DE202017103667U1 - Holder for a beacon, palette with a beacon and tool to remove the beacon from the palette - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder (26) for an electronic transmitter / receiver (24), comprising a base (28) and at least one clamping arm (40) for releasably locking the holder (26) to a plastic pallet (10).

Description

The invention relates to a holder for a beacon, a palette with a beacon and a tool for removing the beacon from the pallet.

The term "beacon" is understood here as an electronic component which is a transmitter or receiver which is based in particular (but not necessarily) on the BLE technology (Bluetooth Low Energy). Such beacons are used in particular in shops in order to detect the sales behavior of customers or the movement patterns of potential customers in a shop and / or to cause the customers to receive push messages via a corresponding app on their smartphone when they are in close to a specific product.

It may be useful from various points of view to attach such a beacon directly to a range of goods. In this case, the customer behavior can be linked to the goods that are on the respective pallet. Furthermore, the beacon can be used to track where the palette is currently located.

The object of the invention is to equip a range of goods with little effort with a beacon so that very different requirements can be met, for example, on the one hand a mechanically very reliable attachment and on the other hand the ability to separate different materials in recycling.

To achieve this object, a holder for an electronic transmitter / receiver is provided according to the invention, with a base body and at least one clamping arm for releasably locking the holder of a plastic product range. Furthermore, a range of goods is provided with a base body made of plastic and an active electronic transmitter / receiver, wherein a releasable locking mechanism is provided, by means of which the transmitter / receiver is attached to the goods pallet. The invention is based on the idea of attaching the electronic transmitter / receiver by means of a mechanical, detachable connection to the range of goods that on the one hand in a very short time attached to the range and on the other hand, if desired, without much effort and non-destructive again can be separated from the product range.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the clamping arm is designed in the manner of a barb. This makes it possible to press the holder into an opening on the range of goods, so that the holder jammed there. The effort required for the assembly is thereby minimized.

According to an alternative embodiment, the clamping arm is designed to be channel-shaped in cross-section. The clamping arm can then be attached with little effort to a stiffening web, which is located on the bottom of the range of goods.

It is also possible that the clamping arm is designed in the manner of a snap hook. The snap hook is bent to assembly and disassembly of the electronic transmitter / receiver from an initial position out and then snaps back, for example, after assembly back to the starting position so that it locks in the goods pallet.

According to one embodiment of the invention, two diametrically opposed clamping arms are provided so that on the one hand increases the holding force and on the other results in a centering effect. This centering effect is further enhanced when three clamping arms are used.

The two clamping arms can be connected to each other by a reinforcing web, which further increases the mechanical strength.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the base body is disc-shaped, wherein the clamping arm extends parallel to one of the outer surfaces of the base body. The base body serves as a contact surface, so that when the holder is mounted on the range of goods, a wall of the range of goods between the clamping arm and the body is firmly clamped. In particular, in this case the clamping arm is elastically slightly biased.

The clamping arm can be centrally connected to the base body and extend radially outward. By this cantilevered arrangement of the clamping arm this has the desired elastic deformability.

The clamping arm may in particular be hook-shaped, so that it can extend through an opening in the goods pallet and engage behind its edge.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the base body is part of the housing of the electronic transmitter / receiver. The advantage of this embodiment is that the transmitter / receiver does not have to be mounted in a separate holder.

According to an alternative embodiment it is provided that the holder is a separate part is where the electronic transmitter / receiver is detachably mounted. The advantage of this embodiment is that the transceiver does not have to be made with an application specific housing, but can be purchased "off the shelf". Depending on the range of goods to which it is then to be mounted, the holder is manufactured with specific geometry.

Preferably, the holder has at least two retaining tabs for the transmitter / receiver, and more preferably three retaining tabs, which are arranged at an angular distance of 120 ° about a center around. As a result, the transmitter / receiver can be mounted reliably centered on the holder.

The retaining tabs are preferably elastically resilient, so that the electronic transmitter / receiver can be solved by the holder, for example, when the battery has to be replaced or another transmitter / receiver to be mounted.

Preferably, the retaining tabs are provided at its free end with a locking lug, this allows to lock the electronic transmitter / receiver automatically on the holder, without further attachment measures are required.

On the one hand low production costs and on the other hand a high mechanical strength at the commonly occurring temperatures, the holder preferably consists of one or more thermosets, one or more thermoplastics, one or more recyclates or a combination thereof. In particular, it is a one-piece component, which is produced by injection molding.

The locking mechanism used to attach the holder to the pallet is preferably a bayonet system in which the holder is translationally moved along an axis until it is positioned on the product pallet and then rotated about that axis on the pallet Goods pallet is locked. This type of attachment is particularly advantageous since it is not necessary to have access to the pallet from two sides simultaneously; it is sufficient to position the holder from one side and then to turn.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the clamping arm extends through an opening in the base body and bears against a goods support surface. It has surprisingly been found that there are advantages in this embodiment, which clearly outweigh the actually expected disadvantages. Actually, it should be expected that it is unfavorable when the clamping arm extends to the goods support surface, since there is always the risk that the clamping arm is damaged by goods positioned there or twisted so that the holder detaches from the goods pallet. In fact, however, the forces exerted by the goods positioned on the goods support surface on the clamping arm cause it to be "pinched" between the goods and the goods support surface and to hold it particularly reliably.

This applies even more if the goods support surface is provided with an anti-slip design and the clamping arm cooperates with the anti-slip design. The anti-slip design may be, for example, small nubs located on the goods support surface. The clamping arm is designed so that when the holder is attached to the goods pallet and twisted, it slides over at least one of the nubs and "lags behind", whereby the holder is locked even more reliable on the range of goods.

The invention also provides a tool for removing an electronic transmitter / receiver from a range of goods, the tool having a handle and at least one release projection adapted to engage a clamping arm of the holder of the electronic transmitter / receiver. With this tool can be easily attacked on the clamping arm (or on the clamping arms) of the holder and either the holder can be rotated so that the clamping arm is released from the goods pallet, or the clamping arm are bent so that it dissolves from the range of goods.

The invention is described below with reference to various embodiments, which are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these show:

1 an example of a range of goods in a perspective plan view;

2 in a perspective bottom view of a second embodiment of a range of goods;

3 in a schematic sectional view taken along the plane III-III a range of goods on which by means of a holder, an electronic transmitter / receiver is mounted;

4 in a perspective view of the holder of 3 ;

5 in a representation corresponding to those of 3 an electronic transmitter / Receiver with a holder according to a second embodiment;

6 in a view corresponding to that of 3 an electronic transmitter / receiver attached to the pallet with a holder according to a third embodiment; and

7 in a view corresponding to that of 3 an electronic transmitter / receiver, which is attached to a holder according to a fourth embodiment of the range of goods.

In 1 is a range of goods 10 to see who has a carrier body 12 and a total of four starting from the carrier body 12 extending feet 14 having.

In the product range 10 it is a so-called quarter pallet whose floor area corresponds to one quarter of a Euro pallet.

The carrier body 12 points to his off the feet 14 the upper side facing away from a substantially flat goods support surface 16 on, in the several openings 18 are provided. The openings 18 have different functions. They make it possible, a so-called goods display on the Warenauflagefläche 16 to fix. Furthermore, they ensure that liquid on the goods support surface 16 arrives, runs fast. On the goods support surface 16 can be an anti-slip design 20 be provided here for an area near the right corner of the product range 10 is shown as small pimples.

The range of goods 10 as such is out of the EP 2 974 975 A1 known. It is made in one piece from plastic and stackable.

In 2 is a slightly modified variant of the range of goods 10 shown essentially by the shape and arrangement of the openings 18 from the in 1 distinguished embodiment. The most significant difference is that here are several comparatively large, diamond-shaped openings 18 available.

In 2 is good that in the vehicle body 12 existing stiffening structure in the form of regularly crossing stiffening webs 22 to recognize.

Also the variant in 2 is from the EP 2 974 975 A1 known.

With regard to all features of the range of goods 10 is fully referenced to this document.

At the goods pallet 10 an electronic transmitter / receiver is mounted, so an active component in which, for example, a specific identifier can be programmed and the periodically emits a signal that can be received, for example, from a smartphone. In particular, the electronic transceiver is a so-called beacon that uses BLE technology.

For simplicity, the term "beacon" will always be used below. Within the scope of the invention, however, the electronic transmitter / receiver can also work with a different communication standard than with the Bluetooth standard.

The beacon is in 3 generally with the reference numeral 24 designated. Technical details are not relevant in the context of this invention; the beacon may be considered as an enclosed housing within which a battery, an antenna, semiconductor elements, etc. are arranged.

The beacon 24 is on the range of goods 10 by means of a holder 26 mounted, which in the embodiment shown a disc-shaped base body 28 has, starting from the total of three retaining tabs 30 extend. Each retaining tab 30 is at its free end with a latch 32 behind the beacon 24 can snap. To facilitate assembly, the retaining tabs 30 on theirs from the main body 28 opposite side each with an inclined surface 34 Mistake.

In total there are three retaining tabs 30 present at an angular distance of 120 ° from each other about the center of the body 28 are arranged around.

The beacon 24 is on the holder 26 Mounted by it between the retaining tabs 30 is inserted, the elastically springy initially dodge to the outside and then return to their original position, so that the beacon 24 firmly locked between the three retaining tabs.

On his of the retaining tabs 30 opposite side is the main body 28 with two clamp arms 40 provided, which are each hook-shaped. Each clamp arm 40 thus has a first section 42 on, perpendicular to the plane of the main body 28 and thus parallel to the extension direction of the retaining tabs 30 extends, and a second section 44 which is approximately parallel to the plane of the main body 28 extends.

Between the two clamp arms 40 is a reinforcing bar 46 provided an extension of the two second sections 44 represents.

The holder 26 with the clamps 40 and the retaining tabs 30 is a total of one piece. It is a plastic injection molded part. As a material, in particular thermosets, thermoplastics, recycled materials or a combination thereof are suitable.

The holder 26 is in the embodiment shown by means of a bayonet-type connection with the range of goods 10 connected. For this purpose, the holder 26 from the bottom in the space between several stiffening webs 22 initially arranged so that the clamping arms 40 through one of the openings 18 extend through. Then the holder 26 so turned that the bottom of the second sections 44 on the goods support surface 16 lies while the upper, horizontal wall of the carrier body 12 between the clamp arms and the body 28 is clamped. The clamp arms 40 are hereby elastically biased.

In the 1 and 2 is the one on the range of goods 10 mounted holders 26 or in the space between several stiffening webs 22 arranged beacon 24 to see.

The mechanical locking of the holder 26 at the goods pallet 10 is improved by the fact that the two clamping arms 40 with the anti-slip designs 20 interact, based on the goods support surface 16 are located.

Notwithstanding the design shown, the outer, second section 44 the clamping arms 40 also have a slightly rounded shape, so that items do not easily get caught on the clamp arms.

In the in the 3 and 4 the embodiment shown is the holder 26 separately from the beacon 24 executed. It is also conceivable that the clamping arms used for attachment to the goods carrier pallet 40 also in one piece with the housing of the beacon 24 provided. The particular advantage that results from the attachment of the beacon between the stiffening webs 22 results is that it is very protected there arranged. Neither when handling the pallet by means of a forklift or lift truck nor during the return transport in the stacked state is there the risk that the beacon 24 damaged or from the product range 10 is solved.

Notwithstanding the hook-shaped clamping arms, the clamping arms may for example also be designed similar to elliptical disks whose dimensions are such that they can be inserted through the diamond-shaped openings, but the holder 26 at the goods pallet 10 lock when turned.

In 5 a second embodiment is shown. This differs from the first embodiment in that the clamping arms 40 are executed in the manner of barbs extending laterally from the beacon and between two opposing stiffening webs 22 jam when the beacon is pressed into the space between the stiffening webs.

In 6 a third embodiment is shown in which the clamping arms 40 run at their end channel-shaped, so that they are the lower edge of two stiffening webs 22 can embrace. The clamp arms 40 can be designed here in particular as leaf springs, for example spring steel.

In 7 a third embodiment is shown in which the clamping arms 40 are designed as snap hooks. For mounting (and disassembling) the beacon 24 become the clamp arms 40 brought from its position shown in solid lines in a (dashed) assembly / disassembly position in which they through the corresponding opening 18 can be passed through. As soon as the clamp arms 40 Let go again, they return to the starting position in which the Beacon 24 then at the goods pallet 10 is locked.

To the in the 1 and 2 shown range of goods 10 also includes a tool with which the beacon 24 if necessary from the range of goods 10 can be solved. With the tool, either the holder 26 be rotated so that the bayonet connection between holder 26 and product range 10 or it can be the clamping arms 40 be deformed so that the beacon 24 from the range of goods 10 is released.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 2974975 A1 [0035, 0038]

Claims (24)

Holder ( 26 ) for an electronic transmitter / receiver ( 24 ), with a basic body ( 28 ) and at least one clamping arm ( 40 ) for releasably locking the holder ( 26 ) on a plastic pallet ( 10 ). Holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) is formed in the manner of a barb. Holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) is designed channel-shaped in cross-section. Holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) is executed in the manner of a snap hook. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two diametrically opposed clamping arms ( 40 ) are provided. Holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the clamping arms ( 40 ) with each other by a reinforcing web ( 46 ) are connected. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic body ( 28 ) disc-shaped and the clamping arm ( 40 ) parallel to one of the outer surfaces of the body ( 28 ). Holder according to claim 7, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) centered with the main body ( 28 ) and extends radially outward. Holder according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) is hook-shaped. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the basic body ( 28 ) Part of the housing of the electronic transmitter / receiver ( 24 ). Holder according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the holder ( 26 ) is a separate part to which the electronic transceiver ( 24 ) is detachably mounted. Holder according to claim 11, characterized in that the holder at least two retaining tabs ( 30 ) for the transmitter / receiver. Holder according to claim 12, characterized in that three retaining tabs ( 30 ) are provided, which are arranged at an angular distance of 120 ° about a center around. Holder according to one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the retaining tabs ( 30 ) are elastically resilient. Holder according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the retaining tabs ( 30 ) at its free end with a latch ( 32 ) are provided. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is integrally formed from plastic. Holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder consists of one or more thermosets, one or more thermoplastics, one or more recyclates or a combination thereof. Product range ( 10 ) with a carrier body ( 12 ) made of plastic and an active electronic transmitter / receiver ( 24 ), wherein a releasable locking mechanism ( 40 ) is provided, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, by means of which the transmitter / receiver ( 24 ) on the range of goods ( 10 ) is attached. Goods pallet according to claim 18, characterized in that the locking mechanism ( 40 ) is a bayonet system. Goods pallet according to claim 18 or claim 19, characterized in that the locking mechanism comprises a clamping arm ( 40 ) contains. Goods pallet according to claim 20, characterized in that the clamping arm ( 40 ) through an opening ( 18 ) extends in the carrier body ( 12 ) and on a goods support surface ( 16 ) is present. Goods pallet according to claim 20 or claim 21, characterized in that the goods support surface ( 16 ) with an anti-slip design ( 20 ) and that the clamping arm ( 40 ) with the anti-slip design ( 20 ) cooperates. Goods pallet as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 20, that the locking mechanism ( 40 ) having at least one surface of a stiffening structure ( 22 ) of the pallet interacts. Tool for removing an electronic transmitter / receiver from a range of goods ( 10 ) according to one of claims 18 to 23, characterized in that it comprises a handle and has at least one release projection for engaging a clamping arm of the holder of the electronic transceiver ( 24 ) is trained.

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