Counter electronic appliance comprising a movable display

Abstract

 A counter electronic appliance (1) comprising:

• a casing (2) being peripherally defined on opposite sides by at least one first and one second portion of a sidewall, respectively, and including a computing unit suitable to process a piece of information;
• a movable display (9) for displaying data correlated with said piece of information and such as to take a plurality of different operating positions relative to said casing; and
• mechanical connecting means suitable to mechanically couple said display (3) with said casing (2). The appliance is characterized in that the mechanical connecting means include sliding coupling means, in order to allow said display (3) to be translated towards two opposite directions, so as to be approached to said first portion by moving away from said second portion and vice versa.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of the counter electronic appliances, particularly for the use in commercial activities, and more precisely it relates to a counter electronic appliance comprising a movable display.

[0002] As it is known, the use of counter electronic appliances suitable to receive and process signals which are correlated with selling information and suitable to provide these signals for one or more displays associated thereto is considerably widespread especially in running commercial activities. Either the common cash registers (for example, the fiscal registers) or the electronic balances or, even, the payment terminals such as, for example, the ones commonly employed in national lottery game retailers or post offices are a typical example.

[0003] In order to ensure a better transparency of transactions or payment services, these electronic appliances are also usually provided with a further display designed to be arranged so as to be seen by a customer, besides a display being usually fixed and oriented towards an appliance operator.

[0004] The two displays mentioned above are usually called operator display and customer display, respectively.

[0005] In order to allow the customer to see more easily, the use of the revolving-type customer display is common in the prior art. For example, these customer displays of the type which can be oriented are rotatably coupled with a base cylindrical turret which is fastened to the counter electronic appliance casing. Thereby, a revolving-type customer display of the above mentioned type can be rotated around an axis being substantially coincident with the main extension axis of the cylindrical turret. This allows the customer display to be oriented so as to be particularly easy to be seen by a customer.

[0006] However, in some cases this expedient is not sufficient to make the customer display particularly easy to be seen without imposing constraints on the positioning of the electronic appliance. In some cases this drawback may reduce the possibility and freedom of arranging the same appliance on a counter.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic appliance comprising a display which can be easily seen by a customer while not providing a constraint, or providing a constraint to a lesser extent compared to the prior art appliances, on the positioning of the same electronic appliance on a counter.

[0008] This object is achieved by means of an electronic appliance as defined in the annexed claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments of an electronic appliance in accordance with the present invention are defined in the annexed dependent claims 2-16.

[0009] Further characteristics and the advantages of the invention will be better understood by the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, which are given by way of indicative and thus by no means limiting example with reference to the annexed figures, in which:

• Figs. 1a and 1b show two different perspective views, respectively, of an electronic appliance in accordance with the present invention;
• Fig. 2 shows a top sectional view of the electronic appliance from Figs. 1a and 1b;
• Fig. 3 shows a side-sectional view of the electronic appliance from Figs. 1a and 1b;
• Fig. 4 shows a side-sectional view of a first variant of embodiment of the electronic appliance from Figs. 1a and 1b;
• Fig. 5 shows a side-sectional view of a second variant of embodiment of the electronic appliance from Figs. 1a and 1b;
• Fig. 6 shows a top sectional view of a third variant of embodiment of the electronic appliance from Figs. 1a and 1b; and
• Fig. 7 shows a side-sectional view of the electronic appliance from Fig. 6.

[0010] In the annexed figures, either equal or similar elements have been indicated with the same reference numbers.

[0011] In Fig. 1, a counter electronic appliance shown in a perspective view has been indicated as a whole with 1. In the particular example from Fig. 1, the counter electronic appliance 1 is embodied as a cash register, which can be used for example for registering, checking and calculating the amounts of the retail sales in a commercial activity.

[0012] However, it shall be noted that the principles of the present invention can be easily extended to electronic appliances which are different from the particular appliance example shown in Fig. 1. For example, the counter electronic appliance 1 could be alternatively embodied either as an electronic balance or a remote payment terminal of the type commonly employed in national lottery game retailers or post offices.

[0013] With reference to Fig. 1, the counter electronic appliance 1, afterwards cash register 1, includes a casing 2 including a base portion 6 and a covering portion which has been indicated with 7. Preferably, the casing 2 is an approximately box-shaped main body and is peripherally defined by a sidewall 8 which in this example is connected to the base portion 6.

[0014] With reference to Figs. 1a and 1b, the sidewall 8 includes a first portion of the sidewall 8d and a second portion of the sidewall 8s which laterally define the casing 2 from opposite sides. In the particularly preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the first 8d and second 8s portions of the sidewall are connected to each other by a third curvilinear portion 8c of the sidewall, preferably of a substantially circular profile.

[0015] The cash register 1 further includes an alphanumeric keyboard 4, which can be operated by an operator, for example, for making and entering the amounts to be registered. In one alternative embodiment, the keyboard can be associated to a housing which may be separate from the casing 2 of the cash register 1, for example if the latter is of the modular type.

[0016] The cash register 1 preferably includes a display 3, being for example fixed and associated to the casing 2, and designed to be seen by an operator of the cash register 1.

[0017] In the particular example from Fig. 1, in a nonlimiting manner, the display 3 or operator display 3 comprises a Liquid Crystal Display (or LCD display), for example of the active matrix type, built in the covering 7 of the casing 2.

[0018] The operator display 3 allows the data or pieces of information which are mainly designed to be seen by the operator of the cash register to be seen. For example, these pieces of information are correlated with the amounts entered by the operator, for example they relate to the price of the products being the object of the sale. In addition, these pieces of information include a concise description of these products or are useful for indicating the presence of possible promotions of these products.

[0019] Preferably, the operator display 3 further allows additional information such as, for example, the date and/or the time, information on the state with regard to the regular functioning of the appliance 1 or information useful for detecting anomalies in the functioning of the appliance 1 to be seen.

[0020] Preferably, the appliance 1 further includes a printing unit, not shown in the figures and inside the casing 2, for issuing a paper ticket 5. For example, this printing unit is a thermal printing unit being diffusely used in the cash registers of the known type.

[0021] Preferably, the cash register 1 includes an electronic computing unit (for example, including a microprocessor) inside the casing 2, not shown in the figure, for processing information and controlling and managing the input/output devices of the cash register 1.

[0022] For example, the electronic computing unit is aimed at controlling and managing the alphanumeric keyboard 4, the thermal printing unit, the operator display 3.

[0023] Preferably, the electronic computing unit is further aimed at controlling further optional input/output devices either associated or to be associated to the cash register 1, such as, for example: a payment card reader, an optical reader (for example, a bar-code one) for automatically reading various information associated to the products being designed to the sale, a card for interfacing with a data communication network.

[0024] As shown in Figs. 1a and 1b, the cash register 1 further includes a movable display 9 (or customer display) being/to be mechanically coupled with the casing 2, designed to be seen by a customer and aimed at displaying data being correlated with the information processed by the electronic computing unit. For example, these data are all or part either equal or similar to the data shown on the operator display 3 already mentioned above.

[0025] Preferably, but not in a limiting manner, the movable display 3 includes a base unit 10 being/to be coupled with the casing 2 and surmounted by a screen 11, which can be preferably oriented (for example, by 360°) and tilted relative to said base unit 10 (for example, it can be tilted by [+90°,-90°] relative to an aligning position which is vertical with the base unit 10).

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the screen 11 includes a Liquid Crystal Display 12 (or LCD display), for example an active matrix one.

[0027] With reference to Fig. 1b, the movable display 9 is / can be advantageously mechanically coupled with the casing 2 of the cash register 1, by means of sliding coupling means so as to be translated towards two opposite directions sx, dx in order to be approached to the first portion 8d of the sidewall 8 by moving away from the second portion 8s of the sidewall 8 and vice versa.

[0028] In Fig. 1b, the movable display 10 can slide by translation both to the direction indicated with sx, in order to be approached to the portion 8s of the sidewall 8 by moving away from the portion 8d of the sidewall 8, and to the direction indicated with dx in order to be approached to the portion 8d of the sidewall 8 by moving away from the portion 8s of the sidewall 8.

[0029] In the example from Fig. 1b, the movable display 9 can slide along a substantially circular trajectory expanding parallel to the sidewall 8 of the casing (and more precisely to the portion of the sidewall 8c). Preferably, this trajectory lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to a support plane of the cash register 1, for example to the support counter plane of the cash register 1.

[0030] In Fig. 2, a top sectional view of the cash register 1 is shown. In this figure, the trajectory that the movable display 9 can cover has been indicated with T, which in this example is a substantially circular trajectory.

[0031] Furthermore, it shall be noted that in this particular example the screen 11 of the movable display 9 is rotatably associated to the base unit 10, such that it can be rotated around a rotation axis 13 passing through the screen 11 so as to follow the trajectory 14.

[0032] In Fig. 3, a sectional side view is shown along A, A' axis of the cash register 1 illustrated in Fig. 2.

[0033] Preferably, in accordance with what is shown in Fig. 3, the movable display 9 includes a joint 18 in order to mechanically connect the base unit 10 to the screen 11. In greater detail, the joint 18 is coupled with the base unit 10 so as to be capable of rotating around the first rotation axis 13. Moreover, the screen 11 is coupled with the joint 18 so as to be capable of rotating around a second rotation axis 16 which is substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis 14 being further capable of being tilted towards opposite directions 17, 17'. Preferably, the joint 18 includes electrical connecting means of the known type in order to electrically connect the screen 11 to the base unit 10.

[0034] Preferably, the sliding coupling means include at least one guide G1 including a groove C1 belonging to the casing 2 inside which a sliding element S1 belonging to the movable display 9 may slide.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the groove C1 is defined between a portion of the sidewall 8 of the casing 2 and the covering 7 of the same casing 2.

[0036] Preferably, the sliding element S1 has an opposite shape relative to the groove C1 and is connected to a sidewall 10' of the base unit 10 of the movable display 9.

[0037] More preferably, such as shown in Fig. 3, the sliding coupling means further include a second guide G2, being spaced from the first guide G1 described above and substantially parallel to the latter.

[0038] The second guide G2 includes, for example, a groove C2 belonging to the casing 2 inside which a second sliding element S2 belonging to the movable display 9 and suitable to slide within the groove C2 may slide.

[0039] Preferably, the sliding coupling means (in this example, the guide G2) are such as to allow a cable 15 to pass through for the electric connection between the movable display 9 and the inside of the casing 2'. For example, the cable 15 is a multiple-line cable (i.e. a multicore cable) suitable to provide an electric connection between the computing unit and the movable display 9.

[0040] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the movable display 9 includes an electronic unit (not shown) therein, which is specific for managing the screen 12 and electrically connected to the computing unit set inside 2' the casing 2.

[0041] However, any other know forms of electrical connecting means could be adopted for electrically connecting the movable display 9 to the inside 2' of the casing 2 of the cash register 1.

[0042] In one alternative embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the sliding coupling means include a guide G1 including a groove C1 belonging to the covering element 7 of the casing 2, inside which a roller element 31 belonging to the movable display 9 may slide.

[0043] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the roller element 31 has an opposite shape relative to the groove C1 and is rotatably connected to a bracket protruding from a sidewall 10' of the base unit 10 of the movable display 9. Advantageously, the roller element 32 being suitable to rotate around the rotation axis 32 thereof, allows to make the sliding motion of the movable display 9 relative to the casing 2 easier.

[0044] In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the sliding coupling means, besides the guide G1, further include a retainer 33 being connected to a lower end of the movable display 9.

[0045] The retainer 33 has a pivot 34 at the end thereof passing through a hole 35 defined in the base portion 6 of the casing 2. The pivot 34 is such as to be rotated inside the hole 13 around an axis 36 in the sliding motion of the movable display relative to the casing 2. Advantageously, the retainer 33 is provided with an inner duct 37 for the electrical connecting cable 15 to pass through.

[0046] In the example from Fig. 4, the retainer 33 passes through the outside of the casing 2. On the other hand, in the variant of embodiment from Fig. 5, the retainer 33 enters the casing 2, through an aperture 38 defined in the base portion 6 of the casing 2, in order to be fitted (at one end portion of the retainer 33) on a pivot 39 being connected to the base portion 6 of the casing 2 and protruding to the inside 2' of the casing 2.

[0047] It shall be noted that in all the embodiments described above, the movable display 9 is such as to be positioned in a continuous manner relative to the casing 2 of the cash register 1, due to the presence of sliding coupling means. In practice, the positioning of the movable display 9 relative to the casing 2 can be carried out by selecting a stop position of the movable display 9 between an infinity of possible different positions. In this stop position, a further accidental moving of the movable display 9 relative to the casing 2 is hindered by the friction intrinsically associated to the sliding coupling means.

[0048] A further variant of embodiment of the electric appliance 1 described above is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This variant provides that the movable display 9 may be locked in a limited number of locking positions.

[0049] In the particular example from Figs. 6 and 7, the casing 2, and particularly the covering 7, is provided with a limited plurality of holes h, being for example equidistant from one another.

[0050] In Fig. 7 a side section is shown along A-A' axis of the appliance from Fig. 6. In this figure, the movable display 9 comprises a retainer 41, protruding from the sidewall 10' of the base unit 10, provided with a hole 42, for example a through hole. This allows the movable display 9 to be locked in the stop position selected by using a pin 40 designed to be inserted both into the hole h and the hole 42, after the movable display 9 has been arranged relative to the casing 2 in a stop position in which the hole 42 is aligned with one selected from the plurality of holes h of the casing 2.

[0051] As it is understood from the description above, in a counter electronic appliance 1 in accordance with the present invention, the positioning of the movable display 9, in order to make the visibility thereof optimum for a customer, does not affect the positioning of the whole counter electronic appliance 1, due to the presence of sliding coupling means.

[0052] Advantageously, it shall be noted that an appliance according to the present invention enables to ensure the maximum visibility of the movable display 9 for a customer even when a hindrance is interposed between the customer and the counter electronic appliance, such as, for example, a display for goods, preventing the customer from fully seeing the same electronic appliance. In this case, the movable display 9 can be made visible by the customer by selecting a positioning thereof at the part of the electronic appliance the sight of which is not hindered to the customer by the presence of the hindrance.

[0053] It shall be noted that although an electronic appliance in which the movable display 9 covers a circular trajectory in the translatory motion thereof relative to the casing 2 has been described, different types of trajectories can be in any case provided, for example the simply rectilinear ones.

[0054] In the same way, different types of guides (known to those skilled in the field and thereby not further described), or more generally different types of sliding coupling means, can be provided in order to couple the movable display with the electronic appliance casing.

[0055] Obviously, to the electronic appliance according to the present invention, those skilled in the art, aiming at satisfying contingent and specific needs, will be able to carry out further modifications and variants, all of them being contemplated within the scope of protection of the invention, such as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A counter electronic appliance (1) comprising:

- a casing (2) being peripherally defined on opposite sides by at least one first (8d) and one second (8s) portion of a sidewall (8), respectively, and including a computing unit for processing information;

- a movable display (9) for displaying data correlated with said information and such as to take a plurality of different operating positions relative to said casing (2); and

- mechanical connecting means (G1, G2) in order to mechanically couple the movable display (9) with the casing (2);

characterized in that
the mechanical connecting means (G1, G2) include sliding coupling means, in order to allow the movable display (3) to be translated towards two opposite directions (sx, dx), so as to be approached to said first portion (8d) by moving away from said second portion (8s) and vice versa.

2. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said sliding coupling means allow the movable display to be translated along a trajectory (T) which is substantially parallel to a support plane of the electronic appliance (1).

3. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said sliding coupling means allow the movable display (9) to be translated either along a curvilinear or rectilinear trajectory (T).

4. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said sliding coupling means allow the movable display (9) to be translated along a trajectory (T) which is substantially parallel to said sidewall (8).

5. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sliding coupling means include a first guide (G1) including a groove (C1) belonging to the casing (2) inside which a sliding element (S1; 31) belonging to the movable display (9) may slide.

6. The counter electronic appliance according to claim 5, wherein said sliding element is a roller element (31).

7. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 5, wherein the sliding coupling means include a second guide (G2), being spaced from the first guide (G1) and substantially parallel to the latter.

8. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 5, wherein said guide allows a cable (15) to pass through in order to electrically connect said computing unit to said movable display (16).

9. The counter electronic appliance according to claim 5, wherein said sliding coupling means further include a retainer (33) being connected to a lower end of the movable display (9).

10. The counter electronic appliance according to claim 9, wherein said retainer (33) is provided with an inner duct for an electrical connecting cable (15) to pass through.

11. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 9, wherein said retainer (33) includes a pivot (34) at one end thereof passing through a hole (35) defined in a base portion (6) of said casing (2).

12. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said sliding coupling means allow said movable display (9) to be positioned in an infinity of different positions relative to said casing (2).

13. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said movable display (9) can be locked in one of a limited plurality of locking positions relative to said casing (2).

14. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said movable display (9) includes a base unit (10) being/to be coupled with said casing (2) and surmounted by a screen (11) which can be oriented and tilted relative to said base unit (10).

15. The counter electronic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said screen includes a Liquid Crystal Display.

16. The counter electronic appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein said electronic appliance is a cash register.

Drawing