforms (2) loaded with carriages (1 ) until the one immediately following it is located in turn opposite the mouth (3).

When you have finished using the extracted carriage (1), it suffices to introduce it through the mouth (3), so that, when its presence is detected, the mechanism (17) for retaining the carriages (1) ) in standby starts to move, the standby carriage (1) being driven by the corresponding fixing clamp until it is located on the platform (2) placed in front, while the other clamp of the mechanism (7) comes to grip the new carriage (1) introduced, which is in the waiting position; and, in the meantime, the return of the respective currency by the module (10) takes place.

All the functionality mentioned is independent of the number of platforms (2) that the installation includes, platforms that can therefore vary in number, depending on the capacity that one wishes to obtain in the installation, although we consider as preferred, an embodiment comprising three platforms (2) because with this embodiment, obtains an optimum ratio between the storage capacity and the operating speed of the installation. To increase the parking capacity of trolleys (1) at a given location, it is also possible to have various structural storage assemblies juxtaposed laterally, thanks to the reduced width dimension that each assembly has. On the other hand, the structural assembly can be extended in length, by incorporating complementary modular elements, thus bringing a new possibility of increasing the capacity.

The mobility mechanism of the rising and falling platforms can be of any type, hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, etc., provided that it allows synchronization of the movement of all the platforms (2) so that each at all times be at the correct height. However, as a particular case according to a preferred embodiment, provision is made for the arrangement of a hydraulic cylinder (11) situated horizontally in the lower part, however, to the extendable rod of said cylinder (11) are attached cables which pass over deflection pulleys (12) and other distribution pulleys (13) to attach to the lower platform (2) passing freely through all the others, but with the incorporation of adjustable positioning stops which allow to raise said upper platforms (2) while maintaining adequate spacing between them, when actuation occurs.

The platforms (2) are equipped in each case with guide means serving to guide and stabilize them in their movements, said means possibly being grooved wheels (14) arranged on the sides, as can be seen on Figure 6, by means of which a rolling recess is established between slides.

On the platforms (2) are also arranged longitudinal grooves (15) to serve as conductive guides for the carriages (1), which thus circulate in correct alignment along the platforms (2) mentioned, during the advance of the latter, without risk that they will get stuck and produce jams.

Apart from the described operation, the installation may also have the possibility of manual emptying, which makes it possible to extract the carriages (1) even in the event of a lack of the electrical supply necessary for automatic operation.

The upper part of the mouth (3) of the entrance where the module (10) provided for the introduction of the coins is arranged is also arranged with the possibility of height adjustment, thus making it possible to adapt the entry to the height of the carriages (1) in question; provided that the module (10) in turn constitutes a distributor of flyers at the time of the introduction of the coins, to provide advertising information to the users, which can be, for example, the offers of the moment, in the case supermarkets or similar establishments. In this same module (10) is also incorporated a screen (16) used for the transmission of information of any type, which can be observed while the extraction operation of the carriages (1) is carried out.

Claims (7)

Parking system for self-service trolleys, characterized by the provision of a series of superimposed platforms, arranged in an arrangement giving a possibility of combined vertical movement of all these platforms, each of said platforms being able to be positioned thanks to this mobility in a corresponding positioning position facing a mouth for introducing and extracting the carriages, to move to a lower stacking position, when it is empty of carriages, or to a spaced position above when fully occupied by carts. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that an inclined ramp is placed in the insertion and extraction mouth of the trolleys which determines a space for positioning a waiting trolley to be extracted or introduced to the respective parking platform. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the trolleys receiving platforms are arranged slightly inclined towards the front, with an arrangement in front of these platforms, of a carriage retaining stop, which stop has, at its lower part, a pendulum which makes it possible to free the passage of the carriages, the abovementioned stop being in a positionable assembly which makes it possible to adapt it according to the size of the carriages used. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that, in the space of the mouth intended for the positioning of the waiting trolleys, is arranged a mechanism for retaining and driving the trolleys, formed of two elements of alternative fasteners, movable along the aforementioned space of the mouth, for driving the carriages, during the introduction and extraction, through this space. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the entire functional set of the installation is controlled by a module which can be activated by the introduction of a coin, this module may be supplemented by means of viewing and / or issuing printed information or advertising. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that the platforms for receiving the trolleys are suspended by means of a mechanism which makes it possible to raise and lower these platforms in a combined manner, said platform mechanism consisting, according to a preferred embodiment, by a hydraulic cylinder capable of pulling cables which, passing over the pulleys, come to hang on the set of platforms. Parking system for self-service trolleys according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural assembly which makes up the installation is designed so that it can be extended in length, by incorporating complementary accessory segments, thus making it possible to make vary the capacity of the trolley's admissible parking capacity.

Images