Product delivery system

• US 20020083995A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Dudek, David Robert, Jones, John Melvyn Lloyd, Sandiford, Peter, Murray, David Campbell
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

A product delivery system is provided wherein consumer products are delivered in bulk to the retail site and can be dispensed to individual containers at the retail site. The consumer products can include products in concentrated form that may be diluted prior to dispense or use. The consumer products can include, for example and without limitation, foodstuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products. The product delivery system can include manufacture and/or blending of one or more consumer products at a product manufacturing site, said one or more consumer products being filled into bulk shuttle reservoirs, said one or more bulk shuttle reservoirs being transported to the retail site, and the consumer products contained in said bulk shuttle reservoirs being transferred to individual storage containers for retail to the consumer.

Claims

1. A product delivery system wherein consumer products are delivered in bulk to a retail site, said product delivery system adapted to:

(i) manufacture and/or blend of one or more consumer products at a product manufacturing site;

(ii) fill said one or more consumer products into bulk shuttle reservoirs;

(iii) place said one or more bulk shuttle reservoirs onto one or more pallets;

(iv) transport said one or more pallets to the retail site;

(v) remove one or more of said bulk shuttle reservoirs from said pallets; and

(vi) transfer the consumer products contained in said bulk shuttle reservoirs to individual storage containers for retail to the consumer.

2. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more pallets are transported through a product distribution network prior to the transport to the retail site.

3. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the bulk shuttle reservoirs comprise a dry break coupling system.

4. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more consumer products are in a concentrated form.

5. The product delivery system according to claim 4, wherein said system is adapted to optionally allow consumer product reconstitution prior to the transfer of the consumer products to the individual storage containers.

6. The product delivery system according to claim 5, wherein the optional reconstitution and subsequent transfer of the one or more consumer products to individual storage containers is automated.

7. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more consumer products are transferred to, optionally reconstituted in, and dispensed from a vending machine into individual storage containers.

8. The product delivery system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more consumer products are transferred to, optionally reconstituted in, and dispensed from a vending machine into individual storage containers.

9. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more consumer products are transferred into a reusable individual storage container.

10. The product delivery system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more consumer products are transferred into a reusable individual storage container.

11. The product delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said system is adapted to optionally allow consumer product reconstitution prior to the transfer of the consumer products to the individual storage containers.

12. The product delivery system according to claim 1, wherein th e one or more consumer products are selected from food stuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products.

13. The product delivery system according to claim 12, wherein the consumer product comprises a household detergent product.

14. The product delivery system according to claim 4, wherein the one or more consumer products are selected from foodstuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products.

15. The product delivery system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more consumer products are selected from foodstuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products.

16. The product delivery system according to claim 6, wherein the one or more consumer products are selected from foodstuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products.

17. The product delivery system according to claim 7, wherein the one or more consumer products are selected from foodstuffs, beverages, household products and automotive products.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the one or more consumer products are selected from foodstuffs, beverages, household products, or automotive products.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the one or more consumer products are in a concentrated form.

21. The process of claim 20, further comprising reconstituting the consumer product at the retail site.

22. The process of claim 20, wherein transferring the one or more products to the consumer occurs through a vending system.

23. The process of claim 19, further comprising allowing the consumer to customise the blending of the products into the individual storage containers.

18. A process for dispensing consumer products, comprising:

(a) manufacturing and optionally blending of one or more consumer products at a product manufacturing site;

(b) filling one or more consumer products into one or more bulk shuttle reservoirs;

(c) transporting the bulk shuttle reservoirs to a retail site; and

(d) transferring and optionally blending the products at the retail site from the bulk shuttle reservoirs to individual storage containers for sale to the consumer.