WO2007016025A2

WO2007016025A2 - Method of distributing beer

Info

Publication number: WO2007016025A2
Application number: PCT/US2006/028640
Authority: WO
Inventors: James H. Johnson, Jr.
Original assignee: Johnson James H Jr
Priority date: 2005-07-26
Filing date: 2006-07-24
Publication date: 2007-02-08
Also published as: CA2616836A1; WO2007016025A3

Abstract

A method of distributing beer includes the steps of providing a beer staging structure adjacent a retail location for the sale of beer, stocking beer in the structure and advertising for the beer on the structure.

Description

METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING BEER

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent

applications serial nos. 60/702,476 filed on 26 July 2005, 60/771,371 filed on 8

February 2006 and 60/784,816 filed on 13 March 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the distributing and marketing

of a product and, more particularly, to a method of distributing and marketing

beer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many product vendors including particularly but not exclusively limited

to beer and soft drink vendors experience high transportation costs and

management challenges in providing just-in-time delivery services to their high

demand retail customers. Typically those retail customers require daily or

every other day delivery of products such as beer, soft drinks, sports drinks,

milk and the like. It is a significant management challenge to design and

develop an efficient delivery system to meet retailer demand. Further,

transportation costs have recently spiked due to increases in gasoline and diesel fuel prices. Significantly, further gasoline and diesel fuel price increases are

anticipated.

The present invention relates to a method for staging product wherein

transportation and man hour costs may be reduced dramatically by staging

inventory onsite at retailer locations. Such an approach also simplifies the

development and coordination of delivery schedules.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described

herein, a method is provided for distributing beer. The method includes the

steps of providing a beer staging structure adjacent a retail location for the beer,

stocking beer in the structure and advertising for the beer on the structure. The

method may further include refrigerating the beer held in the structure. In

addition, the method may include restocking the shelves of the retailer with

beer taken from the staging structure.

Still further describing the invention the method may include

monitoring the inventory of beer maintained in the structure. This may be

done, for example, by detecting the removal of beer from the structure. In

addition the method may include providing the structure with an alarm system

for sensing unauthorized entry or beer removal.

Further describing the invention, in one embodiment the method may

include providing the structure with a first access door for stocking the structure with the beer and a second access door for removing the beer.

Typically the first and second access doors are provided at opposite ends of the

structure. In one embodiment, the structure may be provided with a floor

conveyor to move the beer in the structure from the first or stocking access door

to the second or retailer access door as the beer is sold,

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the

method includes establishing a radio network for promoting the beer by

transmitting promotional information about the beer over a radio frequency

from the structure. In addition, the structure may be equipped with a message

board and/or a video display device. The message board and/or video display

device may be programmed from a remote location. Further the method may

include issuing an "Amber Alert" or other public service message over the

message board or video display device.

More specifically describing the invention the method may include

acquiring a site placement right from a retailer for the retail location. That may

include offering the retailer advertising time on the structure. In addition, the

method may include marketing the advertising space on the structure and even

sharing revenue produced from that marketing with the retailer. Still further,

the method may include promoting the sale of beer by informing the public of

the increased supply of cold beer available at the retail location.

In the following description there are shown and described preferred

embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of two of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized the invention

is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of

modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the

invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as

illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of this

specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention and together

with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the

drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beer staging structure provided

adjacent a retail location that sells the beer; and

Figure 2 is a schematical cross-sectional view of the storage structure of

Figure 1 showing the conveyor floor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One possible construction of a beer staging structure 10 is illustrated in

Figure 1. More specifically, the structure 10 includes a floor 12, two side walls

14, two end walls 16 and a roof 18. An access door 20 is provided in one of the

end walls 16. While a roll type door 20 is illustrated, substantially any type of

door useful for the intended purpose may be utilized. Together the floor 12, side walls 14, end walls 16 and roof 18 define an

interior space 22. That interior space 22 may be customized to meet the needs

of product vendor including any particular rack, shelving and/or partitioning

layouts as required or desired for purposes of inventory storage and control.

The exterior of the structure 10 may be customized to match the trade

dress of substantially any desired party and/or architectural features of any

building near which the structure may be placed into service. Thus, for

example, the structure 10 may include a decorative roof cap 24 sized and

shaped to any desired specifications. The roof cap 24 may include advertising,

trade dress or a logo 26 if desired and/or as allowed by local regulations.

The structure 10 may also be equipped with various electrical and/or

mechanical systems. For example, a climate control unit such as a refrigeration

unit 28 maybe provided on the structure 10 in order to provide climate control

of a portion or all of the space 22 within the structure 10. Thus, beer in the

structure 10 may be maintained at a desired serving temperature of between

about 32 and about 65° F. This is true even in hot and humid environments.

In addition, the structure 10 may be equipped with a solar panel 30 and

cooperating battery 32 to store energy for powering an internal lighting system

34 for illuminating the space 22. Alternatively, the various electrical

components of the structure 10 may also derive their power from tapping into

the lines of the local electrical utility company and/or from connection with

some other form of electric generator. That electric generator may be powered by substantially any known fuel including but not limited to natural gas,

propane or fuel cell.

An electronic display device such as a message board or video display

device 36 maybe mounted on the surface of the side wall 14, end wall 16 or

door 20 or recessed in a cavity in such a wall. A transparent, shatterproof

shield 39 may be provided over the device 36 to protect it from vandalism. The

video display device 36 may take substantially any appropriate form including

but not limited to a liquid crystal display or a plasma monitor. The device 36

may also include one or more speakers 41 for the presentation of audio. Thus,

audio/video advertising is possible. In this way, TV-like advertising is brought

out of the home to a potential customer at or near a point of sale where it can be

most effective.

Still further, the structure 10 may incorporate a radio transmitter 38 for

the transmission of audio such as low wattage transmission on 89.1 FM in order

to establish a radio network for promoting the beer product. Such a network is

a particularly effective marketing tool when one considers that literally

thousands of these structures may be placed at thousands of locations around

the country. Some or all of the structures may be equipped to transmit the

promotional programming into the automobiles of prospective purchasers via

the radio or even the cell phone.

The structure 10 may be constructed, for example, from modular

building materials such as prefabricated panels 40 of the type shown and described in, for example, U.S. Patents 6,279,287 to Meadows, 5,373,678 to

Hesser and 6,119,427 to Wyman et al. Such modular panels 40 typically

incorporate a core of thermal insulating material sandwiched between metal or

plastic sheathing. Such a construction provides both efficient and effective

control of the temperature and humidity of the environment in the internal

space 22 and excellent inclement weather durability for a long, low-

maintenance service life. Structures 10 constructed from such modular

building panels 40 are also characterized by high strength and will resist high

winds and maintain a weather-tight enclosure to protect products held in the

space 22 from inclement weather. In fact, such structures may be easily

anchored to the ground such as by means of cooperating nut and bolt anchors

where the bolt is received and held in an underlying poured concrete pad. The

modular panels 40 also allow the structure 10 to be quickly and easily erected

and subsequently removed in a minimal amount of time while producing a

minimum of mess.

Reference is now made to Figure 2 illustrating an alternative

embodiment and various control features that may be incorporated into the

structure 10.

As illustrated in the Figure 2 embodiment, the structure 10 incorporates

a first access or inventory stocking door 20a and a second or retailer restocking

access door 20b. As illustrated the two access doors 20a, 20b are provided at

opposite ends 16 of the structure 10. After positioning the structure 10 at the desired site adjacent a retail store, the beer supplier opens the inventory

stocking door 20a (note action arrow A) and fills the structure 10 with beer B.

After filling the structure the stocking door 20a is closed and locked.

Either an employee of the beer supplier or the retailer opens the retailer

access door 20b (note action arrow C) and removes beer B from the structure

10 to stock the shelves at the adjacent retail location as needed. Following

removal the retailer access door 20b is also closed and locked.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the structure 10 is equipped with a conveyor

floor generally designated by reference numeral 50. As illustrated the conveyor

floor 50 includes a conveyor belt 52, a drive roller 54, an idler roller 56, a series

of support rollers 58, a series of return rollers 60 and a drive motor 62. When

the beer supplier returns to the structure 10 to restock the beer, the conveyor

floor 50 is activated to advance any remaining beer inventory in the direction of

action arrow D from the inventory stocking door 20a toward the retailer access

door 20b. An electric eye or other proximity sensor 63 can be provided to

automatically defeat operation of the conveyor floor 50 when the beer

approaches the end wall 16 by the retailer access door 20b. The supplier then

opens the inventory stocking door 20a and fills the structure 10 with a new

supply of beer. This method insures that inventory is used on a first-in and

first-out basis.

The structure 10 may also be equipped with an inventory monitoring

system. That inventory monitoring system may take any number of forms including, for example, a bar code scanner 64 provided adjacent the retailer

access door 20b. When the retailer or restocker 20b removes beer from the

structure 10 the retailer runs the beer past the bar code scanner 64 which sends

a signal to a controller 66. The controller 66 can then send a signal via hard

wire, wireless internet connection or other means to the beer supplier so as to

notify the beer supplier that the retailer or restocker is removing beer from the

structure 10. By monitoring beer removals the beer supplier knows when to

return to the structure 10 to restock the beer.

It should also be noted that the structure 10 may be equipped with an

alarm system. The alarm system may include sensors 68 to detect the jimmying

of any lock or the unauthorized opening of any door 20a, 20b. The sensor 68

may be connected to the controller 66 which automatically contacts the beer

supplier and/or local law enforcement in the event of a break-in. Once again, it

should be appreciated that the contact may be made by hard wire, wireless

internet connection, telephone connection or any other appropriate means. Of

course, if desired, the structure 10 may also include one or more security

cameras 72.

The present method of distributing beer comprises the steps of providing

a beer staging structure 10 adjacent a retail location from which the beer is sold,

method may also include maintaining the beer in the structure at a desired serving and/or storing temperature of between about 32 and about 65° F. This

may be done by refrigerating the interior space 22 of the structure.

As also noted the method may also include monitoring the inventory of

beer maintained in the structure 10. That monitoring may include detecting

removal of the beer from the storage structure. In the previously described

embodiment, the monitor in question is a bar code scanner. This is exemplary

of just one possible monitoring system that may be utilized and the invention

should not be considered as being limited thereto.

As also previously noted the structure 10 may be provided with an alarm

system for sensing unauthorized entry. Such a system may include security

cameras 72 and a controller 66 that functions to contact the beer supplier and/or

local law enforcement in the event of the detection of any unauthorized entry.

As also described above and illustrated in Figure 2, the structure 10 may

be provided with a first access door 20a for stocking the structure with beer and

a second access door 20b for removing the beer from the structure and

restocking of the shelves in the retailer's store. The first and second doors may

be provided at opposite ends of the structure and the floor of the structure may

include a floor conveyor 50.

In accordance with an additional aspect of the present method there is

the step of establishing a radio network for promoting the beer by transmitting

promotional information about the beer over a radio frequency from the

structure 10. Still further, the method includes the steps of equipping the structure 10 with a message board and remotely programming the message

board. This allows one to change the message board message at any desired

time from a remote location. This allows tremendous flexibility including the

possibility of issuing an "Amber Alert" or other emergency or public service

message over the message board.

Similarly, the method may include equipping the structure with a video

display device such as a plasma monitor, a liquid crystal display or an LED

display. The method may also include remotely controlling the programming

over the video display device. Once again this allows flexibility in advertising

or for other purposes. For example, in the event of an "Amber Alert", details

respecting the situation including photographs of the missing child and/or

presumed abductor may be displayed over the video display device. Where

such structures 10 are provided at convenience stores and gas stations located

along the exits of an interstate highway, such a system can be particularly

effective in the safe return of the missing child and apprehension of the suspect.

In accordance with additional aspects, the present method includes the

acquiring of a site placement right from a retailer for the retail location. The

acquiring may include offering the retailer advertising time on the structure.

Thus, the retailer may wish to advertise a special on sausage and biscuits in the

morning and/or a special on fried chicken from the deli in the afternoon. The

programmable video display or message boards allow such advertising

flexibility including the possibility of time sensitive advertising. In addition the method may include the marketing of advertising space

on the structure. Accordingly, the owner or operator of the structure 10 may

market advertising to another entity for products other than the beer that is

staged in the structure. Thus, for example, a soft drink manufacturer may

purchase advertising time on the side of the structure 10. As incentive for

acquiring the site placement right, it is possible for the owner or operator to

share the revenue produced from the marketing of advertising space with the

retailer.

Still further, the method may include the step of promoting the sale of

beer by informing the public of the increased supply of cold beer available at

the retail location. Such a promotion has a strong tendency to increase sales of

beer and foot traffic at the retail location. This is because consumers often

wish to purchase cold beer that is ready to drink at a desired serving

temperature.

The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present

invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is

not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form

disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the

above teachings. For example, the staging structure 10 could be equipped with

a rotary sign assembly such as disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,021,946. Such a

three-sided sign allows the periodic display of three different advertisements. Further, the conveyor floor 50 could be formed by a series of aligned rollers

allowing one to simply push product across the floor over the rollers.

The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best

illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application to

thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various

embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use

contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the

invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance

with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The

drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the

ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any

way.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED

1. A method of distributing beer, comprising:

providing a beer staging structure adjacent a retail location that

sells said beer;

stocking beer in said structure; and

advertising for said beer on said structure.

2. The method of claim 1 including refrigerating said beer held in said

structure.

3. The method of claim 1 , including monitoring inventory of beer

maintained in said structure.

4. The method of claim 3, including detecting removal of said beer from

said structure.

5. The method of claim 1, including providing said structure with an alarm

system for sensing unauthorized entry.

6. The method of claim 1 , including providing said structure with a first

access door for stocking said structure with said beer and a second access door

for removing said beer.

7. The method of claim 6, including providing said first and second access

doors at opposite ends of said structure.

8. The method of claim 7, including providing said structure with a floor

conveyor.

9. The method of claim 1, including establishing a radio network for

promoting said beer by transmitting promotional information about said beer

over a radio frequency from said structure.

10. The method of claim 1, including equipping said structure with a

message board.

11. The method of claim 10, including remotely programming said message

board.

12. The method of claim 11₅ including issuing an "Amber Alert" message

over said message board.

13. The method of claim 1 , including equipping said structure with a video

display device.

14. The method of claim 13, including remotely controlling programming

over said video display device.

15. The method of claim 14, including issuing an "Amber Alert" message

over said video display device.

16. The method of claim 1 , including acquiring a site placement right from a

retailer for said retail location.

17. The method of claim 16, including offering said retailer advertising time

on said structure.

18. The method of claim 16, including marketing advertising space on said

structure.

19. The method of claim 18, including sharing revenue produced from said

marketing of advertising space with said retailer.

20. The method of claim 1 , including promoting sale of said beer by

informing public of increased supply of cold beer available at retail location.

21. The method of claim 1 , including restocking said retailer with beer taken

from said staging structure.