Product advance device and product advance method using the same

Abstract

To provide a product forward-pushing tool with an extremely simple structure capable of forward-pushing odd-shaped products without disturbing a row of the products. [Solution] The product advance device comprises a rail, a tray member, a biasing member that biases the tray member from the second position toward the first position, a switch member provided on the storage section that is movable between a depressed position where it is depressed by the product placed on the storage section and a normal position where it is returned to when the product is removed from the storage section, and a first stopper mechanism that is connectable to the switch member, that is capable of engaging with the tray member in the second position to hold the tray member at the second position, and that is capable of disengaging from the tray member when the switch member is moved from the depressed position to the normal position by removing the product from the storage section.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a product advance device that can advance products. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, an automatic product forward-feed shelf device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device includes a product forward-feed body having a product pressure plate, and a spiral steel strip for advancing the product forward-feed body. In this device, the steel strip constantly applies tension to the product forward-feed body, allowing products to be advanced. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. WO2006 / 027871 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when displaying products that are irregularly shaped other than rectangular prisms, such as inverted truncated cones, cylinders, or triangular prisms, applying tension to such products from behind can cause the products to shift sideways, disrupting the rows of products, which can make it difficult to maintain a beautiful display.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a product advance device that has an extremely simple structure and can advance irregularly shaped products without disturbing the row of the products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problems are solved by the present invention. That is, the product advance device of the present invention (1) comprises: a rail having a placement portion at its front end on which an item can be placed or removed; a tray member having a second placement section that is movable on the rail between a first position overlapping the placement section above the placement section and a second position behind the first position, and on which a second product can be placed or the second product can be removed; a biasing member disposed between the front end portion and the tray member, the biasing member biasing the tray member from the second position toward the first position; a switch member provided on the placement section so as to be movable between a depressed position where the switch member is depressed by the product placed on the placement section and a normal position where the switch member is returned to when the product is removed from the placement section; a first stopper mechanism connectable to the switch member, which is capable of engaging with the tray member in the second position to hold the tray member in the second position, and which is capable of releasing the engagement with the tray member when the switch member is moved from the depressed position to the normal position by removing the product from the placement section; Equipped with.

[0007] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (2) is the product advance device described in (1), The first stopper mechanism is a first engagement member provided at the second position so as to be movable between a first state in which the first engagement member is engaged with the tray member at the second position and a second state in which the first engagement member is separated from the tray member at the second position; a connecting member provided between the switch member and the first engagement member to connect them, the connecting member moving the switch member from the pressed position to the normal position when the product is removed from the placement section and changing the first engagement member from the first state to the second state; Equipped with.

[0008] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (3) is a product advance device according to (1) or (2), The connecting member is a connecting member body that connects the switch member and the first engaging member between them, the connecting member body being movable between a connecting position located directly below the first engaging member and a separating position that is forward of the connecting position and away from directly below the first engaging member; a second biasing member interposed between the connection member body and the rail and biasing the connection member body from the connection position toward the separation position, the second biasing member moving the switch member from the pressed position to the normal position while moving the connection member body from the connection position to the separation position when the product is removed from the placement section, thereby changing the first engagement member from the first state to the second state; Equipped with.

[0009] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (4) is a product advance device according to any one of (1) to (3), the tray member being movable on the rail between a first position where the tray member overlaps the upper side of the placement portion and a third position behind the second position; a second stopper mechanism that moves the switch member from the depressed position to the normal position when the tray member is moved from the first position to the third position, and that engages with the tray member at the third position to hold the tray member at the third position, the second stopper mechanism being able to release engagement with the tray member by moving the switch member from the normal position to the depressed position; Equipped with.

[0010] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (5) is the product advance device described in (4), The first stopper mechanism cannot engage with the tray member when the switch member is in the normal position, and can engage with the tray member when the switch member is in the depressed position.

[0011] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (6) is a product advance device according to (4) or (5), The second stopper mechanism is a second engagement member provided at the third position so as to be movable between a third state in which the second engagement member is engaged with the tray member at the third position and a fourth state in which the second engagement member is separated from the tray member at the third position; a second stopper body that is connectable between the switch member and the second engagement member and that moves the second engagement member from the third state to the fourth state when the switch member is moved from the normal position to the pressed position; Equipped with.

[0012] In addition, the product advance device of the present invention (7) is the product advance device described in (6), The rail has a flat rail body, The second stopper mechanism is a through-hole portion provided at the third position of the rail for passing the second engagement member therethrough; a slope portion provided on the rear surface of the rail body near the through-hole portion, the slope portion being capable of putting the second engagement member into a fourth state by pushing down the second stopper body and allowing a part of the second stopper body to ride up when the switch member is moved from the normal position to the depressed position; It has.

[0013] In addition, the product forward-feeding method of the present invention (8) is as follows: a rail having a placement portion at its front end on which an item can be placed or removed; a tray member having a second placement section that is movable on the rail between a first position overlapping the placement section above the placement section and a second position behind the first position, and on which a second product can be placed or the second product can be removed; a biasing member disposed between the front end portion and the tray member, the biasing member biasing the tray member from the second position toward the first position; a switch member provided on the mounting portion; A product advance method using a product advance device comprising: a first step of detecting, with the switch member, whether or not the product placed on the placement section has been removed while the tray member is held at the second position by the first stopper mechanism; a second step in which, when it is detected that the product placed on the placement section has been removed, the first stopper mechanism connected to the switch member disengages from the tray member, thereby moving the tray member forward from the second position to the first position; It has.

[0014] The present invention (9) also provides a commodity forward-feeding method according to (8), which comprises: The switch member is moved from the depressed position to the normal position when the product is removed.

[0015] The present invention (10) also provides a commodity forward-feeding method according to (9), which comprises: the tray member is movable on the rail between a first position where the tray member overlaps the upper side of the placement section and a third position behind the second position, The method further includes a step of holding the tray member at the third position by a second stopper mechanism as a zeroth step prior to the first step.

[0016] The present invention (11) also provides a commodity forward-feeding method according to (10), which comprises: The transition from the 0th step to the 1st step is made by placing the product on the placement section and moving the switch member from the normal position to the pressed position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a product advance device that has an extremely simple structure and can advance irregularly shaped products without disrupting the row of the products. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a product advance device of an embodiment from the front and above. FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing the product advance device shown in FIG. 1 from below. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 1 in an exploded state. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing the product advance device shown in FIG. 1 from behind. FIG. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the tray member has been moved to a third position in the commodity advance device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a plan view showing the product advance device shown in FIG. 1 from above. FIG. [Figure 7] 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which second products are displayed in two layers on a second placement section of the product advance device shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 6 taken along line AA, showing a state in which the tray member is in a first position. FIG. [Figure 9] 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 6 taken along line BB, showing a state in which the tray member is in a first position. FIG. [Figure 10] 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which a tray member of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 7 has been moved from a first position to a third position. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 10 taken along line AA in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 12] 11 is a cross-sectional view of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 10 taken along line BB in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which products are placed and displayed on the placement section of the product advance device shown in FIG. 10 and the tray member is moved from the third position to the second position. FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 13 cut at the position of line AA in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 15] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 13 cut at the position of line BB in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 16] 14 is a perspective view showing the state of the product advance device shown in FIG. 13 at the moment when the product is removed from the placement section. FIG. [Figure 17] 17 is a cross-sectional view of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 16 taken along line AA in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 18] 17 is a cross-sectional view of the commodity advance device shown in FIG. 16 taken along line BB in FIG. 6. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] An embodiment of the product advance device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The product advance device of the present invention can advance products that are irregularly shaped other than rectangular pillars, such as cup noodles shaped like bowls or donburi, without disrupting the line. In this embodiment, the forward direction will be referred to as F, the rear direction as R, the width direction as W, the upward direction as U, and the downward direction as D.

[0020] A commodity advance device 11 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 18. As shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 13, the commodity advance device 11 includes a rail 15 having a placement section 13 on its front end 14 on which a commodity 12 can be placed, legs 16 that support the rail 15, a tray member 17 that is configured to be movable forward and backward in the front-rear direction FR on the rail 15, a biasing member 18 that biases the tray member 17 toward the front end 14, a switch member 19 provided on the placement section 13, a first stopper mechanism 21 that stops the tray member 17 at a second position P2 (described later), a second stopper mechanism 22 that stops the tray member 17 at a third position P3 (described later), and a resistance member 23 that applies resistance to the tray member 17 moving forward.

[0021] 3, the rail 15 and the legs 16 are integrally molded from, for example, a synthetic resin material. The rail 15 has a rail main body 24 in the shape of a rectangular flat plate that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction FR, a front frame 25, a rear frame 26, and a pair of side frames 27 positioned around the rail main body 24, a pair of grooves 28 provided inside the pair of side frames 27 and extending in the front-to-rear direction FR, a front end portion 14 provided on the front side F of the rail main body 24, a mounting portion 13 provided on the front end portion 14 and recessed into a semi-bowl shape following the shape of the bowl-shaped product 12, a recess 31 extending in the front-to-rear direction FR at a position offset from the front end portion 14, and a second recess 32 extending in the front-to-rear direction FR parallel to the recess 31 at a position offset from the front end portion 14.

[0022] Each of the pair of side frames 27 has a tongue-shaped portion 27A formed at its intermediate position in the front-rear direction FR to reduce rigidity. The tongue-shaped portion 27A is provided on the inner surface of the side frame 27. The tongue-shaped portion 27A protrudes upward U from the rail main body 24 in a tongue-like shape and is configured to be less rigid and more flexible than the remaining portions of the side frame 27. When assembling the product advance device 11, an operator can insert the pair of flat insertion portions 33 of the tray member 17 into the pair of grooves 28 formed in the tongue-shaped portion 27A while bending the tongue-shaped portion 27A outward. This allows the tray member 17 to be attached to the rail 15 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction FR.

[0023] The leg 16 is formed in a rectangular frame shape, and its upper side is integrated with a front frame 25, a rear frame 26, and a pair of side frames 27. The leg 16 is placed directly on the shelf board of the display shelf, and a gap can be formed between the rail body 24 and the shelf board.

[0024] The front frame 25 has a pair of hooks 25A. The hooks 25A can be inserted into the inside of a bag-shaped grip portion formed on the rear side of a POS rail installed on the shelf of a store display shelf. This allows the product forward-dispensing device 11 to be fixed to the shelf. Note that the POS rail is not shown in the present embodiment.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, the recess 31 is formed in a rectangular shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction FR, and is recessed downward in the direction U from the top surface of the rail main body 24. The spiral spring 34 of the urging member 18 can be passed through the recess 31. An end 34A of the spiral spring 34 of the urging member 18 can be fixed to a front wall portion 31A located at the end of the front side F of the recess 31 at a position corresponding to the front end portion 14.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, the second recess 32 is formed in a narrow rectangular shape elongated in the front-rear direction FR and recessed downward in the direction U from the top surface of the rail main body 24. A portion of the resistance member 23 can be inserted inside the second recess 32. The second recess 32 has a rack portion 35 on one of a pair of walls defining both ends of the second recess 32 in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. 4, a pinion portion 36 of the resistance member 23 can engage with the rack portion 35. Each tooth constituting the rack portion 35 is formed in a direction that protrudes upward.

[0027] The tray member 17 is movable on the rails 15 between a first position P1 where it overlaps the upper side of the mounting portion 13 as shown in Fig. 1, a second position P2 behind the first position P1 as shown in Figs. 13 to 15, and a third position P3 further behind the second position P2 as shown in Figs. 10 to 12. The lower surface of the tray member 17 is formed in a shape complementary to the mounting portion 13. When the tray member 17 is in the first position P1, it can fit snugly onto the upper side of the mounting portion 13.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the tray member 17 is integrally molded from, for example, a synthetic resin material. The tray member 17 includes a dish-shaped tray body 41, a second placement portion 42 formed on the upper surface of the tray body 41, a handle portion 43 provided so as to protrude upward from the front end 14 of the tray body 41, a holding portion 44 provided at the rear end of the tray body 41, a first engagement wall portion 45 (see FIG. 9) protruding downward from the rear end of the tray body 41, and a second engagement wall portion 46 (see FIG. 8) protruding downward from the rear end of the tray body 41. The tray body 41 and the second placement portion 42 formed on its upper surface are recessed so as to curve in a bowl shape following the shape of the bowl-shaped second product 37. Note that the second product 37 is the same type of product as the product 12, and therefore the shape of the second product 37 is the same as the shape of the first product 12. The second product 37 can be placed on the second placement section 42 and the second product 37 can be removed from there.

[0029] The handle portion 43 includes a pair of support posts 43A that are directly connected to the tray body 41 and protrude upward, and a bar portion 43B that connects the tips of the pair of support posts 43A in the horizontal direction. As shown in Fig. 6, the bar portion 43B is formed in an arc shape to follow the side shape of the second product 37 when viewed from above.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 , the holding portion 44 is formed so as to protrude upward in a stepped manner from the tray main body 41. As shown in FIG. 4 , the interior of the holding portion 44 is hollow, and the biasing member 18 and the resistance member 23 can be stored therein. As shown in FIG. 3 , the holding portion 44 has a curved surface 44C on its front surface that is curved to match the side shape of the bowl-shaped second product. The second product 37 placed on the upper side of the second placement portion 42 is held on the second placement portion 42 by the curved shape of the second placement portion 42, the handle portion 43, and the curved surface 44C of the holding portion 44 so that it does not fall off the second placement portion 42 during movement.

[0031] 3 and 4, the holding portion 44 has a first portion 44A that holds the biasing member 18 and a second portion 44B that supports the resistance member 23. The first portion 44A has a pair of bearing grooves 47 that rotatably hold the biasing member 18. The bearing grooves 47 include a pair of grooves into which the shaft portion 51A of the reel 51 of the biasing member 18 can be inserted and rotatably held.

[0032] 9, the first engagement wall portion 45 is provided at a position facing the first engagement member 61 of the first stopper mechanism 21 in the width direction W, and is able to engage with the first engagement member 61. As shown in FIG. 8, the second engagement wall portion 46 is provided at a position facing the second engagement member 76 of the second stopper mechanism 22 in the width direction W, and is able to engage with the second engagement member 76 of the second stopper mechanism 22.

[0033] The biasing member 18 is disposed between the front end portion 14 and the tray member 17. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the biasing member 18 has a reel 51 and a spiral spring 34 wound around the reel 51. The spiral spring 34 can generate a biasing force in a direction in which the spiral spring 34 rewinds around the reel 51. Because the end portion 34A of the spiral spring 34 is fixed to the front end portion 14 (the front wall portion 31A of the recess 31) as described above, the biasing member 18 can bias the tray member 17 toward the front side F, i.e., from the second position P2 toward the first position P1.

[0034] 3 and 4, the resistance member 23 has a rod-shaped arm portion 52 rotatably attached to the second portion 44B, a rotary damper 53 supported by the arm portion 52, and a biasing member 54 provided to protrude from the arm portion 52. In this embodiment, the biasing member 54 is formed, for example, by a compression coil spring. One end of the biasing member 54 abuts against the top wall portion 44BA of the second portion 44B of the holding portion 44, and the repulsive force of the biasing member 54 can bias the arm portion 52 in a direction that presses the rotary damper 53 against the rack portion 35.

[0035] The arm portion 52 is formed of, for example, a synthetic resin material. The arm portion 52 includes a first end portion 55 that supports the rotary damper 53 and a second end portion 56 that is connected to the second portion 44B. The second end portion 56 has a hole portion 57 through which a support shaft fixed to the second portion 44B passes.

[0036] The rotary damper 53 is commercially available. The rotary damper 53 is attached to the first end 55, for example, by screws. The rotary damper 53 has a pinion portion 36. The rotary damper 53 can apply resistance to the rotation of the pinion portion 36 by utilizing the viscous resistance of oil. When the pinion portion 36 engages with the rack portion 35 of the rail 15, it can rotate around its axis (not shown) while applying a load. Therefore, the resistance member 23 (rotary damper 53) forms a rack-and-pinion mechanism with the rack portion 35 of the rail 15, and can apply a predetermined resistance force to the tray member 17 moving in the forward direction F from the third position P3 to the first position P1. This allows the second product 37 on the tray member 17 to be slowly advanced forward. On the other hand, when the tray member 17 moves in the rear direction R from the first position P1 toward the third position P3, the resistance member 23 (rotary damper 53) does not exert a resistance force on the retreating tray member 17 because the pinion portion 36, which is subject to rotational resistance against the rack portion 35, repels the pinion portion 36, which is subject to rotational resistance against the rack portion 35, causing the resistance member 23 (rotary damper 53) to float up from the rack portion 35.

[0037] 13 and 15, the first stopper mechanism 21 can engage with the tray member 17 that has moved from the third position P3 to the second position P2 to hold the tray member 17 at the second position P2, and can disengage from the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is moved from the pressed position U1 to the normal position U2 as a result of the product 12 being removed from the mounting section 13. The first stopper mechanism 21 is also designed to prevent accidental engagement with the tray member 17 that is moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2. In other words, the first stopper mechanism 21 cannot engage with the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is in the normal position U2, which will be described later, and can engage with the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is in the pressed position U1, which will be described later.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the first stopper mechanism 21 has a first engagement member 61 provided at a second position P2, which is the rear portion of the rail main body 24, and a connecting member 62 provided below the rail main body 24 and below the first engagement member 61.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 , the first engagement member 61 is formed integrally with the surrounding rail main body 24 using, for example, a synthetic resin material. The first engagement member 61 has a through-hole portion 63 formed in the rail main body 24, an engagement portion 64 that protrudes tongue-like from the rail main body 24 around the through-hole portion 63 toward the front direction F within the through-hole portion 63, and a protruding portion 65 provided at the tip of the tongue-shaped engagement portion 64 and protruding upward. The engagement portion 64 is formed to be flexible. That is, the engagement portion 64 is capable of changing between a first state S1 in which it protrudes above the top surface of the rail main body 24 and can engage with the tray member 17, as shown in FIG. 15 , and a second state S2 in which it retracts to a height approximately equal to or lower than the top surface of the rail main body 24 and can be separated from the tray member 17, as shown in FIG. 18 .

[0040] 3, the connecting member 62 includes a plate-shaped connecting member main body 66 elongated in the front-rear direction FR, a second biasing member 69 that biases the connecting member main body 66 in the forward direction F, a rectangular first through hole 67 provided on the rear side R of the connecting member main body 66, a rectangular second through hole 68 provided in the connecting member main body 66 on the front side F of the first through hole 67, a cylindrical first fixing portion 71 that is provided near the second through hole and can be inserted into the second biasing member 69 to fix the second biasing member 69, and a first connecting portion 72 that is provided on the front end portion 14 of the connecting member main body 66 and abuts against and separates from the switch member 19. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member 62 is provided slidably in the front-rear direction FR relative to the rear surface of the rail main body 24 via a claw portion 73 and a first slide hole portion 74 provided in the rail main body 24.

[0041] The second biasing member 69 is made of a compression coil spring and is interposed between the connecting member main body 66 and the rail main body 24. The second biasing member 69 biases the connecting member 62 in the forward direction F, i.e., in the direction approaching the switch member 19, from a connected position T1 to a disconnected position T2, which will be described later.

[0042] The connecting member body 66 of the connecting member 62 is provided between the switch member 19 and the first engaging member 61 to connect them. The connecting member body 66 is integrally molded from, for example, a synthetic resin material. As shown in FIG. 15 , the connecting member body 66 is movable between a connected position T1 where it abuts against the first engaging member 61 to support the first engaging member 61 from behind, thereby holding the first engaging member 61 in the first state S1, and a separated position T2 where it can be separated from the first engaging member 61 to place the first engaging member 61 in the second state S2, as shown in FIG. 18 . As shown in FIG. 15 , at the connected position T1, the connecting member body 66 has moved to the rear side R and abuts against the first engaging member 61 via the edge portion around the first through-hole 67, thereby holding the first engaging member 61 in the first state S1 so that the first engaging member 61 cannot retract downward. As shown in Figure 18, at the separation position T2, the connecting member main body 66 has moved to the front side F and is separated from the first engaging member 61 through the first through hole 67, allowing the first engaging member 61 to retreat to the second state S2 in which it is positioned downward so as to fall inside the first through hole 67.

[0043] 2, the second stopper mechanism 22 is provided below the rail 15. When the tray member 17 is moved from the first position P1 to the third position P3, the second stopper mechanism 22 moves the switch member 19 from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2, and is capable of engaging with the tray member 17 at the third position P3 to hold the tray member 17 at the third position P3.

[0044] 2 and 3, the second stopper mechanism 22 includes a plate-like second stopper body 75 that extends elongatedly in the front-rear direction FR, a second engagement member 76 that is integrally provided with the second stopper body 75 at the rear end 34A of the second stopper body 75, a reinforcing plate 77 that is attached to the back surface of the second stopper body 75, a through-hole portion 78 that is provided at the third position P3 of the rail 15 and through which the second engagement member 76 passes, a slope portion 81 that is provided near the through-hole portion 78 on the back surface of the rail main body 24, and a third biasing member 83 that biases the second stopper body 75 in the forward direction F. The slope portion 81 is formed obliquely so as to move away from the surface of the rail main body 24 as it goes toward the rear side R.

[0045] The second stopper body 75 and the second engaging member 76 are integrally molded from, for example, a synthetic resin material.

[0046] The second engagement member 76 is provided to protrude upward from the rear end of the second stopper body 75. As shown in Figures 8 and 11, the second engagement member 76 can protrude to an upper side U of the top surface of the rail main body 24 via the through-hole portion 78, or can move into the through-hole portion 78 so as to be on a lower side D below the top surface of the rail main body 24 as shown in Figure 14. As shown in Figure 8, the second engagement member 76 has a first surface 76A provided on the front side F and inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that its height decreases toward the front direction F, and a second surface 76B provided on the rear side R and extending in a substantially vertical direction.

[0047] 3, the second stopper body 75 can connect the switch member 19 and the second engagement member 76. The second stopper body 75 is configured to be flexible throughout, and is particularly configured to be flexible also at the connection portion with the second engagement member 76. The second stopper body 75 includes a second connection portion 85 that is provided at the front end of the connection member body 66 and that comes into contact with and separates from the switch member 19, a rectangular third through hole 82, and a cylindrical second fixing portion 84 that is provided near the third through hole 82 and can be inserted into the third biasing member 83 to fix the third biasing member 83.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, the second stopper body 75 is provided to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction FR relative to the rear surface of the rail body 24 via the claw portion 73 and the second slide hole portion 86 provided in the rail body 24. A portion of the second stopper body 75 and the second engagement member 76 protrude further rearward from the claw portion 73 and the second slide hole portion 86 and form a free end near the second engagement member 76, and this free end portion can bend downward. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 and other figures, when the tray member 17 moves from the first position P1 to the third position P3, the second stopper body 75 bends via the inclined first surface 76A so as to escape downward from the first engagement wall portion 45, allowing the second engagement member 76 to pass through the second engagement wall portion 46. On the other hand, when the tray member 17 attempts to move from the third position P3 to the front side F (e.g., the second position P2) due to the action of the biasing member 18, the second engaging member 76 can abut against the second engaging wall portion 46 via the second surface 76B extending in the substantially vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 11. Therefore, the second stopper body 75 and the second engaging member 76 can stop the tray member 17, which attempts to move forward from the third position P3, at the third position P3.

[0049] The second stopper body 75 and the second engagement member 76 are movable between a third state S3 in which they are engaged with the tray member 17 at the third position P3 as shown in FIG. 11 and a fourth state S4 in which they are separated from the tray member 17 at the third position P3 and further rearward of the third state S3 as shown in FIG. 14. When in the fourth state S4, the second stopper body 75 and the second engagement member 76 can climb onto the upper side of the slope portion 81. In this state, the slope portion 81 can move the second engagement member 76 downward and away from the top surface of the rail body 24. This disengages the second engagement wall portion 46 of the tray member 17 from the second engagement member 76, allowing the tray member 17 to move from the third position P3 toward the front side F.

[0050] The reinforcing plate 77 is made of, for example, a thin stainless steel plate. Note that the second stopper body 75 may become bent due to repeated climbing up and releasing from the upper side of the slope portion 81. In this embodiment, the reinforcing plate 77 reinforces the second stopper body 75 and prevents the second stopper body 75 from becoming bent around the second engaging member 76.

[0051] The switch member 19 is configured to be movable between a depressed position U1, as shown in FIG. 14, when pressed down by a product 12 placed on the placement section 13, and a normal position U2, as shown in FIG. 11, to which it returns when the product 12 is removed from the placement section 13. As shown in FIG. 3, the switch member 19 has a rotating shaft 91 that is inserted into a bearing section (bearing hole) (not shown) on the rail 15 and rotatably supported by the bearing section, a main body 92 that protrudes from the rotating shaft 91, and a contact piece 93 that protrudes from the rotating shaft 91 on the side opposite the main body 92. A pair of rotating shafts 91 are provided so as to protrude outward in the width direction W. Each of the pair of rotating shafts 91 is cylindrical. The main body 92 is in the shape of a fan-shaped plate.

[0052] The switch member 19 being in the depressed position U1 refers to a state in which the switch member 19 is at approximately the same height as the mounting portion 13 or is positioned lower than the mounting portion 13. The main body 92 mainly constitutes a portion that protrudes from the mounting portion 13 when the switch member 19 is in the normal position U2. As shown in FIG. 3 , the rail 15 is provided with a through-hole 94 through which the abutment piece 93 can pass. Therefore, the switch member 19 provided on the upper surface of the rail 15 can access the first connection portion 72 of the first stopper mechanism 21 and the second connection portion 85 of the second stopper mechanism 22 on the lower surface of the rail 15 by passing the abutment piece 93 through the through-hole 94.

[0053] Next, the product forward-dispensing method of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 5, and 7 to 18.

[0054] As shown in Figure 7, with the tray member 17 in the first position P1, the store manager can place a second product 37 on the second mounting section 42 of the product advance device 11 on the shelf board to display the second product 37. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in this state, the switch member 19 is pressed down by the tray member 17 and held in the pressed position U1. The store manager can then place another second product 37 on top of the second product 37 placed on the second mounting section 42, thereby displaying the second products 37 in a two-tiered structure.

[0055] With the second products 37 stacked two-tiered on the second placement section 42 of the tray member 17, the store manager can push the handle 43 toward the rear side R to push the tray member 17 toward the rear side R, thereby moving the tray member 17 from the first position P1 to the second position P2 and then to the third position P3, as shown in FIG. 10. When the tray member 17 moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the depression of the switch member 19 by the tray member 17 is released. At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the second biasing member 69 and the third biasing member 18 bias the connecting member main body 66 to the separated position T2 and the second stopper main body 75 to the third state S3, and the switch member 19 moves from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2.

[0056] At this time, because the connecting member main body 66 is in the separation position T2, the first engaging member 61 is in a state where it can move from the first state S1 to the second state S2. Therefore, even when the tray member 17 passes through the second position P2, the first engaging member 61 will not accidentally get caught on the first engaging wall portion 45 of the tray member 17.

[0057] When the tray member 17 moves to the third position P3, the second engagement wall portion 46 of the tray member 17 climbs over the second engagement member 76 of the second stopper mechanism 22. When the tray member 17 hits the rear frame 26 and stops, the store manager can release the tray member 17. When the tray member 17 is moved to the front side F by the action of the biasing member 18, the second engagement wall portion 46 abuts against the second engagement member 76 of the second stopper mechanism 22, as shown in FIG. 11. This stops the tray member 17 at the third position P3. This state corresponds to step 0 of the product forward-dispensing method of the present invention. At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the first engagement wall portion 45 is not engaged with the first engagement member 61.

[0058] In this state, the store manager can place and display the products 12 on the placement section 13 without holding down the tray member 17 with one hand. At this time, as shown in Fig. 13, the products 12 placed on the placement section 13 can be displayed in two layers.

[0059] At this time, when a product 12 is placed on the placement section 13, the product 12 presses the switch member 19 down from the normal position U2 to the depressed position U1. This enables the product advancement device 11 to detect that a product 12 has been placed on the placement section 13. In other words, the switch member 19 can function as a physical switch or sensor that can detect that a product 12 has been placed on the placement section 13. The above state, in which the switch member 19 detects whether or not a product 12 is present on the placement section 13, and the states before and after, correspond to the first step of the product advancement method of the present invention, which detects whether or not a product 12 placed on the placement section 13 has been removed.

[0060] When the switch member 19 moves to the depressed position U1 by placing the product 12 on the placement section 13, the abutment piece 93 moves the second stopper body 75 of the second stopper mechanism 22 from the third state S3 shown in Fig. 11 to the rear fourth state S4 shown in Fig. 14. At the same time, the abutment piece 93 moves the connecting member body 66 of the first stopper mechanism 21 from the separation position T2 shown in Fig. 12 to the connecting position T1 on the rear side R shown in Fig. 15.

[0061] 14, when the second stopper body 75 moves to the fourth state S4, the second stopper body 75 rides up onto the upper side of the slope portion 81, and the second engagement member 76 moves into the through-opening portion 78 so as to separate from the second engagement wall portion 46 of the tray member 17. As a result, the tray member 17 moves from the third position P3 toward the second position P2 on the front side F due to the action of the biasing member 18.

[0062] Meanwhile, because the connecting member main body 66 of the first stopper mechanism 21 is moved to the connecting position T1, the first engaging member 61 abuts against the connecting member 62. More specifically, the first engaging member 61 is supported by the connecting member main body 66, and is held in the first state S1 while being unable to move to the second state S2. As a result, the first engaging wall portion 45 of the tray member 17 engages with the engaging portion 64 (protruding portion 65) of the first engaging member 61. This causes the tray member 17 to be held in the second position P2. Therefore, in this embodiment, when products 12 are present on the placement section 13, the tray member 17 is not advanced forward, and the advanced tray member 17 does not collide with the products 12 on the placement section 13, causing a problem such as disrupting the display of the products 12.

[0063] When a customer visiting the store picks up a product 12 on the receiving section 13 and removes the product 12 from the receiving section 13, the biasing force of the second biasing member 69 transmitted via the connecting member main body 66 and the biasing force of the third biasing member 18 transmitted via the second stopper main body 75 move the switch member 19 from the pressed position U1 to the normal position U2, as shown by the arrows in Figure 16. At the same time, as shown in Figure 18, the biasing force of the second biasing member 69 moves the connecting member main body 66 from the connected position T1 to the separated position T2 on the front side F, and the first engaging member 61 becomes movable from the first state S1 to the second state S2. As a result, the tray member 17, receiving the biasing force from the biasing member 18, can move from the second position P2 to the first position P1 while the first engaging wall portion 45 pushes the first engaging member 61 to the second state S2. As a result, when the product 12 is removed from the placement section 13, the state shown in FIG. 7 is restored, and the second product 37 on the tray member 17 can be advanced to the front. This state corresponds to the second step of the product advance method of the present invention. At this time, as shown in FIG. 17, the second stopper mechanism 22 is not associated with the tray member 17. When the customer picks up and removes the second product 37 from the tray member 17, the store manager can replenish the product 12 and the second product 37 in the product advance device 11 using the same procedure as described above.

[0064] According to this embodiment, the following can be said: The product advance device 11 comprises a rail 15 having a placement section 13 at its front end 14 on which a product 12 can be placed or on which the product 12 can be removed, a tray member 17 that is movable on the rail 15 between a first position P1 overlapping the placement section 13 and a second position P2 behind the first position P1 and has a second placement section 42 on which a second product 37 can be placed or on which the second product 37 can be removed, a biasing member 18 that is stretched between the front end 14 and the tray member 17 and biases the tray member 17 from the second position P2 towards the first position P1, and a biasing member 18 that biases the tray member 17 from the second position P2 towards the first position P1. a switch member 19 provided on the placing section 13 so as to be movable between a depressed position U1 where the switch member 19 is depressed by a product 12 placed on the placing section 13 and a normal position U2 where the switch member 19 is returned to when the product 12 is removed from the placing section 13; and a first stopper mechanism 21 connectable to the switch member 19, which can engage with the tray member 17 at the second position P2 to hold the tray member 17 at the second position P2, and which can release the engagement with the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is moved from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2 by removing the product 12 from the placing section 13.

[0065] The product forward delivery method includes a rail 15 having a placement section 13 at its front end 14 on which a product 12 can be placed or on which the product 12 can be removed, a tray member 17 that is movable on the rail 15 between a first position P1 that overlaps the placement section 13 above and a second position P2 that is behind the first position P1 and has a second placement section 42 on which a second product 37 can be placed or on which the second product 37 can be removed, a biasing member 18 that is stretched between the front end 14 and the tray member 17 and biases the tray member 17 from the second position P2 toward the first position P1, and a biasing member 18 that is set on the placement section 13. The method for advancing a commodity using a commodity advancement device (11) equipped with a switch member (19) connected to the first stopper mechanism (21) includes a first step of detecting whether or not a commodity (12) placed on the placement section (13) has been removed by the switch member (19) while the tray member (17) is held at the second position (P2) by the first stopper mechanism (21), and a second step of disengaging the first stopper mechanism (21) connected to the switch member (19) from the tray member (17) and advancing the tray member (17) from the second position (P2) to the first position (P1) when it is detected that the commodity (12) placed on the placement section (13) has been removed.

[0066] If a forward-pushing force were applied to an irregularly shaped product 12, the product 12 would shift laterally, disrupting the arrangement of the products 12. With the above two configurations, the switch member 19 and first stopper mechanism 21 can hold the tray member 17 in the second position P2 when the product 12 is placed on the placement section 13. This prevents the tray member 17 from being pushed forward while the product 12 is still on the placement section 13, which would disrupt the arrangement of the products 12. Meanwhile, when a customer removes a product 12 from the placement section 13, the switch member 19 can be returned from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2, moving the tray member 17 to the first position P1 and advancing the second product 37. This extremely simple configuration allows the product 12 to be advanced without disrupting the arrangement of the irregularly shaped products, and the process of advancing the product 12 can be semi-automated. This reduces the workload of the store manager.

[0067] In this case, the first stopper mechanism 21 comprises a first engagement member 61 provided at the second position P2 so as to be movable between a first state S1 in which it is engaged with the tray member 17 at the second position P2 and a second state S2 in which it is separated from the tray member 17 at the second position P2, and a connecting member 62 provided between the switch member 19 and the first engagement member 61 to connect them, the connecting member 62 moving the switch member 19 from the pressed position U1 to the normal position U2 when the product 12 is removed from the placement section 13 and changing the first engagement member 61 from the first state S1 to the second state S2.

[0068] According to this configuration, a structure that can hold the tray member 17 at the second position P2 by the first engaging member 61 and the connecting member 62 can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0069] In this case, the connecting member 62 comprises a connecting member main body 66 that connects the switch member 19 and the first engaging member 61, and is movable between a connection position T1 located directly below the first engaging member 61 and a separation position T2 that is forward F of the connection position T1 and is not directly below the first engaging member 61, and a second biasing member 69 that is interposed between the connecting member main body 66 and the rail 15 and biases the connecting member main body 66 from the connection position T1 toward the separation position T2, and when the product 12 is removed from the placement section 13, the second biasing member 69 moves the switch member 19 from the pressed position U1 to the normal position U2, while moving the connecting member main body 66 from the connection position T1 to the separation position T2, thereby changing the first engaging member 61 from the first state S1 to the second state S2.

[0070] This configuration makes it possible to realize with an extremely simple structure a mechanism for advancing the tray member 17 when the product 12 is removed from the placement section 13. Furthermore, the biasing force of the second biasing member 69 against the connection member main body 66 eliminates the need for power to move the switch member 19 from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2, thereby reducing the number of parts and manufacturing costs.

[0071] In this case, the product advance device 11 includes a tray member 17 that is movable on a rail 15 between a first position P1 that overlaps the upper side of the loading section 13 and a third position P3 that is behind the second position P2, and a second stopper mechanism 22 that moves the switch member 19 from a pressed position U1 to a normal position U2 when the tray member 17 is moved from the first position P1 to the third position P3, and that engages with the tray member 17 at the third position P3 to hold the tray member 17 at the third position P3, and that can release the engagement with the tray member 17 by moving the switch member 19 from the normal position U2 to the pressed position U1.

[0072] According to this configuration, the tray member 17 can be held at the third position P3 by the second stopper mechanism 22. As a result, when the store manager replenishes products 12 on the rails 15, the store manager does not need to hold the tray member 17 at the third position P3 with one hand. This allows the store manager to carry out an operation in which the store manager holds a basket containing products 12 in one hand and displays the products 12 in the basket in order on the rails 15 with the other hand.

[0073] In this case, the first stopper mechanism 21 cannot engage with the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is in the normal position U2, but can engage with the tray member 17 when the switch member 19 is in the depressed position U1.

[0074] This configuration prevents the first stopper mechanism 21 from being accidentally activated and holding the tray member 17 at the second position P2, which occurs when the tray member 17 moves from the first position P1 to the third position P3. This prevents the tray member 17 from engaging with the first stopper mechanism 21 as it moves from the first position P1 to the third position P3, preventing it from moving smoothly to the third position P3. Furthermore, after the tray member 17 has moved to the third position P3, when the switch member 19 is moved from the normal position U2 to the depressed position U1 to disengage the tray member 17 from the second stopper mechanism 22 and move the tray member 17 from the third position P3 to the second position P2, the switch member 19 is in the depressed position U1, allowing the first stopper mechanism 21 to engage with the tray member 17. This allows the tray member 17 to be properly held at the second position P2. This prevents the tray member 17 from being pushed forward when the products 12 are placed on the placement section 13, and prevents the products 12 from interfering with the tray member 17 and causing a problem such as disrupting the row of the products 12.

[0075] In this case, the second stopper mechanism 22 comprises a second engagement member 76 provided at the third position P3 so as to be movable between a third state S3 in which it is engaged with the tray member 17 at the third position P3 and a fourth state S4 in which it is separated from the tray member 17 at the third position P3, and a second stopper body 75 which is capable of connecting the switch member 19 and the second engagement member 76 and which moves the second engagement member 76 from the third state S3 to the fourth state S4 when the switch member 19 is moved from the normal position U2 to the pressed position U1.

[0076] According to this configuration, when the product 12 is placed on the placement section 13 and the switch member 19 is moved from the normal position U2 to the pressed position U1, a structure in which the second stopper mechanism 22 is released relative to the tray member 17 can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0077] In this case, the rail 15 has a flat rail main body 24, and the second stopper mechanism 22 has a through hole portion 78 provided at the third position P3 of the rail 15 for passing the second engagement member 76, and a slope portion 81 provided on the back surface of the rail main body 24 near the through hole portion 78, such that when the switch member 19 is moved from the normal position U2 to the pressed position U1, the second stopper main body 75 is pushed down and a part of the second stopper main body 75 rides up onto the slope portion 81, thereby enabling the second engagement member 76 to be in the fourth state S4.

[0078] According to this configuration, it is possible to realize a configuration that can reliably release the holding of the tray member 17 by the second stopper mechanism 22 when the switch member 19 is moved from the normal position U2 to the depressed position U1 with an extremely simple structure.

[0079] In this case, the switch member 19 is moved from the depressed position U1 to the normal position U2 when the product 12 is removed.

[0080] According to this configuration, the switch member 19 can be realized by a physical structure, eliminating the need for an electronic sensor, and therefore a product forward-feeding method can be realized that does not require any power other than the biasing member 18 and can be realized simply and at low cost.

[0081] In this case, the tray member 17 is movable on the rail 15 between a first position P1 where it overlaps the upper side of the mounting portion 13 and a third position P3 behind the second position P2, and the process further includes a step 0 before the first step, in which the tray member 17 is held at the third position P3 by the second stopper mechanism 22.

[0082] With this configuration, in the 0th step, the tray member 17 can be held at the third position P3 by the second stopper mechanism 22. As a result, when the store manager replenishes products 12 on the rails 15, the store manager does not need to hold the tray member 17 at the third position P3 with one hand. This allows the store manager to carry out an operation in which the store manager holds a basket containing products 12 in one hand and displays the products 12 in the basket in order on the rails 15 with the other hand.

[0083] In this case, the transition from the 0th step to the 1st step is made by placing the product 12 on the placement section 13 and moving the switch member 19 from the normal position U2 to the pressed position U1.

[0084] According to this configuration, the process can be shifted from step 0 to step 1 by the extremely simple operation of placing the product 12 on the placement section 13. This further reduces the workload of the store manager.

[0085] The above-described embodiment can be implemented with various further substitutions and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 11 Product front-dispense device 12 items 13 Placement section 15 Rail 17 Tray material 18 biasing member 19 Switch components 21 First stopper mechanism 22 Second stopper mechanism 23 Resistance members 24 Rail body P1 1st position P2 2nd position P3 3rd position 42 Second placement section 61 first engaging member 62 Connecting member 66 Connection member body S1 First state S2 Second state T1 connection position T2 separation position U1 Press position U2 normal position 75 Second stopper body 76 Second engagement member 78 Through hole 81 Slope section S3 Third state S4 Fourth state

Claims

1. a rail having a placement portion at its front end on which an item can be placed or removed; a tray member having a second placement section that is movable on the rail between a first position overlapping the placement section above the placement section and a second position behind the first position, and on which a second product can be placed or on which the second product can be removed; a biasing member disposed between the front end portion and the tray member, the biasing member biasing the tray member from the second position toward the first position; a switch member provided on the placement section so as to be movable between a depressed position where the switch member is depressed by the product placed on the placement section and a normal position where the switch member is returned to when the product is removed from the placement section; a first stopper mechanism connectable to the switch member, which is capable of engaging with the tray member in the second position to hold the tray member in the second position, and which is capable of releasing the engagement with the tray member when the switch member is moved from the depressed position to the normal position by removing the product from the placement section; and A product advance device equipped with:

2. The first stopper mechanism is a first engagement member provided at the second position so as to be movable between a first state in which the first engagement member is engaged with the tray member at the second position and a second state in which the first engagement member is separated from the tray member at the second position; a connecting member provided between the switch member and the first engagement member to connect them, the connecting member moving the switch member from the pressed position to the normal position when the product is removed from the placement section and changing the first engagement member from the first state to the second state; The product advance device according to claim 1 .

3. The connecting member is a connecting member body that connects the switch member and the first engaging member between them, the connecting member body being movable between a connected position located directly below the first engaging member and a separated position that is forward of the connected position and away from directly below the first engaging member; a second biasing member interposed between the connecting member body and the rail and biasing the connecting member body from the connected position toward the separated position, which, when the product is removed from the placement section, moves the switch member from the pressed position to the normal position, while moving the connecting member body from the connected position to the separated position, thereby changing the first engaging member from the first state to the second state; The product advance device according to claim 2 .

4. the tray member being movable on the rail between a first position where the tray member overlaps the upper side of the placement portion and a third position behind the second position; a second stopper mechanism that moves the switch member from the depressed position to the normal position when the tray member is moved from the first position to the third position, and that engages with the tray member in the third position to hold the tray member at the third position, the second stopper mechanism being able to release engagement with the tray member by moving the switch member from the normal position to the depressed position; The product advance device according to claim 1 .

5. The product advance device according to claim 4, wherein the first stopper mechanism cannot engage with the tray member when the switch member is in the normal position, and can engage with the tray member when the switch member is in the depressed position.

6. The second stopper mechanism is a second engaging member provided at the third position so as to be movable between a third state in which the second engaging member is engaged with the tray member at the third position and a fourth state in which the second engaging member is separated from the tray member at the third position; a second stopper body that is connectable between the switch member and the second engagement member and that moves the second engagement member from the third state to the fourth state when the switch member is moved from the normal position to the pressed position; The product advance device according to claim 4 or claim 5, comprising:

7. The rail has a flat rail body, The second stopper mechanism is a through-hole portion provided at the third position of the rail for passing the second engaging member therethrough; a slope portion provided on the rear surface of the rail body near the through-hole portion, the slope portion being capable of putting the second engagement member into a fourth state by pushing down the second stopper body and allowing a part of the second stopper body to ride up when the switch member is moved from the normal position to the depressed position; The product advance device according to claim 6, further comprising:

8. a rail having a placement portion at its front end on which an item can be placed or removed; a tray member having a second placement section that is movable on the rail between a first position overlapping the placement section above the placement section and a second position behind the first position, and on which a second product can be placed or on which the second product can be removed; a biasing member disposed between the front end portion and the tray member, the biasing member biasing the tray member from the second position toward the first position; a switch member provided on the mounting portion; A product advance method using a product advance device comprising: a first step of detecting, with the switch member, whether or not the product placed on the placement section has been removed while the tray member is held at the second position by the first stopper mechanism; a second step in which, when it is detected that the product placed on the placement section has been removed, the first stopper mechanism connected to the switch member disengages from the tray member, thereby moving the tray member forward from the second position to the first position; A method for delivering goods in advance.

9. The product forward-dispensing method according to claim 8, wherein the switch member is moved from the depressed position to the normal position when the product is removed.

10. the tray member is movable on the rail between a first position where the tray member overlaps the upper side of the placement section and a third position behind the second position, The product forward-delivery method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of holding the tray member at the third position by a second stopper mechanism as a zeroth step prior to the first step.

11. The product forward-dispensing method according to claim 10, wherein the transition from step 0 to step 1 is made by placing the product on the placement section and moving the switch member from the normal position to the pressed position.

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