Patent Application
20080067187
The methods and devices described herein are intended to be used with a number of products 10. Although the products 10 shown herein are in the form of beverage bottles 20, the products 10 may be any item that may be stored within a container. The methods and devices described herein may be used with refrigerated or non-refrigerated products. The beverage bottles 20 shown herein may contain any type of fluid, such as carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, waters, teas, milks, coffees, juices, and the like. The present application is not limited to the type of product 10 used herein.
Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views,
The under the counter cooler 100 includes a product storage system 120. As is shown in
Positioned within the insulated cabinet 130 may be a number of product storage shelves 150. The product storage shelves 150 may be positioned at an angle so as to provide a gravity fed effect. Specifically, the product storage shelves 150 may dispense a product 10 as will be described in more detail below under the force of gravity. Any other type of dispensing mechanism may be used with the product storage shelves 150. For example, the shelves 150 may contain mechanical feed assist mechanisms (not shown) such as those found on shelves of vending machines sold by Dixie Narco of Williston, S.C. under the designation “DN 5000 Glass Front Vendor”. The number of facings or individual storage slots on each of the product storage shelves 150 should be the same as the number of product positions as will be explained in more detail below.
The under the counter cooler 100 further includes a product delivery system 160. As is shown in
The product delivery system 160 includes a product delivery platform 170. The product delivery platform 170 is described in more detail below. A motor 180 and a pulley system 190 may drive the product delivery platform 170. The motor 180 may be a double shaft motor with shaft ends 200 extending on either side. Similar designs and similar types of motors may be used herein. The shafts 200 may be connected to a first set of pulleys 210. The first set of pulleys 210 is connected to a second set of pulleys 220 by a pair of horizontal belts 230. The second set of pulleys 220 is directly connected to a third set of pulleys 240. The third set of pulleys 240 is connected to a fourth set of pulleys 250 via a vertical belt 260. The vertical belts 260 drive the product delivery platform 170 up and down as may be desired. The platform 170 may be positioned within a set of drive tracks 270. Although the product delivery system 160 has been described in detail with respect to the belt and pulley system 190, any type of elevation or drive system may be used herein.
The product delivery platform 170 may include a base plate 280. The base plate 280 may be made out of any type of substantially non-corrosive material. As is shown in
The platform 170 may include a number of vertical fins 320 positioned thereon. The fins 320 may be positioned within a number of groups. The groups may relate to a number of product positions in the product storage system 120. The fins 320 also may be made out of a substantially non-corrosive material.
The under the counter cooler 100 further may include a product display area 330. The product display area 330 may be positioned largely on top of the countertop 110 and may be in communication with the product delivery system 160 via an aperture 340 within the countertop 110. The aperture 340 allows the product delivery system 160 in general, and the platform 170 in specific, to extend from the insulated cabinet 130 to the product display area 330. The product display area 330 may have a number of insulated glass panels 335 surrounding the aperture 340. Other types of substantially transparent materials may be used herein such that consumers can see the products 10 positioned within the product display area 330. The panels 335 also define an opening 345 through which the products 10 may be accessible to the consumer. A pair of brackets 336 may support the panels 335.
As is shown in
The fins 320 of the platform 170 fit between the tines 370 of the product gates 350 when the platform 170 extends to its top position. A pair of sensors 400 may be located about the product gates 350 to detect the presence of the products 10 on the product gates 350. The sensors 400 may be photoelectric sensors, contact sensors, or similar types of devices, The sensors 400 may be in communication with the control system 165.
In use, a product 10 may be located in each product position in the product display area 330. The sensors 400 may detect this positioning such that the product delivery system 160 is idle. When a consumer reaches through the opening 345 and removes one of the products 10, the sensors 400 detect the removal. The control system 165 may track how many replacement products remain in each row of the product storage shelves 150. The control system 165 then may direct the product delivery platform 170 to a product storage shelf 150 with the products 10 thereon. A replacement product 10 is then deposited vertically onto the fins 320 of the platform 170.
As is shown in
The product display area 330 generally may remain unenclosed. The opening 345 at the top of the glass panels 335 allows the consumer easy access to the products 10 therein. Although cold air from the product storage system 120 will enter the product display area 330 through the aperture 340, the cold air will tend to stratify downward away from the opening 345 because the opening 345 is horizontal. This positioning will tend to minimize or eliminate the need for a lid or other enclosure about the opening 345 while maintaining the overall efficiency of the under the counter cooler 100 as a whole. A hinged lid also could be used to minimize further any heat loss through the opening 345.
When the product storage system 120 needs to be reloaded, the door 140 may be opened from behind the sales counter. New products 10 can to be loaded in the back of the product storage shelves 150 so as to provide first in, first out product rotation. Any other type of loading techniques may be used herein.
The under the counter cooler 100 thus provides an attractive and efficient means for presenting products 10 to consumers while limiting the amount of required countertop space. The under the counter cooler 100 may be a retrofit or may be part of original equipment.
It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications made be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
