Package and system

• US 20030051767A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa Division Of Conopco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA
• Inventors: Giblin, Edward John, Paulovich, John Michael, Coccaro, Deborah Marie
• Application Number:
  US10/245,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051767A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/351
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/02 Bottles or similar containers with necks or like restricted apertures, designed for pouring contents thermally-insulated containers B65D81/38, A47J41/00; feeding-bottles A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/06 Arrangements on packages concerning bar-codes
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/02 for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a refillable package which is coupled with a sensing or recognition means used to provide or determine information about the past history of the package such as the number of times the package has been refilled. A filling station is also disclosed which has a reading means to cooperate with sensing means on a package and with a filling means in the station.

Claims

1. A package suitable for storing consumer products comprising a sensing means, said sensing means being responsive to an outside reader capable of interpreting and/or updating data stored on the sensing means.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means is a magnetic stripe label.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means is a UPC code.

4. A package according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means is Wiegand wires.

5. A package according to claim 1 wherein said sensing means is a memory chip.

6. A package according to claim 1 wherein said consumer product is a liquid laundry detergent.

7. A package according to claim 1 wherein said package is a plastic laundry detergent bottle.

8. A filling station for refilling a package suitable for use in storing consumer product comprising a housing having a filling chamber, a product source connected to said filling chamber by means of a valve, a reader mounted in said housing being responsive to a sensing means said sensing means being mounted on a refillable container, means on said housing responsive to said sensing means to cause liquid product to enter said filling chamber through, said valves.