Cashier Station Vertical Air Curtain Attachment

Abstract

Provided is a cashier station attachment for creating a vertical air curtain between a retailer and a customer. The device includes a substantially planar body with an internal chamber and an open side with a diffuser, an attachment means for attaching the device to a cashier station, and a means for forcing air into the internal chamber and out of the diffuser. The forced air from the chamber creates an air curtain, which is an invisible barrier between a retailer and a customer. The air curtain prevents the spread of contaminants, pathogens, and the like that are expelled from the mouth or nose of a person on one side of the air curtain from contacting a person on the other side. The device can be retrofitted onto any preexisting cashier station and can be readily removed as desired.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 049,167 filed on Jul. 8, 2020, entitled, “Food Prep Bar Transparent Barrier System With Air Curtain”. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a cashier station. More particularly, it pertains to a cashier station attachment for creating a vertical air curtain between a retailer and a customer to prevent the spread of contaminants, pathogens, and the like that are expelled from the mouth or nose of a person on one side of the air curtain from contacting a person on the other side.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses were forced to change their customer service policies. For example, stores began implementing procedures to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a cashier station attachment that creates an air curtain between a customer and a retailer. It prevents the spread of contaminants, pathogens, and the like while permitting the exchange of items, such as money or goods to be scanned prior to purchase. The attachment can be retrofitted onto any preexisting cashier station and can be readily removed as desired. It is easy to install and does not require the use of fasteners, duct tape, or other unsightly fastening systems. The air curtain creates an invisible barrier between the customer and the retailer and is a better solution than current cashier station shields.

Problems solved by technology

One area that has proven to be more challenging to protect is customers and employees at a cashier station.

The constant stream of customers make cashier stations particularly susceptible to the airborne hazards of pathogen transmission.

A conventional cashier station found in most stores, however, is not designed for use with a plexiglas shield.

As such, the installation of such shields requires an establishment to retrofit the shields in place, which often requires the use of fasteners, duct tape, or unsightly and unreliable stands to support the shield.

Many of these modifications appear unprofessional, do not meet code requirements for permanent installation, and are prone to falling over and potentially injuring customers and / or employees.

In addition, while many customers appreciate the enhanced safety afforded by plexiglas shields, these shields can also cause individuals to feel isolated.

This can make both customers and employees self-conscious and uncomfortable, as it may cause one to feel as if they are invading the personal space of another and possibly infecting them.

Additionally, by maneuvering around the shield, the barrier between customers and cashiers is no longer functional to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets.

Companies desire to protect customers and employees while making the added safety measures as unobtrusive as possible.

Images