Merchandising – Customer service – Store service
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2001-01-30
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3652)
Merchandising
Customer service
Store service
C186S062000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179089
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a checker unload supermarket check stand and a shopping cart that combined create a new system for retailers.
2. Description of Prior Art
A checker unload check stand system in a grocery store uses a main counter and cart. A customer pushes the shopping cart to the front of the main counter where the checker takes control of cart. The checker removes the items from the shopping cart and scans or key enters item prices. The checker then passes the checked items to the rear of the counter via manual reach or a power take away belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,773 to R. K. Swanson details an earlier attempt to combine a check stand and cart into a full system. In this patent a check out system combined a cantilevered counter with a cantilevered cart that passed over the top of the counter. This system was successful for many years before scanning was introduced into the grocery store industry. When check stands began to incorporate an optical scanner into the main counter several problems became evident. The front of the cart was required to stop prior to the scanner head making it necessary for a checker to reach the full length of the shopping cart to reach product thus increasing body stress. Since the cart basket bottom passed over the top of the check stand the surface of the counter was very low. A checker now needed to bend over to pass items over the scanner head creating additional body stress.
With the advent of scanning in the 1970's several checker unload systems have been developed and marketed. These systems all have the front of the shopping cart stopping at the front edge of the check stand and before the cart reaches the scanner. This type system requires the checker to reach farther and farther toward the rear of the cart to retrieve items as the basket of the cart is emptied. This type system while workable and in common use in the supermarket industry has serious drawbacks. Checker body stress is increased the farther they reach into the cart to obtain product. The time to unload a cart and process a customer order is increased because of this long reach.
The prior art provided in literature form illustrates the blunt front of the check stand where the shopping cart stops. It also illustrates where the cart docks in front of the scanner. The cart is then in a stationary position while the checker unloads the cart and scans the product. This stationary position of the cart requires the checker to reach the full length of the cart to retrieve product.
Thus, there is a need for a check out stand and cart combination that creates less reach for the checker.
There is no prior art or patent that refers to my invention.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the below the scanner nesting check stand/cart system are:
Current systems require checkers to reach the full length of the shopping cart to reach items before passing them over the scanner. With the below the scanner system in my invention the reach factor for the checker is reduced by over fifty percent. This reach reduction is attained by the bottom of the cart passing under the cantilevered scanner housing during the checkout process.
Current systems create more body stress on checkers because of the long reach factors. The below the scanner system brings the product in the shopping cart closer to the checker. Body movement and reach is reduced creating less body stress on the checker.
My invention allows the checker to spend less time processing a customer order. Having all product within easy reach of the checker reduces the time needed to scan individual items. My invention will allow checkers to process more orders with less body stress during a workday
All of the objects and advantages and additional advantages will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3443665 (1969-05-01), Zschaech
patent: 3517773 (1970-06-01), Swanson
patent: 3789957 (1974-02-01), Close
patent: 4007809 (1977-02-01), Goransson
patent: 4043426 (1977-08-01), Verkler
patent: 4105096 (1978-08-01), Baugh et al.
patent: 4177880 (1979-12-01), Joseloff
patent: 4373611 (1983-02-01), Frederick
patent: 136525 (1985-04-01), None
Reynolds Corp. brochure Scan2100 Checker Unload front and back No Date.
Olszewski Robert P.
Tran Thuy V.
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