WO1994008867A1

WO1994008867A1 - Device for the identification and locking of a bottle

Info

Publication number: WO1994008867A1
Application number: PCT/CH1993/000247
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques Mouron
Original assignee: Hartek S.A.
Priority date: 1992-10-19
Filing date: 1993-10-19
Publication date: 1994-04-28
Also published as: DE69301232T2; DE69301232D1; EP0617685B1; EP0617685A1; FR2696999B1; ATE132455T1; FR2696999A1

Abstract

Device for the identification of a bottle and locking of its closure element, the neck (12) of the bottle being sealed by a closure element and including a cap (50) arranged to be adapted thereon (12) above said closure element. The cap comprises at least one identification code and movable locking means including at least two grips (56) for engaging under a projection (17) on the neck (12) or under the closure element, and an activating sleeve (55) movable between two positions and arranged to release or lock said grips according to whether it is in one or other of the positions. The device also includes a sensor for detecting and reading the identification code and for releasing the bottle's closure element. The device is for use in individual, controlled and automatic management and monitoring of bottles in restaurants, bars or other public places.

Description

DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING AND LOCKING A BOTTLE

The present invention relates to a device for identifying and locking a bottle comprising a neck closed by a closing element, this device comprising on the one hand a cap arranged to be adapted on the neck over said closing element, this cap being provided with locking means arranged to, in a first position, prohibit access to the closure element of the bottle and, in a second position, allow this access in order to remove it from the bottle, and d 'on the other hand, a detector device arranged to read an identification code carried by the cap.

Various identification and locking systems have been devised and implemented to ensure controlled management of the sale of products in stores or restaurants as well as to manage the stock.

One of these devices, more specifically intended for use on objects sold in so-called "large area" stores, is described in the French patent application published under the number FR-A-2 12 * 4 287. This document describes a locking device attached to an article intended for sale and provided with a label used for its automatic identification. This locking device comprises two movable members relative to each other which define a locked position in which they are integral and release a passage, and an unlocked position in which they are separated. In the locked position, the article is placed in said passage, so that the locking device and the article cannot be separated. One of the movable members has a locking finger carried by a bimetallic strip. The other movable member has a cavity in which this locking finger is placed when the device is in the locked position. The heating of the bimetallic strip, by the application of an electric current, causes its deformation and therefore the withdrawal of the locking finger from said cavity, which allows the opening of the device. In this device, the unlocking and identification operations are independent. Unlocking can therefore be carried out without identification, which does not allow strict control of the goods sold.

Other identification and locking systems more specifically intended for the management and control of the bottles consumed in restaurants, bars or other public places have been imagined and produced. By way of example, a system can be mentioned which provides for the suspension of identical or similar bottles between two parallel slides mounted in cooling drawers, the withdrawal of these bottles being made possible by the opening of a locking flap. Because this opening is controlled, it becomes possible to monitor the withdrawal of the bottles and manage consumption in an efficient and precise manner.

Another known system provides for the weighing of a drawer filled with bottles which ", for effective control and management to be possible, must necessarily have the same weight and the same price.

These two known systems require the establishment of an expensive infrastructure, which can in principle be envisaged only in the context of the creation of a new establishment or during the complete renovation of an existing establishment. In addition, these systems only apply effectively to drinks which are sold in a large number of copies such as mineral waters, fruit juices, carbonated drinks, etc. They are not suitable for expensive bottles sold in limited numbers such as, for example, bottles of Champagne, etc.

The present invention proposes to overcome these drawbacks by providing a device allowing the identification of all the bottles and more particularly an individual device for identifying and locking a bottle, this device being adaptable to all types of bottles, whatever their number and whatever their shape or size.

For this purpose, the identification and locking device according to the invention is characterized in that said detector device further comprises actuation means arranged to bring said locking means into said second position allowing access to the 'closing element, after detection, reading and identification of said identification code.

According to a preferred embodiment, the locking means comprise a movable activation core and at least two locking claws of said closure element, said activation core being arranged to maintain said locking claws in a locked position when said means locking are in their first position and to release said claws when said locking means are in their second position.

Said movable activation core is preferably a magnetic core having a low position corresponding to said first position of said locking means and a high position corresponding to said second position of said locking means.

Said activation core can also be a ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve and said claws are mounted at least partially inside this sleeve.

According to a preferred embodiment, said claws are arranged at equal distance from each other and extend substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle, these claws being arranged to hang under a protrusion of the neck of the bottle or under said closure element.

According to a first embodiment, said claws are flexible over at least part of their length.

MPLA SHEET According to a second embodiment, said claws are rigid and articulated around a ball joint or a pivot.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, said claws are equipped with blocking shoes arranged at their free end.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cap comprises a hollow body carrying said claws and in which said activation core is disposed, this core comprising a clearance formed between this hollow body and a zone of reduced section, this clearance being arranged to accommodate locking balls arranged to block said claws when the locking means are in their first position.

The activation core can also include a conical inner part arranged to cooperate with the claws and block them when said locking means are in their first position.

Advantageously, the device comprises a spring tending to keep the claws in the locked position when said locking means are in their first position, this spring being in abutment on said activation core.

In the embodiment of the device in which the activation core is a ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve, the cap comprises a cylindrical body made of a non-ferromagnetic material in which said sleeve is mounted coaxially without play, said body comprising an annular housing, said sleeve cylindrical ferromagnetic is held in the low position by a thrust spring placed in said housing and bearing on the bottom of this housing and on the cylindrical ferromagnetic sleeve, such that when this sleeve is in its low position, said claws are held against the neck of the bottle, and when the sleeve is in the high position it is held by said open claws corresponding to said second position of the locking means. According to this preferred embodiment, upper extensions of each of the claws are linked together by an elastic element, and each comprise an inclined ramp arranged in such a way that, when the bottle is introduced into the cap, the element of closure is supported on said inclined ramps of the claws, to bring the latter in the locked position allowing the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve to take its low position under the thrust of said annular spring.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, said detector device comprises an actuating element arranged to actuate said activation core and cause it to move from its low position to its high position.

Said detector device advantageously comprises a detection member arranged to read the identification code and means for transmitting an identification signal making it possible to provoke the excitation of the magnetic coil capable of moving said magnetic core.

The identification code carried by the cap can advantageously be formed of metallized sectors and non-metallized sectors arranged so as to define it. 11 preferably comprises a first series of sectors common to all types of products equipped with identical caps and serving for the recognition of a zero point of the code, and a second series of different sectors for each type of product equipped with the same cap, and allowing identification of the type of product.

The detection device arranged to read the code advantageously comprises a proximity detector of the inductive detector type, as well as a rotating transformer connecting said proximity detector to a data processing device.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the identification and detection device is engaged by means of a key personalized identification of the smart card or magnetic card type.

The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of exemplary embodiments and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the identification and locking device according to the invention,

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a view in axial section of a first embodiment of the cap of the device according to the invention respectively in a locked position and in an unlocked position on the neck of a bottle,

FIG. 3 represents a partial and enlarged sectional view of a detail of the device of FIGS. 2,

FIGS. 4A and -4B are views in axial section illustrating a second embodiment of the cap of the device of the invention respectively in a locked position and in an unlocked position,

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a third embodiment of the cap of the device of the invention respectively in a locked position and in an unlocked position,

FIG. 6 represents a view in partial section and enlarged of a detail of the device of FIGS. 5,

FIG. 7 represents a fourth embodiment of the cap of the device according to the invention,

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a descriptive code as used in the invention, FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a descriptive code used in the context of the invention,

FIG. 10 represents a sectional view of an element of the cap carrying a descriptive code in accordance with FIGS. 8 and 9,

FIG. 11 is a block diagram representing the elements of the detection member of the device according to the invention, and

- Figure 12 is a schematic sectional view of the detector apparatus of the device according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the identification and locking device 10 consists of a detector device 5 formed of a housing 6 provided with a detection member 7 and an actuating element 8, and d 'a cap 11 to be adapted on the neck 12 of a bottle. The user manually positions the bottle by introducing it into a cavity of the housing defined by the positioning of the detection member 7 and of the actuating element 8, so that the cap 11 is in contact with these two elements until the cap locking means can be unlocked.

Figures 2A, 2B and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the cap 11 adapted on the neck 12 of a bottle closed by a stopper 13, for example of the Champagne stopper type, fixed to the neck by connecting flanges 14. Good that this application is represented by the figures, it is understood that the device also adapts to any other bottle closed by an ordinary stopper, a crimped cap, a screwed cap etc. This cap

11 comprises a substantially cylindrical and hollow body 15 which contains said locking means comprising a series of claws 16, disposed at the periphery of this body and extending it axially. These claws are designed to surround the stopper or the capsule and to bear under a rim or bead 17 formed at the base of the neck of the bottle. These claws define a cage which encloses the cap and makes it integral with the neck inviolably. Elements 16 ′, integral with the claws 16, define an inner cage which allows a better adaptation of the device to all types of bottles. The hollow cylindrical body 15 contains an activation core 18 movable axially between two positions, which has the function of locking the claws in a first position corresponding to said first position of the locking means (illustrated by FIG. 2A) and of releasing them in a second position corresponding to said second position of the locking means (illustrated in FIG. 2B). To this end, the body 15 comprises several housings 19 formed in the thickness of its wall and each containing a ball 20 for blocking a safety sleeve

21 partially surrounding the hollow cylindrical body and the claws. This sleeve has a peripheral inner groove 22 in which the balls are partially engaged.

In the position represented by FIG. 2A, the activation core 18, which comprises a central part 18a whose external diameter is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the body 15 and two parts 18b and 18c, arranged on either side of the central part, the diameter of which is less than that of this central part, is in the low position and blocks the balls 20 in the housings 19 and in the internal groove 22 of the safety sleeve 21. This results in a blocking in the position of this sleeve and claw lock 16.

In the position shown in Figure 2B, the activation core

18, raised towards the top of the body, is brought into the high position, so that the balls 20 can disengage from the peripheral groove

22 by moving towards the inside of the body 15, in a clear area separating the part 18c of diameter smaller than the central part 18a of the activation core 18 of the internal wall of the body.

As a result, the safety sleeve 21 can be raised and the claws 16 can be detached from the bead 17 of the neck 12.

This movement of the balls 20 is illustrated in detail by the enlarged view of Figure 3. A ball 20 is shown in phantom in its position 20 'corresponding to the second position of the locking means or unlocking position. A compression spring 23 bears on the one hand on the upper part 18b of the activation core 18 and on the other hand on a cover 2-4 which covers the body 15.

The displacement of the activation core 18 is caused by the actuation element housed in the detector apparatus. This core constitutes a kind of plunger core which is attracted in a unlocked position when this actuating element is excited. To unlock the identification device, simply introduce the neck

12 fitted with the cap in the cavity, in which a magnetic field is created capable of displacing the activation core.

The detection device of the detector device is also intended to read an identification code carried by the cap. This code can be of the bar code type and the detector member of the optical reading type. However, any other type of code, magnetic, mechanical or similar can be used and in this case the detection member is chosen accordingly.

A second embodiment of the cap is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4-B. The operating principle of this cap is substantially the same as before. In this case, this cap essentially comprises an activation core 30 comprising an upper part 30a substantially cylindrical and a lower part 30b substantially conical. This lower part blocks claws 31 in their locked position, when the core occupies a low position represented by FIG. H and releases these claws when it occupies a high position represented by FIG. 4B. To this end, each claw is articulated on a pivot or a ball joint 32 and all of these claws is biased by an annular compression spring 33 which tends to open them.

A third embodiment of the cap is illustrated by FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6. In this construction, the cap comprises a cage 40 preferably produced in one piece by cutting out a sheet metal disc, to form a set of arms. radial. After folding at 90 ° and fitting blocking shoes 41, these arms constitute claws 42 which have the function of blocking the element for closing the neck of the bottle, which can for example be a cap 43. The shoes 41 are arranged to cooperate with an activation core 44, the lower end of which, shown enlarged by FIG. 6, is provided with a frustoconical surface 45 which cooperates with an inclined ramp 46 which delimits the rear of said blocking shoes 41. This core is biased in a low, so-called locked position represented by FIG. 5A, by a helical spring 47. The cap further comprises lugs 49 folded at right angles and one of the ends of which carries a spout 49a arranged to hang on the core and to keep it in the high position, called the unlocked position represented by FIG. 5B, in order to release the shoes 41. The fitting of the cap on the bottle automatically releases the core 44 for the m be in its locked position.

This latter variant is advantageous by its light and economical construction and can also be made of an injected plastic material or any other suitable synthetic or non-synthetic material.

A particularly advantageous embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the cap 50 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 51 provided with an interior annular housing 52 and an annular end flange 53. An annular spring 54 is placed in said housing 52 and is supported on a cylindrical sleeve 55, made of a ferromagnetic material, sliding without play inside the cylindrical body of the cap. Claws 56 are mounted inside the body, in the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve 55- These claws are formed by a rod 57 carrying at its free end a blocking shoe 58 and an upper element 59 comprising an inclined ramp 60 and a hook 61. The upper element 59 and the rod 57 are integral and the claws are articulated on a pivot 62 placed in a recess 63 formed in a wall of said annular housing 52 of the cylindrical body 51. The hooks 61 of the claws are connected between them by an elastic element 64 such as an O-ring to urge said claws in their position lock. The cap 50 further comprises an upper cover 65 which is provided with an identification plate 66 carrying an identification code.

When the cap 50 is placed on a bottle, the closing element 13, or the upper part of the neck, bears on the inclined ramps 60 of the upper elements, which makes the claws 56 pivot and allows the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve 55 to descend and place the cap .. in the locked position as illustrated by the left part of the figure. The ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve 55 being in the low position, it maintains the blocking shoes 58 under the bead 17 of the neck 12 of the bottle. When the identification and locking device is actuated, the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve 55 is drawn upwards, which allows the blocking shoes to move apart under the action of the force exerted by the elastic element 64 connecting the hooks of the claws 56. The claws then emerge from the bead and make it possible to remove the cap 50 from the bottle. When the cap is removed, it remains in the unlocked position as illustrated by the right part of the figure, the lower edge of the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve being in abutment against the blocking shoes.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate in detail, a particularly advantageous embodiment of a descriptive code 70 used in the present invention.

As is particularly well represented by FIGS. 8 and 9, the code 70 is produced on an identification plate 71, substantially circular, comprising metallized sectors 72 and non-metallized sectors 73. Each circular plate 71 comprises for example fourteen sectors . The first five sectors R9 to R13 comprise on all the caps, the same code which is, in the example shown, formed by a metallized sector followed by four non-metallized sectors. These five sectors are intended to indicate to the detector device, the zero point of the identification code. The following eight sectors D1 to D8 are different for each type of product to be identified. They contain the information to be recorded such as for example the price and the name of the product.

The last sector PA plays the role of parity bit and makes it possible to check whether the reading of the preceding sectors has been carried out correctly.

Figure 10 is a sectional view of the identification plate 71 carrying the identification code 70. This plate 71 is made of an opaque material in order to make the code invisible. On its upper face, it has an external printing 74, produced for example by screen printing, which can be provided to receive written information such as the price or the name of the product. On its underside, it has metallized 72 and non-metallized 73 sectors making up the identification code 70. These sectors are embedded in an adhesive 75 which can be used to stick the identification plate to the cap.

FIG. 11 represents in the form of a block diagram, the constituent elements of the detection member 7. When the cap is introduced into the cavity of the detector device provided for this purpose, the detection member 7 performs the reading of the identification code. This detection member comprises a proximity detector 80 of the inductive type which detects the presence of metallized sectors and non-metallized sectors. This proximity detector is connected via a rotary transformer 81 and an oscillator 82 to a threshold detector 83 which ^• transforms the analog signal supplied by the proximity detector 80 into a digital signal. This digital signal is then introduced into a microprocessor 84 which, after checking the identification code, controls the actuating element 8 in order to bring the cap into the unlocked position.

Figure 12 is a schematic sectional view of the detector apparatus 5. The proximity detector 80 is pivotally mounted in a circular opening 90. 11 is driven by means of a synchronous motor 91 via a swivel part 92 of the rotary transformer 81 connected to the proximity detector 80. This rotary transformer thus makes it possible to produce a wireless connection, between the pivoting part 92 of the detector apparatus and a fixed part secured to the housing 6. An electromagnet 93 forming the actuator 8 activates the actuator core and releases the cap.

Claims

1. Device for identifying and locking a bottle comprising a neck closed by a closure element, this device comprising on the one hand a cap arranged to be adapted on the neck over said closure element, this cap being provided with locking means arranged to, in a first position, prohibit access to the closure element of the bottle and, in a second position, allow this access in order to remove it from the bottle, and on the other hand , a detector device arranged to read a descriptive code carried by the cap, characterized in that said detector device (5) further comprises actuating means arranged to bring said locking means into said second position allowing access to the closing element (13) after detection, reading and identification of said identification code.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means comprise a movable activation core (18, 30, 44, 55) and at least two claws (16, 31, 42, 56) for blocking said element closure, said activating core being arranged to maintain said locking claws in a locked position when said locking means are in their first position and to release said claws when said locking means are in their second position.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said movable activation core (18, 30, 44) is a magnetic core having a low position corresponding to said first position of said locking means and a high position corresponding to said second position of said locking means.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said activation core is a ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve (55) and in that said claws (56) are mounted at least partially inside this sleeve.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said claws (16, 31, 41) are disposed at equal distance from each other and extend substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle, these claws being arranged to s '' hang under a protuberance (17) from the neck of the bottle or under said closure element

(13).

6. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said claws (16) are flexible over at least part of their length.

7. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said claws (31, 56) are rigid and articulated around a ball joint (32) or a pivot (62).

8. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said claws (42, 56) are equipped with blocking shoes (41, 58) arranged at their free end.

9. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the cap comprises a hollow body (15) carrying said claws (16) and in which is disposed said activation core (18), this core comprising a clearance formed between this body hollow and a zone (18c) of reduced section, this clearance being arranged to accommodate locking balls (20) arranged to block said claws when the locking means are in their first position.

10. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the activation core (30) comprises a conical lower part (30b) arranged to cooperate with the claws (31) and block them when said locking means are in their first position .

11. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a spring (23, 47) tending to maintain the claws (16, 42) in the locked position when said locking means are in their first position, this spring being in pressing on said activation core (18, 44).

12. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the cap (50) comprises a cylindrical body (51) made of a non-ferromagnetic material in which said ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve (55) is mounted coaxially without play, in that said cylindrical body comprises an annular housing (52) located at its upper end, in that said ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve is held in the low position by an annular spring (54) bearing at the bottom of said annular housing and on the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve, so that when this sleeve (55) is in its low position, said claws (56) are held against the neck of the bottle, and when this sleeve (55) is in the high position, it is held by said open claws corresponding to said second position of the locking means.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that upper extensions (59) of each of the claws (56) are linked together by an elastic element (64), and each comprise an inclined ramp (60) arranged in such a way that, when the bottle is introduced into the cap (50), the closing element (13) bears on said inclined ramps of the claws to bring the latter into the locked position allowing the ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve (55) to take its low position under there thrust of said annular spring (54).

14. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said detector device (5) comprises an actuating element (8) arranged to actuate said activation core and cause it to move from its low position to its high position.

15. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said detector apparatus (5) comprises a detection member (7) arranged to read said identification code and means for transmitting an identification signal making it possible to cause the excitation of the magnetic coil capable of moving said magnetic core.

16. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the identification code (70) carried by the cap (11, 50) is formed of metallized sectors (72) and non-metallized sectors (73) arranged so as to define it .

17. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the identification code (70) comprises a first series of sectors (R9-R13) common to all types of products equipped with identical caps and used for the recognition of a zero point code, and a second series of sectors (D1-D8) different for each type of product equipped with the same cap, and allowing the identification of the type of product.

18. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection member (7) arranged to read the code comprises a proximity detector (80) of the inductive detector type.

19. Device according to claim 18, characterized in that the detection member (7) arranged to read the code comprises a rotary transformer (81) connecting said proximity detector to a data processing device.

20. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the identification and detection device is engaged by means of a personalized identification key of the smart card or magnetic card type.