JP4906124B2 - Checkout counter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a checkout counter.

  Conventionally, as a checkout counter that has been widely used, there is a checkout counter in which a vertical scanner is arranged on a horizontally long table top (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In a checkout operation using such a checkout counter, the store clerk takes out a product from the product basket placed on the top surface of the top board, and causes the vertical scanner to scan the product code.

JP 2001-238773 A

  As one aspect of the check-out operation, there is a case where a product taken out from the product basket and scanned is packed in a shopping bag immediately after scanning. This is called a scanback checkout. According to the scan-back checkout, the customer does not have to carry out bagging work, so that the service to the customer can be improved.

  In the scan back checkout, one or a plurality of store clerk performs a checkout operation including a scanning operation and a bagging operation. Here, a two-person scanback checkout will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a conventional checkout counter 1. A straight checkout counter 1 is arranged in parallel at the accounting location of the store. The customer goes to the checkout counter 1 arranged in this way and receives a checkout operation. In FIG. 5, the flow of customers is indicated by black arrows. Each checkout counter 1 is provided with a clerk α that mainly performs a scanning operation using the vertical scanner 2 and a clerk β that mainly performs a bagging operation of the product after scanning.

  In addition to the store clerk α and store clerk β, an auxiliary store clerk γ is arranged in the checkout counter 1 of A. The assistant clerk γ is not limited to the specific checkout counter 1 and plays a role of assisting the checkout work in accordance with the congestion situation of the customer. In FIG. 5, it is assumed that the checkout counter 1 of A is most congested. In this case, the auxiliary store clerk γ is in charge of part of the work that the store clerk α or the store clerk β should originally perform at the A checkout counter 1. If the C checkout counter 1 is more crowded than the A checkout counter 1, the assistant store clerk moves from the A checkout counter 1 to the C checkout counter 1 to assist. Will do.

  By the way, the congestion situation of each checkout counter 1 changes very rapidly. Therefore, the assistant clerk γ may be required to return to the A checkout counter 1 again after moving from the A checkout counter 1 to the C checkout counter 1 within a very short time. . However, since the B checkout counter 1 is located between them, there is a considerable distance between the A checkout counter 1 and the C checkout counter 1, and the auxiliary store clerk γ takes time to move. In addition, when moving, customers must be avoided in line with the checkout counter 1, and smooth movement is difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to quickly change the arrangement of salesclerks for each checkout counter in accordance with the congestion situation.

Checkout counter of the present invention includes a top plate which is bent at a predetermined angle as viewed from above, form part of the top plate, to form a scan region to place the scan to absence scanner product codes on the top surface that a first top plate portion, FukuroKake which connect bent relative to the first top plate portion forms the remaining portion of the top plate, a shopping bag goods after scanning is accommodated to hold a second top plate portion that form a bagged region to place the unit on the upper face side, e Bei a support base, a for supporting the top plate, the end face of the top plate, a plurality of the top plate is annular In a state of being arranged, it has a shape that is in close contact with an end surface of another top plate .

According to the present invention, since the top plate is bent at a predetermined angle , two or more checkout counters can be arranged in an annular shape. The store clerk can easily move between the checkout counters by being located in the ring. In this way, it is possible to quickly change the arrangement of the clerk for each checkout counter according to the congestion situation. In addition, since the status of the checkout counter can be visually recognized without being blocked by another checkout counter, it is possible to accurately grasp the congestion status.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a checkout counter 101 according to the first embodiment. The checkout counter 101 has a top plate 102 that is bent in a dogleg shape when viewed from above. That is, the top plate 102 includes a first table top portion 102a having a horizontally long table shape and a second table top portion 102b having a horizontally long table shape bent and connected to the first table top portion 102a. The upper surface side area of the first top plate portion 102a is referred to as a scan region 131, and the upper surface side region of the second top plate portion 102b is referred to as a bagging region 132.

  The top plate 102 is supported by a sheet metal support 104. The support base 104 is also bent along the dog leg shape of the top plate 102. A part of the support base 104 is provided with a storage shelf 103 for storing equipment necessary for checkout work.

  In the first embodiment, the three checkout counters 101 are arranged to form a continuous ring. In FIG. 1, only one checkout counter 101 is shown in actual battle, and the remaining two checkout counters 101 are shown by broken lines. In FIG. 1, the solid-line checkout counter 101 is “A”, and the broken-line checkout counter 101 is “B” and “C” clockwise. In FIG. 1, only the top plate 102 and the support base 104 are shown for the checkout counters 101 for B and C.

  The store clerk performs a check-out operation by being positioned inside the ring formed by the check-out counter 101 (hereinafter referred to as “store clerk side”). On the other hand, the customer is located outside the ring (hereinafter referred to as “customer side”) and receives a checkout operation by a store clerk.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the checkout counter 101 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the three checkout counters 101 arranged in a ring form a hexagon. Therefore, the internal angle θ1 formed by the first top plate portion 102a and the second top plate portion 102b is 120 °. Further, both end portions of the top plate 102 are in the short direction (shortest distance direction) of the top plate 102 so that the end surface of the top plate 102 can be in close contact with the end surface of the top plate 102 of another checkout counter 101 without a gap. Formed non-parallel. That is, the angle θ2 on the clerk side at the end of the top plate 102 is 120 °, and the angle θ3 on the customer side is 60 °.

  Returning to the description of FIG. A vertical scanner 161 is installed in a substantially central region in the longitudinal direction of the first top plate portion 102a. The vertical scanner 161 is arranged close to the customer side in the scan area 131. The vertical scanner 161 is connected to a POS terminal 401 (see FIG. 2) not shown in FIG. Here, on the clerk side of the checkout counter 101, a register stand 125 is installed close to the end on the second top plate portion 102b side. The POS terminal 401 is arranged on the upper surface of the cash register 125 together with a drawer (not shown).

  A bag hanging unit 201 is disposed in the bagging region 132. However, the bag hanging unit 201 is not fixed to the top plate 102 but only supported on the second top plate portion 102b. The bag hanging unit 201 may be fixed to the top plate 102 by a known mechanism.

  The bag hanging unit 201 has a horizontally long plate portion 202 supported by the top plate 102. A plate-like back fence 203 is erected at one end position of the plate portion 202 in the short direction. A pair of bag hanging frames 204 are provided at both ends of the bag hanging unit 201 so as to be connected to the plate portion 202 and the back fence 203. The bag hanging frame 204 is a metal rod-shaped member. A part of the bag hanging frame 204 is bent to form a protrusion 205 protruding upward. A handle of the opened shopping bag 301 is hung on each of the pair of protrusions 205. Thus, the bag hanging unit 201 holds the shopping bag 301 in an opened state.

  Incidentally, a recess 112 is formed in a portion of the checkout counter 101 on the clerk side of the vertical scanner 161. An attachment 111 is detachably disposed in the recess 112. The upper surface of the attachment 111 is flush with the upper surface of the top plate 102. The bag hanging unit 201 can be disposed in the recess 112 from which the attachment 111 is removed.

  Moreover, the edge part by the side of the 1st top plate part 102a of the top plate 102 is comprised by the independent member (it calls the opening-and-closing top plate part 102c). The openable / closable top plate portion 102c is provided so as to be freely opened and closed by a mechanism (for example, a hinge) (not shown).

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an open / close state of the open / close top panel 102c. The openable / closable top plate portion 102 c is not supported by the support base 104. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, by opening the opening / closing top plate portion 102c, a communication portion 121 that connects the customer side and the clerk side appears in the checkout counter 101. When the store clerk moves from the store clerk side to the customer side, or when moving from the customer side to the store clerk side, the store clerk jumps up the opening / closing top plate 102c and passes through the communication unit 121. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the open / close top plate portion 102c is closed. The open / close top plate portion 102c forms a scan region 131 on the upper surface thereof together with the other first top plate portion 102a. .

  A scan-back checkout executed at a store where the checkout counter 101 having such a configuration is introduced will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, a clerk α that mainly performs a scanning operation and a clerk β that mainly performs a bagging operation are arranged for one checkout counter 101. In other words, a two-person scanback checkout is executed.

  A customer goes to each of the three checkout counters 101 and receives a checkout operation. In FIG. 2, the flow of the customer is indicated by a black arrow L (only the checkout counter 101 of A). The customer who goes to the checkout counter 101 places the product basket in the scan area 131 near the opening / closing top plate 102c (see FIG. 1 and the like). Then, the store clerk α picks up the product from the product basket and causes the vertical scanner 161 to scan the product code, and then scans the product with the scan area 131 on the downstream side of the customer flow from the vertical scanner 161. It arrange | positions between the bagging area | regions 132. The flow of the product at this time is indicated by a white arrow R1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 (only the checkout counter 101 of A). Next, the second store clerk β picks up the scanned product arranged between the scan region 131 and the bagging region 132 and stores it in the shopping bag 301 in the bagging region 132. The shopping bag 301 is held in an open state by the bag hanging unit 201 disposed in the bagging area 132. The flow of the product at this time is indicated by a white arrow R2 in FIGS. 1 and 2 (only the checkout counter 101 of A). Such a two-person scanback checkout is executed in any of the A, B, and C checkout counters 101.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the auxiliary store clerk γ is waiting in the “store clerk side” area (referred to as the store clerk side area E) of the checkout counter 101 arranged in a ring shape. The auxiliary store clerk γ moves in the store clerk area E according to the customer's congestion situation, and assists the two-person scan-back check-out operation performed by each check-out counter 101. For example, the auxiliary store clerk γ is in charge of the operation of the POS terminal 401 (usually performed by the store clerk β following the bagging operation). As a result, the store clerk β can concentrate exclusively on the bagging work.

  Here, it is assumed that the checkout counter 101 of A is the most crowded. In this case, the auxiliary store clerk γ is in charge of part of the work that the store clerk α or the store clerk β should originally perform at the A checkout counter 101. When the congestion of the C checkout counter 101 increases more than the A checkout counter 101, the auxiliary clerk γ linearly moves the clerk side area E from the A checkout counter 101 to the C checkout counter 101. To C and help with C's checkout counter 101.

  At this time, the customer's congestion state changes very rapidly, so that the assistant clerk γ moves from the A checkout counter 101 to the C checkout counter 101 within a very short time, and then checks the A checkout again. It may be necessary to return to the counter 101.

  However, according to the first embodiment, when the auxiliary clerk γ moves the clerk side area E from the A checkout counter 101 to the C checkout counter 101, the auxiliary clerk γ linearly moves a relatively short distance. Just move. Therefore, the auxiliary store clerk γ can easily move between the checkout counters 101. In addition, since it is not necessary to avoid the customer rows on the checkout counter 101, smooth movement is possible.

  Further, the auxiliary store clerk γ located in the store clerk side area E can visually recognize the congestion status of each checkout counter 101 without being blocked by the other checkout counters 101. For example, when it is desired to check the status of the C checkout counter 101, the checkout counter 101 of the B does not interfere. And also about this visual recognition, auxiliary salesclerk γ should just change the direction of the face in salesclerk side field E. By introducing such a checkout counter 101, the assistant store clerk γ can accurately grasp the congestion situation with a small number of operations.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the checkout counter 101 of the second embodiment. In the following description, the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is also omitted. In the second embodiment, the four checkout counters 101 arranged in a ring form an octagon. Therefore, the internal angle θ1 formed by the first top plate portion 102a and the second top plate portion 102b is 135 °. Further, both end portions of the top plate 102 are in the short direction (shortest distance direction) of the top plate 102 so that the end surface of the top plate 102 can be in close contact with the end surface of the top plate 102 of another checkout counter 101 without a gap. Formed non-parallel. That is, the angle θ2 on the clerk side at the end of the top plate 102 is 112.5 °, and the angle θ3 on the customer side is 67.5 °.

  Also according to the second embodiment, the auxiliary clerk γ located in the clerk-side region E only needs to move linearly over a relatively short distance when moving between the checkout counters 101, and is aligned with the checkout counter 101. There is no need to avoid customer queues. Therefore, smooth movement becomes possible. Further, since the assistant store clerk can visually recognize the congestion status of each checkout counter 101 without being blocked by the other checkout counters 101, it is possible to accurately grasp the congestion status.

It is a perspective view which shows the checkout counter of 1st Embodiment. It is a top view which shows typically the checkout counter of 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the open / close state of an opening-and-closing top plate part. It is a top view which shows typically the checkout counter of 2nd Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the conventional checkout counter typically.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Checkout counter, 102 ... Top plate, 102a ... 1st top plate part, 102b ... 2nd top plate part, 104 ... Support stand, 131 ... Scan area | region, 132 ... Bagging area | region, 161 ... Vertical scanner, 201 ... Bag unit

Claims (5)

A top plate bent at a predetermined angle when viewed from above,
A part of the top plate, a first top plate portion that form a scan region on the upper surface side to place the scan to absence scanner commodity code,
The bagging area remaining partially bent relative to the first top plate portion forms a connection, a shopping bag goods after scanning is accommodated placing FukuroKake unit that holds the top plate a second top plate portion you formed on the upper surface side,
A support base for supporting the top plate;
Bei to give a,
The end surface of the top plate has a shape in close contact with the end surface of another top plate in a state where a plurality of the top plates are arranged in an annular shape.
Checkout counter. An angle formed by the first top plate portion and the second top plate portion is 120 °,
The end surface of the top plate has a shape in close contact with the end surface of another top plate in a state where the three top plates are arranged in a ring shape to form a hexagon.
The checkout counter according to claim 1. An angle formed by the first top plate portion and the second top plate portion is 135 °,
The end surface of the top plate has a shape in close contact with the end surface of another top plate in a state where the four top plates are arranged in an annular shape to form an octagon.
The checkout counter according to claim 1 . Comprising a communication portion for communicating the support base;
The checkout counter according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . Comprising a bag hanging unit disposed in the bagging area;
The checkout counter according to any one of claims 1 to 4 .

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