Merchandise supply device for storing and making available for picking sell-by-weight loose products

Abstract

Merchandise supply device for storing and making available for picking sell-by-weight loose products. The device comprises a container ( 10 ) having side walls ( 12, 12,13 ) and a bottom wall ( 14 ), which walls ( 11 - 14 ) together define a storage space for the product, wherein a sloped bottom wall ( 14 ) is arranged for gravity feeding the product from a rear fill opening ( 15 ) to a front pick-out opening ( 17 ), which pick-out opening ( 17 ) is covered by an openable lid ( 13 ). The pick-out opening ( 17 ) is covered by an intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) comprising an iris port ( 40 ). An intrusion barrier device for use with a merchandise supply device is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Merchandise supply device for storing and making available for picking sell-by-weight loose products, comprising:
 a container ( 10 ) having side walls ( 12 ,  12 ,  13 ) and a bottom wall ( 14 ), which walls ( 11 - 14 ) together define a storage space for the product, wherein a sloped bottom wall ( 14 ) is arranged for gravity feeding the product from a rear fill opening ( 15 ) to a front pick-out opening ( 17 ), which pick-out opening ( 17 ) is covered by an openable lid ( 13 ), characterized in that the pick-out opening ( 17 ) is covered by an intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) comprising an iris port ( 40 ).   
     
     
         2 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the iris port ( 40 ) comprises a membrane ( 41 ) of a resiliently flexible material. 
     
     
         3 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 2 , wherein the membrane ( 41 ) exhibits at least one through penetrating slit ( 42   a ,  42   b ) which defines at least one resiliently deflectable sealing tongue ( 43   a - d ). 
     
     
         4 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 3 , wherein the membrane ( 41 ) exhibits two through penetrating slits ( 42   a ,  42   b ) arranged in a cross formation and defining four generally triangular sealing tongues ( 43   a - d ). 
     
     
         5 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein a maximum opening dimension of the iris port ( 40 ) is smaller than 10 cm. 
     
     
         6 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) comprises a mounting bracket ( 31 ) to which the iris port ( 40 ) is fixed, which mounting bracket ( 31 ) is insertable through the pick-out opening ( 17 ) and fixable to the container ( 10 ). 
     
     
         7 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 6 , wherein the mounting bracket ( 31 ) comprises a base plate ( 32 ) with a port opening ( 36 ) covered by the iris port ( 40 ) and at least two mounting legs ( 33 ,  34 ) extending from the base plate ( 32 ) and being supported by the bottom wall ( 14 ) of the container ( 10 ). 
     
     
         8 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 7 , wherein the port opening ( 36 ) has an opening area which is smaller than approx. 50 cm 2 . 
     
     
         9 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 6 , wherein the iris port ( 40 ) is detachably fixed to the mounting bracket ( 31 ). 
     
     
         10 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 6 , wherein the iris port ( 40 ) is clamped between the mounting bracket ( 32 ) and a peripheral mounting disc ( 37 ). 
     
     
         11 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 10 , wherein the peripheral disc ( 37 ), the iris port ( 40 ) and the mounting bracket ( 32 ) each exhibits a number of mutually aligned fixation holes ( 32   a ,  37   a ,  41   a ) receiving fastening elements. 
     
     
         12 . Merchandise supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) is retrofittable to existing merchandise supply devices. 
     
     
         13 . An intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) for a merchandise supply device comprising a container ( 10 ) having a rear fill opening ( 15 ), a front pick-out opening ( 17 ), side walls ( 11 ,  12 ,  13 ) and a bottom wall ( 14 ), which walls ( 11 - 14 ) together define a storage space for a product, which intrusion barrier device ( 30 ) comprises a mounting bracket ( 31 ) with a base plate ( 32 ) exhibiting a port opening ( 36 ) covered by an iris port ( 40 ) and at least two mounting legs ( 33 ,  34 ) extending from the base plate ( 32 ).