(19)
(11) EP 1 182 623 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
27.02.2002 Bulletin 2002/09

(21) Application number: 01202617.5

(22) Date of filing: 06.07.2001
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7G07F 11/60, G07F 11/42, G07F 11/58
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 07.07.2000 NL 1015658

(71) Applicant: VDV Innovatietechniek B.V.
7482 DC Haaksbergen (NL)

(72) Inventors:
  • Nijland, Gerard Arend Jan
    7161 RS Neede (NL)
  • Akkerhuis, Gerardus Willem
    2201 XE Noordwijk (NL)

(74) Representative: 't Jong, Bastiaan Jacob et al
Arnold & Siedsma, Sweelinckplein 1
2517 GK The Hague
2517 GK The Hague (NL)

   


(54) Distribution device and cassette therefor


(57) The invention relates to a cassette for dispensing products, which cassette comprises:
  • a cassette housing with a base and standing peripheral walls;
  • containers which are placed in the cassette housing and which can each receive a product;
       wherein at least one opening is arranged in a peripheral wall and at least one channel extending between the opening and an opposite wall is arranged in the base.





Description


[0001] The invention relates to a cassette for dispensing products.

[0002] During an advertising campaign for a particular product, sales promotions are carried out where the particular product is sold in combination with a promotional product. Such a promotional product is for instance a cap, a crown cap opener, sunglasses and the like printed with the logo of for instance the manufacturer of the product with which this promotional product is associated.

[0003] When these promotional products are supplied separately, i.e. the promotional products are not included in the packaging of the associated product, it is then found that many of these promotional products disappear before they can reach the customer.

[0004] A solution herefor is for the box with promotional products to be placed at the check-out point and the cashier gives a promotional product to the customer when the latter has purchased the associated product. Different promotions may however be taking place in a supermarket, whereby the cashier has to give out different products. This puts a lot of pressure on the cashier and is undesirable. It may moreover still be the case that not all the products reach the customer, even when the promotional products are placed at the check-out point.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above stated drawbacks.

[0006] This objective is achieved with a cassette according to the invention, which cassette comprises:
  • a cassette housing with a base and standing peripheral walls;
  • containers which are placed in the cassette housing and which can each receive a product;
   wherein at least one opening is arranged in a peripheral wall and at least one channel extending between the opening and an opposite wall is arranged in the base.

[0007] Normal products can of course also be sold with such a cassette instead of special promotional products.

[0008] A cassette according to the invention can be placed in a device which, when operated, can carry a container with a product placed therein to the outside via the opening. The advantage hereof is that such a device can be filled quickly with the cassettes and the device and the cassettes protect the products, so that the products cannot be removed easily from the cassettes. The cassettes have the further advantage that they can be readily stacked and that distribution is thereby simplified.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment according to the invention the cassette housing comprises an upper surface and the cassette further comprises a filling part which is arranged between the upper surface and the containers placed in the housing. This filling part ensures that the promotional products remain in the containers, even when the cassette is shaken. Such a filling part also enables standardizing of the cassette, at least in the height.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment according to the invention there is arranged in the at least one channel a tear-out part which closes the channel. A tear-out part which closes the opening can further be arranged in the opening. With these closing tear-out parts the cassette is completely closed and products cannot therefore be removed from the cassette. When such a cassette is placed in a dispensing device, the tear-out parts are torn away from them so that the containers can be pressed to the outside through the opening via the channel.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment the cassette comprises cardboard. Such a material is inexpensive, can be disposed of as used paper and can moreover be printed on. This avoids the empty cassettes having to be collected for subsequent refilling.

[0012] In yet another embodiment according to the invention identification means are arranged on the cassette housing for identifying the products accommodated in the cassette housing. Using these identification means the person filling the device can on the one hand see which products are involved and specific data can on the other hand be read into the device.

[0013] The invention further comprises a device for dispensing products, which device comprises:
  • a housing;
  • at least one carrier arranged in the housing for carrying at least one cassette according to the invention;
  • moveable displacing means arranged on the carrier for gripping on a container through the at least one channel in the base of the cassette for the purpose of carrying a container outside the cassette via the opening in the peripheral wall.


[0014] Using such a device the products can be dispensed from the cassette in reliable manner.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment the displacing means comprise a drivable screw spindle and a displacing finger arranged thereon. The displacing finger protrudes through the channel and engages on the last container in a cassette. The displacing finger is arranged against the container by driving the screw spindle, and a container can thus be carried outside via the opening.

[0016] Another embodiment of the device according to the invention comprises detection means for detecting that a product has been carried outside the cassette. Although it is possible to determine whether a product should have been carried outside the cassette on the basis of the number of rotations of for instance a screw spindle, detection hereof reliably determines whether a product has actually been carried outside the cassette. Reliability is hereby no longer dependent on manufacturing tolerances of the cassette and the containers placed therein. In yet another embodiment according to the invention the device comprises control means for controlling the displacing means such that a product is carried outside the cassette. When the device is activated the control will determine from which cassette a container is pressed. If this cassette has more than one channel in the base, the displacing means protruding through these channels will then have to be moved simultaneously, so that the container is not pressed out of alignment in the cassette.

[0017] In another embodiment according to the invention the device comprises a receiving bin arranged below the level of the opening of the at least one carrier for receiving a product carried outside the cassette and a removal opening arranged in the housing for removal of the received product.

[0018] The device can further comprise a removal opening arranged in the housing and transport means herein for transporting a product carried outside the cassette to the removal opening. This latter has the advantage that the product does not drop into a receiving bin, whereby it could possibly be damaged.

[0019] These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the annexed figures.

[0020] Figure 1 shows in perspective view a device according to the invention.

[0021] Figure 2 shows in perspective view and with partly broken-away parts a carrier having cassettes placed thereon in a device as according to figure 1.

[0022] Figure 3 shows a variant of the invention shown in figure 2.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention. This device 1 has a housing 2 with a window 3 and a removal opening 4. A receiving bin 5 is arranged behind removal opening 4. Arranged behind window 3 are different carriers 6 on which are placed cassettes 7, 8, 9 of different size.

[0024] The device further comprises an operating panel 10 which is coupled to the control (not shown). Operating panel 10 comprises a slot 11 for insertion of a token and a slot 12 for insertion of a card. Device 1 can be activated with the token or the card, whereby the control (not shown) can launch a product 13 into receiving bin 5.

[0025] Figure 2 shows a carrier 6 with cassettes 7, 8 placed thereon. Carrier 6 has a supporting surface 14. Moveable displacing fingers 15 are arranged on this supporting surface 14. These fingers 15 are advanced by means of screw spindles 16 which are driven by a motor 18 via a transmission 17.

[0026] Each cassette 7, 8, 9 has a cassette housing with a base 19, standing walls 20 and an upper surface 21. Arranged in one of the standing walls 20 is a tear-out part 22 which, when torn out, leaves an opening in the cassette housing. Two tear-out parts 23 are also arranged in base 19 which leave two channels in the base when torn out. Via these channels the displacing fingers 15 can grip on containers 24 placed in the housing. The products are placed in these containers.

[0027] So as to prevent the containers being shaken up or the products placed therein dropping out of the containers due to the cassette being shaken, a filling part 25 is placed between upper surface 21 and containers 24.

[0028] When now a particular promotion begins, determined cassettes can then be placed in device 1 the evening before. Prior to placing of a cassette the tear-out parts 22, 23 are torn out of the cassette so that the cassette can be placed on supporting surface 14 of a carrier 6. The identification means on each cassette can be read by means of for instance a bar-code reader, so that the control of device 1 knows at which positions which cassettes with which products are placed. The control also knows hereby how many mutually adjacent displacing fingers 15 must be advanced simultaneously to press one product out of a cassette.

[0029] In this way it is possible to accommodate different promotional products in a single device 1. When a customer now purchases a particular product for which the promotion is valid, he or she can take the product from device 1 by means of a token issued by the cashier. It could for instance also be possible to take the product out of device 1 using a so-called bonus card.

[0030] Figure 3 shows a variant of the embodiment of figure 2. Corresponding components are designated with the same reference numerals.

[0031] Arranged in this embodiment instead of screw spindle 16 is a conveyor belt 30 which runs round reversing wheels 31 and is driven by a motor 32. Arranged on conveyor belt 30 is a displacing means 33 with which the product containers 24 can be pressed out of cassette 8.


Claims

1. Cassette for dispensing products, which cassette comprises:

- a cassette housing with a base and standing peripheral walls;

- containers which are placed in the cassette housing and which can each receive a product;

   wherein at least one opening is arranged in a peripheral wall and at least one channel extending between the opening and an opposite wall is arranged in the base.
 
2. Cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cassette housing comprises an upper surface and wherein the cassette further comprises a filling part which is arranged between the upper surface and the containers placed in the housing.
 
3. Cassette as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein there is arranged in the at least one channel a tear-out part which closes the channel.
 
4. Cassette as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein a tear-out part which closes the opening is arranged in the opening.
 
5. Cassette as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the cassette comprises cardboard.
 
6. Cassette as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein identification means are arranged on the cassette housing for identifying the products held in the cassette housing.
 
7. Device for dispensing products, which device comprises:

- a housing;

- at least one carrier arranged in the housing for carrying at least one cassette as claimed in any of the claims 1-6;

- moveable displacing means arranged on the carrier for gripping on a container through the at least one channel in the base of the cassette for the purpose of carrying a container outside the cassette via the opening in the peripheral wall.


 
8. Device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the displacing means comprise a drivable screw spindle and a displacing finger arranged thereon.
 
9. Device as claimed in claim 7 or 8, comprising detection means for detecting that a product has been carried outside the cassette.
 
10. Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-9, comprising control means for controlling the displacing means such that a product is carried outside the cassette.
 
11. Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-10, comprising a receiving bin arranged below the level of the opening of the at least one carrier for receiving a product carried outside the cassette, and a removal opening arranged in the housing for removal of the received product.
 
12. Device as claimed in any of the claims 7-10, comprising a removal opening arranged in the housing and transport means for transporting a product carried outside the cassette to the removal opening.
 




Drawing













Search report