IT202200001394A1 - Method and system for purchasing spare parts - Google Patents

Description

Method and system for purchasing spare parts The invention concerns methods and systems for searching, selecting and purchasing parts, spare components for equipment, systems, systems, machines, equipment, devices, products, etc. on Internet sites.

As is known, spare parts for any type of equipment, plant, system, machine, device, apparatus, product are sold uniquely identified by a name and an alphanumeric code, the so-called product code.

When a buyer needs to purchase a spare part, he generally finds himself in the situation of knowing the shape, structure, functionality? of the part and of the whole or group to which it is? associated, but in most cases he does not know the precise name n? much less the product code to be able to select and order it.

Typically, to overcome this problem, the supplier provides long lists of spare parts, in paper or electronic form or on a web page, which can be consulted by the buyer. However, this solution has some disadvantages.

The buyer must in fact identify the list of spare parts relating to the system, machine, equipment, device, etc. of interest and then consult the relevant list until you identify the spare part you are looking for. This procedure? however long and laborious. Furthermore, the list, if available, can contain an insufficient number of images or figures to identify with certainty the spare part sought.

Today's Internet search engines cannot solve the problem of spare parts because? they are highly specialized in text search. If the buyer does not know the code of the spare part sought or a precise technical description of it, he will hardly be able to? track her down.

Then there is a linguistic problem. Generally, lists of spare parts translated only into the main and most important ones are made available to buyers. widespread languages, so if the buyer does not know any of these languages with which? has the spare part been described and identified? for him even more? difficult to track it down, also because? the translation of names of parts, elements, technical components? often ambiguous, inaccurate or difficult to find.

A purpose of the invention? improve the methods and systems known for researching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for plants, systems, machines, equipment, devices of any kind on Internet sites.

Another purpose? provide a method and a system that allow a buyer to quickly, easily and certainly identify a defined spare part without the need? to know the product code and/or specific name.

In a first aspect of the invention? a method is provided for searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment according to claim 1.

In a second aspect of the invention? a system is provided for searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment according to claim 14.

The invention could be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate an exemplary and non-limiting form of implementation, in which:

- figure 1? a block diagram illustrating the various operational phases of the method according to the invention for searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment;

- figure 2? another diagram illustrating the operational phases of the method of the invention; - figures from 3 to 15 illustrate different exemplary images that can be viewed on a sales web page of the method of the invention during the various phases of execution of said method;

- figure 16? a diagram illustrating the various execution phases of the method illustrated in figures 3 to 11;

- figure 17? a schematic view of the system of the invention for carrying out the method for searching, selecting and purchasing replacement parts of an equipment.

With particular reference to figures 1 to 16, the method according to the invention involves searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment by accessing, via a specific access device 4, a sales web page 10 available on the Internet, in particular managed by a web server 2 connected to the Internet.

The access device 4 ? for example a computer, a tablet, a smartphone or similar capable of connecting to the Internet and viewing and interacting via browser on the sales web page 10 of the method.

With reference to figure 17, the system 1 of the invention for searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts, or parts or articles, of an equipment includes the web server 2 connected to the Internet and configured to manage the sales web page 10 for carry out the method of the invention.

For example, equipment includes a plant, a system, a machine, an apparatus, an apparatus, a device, a product, and is constituted by a plurality? of parts or components or elements and/or assemblies of parts or components and/or subsets of parts or components. Sets and subsets of parts include operational/functional groups or assemblies of parts, machines, apparatus, equipment, devices.

In the example illustrated in figures 2-16, by way of example and without limitation, the equipment includes a system with silo and sample-taking robot for the storage and handling of cereals.

With particular reference to figure 1, the method of the invention for researching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for the equipment (system) includes the following phases:

- access the Internet and the sales web page 10 displayed on a screen of the access device 4 (phase 1; phase 1B);

- select on the sales web page 10 an equipment including parts, sets of parts, subsets of parts (phase 2) in order to

- display on the sales web page 10 an initial image 20 of the selected equipment (phase 3), the initial image 20 including a plurality? of activateable areas 21, 22, 23, 24 which correspond to parts and/or sets of parts of the equipment;

- select and activate a defined area that can be activated by means of pointers 100 of the access device 4 (phase 4) and

or display a code 50 table if the defined activated area corresponds to a spare part (phase 5) that can be purchased directly and then proceed with phase 7,

or

or display a subsequent image 30, 40, 60 if the defined activated area that can be activated corresponds to a set of parts (phase 6) and proceed with phase 4, the next image 30, 40, 60 including at least one actionable area 31 , 32, 33, ..; 41, 42, ?; 61, 62, ?;

- select with the half pointers 100 on the code table 50 the required spare part in order to insert the latter into a shopping cart (phase 7).

Does a spare part include a single element or component or part, or a complex or set of elements or components, or a device, an apparatus, a machine, in other words does it consist of an item that can be purchased directly as a unit? single (for example a gasket, a pipe, a valve, an electric motor, a pump, etc.). Figure 2? a diagram illustrating some possible search paths for a spare part of the equipment selected according to the method of the invention, which conclude with the identification of the spare part sought and its inclusion in the shopping cart. In particular, in the diagram the star-shaped icons represent the initial images 20 and the subsequent images 30, 40, 60 in which the user is in an intermediate search phase where the parts and/or sets of parts of the equipment displayed are not yet purchasable. The list-shaped icons represent the code tables 50 of the spare part and indicate that the user? reached the end of a search path and is viewing a spare part to which respective product codes are associated and which can? be purchased directly.

The pointer means 100 of the access device 4, represented in the figures by a cross-shaped cursor, include for example a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad of a computer that controls the cursor on the screen or a pointer system of a touch screen ( touch screen) of a tablet or smartphone.

The method involves selecting a given piece of equipment on the sales web page 10 by selecting a respective name and/or description of the aforementioned equipment from a list comprising a plurality? of equipment and can be viewed for example from a drop-down menu or similar.

Alternatively, the established equipment can? be displayed on the sales web page 10 via an external hyperlink present on a web page of another site on the Internet (phase 1B), for example a site in which various types of equipment are displayed, this hyperlink being connected, for example , to a special button called ?Spare parts? associated with each specific piece of equipment.

The activateable areas of the initial and subsequent images can be identified by hovering over them with the cursor (hoovering). determining for example a change in their color; they are also activated by acting on a mouse button or directly on the touch screen, i.e. by "clicking" on them.

Alternatively, the areas that can be activated can have outlines of a particular color or can be covered by a colored mask.

Images with areas or parts that can be activated effectively constitute a graphic selector.

A set of parts, depicted by a subsequent image, includes an operational/functional group of parts, a machine, an apparatus, a device.

Does a set of parts also include? a type of part. By type of part we mean a part, or component or element, which can? be available in different variants and configurations, for example with reference to the plant for the storage and handling of cereals, a valve that can? be manually operated, or pneumatically or electrically operated, or a manually operated or motorized rotary distributor

With reference to the example of equipment illustrated in figures 3-11 and including a system with silos and sample-taking probe for the storage and handling of cereals, the initial image 20 includes a plurality of of activateable areas 21, 22, 23, 24 which respectively correspond to a first set of parts which includes ?Pipes and connection elements? (first area that can be activated 21), a second set of parts which includes a rapid loading silo (second area that can be activated 22), a third set of parts which includes an entire machine (third area that can be activated 23), in particular a probe which takes samples, a specific part including a supply pipe to the main silo (fourth area that can be activated 24).

According to the method, displaying a subsequent image 30, corresponding to a set of parts, includes selecting one of a plurality of parts. of successive images 30, 30a, 30b of the set of parts, each successive image of the plurality? of subsequent images 30, 30a, 30b being linked to at least one structural and/or functional characteristic of the set of parts. Each subsequent image 30, 30a, 30b groups together a set of parts that forms a category.

For example, with reference to figures 5-11 the first set of parts which includes ?Pipes and connecting elements? ? selectable by activating the first activateable area 21 of the initial image 20 ? can? be made of different materials and/or with different treatments, for example galvanized iron (next image 30), painted iron (next image 30a not illustrated, but selectable by clicking the corresponding "painted" label in the sales web page screen 10), stainless steel (next image 30b not illustrated, but selectable by clicking the corresponding ?inox? label in the sales web page screen 10).

With reference to the various subsequent images 30a, 30b, the selectors of subsequent images can also be buttons with adjectives instead of images, for example such adjectives indicating the construction material (galvanized iron, painted, stainless steel).

The method also provides that by identifying with the pointer means 100 an area that can be activated in the plurality? of areas that can be activated of the initial image and subsequent images, in particular by passing over an area that can be activated with the pointer means 100, a description 70 of the part or set of parts identified and associated with this area can be activated. In this way, the buyer is facilitated in the search for the part, identifying the set of parts, i.e. the operational/functional group, the machine, the apparatus, the device to which the searched part belongs.

With reference to figure 6, the following image 30, which illustrates the first set of parts which includes "Pipes and connecting elements", includes a plurality of of respective activateable areas 31, 31, 33 which correspond to specific parts and/or sets of parts. For example, the subsequent image 30 includes a respective first activateable area 31 which corresponds to "junction rings" that connect the pipes and the connection elements, a respective second activateable area 32 which corresponds to an assembly or type of part, i.e. a "three-way square valve", a respective third activateable area 33 which corresponds to a "self-joining" braking?.

The code table 50 which is displayed by selecting with the pointer means 100 an activateable area 31, 33 of the subsequent image 30 corresponding to the specific spare part sought, includes one or more images 51, 52 of the replacement part and at least one product code 55 of the part, which ? linked to the size and price of the replacement part. Code table 50 also allows you to specify a quantity? i.e. the number of spare parts to purchase.

With reference to the example of figures 6 and 7, by selecting and activating the first activateable area 31 of the subsequent image 30, which corresponds to the junction rings of the pipes and connecting elements, the relevant code table 50 of figure 7 is displayed in the which one or more are present? images of the spare part, for example two, in particular a plan view with dimensions 51 and a perspective view 52 without dimensions and an actual table which contains the product codes 55 and the cost 56 of the joining rings based on the their size (diameter). Of each item, intended as a spare part that can be purchased directly with specific dimensions and a unique product code,? can you select the quantity? to be purchased by entering a numerical value in a specific box 57 using data input means (e.g. physical or virtual keyboard, drop-down selector) of the access device 4. Pi? precisely, the method involves inserting the requested spare part into a shopping cart by entering a numerical value corresponding to the number of specimens (items) to be purchased of the aforementioned requested part in a special box 57 of the code table 50 using the data entry means of the access device 4.

? It is therefore possible to display a shopping table 80 which shows the contents of the shopping cart, in particular product code, name, quantity? and price of each spare part placed in said shopping cart and packaging and shipping costs. The purchasing table 80 includes a button 82 which can be activated to proceed and conclude the purchase according to the known and not described.

The purchasing table 80 can? be displayed on the sales web page 10 by selecting and activating a relevant icon or button that can be activated 81.

The purchasing table 80 allows you to change the quantity? of spare part(s) to be purchased by modifying the numerical value of the appropriate box 83 using the data entry means of the access device 4.

With reference to figures 8-11, by selecting and activating the second activateable area 32 of the subsequent image 30, which corresponds to a set or type of part, specifically a three-way square valve, a respective subsequent image 60 formed by a plurality? of areas or images that can be activated 61, 62, 63, 64 illustrating respective parts, in particular different versions of the type of part, i.e. the three-way square valve. The latter can in fact comprising a first version (first area or image that can be activated 61) with a first manual activation system, a second version (second area or image that can be activated 62) with a second manual activation system, a third version (third area or image that can be activated 63 ) with an electric motorized drive system, a fourth version (fourth area or activateable image 64) with a pneumatic motorized drive system.

By selecting and activating one of the activateable images 61, 62, 63, 64 of the next image 60, for example the third activateable image 63 relating to the three-way square valve with an electric motorized drive system, the relevant code table 50 is displayed, illustrated in figure 10, in which there are, for example, three images of the spare part, in particular a front view with dimensions 51, a side view with dimensions 52 and a perspective view 53, and an actual table which contains product codes 55 and cost 56 of the three-way square valve with an electric motorized drive system by size (size). Of each item, intended as a spare part that can be purchased directly with specific dimensions and a unique product code,? can you select the quantity? to be purchased by entering a number value in a specific box using data entry means. More? precisely, also in this case? It is possible to add the selected part, i.e. the three-way square valve with an electric motorized drive system with the desired size, to the shopping cart by entering a numerical value corresponding to the number of specimens (items) to be purchased in the appropriate box 57 of the code table 50 through the data input means of the access device 4.

? it is therefore possible to view the purchasing table 80 to proceed and complete the purchase or return to the next image 30 or to the initial image 20 or select another type of equipment.

Figure 16? a diagram illustrating the two search paths for a spare part of the selected equipment described above with reference to figures 3 to 11, which conclude with the identification of the spare part sought and its inclusion in the shopping cart. Also in this diagram the star-shaped icons represent the initial images 20 and the subsequent images 30, 20, 60 in which the user is in an intermediate search phase where the parts and/or sets of parts of the equipment displayed are not yet purchasable, while the list-shaped icons represent the code tables 50 of the selected spare part and indicate that the user? reached the end of a search path and is viewing a spare part to which respective product codes are associated and which can? be purchased directly. The numbers that appear in the lines connecting the star-shaped icons and/or the list-shaped icons refer to the parts and/or sets of parts subsequently selected by the user.

In particular, with reference to the diagram in figure 16, the following table 1 summarizes and synthesizes the various steps and the related actions or activities? that a user must perform to research, select and purchase spare parts for equipment according to the method of the invention.

Table 1

The images displayed on the sales web page 10, in particular the initial image 20 and the subsequent images, the images that can be activated include photographs and/or drawings, graphic representations of the parts, assemblies, assembled and/or exploded views.

With reference to figure 12 which illustrates the initial image 20 of the system with silos and probe, it takes samples for the storage and handling of cereals, with the pointing means 100? else? It is possible to select a third area that can be activated 23 which corresponds to an entire machine, in particular to a probe that takes samples as specified in the description 70 displayed on the sales web page 10.

By selecting and activating the third activateable area 23, a respective subsequent image 40 is displayed which represents an exploded view of the aforementioned sample-taking probe. This subsequent image 40 includes one or more areas that can be activated 41, 42, 43 corresponding to specific parts and/or assemblies and/or part types. For example, with particular reference to figure 13, the subsequent image 40 includes a respective first activatable area 41 which corresponds to the "probe tube", a respective second activatable area 42 which corresponds to a "telescopic arm", a respective third activatable area 43 which corresponds to a ?base?, etc.

Also in this case, by selecting and activating an activateable area of the next image, which corresponds to a specific spare part, for example the third activateable area 43 which corresponds to the base of the sample taking probe, the relevant code table 50 in the figure is displayed 15 in which there are one or more? images of the spare part, for example three, in particular a front view with dimensions 51, a side view with dimensions 52 and a perspective view 53 without dimensions and an actual table which contains the product codes 55, the cost 56 of the base and box 57 in which to enter a numerical value corresponding to the number of copies (items) of the aforementioned base to be purchased.

With reference to figure 17, the system 1 of the invention, in addition to the web server 2, includes at least one database 3 connected to said web server 2 and containing images, code tables, of parts, types of parts, sets, subsets of parts of one or more? equipment. Database 3? connected in particular to the production system of the factory and/or warehouse that creates and/or stores the equipment.

The system 1 of the invention also includes a calculation server 5 which determines the packaging and shipping costs of the purchased spare part(s), an online payment server 6, for example from an external provider, to conclude the purchase with the payment transactions, a mail server 7 to generate purchase notifications to the customer and/or to the production department and/or warehouse.

Note that the method and system according to the invention for searching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment refer to two-dimensional graphic representations which are currently the most easily viewable on the web browsers of most users, but the method and system can also be implemented using three-dimensional or multidimensional representations when the devices for representing and manipulating reality? increase they find more? wide diffusion.

Thanks to the method and system of the invention? It is therefore possible for a buyer to search, select and purchase on a web page 10 accessible from the Internet parts, components, elements, spare items for a plant, a system, a machine, an apparatus, an equipment, a device of any kind in quickly, easily and accurately. In particular, the method of the invention allows you to find and identify a desired replacement part in an intuitive and easy way without the need for to know in advance the product code and/or the specific name, but knowing only the external appearance, i.e. the shape and/or dimensions, of that part and of the system, plant, machine, apparatus to which it belongs. From an initial image 20 of the selected equipment, for example a plant, and/or from subsequent images 30, 40, 60 which display parts and sets of parts, functional groups, devices, machines of that plant for which the spare part sought belongs, ? It is possible for the user to progressively, through subsequent selections based on the images, in particular on the activateable areas of said images, identify the desired part which is associated via the respective code table 50 with the respective product codes linked to size and cost. In this way the buyer can proceed with the purchase of the spare part, also specifying the quantity. In addition to the cost of the spare part sought, in the specified quantity, are there also? the respective packaging and shipping costs are calculated and displayed by the system, i.e. the total cost of the purchase.

Thanks to the system 1 of the invention which includes a web server 2 connected to the Internet, configured to manage the sales web page 10 and connected to a database 3 containing images, code tables, of parts, assemblies, subsets of the equipment, for example of the system with silo and robot takes samples for the storage and handling of cereals in figure 3, ? It is possible to carry out the method of the invention, i.e. research, select and purchase spare parts for equipment, by accessing the sales web page 10 using any access device 4 capable of connecting to the Internet and viewing and interacting with the page via browser. sales web 10, for example a computer, a tablet, a smartphone or similar.

Claims (15)

1. Method for researching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment by accessing via a specific access device (4) a sales web page (10) available on the Internet, said method including the phases of: - access the Internet and said sales web page (10) viewable on a screen of said access device (4) (step 1); - select on said sales web page (10) an equipment including parts and/or sets of parts (phase 2) in order to - display on said sales web page (10) an initial image (20) of said selected equipment (phase 3), said initial image (20) including a plurality of of activateable areas (21, 22, 23, 24) which correspond to parts and/or sets of parts of said equipment; - select and activate a defined area that can be activated by means of pointers (100) of said access device (4) (step 4) and or view a code table (50) if said defined activated area corresponds to a spare part (phase 5) that can be purchased directly and then proceed with phase 7 or or display a subsequent image (30, 40, 60) if said defined activated activated area corresponds to a set of parts (phase 6) and proceed with phase 4, said subsequent image (30; 40; 60) including at least one? activateable area (31, 32, 33; 41, 42, 43; 61, 62, 63, 64); - select with said pointer means (100) on said code table (50) the required spare part in order to insert the latter into a shopping cart (phase 7). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying said successive image (30) comprises selecting one of a plurality of images. of successive images (30, 30a, 30b) of sets of parts, each successive image of said plurality? of subsequent images (30, 30a, 30b) being linked to at least one structural and/or functional characteristic of said set of parts. 3. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said select with said pointer means (100) a defined area that can be activated (21, 22, 23, 24; 31, 32, 33; 41, 42, 43; 61, 62, 63 , 64) includes displaying on said sales web page (10) a description (70) of said part and/or said set of parts corresponding to said defined activated actionable area. 4. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said code table (50) includes at least one image (51, 52, 53) of said spare part and at least one product code (55) of said spare part linked to dimensions and price of said spare part, called code table (50) allowing you to specify a quantity? of said spare part to be purchased. 5. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said inserting said requested spare part into said shopping cart comprises inserting a numerical value corresponding to the number of said requested spare part to be purchased in a specific box (57) of said code table (50) by means of data input means of said access device (4). 6. Method according to one of the previous claims, comprising displaying a shopping table (80) showing a content of said shopping cart, in particular product code, name, quantity? and price of each spare part inserted in said shopping cart, said shopping table (80) including a button (82) that can be activated to proceed and conclude the purchase. 7. Method according to claim 6, wherein said purchasing table (80) can? be displayed on said sales web page (10) by selecting and activating a relevant icon or button that can be activated (81). 8. Method according to one of the previous claims, comprising selecting on said sales web page (10) said equipment by selecting a respective name and/or description from a list comprising a plurality? of equipment. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said replacement part comprises one of a single component, set of components, device, apparatus, machine and wherein said set of parts comprises one of a functional group of parts, machine, apparatus, device . 10. A method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said images and/or actionable areas comprise photographs and/or drawings of said parts, assemblies. 11. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said equipment comprises one of plant, system, machine, apparatus, device, product. 12. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said sales web page (10) is? provided and managed by a web server (2) connected to the Internet, said web server (2) being connected to at least one database (3) containing images, code tables of parts, assemblies, subsets of at least one piece of equipment. 13. Method according to one of the previous claims, wherein said access device (4) comprises one of computers, tablets, smartphones. 14. System (1) for researching, selecting and purchasing spare parts for equipment comprising at least one web server (2) connected to the Internet and configured to manage at least one sales web page (10) for carrying out the method according to one of previous claims. 15. System (1) according to claim 14, further comprising at least one database (3), in particular connected to a production system of a factory and/or warehouse, containing images, code tables, of parts, sets of at least one piece of equipment , said database (3) being connected to said web server (2).