GB2289035A - Monitoring the delivery and collection of returnable items - Google Patents

Abstract

A method to monitor returnable items, such as those used for containment or support of product during transportation to a temporary location comprises attaching a multipart label to the item prior to or during delivery, the label incorporating detachable parts encoded with the delivery status and a unique identity for the specific returnable item. On arrival at a location, the appropriate part is detached and appended to a document which identifies the temporary location. The data processed from the multipart delivery and collection labels can be stored in a database to record the whereabouts of the returnable items whilst in use. <IMAGE>

Description

method for monitoring the delivery and collection of returnable items to and from temporary destinations.

This invention relates to a method of monitoring the delivery.

whereabouts and collection of returnable items to provide commercial information to avoid misplacement during the delivery and collection cycle to a temporary destination.

It is well known that in order to transport a oroduct from the manufacturer to the vendor, a container or support may be necessary. This item of containment or support can be a valuable asset accounted for in the manufacturers budget.

Whilst there are various ways of marking returnable ano reusable items they are expensive requiring the whole population of items to be permanently mar-ked with commensurate problems associated with maintenance of unique permanent marking.

According to the present invention there is provided a method to temporarily monitor returnable items. such as those used for containment or support of product during delivery and/or collection, comprising attaching a multipart label to the item prior to or during delivery which incorporates detachable parts encoded with the delivery status and a unique identity for the specific returnable item, appending the item label encoded part to a document identifying the temporary location. Furthermore data processed from the multipart delivery and collection label (in future referred to as the dc-label) can be stored in a data base to record the whereabouts of the returnable items in use.

The dc-label will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrams in which: Figure 1 shows a three part dc-label which exhibits both eye readable and machine readable code and has two precut tear off strips.

Figure 2 shows the dc-label with the "delivery" strip removed.

Figure 3 shows the dc-label with the "collection' strio removed.

Referring to the diagrams the proposed system features a label, similar to but not exclusively. as in Figure 1. This will be eye readable and machine readable, with at least two precut detachable coded strips for delivery status.

The multipart label is attached to the returnable item prior to, or during delivery. to the delivery location. The label is designed to remain on the returnable item until removed on return to base. The label may or may not also incorporate other information concerned with the consignment, the manufacturers business, the carriers business, details of contents and risk and hazard notices.

During delivery the delivery strip, as in Figure 2, is removed and attached to a document (in future referred to as a dc-form) with a machine readable unique identitv for the deliverv location.

By way of an example the dc-form could be part of a multiole delivery note set with the identity a barcode label attached, or could equally be a form with the machine readable location identification attached.

During collection of the returnable item, the "return " strip of the attached label is removed, as in Figure 3, and attached to a dc-form with the unique identity of the location.

Each dc-form can receive both "delivery" and "return" strips.

The machine readable code on each dc-form could be read by a scanner decoder or similar decoding device and transmitted to a computer data base. The data base would store and relate the identification of both the item and delivery location which could be later compared to the collection or return of specified item and the collection location.

When the data has been read and recorded and the returnable item is accounted for the residue of label can be removed.

Claims (7)

I Rips

1. n method to temDorarily monitor returnable items, such as those used for containment or support of product during delivery and/or collection, comprising attaching a multipart label to the item prior to or during delivery which incoroorates detachable parts encoded with the delivery status and a unique identity for the specific returnable item, appending the item label encoded part to a document identifying the temporary location.

2. A method as in Claim 1 wherein incorporating the status and unique identity means is provided by a multipart label attached in a suitable fashion to the item prior to or during delivery.

3. A method as in Claim 1 wherein identification of the temporary location means is provided by eye readable and/or machine readable code.

4. A method as in Claim 1 wherein incorDorating the delivery status and unique identity means is provided by a label with detachable adhesive backed coded strips for delivery status.

5. R method as in Claim 1 wherein incorporating the return/collection status and unique identity means is provided by at least two detachable parts of the label.

6. A method as in Claim 4 wherein recording the delivery status and unique identity to the temporary destination means is provided by detaching the appropriate part of the label and attaching the part to a form identified with the location code for later processing.

7. A label substantially as described herein and with reference to figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawing.