GOODS HOLDER HAVING TWO SIGNAL-PRODUCING MEANS

Abstract

A goods holder, on which a plurality of goods can be arranged one behind the other in a movable manner, in such a way that a front good of a row of goods arranged one behind the other can be moved in the direction of a front end of the goods holder and can be removed from the goods holder at said front end. The goods holder having at least one displaceably supported signal-producing means, which can be displaced as a result of a movement of a frontmost good in the direction of the front end and triggers the production of a removal signal in the event of a displacement in order to indicate a removal of the good from the good holder. Two displaceably supported signal-producing means are provided on the goods holder.

Claims

1. A goods holder, on which a plurality of goods can be arranged one behind the other in a movable manner, in such a way that a front good of a row of goods arranged one behind the other can be moved in the direction of a front end of the goods holder and can be removed from the goods holder at said front end, the goods holder having at least one displaceably supported signal-producing means, which can be displaced as a result of a movement of a frontmost good in the direction of the front end and triggers the production of a removal signal in the event of a displacement in order to indicate a removal of the good from the good holder, wherein two displaceably supported signal-producing means are provided on the goods holder, which are displaced in succession in the event of a movement of a frontmost good in the direction of the front end, so that at least two removal signals are produced as a result.

2. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal-producing means are pivotably supported on the goods holder.

3. The goods holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal-producing means are pivotable about a common pivot axis or each about its own pivot axis.

4. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal-producing means each have a control section, past which a good must be led as it is moved in the direction of the front end and on which the good to be moved acts hereby, so that a displacement movement is forced on the signal-producing means by the good led past.

5. The goods holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control sections of the signal-producing means are offset in relation to each other along a removal direction, along which a frontmost good to be removed is moved to the front end of the goods holder.

6. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal-producing means are arranged beside each other transversely with respect to a removal direction, along which a frontmost good to be removed is moved to the front end of the goods holder.

7. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two reed contacts are provided, by means of which two removal signals can be produced in the event of a displacement of the signal-producing means.

8. The goods holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the signal-producing means each have a magnet cooperating with a reed contact, or a reed contact.

9. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one signal-producing means is displaceable by a frontmost good moved in the direction of the front end of the goods holder from a release position into a blocking position, wherein the signal-producing means in the blocking position prevents a new movement of a good arranged behind the frontmost good in the direction of the front end.

10. The goods holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the signal-producing means has a blocking section which, in the blocking position, projects in such a way that a good cannot be moved over the blocking section toward the front end of the goods holder.

11. The goods holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the signal-producing means is formed and arranged in such a way that it is kept in the blocking position by a good moved toward the front end of the goods holder until the good is removed from the goods holder.

12. The goods holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least two signal-producing means are provided, which can each be displaced between a release position and a blocking position.

13. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal-producing means permit both a removal of a good moved toward a front end of the goods holder and filling of the goods holder with goods and/or pushing a good back.

14. The goods holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electronic evaluation unit is provided, by means of which, by using the triggered removal signals, it is possible to evaluate the direction in which a good has been moved.

15. The goods holder as claimed in claim 14, wherein the electronic evaluation unit is set up to output, in a manner dependent on the removal signals, an acoustically and/or visually perceptible goods removal signal when a good has been moved in the direction of the front end of the goods holder and the two signal-producing means are displaced hereby.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from the exemplary embodiments explained below by using the appended figures.

[0026] FIGS. 1A-1D show, in different views, an exemplary embodiment of a goods holder according to the invention having two pivotably mounted swinging arms as signal-producing means.

[0027] FIGS. 2A-2E show different phases of a removal of a frontmost good from the goods holder from FIGS. 1A-1D and the displacement movements of the two swinging arms that result here.

[0028] FIGS. 3A-3C show a further exemplary embodiment of a goods holder according to the invention in different phases during the removal of a frontmost good and with the displacement movements that result here of two pivotably mounted swinging arms as signal-producing means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIGS. 1A to 1D show in different views a goods holder 1 in the form of a rack hook. The goods holder 1 has an elongated, here rod-like, holding section 10, on which goods can be arranged movably one behind the other. Here, the individual goods are pushed onto the goods holder 1 over a front end of the goods holder 1. For this purpose, each good carries on its goods package an appropriate dimensioned opening O, through which the holding section 10 can reach.

[0030] At its rear end, the goods holder 1 is to be fixed as intended to a (rack) wall via a fixing point 11 of the holding section 10. At the opposite front end of the goods holder 1, the goods can be removed, in that they are moved forward along a removal direction R. In order to detect the removal of a good W from the goods holder 1 electronically here and then to produce a removal sound only when a good W has actually been removed at the front end, the goods holder 1 is provided with two signal-producing means in the form of two swinging arms 12 and 13 in the region of its front end. These two swinging arms 12 and 13 are both pivotably mounted about a common pivot axis 14 on the holding section 10. In addition, the two swinging arms 12 and 13 are formed and arranged such that both swinging arms 12 and 13 are pivoted one after the other in a pivoting direction when a good W is led along the holding section 10 past the swinging arms 12 and 13 in the removal direction R, so that it can be removed at the front end of the goods holder 1.

[0031] The two swinging arms 12 and 13, which here are pivotably mounted about a mounting element, for example in the form of a cylindrical pin, defining the pivot axis 14, each project in the release position illustrated in FIGS. 1 A to 1D with a bulbous, convexly curved control section 121 or 131 on an underside of the goods holder 1. The projection of the two control sections 121 and 131 is chosen here such that a frontmost good W to be removed acts on these control sections 121 and 131 one after the other during a movement in the removal direction R and, in this way, pivots both swinging arms 12 and 13 one after the other in the same pivoting direction about their pivot axis 14. Thus, the two swinging arms 12 and 13 have different lengths and, as a result, the two control sections 121 and 131 are offset in relation to each other in the removal direction R. So, the first swinging arm 12 is about 25% longer than the second swinging arm 13. In this way, a good W moved in the direction of the front end of the goods holder 1 firstly makes contact with the control section 121 of the first swinging arm 12 and pivots the same in the direction of the front end in the counterclockwise direction about the pivot axis 14. If the good W is moved further in the direction of the front end, it makes contact with the control section 131 of the second, shorter swinging arm 13 and likewise, as a result of sliding along on the control section 131, pivots said swinging arm in the counterclockwise direction about the pivot axis 14, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2E.

[0032] The two swinging arms 12 and 13 cooperate respectively with a reed contact 2, 3, in order to produce a removal signal during a displacement. For this purpose, a reed contact or reed sensor 2, 3 is respectively provided on the holding section 10. The respective reed contact 2 or 3 is switched when the associated swinging arm 12 or 13 is pivoted out of a release position, shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D, by a good W moved forward. A signal from the reed contact 2 or 3 indicating the pivoting of a swinging arm 12 or 13 is transmitted as a removal signal to an electronic evaluation unit AE. The evaluation unit AE is preferably integrated on the goods holder 1 and accommodated in or on the holding section 10, so that the goods holder 1 with the evaluation unit AE forms an autonomous structural unit, which is serviceable without further cabling and can simply be mounted on a (rack) wall.

[0033] By using the sequence of removal signals generated, the evaluation unit AE can assess whether a good W has actually been moved in the direction of the front end of the goods holder 1 and, for example, a good has not been moved in the direction of the rear end, for example when filling the goods holder 1. Thus, during a removal of the good W, the first swinging arm 12 is pivoted first and then the second swinging arm 13, whereas during an insertion of a good W in the direction of the rear end, the two swinging arms 12 and 13 are pivoted in the opposite order. If, by using the removal signals produced by the reed contacts 2 and 3 by the displacement of the swinging arms 12 and 13, the evaluation unit AE detects the fact that a good W has been moved past the two swinging arms 12 and 13 in the direction of the front end of the goods holder 1, the evaluation unit AE produces a goods removal signal WS. A removal of a good W is acknowledged acoustically via this goods removal signal WS. Alternatively or additionally, the goods removal signal WS can be visually perceptible. An output device coupled to the evaluation unit AE to output an acoustically and/or visually perceptible goods removal signal WS, for example having a loudspeaker, a light and/or a display, is preferably likewise integrated on the goods holder 1.

[0034] The two swinging arms 12 and 13 in the present case are also part of a separating mechanism of the goods holder 1, via which it is possible to prevent several goods W from being removed simultaneously from the goods holder 1. Via this separating mechanism, it is ensured that only ever a single good W can reach the front end of the goods holder 1 and can be removed there as intended. The two swinging arms 12 and 13 have blocking sections 120 and 130 for this purpose, via which an individual good W can be displaced in the removal direction R when the two swinging arms 12 and 13 are in their release position. The blocking sections 120 and 130 are likewise arranged one behind the other along the removal direction R and project on an upper side of the holding section. However, as a result of the goods W sliding along on the control sections 121 and 131 of the swinging arms 12 and 13, the latter are pivoted, as already explained above. As a result of this pivoting, however, the respective associated blocking sections 120 and 130 then project on the upper side of the holding section 10, so that movement of a further good over the blocking sections 120 or 130 is not possible. Only after the frontmost good W has been removed as intended at the front end of the goods holder 1 can the swinging arms 12 and 13 pivot back into their release position again and the displacement path is released again.

[0035] The control sections 121 and 131 of the two swinging arms 12 and 13 project on an underside of the holding section 10, so that a good W to be moved urges the blocking sections 120 and 130 more intensely upward. In order that a blocking section 120 or 130 and an associated control section 121 or 131 of a swinging arm 2 or 3 can project on different sides of the holding section 1, the holding section 10 has a passage opening 100 for the two swinging arms 12 and 13 if the holding section 10, as in the present case, is equipped with a preferably flat top surface.

[0036] In order that the two swinging arms 12 and 13 remain in a blocking position, in which a new movement of a further good in the direction of the front end of the goods holder 1 is prevented until a good W moved to the front end is removed from the goods holder 1, the pivot axis 14 of the two swinging arms 12 and 13 is arranged close to the front end of the goods holder 1. Furthermore, the curvature of the swinging arms 12 and 13 is chosen appropriately, so that a good W in the region of the front end of the goods holder 1 and therefore in the region of the pivot axis 14 still acts on the control sections 121 and 131 of the two swinging arms 12 and 13. In this way, the swinging arms 12 and 13 cannot assume their release position again until the good W has been removed from the goods holder 1.

[0037] Although the two swinging arms 12 and 13 also permit a return of a good W and an associated movement of a good on the goods holder 1 counter to the removal direction R and a removal signal is produced hereby via the reed contacts 2 and 3, the electronic evaluation unit AE ensures that, in such case, no goods removal signal WS is produced. Said unit evaluates a series of removal signals produced and generates a goods removal signal WS that is perceptible by a customer and the sales staff only in the case of a movement of a good W in the direction of the front end of the goods holder 1 over the swinging arms 12 and 13. The goods holder 1 this acknowledges only an actual goods removal with an acoustically and/or visually perceptible goods removal signal, but not every return of a good W or filling of the goods holder with goods.

[0038] In a departure from the illustration in FIGS. 1A to 1D and 2A to 2E, a design variant is provided to mount two swinging arms offset relative to each other in the removal direction R on different, mutually parallel pivot axes. Here, each swinging arm is consequently pivotable about its own pivot axis. In this way, the two swinging arms of a goods holder 1 can be formed as identical parts. Given appropriate physical proximity of the pivot axis, provision can also be made here for a good W located at the front end of the goods holder 1 to keep both swinging arms in the blocking position until the good W has been removed from the goods holder 1. However, this is not mandatory. In a variant having two pivot axes for the two swinging arms, provision can thus also be made for only one swinging arm the front one with respect to the removal direction R to be kept in its blocking position via the good W located at the front end of the goods holder 1.

[0039] FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C show in different views a further design variant of a goods holder 1 in the form of a rack hook. The goods holder 1 here, in addition to an elongated, here rod-like, holding section 10, has a storage section 15 extending parallel thereto. The longitudinally extended storage section 15 arranged above the holding section 10 here carries the signal-producing means that can be pivoted respectively about their own pivot axis 14a or 14b in the form of two swinging arms 12 and 13. The swinging arms 12 and 13 are also formed and arranged in this design variant such that both swinging arms 12 and 13 are pivoted one after the other in a pivoting direction when a good W is led along the holder section 10 in the removal direction R past the swinging arms 12 and 13.

[0040] The control sections 121 and 131 of the two swinging arms 12 and 13 here project from the storage section 15 in the direction of the holding section 10. In this way, a good W moved in the direction of the frontmost removal position in the region of the holding section 10 necessarily comes into contact successively with the control sections 121 and 131 and pivots the swinging arms 12 and 13 upward about their pivot axes 14a and 14b.

[0041] To produce the removal signals, in each case a magnet element 122 or 132 is provided at a free end of a swinging arm 12 or 13. This magnet element 122 or 132 cooperates with a stationary reed contact 2 or 3 on the storage section 15. Consequently, if a swinging arm 12 or 13 is pivoted by the good W led past the same and, as a result, the respective magnet element 122 or 132 is spaced apart from the associated reed contact 2 or 3, the production of an electronically further evaluable removal signal and/or a visually and/or acoustically perceptible removal signal is associated herewith. The magnet elements 122 and 132 are formed as permanent magnets, for example, for this purpose.

[0042] The storage section 15, which is arranged above the holding section 10 provided to hold the good W, can of course have cross-sectional shapes different from the cross-sectional shape of the holding section 10. Furthermore, the storage section 15 can, for example, be equipped to hold a label at its front end. Moreover, the storage section 15 can be designed for the arrangement and accommodation of an evaluation unit AE. For this purpose, the storage section 15, for example, if appropriate only in a sub region, forms a section configured in the manner of a housing, in which not only the reed contacts 2 and 3 but also the electronic evaluation unit AE or at least parts thereof are accommodated in a protective manner. Such an appropriately housing-like configured structure of the storage section 15 defines a cavity within the storage section 15, for example, in which the aforementioned components can be accommodated and fixed. Such a cavity can then be closed with a cover, for example, which is removable for repair or maintenance purposes, for example in order to change a battery provided for the autonomous operation of the evaluation unit (AE).

[0043] In an analogous way, in the design variants of FIGS. 1A to 1D and 2A to 2E, the holding section 10 provided here can be formed for the arrangement and accommodation at least of parts of the evaluation unit AE. For this purpose, the holding section 10 forms, for example, possibly only in a sub region, a section configured in the manner of a housing, in which the reed contacts 2 and 3 and/or the electronic evaluation unit AE or at least parts thereof are accommodated in a protective manner. Such an appropriately housing-like configured structure of the holding section 10 then also defines here, for example, a cavity within the holding section 10, in which the aforementioned components can be accommodated and fixed. Such a cavity can then be provided at a rear end of the holding section 10 with reference to the removal direction R and likewise be closed with a cover, for example, which is removable for repair or maintenance purposes.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0044] 1 Goods holder [0045] 10 Holding section [0046] 100 Passage opening [0047] 11 Fixing point [0048] 12 1st swinging arm (1st signal-producing means) [0049] 120 Blocking section [0050] 121 Control section [0051] 122 Magnet element [0052] 13 2nd swinging arm (2nd signal-producing means) [0053] 130 Blocking section [0054] 131 Control section [0055] 132 Magnet element [0056] 14, 14a, 14b Pivot axis [0057] 15 Storage section [0058] 2, 3 Reed contact [0059] AE Evaluation unit [0060] Opening [0061] R Removal direction [0062] W Good [0063] WS Goods removal signal