Patent Application
20230150415
The present disclosure relates to a retail structure, more specifically, but not by way of limitation, more particularly to a secure and mobile retail structure for securely storing therein and selling therefrom one or more restricted access products.
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Recreational cannabis sales, since its legalization in several countries and states, are continuously rising. Sales of cannabis at venue and event space is an untapped market that has the potential of growing these sales higher. The sale of recreational cannabis at venue and special events space is currently illegal in most countries and states. Government regulatory department in certain jurisdictions have, however, shown an interest in allowing venue and event sales, provided that they satisfy certain regulations in regard to safety and security requirements.
CA Pub. No. 3,039,555 A1 (Neiman et al.) discloses a secured customer access arrangement for a container business. A container is provided which is modified to operate for a secure business (e.g., a retail business for the sale of a restricted access product). A security checkpoint is provided in the security vestibule. Doors are offset from each other such that restricted access space is not visible to a visitor without passing the security checkpoint. A method for permitting access to a restricted access product for sale through a modified container is also provided. Shortcomings include an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0064600 A1 (Napier) discloses a transportable building system including at least partially erecting a building, transporting the at least partially erected building on its side to a building location, locating the at least partially erected building on a support at the building location, and orientating the at least partially erected building so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support. Further disclosed is a transportable building, including a first structural component, a second structural component and a hinge coupling the first and second structural components whereby the second structural component is pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded erected position of the building. The hinge is reconfigurable to allow the second structural component to be relatively displaced away from the first structural component in the unfolded erected position of the second structural component. Shortcomings include an inability to be used as a retail store, a lack of secure area for storing restricted access products.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,424 A (Betjemann) discloses a combination of shipping container and showcase adapted to provide a portable mobile trade fair comprising a rectangular shipping box having four vertical corner posts attached to and supporting a rectangular floor and roof at their respective corners, two opposed end walls being connected to and extending between adjacent pairs of said corner posts and a pair of side doors each having a height and length substantially equal, respectively, to the distance between said floor and roof and the distance between said opposed end walls, said pair of side doors being hingedly connected at one longitudinal edge of each thereof to opposed longitudinal side edges of said roof, whereby said doors may be raised to form a canopy and when lowered form the side walls of said box, a central bulkhead extending between said opposed end walls dividing said box into two main sections, removable partitions dividing said main sections into alcoves for display purposes, said floor having skid channels opening to the exterior of said box and said corner posts having fittings on the upper ends thereof whereby said box may be lifted by engaging said skid channels or said fittings, and retractable legs pivotally connected to said side doors adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof opposite the hingedly connected edges thereof to maintain them in their raised position to expose the interior of said ‘box for display purposes. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for storing restricted access products and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,988 A (Molina) discloses an expandable retractable portable structure. The expandable retractable portable structure having a movable portion hingedly connected to a stationary portion and wherein the movable portion pivotally encloses the stationary portion of the structure in its retracted position and wherein, in its expanded position, the structure provides maximum interior space for use. An actuating mechanism includes one or more hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders connected to a linkage system. The actuator is located inside the structure on the floor of the stationary portion and the linkage system driven by the actuator is connected to the floor of the movable portion so that the movable portion is rotated by the actuator and linkage system between its expanded and retracted positions. The actuator and linkage system are removably mounted inside the structure and may be readily removed from the structure and used to open or close other structures. Alternatively, the actuator may be left inside the structure. Shortcomings include an inability to be used as a retail store, a lack of a secure area for storing restricted access products and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,052 B2 (Van Der Touw et al.) discloses transportable recycling center. The transportable recycling center has a container and a partition within the container. The partition separates a work area from a storage area. An attendant may accept recyclable materials from consumers in the work area and store the recyclable material in the storage area. After the container has been filled with recyclable material, doors on the container may be secured and the container may be loaded onto a truck and transported to a recycling facility. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for storing and selling restricted access products, and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,208 B2 (Urban et al.) discloses a mobile retail store structure with inventory system. The mobile retail store structure transportable to a plurality of different locations includes a trailer construction configured both exteriorly and interiorly for housing a plurality of storage bins wherein products and/or parts can be stored. Each trailer is a self-sufficient module which includes doors at one end of the trailer unit for entry and exit thereto, portable stairs for providing access to the entry doors, opposed side doors and associated walkways for allowing coupling to additional similarly constructed trailers, extendable canopies for providing a secure passageway between the respective coupled trailers, and a generator/HVAC system for providing heating, cooling and electrical power to each trailer unit. In one embodiment, a terminal is provided to allow a user to either browse electronically various items for selection and/or sale or access a self-service check-out station to complete a transaction. A plurality of terminals can be coupled to communicate with a master server terminal over a wired/wireless network. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for securely storing restricted access products an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,269,273 B1 (Borden) discloses a mobile showroom and advertising system. The mobile truck body has a first panel extending forward from the front of a right side truck body panel and a second panel extending rearward from the rear of the right side truck body panel. The first and second panels extend the display area of the right side truck body panel. An upper panel and/or a lower panel are also provided at the right side truck body panel to provide access to an interior space of the truck body for showcasing products or services, and a lower platform is provided to facilitate customer ingress and egress into and out of the showcase. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for securely storing restricted access products.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,518,832 B2 (Kamm) discloses a self-contained mobile retail store structure which is transportable from one location to another. The structure is mounted to a frame which is coupled to a plurality of wheels by a hydraulic system capable of raising, lowering, inclining and declining the structure relative to a ground surface. In a stationary position, the walls of the structure contact the ground surface, and in the transportable position, the walls of the structure are spaced from the ground surface. The mobile retail store structure of this disclosure fits in a standard-sized parking space and may be configured with other similar structures to expand the retail area. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for securely storing restricted access products and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,793,998 B2 (Sights et al.) discloses an outdoor retail space structure. The structure has spaces that can accommodate at least two International Organization for Standardization compliant shipping containers. The structure has studs, joists, and rafters connected together above, beside, between, and in front of the spaces for the shipping containers. The structure provides for an attractive outdoor retail space with shading, allowing for signage, decorations, product display, ergonomics, and other retail design features. In an implementation, the structure is for a mobile retail space that is tailored for customizing and manufacture of the customized apparel, especially the laser finishing of products like jeans. The mobile retail space can be relocated to and deployed easily at various events, such as sports events and music festival venues. Shortcomings include a lack of a secure area for storing restricted access products and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle.
All documents cited herein are incorporated by reference.
It is an object of the invention to provide a secure and mobile retail structure.
In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a retail structure for securely storing and selling one or more restricted access products, the structure comprising: a rectangular base, a first end wall and a second end wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, and a roof portion, thereby defining an interior volume of said structure; a vault wall located between said first end wall and said second end wall, extending horizontally from the first side wall to the second side wall and vertically from the base to the roof portion, thereby dividing the interior volume, from the vault wall to the first end wall, into a vault area for securely storing therein the restricted access products, and, from the vault wall to the second end wall, into a service area for serving customers; a secure access doorway situated within the vault wall to provide restricted access to the vault area from the service area; wherein at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall, in said service area, comprises a service opening therein.
In one embodiment, the at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall comprises, below the service opening, a service counter.
In one embodiment, the base compromises one or more passive mobility means operable to be used for moving said structure from one location to another location.
In one embodiment, the one or more passive mobility means comprise one or more apertures for moving the structure with a hydraulic lift.
In one embodiment, the secure access doorway comprises: a half-door hingedly coupled to a vertical edge of said secure access doorway, and covering a bottom portion of said secure access doorway; and a window panel covering a top portion of said secure access doorway, the window panel comprising therein a transfer aperture for securely transferring a small quantity of the one or more restricted access products therethrough from the vault area into the service area, the window panel having a bottom edge substantially aligned with a top edge of said half-door.
In one embodiment, the transfer aperture is substantially rectangular and comprising a bottom edge substantially aligned with the bottom edge of the window panel.
In one embodiment, the half-door comprises a counter portion extending towards the service area having an upper surface adjacent to the top edge of the half-door.
In one embodiment, the half-door comprises a lock assembly that locks the half-door from inside the vault area.
In one embodiment, the retail structure further comprises an awning above the service opening.
In one embodiment, the awning comprises: a substantially rigid and rectangular awning panel horizontally pivotally connected to said at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall of said service opening, outside of said structure, at an upper edge of or above said service opening, and configured to be pivotally moved between: an open configuration wherein the awning panel is substantially horizontal; and a closed configuration wherein the awning panel is substantially parallel and adjacent to the at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall of said service opening so as to substantially cover said service opening and prevent access to the service area therefrom.
In one embodiment, the awning panel is further configured to be pivotally moved into an advertising configuration, wherein the awning panel is positioned to be substantially vertically oriented above the service opening, the awning panel further comprising a display surface thereon for displaying a message in the advertising configuration.
In one embodiment, the retail structure further comprises a stage, the stage comprising: a substantially rigid and rectangular stage platform horizontally pivotally connected to said at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall of said service opening, outside of said structure, substantially near a bottom edge of said at least first side wall and said second side wall of said service opening, and configured to be moved between: an open configuration, wherein the stage platform is substantially horizontal to a client to stand thereon; and a closed configuration, wherein the stage platform is substantially parallel and adjacent to the at least one of said first side wall and said second side wall of said service opening so as to substantially cover said service opening and prevent access to the service area therefrom.
In one embodiment, the stage platform further comprises, pivotally coupled at an edge thereof, a ramp, the ramp configured to be pivotally moved between a deployed configuration wherein an edge thereof rests against the ground to allow the customer to walk to and from the stage, and a folded configuration wherein the ramp rests on an upper surface of said stage platform.
In one embodiment, the second end wall comprising therein an access door to access said service area from outside of said structure, the access door comprising a lock assembly.
In one embodiment, the retail structure further comprises a side awning, the side awning comprising: a rectangular side awning panel horizontally pivotally coupled along an edge thereof to said second end wall near an upper edge thereof, outside of said structure, the side awning panel being substantially rigid and configured to be pivotally moved between: an open configuration wherein the side awning panel is substantially horizontal; and a closed configuration wherein the side awning panel is substantially parallel and adjacent to the second end wall.
In one embodiment, the retail structure further comprises a releasably affixable stair assembly, optionally affixed at one end at or near an upper edge of said first end wall, outside of said structure, with an other end of the stair assembly resting on the ground; and a set of railing elements, pivotally connected to or near to edges of said roof portion; wherein the railing elements are movable into an upright configuration, thereby defining and enclosing on top of the roof portion a balcony, or folded down to rest on the roof portion.
In one embodiment, the structure is part of a motorized vehicle, the motorized vehicle further comprising a cabin portion.
In one embodiment, the first end wall of said structure is shared with the cabin portion of the motorized vehicle, wherein said first end wall further comprises a cabin access door to access the vault area from the cabin portion; and wherein said second end wall of said structure is the rear end of the motorized vehicle.
In one embodiment, the second end wall of said structure is shared with the cabin portion of the motorized vehicle, wherein said second end wall further comprises a cabin access door to access the service area from the cabin portion; and wherein said first end wall of said structure is the rear end of the motorized vehicle.
In one embodiment, at least a portion of said vault wall is hingedly connected to at least one of said first side wall or said second side wall, and operable to be pivotally moved so as to be parallel and substantially adjacent to said at least one of said first side wall or said second side wall.
To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.
In the figures, embodiments are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and figures are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding.
Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures, wherein the figures:
The details of one or more embodiments of the subject matter of this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. 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 present invention provides a secure and mobile retail structure that may be used with many embodiments. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a secure and mobile retail structure for securely storing therein and selling therefrom one or more restricted access products, for example cannabis products or derivatives therefrom.
It has previously been recognized that there exists a need for a secure and mobile retail structure that allows for selling restricted access products such as cannabis or derivatives thereof, that comprises a vault area for securely storing the restricted access products and that may either passively mobile or actively mobile.
The disclosure proposes a secure and mobile retail structure for securely storing therein and selling therefrom one or more restricted access products, that overcomes disadvantages inherent in the existing retail structures, such as, but not limited to, an inability to be used for retail, lack of a secure area for storing restricted access products, and an inability to be actively mobile, such as being integrated into a motorized vehicle. The present invention provides a secure and mobile retail structure that may be used with many different forms. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved secure and mobile retail structure for securely storing therein and selling therefrom one or more restricted access products, which provides the advantages and overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
In some embodiments, the base 102 comprises therein one or more passive mobility means operable to be used for moving, displacing or deploying the structure 100 from one location to another location. In the example of
As shown in
The restricted access products may be cannabis products or derived cannabis products, for example oil, food (e.g., candies, cookies, brownies, etc.) or the like. In some embodiments, other types of restricted access products may also be stored and sold, for example medicine and/or drugs, including age-restricted products, such as, but not limited to products containing tobacco (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, etc.) or alcohol (such as beer, wine, spirits, etc.). In some embodiments, the vault area 114 may also be used to securely store money and/or other valuable objects.
In some embodiments, the secure access doorway 118 comprises on the bottom portion thereof a half-door 120. The half-door 120 is hingedly connected or coupled to a vertical edge of the secure access doorway 118, so as to cover the bottom portion thereof when closed. In some embodiments, the half-door 120 may be reinforced with or made of a substantially impact resistant material. The half-door 120 typically comprises a lock assembly therein. In some embodiments, this lock assembly may be configured so that the half-door 120 may be locked (and unlocked) from the inside of the vault area 114 only. Furthermore, the top portion of the secure access doorway 118 comprises a window panel 122 covering the remaining top portion of the secure access doorway 118, the window panel 122 comprising therein a transfer aperture 124 for securely transferring a small quantity of the restricted access products from the vault area 114 to the service area 116. For example, in some embodiments, an employee or person having the proper authorization may access the vault area 114 and lock himself/herself within. When a customer wishes to purchase a limited or small quantity of the restricted access products, another service employee in the service area 116 may request the desired product and quantity thereof, upon which, the authorized employee may transfer the small quantity of restricted access products through the transfer aperture 124.
In the example of
Going back to
The structure 100 may further comprise at least one access door to access the service area 116 from the outside. For example, in
In some embodiments, structure 100 may further comprise an awning above the service opening 130. In the example of
The skilled person in the art will appreciate that different shapes and sizes of the awning panel 134 may be used, and that the awning panel 134 may be attached at any point above the service opening 130, (not only at the upper edge thereof). For example, in the case where the service opening 130 does not extend all the way to the top of the first side wall 108, the awning panel 134 could be attached at some height between the upper edge of the service opening 130 and the upper edge of the first side wall 108, as long as the awning panel 134 is correspondingly configured and/or shaped to cover the service opening 130 in the closed configuration. In some embodiments, the awning panel 134 may be configured to substantially cover the service opening 130 only, as long as it prevents an individual from reaching into the service area 116 from outside of the structure 100. In some embodiments, the awning panel 134 may be made of or reinforced with a metal material or the like. For example, in some embodiments, the awning panel 134 may be made or reinforced with a steel alloy or the like.
In some embodiments, structure 100 may further comprise a stage, the stage comprising, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the awning panel 134 and/or stage platform 136 may have a smaller width (along the first side wall 108) than illustrated. For example, in some embodiments, the width may be substantially close to the width of the service opening 130 only.
In some embodiments, a portable electric generator (not shown) may be provided, configured to be optionally coupled to the structure 100 to provide electricity thereto. In some embodiments, electric outlets, light fixtures and/or fans may be installed on any of the walls 104, 106, 108 and/or 110, and/or roof portion 148, and be electrically coupled to the portable electric generator. (Are the awning and the stage electrically actuated?).
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
In addition,
In the exemplary embodiment of
With reference to
The embodiments of
The structure 300 further comprises an awning panel 310, similar to the awning panel 134 (or 152) of
In some embodiments, the hingedly connected vault wall 330 (or portion thereof) may be affixed in either positions via a bolt mechanism or similar. For example,
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. As can be understood, the examples described above are intended to be exemplary only.
The embodiments described were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.
The term “connected”, “attached”, “affixed” or “coupled to” may include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to each other contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements).
As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
