EP0031813A1

EP0031813A1 - Device for use in a store equipment system

Info

Publication number: EP0031813A1
Application number: EP80900532A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tollef E. Espegard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-03-19
Filing date: 1980-10-08
Publication date: 1981-07-15
Also published as: WO1980001982A1; NO790921L

Abstract

Dans les systemes d'installation de magasins self service, les produits sont stockes derriere des parois frontales entierement ou partiellement transparentes, des moyens etant prevus pour aller chercher les produits, moyens qui sont actionnes par le client pour retirer et transferer les produits vers des moyens de transport. Les parois frontales partiellement transparentes (4b) sont pourvues d'ouvertures (40) au travers desquelles le client peut atteindre les produits, eventuellement a l'aide de moyens de prehension ou au ramassage pour transferer les produits derniere les parois frontales. Les moyens de transport (5b) sont concus pour passer vers des zones de prehension qui sont situees entierement ou partiellement a l'interieur derrieres les parois frontales (4b) pour que le client recupere les produits choisis. Les moyens de transport (5b) peuvent etre pourvus de moyen de fermeture pour ouvrir et fermer la zone de chargement des moyens de transport lorsque ces moyens vont vers et reviennent de la zone de prehension, respectivement, ou ils peuvent etre ouverts et etre transportes dans des passages fermes ou tunnels pour leur transport vers le point d'enregistrement.In self-service store installation systems, the products are stored behind fully or partially transparent front walls, means being provided for picking up the products, means which are activated by the customer to withdraw and transfer the products to means. transport. The partially transparent front walls (4b) are provided with openings (40) through which the customer can reach the products, possibly by means of gripping or picking up to transfer the products past the front walls. The means of transport (5b) are designed to pass to gripping zones which are located wholly or partially inside behind the front walls (4b) so that the customer retrieves the chosen products. The transport means (5b) can be provided with closing means for opening and closing the loading area of the transport means when these means go to and from the gripping area, respectively, or they can be opened and transported in firm passages or tunnels for their transport to the registration point.

Description

"Device for use in a store equipment system"

The present invention relates to a device for use in a store equipment system comprising commodity storage sections provided behind completely or partly transparent front walls and fetching means which are operated by customers for with¬ drawal and transfer of commodities to transport means.

In stores which are fitted for self-service there will emerge a loss of commodities which can be very heavy. This loss must be included in the commodity prices resulting in commodities which are more expensive than necessary.

The task underlying the present invention is to give instructions for a device for use in store equipment systems which so to say exclude the possibility of commodity losses due to shoplifting. Further the invention is to the effect of providing a device which can easily be fitted to existing systems by simple and inexpensive means.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that the partly transparent front walls comprise apertures through which the customers can reach the commodities possibly only by picking means for transfer of the commodities behind the front walls, and that the transport means are adapted to be passed to fetching areas located at or completely or partly inside behind the front walls for collecting commodities which are picked by the customers, the transport means being pro¬ vided with closing means for opening and closing of the loading area thereof when said transport means are passed to and retrieved from the fetching area respectively, or said transport means being open and transported in closed passages or tunnels for transport to the check-out point.

In some cases the front wall can comprise locked trap doors which can be opened by a transport means, the transport means comprising a lockable cover which upon opening of the trap door in the front wall is released and opened approxi¬ mately simultaneously with the wall trap door, a key being provided in the area of the wall trap door, which key is adapted to operate the lock of the cover of the transport means, and in the same area there being provided a trap door lock which is adapted to be operated by a key on the transport means, the transport means being equipped with means serving to displace the trap door from an open to a closed position and vice versa.

Suitably, the fetching means can comprise a field pro¬ vided with an opening which is so adapted that it can be displaced both horizontally and vertically within the fetching area of one or more commodity storage sections, a picking means which enables a gripping effect for the customer, possibly being attached to the displaceable aperture. The picking means can be constituted by completely or partly transparent glove-like means, possibly including openings corresponding to finger size, said means being attached to the displaceable field by resilient means so that the picking means are stretched from their initial position when used by a customer, but are withdrawn to their initial position after use.

A variant of the picking means can be constituted by scissors-or tong-shaped devices which are attached to the displaceable field in the front wall, possibly are adapted to be' passed along slit-like openings in the front wall for the picking of commodities therebehind.

Alternative embodiments of the front walls are to the effect that the apertures therein are proportioned to the size of the commodities in the storage sections, the apertures being large enough for the customer to reach the commodities therethrough, but less than the commodities in the section concerned, so that the customer can pick the commodities and place them in or on a transport means without the use of further picking means.

In the following the invention will be described in more detail, reference being had to the drawing, which illustrates various embodiments of the device for use in store equipment systems according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical front view of a segment of a commodity storage section having a front wall including a

OMP fetching means according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of the details of Fig..1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a transport means according to the invention.

Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d illustrate further details of a transport means of the type shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 4a being a side view of the transport means when this is put in position at the front side of a front wall in a fetching area, Fig. 4b depicting details of the cover lock, Fig. 4c depicting the transport means as seen from above in mounted position on the front wall in the fetching area, and Fig. 4d being a section through the cover of the transport means and the trap door in the front wall.

Fig. 5 is a simplified view comprising a first embodiment of a picking means according to the invention.

Figs. 6a and 6b diagrammatically illustrate a second embodiment of a picking means included in a device for use in a store equipment system according to the invention.

Figs. 7 and 8 show variants of front walls.

Figs. 9a, 9b and 9c are diagrammatic side views of further variants of front walls having displaceable fetching means.

Figs. 10a and 10b are side view and front view respec¬ tively of a still further variant of a front wall section having displaceable fetching means comprising a turnable intermediate storage shelf.

Figs. 11a and lib are front view and side view, respec¬ tively, of a further variant of a front wall section according to the invention, the front wall here being arranged for displacement inwardly towards and rearwardly from the com¬ modity storage sections.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a diagrammatic segment as seen from the front and above, respectively, of a commodity storage section which is covered by a partly trans¬ parent front wall comprising a fetching means through which the customer can reach the commodities for the picking, thereof

- REXS*-

O PI _/., WIPO _* behind the front wall. The fetching means which is generally designated with 34, comprises a frame 35a which is provided i a front wall 4b and has a displaceable field 35 comprising e.g. a metal web which can be rolled onto shafts 36 and 37, respectively, depending on whether the web is shifted to the left or to the right, as this is indicated by the double arro 39 and the dash-dotted aperture at 40a in Fig. 1. In the fiel or the web 35 there is provided an aperture 40 through which the customer at the outside of the front wall 4b can have access to the commodities behind the front wall, possibly onl by means of a picking means, for example of the type which will be further described in connection with Figs. 5, 6a and 6b.

To allow the web 35 to be displaced also upwardly and downwardly, as this is indicated by the double arrow 39a in Fig. 1, the frame 35a in which the web is mounted, is at the top attached to a displaceable transparent web material 41, for example flexible transparent plastics, the frame 35a at - the bottom being attached to a metal web 35b. This, in turn, is attached to a shaft 43 having a blind roller mechanism attached at the bottom of the front wall 4b. Both the frame 35a and the web material 41 can be guided up and down via appropriate gliding means 41a, the web material at the top edge of the front wall 4a being passed over a second shaft 42 and further inwardly on the top or the roof of the commodity storage section. By locating a further roller or shaft in the area of the upper shaft 42, but on the outside of the web material 41 the latter can be passed over the last-mentioned roller and down along the front wall 4b, which can be of interest in connection with cleaning of the web material 41. Thus, the aperture 40 can be passed to the left and to the right within the area of the field 35, the field 35 also bein allowed to be moved upwards and downwards depending on whethe the customer wishes to get hold of a commodity which is lo¬ cated high up or low down in the commodity storage section behind the front wall. In Fig. 2 the frame 35a together with the web 35 are for the sake of survey somewhat withdrawn from

O the web material 41, but it is to be understood that in a finished mounted fetching means 34 the frame 35a and the web 35 will be arranged in the same plane as the web material 41, i.e. being offset in the direction of the arrow P in Fig..2.

The spaces between the front wall sections which are equipped with a fetching means of the type discussed above, can for example be covered by glass fields 44. If the com¬ modity storage sections are filled with commodities from the rear side, the glass fields 44 can be fixed, but in connection with filling of the storage sections from the front, the individual glass fields must be designed as a door which during the filling up of commodities can be opened by the staff.

It is further to be understood that the front wall 4b can be constructed as a light partition wall which by simple means can be adapted to an existing store equipment system for self- service. The partition wall or -walls, which in advance can be adapted to the size of an existing system, can then be put up in front of the commodity storage sections, the walls being juxtaposed so close that the customers can only have access to the commodities through the fetching means which are build into the front wall. For example, the front wall may be attached by lockable clips or hinge devices so as to appropri¬ ately being swung aside for the filling up of goods in the storage sections or for cleaning and maintenance.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is also illustrated a transport means in the form of a wagon 5b which is adapted to be pushed, for example through trap-doors into the front wall 4b, which also can comprise a series of glass fields 44 and fetching fields 41 to cover a larger area of commodity storage sections. Because the wagon 5b can be pushed right into the area of the commodity section from which the customer is to fetch the commodities, the wagon simultaneously opening a trap-door or a gate in this area, the customer does not have to pass the wagon along a channel behind the front wall to arrive at the desired section. However, it is to be understood that the front wall according to the invention can be provided such that wagons as indicated at 5b¹ in Fig. 2, if desired, can b used both for the insertion through trap-doors provided at the end of a through-going channel 6a' extending along com¬ modity storage sections Ix, ly, Iz, as well as for being inserted into a trap-door at each commodity section, the last-mentioned trap-doors being so adapted that they can be opened by the waggon for completely or partly insertion thereof through the front wall. In Fig. 1 there is illu¬ strated horizontally arranged trap-doors 45a, such trap-door being contemplated to be used in connection with booth-shape insertion areas. The opening of such horizontal wall trap¬ doors may take place synchronously with the opening of the cover on the wagon, the wagon cover and the wall trap-door being provided with appropriate mechanisms for carrying out opening and closing operations, respectively.

The wagon 5b which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, can be closed and locked, wagons of this type comprising a lock- able cover 46 having a lock which can be unlocked by the introduction of the wagon 5b behind the front wall 4b and relocked by withdrawal therefrom, a key (not illustrated) being provided in the area of the wall trap-door 35a and being adapted to operate a cover lock (not illustrated) on the wagon 5b, a trap-door key being arranged in the same are and adapted to be operated by a key on the wagon, the wagon also being provided with means serving to displace the trap¬ door from open to close position and vica versa.

Fig. 3 is a simplified side view of an embodiment of a wagon 5c, which is contemplated to be used in connection with the store equipment system according to the invention and in Figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d there is illustrated further details of the transport means which is sketched in Fig. 3, Fig. 4a illustrating the transport means 5c seen from the side when being put in position oh a front wall 44a at a fetching area. Fig. 4b illustrating details of the trap-door lock. Fig. 4c illustrating the transport means 5c as seen from above in mounted position on the front wall 44a, and Fig. 4d illu¬ strating a section through the cover on the transport means

OMPI 5c and the trap-door in the front wall 44a.

The transport means 5c which is to be used for transport of commodities, has in Fig. 3 the shape of a box, but can be transported as a wagon, since it here is put on a stand 6 having wheels 7 and a supporting means 8, a fact which in¬ cludes that the transport means of the box 5c can be wheeled to and from the area of the commodity storage section. The commodity box 5c is similarly to the wagon 5b discussed above equipped with a lockable side cover.46a and a handle 46b serving to lift the box 5c from the stand 6 and to a suitable position on the front wall 44a, as this most distinctly appears from Fig. 4a. The lock for the cover 46a, namely 47, is located on the side of the cover 46a, whereas a key 48 for the cover lock 47 is found attached to the front wall 44a for the commodity storage sections Iw holding the commodities lu and Iv. Further, on the cover 46 there is attached a second key 49 which is adapted to co-operate with a second lock 50 on a trap-door 51 in the front wall 44a, which trap-door can be opened by the box 5c when this is put in position in holding means 52 which serve to support the box 5c and to guide the cover 46 when this is pulled down for opening of the loading area of the box.

On the cover 46a there is further provided a control and holding means 52a, which when the box- 5c is passed towards the trap-door opening- 53, and when the trap-door.51 by this movement, as indicated with the arrow Q in Fig. 4a, is un¬ locked by the key 49, will come into engagement with an opening 54 in the front wall 44a, a- pin 55 on the cover 46a co ing into engagement with a guiding sleeve 56 on the trap¬ door 51.

At the same time as the box 5c is pushed into position and unlocks the trap-door 51, also the cover 46a will be unlocked by the key 48 in the area of the trap-door 51.

It is to be understood that a series of various locking mechanisms can be used in connection with closable and lock- able transport means, and also in connection with the clos¬ able and lockable trap-doors which are provided at the

OMPI *

_Λj, WIPO . entrance points for the transport means to the area of the commodity storage sections there may be used a series of appropriate lock mechanisms. In Fig. 4b there is diagram- matically illustrated an embodiment of a kind of a sliding lock 47 which comprises three sliding elements 47a, 47b and 47c, in which are provided an individual track 47a¹, 47b' and 47c', respectively. The sliding element 47a, 47b and 47c fit into and can be displaced in respective grooves 57a, 57b, 57c in the edge of the cover 46a, which grooves in size corre¬ spond to the cross-section of the respective sliding elements. The sliding elements may be spring-loaded as indicated at 58 in Fig. 4a and will during a suitable displacement by the key 48 have the grooves 47a¹, 47b', 47c¹ aligned above each other so that the edge of the cover 47a can slide through the grooves for opening of the loading chamber of the box to¬ gether with the trap-door 51.

In Fig. 4b there is indicated a handle 58a which the customer can use to pull the cover 46a downwards together with the trap-door 51, for thereby opening the loading area of the box from the inside of the front wall 44a.

Upon closing of the cover 46a this is returned to the initial closed position together with the trap-door 51 and in this position the sliding elements 47a, 47b and 47c will be aligned with its respective groove 57a, 57b and 57c, respec¬ tively, a fact which involves that the box 5c can be released from its commodity storage position by being turned in oppo¬ site direction of the arrow Q and being lifted from the support 52.

It is to be understood that the cover 46a does not have to be opened completely for loading into the loading chamber and in the open position of the cover 46a this will aid in holding the box 5c in position in the support 52, because the latter is provided with a profile holding the cover 46a and consequently the box 5c ^'in position during the loading operation.

In Fig. 4c illustrating the box 5c as seen from above in mounted position on the front wall 44a, the control and holding means 52a protrudes through the trap-door 51 in the

OMPI front wall 44a, and the box 5c rests on the support 52 and has the outer edges of the cover 46a placed in tracks in the support 52.

In Fig. 4d which is a section through the cover 46a at the underside of the box 5c, it appears how the support 52 is extended inwardly underneath the bottom edge of the box 5c for the support thereof, the support constituting both a guiding means and a locking means for the cover 46 when this via the handle 58a is pulled down in a completely or partly open position.

A further feature of the transport means or the box 5c is that it can be nested together with other boxes of similar type when these are not used and the cover 46a is open. In Fig. 3 there is indicated an open side cover 46a¹, and with the cover in such a position the boxes 5c can be nested with each other for thereby occupying less space.

In Fig. 5 which illustrates a section through a front wall 4b of the type which is discussed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, there is also illustrated a gripping means 19 which the customer has to use to fetch commodities from shelves 14 and place them in a transport means 5d, for example of the type which is previously discussed in con¬ nection with Figs. 1 and 2, or which may be of the type which is discussed in connection with Figs. 3 and 4a-4d. The grip¬ ping means 19 comprises a sleeve which is substantially tight, but which at its free end 20 is provided with means allowing a gripping action for the customer. It is to be understood that the gripping means can be displaced both upwards and downwards and sideways together with the above discussed fetching means 34, so that the customer by means of such a gripping means can reach the commodities which are placed in at least one, possibly two or more juxtaposed sections, depending on the structure of the store system.

The sleeve of the gripping means can for example be produced from interconnected thin chains which at their free ends have openings for the fingers of the customer. If desired, the sleeve may be provided with articulated sleeve pieces having a mitten- or glove-like means at the end.

If desired the gripping means as is illustrated in Figs. 6a and 6b, can be provided with a glove-like means 70 which is suspended in a resilient means, for example ropes 73 or the like, which is wound up onto spring loaded rollers 73, so that the customer does not need to put the whole arm 71 into a long sleeve to reach the glove-like means 70 with the hand 72. After the hand is placed in the glove-like means 70 the customer can stretch the arm 71 in its full length for fetching a commodity 75 behind the section wall 4b, and after completion of the fetching, i.e. when the selected commodity or commodities are placed in the transport means the glove¬ like means 70 will be retracted to its initial position at the same time as the customer pulls the arm back and out from the glove-like means.

In the cases where the commodities which are to be picked are comparatively large, the customer is allowed to reach the commodities through appropriate openings in the front wall without the use of gripping means, provided that the openings to be used are less than the commodities in the section concerned.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated an example of a front wall 4d which can be attached directly to a commodity shelf or a section via upper rotatable shafts 80. In the front wall 4d there is provided a series of longitudinal openings which can be provided not only horizontally as illustrated at 81, but also vertically as illustrated at 82. The width of the opening 81, 82 can correspond to a normal hand or arm thick¬ ness, and the commodities can then be picked out from the shelves behind the front wall 4d through appropriate openings and be passed along the vertical openings 82 to the wagon or baskets 83 which is placed at the bottom of the vertical openings. Due to the relatively large number of openings the customer can use both hands for fetching the various com¬ modities which are too large to be pulled out through the above-mentioned openings 81, 82/ When using such a front wall there is no need for using special fetching or gripping

O /». WI means. The commodities behind the front wall may be located on inclined shelves, so that the commodities slide forwardly towards the front wall up to a certain distance therefrom, as the shelves are emptied for commodities.

It is to be understood that if a "displaceable" aperture of the type which is discussed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 is used, then it is sufficient with only one horizontal opening 81 for each fetching area.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated a variant of the front wall 4e which especially can be used in book stores and/or music stores. In the front wall 4e which is rotatably sup¬ ported on a shaft 85, there is provided a series of circular openings 86 through which a customer can reach books and/or record discs stored in shelves or similar behind the front wall. The customer can use both hands to reach the books and hold them for inspection. If the customer wishes to buy the commodity, this is laid or put down on a retrieval drawer or wagon.

Especially in connection with test playing of record discs there can be used front walls of the above described type. The various playback sections can then be encircled by a series of such walls, and because the discs and the equip¬ ment for the test playing cannot be removed through the mentioned openings, the playback sections can be self-serviced.

In Fig. 9a there is illustrated a section through a variant of a front wall 4f having the shape of a thick, solid pushing gate having attached thereto a transport means 5d, for example of the type discussed above in connection with Fig. 3 and 4a-4d. The front wall 4f can be pushed up and down as far as a front plate 87 allows, and can be pushed towards the ceiling of the store, if the ceiling allows a corre¬ sponding height.

Fig. 9b illustrates a pushing gate 88 which is adapted to be displaced together with an upper web 89 and a lower web 90, the upper web 89 being adapted to be displaced over a roller 91, whereas the lower web is adapted to be bent in¬ wardly across the floor 92. Fig. 9c illustrates a sliding gate 93 which is attached to a thin web 94 passing above -an upper roller 95 and a thin web 96 passing above a lower roller 97.

The rollers 95 and 97 are connected via one or more ropes 98.

In Figs. 10a and 10b there is illustrated a second embodiment of a front wall 4g comprising a sliding gate 99 having an aperture 100, and a rotatable intermediate storage mean 101 which is shaped as a quarter of a cylinder and which follows the sliding gate 99 when the customer pushes this up or down to an appropriate area of a specific commodity storage section. As the customer picks out the commodities through the aperture 101, the commodities can be put into the intermediate storage means 101, and subsequent to the finishe commodity picking the sliding gate can be passed down to the area of the transport box 5e. In the area of the transport box 5e the intermediate storage means 101 may be tilted about a journal point 103 to a position which is illustrated with broken lines at the reference number 101', so that the commodities via a sliding plate 104 can be passed into the transport box 102 to be stored therein. After filling of the transport box 102 the cover 102 and the wall trap-door 105 can be closed in the same manner as discussed above in con¬ nection with Figs. 3 and 4a-4d for closing of the opening 106 in the front wall 4g.

Alternatively there can be used a front wall 4h of the type which is illustrated in Figs. 11a and lib. The front wall 4h is equipped with a series of vertical slits 107 as well as a bottom horizontal slit 108. Further, the front wall 4h may be so adapted that it can be displaced from a first position which is illustrated with unbroken line in Fig. lib, to the position which is illustrated at 4h' by means of dash- dotted line in Fig. lib. The front wall 4h can then be appropriately mounted for displacement in a direction towards and from the commodities storage sections so that the customer 109 by suitable displacement of the front wall towards the commodity storage section can reach the commodities therein,

O whereas the customer when withdrawing the front wall 4h together with the selected commodity 110 can pass the com¬ modity to a transport means 5f and place the commodity in the loading chamber thereof, possibly via a sliding shelf of the type discussed in connection with Fig. 10a.

It is to be understood that the above described means can be varied without transgressing the scope of the invention.

For example, if the transport means are designed as wheeled wagons, they may include levers or articulation mechanisms for opening and closing, respectively, of the lockable cover on the wagon when this is completely or partly inserted behind respectively removed from the front wall.

If desired, the wagon can be equipped with a displace¬ able web having an aperture, the web being displaceable to uncover the loading chamber of the wagon when this is located in a specific position relative to the commodity shelves.

It is to be understood that instead of trap-doors in the front wall which can be tilted downwardly, and horizontal gates, there can also be provided gates which not only can be displaced vertically, but also horizontally.

It is also to be understood that the locked wagons, after they have been filled with commodities behind the front walls, can be passed to the check-out point for unlocking there by means of a suitable key arrangement, so that the commodities can only be taken out and be paid for in the area of the check-out point.

It is further to be understood that if there are used sections having continuous closed transport channels, then there can be used wagons which do not have to be closable and lockable. The continuous transport tracks must then extend from a supervised insertion point to the check-out point. However, in connection with continuous closed transport systems it is possible to use the same type of wagons as described above. The wagons can then be permanently open for the loading of commodities in the transport channels, i.e. the commodities not being accessible for removal from the system before the wagon is moved to the end of the system

- tiKEJC OMPI where the cash-points are located.

It is further to be understood that the picking means not necessarily have to be mitten- or glove-like means, but can as well be constituted by scissors- or tong-shaped devices which can be attached to a displaceable field in the front wall, possibly adapted to be guided along a slit-like opening in the front wall for picking of commodities there- behind. The picking of commodities can then take place from the shelves to filling devices which either are located stationary relatively to the font wall during the picking operation, or follow the displaceable field in the front wall.

OMP

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s:

1. Device for use in a store equipment system comprising commodities storage sections provided behind completely or partly transparent front walls and fetching means which are operated by the customer for withdrawal and transfer of commodities to transport means, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the partly transparent front walls (4b, 44a) comprise apertures (40) through which the customer can reach the commodities, possibly only by picking means (19, 701 for transfer of the commodities behind the front walls, and that the transport means (5b, 5c) are adapted to be passed to fetching areas located at or completely or partly inside behind the front walls (4b, 44a) for collecting commodities which are picked by the customers, the transport means (5b, 5c) being provided with closing means for opening and closing of the loading area thereof when said transport means are passed to and retrieved from the fetching area, respectively, or said transport means being open and transported in closed passages or tunnels for transport to the check-out point.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the front wall (4b, 44a) comprises a locked trap¬ door (45a, 51) which can be opened by a transport means (5b, 5c) , and that the transport means (5c) comprises a lockable cover (46a) which upon opening of the trap-door (51) in the front wall is released and opened approximately simultaneously with the wall trap-door, a key (48) being provided in the area of the wall trap-door, -which key is adapted to operate the lock (47) of the cover of the transport means (5c) , and that in the same area there is provided a trap-door lock

(50) which is adapted to be operated by a key (49) on the transport means (5c) , the transport means (5c) being equipped with means (52, 55, 58a) serving to displace the trap-door from open to closed position and vica versa in synchronism with the opening and closing of the cover.

OMPI ^?

3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that the transport means is a box-like container (5c) having a lockable cover (46a) and/or side wall, which container is adapted to be detachably placed on a stand (6) with wheels (7) , possibly is equipped with wheels (7) and handle (46b) for wheeling, and that the container with open cover (46a) or open side wall can be nested with other containers of same type, possibly on the stand.

4. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the apertures (40) in the front wall (4b) are made in a field (35) which can be displaced both horizontally (39) and vertically (39a) within the fetching area of one or more commodity storage sections, and that for the displaceable aperture (40) there is possibly provided a picking means enabling a gripping effect for the customer.

5. Device as claimed in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the picking means are constituted by completely or partly transparent glove-like means, possibly including openings corresponding to finger size.

6. Device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the glove-like means (70) are attached to a displaceable field by resilient means (73, 74) , so that the glove-like means (70) are stretched from their initial position when used by a customer, but are withdrawn to their initial position after use.

7. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 4, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d i n that the picking means are constituted by scissors- or tong-shaped devices which are attached to a displaceable field in the front wall, possibly are adapted to be passed along slit-like openings in the front wall for picking of commodities therebehind.

8. Device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the apertures in the front walls are proportioned to the size of the commodities in the storage sectiens, the apertures being large enough for the customers to reach the commodities therethrough, but smaller than the commodities in the section concerned, so that the customer can pick the commodities without the use of picking means.

9. Device as claimed in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the apertures comprise horizontal and/or vertical slits, through which the customer can reach the commodities with one or both hands and pass the commodities therealong to the transport means.

10. Device as claimed in claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the front walls are mounted displaceably in the direction to and from the commodity storage sections, so that the customer by appropriate displacement of the front walls towards the sections can reach the commodities therein, whereas the customer upon withdrawal of the wall together with the selected commodity, can pass the commodity to the loading area of a transport means, possibly via a sliding shelf.

O PI