CHECKOUT SYSTEM

Abstract: The invention relates to a checkout system having a processor (94) and a remotely operated cash box assembly (20) comprising a box-like structure having a front wall portion (26), a rear wall portion (28) and two side wall portions (22, 24). Rotatably mounted between the front wall portion (26) and the rear wall portion (28) is a spring (56) urged cover member (30). A solenoid (62) actuated latch mechanism (66, 74) mounted to the front wall portion (26) engages a latching surface (82) on the cover member (30) latching the cover member (30) upon movement of the cover member (30) to a posi­ tion engaging the front wall portion (26). Energizing of the solenoid (62) by the processor (94) releases the cover member (30) for movement to a position adjacent the rear wall (28) portion opening the cash box assembly (20). Located within the cash box assembly (20) is a cash tray (36) having separate compartments for coins and bills (38, 40) in which the bill com­ partments (40) are oriented in an upward direction to facilitate the removal and depositing of bills in the tray (36).

Description: The present invention relates to a checkout apparatus for purchased merchandise items, which includes a data processor means and a remotely controlled cash box assembly. Present day merchandising checkout apparatus usually include an optical reader mounted in a checkout counter for reading UPC bar code labels on purchased merchandise items as part of the checkout operation. Normally, the checkout operator stands adjacent the checkout counter and moves the purchased merchandise items past the optical reader. In order to relieve the checkout operator of any physical strain in moving the items past the reader, certain governmental agencies require the checkout operator to sit at the checkout counter while performing a checkout operation. This requirement restricts the amount of working area available to locate the data terminal device associated with the checkout operation. In order to solve this problem, the terminal device has been replaced by separate keyboard, display, cash drawer and printer modules, the latter two modules mounted within the checkout counter. Each module is remotely operated by a central processing unit. With the checkout operator in a sitting position, it was found that movement of the cash drawer from a closed to an open position interfered with the operator when in a sitting position. It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide checkout apparatus having a remotely controlled cash box which is convenient to use by an operator in a sitting position and which is simple in construction and therefore low in cost. Thus according to the invention there is provided a checkout apparatus for merchandise items comprising scanning means for reading a coded label on a merchandise item, keyboard means for manually inputting data relating to a merchandise item, data processing means for receiving data from said scanning means and said keyboard means, a cash box connected to said processing means and comprising a support structure having front, rear and a pair of side wall portions, a currency receptacle having a plurality of coin and bill compartments and an electrically operated latching means mounted to said front wall portion and operative for opening and closing said cash box, and display means and printer means which are respectively arranged to display and print the price of a purchased merchandise item and operation of which is controlled by said data processing means, characterized in that said bill compartments have a bill supporting surface inclined in an upward direction towards said front wall portion, said cash box has a movable cover member rotatably mounted to said side wall portions and being movable between a first position engaging said front wall portion and a second position adjacent said rear wall portion, resilient means urging said cover member towards said second position, said cover member including means enabling the cover member to be manually moved to said first position, and in that said apparatus is modular such that said latching means of said cash box is remotely controlled by said data processing means via cable means so as to latch said cover member in said first position and to release said cover member for movement to said second position under action of said resilient means. One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cash box used in the checkout system of the present invention shown in a closed condition; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cash box shown in an open condition showing the details of the cash tray; Fig. 3 is an enlarged right side view of the cash box with the right side wall and a portion of the front cover portion removed to show details of the spring member and the locking mechanism; Fig. 4 is a partial detailed front view of the spring member which normally urges the rotatably mounted cover member to an open position; Fig. 5 is a partial detailed front view of the locking mechanism for locking the rotatable front cover portion in a closed position; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a checkout counter showing the location of the cash box and the various processing modules associated with the checkout counter; and Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the checkout apparatus of the present invention. Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a perspective view of the cash box used in the checkout apparatus of the present invention which comprises a boxlike structure referred to by the numeral 20 which includes sidewall portions 22 and 24 (Fig. 2), the front wall portion 26 and a rear wall portion 28 (Fig. 3). The cover of the cash box 20 comprises a rotatably mounted front cover portion 30 and a stationary rear cover portion 32 which is a continuation of the rear wall portion 28. Located in the front cover portion 30 is a recessed portion 34 forming a handle by which the operator can rotate the front cover portion 30 to a closed position as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, mounted within the cash box 20 is a cash tray generally indicated by the numeral 36 which is comprised of a unitary structure having a series of front compartments 38 formed therein which house various denominations of coins and a plurality of rear compartments 40 in which are stacked various denominations of bills in a manner that is well known in the art. As shown in Fig. 3, the cash tray 36 comprises a unitary structure in which each of the front coin compartments 38 has a sloping front portion 42 enabling coins to be retrieved from the compartment in a relatively easy manner. Each of the rear bill compartments 40 shown in Fig. 3 is orientated in a slightly upward direction from a horizontal plane and includes a spring member 44 rotatably mounted to a support member 45 secured to the rear wall 47 of the cash tray 36 as a hold down spring for holding the bills within the compartment. The cash tray 36 is made of plastic and is molded as one piece and includes a depending leg portion 46 for mounting the cash tray on the floor portion 48 of the cash box. The rotatably mounted front cover portion 30 includes a pair of sidewall portions 50 (Fig. 3) which are configured as an arc of a circle. Mounted within each of the sidewall portions 22 and 24 of the cash box 20 is a hub member 52 (Figs. 3 and 4). The hub member 52 is located within an aperture 54 in each of the sidewall portions 50 of the front cover portion 30. A torsion spring 56 mounted on the hub member 52 has an arm portion 58 secured to the front cover portion 30 and a second arm portion 60 secured to the sidewall portions 22 and 24 of the cash box 20 to normally urge the front cover portion 30 in a clockwise direction about the hub member, as viewed in Fig. 3, to a position within the rear cover portion 32 of the cash box. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, mounted on the front portion of the floor portion 48 of the cash box 20 is a solenoid 62. The solenoid 62 has an armature 64 engaging one end 65 of a lever member 66 in which the end 65 is also engaged by a spring member 68 secured to an arm member 70 mounted to the floor portion 48 of the cash box. The lever member 66 is rotatably mounted on a stud 72 (Figs. 3 and 5) which is secured to the front wall portion 26 of the cash box. The other end of the lever member comprises a hook portion 74 which extends through a first slotted portion 76 located in the front wall portion 26 and a second slotted portion 78 located in the front cover portion 30 of the cash box when the cover portion has been moved into engagement with the front wall portion 26. The hook portion 74 has a rounded cam surface 80 which will be engaged by the edge of the slotted portion 78 when the cover portion 30 is moved towards a closed position thereby camming the lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 enabling the hook portion to engage a latching surface 82 (Figs. 3 and 5) of the front cover portion 30 thereby locking the cover portion in a closed position under the action of the spring member 68. Referring now to Fig. 6 there is shown a perspective view of a checkout counter 84 having a supporting surface 86 in which is located an aperture 88 through which scanning light beams of an optical scanner 90 mounted within the counter 84 are used to scan a UPC label located on a purchased merchandise item as the item is moved past the aperture 88 in a manner that is well known in the art. Mounted to a pedestal member 92 secured to the side of the checkout counter 84 is a display member 96 and a keypad member 98. Mounted within the checkout counter is a central processing unit 94 which controls the operation of the display member, the keypad member and the cash box 20 which is positioned on a shelf 100 located within a recessed portion 102 of the checkout counter. The recessed portion 102 allows a checkout operator sitting on a chair member 104 to sit at the checkout counter 84. Referring now to Fig. 7 there is shown a block diagram of the processing system associated with the checkout operation which includes a processing unit 94 coupled to the scanner 90, the display 96, a printer 106, the cash box 20 over cable 108 and the keypad member 98. During a checkout operation, the operator sitting on the chair member 104 will move a purchased merchandise item past the aperture 88 of the scanner 90 enabling the scanner to project the scanning light beams through the aperture and read the UPC label on the merchandise item thereby generating data identifying the merchandise item. This data is transmitted to the processing unit 94 which has stored therein lookup tables for use in retrieving the price of the purchased item utilizing the data generated by the scanner 90 in scanning the UPC label. The processing unit 94 will enable the display member 96 to display the price of the merchandise item and operate the printer 106 to print on a receipt and journal member the price of each purchased item. At the completion of the merchandise transaction, the total amount due for the purchased merchandise items will be displayed on the display member 96 enabling the customer to pay the amount due. When the transaction is completed by the customer paying the amount due, the operator, utilizing a total key (not shown) on the keypad member 98, will energize the solenoid 62 located within the cash box 20 which rotates the lever member 66 (Fig. 5) in a clockwise direction. This action releases the front cover portion 30 to the action of the spring member 56 which rotates the cover portion 30 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 to a position within the rear cover portion 32. At this time the operator can either obtain change from the cash tray or insert the amount tendered by the customer, whether it is in coins or bills, in the cash tray in a manner that is well known in the art. At the completion of the merchandising transaction, the operator, utilizing the recessed portion 34 (Fig. 1), will rotate the front cover portion 30 back towards a position engaging the cammed surface 80 of the lever member 66 thereby camming the lever member in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 enabling the hook portion 74 to engage the latching surface 82 of the front cover portion 30 under the action of the spring member 68 thereby latching the front cover portion in a locked position. It will be seen that the construction of the cash box just described allows the operator to check out merchandise items while in a sitting position without interference from the cash box when the cash box is used as part of the checkout operation.

Claims: Checkout apparatus for merchandise items comprising scanning means (88) for reading a coded label on a merchandise item, keyboard means (98) for manually inputting data relating to a merchandise item, data processing means (94) for receiving data from said scanning means (88) and said keyboard means (98), a cash box (20) connected to said processing means (94) and comprising a support structure having front (26), rear (28) and a pair of side wall portions (22,24), a currency receptacle (36) having a plurality of coin and bill compartments (38,40) and an electrically operated latching means (62,64,66,72,74) mounted to said front wall portion (26) and operative for opening and closing said cash box (20), and display means (96) and printer means (106) which are respectively arranged to display and print the price of a purchased merchandise item and operation of which is controlled by said data processing means, characterized in that said bill compartments have a bill supporting surface inclined in an upward direction towards said front wall portion (26), said cash box (20) has a movable cover member (30) rotatably mounted to said side wall portions (22,24) and being movable between a first position engaging said front wall portion (26) and a second position adjacent said rear wall portion (28), resilient means (56) urging said cover member (30) towards said second position, said cover member (30) including means (34) enabling the cover member (30) to be manually moved to said first position, and in that said apparatus is modular such that said latching means (62,64,66,72,74) of said cash box (20) is remotely controlled by said data processing means via cable means (108) so as to latch said cover member (30) in said first position and to release said cover member (30) for movement to said second position under action of said resilient means (56). Checkout apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said latching means (62,64,66,72,74,80) is mounted on a front wall position of said cover member (30). Checkout apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said cover member (30) includes a horizontal surface (78) extending along the front edge of the cover member (30) in which said horizontal surface (78) includes a slot; said latching means (62, 64, 66, 72, 74, 80) includes a rotatably mounted lever member (66) mounted to the front wall portion (26) of said cash box (20), said lever member (66) having a latching portion (74) positioned adjacent said slot upon movement of the cover member (30) to said first position engaging said front wall portion (26); and said latching means (62, 64, 66, 72, 74, 80) further includes first actuating means (68) engaging one end (65) of said lever member (66) for normally urging said lever member (66) in a latching direction whereby said latching portion (74) of the lever member (66) will move through said slot into a position latching said cover member (30) to said front wall portion (26). Checkout apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said latching means (62, 64, 66, 72, 74, 80) further includes electrically operated second actuating means (62) engaging said one end (65) of said lever member (66) for moving said lever member (66) in a non-latching direction when operated, said second actuating means (62) being electrically connected to said processing means (94) by said cable means (108) whereby said processing means (94) will operate said second actuating means (62) to move said lever member (66) to a non-latching position enabling said resilient means (56) to move the cover member (30) to said second position. Checkout apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said resilient means (56) comprises a torsion spring having a first arm member (60) secured to a side wall portion (24) of the cash box (20) and a second arm member (58) secured to said cover member (30). Checkout apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said bill compartments (40) are positioned adjacent the rear portion of the coin compartments (38). Checkout apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said second actuating means comprises an electrically operated solenoid (62) mounted adjacent the front wall portion (26) of the cash box (20) and having an armature member (64) engaging said one end (65) of the lever member (66) for rotating the lever member (66) to a non-latching position when operated, and said first actuating means (68) comprises a compression spring mounted between said one end (65) of said lever member (66) and said front wall portion (26) for rotating said lever member (66) to a latching position upon movement of the latching portion (74) of the lever member (66) moving through the slot in the horizontal surface (78) of the cover member (30) when the solenoid (62) is not operative.

Inventors: CONE, RICHARD, ELWOOD
Applicants: NCR INTERNATIONAL INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G07G1
IPC codes: G07G1