The area around self-checkout (SCO) registers in retail store location environments has little to no merchandising space for selling impulse or single-serving-type products such as gum, mint, confections, magazine, or other general merchandise. Additionally, the SCO area of many retail locations is not standardized in terms of its layout or the arrangement of the SCO register equipment. The floor plan in an SCO area often varies widely from store-to-store. This means that the area available to place merchandising racks and displays is not uniform and any equipment solution must have considerable flexibility with regard to size, configuration, and installation options.
The present disclosure describes a modular self-checkout (SCO) wall panel system (WPS).
In a particular implementation, a wall panel system includes two side frames, each side frame defining an interior channel configured to carry two adjacently positions wall panel inserts facing in opposite directions. A bottom support frame is perpendicular to and joined to each of the two side frames. A removable wall panel insert is carried by the interior channels defined by the two side frames and a removable top frame is configured to couple with the top surfaces of the two side frames to secure the removable wall panel insert within the channels defined by the two side frames. A bottom frame supports the wall panel support system on a surface and a support leg provides support along an axis perpendicular to a plane formed by the wall panel insert.
The subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in particular implementations, so as to realize one or more advantages as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure. For example, first, a space maintainer provides support to single wall panel insert within the frame of the wall panel if a particular wall panel is configured with only a single wall panel insert. The space maintainer is used to stabilize the single wall panel insert within the wall panel to allow the single wall panel insert to support, among other things, shelving and lighting. Second, support legs supporting wall panels are independent of the wall panel frame and can be located around SCO equipment, allowing one system to fit around a number of varying SCO layouts/types of equipment. In some implementations, a support leg can be configured to be adjustable in order to allow it to provide support to a wall panel, while fitting around/over conduits, wires, cords, or other obstructions on a floor or wall. Third, multi-position shelf brackets are independent of actual shelves and can be attached to shelves at multiple points on a wall panel insert, allowing complete flexibility to align equipment across wall panel seams, around poles, bagging stations, and SCO or other equipment. The multi-position shelf brackets are designed to allow a shelf attached to a wall panel insert to be configured in a flat or in an angled position. Other advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter of this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
The following detailed description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the disclosed subject matter in the context of one or more particular implementations. Various modifications, alterations, and permutations of the disclosed implementations can be made and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined may be applied to other implementations and applications, without departing from scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the described or illustrated implementations, but to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the described principles and features.
The area around self-checkout (SCO) registers in retail store location environments has little to no merchandising space for selling impulse or single-serving-type products such as gum, mint, confections, magazine, or other general merchandise. Additionally, the SCO area of many retail locations is not standardized in terms of its layout or the arrangement of the SCO register equipment. The floor plan in an SCO area often varies widely from store-to-store. This means that the area available to place merchandising racks and displays is not uniform and any equipment solution must have considerable flexibility with regard to size, configuration, and installation options.
The instant disclosure describes a modular SCO wall panel system allowing for merchandising solutions in a wide variety of space configurations. The described SCO wall panel system also allows for the wall equipment to be installed into stores without moving or repositioning of SCO registers; avoiding, among other things, recalibration of scales on SCO register bagging stations. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the described SCO wall panel system can also be used in other locations where space is limited and there exists a need for flexibility in merchandising situations where there is variability in store layouts.
At a high-level, The SCO WPS includes a plurality of coupled wall panels 104, support legs 106, shelves 108, and multi-position shelf brackets 110. Wall panels 104 are configured to support wall panel inserts. Wall panel inserts can include, among other things, wall wire grid wall (illustrated with respect to wall panel 104), wood or plastic slatwall, solid wood sight-blocker, pegboard, or graphics, as needed, for a particular application.
In typical implementations, wall panels 104 can be coupled together using a coupling mechanism 114 (for example, a spanner plate) securing adjacent edges of the wall panel 104 frame together. In other implementations, clips, bolts, screws, screw-type brackets, an interlocking-/sliding-type mechanism, or any other coupling mechanism consistent with this disclosure can be used to couple wall panels 104 together.
Also illustrated is a wall panel 104 with a single wall panel insert 116 (for example, either a gridwall- or a slatwall-type wall panel insert) that is facing away from the viewer. Although not illustrated in this figure, the single wall panel insert is secured in the wall panel frame using a space maintainer (refer to
In some implementations, equipment can be directly attached to the wall panel frame. For example, adjustable shelf 120 can be attached to the wall panel frame using a frame-attached bracket 122. In some implementations, the frame-attached bracket 122 can attached to the wall panel frame with clips, bolts, screws, screw-type brackets, an interlocking-/sliding-type mechanism, or any other coupling mechanism.
Typically, the wall panels 104 are constructed of a steel tubing frame with any of several interior components. In other implementations, the wall panel 104 frames can be constructed using other materials such as steel sheet metal or extruded aluminum. The wall panel 104 frames are typically made of square or rectangular tubing that is welded together. The inner surfaces of the frame sides form a ‘U’-channel/side-channel to allow the modular wall panel inserts to be inserted in place.
The wall panel 104 frames allow reconfiguration of wall panels 104 at a future date by removing and replacing various wall panel insert options—allowing the functionality and appearance of the wall panel to be adapted to a change in store décor, evolving market conditions, new products, store layout, and the like, at minimal expense and effort. The open bottom portion of the wall panel 104 frame allows support legs to 106 be aligned/positioned around SCO equipment and other obstructions.
The combination of the top frame 202, side frames 204, and bottom support frame 205 are used to secure one or more wall panel inserts 210 within the wall panel 104. For example, the wall panel 104 frame can be configured with an opening on one side (typically the top) to allow one or more wall panel inserts to be installed from the top and slid downward into place to be held by the wall panel frame ‘U’-channels (side frames 204 and bottom support frame 205). Once the one or more wall panel inserts are inserted between the side frames 204 the top frame 202 can be reattached to the wall panel 104, to secure the wall panel inserts in place.
Bottom frame 206 can also be configured with one or more threaded leveling feet 208. In typical implementations, the one or more leveling feet are configured to be screwed inward and outward with respect to the bottom frame 206 to provide height adjustments and to permit the wall panel 104 to be leveled on floor surfaces that may not be entirely level.
In typical implementations, space maintainer 402 can be configured of metal, plastic, or a composite material. In some implementations, the space maintainer 402 can be configured to provide a spring tension/bias with respect to the inner surface of the side frame 204. For example, maintaining extension 408 (as illustrated in
Lower coupling bracket 502 is configured to couple to bottom frame 206, while upper coupling bracket 504 is configured in an orientation to couple to bottom support frame 205, respectively. As illustrated, lower coupling bracket 502 and upper coupling bracket 504 are configured in opposite orientations. This configuration permits a support leg 106 to be rotated into position with respect to a wall panel 104. For example, a support leg 106 can be oriented horizontally with respect to a flooring surface between the bottom support frame 205 and the bottom frame 206. The support leg 106 can then be rotated ninety-degrees (either clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on the initial orientation of the support leg 106) into a vertical position to engage the lower coupling bracket 502 with the bottom frame 206 and the upper coupling bracket 504 with the bottom support frame 205. To remove a support leg 106, the described installation procedure can be reversed.
Once the lower coupling bracket 502 and the upper coupling bracket 504 are engaged with the with the bottom frame 206 and the bottom support frame 205, respectively, the support leg 106 can be move along the bottom frame 206 and the bottom support frame 205, to best fit into available floor space around any obstructions (such as a SCO register housing, electrical chases, columns, floor electrical outlets, plumbing, or conduit). In some implementations, a support leg 106 can be configured with different lengths, widths, and dimensions, depending upon considerations and environment of use. For example, the weight of a wall panel 104, size and position of present conduit, or other physical obstructions can cause variations in the illustrated support leg 106 and other components of the SCO WPS.
Typically, lower coupling bracket 502 and upper coupling bracket 504 are secured to the vertical support 506 using welding, bolts, screws, or any other method consistent with this disclosure. Note that, in typical implementations, lower coupling bracket 502 and upper coupling bracket 504 are offset to opposite sides of the vertical support 506 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the horizontal support 508. This configuration provides a more stable support coupling to the frame surfaces of the wall panel 104.
Vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508 are typically connected using welding, bolts, screws, or any other coupling mechanism consistent with this disclosure. The vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508 of the support leg 106 are also structurally reinforced using structural support 510 to prevent the structural collapse of the vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508. In typical implementations, structural support 510 is secured to the vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508 using welding, but other securing mechanisms/methods consistent with this disclosure are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. In some implementations, the combination of the vertical support 506, horizontal support 508, and structural support 510 can be machined or formed as a single part (for example, using CNC or other machining, 3D printing, sintering, or other process consistent with this disclosure).
End caps 514 are used to seal openings (if present) in the vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508 and also to provide a more finished and attractive component of the SCO WPS. End caps 514 can be attached to the end of the vertical support 506 and horizontal support 508 using for example, a friction fit, adhesive, spot weld, and other method consistent with this disclosure.
The horizontal support 508 can also be configured with one or more threaded leveling feet 512. In typical implementations, the one or more leveling feet 512 are configured to be screwed inward and outward with respect to the horizontal support 508, to provide height adjustments and to permit the support leg 106 (and attached wall panel 104) to be leveled on floor surfaces that may not be entirely level.
Primary vertical support bracket 608 is used to couple the primary horizontal support 610 with the primary vertical support 606. In typical configurations, the configuration of the primary vertical support bracket 608 is similar to the orientation of the lower coupling bracket 502 and upper coupling bracket 504. The primary vertical support 606 is configured to couple with frame elements of a wall panel 104 as described with respect to
The primary horizontal support 610 is configured to engage with the secondary horizontal support 612. For example, in one implementation, the secondary horizontal support 612 can be configured from smaller-dimensioned square tubing than that of the primary horizontal support 610 and can be inserted into the primary horizontal support 610. In this configuration, the secondary horizontal support 612 can be adjusted for horizontal length along the axis of the primary horizontal support 610.
Secondary vertical support bracket 614 is used to couple the secondary horizontal support 612 with the secondary vertical support 616. In typical implementations, the configuration of the secondary vertical support bracket 614 is similar to the orientation of the primary vertical support bracket 608. The secondary vertical support bracket 614 is configured to permit the secondary horizontal support 612 to be adjusted vertically, for height, along the length of the secondary vertical support 616.
The MPSBs 702 are independent of shelves (for example, shelves 703a/703b) and can be attached to shelves at multiple points along a back edge of a wall panel, allowing complete flexibility to align equipment across rear panel seams, around poles, bagging stations, lights purse stands, SCO equipment, etc. The MPSBs 702 are used to hang various shelf configurations onto wall panels 104 and permit shelves to be oriented in either a horizontal (flat) position or in one or more downward sloping positions. Slots configured into the MPSBs 702 are positioned in various locations around or behind cross wires/pins on the shelves to change the resting orientation of the shelves. The MPSBs 702 are typically constructed using steel or other metal but could also be configured of molded plastic or other synthetic material.
By using the MPSB 702, the positioning of a shelf is not restricted by vertical grid wires in a wall panel insert or by wall panel side frames 204. The MPSB allows for greater flexibility in positioning shelves and other merchandising components on the wall panels and around any obstructions in the SCO WPS environment.
While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular implementations of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination, in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately, or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a described combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.
Particular implementations of the subject matter have been described. Other implementations, alterations, and permutations of the described implementations are considered to be within the scope of disclosure. Moreover, the separation or integration of various system modules or components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation or integration in all implementations. Accordingly, the above description of example implementations does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, combinations, and alterations of the described components are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/301,878, entitled “SELF CHECKOUT WALL PANEL SYSTEM,” filed on Mar. 1, 2016, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62301878 | Mar 2016 | US |