Article delivery system

Abstract

To ensure a space where various events and activities can be held in an article delivery area, while also enabling customers to receive their articles easily and with peace of mind during the delivery process.SOLUTION: An article delivery system includes article retrieval outlet means corresponding to a discharge outlet of a vending machine or an automated warehouse system, and a spacer provided on an article delivery area side with display panel means, both are interposed between an article supply area having an article discharge outlet, such as a discharge outlet of the vending machine controllable via a network or the discharge outlet of the automated warehouse system, and the article delivery area. The article delivery system includes an article control server that controls the discharge of articles from the vending machine or automated warehouse system via a network, and displays the discharge outlet with the display panel means in accordance with the article discharge timing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for delivering goods, including sales and rentals. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, sales or rentals at department stores and specialty stores have been conducted at each store, but if a department store does not have a product in stock, they check the warehouse and, if there is stock, take it out from the warehouse and hand over the product. Alternatively, it has been considered to have a large warehouse available and not focus on display sales, but have customers wait in the warehouse and hand over the desired product (item).

[0003] Alternatively, when considering an item delivery system that assumes the delivery of various products at a retail store or rental store equipped with a warehouse, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, an unmanned store system has been proposed in which a vending device is placed between an automated warehouse and a sales area, and the automated warehouse and sales area are separated by a partition.

[0004] This allows for safe, unmanned transactions by preventing customers from entering the back area of ​​the automated warehouse, etc. However, this is not much different from simply installing a large vending machine, and is not suitable for handling a variety of products. In the case of a larger warehouse, when multiple product supply routes are formed, it becomes difficult to find the delivery location, and it becomes very complicated for customers to receive the delivery of those products.

[0005] As such, even though vending machines have all kinds of products, there are only a few that fit the desired product, so it is preferable to be able to search for and acquire the desired product using a mobile terminal or other appropriate information terminal, and for example, a vending machine controlled by short-range wireless communication is disclosed in Patent Document 2. In addition to these, vending machines in which sales are controlled via a network have also been disclosed.

[0006] Alternatively, Patent Document 3 discloses a technology for storing and delivering online grocery orders. Although technology for delivering all sorts of items is disclosed, and vending machines and automated warehouses that offer a variety of products (articles) are disclosed, there are many different vending machines and automated warehouse systems when designing a product delivery area, and this does not improve the design or customer convenience. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-121012 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-29406 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-193107 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Therefore, the inventors have attempted to isolate the item delivery area from vending machines and automated warehouse systems in the back yard, for example, and have customers wait in an area dedicated to item delivery, where the items are delivered. Note that the term used here can refer to products intended for sale, as well as to a system in which personal items are stored in a warehouse or the like and are delivered whenever needed, so hereafter we will refer to products as items.

[0009] However, although this eliminated inconvenience for customers and achieved a clean design in the product delivery area, with no visible vending machines or automated warehouse equipment, it still meant that products were handed over manually, making automation difficult.

[0010] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an item delivery system that does not expose the vending machines that can supply various items or the automated warehouse system that can supply various items from an automated warehouse, and that ensures that the item delivery area has space for various events and activities, while allowing customers to easily and safely receive items. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the goods delivery system of the present invention is an goods delivery system that is configured by interposing between a goods supply area having a goods discharge outlet of a vending machine or an automated warehouse system that can be controlled via a network and a goods delivery area, a goods take-out opening that coincides with the discharge outlet of the vending machine or the automated warehouse system, and a spacer that has a display panel means on the goods delivery area side, The system is characterized by an item control server that controls the discharge of items from the vending machines and automated warehouse system via the network, and by displaying the discharge outlet using the display panel means in accordance with the timing of the discharge of items.

[0012] By doing so, when an item is requested to be discharged and the item is discharged, the location from which the item will be discharged is clearly displayed, and the item is handed over safely and reliably.

[0013] As a second aspect of the present invention, the article take-out opening is controlled so as to open from a closed state in accordance with the timing of the article discharge.

[0014] Furthermore, in claim 3, the display of the discharge outlet by the display panel means is configured by projection mapping means that receives and is controlled by a discharge signal supplied via a network.

[0015] As claim 4, when the item removal port is controlled to open from a closed state in accordance with the timing of item discharge, the port is opened after obtaining authentication of the customer who is the subject of the transaction at the discharge port using a machine-readable code or a mobile terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of an article supply area and an article delivery area of ​​the article delivery system of the present invention, and a system concept explanatory diagram. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image of an article delivery area in the article delivery system of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram of the open and closed states of an article take-out port in an automated warehouse system in the article delivery system of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the payment and delivery flow when an automated warehouse is used in the goods delivery system of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a side cross-sectional explanatory view of a vending machine used in the article delivery system of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is an explanatory diagram of the open and closed states of the article take-out opening of a vending machine in the article delivery system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 shows an example of an article delivery system 1 according to the present invention, and is a plan view of an article supply area 5 and an article delivery area 6, as well as a conceptual diagram of the system.

[0018] First, in the product supply area 5, vending machines 3 and automated warehouse system 4 that can be controlled via network 2 are installed. Meanwhile, the product delivery area 6 is a space where customers can wait, and is provided with product take-out openings 7a and 7b that coincide with the discharge openings of the vending machines 3 and automated warehouse system 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a projection mapping 15 configured as a display panel means is placed on the product delivery area 6 side, and various images can be displayed in the product delivery area 6 to create various dramatic effects.

[0019] The goods control server 10 controls the goods discharge from the vending machine 3 and the automated warehouse system 4 via the network 2, and the display panel means displays the discharge outlets 7a and 7b in accordance with the goods discharge timing, and controls them so that they can open for goods discharge.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the customer's order "Order No. 0608" and an arrow indicate the outlet 7b, and an image of the ordered item (for example, an illustration of a blazer) and a mobile terminal mark are also displayed to prompt the customer to hold their mobile terminal over the item removal outlet 7b (described below) to authenticate the customer using their mobile terminal.

[0021] In this embodiment, the customer operates a mobile terminal beforehand when purchasing a product, and the customer's mobile terminal information is also transferred to the product control server, so that customer authentication is achieved by receiving the information from this mobile terminal.

[0022] For the goods removal ports 7a and 7b, a machine-readable code, such as a QR code (registered trademark) for authentication beforehand for product delivery, may be issued in advance when payment for a product purchase is completed, and the customer may bring this code with them so that the information can be read by a camera or the like at the goods removal ports 7a and 7b to authenticate the customer.

[0023] In this way, the article take-out openings 7a, 7b are controlled to open from a closed state in accordance with the timing of the article discharge, so that the article is reliably delivered to the customer.

[0024] The goods removal opening 7b, which opens from a closed state in accordance with this discharge timing, is the discharge opening from the automated warehouse system 4, and as shown in Figure 3, the goods removal opening 7b, which is provided in the spacer 9 that constitutes the display panel means 8, has a flush surface until the goods are discharged, and when it is opened, it temporarily drops down, rises to the top, opens, and the goods are discharged.

[0025] In this way, when no goods are being discharged and the door is not opened, the panel surface is flush, so various screenings can be performed by projection mapping 15 in the goods delivery area 6, and various events can also be held, providing an effective area in terms of building design.

[0026] Next, the transaction flow shown in Fig. 4 will be explained using an example of purchasing a product using an automated warehouse in the product delivery system. When purchasing a product, for example, an app or the like is installed on mobile terminal 17, and the product is selected (step 101). Then, when the product is selected in step 102, payment processing is performed in step 103.

[0027] Then, in step 104, the item delivery method is selected, and if delivery or later collection is selected, the process proceeds to 105 and the appropriate procedure is carried out. Furthermore, if delivery at the item delivery area 6 in the present invention is selected, a notice of the delivery time is sent to the customer's mobile terminal 17 in step 106, and the customer is instructed to wait in the item delivery area 6 until that time or to arrive at the item delivery area 6 by that time.

[0028] When the time for delivery of the item arrives, the presence of the customer is confirmed in the customer's item delivery area 6 through the customer's mobile terminal 17, and if the presence is not confirmed, the item 35 goes into standby mode in step 109, and the item in question in the discharge system waits near the discharge outlet until the customer's arrival is confirmed (step 110).

[0029] If the presence of the customer is confirmed in step 109, or if the customer is confirmed in step 110, the panel display means displays in step 111 which outlet the product (item) will be discharged from (see Figure 2).

[0030] When the customer approaches the outlet and holds up the mobile terminal to authenticate the customer (over the mobile terminal mark shown in Figure 2), the customer authentication is successful, the outlet 7 opens (step 112), and the delivery of the goods is completed. 30 is a sensor that reads information from the mobile terminal, and is capable of authenticating the customer.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the display of the discharge outlet 7b by the display panel means is performed by a projection mapping means 15 that receives and controls a discharge signal supplied from the article control server 10 via the network 2. This projection mapping means 15 is provided with a communication means 21 that transmits and receives signals from the article control server 10 and the outside, an input means 22 that receives operation information from the communication means 21 and the article delivery area, and an output means 23 that outputs display information to the projector 16, and a control means 24 that controls them.

[0032] For the purposes of explanation, projector 16 is described as a single unit, but projection mapping examples have been disclosed in the past that perform various effects, such as outdoors and indoors, and typically multiple projectors are connected, so it is also possible to connect multiple projectors in the present invention.

[0033] Furthermore, with regard to the vending machines 3 that operate in the product supply area in particular, those that have an operation panel on the front and from which products are dispensed are generally disclosed. As mentioned above, it is desirable to have one that is operated from an external terminal as shown in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, in general vending machines, the front door (the operation panel side on the discharging side) is opened to dispense products (products), making it difficult to adopt this method in the present invention.

[0034] Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, it is desirable for the vending machine 3 used in the present invention to have a discharge outlet on the front side of the operation panel, with products (items) being replenished from the front, and a discharge outlet on the back as well. In this way, products used in the item delivery area are supplied from the discharge outlet on the back side of this vending machine, and the products to be sold in the vending machine can be stored in the item supply area 5 by opening the outer door 42 on the front, and the vending machine can also be used in this item supply area 5. Such a vending machine can easily be implemented as a vending machine used in the present invention.

[0035] This vending machine 3 will be explained in detail in Figure 5. It comprises a vending machine main body 3 with an open front, an outer door 42 that opens and closes the front of the vending machine main body 3, an insulated product storage cabinet 43 provided within the vending machine main body 3, an insulated inner door 44 that opens and closes the front of the product storage cabinet 43, a plurality of product storage columns 45 installed within the product storage cabinet 43, a product discharge device 46 that discharges products from the product storage columns 45, a coin processing device 47 that stores coins inserted by users, a safe 48 that accepts coins discharged from the coin processing device 47 when money is collected, a door lock mechanism that locks the outer door 42 and the vending machine main body 3, and a coin discharge unit 42g that switches the discharge path for coins discharged from the coin processing device 47.

[0036] The vending machine main body 3 has a machine room 43a below the product storage cabinet 43, and a refrigeration device for cooling the inside of the product storage cabinet 43 and the like are provided in the machine room 43a.

[0037] The outer door 42 has one widthwise end supported by the vending machine main body 3 so that it can rotate freely, and its front is provided with a product sample chamber 42a, multiple product selection switches 42b, a bill insertion slot 42c, a coin insertion slot 42d, a coin return lever 42e, a coin return slot 42f, and a product removal opening 42g.

[0038] The product storage cabinet 43 is formed by an insulated box 43a with an open front, and is equipped with a cooling unit 43b and a heater 43c, each consisting of a cooler and a fan. Specifically, when selling cold products, the cooling unit 43b cools the interior of the product storage cabinet 43, while the heater 43c heats the interior of the product storage cabinet 43 when selling hot products. Although not shown, the product storage cabinet 43 is partitioned widthwise into multiple storage compartments, each of which is individually cooled or heated. The product storage cabinet 43 is also equipped with a chute board 43d that guides items dropped from each product storage column 45 forward or backward. When the chute board 43d guides items to the front of the vending machine's front outlet 44a, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 5, the chute board 43d guides the items to the front of the vending machine's front outlet 44a. When the chute board 43d guides the items to the rear outlet 44a, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 5, the chute board 43d guides the items to the rear outlet 44a.

[0039] The inner door 44 is pivotally supported at one widthwise end on the vending machine body 3 so as to open and close the front opening of the product storage cabinet 43, and has multiple product outlets 44a at its bottom. When supplying products into a typical vending machine 3, the inner door 44 is opened to supply the products. However, the vending machine in this embodiment is also provided with an outlet 54a at the rear, and products can be discharged to the rear 54a by controlling the chute plate 43d. Furthermore, the chute plate 43d may be controlled to tilt sideways, and a discharge tool may be installed laterally on the vending machine to discharge products sideways.

[0040] Each product storage column 45 has a well-known serpentine structure and is arranged in the front-to-rear and width directions within the product storage cabinet 43. The product storage column 45 stores products inserted through a product inlet 45a at the top in a serpentine product passage 45b, and a product discharge device 46 provided at the bottom end of the product passage drops the products in the product passage 45b downward one by one and discharges them.

[0041] Each product discharge device 46 has a well-known structure in which the second product from the bottom of the product aisle 45b is held by the lock lever 46a, and the gate lever 46b is opened to drop the bottom product from the product aisle 45b, and the lock lever 46a and the gate lever 46b are driven by a solenoid (not shown).

[0042] In addition to the functions described above, the vending machine 3 shown here also has an inner door 54a, which serves as an outlet, and a product outlet 52g on the back side of the vending machine 3 body, and a chute board 43d guides the goods rearward as shown by the dashed line, and directs them from the goods supply area 5 side, via a spacer 9, toward the goods delivery area 6, so that the goods (products) can be taken out in this goods delivery area 6.

[0043] In this case, as shown in Figure 6, when an item is discharged from the vending machine 3, the item dispensing opening 7b provided in the spacer 9 constituting the display panel means 8 has a flush surface until the timing of dispensing the item, and when it opens, it pulls down once, descends inside the spacer 9, and is opened so that the item can be discharged.

[0044] The payment method for the vending machine 3 used in the examples of this invention is shown in Patent Document 2, where product selection and payment can be made using a known technology with a mobile terminal. A particularly novel feature is that the rear side (or side) of the vending machine 3 faces the inside of the spacer 9 that separates the space, and on the outside separated by the spacer 9, the front side of the vending machine 3 can be used in the same way as a regular vending machine, with product supply, product selection, and product removal, allowing it to be used in two spaces.

[0045] As described above, according to the present invention, the vending machines that can supply a variety of goods and the automated warehouse system that can supply a variety of goods from the automated warehouse can be concealed, and in the goods delivery area, space can be secured for a variety of events and activities, while customers can be guided to easily and safely receive their goods when they are delivered. This makes it possible to provide extremely efficient space in terms of building design, making it extremely useful in industry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1. Goods delivery system 2...Network 3. Vending machines 4. Automated warehouse system 3a, 4a...article discharge port 5...Product supply area 6. Goods delivery area 7a, 7b...Item removal opening 8...Display panel means 9...Spacer 10...Item control server 15...Projection mapping 16...Projector 17...Mobile device 21...Means of communication 22...Input method 23...Output means 24...Control means

Claims

1. An article delivery system comprising an article supply area having an article outlet of a vending machine or an automated warehouse system that can be controlled via a network, and an article delivery area, and an article take-out port that coincides with the outlet of the vending machine or the automated warehouse system, and a spacer having a display panel means on the article delivery area side, An item delivery system characterized by an item control server that controls the discharge of items from the vending machines and the automated warehouse system via the network, and an item delivery system that displays the discharge outlet using the display panel means in accordance with the timing of the discharge of items.

2. 2. The article delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the article take-out opening is controlled so as to open from a closed state in accordance with the timing of the article discharge.

3. 3. The goods delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the display of the discharge outlet by the display panel means is a projection mapping means that is controlled by receiving a discharge signal supplied via a network.

4. The goods delivery system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when the goods removal port is controlled to open from a closed state in accordance with the timing of goods discharge, the port opens after obtaining authentication of the customer who is the subject of the transaction at the discharge port using a machine-readable code or a mobile terminal.

Images