JPH03263296A - Checkout device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the burden of an operator and to prevent damage for merchandise under conveyance by forming the scanner of a distribution part on an inclined surface higher than a carry-out belt conveyer and moving the conveyer for each fixed distance. CONSTITUTION:A distribution part 30 is formed on an inclined surface 31 gradually inclined downward from a read surface 21A of a scanner 21 to the conveying direction termination of respective carry-out belt conveyers 411 and 412. Therefore, when the operator just puts the merchandise read by the scanner 21 onto the distribution part 30, the merchandise is sent onto the conveyers 411 and 412 while being slipped down along the inclined surface 31. When sensors S1B and S2B are not turned on, the conveyers 411 and 412 are made movable only for the fixed distance set in advance, and the sent merchandise is carried out to packing parts 501 and 502 in the state of mutually separating the merchandise for a prescribed distance. Thus, the burden of the operator can be reduced and the merchandise under conveyance can be prevented from being damaged.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Use gF] The present invention is a CHETSKURA! used in large stores such as supermarkets.・Regarding equipment.

[Prior Art] In conventional checkout devices, when a customer brings a shopping cart containing unregistered items to the front of a scanner, an operator removes the unregistered items from the shopping cart and attaches them to the items. The product code, that is, the barcode, is read by the scanner and stored in an empty shopping basket placed behind the scanner. Once all unregistered products have been registered, 1# calculation is performed, and the empty shopping cart is placed behind the scanner in preparation for the next customer.The customer then bags the shopping cart containing the registered products. They are carried to a stand where they are packed into bags.

However, with such a checkout device, the operator has to take out the items one by one from the shopping cart, which is packed with many unregistered items, when reading the items. This will hinder quick operation, especially when there are fragile items mixed in.^2) Take the items out of the shopping cart and place them in another shopping cart, starting with the items that are less fragile. This hinders quick operation as it has to be stored in
83) There are problems such as having to position an empty shopping cart behind the scanner in preparation for the next customer.

In addition, for the customer, Bl) the operator's waiting time is longer due to the above-mentioned problems, B2) having to carry a heavy shopping basket containing registered products to the bagging station after finishing shopping, and B3) bagging. At the packing table, the registered products must be taken out from the shopping bag and stored in the packaging bag, with items that are less likely to break down first, so it takes a long time to pack the bag.

Therefore, a checkout device that solves both of these problems has been developed and is in use. This one is the 9th
As shown in the figure, there is a carry-in belt conveyor 11 into which unregistered products placed by customers are brought in, a scanner 21 which reads the barcodes of the goods carried in by this carry-in belt conveyor 11, and the goods read by this scanner 21. There is a sorting section 30 that stocks the products for each customer and distributes them in different directions, and a bagging section 50 that stores the products for each customer sorted by the sorting section 30. ．． Two delivery belt conveyors 41 for delivery up to 50□. ．． 41□ and the scanner 2
an electronic cash register (hereinafter referred to as ECR) 70 that registers the barcode data read in step 1 and controls the driving of the belt conveyors 11, 41+, 412;
It has been written off since then. Note that 60 is a soccer table.

Here, the conveyance surface of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21, the upper surface of the sorting section 30, the carry-out belt conveyor 41. ．． 412 conveyance surface and bagging section 50. ，
The upper surfaces of 50□ are formed at the same height.

Further, in the sorting section 30, the products stocked for each customer are transferred to one of the delivery belt conveyors 41. ．． 412
The base end of the partition plate 32 for guiding the head is rotatably provided.

In addition, the belt conveyor 1 is located near the ECR 70.
1.41+, foot switch FS to start 41z
are arranged, and these bell 1 to conveyor 1
1,41. ．． Sensors SB, SIB, and S2B for detecting the presence or absence of products are provided at the end portions of 41□ in the transport direction, respectively. ECR70 has sensors SB, SIB, 82B
When turned on (product detected), belt conveyor 11.4
When the drive of 1゜41□ is stopped and turned off (when the product is no longer detected), the belt conveyor 11.4
1. ．． 41 Restart □. In addition, belt conveyor 1
Regarding 1, in the driving state, sensor SB
is longer than a predetermined time (at least at the beginning of the belt conveyor 11 @
The driving of the belt conveyor 11 is also stopped when the belt conveyor 11 is not turned on continuously (longer than the time it takes for the products placed on the section to reach the end section).

Therefore, when the customer reaches the checkout position, the operator presses the foot switch FS to activate the customer belt conveyor 11 and the output belt conveyor 411,412. When the customer sequentially takes out unregistered products from the winged goods cart and places them on the carry-in belt conveyor 11,
The products on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 are carried toward the scanner 21 at a preset constant conveyance speed.

Eventually, when the first product on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 reaches the sensor SB position, that is, in front of the scanner 21, the sensor SB turns on. Then, the loading belt conveyor 11
drive is stopped. At this point, the operator or scanner 2
When you pick up the product that has been brought in to the front of 1, the sensor S
When B is turned off, the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is driven until the next product on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 reaches the sensor SB, so the products placed on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 are sequentially carried in front of the scanner 21. It's coming.

The operator picks up the products brought in front of the scanner 21 one by one and scans their barcodes into the scanner 21.
After reading the information, the information is stored in one of the areas partitioned by the partition plate 32 of the distribution section 30.

After all the products have been registered, the stocked products are transferred to the conveyor belt 41 for delivery in the direction in which they are separated by the partition plate 32. ．． After pushing it into 41□, the partition plate 32 is rotated to the opposite side in preparation for the next customer. Then, the delivery belt conveyor 41. ．． 41□The first product on the top or sensor SIB, 3
2B position, that is, bagging section 50. ．． Unloading bell when reaching 50□]・Conveyor 41. ．． The drive of 41□ is stopped. Therefore, the customer goes to the bagging departments 50+, 502,
t, and pack the products into packaging bags.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional checkout device shown in FIG. ．． Since it is formed on a horizontal plane at the same height as the conveyance surface of 41□, the operator registers all the products and then unloads the products stocked in the sorting section 30 in the direction of the kite by the partition plate 32. It must be pushed onto belt conveyors 41+ and 41□.

This is quite a burden for the operator when the number of items to be collected is large or when heavy items are included. In particular, pushing the product to the side of the delivery belt conveyor 41□, which is away from the operator, is more physically tiring.

Moreover, a plurality of products stocked in the sorting section 30 are carried out by a belt conveyor 41. ．． When the products are pushed into the bagging section 50. .

At 50 □, it is possible that the products are not packed into bags, or that the products are piled up due to vibration during transportation, or that the products are obscured or damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a checkout device that can solve these conventional problems, reduce the burden on the operator, and prevent goods from being damaged during transportation.

[Means for Solving the Problem 1] Therefore, the present invention provides a reading means for reading the product code of a product, a sorting section that distributes the products read by the reading means in different directions for each customer, and a In the checkout device, the checkout device includes a plurality of carry-out means for carrying out the products sorted by the bagging unit to the bagging unit, and a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the product at the terminal end of each carry-out means in the conveying direction. The reading means side is formed on a slope higher than the carrying-out means side, and the carrying-out means on the side where the products are sorted by the sorting section is configured such that the sensor detects the product each time the reading means reads a product code. The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a control means for driving the vehicle by a fixed distance on the condition that the vehicle is not in use.

[Operation] Since the distributing section is formed on a slope higher than the reading means side or the carrying-out means side, the operator simply places the product read by the reading means on the distributing section, and the product slides down the inclined surface. Since it is sent to the carrying out means while falling, the burden on the operator can be reduced.

In other words, the conventional work of pushing stocked products onto one of the delivery belt conveyors can be eliminated.

In addition, each time the reading means reads a product code, the delivery means on the side where the products are sorted is driven by a certain distance, so that the products that slide down the slope of the sorting section and are sent to the delivery means are mutually separated. Since the products are transported out at predetermined intervals, damage to the products during transportation can be prevented.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8. In explaining these figures, the same components as those in FIG. 9 described above are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted or simplified.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the checkout device of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows its plan view. An unloading section 401.40□, two bagging sections 501.502,
It consists of a soccer table 60 and an ECR 70 that registers the barcode data read by the reading section 20 and controls the driving of the loading section 10 and the unloading section 40°402.

The carry-in section 10 is provided with a carry-in belt conveyor 11 for carrying unregistered products taken out and placed by the customer from the shopping cart 1 toward the reading section 20. The sensor SB is disposed at the end of the conveyance direction, and the sensor SA, which detects the presence or absence of a product, is disposed at the start end of the conveyance direction as a second sensor in place of the foot switch FS.

As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyance surface of the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is located at the starting end in the conveyance direction, that is, at the product placement position where the customer places the product, at a height where the product can be easily placed, and at the height of the reading unit 20. It is formed lower than the reading surface 21A, that is, it is formed with a step that is lower than the reading surface 21A, and the end portion in the conveying direction or the reading section 2
It is formed in the shape of an inclined surface that gradually slopes upward from the middle of the conveyance direction toward the terminal end so as to substantially coincide with the reading surface 21A of 0. Furthermore, protrusions 13 are formed along the width direction at predetermined intervals in the transport direction on the transport surface.

The reading unit 20 includes a scanner 21 as a reading means for reading bar codes of products brought in by the delivery belt conveyor 11, a keyboard 22 having numeric keys, subtotal keys, etc., and a display 23. zot
t R1 is eclipsed. The scanner 21 includes a substantially horizontal reading surface 21A at a height that is easy for an operator to perform a reading operation.
The laser beam is scanned upward from the reading surface 21A, and the reflected light from the barcode surface of the product passing above the reading surface 2LA is received, the barcode is decoded, and the data is sent to the ECR 70. . At this time, the read barcode data is displayed on the display 23.

As shown in FIG.
It is formed into an inclined surface 31 that gradually slopes downward as it goes from the reading surface 21A of No. 1 to the unloading section 40° 402. One end of the inclined surface 31 is connected to the unloading section 401.40.
The products read by the scanner 21 are delivered to each delivery section 40.2 for each customer. ．． A partition plate 32 is provided for guiding in the direction of 402.

In each of the carry-out sections 401 and 402, carry-out belt conveyors 41+ and 41 are provided as carry-out means, which move from the lower end of the inclined surface 31 of the sorting section 30 toward the upper surface of the bagging section 50502.
2 are provided horizontally, and this discharge belt conveyor 41. ．． The sensors SIB and S2B are arranged at one end of the transport direction P of 412, respectively. The conveying surface of the Wi output belt conveyor 411 and 412 is connected to the scanner 2.
1 and is formed at the same height as the conveyance surface of the carry-in belt conveyor 11.

The ECR 70 has a CPU 101, as shown in FIG. CPU10I has an address/data bus 10.
ll0M 103 which stored the program via 2,
RAM 104 for storing registration data, etc. keyboard controller 105, display controller 106, printer controller 107, drawer controller 1 roller 108,
Conveyor controllers 109, 112, and 113, a scanner interface 110, a sorter controller I/roller 111, and the like are connected respectively.

The keyboard controller 105 includes a keyboard 71.
or the display controller 106 includes a display 72;
The printer controller 107 includes a printer 73 or
Drawers 74 are connected to the drawer controllers 108, respectively.

Further, the conveyor controller 109 includes the carry-in belt conveyor 11 and the sensor SA.

SB, the scanner interface 110 includes the scanner 21, the keyboard 22, and the display 23; the sorter controller 111 includes the sorter 33 that switches and drives the partition plate 32; and the conveyor controllers 112, 113. is the unloading belt conveyor 41. ．．
41□ and sensors SIB and S2B are connected respectively.

Further, the CPU 10I executes the processes shown in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 according to the program stored in the ROM 103. That is, when the sensor SA of the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is turned on, the process shown in FIG. 5 is executed. Further, when the state of sensor SB changes, the process shown in FIG. 6 is executed. Further, when the scanner 21 reads a barcode, the process shown in FIG. 7 is executed. Here,
The CPU 10I and the ROM 103
The output belt conveyor 41 is sorted according to the number of products. ．． 41□ to the sensor SIB every time the scanner 21 reads the product code.

A control means M is configured to drive the S2B a certain distance at a time on the condition that the product is not detected. Further, when the subtotal key is pressed on the keyboard 22, that is, when the reading operation for one customer is completed, the process shown in FIG. 8 is executed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 8.

Now, while the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is stopped, when a customer comes to the checkout position and places the products taken out from the shopping cart 1 in sequence at the product tlil position of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, the sensor SA is activated. Turn on. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 101 checks in step (hereinafter abbreviated as ST) 1 whether or not the sensor SB is on. If the sensor SB is not on, that is, if the product is not at the end of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, the process proceeds to ST2 and the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is activated. Therefore, the operator does not have to pay attention to starting the carry-in belt conveyor 11.

Based on the activation of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, the products placed thereon are carried toward the reading section 20. Eventually, when the first product on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 reaches the sensor SB position, , sensor SB turns on. In other words,
Sensor SB changes from off to on. Then, the CPU
As shown in FIG. 6, when the l0I recognizes that the sensor SB has changed from off to on at 5TII, it advances to 5T42, stops the carry-in belt conveyor 11, and then moves to 5T13.
Go to and reset the timer (not shown).

Here, when the operator located at the reading section 20 picks up the product from the carry-in belt conveyor 11, the sensor SB is turned off. In other words, sensor SB changes from on to off. Then, cputot detects sensor SB at S T 11.
82 m indicates that S changes from on to off.
After proceeding to 'r' 14 and restarting the carry-in belt conveyor 11, proceed to 5T15/\ and start the timer. Therefore, the products placed on the carry-in belt conveyor 11 are sequentially transported in front of the scanner 21 and then stopped, so that the operator picks up the products that have reached that position in order and causes the scanner 21 to read them. I can do it.

Note that the CPU I0I monitors a timer and stops the carry-in belt conveyor 11 when the timer has elapsed for a preset predetermined time.

After the operator picks up the product from the carry-in belt conveyor 11 and passes the product with the barcode side facing the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21, the product is placed in one of the areas partitioned by the partition plate 32 of the sorting section 30. Place it, and then the sorting section 3
The product placed inside 1 slides down the slope 31 while
Then, the paper is sent onto either of the delivery belt conveyors 411 and 41□ while its direction is regulated by the partition plate 32.

At this time, when the product is passed over the scanner 21, the bar code of the product is read by the scanner 21 and then sent to the ECR 70. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 10I registers the barcode data in S'r21 every time the barcode data is input from the scanner 21.

Next, the process advances to ST 22 and the delivery belt conveyor 41 is placed on the side where the currently read product is sorted, that is, on the side that is guided by the partition plate 32. 41° sensor SIB
, check whether S2B is on or not.

If that sensor SIB, S2B is not on, 5T23
Then, the delivery belt conveyors 411 and 412 are driven by a preset distance N (for example, a distance corresponding to the size of one product). Therefore, the conveyor belt 41 . ．． 41□The products sent upward are placed in the bagging section 50. with a predetermined distance P1 apart from each other.
,50. When the first product on the delivery belt conveyor 41, 41° on the product sorting side reaches the sensor SIB, 32B, the sensor 5IBS2B turns on. Then, when CPUl0I recognizes that sensors SIB and S2B are turned on at 5T22, it executes S723.
Therefore, the discharge belt conveyor 41.
．． 41□ remains stopped.

After completing the reading operation for all the products for one customer, the operator presses the subtotal key on the keyboard 22. Then, the CPU 10I reads 5T3 as shown in FIG.
After performing subtotal processing in step 1, the process advances to step 5T32 and checks whether or not sensors SIB and S2B on the product sorting side are on. If that sensor SIB, S2B is on, 5T3
The process of 5T36 is performed without performing the processes of 3 to 5735.

If that sensor SIB, S2B is not on, 5T33
Proceed to the 4th delivery belt conveyor 41 where the products are sorted.
After starting □, 41□, 5T34 starts the unloading belt conveyors 4i, 4i2 (I!11 sensors SIB, S
On the condition that 2B is turned on, the process advances to 5T35 and the delivery belt conveyors 4t, 41□ are stopped. Next, the process advances to s'r' 36, the sorter 33 is operated, and the other delivery belt conveyor 41. ．． The partition plate 32 is switched to create a passage to 412. On the other hand, the customer who has completed payment will be sent to the bagging department 50. , 50□, where they pack the bags.

Therefore, according to this example, the sorting section 30 is connected to the scanner 2.
1 from the reading surface 21A of each output belt conveyor 41. ．． 4
Since the slope 31 is formed so that it gradually slopes downward toward the starting end in the conveyance direction of 1□, the operator can simply place the product read by the scanner 21 on the sorting section 30, and the product will slide down the slope 31. While unloading belt conveyor 4
1□41□, so the burden on the operator can be reduced. In other words, the conventional work of transporting stocked products onto one of the delivery belt conveyors can be eliminated.

Further, the products read by the scanner 21 on the inclined surface 31 of the sorting section 30 are transferred to one of the delivery belt conveyors 41, . 41.
Since the partition plate 32 for guiding the product to the customer is switchable, and the partition plate 32 is switched every time one customer's product reading operation is completed, the operator does not have to switch the partition plate 32 manually. The burden on the operator can be reduced.

Furthermore, each time a barcode is read by the scanner 21, the output belt conveyor 4 is guided by the partition plate 32.
1. ．． 412 is driven a fixed distance at a time, the products sent onto the delivery belt conveyors 411 and 412 can be delivered while being separated from each other by a predetermined distance. Therefore, the product will not be damaged.Moreover, when one customer's reading operation is completed, the delivery belt conveyor 41412 on the product sorting side is closed until the sensor SIB, 32B is turned on.
Since the product is driven, the product can be reliably transported to the vicinity of the bagging sections 501' and 502 for each customer.

In addition, each delivery belt conveyor 41. , 41□ are set at the same height as the conveyance surface of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, which has the advantage that customers can easily bag the products on each carry-out belt conveyor 41, , 412.

In addition, sensors SA and SB are provided at the start and end ends of the carry-in belt conveyor 11 in the conveyance direction, respectively, to detect the presence or absence of products. Since the belt conveyor 11 is activated, the operator does not have to pay attention to the activation of the carry-in belt conveyor 11, which reduces the burden on the operator and allows him to concentrate on other tasks.

In addition, since a step in the height direction is formed between the product placement position of the carry-in belt conveyor 11 and the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21, the product placement position of the carry-in belt conveyor 11 is set at a height where it is easy to place the product. In addition, the reading surface 2 of the scanner 21
1A can be set at a height that is easy for the operator to read and operate, so both workability can be satisfied.

Moreover, since a part of the conveying surface is formed into an inclined surface so that the terminal end of the conveying belt conveyor 11 in the conveying direction substantially coincides with the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21, the product can be placed at the same height as the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21. Since the product can be transported to a certain position, the operability of the operator will not be degraded. Prevents falling or slipping from surfaces.

In the above embodiment, the conveyance surfaces of the output belt conveyors 411 and 412 are formed lower than the reading surface 21A of the scanner 21, and the sorting section 30 is positioned at the same height as the reading surface 21A. The reading surface 21A and the delivery belt conveyor 419.
The reading surface 21A of the sorting section 30 is at the same height as the conveying surface of the
r [with l at a higher position, and an unloading bell] ~ conveyor 41. ．． ．． A similar effect can be obtained by forming the 41□ curve on an inclined surface that is at the same height as the conveying surface of the conveyor.

Also, in the above embodiment, when the subtotal key is pressed, the 8th
The processes from 5T32 to 5T36 in the figure are performed, but when the deposit/account key is pressed, the processes from 5T32 to S T in Figure 8 are executed.
36 processes may be performed.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since the space between the reading means of the sorting section is formed on a slope higher than the side of the carrying out means, the operator can place the products read by the reading means on the sorting section. Since the product is sent to the delivery means while sliding down the slope, the burden on the operator can be reduced. In other words,
This eliminates the need for the conventional work of pushing stocked products onto any delivery bell or conveyor.

In addition, each time the reader or the product code is read, the delivery means on the side where the products are sorted is driven a certain distance, so that the products slide down the slope of the sorting section and are fed into the delivery means. Since the products are transported out at a predetermined interval, damage to the products during transportation can be prevented by 1υj.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 8 show one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a perspective view of the whole, Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a diagram showing the relationship among the carry-in belt conveyor, scanner, sorting section, and discharge belt conveyor, Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration, Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration, 5 to 8 are flowcharts. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional check-out device. 21... Scanner (reading means), 30... Sorting section, 31... Inclined surface, l 1 0 01 IB 41□... Outgoing belt conveyor (m outgoing means), 502... Bagging Part, 103...CPU and ROM (control means), 32B...Sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A reading means for reading the product code of the product, a sorting section that distributes the products read by the reading means in different directions for each customer, and a transportation section that transports the products sorted by the sorting section to the bagging section. A checkout device including a plurality of carry-out means, and a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a product at a terminal end of each carry-out means in the conveyance direction, wherein the sorting section is arranged on an inclined surface where the reading means side is higher than the carry-out means side. and control means for driving the carrying-out means on the side where the products are sorted by the sorting section by a fixed distance each time the reading means reads a product code, provided that the sensor does not detect a product. A checkout device characterized by: