A shelf with price display self-adjusting function

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of goods shelves, especially a goods shelf with price display self -adjusting function, including the goods shelf with a plurality of storage units, the housing that is located at the goods shelf and has PCB board in it and the microcontroller and the display screen for showing the price of goods that are located at the PCB board, still include the sensor module for monitoring the goods state in the corresponding storage unit, the output of sensor module is connected with the signal input of microcontroller, is used for providing the signal of goods state in the corresponding storage unit to microcontroller, the signal output of microcontroller is used for output control signal, and control signal is used for controlling the display state of goods price on display screen. The utility model goods shelf monitors the goods state in the corresponding storage unit through sensor module (clock sensing module and / or weight sensor), and signal transmission is given to microcontroller, and the display state of display screen price is controlled by microcontroller, and compared with artificial adjustment price, has improved efficiency and accuracy greatly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of shelving technology, specifically relating to a shelving unit with a self-adjusting price display function. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional retail settings (such as supermarkets and convenience stores) generally use static price tags (paper labels), requiring manual adjustments to prices periodically to respond to promotions and inventory changes. However, this manual management model has significant drawbacks: manually changing each tag is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient, especially for large supermarkets which require substantial manpower (e.g., adjusting prices multiple times daily in the fresh produce section). Furthermore, human error can easily lead to price errors or delays. For perishable goods like fruits and vegetables, it's difficult for manual workers to accurately predict sales speed and remaining shelf life, making it impossible to dynamically adjust prices based on real-time conditions (such as inventory levels and shelf life), potentially leading to unsold inventory or waste.

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical issues, existing technologies have designed shelves with self-adjusting price displays. These shelves typically include multiple storage units and a housing containing an internal PCB board. The PCB board houses a microcontroller and a display screen for showing product prices. Price adjustments can be made wirelessly or by pressing buttons on the outside of the housing, replacing manual label replacement. However, this method only supports preset times (e.g., daily discounts) or manual price adjustments, failing to meet the time-sensitive needs of fresh produce. For unmanned retail stores, especially community stores with stable sales and mature supply chains, goods are typically replenished once a day, for example, in the early morning. Some products, such as fruits and vegetables, are not fresh by the afternoon or evening. Existing price displays cannot automatically adjust prices based on the condition of the produce (e.g., sales speed, shelf life). Failure to adjust prices according to the condition of the produce may lead to unsold goods. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the above problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a shelf with a self-adjusting price display function, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] This utility model provides a shelf with a self-adjusting price display function, including a shelf with multiple storage units, a housing installed on the shelf and containing a PCB board, a microcontroller mounted on the PCB board, and a display screen for displaying the price of goods. It also includes a sensor module for monitoring the status of goods inside the corresponding storage units. The output terminal of the sensor module is connected to the signal input terminal of the microcontroller to provide the microcontroller with a signal of the status of goods inside the corresponding storage unit. The signal output terminal of the microcontroller is used to output a control signal, which is used to control the display status of the goods price on the display screen.

[0006] Preferably, the sensor module is a clock sensor module and / or a weight sensor. When the microcontroller receives a signal from the clock sensor module and / or a signal from the weight sensor, the microcontroller controls the display screen to display the signal.

[0007] Preferably, the shelf is an I-shaped frame consisting of a longitudinal panel and two transverse panels located at both ends of the longitudinal panel, and multiple storage units are installed around the I-shaped frame.

[0008] Preferably, the display screen is an electronic ink screen, and the signal output terminal of the microcontroller is connected to the electronic ink screen via an SPI communication interface to control the electronic ink screen to display the price of goods.

[0009] Preferably, the microcontroller is also connected to an external server via a wireless communication module, which includes at least one of a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, or a G / G communication module; the microcontroller receives price adjustment instructions from the external server and controls the display screen to update the goods price according to the instructions.

[0010] Preferably, the housing is also provided with a physical button for manually inputting price adjustment commands, and the signal output terminal of the physical button is connected to the signal input terminal of the microcontroller; when the physical button is triggered, the microcontroller controls the display screen to display a preset temporary price.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model's shelf monitors the status of goods inside the corresponding storage unit by setting up sensor modules (clock sensor module and / or weight sensor), and transmits the signals to a microcontroller, which then controls the price display status on the screen. For example, the clock sensor module can record the time when goods are put on the shelf, and combined with preset rules, automatically adjust the price display when goods are nearing their expiration date to remind consumers and merchants; the weight sensor can detect changes in the weight of goods in real time. If the weight decreases to a certain level, it may mean that the goods are about to sell out, at which point the price can be adjusted to promote sales or avoid stockout losses. This method of automatically adjusting the price display based on the actual status of the goods greatly improves efficiency and accuracy and reduces human error compared to traditional manual price adjustments. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural diagram of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the second-view structure of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the third-view structure of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the storage unit structure in this utility model;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the storage unit in this utility model;

[0017] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the PCB board in its disassembled state in this utility model;

[0018] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit principle structure of this utility model.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Storage unit; 2. Shelf; 3. PCB board; 4. Housing; 5. Microcontroller; 6. Display screen; 7. Clock sensor module; 8. Weight sensor; 9. Vertical plate; 10. Horizontal plate; 11. Physical buttons; 12. Weighing pan. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description in this part is only exemplary and explanatory, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this utility model in any way.

[0021] Traditional retail settings (such as supermarkets and convenience stores) generally use static price tags (paper tags), requiring manual adjustments to prices periodically to respond to promotional activities and inventory changes. However, this manual management model has significant drawbacks: manually changing each tag is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient, especially for large supermarkets which require substantial labor costs (e.g., multiple daily price adjustments in the fresh produce section). Furthermore, human error can easily lead to price errors or delays. To address these technical issues, existing technologies have designed shelves with self-adjusting price displays. These shelves primarily consist of a shelf 2 with multiple storage units 1, and a housing 4 containing an internal PCB board 3 mounted on the shelf 2. The PCB board houses a microcontroller 5 and a display screen 6 for displaying product prices. To facilitate viewing the display screen 6 through the housing 4, the housing 4 can be made of transparent borosilicate material or other transparent materials, such as transparent plastic. When selling goods, the price of the corresponding product in each storage unit 1 is pre-input into the microcontroller 5. Specifically, each... Storage unit 1 is equipped with a unique identifier, and the price corresponding to each identifier is set in the microcontroller 5 and displayed on the display screen 6 on the storage unit 1. When it is necessary to adjust the price of the goods, it can be adjusted by wireless communication or by pressing the button on the outside of the housing 4 to adjust the price displayed on the display screen 6, replacing the manual method of changing the labels one by one. However, in the use of this method, for unmanned retail stores, especially community stores with stable sales and mature supply chains, the goods are generally replenished once a day, for example, in the early morning. Some goods have a time limit, such as fruits and vegetables, which are not fresh in the afternoon or evening. The price display screen 6 in the existing technology cannot automatically adjust the selling price according to the state of the fruits and vegetables (such as the speed of fruit and vegetable sales, the length of time the fruits and vegetables have been placed, etc.). If the price of fruits and vegetables cannot be adjusted according to the state of the fruits and vegetables, it may lead to unsold fruits and vegetables.

[0022] Based on the above problems, the present invention adopts the following improvement method to solve them.

[0023] like Figure 1-7As shown, a shelf with self-adjusting price display function, based on the aforementioned prior art, is further equipped with a sensor module. This sensor module monitors the status of goods inside the corresponding storage unit 1. The output of the sensor module is connected to the signal input of a microcontroller 5 to provide the microcontroller 5 with a signal indicating the status of the goods inside the corresponding storage unit 1. The signal output of the microcontroller 5 outputs a control signal to control the display status of the shelf 2 price on the display screen 6. Specifically, the sensor module can be a clock sensor module 7 and / or a weight sensor 8. When the microcontroller 5 receives the signal from the clock sensor module 7 and / or the weight sensor 8, the microcontroller 5 controls the display screen 6 to display the price. The display screen 6 can be an e-ink screen, which is connected to the microcontroller 5 via an SPI communication interface. Its power consumption is less than 0.5W, significantly reducing the overall energy consumption of the shelf 2 (saving more than 80% energy compared to traditional LCD screens), making it suitable for long-term power-on scenarios. The e-ink screen retains its display content even after power failure, avoiding the loss of price information due to temporary power outages and ensuring the continuity and accuracy of product information display.

[0024] Specifically, in the first embodiment of this utility model, when the sensor module is a clock sensing module 7, the clock sensing module 7 has a timing function to calculate the time when fruits and vegetables are placed on the shelf. Specifically, when the delivery worker places the goods at dawn every day, he sends a "start timing" command by pressing the button (goods placement start switch) on the microcontroller 5. After receiving the command, the microcontroller 5 activates the clock sensing module 7 signal and controls the clock sensing module 7 to start timing. At the same time, the microcontroller 5 controls the display screen 6 to display the standard price of fruits and vegetables on the display screen 6 on the outside of the corresponding storage unit 1. For example, if the worker places the goods at 3:00 AM every day, the clock sensing module 7 starts timing. If a 14-hour promotion threshold is set, the price will be automatically adjusted to a "promotional price" (e.g., 30% of the preset standard price) at 5 PM to attract consumers to buy products nearing their expiration date. Alternatively, different prices can be displayed at different times, i.e., the price is the set price for five hours after being placed on the shelf 2, and then the price automatically drops by 5% every hour.

[0025] Specifically, in the second embodiment of this utility model, when the sensor module is a weight sensor 8, the weight sensor 8 is used to monitor the weight of the goods in the storage unit 1 in real time. The storage unit 1 includes a storage area for storing goods and a weighing pan 12 installed inside the storage area. The weight sensor 8 is located at the bottom of the weighing pan 12 and is used to monitor the weight of the goods on the weighing pan 12 (the weight of the goods is = the weight detected by the weight sensor - the weight of the weighing pan). Specifically, in this case, when the delivery worker loads the goods every morning, fruits and vegetables are placed on the weighing pan 12. The weight sensor 8 detects that the weight of the weighing pan 12 changes and gradually increases until the fruits and vegetables are finally placed on it. The weight sensor 8 transmits this weight signal to the microcontroller 5, and the microcontroller 5 controls the corresponding storage... The display screen 6 on the outside of the product unit 1 displays the standard price of the fruit and vegetables. When a customer takes and buys some fruit and vegetables, the weight sensor 8 detects that the weight of the fruit and vegetables has decreased accordingly. When the weight sensor 8 detects that the weight of the fruit and vegetables is less than 10% of the initial weight, it indicates that there is no pressure of unsold fruit and vegetables. At this time, when the microcontroller 5 receives the weight signal detected by the weight sensor 8, the microcontroller 5 controls the price of the corresponding fruit and vegetables on the display screen 6 to be increased accordingly compared with the preset standard price. By replacing manual inventory with the weight sensor 8, the promotion mechanism is automatically triggered, reducing manpower input and optimizing operating costs.

[0026] Specifically, in the third embodiment of this utility model, when the sensor module consists of a clock sensor module 7 and a weight sensor 8, when a delivery worker loads goods onto the storage unit 1, the weight sensor 8 can detect a change in the weight of the weighing pan 12. At this time, the detected weight signal is transmitted to the microcontroller 5. The microcontroller 5 displays the price of the goods on the display screen 6 outside the corresponding storage unit 1. Simultaneously, the microcontroller 5 activates the clock sensor module 7 signal, controlling it to start timing. If the weight of the fruit and vegetables decreases rapidly within a short period, it indicates that the fruit and vegetables are selling well, and there is little or no chance of unsold goods. Furthermore, after receiving the sales speed signal of the fruit and vegetables, the microcontroller 5 controls the display screen 6 to keep the price of the fruit and vegetables unchanged and still sell them at the standard price. However, in order to avoid the fruit and vegetables from being unsold in the evening, when it reaches 5 pm, if the weight sensor 8 detects that the fruit and vegetables are not sold out, it will transmit the signal to the microcontroller 5. The microcontroller 5 controls the display screen 6 to automatically adjust the price to a "promotional price" (e.g., 30% of the preset standard price) to attract consumers to buy products that are close to their expiration date. This embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that it can reduce the probability of unsold fruit and vegetables while earning higher profits.

[0027] Furthermore, such as Figure 1-3 As shown, the shelf 2 is an I-shaped frame consisting of a longitudinal plate 9 and two transverse plates 10 located at both ends of the longitudinal plate 9. Multiple storage units 1 are installed and distributed around the I-shaped frame, which can save space.

[0028] Furthermore, the microcontroller 5 connects to an external server via a wireless communication module, which includes at least one of a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, or a 4G / 5G communication module. The microcontroller 5 receives price adjustment instructions from the external server and controls the display screen 6 to update the prices of goods according to the instructions. For example, when the terminal service personnel learn that it will rain or snow that day, and the residents of the community are unable to go out, they send a price adjustment instruction to the microcontroller 5. The microcontroller 5 then controls the display screen 6 to display the reduced prices of fruits and vegetables according to the instructions. Secondly, to avoid the inability to sell goods due to system failure, the housing 4 is also equipped with a physical button 11 for manually inputting price adjustment instructions. The signal output terminal of the physical button 11 is connected to the signal input terminal of the microcontroller 5. When the physical button 11 is triggered, the microcontroller 5 controls the display screen 6 to display a preset temporary price. The physical button 11 provides an emergency operation entry point. When the wireless communication fails or the system is abnormal, the operator can trigger the preset temporary price (such as an emergency discount) through the button to avoid the inability to sell due to system failure. Temporary pricing for goods can be set for a duration of 1-24 hours, which can meet urgent needs while preventing long-term misoperation from affecting normal pricing strategies, thus balancing flexibility and standardization.

[0029] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0030] This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The above examples are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this utility model. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that due to the limitations of textual expression, there are objectively infinite specific structures. For those skilled in the art, several improvements, modifications, or changes can be made without departing from the principles of this utility model, and the above technical features can also be combined in an appropriate manner. These improvements, modifications, changes, or combinations, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, should all be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A shelf with a self-adjusting price display function, comprising a shelf (2) having multiple storage units (1), a housing (4) mounted on the shelf (2) and having a PCB board (3) inside therein, and a microcontroller (5) disposed on the PCB board (3) and a display screen (6) for displaying the price of goods, characterized in that: It also includes a sensor module for monitoring the status of goods inside the corresponding storage unit (1). The output end of the sensor module is connected to the signal input end of the microcontroller (5) and is used to provide the microcontroller (5) with a signal of the status of goods inside the corresponding storage unit (1). The signal output end of the microcontroller (5) is used to output a control signal, which is used to control the display status of the price of the shelf (2) on the display screen (6).

2. The shelf with price display and self-adjusting function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor module is a clock sensor module (7) and / or a weight sensor (8). When the microcontroller (5) receives the signal from the clock sensor module (7) and / or the signal from the weight sensor (8), the microcontroller (5) controls the display screen (6) to display.

3. A shelf with self-adjusting price display function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shelf (2) is an I-shaped frame consisting of a longitudinal plate (9) and two transverse plates (10) located at both ends of the longitudinal plate (9), and multiple storage units (1) are installed around the I-shaped frame.

4. A shelf with self-adjusting price display function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The display screen (6) is an electronic ink screen. The signal output terminal of the microcontroller (5) is connected to the electronic ink screen through the SPI communication interface and is used to control the electronic ink screen to display the price of goods.

5. A shelf with self-adjusting price display function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microcontroller (5) is also connected to an external server via a wireless communication module, which includes at least one of a Wi-Fi module, a Bluetooth module, or a 4G / 5G communication module. The microcontroller (5) receives price adjustment instructions from the external server and controls the display screen (6) to update the price of goods according to the instructions.

6. A shelf with self-adjusting price display function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing (4) is also provided with a physical button (11) for manually inputting price adjustment commands. The signal output terminal of the physical button (11) is connected to the signal input terminal of the microcontroller (5). When the physical button (11) is triggered, the microcontroller (5) controls the display screen (6) to display the preset temporary price.

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