Weighing device

Abstract

To provide a weighing device which offers improved installability, usability, maintainability and the like in various scenes anticipated in sales by weight.SOLUTION: A weighing device C of the present invention comprises a housing 10 including a display unit, a weighing unit 150 for weighing an object, and a storage unit 6 for temporarily storing an object, where a part of the housing 10 can be opened and the storage unit 6 can be taken out of the housing when the part of the housing 10 is opened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a weighing device used for selling products by weight, and a product selling system including the weighing device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a granular material dispensing device for dispensing a predetermined amount of granular material such as coffee beans, adzuki beans, soybeans, etc. (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-255503 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 constitutes a granular material dispensing device in which a granular material receiving section for receiving a predetermined amount of granular material is provided within a casing having an opening for receiving a predetermined amount of granular material stored in a storage section and a dispensing outlet for dispensing the received predetermined amount of granular material, and the granular material receiving section for receiving a predetermined amount of granular material is freely movable between a receiving position located at the opening and a dispensing position located at the dispensing outlet. However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques do not adequately address the ease of installation, usability, maintenance, and the like in various situations anticipated in metered sales, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide a weighing device that is easy to install, use, and maintain in various situations anticipated in the field of measurement-based sales. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The weighing device of the present invention has at least the following configuration. The device comprises a housing including a display unit, a weighing unit for weighing an item, and a storage unit for temporarily storing the item, a portion of the housing being openable, and the storage unit being removable from the housing by opening the portion of the housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a product sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an external appearance of a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to an article supplying device; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the article supply device in an exploded state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of the weighing device with a cover body removed. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the weighing device in an exploded state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of the measuring device with a storage unit removed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7(a) is a schematic perspective view of the weighing device as seen obliquely from below, and FIG. 7(b) is a schematic bottom view of the weighing device as seen from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) is a schematic perspective view (including a partially enlarged view) showing the appearance of the housing main body of the weighing device as seen diagonally from below, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic plan view of the housing main body as seen from above. [Figure 9] FIG. 9(a) is a perspective schematic diagram of the front wall of the weighing device as viewed from the back side, and FIG. 9(b) is a schematic diagram of the front wall of the weighing device as viewed from the back side. [Figure 10] Figure 10(a) is a schematic perspective view of the weighing device with the cover body removed, viewed diagonally from above, and Figure 10(b) is a schematic side view (including a partially enlarged view) explaining the state in which the cover body is attached to the weighing device. [Figure 11]FIG. 11(a) is a system configuration diagram of a product sales system including a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11(b) is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the weighing device. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the product sales system. [Figure 13] FIG. 13(a) is a schematic perspective view of another weighing device according to the present invention with the cover body removed, viewed diagonally from above, and FIG. 13(b) is a schematic side view (including a partially enlarged view) illustrating the attachment state of the cover body to the other weighing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an example of a product sales system including the weighing device will be described. (Product sales system) Fig. 1 is a perspective schematic diagram showing an example of a product sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the product sales system A includes a product supplying device B, a weighing device C, and an information processing device D. The product sales system A is introduced in a store (e.g., a supermarket) that handles products (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as products) that are sold by weighing. This product sales system A is placed, for example, on a shelf E in the store, as shown in Fig. 1. The article supplying device B, weighing device C and information processing device D that constitute the product sales system A will be described below.

[0009] <Goods supply device> Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the external appearance of a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention assembled to an article supplying device, and Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the article supplying device disassembled. As shown in Fig. 2, the article supplying device B is disposed in an assembled state above the weighing device C, and functions to supply articles (goods) to the weighing device C. As shown in Fig. 3, the article supplying device B is configured to include an article storage section 1, an article discharge section 2, and a support section 3.

[0010] [Item storage section] The article storage section 1 stores and keeps articles to be supplied to the weighing device C. The articles stored in the article storage section 1 are discharged (supplied) to the weighing device C via the article discharge section 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the article storage section 1 is connected to the article discharge section 2 via a joint section 4 having a substantially cylindrical mounting frame 4a that fixes and supports the mouth section 1a of the article storage section 1 in a detachable manner.

[0011] An upper opening (not shown) that opens upward is formed at the top of the article storage section 1, and this upper opening is configured to allow refilling or repacking of articles. A screw-on lid 1b is attached to this upper opening. In addition, a lower opening (not shown) that opens downward is formed at the mouth 1a of the item storage section 1, and the items stored in the item storage section 1 are transferred through this lower opening to the item discharge section 2 located below.

[0012] The configuration of the article storage unit 1 is not limited to the above example. For example, a distribution container (e.g., bulk goods purchased) that is wholesaled as is may be attached via the joint unit 4. In this case, a joint unit 4 having a mounting frame 4a corresponding to the opening of the distribution container may be used.

[0013] [Goods discharge section] The article release section 2 has a function of releasing (supplying) articles from the article storage section 1 to the weighing device C, and by operation by an operator (user), a predetermined amount of articles is cut out and released (supplied) to the weighing device C. As shown in Fig. 3, this article release section 2 includes a cylindrical main body 21, a connection section 22 that supports the joint section 4, an article guide section 23, a first operating member 24 that the operator can rotate, and an article cut-out section 25 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first operating member 24.

[0014] The main body 21 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is provided therein with an article dispensing section 25 for dispensing articles. A support member 21a for supporting the connection section 22 is formed in the upper part of the main body 21, and a discharge port 21b for discharging the dispensed article to the weighing device C is formed in the lower part of the main body 21.

[0015] The main body 21 is formed, for example, from a transparent synthetic resin material and has a skeleton structure that allows the inside to be seen. Therefore, the movable state of the article dispensing unit 25 arranged inside the main body 21 and the like are configured to be visible.

[0016] The connection part 22 supports the joint part 4 to which the article storage part 1 is attached from below, and is connected to a support member 21a provided on the upper part of the main body 21. Furthermore, a pair of article guides 23 are provided on the lower surface of the connection portion 22 via brackets 22a.

[0017] The pair of article guide sections 23 are members that guide the articles sent out from the article storage section 1 to the article cut-out section 25 so as not to spill out, and the width of the article guide sections 23 is made longer than the length of the front-to-rear opening of the article cut-out section 25 so as to prevent the articles from spilling out. Further, the vertical length of the article guide section 23 is set to a length that covers the peripheral wall of the article dispenser 25 .

[0018] The article guide portion 23 is formed, for example, from a silicone member or an elastomer resin, and has excellent stain resistance without damaging the article. However, the article guide portion 23 may be formed from a material having similar elasticity and softness, such as an elastomer resin. Furthermore, the surface of the article guide portion 23 may be roughened to make it difficult for articles, such as coffee beans, to stick to the surface.

[0019] The article dispenser 25 is formed in a substantially cylindrical drum shape, and a receiving opening 25a for receiving articles is formed in a part of the peripheral wall. The article dispenser 25 is configured to be rotatable (pivotable) around a horizontal axis inside the main body 21, and is configured to rotate in response to the operation of the first operating member 24.

[0020] By operating the first operating member 24, the article dispenser 25 is configured to receive an article when the receiving opening 25a is positioned at the upper side, and to release an article when the receiving opening 25a is positioned at the lower side. The article dispenser 25 is configured to accommodate a predetermined amount of an article (e.g., a volume equivalent to 30 g of coffee beans) when fully worn out.

[0021] At least a portion of the article dispenser 25 is made of a transparent synthetic resin material and has a skeleton structure that allows the interior to be seen, so that the rotational movement of the article dispenser 25 can be seen.

[0022] The first operating member 24 functions to rotate (pivot) the article dispenser 25 arranged inside the main body 21. An end of the shaft 24a of the first operating member 24 is connected to a side surface 25b of the article dispenser 25, and the article dispenser 25 can be rotated (turned) about a horizontal axis by rotating the first operating member 24. In other words, by operating the first operating member 24, the article dispenser 25 can be rotated (turned) between a state in which the receiving opening 25a is positioned on the upper side and a state in which the receiving opening is positioned on the lower side, and a predetermined amount of articles can be discharged.

[0023] The rotation caused by the operation of the first operating member 24 is, for example, a ratchet mechanism that rotates in only one direction. A pawl / gear type, a running / facer type, or the like can be used, but any mechanism other than a ratchet can be used as long as it can realize one-way rotation.

[0024] [Support part] The support unit 3 is a member that supports the article discharge unit 2, and is detachably installed on the weighing device C. The support unit 3 includes a support arm 31 and a support leg 32 that supports the support arm 31 and is detachably attached to the weighing device C. The support arm 31 supports the article discharge unit 2 by holding the edge of the connection unit 22, which is the upper part of the article discharge unit 2, with a pair of arm members 31a.

[0025] 3 shows an exploded view of the article supplying device B, but in use, each component part is arranged in an assembled state above the weighing device C as shown in FIG. 2. The article storage part 1 and the article discharge part 2, which are integrally connected via the joint part 4, can be removed as a unit from the support arm 31 of the support part 3. Specifically, the article discharge part 2 can be easily removed by moving it slightly upward and then pulling it out horizontally forward.

[0026] <Measuring device> Next, the weighing device C will be described. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the weighing device according to the embodiment of the present invention with the cover body removed. Fig. 5 is a schematic side view showing the weighing device disassembled. Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the weighing device with the storage section removed. Fig. 7(a) is a schematic perspective view of the weighing device as seen diagonally from below, and Fig. 7(b) is a schematic bottom view of the weighing device as seen from below.

[0027] The weighing device C is disposed below the article supplying device B, and functions to weigh the articles (products) supplied by the article supplying device B. As shown in Fig. 5, the weighing device C has a frame structure (skeletal structure) including a cover body 5, a storage section 6, an upper housing 7, a lower housing 8, and a housing 10 having a front wall section 9, a release guide body 11, a pair of left and right adjustment legs 12, and a fixed leg 13. Inside the housing 10, there are disposed a control unit 100 (CPU), storage devices (ROM 110, RAM 120), a communication unit 140, a weight detection unit 150, and the like, which will be described later.

[0028] [Cover body] As shown in FIG. 4 , the cover body 5 includes a plate-shaped upper wall 51 extending substantially horizontally, plate-shaped front wall 52 and rear wall 53 extending downward from the front and rear edges of the upper wall 51, and plate-shaped left and right side walls 54 extending downward from the left and right edges of the upper wall 51 and connected to the left and right edges of the front wall 52 and rear wall 53, respectively. The cover body 5 is placed so as to cover the first opening 7a (see FIG. 6) of the upper housing 7 of the weighing device C as well as the receiving opening 6a (opening) of the storage section 6.

[0029] A through hole 51a is formed in the upper wall 51 of the cover body 5 at approximately the center in the front-rear direction, penetrating vertically, and a cylindrical receiving frame 51b is formed around the periphery of this through hole 51a and extending upward. The discharge port 21b (see FIG. 3) of the main body 21 of the article supplying device B is inserted and received in this receiving frame 51b. The articles discharged (supplied) from the discharge port 21b of the main body 21 are supplied to the storage section 6 of the weighing device C through the through hole 51a.

[0030] The cover body 5 is formed, for example, from a transparent synthetic resin material, and has a skeleton structure that allows the inside to be seen. Therefore, the positional relationship between the cover body 5 and the receiving opening 6a of the storage unit 6 arranged in the housing 10 can be seen, so it can be easily confirmed whether the cover body 5 is in contact with the storage unit 6 or not. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the weighing process from being performed when the cover body 5 and the storage section 6 are in contact with each other (which would result in inaccurate weighing process), and the weighing process by the weight detection section 150 (weighing section) can be performed accurately.

[0031] [Storage section] The storage unit 6 is detachably installed in the housing 10. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the storage unit 6 has a receiving opening 6a on the upper side and a discharge opening (not shown) on the lower side that can be opened and closed by an opening / closing member 61, and is formed in a cylindrical shape tapering downward. This storage unit 6 functions to temporarily store the articles supplied from the article supply device B in order to weigh the articles.

[0032] The receiving opening 6a is an opening that receives the articles supplied (discharged) from the article supply device B. The discharging opening (not shown) is an opening that releases the articles received by the receiving opening 6a, and is formed with an opening width narrower than that of the receiving opening 6a.

[0033] The release opening (not shown) is configured to be openable and closable by an opening / closing member 61, and this opening / closing member 61 is opened and closed by an operation transmission member 62 that is linked to the operation (up and down movement) of a second operating member 95 (see Figure 4) provided on the front wall portion 9. Specifically, as shown by the solid line in Figure 5, when the operation transmission member 62 is in the upper position (initial position), the opening / closing member 61 is in a position that covers the release opening (not shown) (a position in which the release opening is closed), and as shown by the dotted line in Figure 5, when the operation transmission member 62 is pushed down in conjunction with the operation of the second operating member 95, the opening / closing member 61 is configured to be in a position that opens the release opening (a position in which the release opening is open).

[0034] Furthermore, the left and right side surfaces of the storage section 6 are provided with engagement protrusions 63 (two in the illustrated example), and the weight of the items temporarily stored in the storage section 6 is measured by supporting the engagement protrusions 63 in support recesses 151a formed in a pair of left and right supports 151 (see FIG. 6(b)) of the weight detection section 150 (weighing section). In other words, when the engagement protrusions 63 of the storage section 6 are supported by the supports 151 of the weight detection section 150, the total weight of the storage section 6 and the items temporarily stored in the storage section 6 is detected (measured) by the weight detection section 150.

[0035] Moreover, the engagement projection 63 of the storage unit 6 is supported in a freely releasable manner in a support recess 151a formed in the support body 151 of the weight detection unit 150, and the storage unit 6 is configured to be detachable from the housing . The number and positions of the engagement protrusions 63 provided in the storage unit 6 are not limited to the above example. The support recesses 151a provided in the support body 151 of the weight detection unit 150 may have any shape as long as they are configured to be able to engage with and support the engagement protrusions 63 of the storage unit 6.

[0036] [Case] 4 to 6, the housing 10 includes a front wall 9, an upper housing 7, and a lower housing 8, and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped (substantially box-like) shape. In the internal space of the housing 10, a control unit 100 (CPU), storage devices (ROM 110, RAM 120), a communication unit 140, a weight detection unit 150, etc., which will be described later, are disposed.

[0037] [Housing body (upper housing, lower housing)] The upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 constitute a housing main body of the housing 10. The upper housing 7 has upper sidewalls 71 on both left and right sides, an upper rear wall 72 on the rear side, and an upper wall 73 on the upper side. The lower housing 8 has lower sidewalls 81 on both left and right sides, a lower rear wall 82 on the rear side, and a lower bottom wall 83.

[0038] The upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 are arranged one above the other so that the upper side wall portions 71 on both the left and right sides and the lower side wall portions 81 on both the left and right sides are substantially flush with each other, and are detachably assembled by suitable fasteners (for example, fixing means such as screws, or locking means such as a locking portion and a locked portion). The upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 are assembled one above the other to constitute a housing main body. A front opening 10a (see FIG. 6) is formed on the front side of the housing main body, and a front wall portion 9 is provided rotatably so as to close or open the front opening 10a. The upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 can be formed, for example, by molding a synthetic resin material or by bending a metal plate.

[0039] [Upper housing] The upper wall portion 73 of the upper housing 7 is formed with a first opening 7a (see FIGS. 6 and 8) and a second opening 7b (see FIGS. 4 and 8) that penetrate vertically. The first opening 7a is generally rectangular in plan view and extends from the approximate center of the upper wall 73 to the front end, leaving a pair of upper wall pieces 73a that are a portion of the upper wall 51 in the left-right direction. When the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 are assembled, the first opening 7a is connected to the front opening 10a of the housing main body to form an integrated opening. This integrated opening allows the storage unit 6 to be removed or attached in all directions, including the front-rear and up-down directions.

[0040] The second opening 7b has a generally square shape in a plan view, and is formed adjacent to and behind the first opening 7a. The lower ends of the support legs 32 of the article supply device B are inserted and supported in the second opening 7b. 6 shows the second opening 7b covered with a protective cover 74. The weighing device C can be used alone, for example, without disposing the article supply device B above it, and in that case, the second opening 7b is closed by a detachable protective cover 74.

[0041] [Lower housing] A third opening 8a (see FIG. 6) is formed in the bottom wall 83 (see FIG. 7) of the lower housing 8, penetrating vertically. This third opening 8a has a generally rectangular shape in plan view, and is formed at a position on the front side in the front-rear direction of the housing 10. The third opening 8a serves as an opening for releasing the articles sent out from the storage section 6 to the outside of the housing 10. The third opening 8a is provided with a frame member 84 (see FIG. 5) that has a rectangular frame shape in plan view and extends downward from its periphery. This frame member 84 functions as a mounting frame for mounting the upper opening 11a of the release guide 11 in a fitted state.

[0042] Further, a front lower member 83a (see FIG. 6) that forms part of the bottom wall portion 83 is provided on the front side of the third opening 8a, and this front lower member 83a is provided with a spirit level 14 (a level) and a first bearing portion 85 (see FIG. 8) that forms a pivot mechanism described later.

[0043] [Level] As shown in Fig. 6, a spirit level 14 for visually checking the horizontality of the weighing device C is provided on the upper surface of the front lower member 83a of the lower housing 8. This spirit level 14 is configured such that air bubbles are sealed in liquid, and the levelness can be detected based on the position of the air bubbles. Since the spirit level 14 is provided on the upper surface of the front lower member 83a of the lower housing 8, in the normal usage state with the front wall 9 standing up, the spirit level 14 is not exposed to the outer surface of the weighing device C, and the spirit level 14 can be protected from dust and the like.

[0044] [Front wall] 4, the front wall 9 includes an upper surface member 91 located at the top, a pair of side surface members 92 located on the left and right sides, a lower surface member 93 located at the bottom, and a front surface member 94 located at the front, and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped (substantially box-like) shape. The front wall 9 is rotatably connected to the front side of the housing main body consisting of the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 via a rotation mechanism described later.

[0045] The front wall portion 9 is configured to be rotatable between an upright position (see FIG. 4) and a laid-down position (see FIG. 6) and is configured to close the front opening 10a of the housing main body portion in the upright position and to open the front opening 10a of the housing 10 in the laid-down position.

[0046] The front wall 9 constitutes a part of the housing 10 of the weighing device C, and functions as a display unit having a display unit 130, or as an operation display unit having the display unit 130 and a second operation member 95. A front surface member 94 of the front wall 9 is provided with a plurality of display units 130 and the second operation member 95, as shown in FIG. The display unit 130 is configured, for example, with a 7-segment display or liquid crystal panel, and displays various information related to merchandise sales, such as the weight, unit price, and amount of the weighed item.

[0047] The second operating member 95 is configured as, for example, an operating lever that can be operated by an operator (user) with his / her fingers. In the illustrated example, when the second operating member 95 is operated and moved downward from the upper position (initial position), the operation transmission member 62 of the storage unit 6 is pushed downward in conjunction with the movement of the operating lever, and the opening / closing member 61 moves (slides) via a transmission mechanism (not shown) such as a rack and gear, and the discharge opening (not shown) of the storage unit 6 is opened.

[0048] [Release guide body] 5, the release guide 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape tapering downward, having an upper opening 11a at the top and a lower opening 11b at the bottom. The release guide 11 is attached in a fitted state to a frame member 84 provided on the periphery of the third opening 8a of the lower housing 8, and functions as an article guide that guides the articles released from the storage section 6 downward. The release guide 11 is fitted so that the upper opening 11a fits into the frame member 84 of the third opening from the outside, and is removably attached by engagement means not shown (for example, engagement between an engagement protrusion or locking claw and an engagement recess or engagement hole).

[0049] In addition, the release guide 11 is formed, for example, from a transparent synthetic resin material and has a skeleton structure that allows the inside to be seen. Therefore, the release state of the articles released from the weighing device C can be easily seen.

[0050] When the weighing device C is placed on shelf E, the release guide 11 is positioned so as to protrude forward from the mounting base (shelf) of the shelf E (see Figure 1). When a container for selling merchandise (including a container prepared by the customer) is positioned below the release guide 11 and the second operating member 95 is operated, an item is released into the container.

[0051] 〔leg〕 As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of left and right adjustable legs 12 and a fixed leg 13 are provided on the bottom surface of the lower housing 8. The pair of left and right adjustable legs 12 are disposed at a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction at approximately the center position in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the weighing device C. The adjustable legs 12 are configured to include, for example, a grounding portion 12a formed in an approximately disk shape and a screw shaft (not shown) extending upward from approximately the center of the grounding portion 12a. The adjustable legs 12 are attached by being screwed into a screw receiver (not shown) formed on the bottom wall portion 83 of the lower housing 8, and by rotating the adjustable legs, their length (height) can be adjusted (expanded or contracted), and the horizontality of the weighing device C can be adjusted.

[0052] The fixed leg 13 is disposed at a position on the rear side of the weighing device C in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) and approximately in the center in the left-right direction. This fixed leg 13 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rod extending downward from the bottom surface of the lower housing 8. The height of the fixed leg 13 is set to a predetermined reference height. The weighing device C disposed on an installation section such as a shelf E is horizontally disposed based on the height of the fixed leg 13. For example, when multiple weighing devices C are installed adjacent to each other on an installation section such as a shelf E, the height position of each weighing device C is determined by the height (reference height) of this fixed leg 13. Therefore, it is possible to install a plurality of measuring devices C in an orderly and unified manner.

[0053] In addition, the left and right pair of adjustable legs 12 and fixed legs 13 are arranged so that each line segment (three sides) connecting the center of each adjustable leg 12 and the center of the fixed leg 13 forms a triangle, such as an approximately isosceles triangle, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 7(b). Therefore, the level of the weighing device C can be adjusted simply by adjusting the pair of left and right adjustable legs 12 based on the height of the fixed legs 13, making it easy to adjust the level while maintaining a predetermined reference height. Furthermore, each adjustable leg 12 and fixed leg 13 are arranged so that the lines connecting the centers of each adjustable leg 12 and the center of the fixed leg 13 form a triangle, so that the weighing device C can be installed stably.

[0054] [Attachment structure of the front wall to the housing body] Next, the mounting structure (rotation mechanism, locking mechanism) of the front wall 9 to the housing body will be described. Fig. 8(a) is a schematic perspective view (including a partially enlarged view) showing the appearance of the housing body of the weighing device as seen diagonally from below, and Fig. 8(b) is a schematic plan view of the housing body as seen from above. Fig. 9(a) is a schematic perspective view of the front wall of the weighing device as seen from the back side, and Fig. 9(b) is a schematic view of the front wall of the weighing device as seen from the back side.

[0055] [Rotation mechanism] 8, a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) first bearing portions 85 are provided on the front lower member 83a of the lower housing 8, spaced apart in the left-right direction, so as to protrude forward in the front-rear direction from the front opening 10a. The first bearing portions 85 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, and have a bearing hole (not shown) penetrating therethrough in the left-right direction for supporting the connecting pin 86. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the connecting pin 86 is inserted into the bearing hole of the first bearing portion 85.

[0056] 9, a plurality of (four in the illustrated example) second bearing portions 96 are provided on the lower surface member 93 of the front wall portion 9, spaced apart in the left-right direction. The second bearing portions 96 are arranged as a set of a left-right pair of second bearing portions 96, and each set of the pair of second bearing portions 96 is arranged to sandwich each of the first bearing portions 85 provided on the housing 10 from the left-right direction. The second bearing portions 96 are formed, for example, in a disk shape, and are formed with a bearing hole 96a penetrating in the left-right direction for supporting the connecting pin 86.

[0057] Each pair of second bearing portions 96 of the front wall portion 9 is arranged to sandwich the first bearing portions 85 of the lower housing 8 from the left and right, and the front wall portion 9 is rotatably connected to the housing 10 by inserting a connecting pin 86 into a bearing hole (not shown) formed in the first bearing portion 85 and a bearing hole 96a formed in the second bearing portion 96 and supporting it. The configuration of the rotation mechanism is not limited to the above example, and any known rotation mechanism can be used.

[0058] [Locking mechanism] Next, a locking mechanism for locking the front wall 9 to the housing main body (upper housing 7, lower housing 8) will be described. The locking mechanism is composed of a locking member 97 (see FIG. 9(a)) provided on the front wall 9 and a locked member 87 (see FIG. 8(a)) provided on the upper housing 7.

[0059] The front wall 9 is configured to be capable of being fixed in position by a locking mechanism in an upright position (see FIG. 4) that blocks the front opening 10a relative to the housing 10. In normal use, the front wall 9 is fixed in position to the housing 10 by the locking mechanism to maintain the upright state, and when necessary, such as when removing the storage unit 6, the locking mechanism can be released and the front wall 9 can be rotated to a laid-down position (see FIG. 6) to open the front opening 10a. An example of the structure of the locking mechanism will now be described.

[0060] The upper housing 7 of the housing main body is provided with a locked member 87 that locks a locking member 97 provided on the front wall 9. As shown in Fig. 8(a), the locked member 87 is provided, for example, protruding from the underside of the front end of the left and right upper wall pieces 73a of the upper housing 7. The locked member 87 is formed in a generally right-angled triangular shape in a side view, and the rear end face 87a is configured as a generally vertically steep surface. A locking surface 97a (see FIG. 9(a)) of a locking member 97 provided on the front wall 9, which extends generally vertically, abuts against the rear end face 87a in an opposing state and is locked.

[0061] In addition, the bottom surface of the locked member 87 is formed into a tapered guide surface 87b that is inclined upward from the lower end of the rear end surface 87a to the front side. When the front wall portion 9 in the laid-down state is rotated so as to stand up relative to the housing main body, the tip portion 97b (see FIG. 9(a)) of the locking member 97 is guided by the guide surface 87b (see FIG. 8(a)) of the locked member 87.

[0062] 8(b), the left and right upper wall pieces 73a of the upper housing 7 are provided with operation holes 75 that penetrate vertically adjacent to the rear end faces 87a of the locked members 87. When the front wall 9 is rotated, a release pin (not shown) for releasing the locked state between the locking members 97 and the locked members 87 is inserted into the operation holes 75. Specifically, for example, when removing the storage section 6 from the housing 10 or when checking the levelness of the weighing device C, the user (operator) can insert a release pin (not shown) into the operating hole 75 to release the locking mechanism, thereby rotating the front wall section 9 (see Figure 4), which is fixed in an upright position, to a laid-down position (see Figure 6), thereby opening the front opening 10a.

[0063] In other words, the locking member 97 of the front wall portion 9, which is locked to the locked member 87 of the upper housing 7, is pressed downward by a release pin (not shown) inserted into the operation hole 75 and moves (swings) downward, thereby releasing the lock between the rear end surface 87a of the locked member 87 and the locking surface 97a of the locking member 97. Therefore, with this lock released, the front wall portion 9 can be rotated to the laid-down state.

[0064] The locking mechanism for locking the front wall 9 to the housing main body (upper housing 7, lower housing 8) is not limited to the above example. For example, the front wall 9 and the housing main body may be magnetically locked to each other by magnetic attraction.

[0065] [Guide mechanism for cover body (guide section)] Next, a guide mechanism (guide section) for the cover body 5 relative to the housing 10 will be described. Fig. 10(a) is a schematic perspective view of the weighing device with the cover body removed, seen obliquely from above, and Fig. 10(b) is a schematic side view (including a partially enlarged view) illustrating the attachment of the cover body to the weighing device.

[0066] The upper housing 7 of the housing 10 is provided with a guide mechanism for the cover body 5, which is composed of a pair of left and right first guide members 76 that guide the cover body 5 rearward in the front-rear direction, and a second guide member 77 that guides the cover body 5 forward in the front-rear direction. This guide mechanism functions as a guide section that guides the cover body 5 to a predetermined mounting position.

[0067] [Guide part (first guide member)] 6 and 10(a), the first guide members 76 are disposed at the rear ends of the left and right upper wall pieces 73a of the upper housing 7 so as to sandwich the first opening 7a. The position of the rear end 76a of the first guide members 76 is substantially the same as the position of the rear edge of the first opening 7a or is located slightly behind the position of the rear edge of the first opening 7a.

[0068] The first guide member 76 has a generally semicircular arc shape in a side view and is formed like a plate that protrudes upward. The upper surface of the first guide member 76 is a curved surface that is curved in a generally arc shape and functions as a guide surface that guides the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 rearward in the front-rear direction when the cover body 5 is attached. In addition, since the tangent at the rear end 76a of the first guide member 76, which is approximately semicircular in shape when viewed from the side, is approximately perpendicular to the upper surface of the upper wall portion 73, it is also possible to suppress movement of the cover body 5 attached to a specified attachment position toward the front in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0069] The shape of the first guide member 76 is not limited to the above example. Any shape and structure may be used as long as it can guide the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 to a predetermined position. For example, the upper surface of the first guide member 76 may be formed into a slope (flat surface) that slopes downward.

[0070] [Guide part (second guide member)] As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 10(a), the second guide member 77 is disposed on the upper wall portion 73 of the upper housing 7 so as to face the rear end edge of the first opening 7a, and is provided at a rear position spaced a predetermined distance from the rear end 76a of the first guide member 76. As shown in Fig. 10(b), the second guide member 77 is formed in a triangular prism shape that is a substantially right-angled triangle in side view, and is provided so that the inclined surface 77a (upper surface) is inclined downward toward the front side (forward) in the front-rear direction. The inclined surface 77a (upper surface) of the second guide member 77 functions as a guide surface that guides the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 toward the front side in the front-rear direction when the cover body 5 is attached. The downwardly inclined inclined surface 77a serving as a guide surface can be formed in a flat shape, an upper protruding arc surface (curved surface), or a lower protruding arc surface (curved surface).

[0071] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the front-to-rear distance between the rear end 76a of the first guide member 76 and the front end 77a1 of the second guide member 77 is configured to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5. Therefore, the cover body 5 guided to a predetermined mounting position by the first guide member 76 and the second guide member 77 is stably mounted with the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 positioned between the rear end 76a of the first guide member 76 and the front end 77a1 of the second guide member 77.

[0072] According to the above configuration, when the cover body 5 is attached to the weighing device C, the first guide member 76 and the second guide member 77 can smoothly guide the cover body 5 to the attachment position. Furthermore, because the cover body 5 is positioned at a predetermined mounting position on the housing 10, even if unexpected vibrations or inadvertent external forces occur to the mounted cover body 5, it is possible to prevent the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from shifting forward and interfering with (contacting) the storage section 6. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent a weighing process from being performed in a state where the cover body 5 and the storage section 6 are in contact with each other (resulting in an inaccurate weighing process), and it is possible to accurately perform the weighing process by the weight detection section 150 (weighing section). Furthermore, it is hygienic because it is possible to prevent the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from shifting forward and causing a gap (uncovered portion) on the rear side of the first opening 7a.

[0073] [Movement restriction unit] 6 and 10(a), the upper housing 7 of the housing 10 is provided with a movement restricting portion 78 that restricts the movement of the cover body 5 forward in the front-rear direction. This movement restricting portion 78 is formed as a protruding wall that protrudes upward along the rear end of the first opening 7a. The movement restricting portion 78 formed of this protruding wall functions to prevent the movement of the cover body 5, which has been guided to a predetermined mounting position by the above-mentioned guiding mechanism, forward in the front-rear direction.

[0074] Even if an inadvertent external force is applied to the cover body 5 during use of the weighing device C, the movement restricting portion 78 prevents the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from moving forward, and prevents the cover body 5 from shifting forward and interfering with (contacting) the storage portion 6. Note that the movement restricting portion 78 may be omitted.

[0075] (Configuration of information processing of the weighing device and the information processing device) Next, the configuration related to information processing of the weighing device C and the information processing device D will be described. Fig. 11(a) is a system configuration diagram of a product sales system including a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 10(b) is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the weighing device. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the function blocks of the product sales system.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 11(a), in a product sales system, multiple weighing devices C are connected to an information processing device D through a network. In the figure, one information processing device D is shown, but it is also possible to configure it with multiple devices. Here, the network is an in-store LAN, and connections are made by wire or wirelessly. Although not shown in the figure, a store controller, POS, and clerk terminals (transaction status management devices: monitoring terminals, mobile terminals, etc.) may also be connected, and further, the master-related processing may be configured to be realized by SaaS (Software as a Service).

[0077] As shown in FIG. 11(b), the weighing device C includes a control unit 100 (CPU), storage devices such as a ROM 110 and a RAM 120, a display unit 130, a communication unit 140, and a weight detection unit 150. The control unit 100 (CPU) comprehensively controls each component of the weighing device C. The control unit 100 executes a control program, for example, to cause a computer to realize each function of the weighing device C. The ROM 110 stores the control program and the like. In addition, the RAM 120 stores various information related to commodity trading when connected to the information processing device D or when the power is turned on.

[0078] Further, the control unit 100 is connected to a display unit 130 provided on the front wall 9 via an interface circuit, as well as to a communication unit 140 and a weight detection unit 150. The display unit 130 is configured, for example, with a 7-segment display or liquid crystal panel, and displays various information related to merchandise sales, such as the weight, unit price, and amount of the weighed item.

[0079] The communication unit 140 is realized by one or more communication means for realizing a connection with the information processing device D. For example, the interconnection with the information processing device D is realized by a wired or wireless LAN. When the communication unit 140 is realized by a wired LAN, the power source of the weighing device C may be secured by POE (Power over Ethernet) power supply from the information processing device D connected to an external power source. However, this does not prevent the weighing device C from directly connecting to an external power source or powering from an internal battery.

[0080] The weight detection unit 150 functions as a weighing unit that weighs the articles supplied from the article supply device B to the weighing device C, for example, by a weight detection method using a load cell. The storage unit 6 is detachably attached to this weight detection unit 150, so that the weight detection unit 150 weighs the articles put into the storage unit 6. The weighing results and the like are displayed on the display unit 130.

[0081] (Aspects of information processing in the weighing device and information processing device) Next, a description will be given of the information processing aspects of the weighing device C and the information processing device D. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing the functional blocks of a system configured from the weighing device C and the information processing device D.

[0082] [Measuring device] As shown in FIG. 12, the weighing device C includes, as its functions, a weighing control means C1, an identifier information storage unit C2, a unit weight storage unit C3, a calculation means C4, an output means C5, and a display control means C6.

[0083] The weighing control means C1 is a control means that detects the weight of the article input from the article supply device B to the weighing device C using the weight detection unit 150 and determines whether the weight has stabilized. After the weighing control means C1 detects the weight of the article in the weighing device C and determines that the weight has stabilized, the calculation means C4 calculates a value.

[0084] The identifier information storage unit C2 stores the identifier of the weighing device C. This identifier is assigned as unique information for each weighing device C, and a specific weighing device C can be uniquely identified from among multiple weighing devices C by this identifier. The identifiers are assigned by the information processing device D when each weighing device C sends a transmission request signal to the information processing device D when connected to the information processing device D for the first time or when reconnected at system startup, and are stored in the memory means of each of the multiple weighing devices C.

[0085] The unit weight storage unit C3 stores the unit weight of the handled goods supplied from the goods supplying device B. The unit weight is a weight corresponding to the capacity of the goods dispensing unit 25 of the goods supplying device B for one use, and when the goods supplying device B is connected to the information processing device D for the first time, or when the device is powered on and reconnected, a transmission request signal is sent to the information processing device D, and the information stored in the information processing device D is taken over and stored.

[0086] The calculation means C4 obtains a calculated value by dividing the weight value that the weighing control means C1 has determined to be a stable weight by the unit weight stored in the unit weight storage section C3.

[0087] The output means C5 outputs the calculated value and identifier information obtained by the calculation means C4 to the information processing device D. The display control means C6 displays the information (e.g., weight, unit price, amount, etc.) obtained from the weighing control means C1, calculation means C4, etc. on the display unit 130 provided on the front wall 9. The amount (sales price) is calculated based on the unit price and the calculated value obtained by the calculation means C4.

[0088] [Information processing device] 12, the information processing device D includes, as its functions, an item information storage unit D1, a setting information storage unit D2, a specific processing unit D3, an extraction processing unit D4, a display control unit D6, an information processing unit D7, a communication processing unit D8, and an issuance processing unit D9. Note that the selection processing unit D5 is an alternative means for the specific processing unit D3.

[0089] The item information storage unit D1 is a storage unit that stores basic information about a product (item), such as the name and unit price of the item. Data items stored in the item information storage unit D1 include, for example, item identification information, item name, sales mode classification, unit price, and unit weight. The information stored in the item information storage unit D1 may be obtained from a management device installed in the store, or may be obtained as SaaS (Software as a Service) from a cloud server or the like located outside the store. The sales mode classification is a classification for determining whether the sales mode is a multi-stage fixed amount sales such as by the cup, or a sale by weight (measurement sales).

[0090] The setting information storage unit D2 stores setting information that associates identifier information capable of identifying the weighing device C with item identification information of the item provided by the weighing device C. By referring to the setting information storage unit D2, the item provided to the customer by a specific weighing device C can be identified.

[0091] When the specific processing unit D3 receives the identifier and the calculated value from the weighing device C, it refers to the setting information memory unit D2 based on the identifier and the calculated value to identify the item identification information associated with the identifier and the calculated value (for example, corresponding to an item such as "three cups of coffee beans").

[0092] The extraction processing unit D4 executes a process of extracting information necessary for executing a predetermined process from each storage unit. For example, the extraction processing unit D4 refers to the item information storage unit D1 to extract item information related to the name, unit price, etc. of the item identified by the identification processing unit D3.

[0093] The selection processing unit D5 is an alternative to the identification processing unit D3. When the selection processing unit D5 receives an identifier and a calculated value from the weighing device C, the selection processing unit D5 refers to the setting information storage unit D2 based on the identifier to identify the item identification information (e.g., "coffee beans") associated with the identifier. Then, based on the item identification information and the calculated value, the selection processing unit D5 selects a sales code (e.g., corresponding to an item such as "3 cups of coffee beans").

[0094] The display control unit D6 displays various information on the display screen of the information processing device D. The displayed information includes information extracted from the item information storage unit D1 by the extraction processing unit D4 and information related to the selling price of the item. In addition, the display control unit D6 appropriately processes and edits this information, and displays on the display screen preset buttons configured as selectable information, a touch button for accepting completion of item registration, and a touch button for accepting a request to issue a settlement label.

[0095] The information processing unit D7 generates print information related to the content to be printed on the settlement label. The generated print information includes at least information related to the selling price of the item, information such as the name of the item stored in the item information storage unit D1, information related to the weighing result of the item by the weighing device C, and other settlement information required for the settlement of the item. The printed information generated by the information processing unit D7 is sent to the issuing processing unit D9. The printed information or the settlement information contained in the printed information can be coded into a one-dimensional or two-dimensional code. If the information processing device D is equipped with a selection processing unit D5, the selected sales code can be used as is.

[0096] The communication processing unit D8 executes data transmission and reception with the issuance processing unit D9 and data transmission and reception with the weighing device C according to a predetermined communication protocol. The communication processing unit D8 allows the information processing device D to receive an identifier and a calculated value from the weighing device C and to send print information to the issuance processing unit D9. The communication processing unit D8 may further transmit and receive data to and from a higher-level device or the like via a wired or wireless LAN or the like. It may also transmit and receive data to and from an external server via a network such as the Internet.

[0097] The issuance processing unit D9 drives a printer (printing unit) (not shown) to print the print information generated by the information processing unit D7 on a predetermined medium and issue a payment label.

[0098] In addition to these functional units, the information processing device D also includes a setting file relating to the layout of the GUI displayed on the display screen.

[0099] (Operation procedure and processing contents) Next, the operating procedures and processing contents of the product sales system will be described. When a user (e.g., a customer) rotates once the first operating member 24 of the item supplying device B (see Figs. 2 and 3) displayed on the placement table (shelf) of the shelf E shown in Fig. 1, the items (e.g., one cup's worth of items) stored in the item dispensing section 25 move into the storage section 6 of the weighing device C (see Figs. 4 and 5). The weight value is detected by the weight detection section 150, and a calculated value is obtained by dividing the detected weight value by the unit weight. In this embodiment, the unit weight is set to 30 g, so one rotation is performed, and after a while, the calculated value "1" is obtained.

[0100] Thereafter, as the first operating member 24 is rotated once and then once more, the calculated value increases each time to "2," "3," and so on. Each value is temporarily stored and displayed on the display unit 130. The weight of the cut-out item may also be displayed.

[0101] Next, when the second operating member 95 (lever) of the weighing device C is pressed down, the items in the storage section 6 move downward and are released, for example, into a take-out purchase container (cup). When all the items in the storage section 6 have moved, the lever returns to the starting point, and it is determined that the mass detected by the weighing device C has become zero (under a predetermined threshold setting), data is transmitted from the weighing device C to the information processing device D. The data content is identifier information and the count number (calculated value), but it may be configured so that the weight value is transmitted together. It may also be configured so that the amount is transmitted together, or even so that the weight value and the amount are transmitted together.

[0102] Next, the customer moves to the location where the information processing device D is installed, and operates the information processing device D to print a payment label.

[0103] The above is the normal processing of the weighing device C at the time of sale. In addition to this, the weighing device C also performs other processing, such as setting the sales mode classification (sold by cup, sold by weight, etc.) as an initial setting, and a processing for requesting the transmission of identifier and unit weight information, which is executed, for example, when the system is started up.

[0104] The categories of sales mode classification include, for example, cup sales mode, weight sales mode, spoonful sales mode, volume sales mode, etc. For the setting process, when the power is turned on, the weighing device C acquires the sales mode classification together with the identifier as setting information from the information processing device D. In this case, the identifier of the weighing device C that sent the request to set the sales mode classification is collated with the PLU (Price Look Up) product number information stored and managed in the product information storage unit D1, specific processing unit D3, or selection processing unit D5 of the information processing device D, and if the sales mode classification is correct, the setting information is returned, and if it is incorrect, error information is returned, and the result is also displayed on the weighing device C.

[0105] (Maintenance of measuring devices) Next, the maintenance of the weighing device C will be described. A product sales system including the weighing device C is arranged on a shelf E in a store, for example, as shown in Fig. 1. On the shelf E, multiple weighing devices C are arranged adjacent to each other, each arranged below multiple item supply devices B. Therefore, the space between adjacent devices is narrow, and it is difficult to perform maintenance (including cleaning, parts replacement, etc.) on the inside of the housing 10 and the storage unit 6 of the weighing device C in this arrangement. However, in the weighing device C of this embodiment according to the present invention, a portion (front wall portion 9) of the housing 10 of the weighing device C is openable, and further, the storage section 6 is removable with the portion (front wall portion 9) of the housing 10 open, so that maintenance of the weighing device C (including cleaning, part replacement, etc.) can be easily performed. The procedure for maintenance of the weighing device C will be described below.

[0106] [Step 1] 1, the article supplying device B is disposed above the weighing device C, so first, the article supplying device B is removed from the weighing device C. In this case, since the article supplying device B is assembled integrally with the article storage section 1 and the article discharge section 2, these integrated article storage section 1 and article discharge section 2 are removed from the support section 3 which is attached and fixed to the weighing device C.

[0107] Specifically, the article discharge part 2 is removed from the support arm 31 of the support part 3. Since the support arm 31 supports the article discharge part 2 by holding the edge of the connection part 22 of the article discharge part 2, the article discharge part 2 can be easily removed by slightly moving the article discharge part 2 upward and pulling it out horizontally forward. By this removal, the article storage section 1 can be removed from the article discharge section 2 and replaced with another article storage section filled with articles.

[0108] [Step 2] Next, remove the cover body 5 of the weighing device C. The cover body 5 is placed so as to cover the first opening 7a of the upper housing 7 of the weighing device C as well as the receiving opening 6a (opening) of the storage section 6, so that it can be easily removed by, for example, simply gripping and lifting the left and right side walls 54.

[0109] [Step 3] Next, a release pin (not shown) is inserted through operation hole 75 (see FIG. 8) provided in upper housing 7 to press it downward. Locking member 97 (see FIG. 9) of front wall 9 locked to locked member 87 of upper housing 7 is pressed downward by the release pin and moves (swings) downward, thereby releasing the lock between rear end surface 87a of locked member 87 and locking surface 97a of locking member 97. In this state, by pulling top surface member 91 of front wall 9 toward yourself, front wall 9 can be rotated to the laid-down position. The front wall portion 9 (see FIG. 4) that is fixed in the upright position is laid down as shown in FIG. 6, exposing the front opening 10a of the housing main body. When the front opening 10a is opened, the spirit level 14 is exposed, so that the level of the weighing device C can be adjusted by rotating the adjustable legs 12 while checking the spirit level 14.

[0110] [Step 4] When the front wall portion 9 is in a collapsed state, the front opening 10a connects with the first opening 7a of the upper housing 7 to form an integrated enlarged opening, so that in this state the storage portion 6 can be removed from all directions, including the front-to-back and up-down directions. Thereafter, for example, cleaning and maintenance of the inside of the housing 10 of the weighing device C and the removed storage section 6 can be easily performed.

[0111] Incidentally, when returning the weighing device C and the article supply device to their original positions thereafter, the procedure can be reversed. In this case, since the guide surface 87b (see FIG. 8(a)) of the locked member 87 is a tapered surface that slopes upward from the lower end of the rear end surface 87a to the front side, when the front wall portion 9 in the collapsed state is rotated so as to stand up relative to the housing main body, the tip portion 97b (see FIG. 9(a)) of the locking member 97 provided on the edge portion of the upper surface member 91 of the front wall portion 9 is guided by the guide surface 87b of the locked member 87 and can transition to the locked state.

[0112] As described above, in the weighing device C of this embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the housing 10 (front wall portion 9) is openable, and further, the storage section 6 is removable with the portion of the housing 10 (front wall portion 9) open, so that maintenance of the weighing device C can be easily performed.

[0113] Next, an example of a guide portion of another weighing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0114] Second Embodiment Fig. 13(a) is a schematic perspective view of another weighing device according to the present invention with the cover removed, as seen from diagonally above, and Fig. 13(b) is a schematic side view (including a partially enlarged view) for explaining the state in which the cover is attached to the other weighing device. The other weighing device C' shown in Fig. 13 is a modification of the above-mentioned weighing device C in terms of the configuration of the guide section consisting of the first guide member 76 and the second guide member 77, so the modified parts will be explained, and the same components as those of the above-mentioned weighing device C will be given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0115] The weighing device C' of the second embodiment is configured by providing a guide mechanism (guide section) on an upper wall section 73 of the weighing device C', the guide mechanism (guide section) being made up of a flat base member 200 having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a first guide member 210 and a second guide member 220 provided on the base member 200. The first guide member 210 guides the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 rearward in the front-rear direction, and the second guide member 220 guides the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 forward in the front-rear direction, thereby functioning as a guide section that guides the cover body 5 to a predetermined mounting position.

[0116] [Guide part (first guide member)] The first guide member 210 has a flat first wall member 210a that rises substantially vertically from the front end of the base member 200, and a flat first inclined member 210b that extends from an upper edge of the first wall member 210a in an upwardly inclined manner toward the front side. The first guide member 210 functions as a guide surface that guides the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 toward the rear side in the front-rear direction when the cover body 5 is attached. In addition, since the first guide member 210 is configured so that the first wall member 210a rises approximately perpendicular to the base member 200, it is also possible to suppress movement of the cover body 5 attached to a predetermined attachment position toward the front in the front-to-rear direction. The first inclined member 210b serving as a guide surface may be formed in an upper convex arcuate surface (curved surface) or a lower convex arcuate surface (curved surface).

[0117] [Guide part (second guide member)] The second guide member 220 is disposed adjacent to the rear of the first guide member 210, and has a flat second wall member 220a that rises vertically from the base member 200, and a flat second inclined member 220b that extends from the upper edge of the second wall member 220a at an upward angle to the rear. The second inclined member 220b of the second guide member 220 functions as a guide surface that guides the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 forward in the front-rear direction when the cover body 5 is attached. The second inclined member 220b serving as a guide surface may be formed in an upper convex arcuate surface (curved surface) or a lower convex arcuate surface (curved surface).

[0118] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, the front-to-rear distance between the rear end 210c of the first guide member 210 and the front end 220c of the second guide member 220 is configured to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5. Therefore, the cover body 5 guided to a predetermined mounting position by the first guide member 210 and the second guide member 220 is stably mounted with the lower end 53a of the rear wall 53 positioned between the rear end 210c of the first guide member 210 and the front end 220c of the second guide member 220.

[0119] According to the above configuration, when the cover body 5 is attached to the weighing device C, the first guide member 210 and the second guide member 220 can smoothly guide the cover body 5 to the attachment position. Furthermore, because the cover body 5 is positioned at a predetermined mounting position on the housing 10, even if unexpected vibrations or inadvertent external forces occur to the mounted cover body 5, it is possible to prevent the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from shifting forward and interfering with (contacting) the storage section 6. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent a weighing process from being performed in a state where the cover body 5 and the storage section 6 are in contact with each other (resulting in an inaccurate weighing process), and it is possible to accurately perform the weighing process by the weight detection section 150 (weighing section). Furthermore, it is hygienic because it is possible to prevent the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from shifting forward and causing a gap (uncovered portion) on the rear side of the first opening 7a.

[0120] (Other variations) The configuration of the weighing device described above can be partially modified as appropriate.

[0121] In the weighing devices C and C' of the above-mentioned embodiments, the front wall 9 is connected to the front side of the housing main body consisting of the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 via a rotation mechanism so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, thereby opening the front opening 10a of the housing 10, but this is not limiting. In this case, for example, the front wall 9 may be connected to the front side of the housing main body so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, thereby opening the front opening 10a of the housing 10.

[0122] In addition, in the weighing devices C and C' of the above embodiment, the front wall 9 forming a part of the housing 10 is configured to be rotatable, and the storage unit 6 is configured to be removable from the housing by opening the front opening 10a, but this is not limited to the example. In this case, for example, a part of the upper side wall 71 of the housing 10 may be configured to be rotatable about a vertical axis or a horizontal axis, and the storage unit 6 may be configured to be removable from the housing by opening a part of the upper side wall 71.

[0123] In addition, in the weighing devices C and C' of the above-mentioned embodiments, as shown in Figs. 4, 10 and 13, the receiving opening 6a of the storage unit 6 is arranged to protrude upward from the first opening 7a formed in the upper housing 7, but is not limited to this example. For example, the receiving opening 6a of the storage unit 6 may be configured to be accommodated inside the housing 10 without protruding upward from the first opening 7a formed in the upper housing 7. In this case, for example, when the front wall 9 is rotated to open the front opening 10a of the housing 10, it is possible to pull out the storage unit 6 forward in the front-rear direction without removing the cover body 5.

[0124] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations described above, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.

[0125] <Overview of the embodiment> [Technical field] The present invention relates to a weighing device used for selling products by weight, and a product selling system including the weighing device. [Background technology] 2. Description of the Related Art Granular material dispensing devices for dispensing granular materials such as coffee beans, adzuki beans, soybeans, etc. in predetermined amounts are known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-255503). [Summary of the invention] [Problem to be solved by the invention] The conventional technology involves constructing a granular material dispensing device by providing a granular material receiving section for receiving a predetermined amount of granular material within a casing that has an opening for receiving a predetermined amount of granular material stored in a storage section and a dispensing outlet for dispensing the received predetermined amount of granular material, the granular material receiving section being freely movable between a receiving position located at the opening and a dispensing position located at the dispensing outlet. However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques do not adequately address the ease of installation, usability, maintenance, and the like in various situations anticipated in metered sales, and there is room for improvement.

[0126] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide a weighing device that is easy to install, use, and maintain in various situations anticipated in the field of measurement-based sales. [Means for solving the problem] (1) As described above, one aspect of this embodiment is a weighing device comprising a housing including a display unit, a weighing unit that weighs an item, and a storage unit that temporarily stores the item, wherein a portion of the housing is openable, and the storage unit is removable from the housing by opening the portion of the housing. According to the above configuration, the weighing device is configured so that part of the housing can be opened, and further so that the storage section can be removed with part of the housing open, facilitating maintenance of the weighing device (including cleaning, part replacement, etc.).

[0127] (2) In one aspect of this embodiment, in the weighing device described in (1) above, a part of the housing is the display unit, and the part of the housing is opened by rotating the display unit. According to the above configuration, the weighing device is configured so that the display unit, which is part of the housing, can be opened, and further so that the storage unit can be removed with the display unit open, facilitating maintenance of the weighing device (including cleaning, part replacement, etc.).

[0128] (3) One aspect of this embodiment is a weighing device as described in (1) or (2) above, in which a pair of left and right adjustable legs having a height adjustment function and a fixed leg set to a predetermined reference height and positioned rearward of the pair of left and right horizontal adjustment legs are provided on the bottom surface of the housing, and the pair of left and right adjustable legs and the fixed leg are positioned such that the line segments connecting the centers of the adjustable legs and the center of the fixed leg form a triangle. According to the above configuration, the weighing device disposed on the installation section such as a shelf is horizontally arranged based on the height of the fixed legs. For example, when multiple weighing devices are installed adjacent to each other on an installation section such as a shelf, the height position of each weighing device C is determined by the height of the fixed legs (reference height), so that the multiple weighing devices C can be installed in an orderly and unified manner. In addition, the weighing device can be adjusted for levelness simply by adjusting the pair of left and right adjustable legs 12 based on the height of the fixed legs as a reference, making it easy to adjust the levelness while maintaining a specified reference height. Furthermore, since the adjustable legs and fixed legs are arranged so that the line segments connecting the centers of the adjustable legs and the fixed legs form a triangle, the weighing device can be installed stably.

[0129] (4) One aspect of this embodiment is a weighing device as described in any one of (1) to (3) above, further comprising a spirit level, the spirit level being exposed when the display unit is released. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the level is not exposed on the outer surface of the weighing device under normal use conditions, and the level can be protected from dust and the like.

[0130] (5) One aspect of this embodiment is a weighing device as described in any one of (1) to (4) above, further comprising a cover body that covers an opening of the storage section, and the housing has a guide portion that guides the cover body to a predetermined position. According to the above configuration, when the cover body is attached to the weighing device, the guide portion can smoothly guide the cover body to the attachment position.

[0131] (6) One aspect of this embodiment is the weighing device described in (5) above, wherein the guide section includes a pair of left and right first guide members each having a roughly semicircular arc shape in side view, and a second guide member provided at a rear position spaced a predetermined distance from the rear end of the first guide members and having a slope sloping downwardly toward the front. According to the above configuration, when the cover body is attached to the weighing device, the first guide member and the second guide member can smoothly guide the cover body to the attachment position. Furthermore, since the cover body is positioned at a predetermined position on the housing, even if unexpected vibrations or inadvertent external forces occur to the attached cover body 5, it is possible to prevent the rear wall 53 of the cover body 5 from shifting forward and interfering (contacting) with the storage section 6. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent a weighing process from being performed in a state where the cover body and the storage section are in contact with each other (resulting in an inaccurate weighing process), and the weighing process by the weight detection section (weighing section) can be performed accurately.

[0132] The above aspects (1) to (6) can be appropriately combined to form a weighing device and a metered sales system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 5: Cover body 6: Storage section 7: Upper case (case) 8: Lower housing (housing) 9: Front wall (housing, display) 10: Housing 12: Adjustable legs 13: Fixed leg 14: Level (level) 76:First guide member (guide part) 77:Second guide member (guide part) 130: Display section 150: Weight detection unit (weighing unit) 210: 1st guide member (guide part) 220:Second guide member (guide part) A: Product sales system B: Goods supply device C: Weighing device C': Weighing device D: Information processing device

Claims

1. A housing including a display unit; A weighing unit that weighs an article; a storage section for temporarily storing items; Equipped with A portion of the housing is openable; The storage section can be removed from the housing by opening a part of the housing. A weighing device characterized by:

2. A part of the housing is the display unit, and the part of the housing is opened by rotating the display unit.

2. The weighing device according to claim 1 .

3. A pair of left and right adjustable legs having a height adjustment function and a fixed leg set at a predetermined reference height and disposed behind the pair of left and right horizontal adjustment legs are provided on the bottom surface of the housing, The pair of left and right adjustable legs and the fixed leg are arranged such that the line segments connecting the centers of the adjustable legs and the center of the fixed leg form a triangle.

3. A weighing device as claimed in claim 2.

4. Further comprising a level, The level can be exposed by releasing the display unit.

4. A weighing device according to claim 3.

5. A cover body for covering an opening of the storage portion is provided, The housing has a guide portion that guides the cover body to a predetermined position. A weighing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The guide portion is A pair of left and right first guide members each having a generally semicircular arc shape in a side view; a second guide member provided at a rear position spaced a predetermined distance from the rear end of the first guide member and having a slope that slopes downward toward the front; 6. A weighing device according to claim 5.

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