IE921029A1 - Container device for portable objects - Google Patents

Container device for portable objects

Info

Publication number
IE921029A1
IE921029A1 IE921029A IE921029A IE921029A1 IE 921029 A1 IE921029 A1 IE 921029A1 IE 921029 A IE921029 A IE 921029A IE 921029 A IE921029 A IE 921029A IE 921029 A1 IE921029 A1 IE 921029A1
Authority
IE
Ireland
Prior art keywords
container device
edges
container
shell
assembly
Prior art date
Application number
IE921029A
Inventor
Jean Malot
Original Assignee
Dassault Automatismes
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dassault Automatismes filed Critical Dassault Automatismes
Priority to IE921029A priority Critical patent/IE921029A1/en
Publication of IE921029A1 publication Critical patent/IE921029A1/en

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Abstract

Container device for portable objects, to be installed in a dispenser device. The device comprises: - a first shell (52) of elongated shape, having first edges and in which a stack of portable objects can be stacked longitudinally, - a second shell (54) having second edges paired with the first edges, assembly means (72, 74) capable of providing an assembly which cannot be dismantled without breaking the first edges of the first shell (52) and the second edges of the second shell (54), the said assembly defining at one of the ends of the container device a transverse outlet slot (75) for the portable objects, and means (85) forming a breakable indicator and capable of normally obstructing the said slot (75).

Description

CONTAINER DEVICE FOR PORTABLE OBJECTS11 ...... ...
OPEN TO PUBLIC INC ,’FCTION SECTION 26 AND RULE 23 < ί ) JNL. Nc,.. /7/<3.......OF .6 ' A z’i DASSAULT AUTOMATISMES ET TELECOMMUNICATIONS, of 9, rue Elsa Triolet, Z.I. Les Gatines, F-78370 Plaisir, France 5015 Container device for portable objects The invention relates to the field of portable objects used for the payment of a transaction or for access to a service.
In his French patent No 86 00511, published under the reference No 2 592 975, the Applicant proposed an automatic dispenser in which phonecards are connected to each other by a flexible packing strip stored like a screen by folding along transverse lines of weakening disposed respectively between two consecutive cards contained in the packing strip. A cutting device is provided to cut the packing strip along a line of weakening and to allow, after the cutting, the transfer to an outlet slot of the section of strip thus cut containing the card to be dispensed. The transfer is provided by superimposed toothed belts each rolling in a closed circuit over two end rollers.
The packing of the phonecards confers an initial protection from the fraudulent sale of non-authentic phonecards insofar as the user is recommended to buy only packaged phonecards.
However, the packing of phonecards does not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of the theft of phonecards during their transport from the manufacturer to the dispenser device and during their installation in the said dispenser. In fact, packaged phonecards which are stolen during these operations can still be used by the thieves without danger of prosecution.
The invention provides a solution to this problem.
The invention relates to a container device for portable objects, intended to be installed in a dispenser device.
According to a general definition of the invention the container device comprises: - a first shell of elongated shape, having first edges and in which a stack of portable objects can be stacked longitudinally, a second shell having second edges paired with the first edges, assembly means capable of providing an assembly which cannot be dismantled without breaking the first edges of the first shell and the second edges of the second shell, the said assembly defining at one of the ends of the container device a transverse outlet slot for the portable objects, means forming a breakable indicator and 10 capable of normally obstructing the said slot, the container device being capable of being installed in the dispenser device only in the case in which the said container device complies with a predetermined condition relating to the completeness of the said assembly means and of the means forming an indicator, which allows a high degree of security to be conferred on the transport of the portable objects from the manufacturer to the dispenser device and on the installation of the said container device in the dispenser device.
In practice, the first and second shells are each constituted from a bottom of rectangular shape, two longitudinal walls and two lateral walls, which allows, when the said first and second shells are assembled, the definition of a container device of rectangular paral25 lelepipedic shape.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means forming an indicator comprise a breakable cover constituted from a material made of a plastic substance.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the means of assembly comprise a plurality of protruding tabs which are disposed on the longitudinal walls of one of the first and second shells and are capable of pawl-type engagement in a plurality of mor35 tices disposed on the longitudinal walls of the other one of the first and second shells opposite the plurality of tabs .
In practice the transverse outlet slot is of rectangular shape and the said slot has a width essentially equal to the thickness of a portable object.
Preferably, the first and second shells are constituted from a material made of a reinforced plastic substance.
Advantageously, the container device is disposable and transportable.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the following detailed description and of the appended drawings in which: Figure 1 is the block diagram of an automatic dispenser device; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the front face of a dispenser device; - Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of two nonassembled shells of the container device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the two assembled shells of the container device according to the invention.
Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of means allowing the installation of the container device in the dispenser device; Figure 5B is a plan view of the feeder; - Figure 6 is a view from below of the unlocking means and of the means of detection of absence of portable objects; and Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the means of extraction.
The device shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises, in a cabinet 10, a central control unit 12 capable of controlling the various elements of the device by the intermediary of appropriate connections. The device firstly comprises a unit 14 allowing the insertion of an electronic payment means into the cabinet 10.
For example, the means of insertion of electronic payment 14 is a memory card reader provided with an insertion slot behind which a connector assembly ensures contact with the card. The card reader advantageously has θϊ''029 protection against rough insertion of the card.
The card reader 14 is coupled to the central unit 12 on the one hand and to a banking centre by telephonic link (not shown) on the other hand.
The card reader 14 thus allows a user to insert a bank card into the cabinet 10 according to the value of the phonecard which he wishes to purchase.
The device furthermore comprises a manual magnetic track reader 16. For example the manual track reader is of the ISO 2 type. It is also coupled to the central control unit 12.
The device furthermore comprises input-output means for information with respect to the user, for example like a display 18 of the LCD type with two lines of 20 characters. This display 18 is provided to display appropriate information, for example information relating to the functioning of the device itself or to the use of phonecards as well as the balance to be paid.
Advantageously, this display is protected by a polycarbonate window providing high shock resistance. Two push buttons 20 and 22 are provided respectively to allow the selection of a foreign language and the cancellation of the transaction.
Furthermore, the device comprises four dispenser units 24, 26, 28 and 30, also coupled to the central unit and capable of dispensing payment cards one by one to the exterior of the cabinet.
More precisely, each dispenser unit comprises a selection button 32, a slot 34 through which the phonecard emerges, a window 36 through which can be seen the effigy of the phonecard stuck on the container device which will be described in more detail hereafter.
The operating or maintenance agent has at his disposal a keyboard 38 with twenty keys and a display 40 of two lines of sixteen characters in order to carry out self-test and parameter setting functions.
The display 40 of information intended for the operator and the display 18 of the balance to be paid can be combined in a single display.
IE 92^°29 The user wishing to make use of the device of the invention uses the selection buttons to select the phonecard which he wishes to purchase, for example the purchase of a phonecard known as a 40-unit phonecard.
It suffices for that user to insert a bank card according to the information displayed by the display 18 into the memory card reader 14. The central unit checks the payment made by the user and then delivers to that user a corresponding card by means of the selected dispenser unit.
The cabinet 10 is intended to be placed in a public place and must therefore form a safe to resist attempts at theft or burglary of any kind. This cabinet houses all of the various component elements of the automatic dispenser device and in particular the dispenser units 24 to 30. These units which themselves contain payment cards can represent large commercial values.
The central control unit 12 is constructed around a micro-controller, two memories of the REPROM type and two memories of the RAM type.
The micro-controller is provided with a built-in serial link reserved for the dialogue with the memory payment card.
Reference is now made to Figure 3, which shows the dispenser unit 24, noting that the dispenser units 26, 28 and 30 are identical to the dispenser unit 34 but are filled, for example, with phonecards having different commercial values.
Each dispenser unit comprises a container device of rectangular parallelepipedic shape in which is stacked in a substantially vertical manner a stack of phonecards of rectangular shape (not shown).
In practice, the container device 50 firstly comprises a first shell 52 of elongated shape constituted from a bottom 56 of rectangular shape, two longitudinal walls 58 and 60 and two lateral walls 62 and 64.
The container device 50 furthermore comprises a second shell 54 of elongated shape, symmetrical with the shell 52 and constituted from a bottom 66, two longitudinal walls 68 and 70 and two lateral walls 71 and 73.
The edges of the lateral and longitudinal walls of the shell 52 are paired with the edges of the lateral and longitudinal walls of the shell 54.
An assembly mechanism ensures an assembly which cannot be dismantled without breaking the edges of the shell 52 and edges of the shell 54.
In practice, the assembly means comprise six protruding tabs 72-1 to 72-6 disposed on the longitudinal walls 58 and 60 of the shell 52.
Opposite the tabs 72-1 to 72-6 housings forming mortices 74-1 to 74-6 are disposed on the longitudinal walls 68 and 70 of the shell 54.
Reference is now made to Figure 4.
The pawl-like engagement of the tabs 72 in the corresponding housings forming mortices 74 ensure a hermetic assembly which cannot be dismantled without breaking the two shells 52 and 54.
The protruding ends of the tab 72 are each constituted from two semi-elastic fingers capable of engaging in a pawl-like manner in the mortices 74.
It should be noted that it is this pawl-like engagement which ensures an assembly which cannot be dismantled without breakage.
The assembly of the two shells 52 and 54 defines a transverse outlet slot 80 at one of the ends of the container device.
The lateral wall 64 of the shell 52 and the lateral wall 7 3 of the shell 54, and the longitudinal walls 58, 60, 68 and 70 in the immediate vicinity of the said lateral walls are cut out in order to define a transverse outlet slot 80 whose dimensions are substantially those of a phonecard. A cover 84 forming a break35 able indicator normally obstructs the transverse outlet slot 75. The cover 85 is for example of rectangular shape.
In practice, the shells 52 and 54 are constituted from a material made of a reinforced plastic substance.
The tabs 72 are constituted from a material made of a semi-elastic plastic substance.
With regard to the breakable cover 85, this is constituted from a material made of a light plastic substance. It is for example heat welded to the longitudinal wall 58.
As described in greater detail hereafter, the assembly device which cannot be dismantled without breakage and the breakable cover will allow it to be checked that the container has not been opened during the transport of the latter from the place of manufacture to the place of use and that no card has been fraudulently or unfortunately removed from it during the said transport .
The result of this is that the container device according to the invention ensures a securitised transport of phonecards from their place of manufacture to their place of automatic dispensing.
On the inside the lateral walls 62 and 74 (Figure 3) there is provided a housing 77 allowing the reception of a foam or a spring (not shown) pressing on the phonecards in a downward direction and preventing unwanted movements of the phonecards during their transport .
Two positioning tabs 91 and 93 without claws and protruding with respect to the split end of the container favour the positioning of the container device on the support plate which will be described hereafter.
A fixing mechanism ensures the fixing of the container device on the support plate.
In practice, the fixing mechanism comprises four lugs (110-1 to 110-4) in the form of protruding claws or hooks. The four lugs 110 are disposed in the vicinity of the split end of the container device in pairs, on the bottoms 56 and 66 of the shells. The protruding end of the lugs 110 is constituted from a hook or claw. For example, positioning tabs 91 and 93 are interposed between the pairs of lugs 110.
Reference is now made to Figures 5A, 5B and 6 - 8 which show the installation of the container device in the dispenser unit.
The dispenser unit 24 comprises, in addition to the container device, a support plate 100 capable of supporting the container device substantially vertically.
The part forming a hook or claw of the lugs 110 penetrates into openings 112 formed in the support plate 100 in order to fix the container device in a locked manner on the support plate.
The locking/unlocking of the fixing of the container device on the support plate is advantageously controlled by a system for detecting the absence of phonecards in the container.
In practice, the locking/unlocking means 120 comprise a removable plate disposed under the support plate 100. The part forming a hook of the lugs 110 penetrates into openings 125 produced in the removable plate 120.
A lever 130 with elastic return and integral with the removable plate is formed of two elbows 132-1 132-2 capable of blocking the horizontal translation of the removable plate.
More precisely, it is the vertical branches 134-1 and 134-2 of the elbows which block the translation of the removable plate 120.
Thus, when the container device contains more than one phonecard, the fixing of the said container device on the support plate is locked by the lever 130 which blocks the horizontal translation of the removable plate 120.
The result of this is that the non-empty container device can only be removed from the support plate 100 by breaking the hooks of the claws 110-1 to 110-4.
A free feeder 140 disposed inside the container 35 device opposite the transverse outlet slot will allow the control of the unlocking of the fixing in the absence of phonecards in the container.
The free feeder 140 has at one of its lateral ends an appendage 136-0 delimited by two cut-outs 136-1 and 136-2.
Thus, in the absence of phonecards, the elbows 132-1 and 132-2 rise upwards until they engage in the openings 136-1 and 136-2, which allows a horizontal translation of the removable plate 120 in order to disengage the part forming a hook of the lugs and thus to release the container device from the support plate and from the removable plate.
In practice, the horizontal translation of the 10 removable plate (in the direction of the arrow Fl) is made by the using operator.
Reference is now made to Figure 7 which shows the extraction means.
The extraction means comprise a drawer 150 which 15 is movable in substantially horizontal translation comprising at its free end upward hooked edges 152. A motor reduction gear (not shown) controls the substantially horizontal movement of translation of the drawer such that the latter penetrates the transverse outlet slot, the hooked edges of the drawer cooperating with the edges of the phonecard 160 (Figure 5) to allow the extraction of the latter from the container device towards the exterior in the direction of the arrow F2 (Figure 5).
In practice the motor reduction gear is provided with an endless screw whose axis is orthogonal with respect to the substantially horizontal displacement of the drawer.
Advantageously, the unlocking system described with reference to Figure 6 is hidden by a protective cover which prevents any non-authorised person from extracting a non-empty container of phonecards without tearing the claws 110-1 to 110-4.
Withdrawing the protective cover requires the use of a mechanical key held by an authorised agent.
In practice, the motor reduction gears of the dispenser units are controlled in the forward and reverse direction by a transistor power circuit.
An optoelectronic sensor system informs the central control unit 12 of the correct dispensing of the phonecard, of the stoppage of the dispensing motor and of the withdrawal of the phonecard by the user.
The coefficient of friction of the extraction 5 drawer is such that it prevents any damage to the phonecards particularly from scratching and marking the said phonecards.
In the case of dispensing the phonecard 160, the hooked edges of the drawer 152 drive the card 160 towards the transverse outlet slot 75 of the container device. It should be noted that the thickness of the transverse outlet slot 75 is such that it prevents the simultaneous output of two phonecards.
The resetting of the dispenser device is carried out by returning the means of extraction to their original position. During this return, the hooked edges 152 of the free end of the drawer 150 retract in order not to damage the phonecards.
Advantageously, means of protection can protect the dispenser from the production of foreign bodies in the dispensing slot.
The functioning of the dispenser device and the installation of the container device in the dispenser device according to the invention is as follows.
Firstly, the cards or phonecards are stacked in a container device such as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. This stacking is carried out at the phonecard manufacturer's premises, the feeder 140 being placed above the last phonecard.
It should be noted that the phonecards are not in this case bagged in a packaging strip as in the prior structures .
For example, the container device contains 200 phonecards.
Advantageously, the phonecards bear a number. In this case, the phonecards are stacked such that the continuity of the numbers of the phonecards in the container is guaranteed by the manufacturer. The container device also bears a specific number. The ,Ε 921029 manufacturer can thus record the data relating to the batch of cards stacked in the container device and can mark this data on the container device.
The container device is closed and sealed at the 5 manufacturer's premises according to the assembly device such as described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. This assembly guarantees the completeness of the content of the container device. The cover forming an indicator 85 guarantees the non-opening of the container device.
In practice, the containers are sent directly to dispensing centres formed by the dispenser devices described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
The operator who has the function of installing the container device in the dispenser device checks that the assembly and the means forming an indicator are still complete and in position. This check allows the operator to determine if there has been any opening of the container device during the transport of the latter from the manufacturer to the operator.
When the assembly and the means forming an indicator comply with a predetermined condition, that is to say not damaged, of the tabs or of the cover, the operator knows that the container device contains a complete set of phonecards of the type shown by the illustration placed on the container and whose amount is identical to that marked on the label of the container device.
The using operator then inserts a service card into the memory card reader 14 and then enters his service code on the keyboard.
The central control unit 12 finally checks that the service code thus entered authorises the service card holder to open the door of the cabinet with a mechanical key.
After positive verification, the using operator is authorised to replace the empty container device(s) with full container devices.
For example, it is means of optoelectronic type or the counting of the phonecards dispensed by the control unit which detect the absence of phonecards in one of the dispenser devices. In response to this detection, the central control unit warns the operating centre via the telephone link that it is necessary to replace an empty device.
For security reasons, the using operator is only authorised to replace empty containers.
In practice, it is the mechanical security device constituted by the removable plate 120 and the lever 130 such as described with reference to Figure 5 which allows the replacement of the empty containers and prevents the withdrawal of non-empty devices.
After the replacement of the empty container, the using operator closes the cabinet again.
Advantageously, there is also provided a handshake protocol between the using operator and the central control unit in order to confer an additional degree of security against the theft of phonecards from the dispenser device described above.
According to this security protocol, the using operator selects the dispenser unit which he has just replaced in order that he will be dispensed with the first phonecard from the container device which he has just replaced. This selection is validated by electronic payment, for example by bank card.
The using operator enters this first phonecard in the memory card reader of the device in order to transfer the identification data of the batch of cards stored in the container device thus replaced into the central control unit.
For example, the identification data of the said batch comprise the serial number of the phonecards, the number of phonecards together with the type: 40 , 80 or 120 units.
Finally, the using operator retrieves the phonecard and returns it to the operator's accounting centre.
It should be noted that this first phonecard can be coded according to the service code of the using ,E 921029 operator for control purposes.
Very advantageously, the identification data of the batch of phonecards can be taken into account in the central control unit and by a host computer via the telephone link.
In the case of a theft of a full container, after its installation in the dispenser device, it is possible because of the identification data of the batch of phonecards according to the security protocol mentioned above to place the phonecards thus stolen on a so-called black list enabling them to be put out of use.
As the security protocol also allows the number of phonecards already dispensed to be known and as the serial numbers of the phonecards follow each other in the container, the result is that, in the case of a theft of a non-full container, it is possible to deduce the numbers of the phonecards thus stolen and to place these numbers on a so-called opposition list allowing them to be put out of use.
The security protocol which consists in having the first phonecard taken out of the container by the using operator and in having this card read by the control unit furthermore allows the checking of the correct installation of the container device in the dispenser device and the verification of the correct functioning of the dispenser device.
The dispenser device furthermore knows that a certain dispenser unit houses a unit card container device of a certain type and that the said container device has been installed by a certain using operator.
Even though the invention has been described with particular reference to phonecards, it is obvious that it applies to portable objects in general whatever their nature.

Claims (8)

Claims
1. Container device for portable objects, intended to be installed in a dispenser device, characterised in that it comprises: 5 - a first shell (52) of elongated shape, having first edges and in which a stack of portable objects can be stacked longitudinally, a second shell (54) having second edges paired with the first edges, 10 - assembly means (72, 74) capable of providing an assembly which cannot be dismantled without breaking the first edges of the first shell (52) and the second edges of the second shell (54), the said assembly defining at one of the ends of the container device a trans15 verse outlet slot (75) for the portable objects, means (85) forming a breakable indicator and capable of normally obstructing the said slot (75), the container device (50) being capable of being installed in the dispenser device only in the case in 20 which the said container device complies with a predetermined condition relating to the completeness of the said assembly means (72, 74) and of the means forming an indicator (85), which allows a high degree of security to be conferred on the transport of the portable objects 25 from the manufacturer to the dispenser device and on the installation of the said container device in the dispenser device.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the first and second shells (52, 54) are each 30 constituted from a bottom of rectangular shape, two longitudinal walls and two lateral walls, which allows, when the said first and second shells (52, 54) are assembled, the definition of a container device of rectangular parallelepipedic shape. 35
3. Device according to either one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means forming an indicator (85) comprise a breakable cover constituted from a material made of a plastic substance.
4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means of assembly (72, 74) comprise a plurality of protruding tabs (72) which are disposed on the longitudinal walls of one of the first and second shells (52, 54) and are capable of pawl5 type engagement in a plurality of mortices (74) disposed on the longitudinal walls of the other one of the first and second shells (52, 54) opposite the plurality of tabs (72).
5. Device according to any one of the preceding 10 claims, characterised in that the transverse outlet slot (75) is of rectangular shape and in that the said slot has a width essentially equal to the thickness of a portable object.
6. Device according to any one of the preceding 15 claims, characterised in that the first and second shells (52, 54) are constituted from a material made of a reinforced plastic substance.
7. Device according to any one of the preceding - 16
8. Container device substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, any one or more of Figures 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
IE921029A 1992-04-01 1992-04-01 Container device for portable objects IE921029A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IE921029A IE921029A1 (en) 1992-04-01 1992-04-01 Container device for portable objects

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IE921029A IE921029A1 (en) 1992-04-01 1992-04-01 Container device for portable objects

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
IE921029A1 true IE921029A1 (en) 1993-10-06

Family

ID=11039609

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
IE921029A IE921029A1 (en) 1992-04-01 1992-04-01 Container device for portable objects

Country Status (1)

Country Link
IE (1) IE921029A1 (en)

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