REFRIGERATOR FOR BOTTLED DRINKS

Description

Patent Description for Industrial Invention entitled: “REFRIGERATOR FOR BOTTLED DRINKS”. On behalf of: BARSI Gianni, of Italian citizenship Designated Inventors: BARSI Gianni, of Italian citizenship BROGI Graziano of Italian citizenship. DESCRIPTION Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator for bottled beverages, particularly suitable for installation in hotel rooms or apartments for private use tourist, also called B&B, for its use as a minibar or mini-bar. Known technique The use of a minibar, also called a mini-bar, is known in the state of the art. in hotel rooms to offer guests a selection of drinks and snacks. The well-known minibar generally features an illuminated storage compartment and refrigerated suitable for receiving products such as drinks and snacks so that these are always available for guests during their stay at the hotel room. The well-known minibar includes a transparent door that allows guests to have a view of the contents of the minibar and sensors that detect when the guest accesses the minibar and takes one or more of the products contained therein. Usually the sensors present in the well-known minibars detect the weight of the products content so that when a guest picks up a product, the sensor is in able to determine which product was removed from the minibar and purchased. However, the Applicant found that such sensors generate errors, e.g. example when a product is removed and then replaced in the minibar because the guest decides not to purchase it after reading the information label. Such errors cause guests to be incorrectly charged, in case the products have not been enjoyed, and a loss of profit for the hotel in the event that the sensors do not detect the removal of products from the minibar. The Applicant found that tying the individual products within the minibar with a locking and monitoring system associated with each product allows for greater control over product picking from the minibar and also reduce the possibility of a product being taken and then placed back inside the storage compartment. Purpose of the invention The Applicant therefore thought to overcome these problems by proposing a bottled drinks refrigerator that allows you to lock each one bottle inside the refrigerator until it is done and verified a payment for the purchase or is in any case registered and a request to charge for the drink has been authorized. An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator for bottled drinks that allow for greater and more intelligent control of products placed in the refrigerator. Furthermore, it is the purpose of the present invention to propose a refrigerator which is more versatile and can guarantee the ideal conditions for the conservation of fine drinks, such as wines and sparkling wines. It is also the aim of the invention to propose a refrigerator that allows obtain information about the products contained without having to remove the products from the refrigerator. The above mentioned purposes are achieved by the bottled drinks refrigerator according to claim 1. Brief description of the drawings Some embodiments and some aspects of the invention will be described here. described below with reference to the attached drawings, provided for information purposes only. indicative and therefore not limiting, where: Figure 1 illustrates a front view of a refrigerator according to the present description; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator in Figure 1 in a different condition of use; Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a detail of the refrigerator. figure 1; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a detail of the refrigerator. figure 1 with some elements removed to better show others; Figure 6 shows a block diagram of the refrigerator according to the present description. Detailed description This description refers to a refrigerator 1 for bottled drinks B can be installed for example in hotel rooms, holiday homes, bed and breakfasts Breakfast (B&B), bungalows, tourist campsites. Refrigerator 1 has a storage space 2 configured to receive at least one bottle B. Storage space 2 is suitable to be refrigerated by refrigeration media of the refrigerator 1. In particular, the storage space is maintained by a temperature between four and fourteen degrees Celsius for the storage of bottled drinks and any snacks placed in the storage space 2. The refrigerator 1 comprises an outer casing 20 which defines at least in storage space 2 starts and isolates the same storage space 2 from an external environment. The external casing 20 has a substantially parallelepiped. The external casing 20 is particularly suitable for defining a storage space 2 with internal volume between fifteen and sixty liters. The refrigerator 1 comprises a plurality of sectors 3 arranged in said space of conservation 2. Each of these sectors 3 includes a location 4 suitable for accommodate a respective bottle B, and a blocking element 5 connected to the seat 4. Sectors 3 can have similar or equal dimensions to each other for receive bottles of predefined sizes. Sectors 3 may also have different sizes to accommodate bottles of different types different volumes and dimensions. In particular, the refrigerator 1 comprises an internal frame 21 arranged inside storage space 2 and connected to the outer casing 20. The internal frame 21 defines the plurality of sectors 3. In detail, the frame Interior 21 defines nine sectors 3. In one embodiment, the plurality of sectors 3 comprises groups of sectors 3 arranged along a first direction, in particular horizontal. The groups of sectors 3 are arranged along a second direction, in particular vertical. In detail, the sector groups are three groups arranged along one direction vertical and are defined by three sectors arranged along the horizontal direction. The locking element 5 is movable with respect to the seat 4 between a position of closure, where sector 3 is closed and locking element 5 engages a access of said seat 4, and an opening position, in which sector 3 is open and the locking element 5 disengages access to said seat 4. When the sector is open, i.e. when the locking element 5 is in position opening, it is possible to move bottle B in and out from the respective location 4. When the sector is closed, i.e. when the element lock 5 is in the closed position, bottle B is locked inside of location 4 and it is not possible to move it in / out of location 4. In one aspect, the blocking element 5 of each sector 3 has an opening 5a associated with the respective seat 4 and suitable for receiving a neck of the bottle B and / or to allow the view of the inside of sector 3. The element of block 5 is designed to block the body of the bottle inside the seat 4 and let the neck of the bottle protrude from the sector B. The locking element It also allows a U user and / or an O operator to see inside the sector 3, that is, being able to see what is located inside location 4 without having to access storage space 2. In other words, From the outside of the refrigerator 1 you can see what is inside the compartment 4 through the opening 5a of the locking element 5. In one embodiment, the locking element 5 and / or the opening 5a has a U-shape. The U-shape can face downwards or upwards with respect to a vertical direction. In particular, each sector 3 can be opened and closed individually. respectively to allow and prevent the receipt and removal of a bottle in / from said sector 3. When sector 3 is open, it is possible remove or insert the bottle, and vice versa when sector 3 is closed, the bottle B is stuck inside seat 4. In one embodiment, each seat 4 is defined by the internal frame 21. Each location 4 is distinct and separate from the other locations of the plurality of sectors 3. In one aspect, each block element 5 is rotatably constrained to the internal frame 21 to move with respect to the seat in the passage from the closed position to open position and vice versa. In particular, the block elements 5 of each group of sectors arranged along the horizontal direction are configured to rotate around a single axis of rotation A in the passage between the opening position and the closed position. The rotation axis A is essentially horizontal. The 5 block elements can be configured to have a rotation clockwise around the respective rotation axis A in the movement from the position from opening to the closed position. Conversely, the locking elements 5 can be configured to have a counterclockwise rotation around the respective axis of rotation A in the movement from the opening position to the closed position. Furthermore, each sector 3 comprises closing means 3a, 3b linked to the seat 4 and coupled to the locking element 5. The locking means 3a, 3b are can be activated to lock the locking element5 in the closed position. locking means 3a, 3b can be deactivated to allow movement of the locking element 5 from the closed position to the closed position opening. The closing means 3a, 3b are of a known type. The closing means can be defined by push, cam, pull and / or compression closures. According to one aspect, the closing means 3a, 3b comprise a first body 3a constrained to the blocking element 5 and a second body 3b constrained to the whole frame. The first body 3a and the second body 3b of the locking means are configured to lock together when the locking means are activated or active. The refrigerator 1 also comprises a door 6 coupled to the space of 2nd and mobile storage to allow and prevent access to said space of conservation 2. In detail, door 6 can be freely opened and closed manually to access and close the storage space 2. In one aspect, the door 6 has a handle that can be gripped by a user U and / or operator O to open and close door 6. Door 6 includes a transparent portion to allow the user and / or to the operator to see inside the storage space 2 without access it. The door 6 is connected to the outer casing 20 through a hinge that allows you to open and close the door 6. The door can have a glass portion. In detail, door 6 allows the hermetic sealing of the storage space 2. Each sector 3 is individually switchable between a configuration unlocked, where the respective locking element 5 is movable between the closed position and open position, and a configuration locked, where the respective locking element 5 is constrained in the position of closure. In detail, in the unlocked configuration of sector 3, the vehicles closing are deactivated and the locking element 5 can be moved with respect to to the seat. In the locked configuration of sector 3, the locking means are activated and the locking element 5 is locked in position relative to the site. In addition, the refrigerator 1 includes a control unit 7 in signal communication with each sector 3. In particular, the unit of control 7 is configured to send a block signal 9 to one or more of said sectors 3 to cause the passage of said one or more sectors from unlocked configuration to locked configuration. Additionally, the control unit 7 is configured to send an unlock signal 10 to one or more of said sectors 3 to cause the passage of one or more of said sectors 3 from locked configuration to unlocked configuration. The control unit is in signal communication with each of the means of closure to activate and deactivate such closing means in a manner independent. The control unit is then configured to control each sector and allow and prevent the possibility of movement of each locking element between the closed position and the closed position opening. In one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 comprises at least one sensor 8 in signal communication with the control unit 7 configured to detect the presence and absence of bottles in at least one sector 3 and generate a respective presence signal 11. Sensor 8 may be a weight sensor and / or an optical sensor capable of detecting the bottle in each location. In In particular, the refrigerator may comprise a plurality of sensors 8 in which each sensor 8 is associated with a respective sector 3. The control unit 7 is configured to send the unlock signal or the block signal to said at least one sector 3 depending on the respective presence signal 11. In particular, the control unit 7 can be configured to send a block signal to a sector as soon as a bottle is inserted into the seat of the sector so that this bottle is tied within the sector, for example at least until its purchase by part of a user. The control unit can be configured to send an unlock signal, for example following a purchase of the bottle, to a sector only if a bottle is detected inside the sector. The refrigerator 1 may comprise indicating means 12 connected to the space of storage 2 and in signal communication with the control unit 7 and configured to visually indicate to a user U and / or operator O a sector available to receive a bottle B to be loaded according to the presence signal. The indicated sector can be a free sector, i.e. a sector in which there is no bottle B. The indicated sector can also be a sector where there is a bottle B that needs to be removed before receiving a bottle to load. The indication means can be LEDs or bulbs associated with each sector 3 and configured to illuminate one or more sectors 3. For example, when a bottle B is contained within a sector 3, the indication means can be configured to illuminate it so as to allow user U and operator O to see the bottle more easily within the sector. Again, for example, the means of indication can be configured to indicate to an operator the free sector, that is, the one that does not contain any bottle B, in which to insert and load a bottle B and / or a sector that contains a bottle B that must be removed, for example because unsold. In one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 comprises at least one device of acquisition 13 of at least one operator code 22 identification provided by an operator O who must provide maintenance to said refrigerator 1. For example, the ID acquisition device can be defined from a screen. Operator code 22 can be an alphanumeric code which allows complete control of the refrigerator, i.e. the unit control, of sectors 3, of the closing means and / or of the locking elements. In addition, the refrigerator 1 includes operator interface means 15 operationally connected to said control unit 7 and configured for allow or prevent said operator from commanding said control unit 7 depending on the aforementioned operator identification code. In particular, The operator can command the control unit to send the block signal and / or the unlock signal to any of such plurality of sectors 3. In other words, The operator can open and close any sector 3 to perform the maintenance. For example, the operator can command the opening of a sector that contains a bottle to replace the bottle with a bottle new. Again, for example, the operator can command the opening of a sector that It does not contain any bottle in order to load a bottle. The operator can command the closing of some or all of the 3 sectors after have performed maintenance on the refrigerator. The ID acquisition device can be configured to receive a maintenance closure code provided by the operator O that indicates the conclusion of the maintenance operations of said refrigerator 1. In one aspect, the refrigerator 1 comprises user interface means 16 configured to allow a user U to select a bottle B and / or one of said sectors 3 and configured to send a corresponding signal identifier. The control unit 7 is configured to move in the configuration unlocked sector 3 corresponding to the identification signal generated by the user interface means 16 as a function of a buy signal 17 representative of an economic transaction. The buy signal can be representative of a request and / or confirmation by the user U of charge the cost of the drink to your own account to be paid to the establishment where the refrigerator is installed, for example a bill to be paid to the tree at the time of user U's checkout. In other words, the user can proceed to purchase a bottle contained in storage space 2 so that the control unit unlock the sector where the bottle is positioned and allow the opening of the same sector. For example, the user can request and authorize the hotel to charge the cost of the bottle so that the sector of refrigerator is unlocked. Advantageously, the control unit allows you to unlock and open a sector that contains a bottle only after the user has performed the purchase of the bottle or has expressly requested that it be charged. In one embodiment, the control unit is configured to be placed in signal communication with a facility management system at where the refrigerator is installed. For example, the control unit can be post in signal communication with a hotel management system so that this management system can receive a debit request by the user U for the purchase of a drink stored in the refrigerator. In particular, the operator interface means 15 and the interface means user 16 may coincide. The operator interface means and / or the means of user interface can be defined by a constrained screen to the outer casing of the refrigerator. The user interface means 16 and / or the operator interface means 15 may include a software platform. Such software platform is accessible by user U and / or operator O through a device personal and features at least one digital representation of a bottle B and / or one of the said sectors 3. The software platform may present a digital representation of the contents of the storage space 2. Ad for example, the digital representation can illustrate each bottle contained within the storage space and each sector 3. In in other words, the digital representation can be defined by a model 3D of the refrigerator 1. The software platform can also present a menu digital illustrating the contents of the storage space and its related purchase costs. In detail, the digital menu and / or the representation digital are designed to present to the user U the purchase costs of each bottle stored in sectors 3. The software platform is also configured to receive a payment and / or a financial transaction from user U for the purchase of a bottle contained in the refrigerator 1. The software platform can receive payments through known methodologies, for example through credit card, bank account current or through integration with management systems, for example hotel, B&B or any other structure where the refrigerator is installed. The software platform is configured to be placed in communication with signal with the management system of the facility where the refrigerator is located installed. For example, the software platform is connected to the system management of a hotel so that the tree can control the refrigerator and / or refrigerator control unit. In one embodiment, the refrigerator 1 comprises an identifier unique 18 of the refrigerator associated with the software platform and act upon interaction with a personal device of the user U and / or the operator Or to allow the user and / or operator access to said platform software through said device. The user and / or operator can use the unique identifier of the refrigerator access user interface means and / or interface means operator, or again, to the software platform. The personal device with which the user and the operator can access the software platform is of the type known and may be a mobile device. For example, your personal device It can be a smartphone, a tablet, a computer, a PDA or a user's and / or operator's smartwatch. The unique identifier of the refrigerator is placed outside the space of conservation 2. The unique identifier can be linked to the refrigerator's outer casing. In particular, the unique identifier of the refrigerator is defined by a QR code and / or an RFID tag. The QR code and / or the RFIC tag can be associated with a sticker and linked to the outer casing of the refrigerator so that this identifier is easily visible to the user and operator. The refrigerator may include a product acquisition device 14 configured to acquire characteristic information of a bottle from load into a sector of said sectors 3 or a bottle unloaded from one of the sectors 3. For example, the product acquisition device can acquire information of a bottle that operator O must load inside a sector. Again, for example, the product acquisition device acquires information about a bottle that operator O and / or user U take from one of the 3 sectors. The product acquisition device can be defined by an optical reader, such as a video camera / camera, which allows the reading of a product code associated with a bottle. bottle characteristics information may include: date of expiration date of the bottle / drink, origin of the bottle / drink, contents of the bottle, storage conditions of the bottle / drink, bottle size. In particular, the product acquisition device 14 is configured to scan a product code 19 associated with a bottle to load in one of the sectors and / or downloaded from one of the sectors 3 defining the information characteristics of. This product code 19 can be defined by a code barcodes and / or an RFID tag. In one embodiment, the software platform is configured to display a digital representation of the bottles loaded into the space of storage 2 and / or a digital menu illustrating the contents of the space conservation and costs associated with each bottle placed in the sectors 3. The software platform is designed to associate digital representation with characteristic information of the bottle to be loaded and / or loaded bottle. The digital representation is designed to allow the user and / or operator to view the bottle's characteristic information through the mobile device with which they access the platform. In one aspect, the software platform is configured to update and / or remove and / or add one or more of such digital representations of the bottles loaded into storage space 2 depending on the characteristic information of the bottle to be loaded and / or unloaded. In one aspect, the software platform is configured to update and / or add and / or remove one or more of the said digital representations in function of one or more of: - characteristic information acquired by the acquisition device product; - one or more of the presence signals, - one or more of the identification signals generated by the interface means 16, - one or more of these buy signals. For example, every time the operator loads a new bottle within one of the 3 sectors, the software platform adds and displays a new respective digital representation of the bottle which includes the characteristic information of the same bottle acquired through the scanning the product code using the acquisition device product. Again, for example, whenever the user purchases and withdraws a bottle from the refrigerator, the software platform removes the representation digital of the bottle taken and updates the digital representation of the refrigerator. In one embodiment, the identification acquisition device 13 and the product acquisition device 14 coincide.

Claims

1) Refrigerator (1) for bottled drinks (B), characterised in that it comprises: - a storage space (2) configured to receive at least one bottle (B), - a plurality of sectors (3) arranged in said storage space (2), each sector (3) comprising a seat (4) suitable for receiving a respective bottle (B), and a locking element (5) connected to the seat (4) and movable with respect to the seat (4) between a closed position, in which the sector (3) is closed and the locking element (5) engages an access to said seat (4), and an open position, in which the sector (3) is open and the locking element (5) disengages the access to said seat (4), each sector (3) being individually openable and closable respectively to allow and prevent the reception and removal of a bottle in / from said sector (3),- a door (6) coupled to the storage space (2) and movable to allow and prevent access to said storage space (2)., 2) Refrigerator (1) according to the previous claim, characterised in that said door (6) can be freely opened and closed manually respectively to access and isolate said storage space (2) from the outside. 3) Refrigerator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that each sector (3) is individually switchable between an unlocked configuration, in which the respective locking element (5) is movable between the closed position and the open position, and a locked configuration, in which the respective locking element (5) is constrained in the closed position. 4) Refrigerator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking element (5) of each sector (3) has an opening (5a) associated with the respective seat (4) and suitable for receiving a neck of the bottle (B) and / or for allowing a view of the inside of the sector (3). 5) Refrigerator according to the preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises a control unit (7) in signal communication with each sector (3), the control unit (7) being configured to: - send a block signal (9) to one or more of said sectors (3) to cause the passage of said one or more sectors from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration, and - send an unlock signal (10) to one or more of said sectors (4) to cause the passage of one or more of said sectors (3) from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration. 6) Refrigerator (1) according to the previous claim, characterised in that it comprises at least one sensor (8) in signal communication with the control unit (7) configured to detect the presence and absence of bottles in at least one sector (3) and generate a respective presence signal (11), the control unit (7) being configured to send the unlock signal or the lock signal to said at least one sector (3) as a function of the respective presence signal (11). 7) Refrigerator (1) according to the previous claim, characterised by comprising indicating means (12) connected to the storage space (2) and in signal communication with the control unit (7) and configured to visually indicate to a user (U) one of said sectors (3) available to receive a bottle (B) to be loaded according to the presence signal. 8) Refrigerator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises: - at least one acquisition device (13) of at least one operator code (22) identifying it provided by an operator (O) who must provide maintenance to said refrigerator (1); - operator interface means (15) operatively connected to said control unit (7) and configured to allow or prevent said operator from controlling said control unit (7) in function of said operator code (22). 9) Refrigerator (1) according to any of the preceding claims 5 to 8, characterised in that it comprises user interface means (16) selectable by a user (U) to indicate a bottle (B) and / or one of said sectors (3) and configured to send a corresponding identification signal and in that said control unit (7) is configured to move in the unlocked configuration the sector (3) corresponding to said identification signal in function of a purchase signal (17) representing an economic transaction. 10) Refrigerator (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the user interface means (16) and / or the operator interface means (15) comprise a software platform accessible by means of at least one personal device of the user and / or the operator to allow access to the user and / or the operator. 11) Refrigerator according to the previous claim, characterised by the fact that it comprises a unique identifier (18) of the refrigerator associated with the software platform and capable of interacting with the personal device of the user and / or operator to allow the user and / or operator access to said software platform through said device. 12) Refrigerator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a product acquisition device (14) configured to acquire characteristic information of a bottle to be loaded into one of said sectors (3) and / or of a bottle unloaded from one of said sectors (3), and wherein the product acquisition device (14) is configured to scan a product code (19) associated with the bottle to be loaded and / or unloaded defining said characteristic information of the bottle. 13) Refrigerator (1) according to claim 12 when dependent on claim 10, characterised in that the software platform is configured to show a digital representation of the bottles loaded in the storage space (2) as a function of said characteristic information, and in that said software platform is configured to update and / or remove and / or add one or more of said digital representations as a function of one or more of: - characteristic information acquired by the product acquisition device (14), - one or more of said presence signals (11), - one or more of said identification signals, - one or more of said purchase signals (17). Modena, 1 July 2024