PRODUCTS

Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to the field of the current needs in life and particularly, to the structures and installations for the distribution of goods. More particularly, it relates to a controlled access structure for the provision of bottled products which, by means of a locking device which clamps bottle necks, allows the controlled automated provision and dispensing of such bottles .

Prior Art:

To this day, other devices are known, such as the ones disclosed by Patents number US 2004/0232092A1 and EP 0017417A1. These devices comprise locking structures common to every housing which have to be completely removed every time a bottle needs to be taken from its respective housing.

The device disclosed by Patent number US 2005/0263471A1, where the bottle housings provide a seismic anchoring system based on rings with leashes that may be easily released and does not prevent the bottle from being removed from such housing, is also known.

A vending machine for the dispensing of beverages and/or food disclosed by Patent number GB 1438823, which system is highly complex and only allows the simultaneous release of every housing from the same row, is also known.

Advantages and Purposes:

A purpose of the present invention is that it allows the dispensing of beverages such as wines, in the best conditions, for discerning consumers.

An advantage is that the present structure may be gathered in groups of several units or as part of racks or pieces of furniture in which each modular structure features its own locking means. The above mentioned is of great importance in order to avoid the unnecessary opening of housings adjoining to the used one.

Another advantage is that the present structure is based on a locking device with a clamp which affects the bottle necks only. Therefore, it allows the rest of the bottle to be seen by the consumer through the structure components .

Another advantage is that, when the lock is released, the clamp fastening means immediately open up due to the presence of a second spring means of constant operation.

Another advantage is that the electromagnetic lock only needs the operation circuit when the locking member is released. Then, said member is retained and kept inactive due to the misalignment of the locking openings and only returns to its locking position when the operator moves the fastening means to reach a position in which the locking openings become aligned and allow said locking member to enter driven by a first spring means.

Another advantage is that every housing provides its own signaling means, which features the following two positive effects: on one hand, it provides the consumer location information on a particular housing once the buy was performed in order to fetch his/her product and, on the other hand, it allows to identify the housing that needs to be filled up by shelf fillers when restocking is required .

Another advantage is that it features a control circuit allowing the centralized operation of every locking and signaling means of the structures.

Another advantage is that the control circuit may be used with one or more structures, and even other structures may be added to the originally existing ones.

Drawings :

The object of the invention will be better understood from these figures which show one of the preferred embodiments, given by way of illustrative examples, without limitation:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present structure showing a bottle in its corresponding housing and the locking device forming a clamp around said bottle neck.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the present structure without the bottle in the housing and with the locking device already assembled.

Figure 3 comprises drawings A and B, where:

Figure A is an upper front view of the loading and unloading opening of the present structure, where the locking device forming the clamp is shown; and

Figure B is an upper front view of the loading and unloading opening of the present structure, where the locking device is shown disassembled and with the fastening means open due to the effect of the second spring means.

Figure 4 comprises drawings A and B, where:

Figure A is a perspective view of the locking device already assembled and out of the structure so that details can be better appreciated; and

Figure B is a perspective view of the locking device already disassembled and out of the structure.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the locking device, out of the structure, showing the clamp assembly around the bottle neck.

Figure 6 comprises drawings A, B and C, where:

Figure A is a partial cross sectional view of the fastening means where the electromagnet member forms the lock going through the aligned locking openings, position in which it is normally driven by the operation of the first spring means.

Figure B is another partial cross sectional view of the fastening means, where it can be seen how the electromagnet member releases the lock as it retracts when the tension of the first spring is overcome by effect of the electromagnet; and

Figure C is another partial cross sectional view of the fastening means where it can be seen how the rotation movement of such means misaligns the locking openings, thus the electromagnet member gets retracted and the lock, disassembled.

Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a control circuit in one of its possible embodiments.

Figure 8 is an upper front view of an arrangement gathering a set of structures; it can be seen how the upper left structure features the locking device in a disassembled manner and with the signaling means lit up.

In the different figures, like reference numbers and/or letters refer to like or corresponding parts.

List of Main References:

(1) Structure.

(la) Structural elements of structure (1) .

(2) Housing.

(2a) Loading and unloading opening of the housing (2).

(3) Electromagnetic locking device.

(3a) First spring means of the electromagnet (3b) in the locking device (3) [it normally drives the locking means (3c) to the locking position at the locking openings (4a) ] .

(3b) Electromagnet.

(3c) Locking member or rod.

(4) Fastening means.

(4a) Locking openings on the fastening means (4) .

(4b) Second spring means on the fastening means (4) [it drives the fastening means (4) so that it can be opened or separated from each other and its resistance force must be overcome to assemble the clamp] .

(4c) Concave ends.

(4d) Pivot member of the fastening means (4) [point of support] .

(5) Neck clamp.

(6) Structural support of the fastening means (4) .

(7) Signaling means.

(7a) Indicator light of the signaling means (7).

(10) Bottle.

(10a) Bottle neck. (11) Timer means.

(12) Electric/electronic circuit.

(13) Main processing phase.

(14) Power source.

(15) Data reception and transmission phase.

(16) Signaling phase.

(17) Operation phase.

Main Objective:

For the purposes specified herein, the controlled access structure for the provision of bottled products, intended to house single bottles which body includes a neck, comprises:

A structure, at least partially open exposing its inner recess;

A housing as formed in such inner recess, capable of holding a bottle;

A loading and unloading opening for bottles to said housing, wherein:

-The loading and unloading opening for bottles is controlled by a locking device;

-Such locking device comprises a neck clamp;

- Such neck clamp comprises a set of fastening means normally opposing due to the operation of a lock binding them; and

- Said lock keeps the clamp assembled, compensating the effect of the spring means, under the influence of which said fastening means tend to separate till reaching the disassembly position of said clamp. Description :

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a controlled access structure for the provision of bottled products which is partially open and which inner recess forms a housing (2) capable of holding a single bottle (10) by means of a loading and unloading opening (2a) controlled by a locking device (3) with a neck clamp (5), which fastening means (4) are in opposing positions by means of a binding lock (3c) which keeps them assembled, thus compensating the effect of certain spring means (4b) that tend to separate them till reaching the disassembly position of the above mentioned clamp (5) .

Detailed Description:

More particularly, the controlled access structure is intended for the controlled dispensing of any kind of bottled products.

The present structure (1) comprises structural elements (la) which only enables the loading and unloading of bottles (10) through a controlled access opening (2a) . Said structure (1) may be more or less closed but, in general, it enables the exposition or visualization, at least partially, of the bottle (10) kept inside. Thus, the following structures (1) are also proper: skeleton structures, racks, wooden structures, etc .

In this way, the above mentioned structural elements (la) define the limits of an inner recess forming the housing (2) capable of holding a bottle (10) . It is foreseen that the present structure (1) is possibly a modular structure (1) by putting together a plurality of similar structures (1) or by the construction of a complete structure such as a piece of furniture or shelves, comprising a plurality of single structures (1).

The loading and unloading opening (2a) is, in turn, controlled by the presence of an electromagnetic locking device (3) , which gives the possibility to open and remove the bottles (10) from the housing (2) .

This locking device (3) comprises a clamp (5) assembled around the bottle neck (10a) of the bottle (10) kept in the housing (2) . The clamp (5) is assembled with the concave ends (4c) of certain fastening means (4) normally arranged in an opposing position.

These fastening means (4) comprise two revolving arms associated by a pivot member (4d) assembled in a structural support (6) of the structure (1). In order to assemble the lock, these fastening means (4) comprise corresponding locking openings (4a) and they become aligned when the clamp (5) is assembled. In order to achieve such alignment in the locking openings (4a) , the effect of the spring means (4b) -for example a coil spring or other similar means- should be compensated or overcome, since said fastening means (4) tend to separate from each other till reaching the open position of its ends (4c) or the disassembly of the clamp (5) while influenced by said spring means.

Moreover, the alignment of the locking openings (4a) enables the operation of the locking device (3) . The latter (3) comprises a member (3c) capable of going through said locking openings (4a) up to the point the opening of the fastening means (4) is hindered. In one embodiment, said member (3c) is under the influence of a first spring means (3a) which normally drives it to the locking position. In order to disassemble the lock, this member (3c) is retracted by electromagnetic means (3b) , for example an electromagnet (3b) , connected to the operation phase (17) of an electric and/or electronic circuit ( 12 ) .

In another embodiment, the locking device (3) can be pneumatic. In this case, the member (3c) is retracted by a pneumatic action obtained by a pneumatic circuit and its corresponding valve means.

Both the electric/electronic circuit (12) and the pneumatic circuit may be designed to control a plurality of structures (1).

It is also foreseen the use of signaling means (7), such as LEDs (7a) , which allow to identify the structure (1) , which locking device (3) is released and enables the loading and unloading of bottles (10).

In one embodiment, the above mentioned electric/electronic circuit (12) may comprise a power source (14), a data reception and transmission phase (15), a main data processing phase (13) and control signal generation phase, a signaling phase (16) and an operation phase (17) .

The data reception and transmission phase (15) performs the function of controlling the data traffic to and from the circuit (12) . The main processing phase (13) enables the processing of received data and generation of control indicators for the signaling (16) and operation (17) phases.

The signaling phase (16) is directed by the main processing phase (13) and controls the signaling means (7) existing in the structures (1) . Finally, the operation phase (17) is also directed by the main processing phase (13) and enables the control of the operation means of locks .

It is foreseen the possibility of the timer means (11) to operate with the signaling means (7) and/or lock devices (3) .

Operation of the Assembly:

When the locking device (3) is active, the ends (4c) of the fastening means (4) are in opposing positions and are arranged in an adjacent way so that they can form a clamp (5) around the bottle neck (10a) of the bottle (10) kept in the housing (2). Under these circumstances, the locking openings (4a) of the fastening means (4) become aligned and crossed by the member (3c) , which keeps the lock assembled.

The operation phase (17) may be powered by the control circuit (12), which will actuate the electromagnet (3b) of the locking device (3) . Therefore, the locking member (3c) will overcome the tension of the first spring means (3a) and will be pulled away from its position at the locking openings (4a) driven by said electromagnet (3b). Thus, the fastening means (4) will be opened due to the effect of the second spring means (4b), which disassembles the clamp (5) and releases the bottle neck (10a) of the bottle (10) which may be removed from the housing (2) .

Accordingly, the fastening means (4) operate as if they were class 2 levers which articulate on a common pivot point (4d) , which effort is given by the ends (4c) forming the clamp (5) and which resistance is provoked by the anchoring of the second spring means (4b) .

Signaling means (7) such as a LED (7a) which is lit up indicating the disassembled status of the locking device (3) , actuate simultaneously with the operation of the locking device (3) . This is particularly important for those situations in which many structures (1) are gathered, each bearing a bottle (10) inside. Under these circumstances, the signaling means (7) already lit up, becomes particularly useful for the user to identify the structure (1) from which he/she may take a bottle (10) .

The presence of timer means (11) enables to limit the activation time of the signaling means (7).

Undoubtedly, when the present invention is put into practice, some modifications may be introduced as regards construction and structure details, without departing from the basic principles as clearly defined in the claims below.