Check-out counter systems and methods

#Within the supermarket and merchandising industries, many different styles of check-out counter systems are in use. With increasing labor costs and improved data systems, the pressure for productivity at the check-out location of these industries has increased dramatically. Little attention, however, has been given to the cashiers, leading to increased health complaints, worker compensation claims, and disability lawsuits. The major source of such claims is due to over exertion leading to strains and sprains of the lower back and upper extremities. Some of these injuries are permanently disabling.

#It is only in recent years that certain of these injuries have been identified as work related. Biomechanical studies indicate that the lower back is vulnerable to stress damage during even moderate load handling, but that the symptoms may not manifest until later in the injured worker's life. Carpal tunnel syndrome and related injuries such as tendinitis, tenosynovitis and De Quervain's Disease are apparently caused by injuries that build up gradually over time before symptoms begin to appear. Tasks which are highly repetitive in nature dramatically increase the risk of injury. Fatigue also appears to be one of the underlying causes of many of the symptoms experienced by cashiers at check-out counter systems.

#One aspect of embodiments of the present invention relates to a bagging station within a check-out counter system and for use by a cashier positioned in a cashier location within the check-out counter system. The bagging station includes a lower bag rack and an upper bag rack. The lower bag rack is configured to hold at least one bag for loading with a first portion of merchandise and defines a first upper edge. The upper bag rack is configured to hold at least one bag for loading with a second portion of merchandise. The upper bag rack is positioned behind the lower bag rack relative to the cashier location, and the upper bag rack defines a second upper edge. The first upper edge and the second upper edge are arranged in a terraced configuration. Other features and advantages are also disclosed.

#Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to the figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a rear isometric view of one embodiment of a check-out counter system, according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the check-out counter system of FIG. 1.

#FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a check-out counter system 10 for the supermarket and merchandising industries in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Although the check-out system 10 of this embodiment is optimized for the supermarket and merchandising industry, it can be adapted for a variety of other retail, wholesale, and/or warehouse applications. In one embodiment, the check-out counter system 10 includes an unload area 12, a point-of-sale terminal 14, a user interface 16, a bagging station 18.

#Generally, merchandise is placed in the unload area 12 and advanced along a generally linear merchandise processing path, which is generally illustrated in FIG. 1 at 20. More particularly, merchandise placed in the unload area 12 is forwarded along the processing path 20 to the point-of-sale terminal 14 and the user interface 16 where it is processed before placement into one of a plurality of bags 22 stored at the bagging station 18. In this manner, the check-out counter system 10 is arranged in an intuitive manner based upon the merchandise processing path 20.

#In the illustrated embodiment, the unload area 12 is the upper surface of a conveyor belt 24. The conveyor belt 24 includes a terminal end 26 located adjacent to the user interface 16. Merchandise placed on the unload area 12 of the conveyor belt 24 by a customer is conveyed to the terminal end 26 of the conveyor belt 24. In an alternate embodiment, the unload area 12 is a static surface along which merchandise is manually advanced. In another embodiment, the unload area 12 is relatively short such that a shopping cart containing merchandise can be positioned relatively near the user interface 16.