BR102015004255A2 - packaging collection machine - Google Patents

Abstract

packaging collection machine, machine (1) is intended to receive and store solid recyclable packaging in general, and consists of: monitor or screen (3), for displaying and exchanging users / machine information; barcode scanner (8) for reading barcodes on packaging; magnetic card reader (9) for reading card data, mobile phones and nfc (near field communication) equipment; QR code reader (“quick response code”) (10); coin or bottle top collector (11); coupon exit nozzle (12), interconnected with coupon printer (13), for issuing and delivering transaction vouchers and / or benefits; internal packaging inspection mechanism (15); internal packaging overweight measurement mechanism (16); inner boxes (18) / (19) for packaging storage; computer / microprocessor; safety system to detect overcooling and overheating of equipment; security system to provide protection to the user's hand; mechanism with bluetooth device; and wireless network card, for communication with a server, which may be via telephone, radio and / or wifi; Returning acceptable packaging to consumers is rewarded with a financial advantage, which can occur in the following ways: (i) in the form of recharge on cards, mobile phones and other near field communication (nfc) technology; (ii) by receipt of coupon to be exchanged for products and / or services; and (iii) through points in a loyalty program to be managed electronically.

Description

"PACKAGING MACHINE".

[001] This invention relates to a new machine for collecting solid recyclable packaging in general, including plastic bottles and aluminum cans. This machine is capable of receiving and storing packaging discarded by consumers, providing them, in return, a financial advantage, which may be: (i) in the form of recharge on cards, mobile phones and other equipment using NFC technology (” Near Field Communication ", ie" Proximity Field Communication "); (ii) through receipt of coupon to be exchanged for products and / or services; and (iii) through loyalty program points to be redeemed. administered electronically.

DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL STATE

[002] In recent decades, the preservation of the environment has been a major concern of society, which has been seeking to develop solutions that increasingly allow the correct final destination of urban waste in general. Particularly in relation to packaging, various systems and mechanisms are being developed to encourage their selective collection in order to properly direct them to the correct end.

[003] Various models of packaging recovery and recycling machines are known in the art. An example is the machine described in US Patent 4,953,682, which provides for an aluminum can crushing device therein. Said machine receives the cans discarded by consumers, which are compacted by said crushing device, and then directed to a storage container into which they are stored. Such a machine thus provides a significant saving of storage space.

Another example is the machine described in U.S. Patent 5,361,913, which comprises an optical reading device, a controller, a microprocessor and a glass bottle crushing device. The bottles have a label provided with an optical bar code, which identifies the color of the bottles, whether they should be returned to the manufacturer as a whole or ground, and whether there should be a refund for a bottle. Special. The bottle is inserted into the machine, and its barcode goes through an optical reader. If the bottle is non-refundable, the microprocessor activates a door and a deflector causing the bottle to fall into the glass crushing device. A chute is provided below the glass crusher which directs the crushed glass to one of three waste collection containers depending on the color detected. If the bottle is found to be reimbursable, and therefore not to be shredded, the microprocessor activates another port that directs it to another collection container, and the machine prints and provides a coupon for each bottle inserted into the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[005] In order to encourage the proper collection and disposal of packaging in general, the machine object of the present patent was created, according to which the return of waste by consumers is rewarded with a financial advantage, which may be: (i ) in the form of recharge on cards, mobile phones and other equipment using NFC ("Near Field Communication" technology); (ii) by receipt of coupon to be exchanged for products and / or services; and (iii) through points in a loyalty program to be managed electronically.

[006] In the machine now innovated, after said packages are inserted therein, they undergo a sequence of operations during which they are received and deposited in storage boxes provided inside the machine.

Several components are provided for in this machine, including: a monitor (preferably a touch screen) for displaying and exchanging information between users and the machine; a barcode scanner for reading the barcodes contained in packaging; a magnetic card reader for reading identification data from cards, mobile phones and other electronic equipment of users using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, such as electronic cards used by public transport; a Quick Response Code (QR) reader, a coupon printer for issuing and delivering transaction vouchers to users and of voucher benefits; an internal packaging inspection mechanism; an internal mechanism for measuring packaging overweight; an inner box for storing metal packaging; an inner box for storing plastic packaging; a scrolling mechanism that collects waste after scanning by the barcode scanner and transports it to the inner boxes according to the collected waste; a computer / microprocessor; telephone, radio and wireless network cards for communicating with a server system; a sensor that continuously reports how full the internal waste storage boxes are, as well as warns when they are full; and a mechanism with biuetooth device.

All transaction information is processed by the computer / microprocessor and stored electronically. The transaction can be initiated in several ways, such as: (i) simple waste donation (the user only selects the donation option on the machine); (ii) user recognition with inclusion of data on the touchscreen; (iii) user recognition through QR Code; (iv) user recognition through the NFC magnetic card reader ("Near Field Communication"), which may be by card, mobile phone and other electronic media of the same technology. Before inserting the residue into the collection nozzle of the machine, the user passes it through the scanner, which reads the bar code provided therein. However, the machine may disregard the bar code reading and receive the residue in the same way.

Inside the machine, the packaging passes through the inspection mechanism and the overweight measuring mechanism, which, if any problems are detected, trigger the return of the container. The accepted packaging is then directed to one of two inner storage boxes.

[010] At the same time, the financial compensation operation takes place, provided that the user has not opted for the waste donation function. Financial compensation may occur: (i) in the form of recharge on cards, mobile phones and other equipment using NFC ("Near Field Communication") technology; (ii) by receipt of coupon to be exchanged for products and / or services; and (iii) through points in a loyalty program to be managed electronically. After this operation, the internal printer prints and provides the user with a coupon / proof of the successful transaction and / or the system itself sends a proof to the user's email entered on the machine, or a text message to the user's mobile phone entered on the system.

[011] The now innovative machine is also equipped with a monitoring system which, in the event that its door is opened or attempted to be tampered with, the machine automatically shuts off and triggers an alarm to ensure complete safety in operation. Such a monitoring system also provides sensors in packaging storage boxes which, in addition to continuously informing how full the internal waste storage boxes are, detect when they are full, and send an alert message to a information.

[012] The machine also has two additional safety systems, one that detects any overcooling and overheating of the equipment, also sending an alert message to the information center, and another that provides protection to the user's hand when depositing. the packing in the collection machine.

[013] In addition, the innovated machine is provided with a program (software) which determines the sequence of operations and the functions performed by its components. Obviously, various functions can be added according to the wishes and / or needs of customers, and to this end, specific software can be developed for the most diverse situations.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In addition to the present description, in order to obtain a better understanding of the features of the present invention, a set of exemplary and non-limiting drawings accompanies this report, which are specified below.

[015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the now innovative packaging collection machine.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the same through front, side and rear views, respectively, and in Figure 3 are schematically illustrated in dashed lines the various internal components of said machine.

And Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of basic software that can be applied to said machine, which illustrates the steps of operation thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[018] The object of this invention is a "PACKAGING COLLECTION MACHINE", a machine (1) intended to receive and store general recyclable solid packaging, including plastic bottles and aluminum cans.

Said machine (1) consists of a parallelepipedal body (2), provided with front door (2a) and rear doors (2b), provided with respective locks (2aa) and (2bb), which doors allow access inside the machine, for the maintenance of its internal components, as well as for the collection operations of the packages stored in it.

[020] Said body (2) is provided with a front monitor, preferably configured by a touch screen (3), for displaying and exchanging information between users and the machine; Through this screen (3), users interact with the machine, as well as receive instructions for use, transaction information, utility information, advertising messages, etc.

[021] This body is also provided with side panels (4) of LEDs for displaying advertising messages.

Flanking said front touch screen (3), a prismatic projection (5) is provided on top of which a monitoring system (6) is provided, followed by a package insertion nozzle (7). At the bottom of said prismatic projection (5), a barcode scanner (8) is provided for reading the barcodes contained in the packages.

[023] Between the nozzle (7) and the scanner (8), a magnetic card reader (9) is provided for reading data from cards, mobile phones and other equipment using NFC ("/ Vear Field Communication" technology). ), and a QR Code reader (10) ("Quick Response Code", ie "Quick Response Code"). And below the prismatic projection (5), a coin collector and / or a bottle cap collector (11) is optionally provided.

[024] Immediately below said collector (11), a coupon outlet nozzle (12) is provided, internally interconnected with a printer (13), responsible for issuing coupons proving the transactions performed during each transaction, which coupons are removed by users through said outlet nozzle (12).

As shown schematically in Figure 3 through dashed lines, from the container insertion nozzle (7), an internal container inlet / return rail (14) is provided, provided with suitable means for providing reverse movements to the containers. said containers, ie sometimes providing a movement capable of directing the packages into the machine (when detected as acceptable packages), sometimes providing a movement capable of directing them out of the machine (when detected as non-acceptable objects). acceptable). Whether or not they are acceptable packaging is checked by an internal inspection mechanism (15) which checks, in conjunction with the monitoring system (6), whether or not the container introduced into the machine should be accepted by the machine, as well as by an overweight measuring mechanism (16), which checks whether the container inserted into the machine is heavier than a certain value and therefore not empty. Under these conditions, the packaging is considered unacceptable and is returned to the user through the same packaging insertion nozzle (7).

[026] In one embodiment, said means for providing reverse movements to the containers may be configured by a continuous belt driven by a motor (17) capable of reversing the direction of belt movement, depending on the need, by displacing the containers. sometimes in, sometimes out of the machine. In another embodiment, said means for providing reverse movements to the containers may be configured by a ramp capable of being raised or lowered by the same motor (17), depending on the need, so as to also move the containers inwardly, now out of the machine.

[027] Once the packages are accepted by the internal inspection (15) and overweight measurement (16) mechanisms, and upon the container data read by the barcode scanner (8), the monitoring system (6) identifies the type of container that has been received, and determines its displacement to one of two inner storage boxes (18) / (19), respectively for storing aluminum or plastic containers (see again Figure 3). Such storage boxes (18) / (19) are provided with respective sensors capable of continuously detecting and informing how full they are, as well as when they are full, sounding an alarm, displaying a message on the screen or monitor ( 3) while simultaneously providing this information to a computer / microprocessor provided within the machine described below; The computer / microprocessor then sends an alert message to an information center.

[028] The monitoring system (6) of the now innovative machine (1) is still capable of detecting abnormalities during operation. For example, if the machine door is open, the monitoring system (6) automatically shuts off and triggers an alarm to ensure complete safety in operation.

[029] The machine also has two safety systems, one of which detects any overcooling and overheating of the equipment, also sending an alert message to the information center, and another that provides protection to the user's hand when depositing. the packing in the collection machine.

[030] The machine (1) may also be provided with a mechanism with a bluetooth device.

[031] As mentioned above, the now innovated machine is internally provided with a computer / microprocessor, which contains the electronics components of the assembly, including a programmable logic controller to control machine operations, a data storage and retrieval system. (memory), and an operating system that runs a program (software). Such software (software) controls the various operations of the machine (1), determines the sequence of operations and functions performed by its components, and displays messages to users on the touchscreen (or monitor) (3).

[032] As already mentioned, the machine (1) in question includes a printer (13) through which coupons (or vouchers) can be printed and provided to users upon completion of each packaging collection operation. Such coupons can be transformed, for example, into voucher benefits. As for the magnetic card reader, it can allow simple recharge of the public transport card, as well as allow the recharge of it by scoring the packages deposited in the machine.

[033] Finally, the innovated machine is internally provided with a network card, which uses wired or wireless Ethernet network connection, via WIFI antenna (20), to provide communication with a server system. . Communication with the server can be done in three ways: telephone, radio and / or WIFI.

[034] Various information can be processed by computer / microprocessor software. For example, data provided by the container overweight measuring mechanism 16 is processed by the computer / microprocessor software such that if a non-empty package is inserted into the insertion nozzle 7, the package is returned. to the user, and an appropriate message is displayed on the screen or monitor (3).

[035] Other information may be processed by the computer / microprocessor software, including container data read from the barcode scanner (8), and "crowded box" information detected by the storage bin sensors. . For example, if the barcode scanner 8 is unable to scan a container, or if the barcode does not register it is a plastic or aluminum container, or if the container is not recyclable, computer software may cause the container to be returned to the user.

[036] Obviously, various functions can be added according to the wishes and / or needs of customers, and to this end specific software can be developed for the most diverse situations.

[037] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of basic software that can be applied to the now innovated machine and illustrates the operating steps of the same.

Claims (5)

1. "PACKAGING MACHINE" means a machine (1) intended to receive and store general recyclable solid packaging, including plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and consisting of a parallelepipedal body (2) fitted with a front door ( 2a) and rear doors (2b), provided with respective locks (2aa) and (2bb), said machine (1) being characterized by having a front monitor, preferably configured by touch screen (3), for display and information exchange between users and the machine, LED side panels (4) for advertising display, and front prismatic projection (5) on top of which monitoring system (6) is provided followed by recyclable packaging (7), wherein at the bottom of said prismatic projection (5), barcode scanner (8) is provided for reading the barcodes contained in the containers, if desired; between the nozzle (7) and the scanner (8), a magnetic card reader (9) is provided for reading data from cards, mobile phones and other equipment using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, and a QR Code reader (10) ("Quick Response Code", ie "Quick Response Code") · below the prismatic projection (5), coin collector or bottle cap collector (11) is provided below which has coupon outlet nozzle (12) internally interconnected with the printer (13), responsible for issuing coupons proving the operations performed during each transaction or voucher; from the container insertion nozzle (7), an internal container inlet / return rail (14) is provided, provided with suitable means for providing reverse movements to said containers, sometimes providing movement capable of directing the packages into the machine. , sometimes providing movement capable of directing them out of the machine; The verification of whether or not they are acceptable packaging is performed by an internal inspection mechanism (15), which acts in conjunction with the monitoring system (6), as well as by an overweight measurement mechanism (16); By means of the container data read by the barcode scanner (8), if desired, the monitoring system (6) identifies the type of container that has been received and determines its displacement to one of two internal storage boxes. (18) / (19), boxes (18) / (19) are provided with respective sensors capable of continuously informing how full they are as well as when they are full, sounding an alarm, displaying a message on the screen or monitor (3), and providing this information to a computer / microprocessor provided inside the machine, which then sends an alert message to an information center; said computer / microprocessor contains the electronic components of the assembly, including a programmable logic controller for controlling machine operations, a data storage and retrieval (memory) system, and an operating system running a program (software), the which controls the various operations of the machine (1), determines the sequence of operations and functions performed by its components, and displays messages to users on the touchscreen (or monitor) (3); The machine has two additional safety systems, one for detecting overcooling and overheating of the equipment, also sending an alert message to the information center, and another to provide protection to the user's hand when depositing the package in the collection machine. ; the machine (1) is still provided with mechanism with bluetooth device; The machine (1) is internally provided with a network card, which uses a wired or wireless Ethernet network connection via a WIFI antenna (20) to provide communication with a server system, which may occur via telephone, radio and / or WIFI. 2. "PACKAGING MACHINE" according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for providing reverse movements to the containers are configured by continuous, motor driven belt (17) capable of reversing the direction of movement of the belt; depending on the need, moving the containers in and out of the machine. "PACKAGING MACHINE" according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for providing reverse movements to the containers are configured by a ramp capable of being lifted or lowered by the same motor (17), depending on the need, of so as to also move the containers in and out of the machine. "PACKAGING COLLECTION MACHINE" according to claim 1, characterized in that the container data provided by the overweight measuring mechanism (16), the container data read from the barcode scanner (8) if so desired, and the crowded box information detected by the storage bin sensors (18) / (19) will be processed by the computer / microprocessor software. 5. "PACKAGING COLLECTION MACHINE" according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupons printed and supplied to users are transformed into the most varied vouchers (products and / or services).