Small buildings for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping carts and / or seasonal goods in a supermarket parking lot.

Abstract

Small building (10) for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping trolleys and / or products in a supermarket parking lot or other places, with side walls (11), a roof (12), an access opening (13) and a roller shutter device (20) for closing the access opening (13), wherein the roller shutter device (20) is connected to an electric drive (23) for opening and closing the roller shutter device (20), which electric drive (23) is controllable via a key switch (30) and is connected to an electric battery (24) for power supply, wherein the small building (10) further comprises a solar panel (22) with which the electric battery (24) is charged.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a small building for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping carts and / or seasonal goods in a supermarket parking lot and other (publicly accessible) places, with side walls, a roof, an access opening and a roller shutter device for closing the access opening.

[0002] It is common practice to store shopping carts, multi-boxes, or other merchandise, such as palletized seasonal goods, especially from supermarkets, in small buildings. This provides a way to make the shopping carts easily accessible to customers in parking lots and protect them from the elements. These small buildings typically include several side walls and a roof to protect them from the weather. To ensure easy access, at least one access opening is provided through which the shopping carts can be taken out of and returned to the building. It is also common practice to display various products outside the supermarket in small buildings.

[0003] To prevent the removal of shopping carts and products, for example, outside the opening hours of an associated supermarket, shopping center, or similar establishment, and / or to better protect the shopping carts and products from external influences, it is also common practice to make the access opening lockable. Roller shutter devices can be used for this purpose. These are particularly common on windows, for example, which can be opened and closed using switches.

[0004] However, such a control system requires a power supply to the gate. Especially for small buildings in a supermarket parking lot, this means that a power connection to the supermarket must be established. Establishing such a power connection requires the expertise of a certified electrician and is, however, complex and expensive.

[0005] Furthermore, in commercial applications, such roller shutter devices must be designed so that opening and closing is only possible under direct observation. This is the only way to ensure that no one is underneath the roller shutter, especially during closing, and could be injured by it. This, for example, precludes opening and closing via remote control.

[0006] To comply with regulations for commercial applications and avoid the costs of connecting to the supermarket's electricity supply, it is common practice to open and close the roller shutter manually, for example, by operating a hand crank on the small building. However, this has the disadvantage that opening or closing the roller shutter often requires considerable force, which not everyone is capable of. Furthermore, improper use can cause further problems such as wear and tear on the gearbox and crank mechanism.

[0007] It is therefore the object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art and in particular to provide a small building for limited use, such as for the storage and provision of shopping trolleys, with a roller shutter device whose opening and closing is possible without an external power connection and with little or even negligible effort, while at the same time complying with the requirements in the commercial application area.

[0008] The problem is solved by a small building for limited use, such as storing and providing shopping carts and / or products in a supermarket parking lot and other locations, according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0009] The invention comprises a small building for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping carts and / or products in a supermarket parking lot, with side walls, a roof (in the form of a flat roof, a gable roof, a shed roof, a barrel roof, or the like), an access opening, and a roller shutter device for closing the access opening. The roller shutter device is connected to an electric drive for opening and closing it. This electric drive is controllable via a key switch and is connected to an electric battery for power supply. The electric battery can be recharged by a solar panel. The key switch on the small building requires a person to be standing at the building to operate the roller shutter device, thus keeping it in view at all times. Nevertheless, opening and closing is done electrically and requires no physical effort.The solar panel also eliminates the need for the small building to be connected to the supermarket's electricity grid. This means the small building meets the regulations for commercial use and avoids additional costs associated with an extra power connection and hiring professionals such as an electrician.

[0010] Preferably, the key switch includes a dead man's switch. The key switch comprises a neutral position and at least one, preferably two, operating positions. The dead man's switch is implemented, for example, by a spring element that exerts a restoring force on the key switch in the at least one operating position, returning it to the neutral position. Therefore, a person must always be present at the manual switch and hold the key in the operating position during opening and closing, thus requiring monitoring throughout the entire process. Furthermore, the key switch can only be operated with a specific, corresponding key, preventing unauthorized use.

[0011] According to a preferred aspect, the solar panel is arranged on the roller shutter device and / or on the roof. Arrangement on the roller shutter device is advantageous because, in the case of retrofitting to an existing shelter with such a roller shutter device, on-site installation is simple and no additional mounting of solar panels on the shelter is necessary.

[0012] Preferably, the roller shutter device includes an emergency hand crank (EHC) for manual operation. The EHC allows the roller shutter device to be opened or closed manually in the event of a malfunction. A malfunction could include damage or simply a battery failure. The gearbox can be designed so that the roller shutter device can be moved by the EHC even when the drive is powered or only when it is unpowered.

[0013] According to a first advantageous embodiment, the electric drive and the manual operating switch are connected by a cable for transmitting a control command. This transmits the control command via a physical line. Manipulation via an external signal, and thus circumvention of the requirement for a person to be present while opening and closing the roller shutter device, is therefore impossible.

[0014] According to an alternative advantageous embodiment, the electric drive comprises a radio receiver and the key switch a radio transmitter, wherein a radio link is provided between the radio receiver and the radio transmitter for transmitting a control command.

[0015] According to an advantageous aspect, the side walls comprise supports, with the key switch being arranged on one of the supports. The key switch is preferably located at a height of 1 m to 1.5 m and in the immediate vicinity of the access opening. The switch can also be integrated into such a support.

[0016] The invention will now be described and explained in more detail with reference to the examples shown in the drawings.

[0017] They show Fig. 1 a small building according to the invention with a roller shutter device; Fig. 2 the small building according to the invention with a fully opened roller shutter device; Fig. 3 Side and front views of the small building according to the invention; and Fig. 4 alternative small building according to the invention with two roller shutter devices.

[0018] In Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a small building 10 according to the invention for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping trolleys and / or products in a supermarket parking lot or other places, with side walls 11, a roof 12, an access opening 13 and a roller shutter device 20 for closing the access opening 13. Fig. Figure 1 shows the small building with the roller shutter device 20 slightly lowered, while at Fig. 2. The roller shutter device 20 is fully retracted. The side walls 11 and the roof 12 comprise supports 14 made of aluminum or similar material and panes or other coverings attached to them. In the illustrated embodiment, the access opening 13 extends on one side of the small building 10 from the ground to the roof 12. The roller shutter device 20 is arranged on the side of the access opening 13 on or directly below the roof 12 in such a way that it can be closed downwards. The roller shutter device 20 extends to the ground, completely closing the access opening 13. The roof 12 is designed as a shed roof. However, other roof shapes are also possible. Depending on the roof shape, a ledge can be arranged below the roof 12 above the access opening 13, on which the roller shutter device 20 is mounted.

[0019] In this embodiment, the device is a roller shutter analogous to a window roller blind, which is rolled up into a casing when the roller shutter device 20 is opened. A shaft is arranged in this casing, via which the roller shutter device 20 is connected to an electric drive 23, also located in the casing, for opening and closing the roller shutter device 20. The electric drive 23 is a 12 V tubular motor with a torque of 50 Nm (20 to 80 Nm possible) at 5 to 15 revolutions per minute, enabling the roller shutter device 20 with a curtain weight of up to approximately 90 kg to be moved.

[0020] The electric drive 23 of the roller shutter device 20 is controllable via a key switch 30, here in the form of a key switch. The key switch includes a dead man's switch, whereby the key switch remains in the actuated position and the roller shutter device 20 is operated only as long as the key is held in place. The manual operation switch 30 is arranged at a height of 1.20 m on one of the supports 14 of a side wall 11, which defines the access opening 13.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the electric drive 23 in the housing and the key switch 30 are connected by a cable 31 for transmitting a control command. This cable runs along the support 14 on which the key switch 30 is arranged and finally leads into the housing to the electric drive 23.

[0022] For power supply, the electric drive 23 is connected to an electric battery 24. The electric battery 23 has an output voltage of 12 V (depending on the motor, batteries with an output voltage in the range of 6 to 12 V are also conceivable) and a typical capacity in the range of 2 to 20 Ah. The electric battery 24 can be recharged by a solar panel 22. The solar panel 22 is arranged on the roller shutter device 20, specifically on the casing. Solar panels 22 with a power output of 2 to 50 W are suitable. By combining the electric battery 24 and the solar panel 22, the electric drive 23 can rotate the shaft of the roller shutter device 20 and thus close or open the access opening 13 of the small building 10 by lowering and raising the shutter curtain. No external power supply, for example from the supermarket, is required.In order to be able to charge the electric battery 24 in another way in an emergency, it includes additional connection options for a charging plug-in power supply.

[0023] The roller shutter device 20 includes an emergency hand crank (EHC) for manual operation, for example, in the event of a battery power failure. This is located inside the casing and is therefore not visible in the figures. A slip clutch is arranged between the shaft and the electric drive 23, so that the shaft of the roller shutter device 20 can also be opened or closed by the EHC if the electric drive 23 is blocked. Furthermore, the roller shutter device 20 includes an anti-fall device.

[0024] Fig. Figure 3 shows the same small building 10 in a front view (left) and a side view (right). The front view, with the roller shutter 20 almost fully open, shows the view through the access opening 13 into the interior of the small building 10. A frame 50, suitable for attaching shopping carts, is located there. Shelves and similar fixtures for displaying products could also be arranged inside.

[0025] The side view clearly shows the slope of the roof 12, which descends away from the opening. Furthermore, the roof 12 extends partially over the roller shutter device 20. The solar panel 22 is positioned on the roller shutter device 20 in such a way that it is not covered by the roof 12, thus preventing any shading of the solar panel 22.

[0026] In Fig. Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a small building 10 according to the invention. In comparison to Fig. In Figure 1, the small building 10 shown here is significantly wider and, in particular, has two access openings 13 separated by a support 14. Each access opening 13 has its own roller shutter device 20, which can be opened or closed independently. For this purpose, key switches 30 are arranged on both sides of the small building 10, each controlling one roller shutter device 20. Solar panels 22 are arranged on both roller shutter devices 20.

Claims

[1] Small building (10) for limited use, such as for storing and providing shopping trolleys and / or products in a supermarket parking lot or other places, comprising side walls (11), a roof (12), an access opening (13) and a roller shutter device (20) for closing the access opening (13), wherein the roller shutter device (20) is connected to an electric drive (23) for opening and closing the roller shutter device (20), which electric drive (23) is controllable via a key switch (30) and is connected to an electric battery (24) for power supply, wherein the small building (10) further comprises a solar panel (22) with which the electric battery (24) is charged. [2] Small building (10) according to claim 1, wherein the key switch comprises a dead man's switch. [3] Small building (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the solar panel (22) is arranged on the roller shutter device (20) and / or on the roof (12). [4] Small building (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller shutter device (20) comprises an emergency hand crank for manual operation. [5] Small building (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric drive (22) and the key switch (30) are connected by a cable (31) for transmitting a control command. [6] Small building (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electric drive (22) comprises a radio receiver and the key switch (30) comprises a radio transmitter, wherein a radio link is provided between the radio receiver and the radio transmitter for the transmission of a control command. [7] Small building (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side walls (11) comprise supports (14), wherein the key switch (30) is arranged on one of the supports (14).

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