Multiple use commodity collection and storage system

• US 5,226,519 A
• Filed: 07/20/1992
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Environmental & Medical Products, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Environmental & Medical Products, Ltd.
• Inventors: DeWoolfson, Bruce H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HIENZ III, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/915,867
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 194/205, 194/208, 194/209, 194/212, 194/213, 414/507, 100/902, 406/38, 406/39, 406/156
• US Class Current: 194/209
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1405 Compressing means incorporated in, or specially adapted for, refuse receptacles presses in general B30B
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/001 for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/0209 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/60 Glass recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling

Abstract

A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprises a plurality of collection stations remotely located, each for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities. Each station includes a consumer selectable insert port for receiving each different predetermined type of commodity; a pre-selection mechanism associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type; a microprocessor for storing data corresponding to the commodities verified by the pre-selection mechanism; a device for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection mechanism to be of the predetermined type; a bulk storage device including a segregated storage area for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity; a transfer device for automatically transferring each predetermined type of densified commodity from the densifying device to the corresponding segregated storage area in the bulk storage device and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the transfer; and a dispenser for issuing at least one token in response to the receipt of a predetermined commodity. The system also includes at least one commodity collection vehicle including a transport compartment, and a mechanism for automatically loading at least one of the densified commodities into the transport compartment.

Claims

1. A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprising:

a plurality of collection stations, each station for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities, each station including;

a. a plurality of reverse vending machines with a consumer selectable insert port being located in each machine, each port for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity, the size of each machine being within predetermined limits;

b. pre-selection means associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type;

c. microprocessor means for storing data corresponding to the commodities verified by the pre-selection means; and

d. means for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection means to be of the predetermined type;

bulk storage means remotely located from the collection stations, including at least one storage bin corresponding to each machine for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity, each bin being remotely positioned in relation to the corresponding machine for receiving commodities from the corresponding machine; and

pneumatic means for conveying each predetermined type of densified commodity from each machine to the corresponding storage bin in the bulk storage means and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, the pneumatic means including a plurality of intake pipes, each intake pipe for receiving densified commodities from one machine and being in communication with a corresponding storage bin, suction means for creating suction, and a plurality of outlet tubes, each outlet tube being in communication with a corresponding storage bin and the suction means, the suction means drawing each predetermined type of densified commodity from the corresponding machine to the corresponding storage bin through the corresponding intake pipe via suction.

2. The system of claim 1 also including a plurality of commodity collection vehicles, each vehicle including a transport compartment and means for automatically loading the densified commodity of at least one of the predetermined types from the bulk storage means into the transport compartment.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the transport compartment of each vehicle includes a plurality of separate segregated zones, each for receiving a different densified commodity from the bulk storage means.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined commodities include aluminum, glass and plastic containers.

5. The system of claim 1, also including means for remotely accessing the microprocessor means of each station for centrally reading the data.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising means for remotely accessing the microprocessor means of each station for centrally reading the data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each collection station further includes means for issuing at least one token in response to the receipt of a predetermined commodity.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the remotely accessing means includes a central processing unit for analyzing the data from the plurality of stations, and routing the commodity collection vehicles to the stations on the basis of the data.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein each station also includes failure means for generating failure data when the station is inoperable, the remotely accessing means includes a central processing unit for receiving the failure data to indicate to an operator that the station is inoperable.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein the commodity collection vehicles each includes vacuum suction means for transferring each densified commodity from the bulk storage means to the corresponding segregated zone in the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a redeemable voucher.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a coupon.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a coin.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein each station also includes coupon printing means for printing and issuing redeemable coupons in response to commodities received and verified by the pre-selection means.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the suction means comprises a single blower in communication with the plurality of storage bins via the outlet tubes.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of blowers, each of the blowers being in communication with a single storage bin via a single corresponding outlet tube.

15. A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprising:

a plurality of collection stations, each station for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities, each station including;

a. a plurality of reverse vending machines with a consumer selectable insert port being located in each machine, each port for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity, the size of each machine being within predetermined limits;

b. pre-selection means associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type;

c. means for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection means to be of the predetermined type;

d. prestorage means including a separate space for each predetermined type of commodity; and

e. transfer means for automatically transferring each predetermined type of densified commodity from the densifying means to the corresponding separate space in the prestorage means;

bulk storage means remotely located from the collection stations, including at least one storage bin corresponding to each machine for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity, each bin being remotely positioned in relation to the corresponding machine for receiving commodities from the corresponding machine; and

pneumatic means for conveying each predetermined type of commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin in the bulk storage means and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, the pneumatic means including a plurality of intake pipes, each intake pipe being in communication with the prestorage means of one of the stations and a corresponding storage bin, suction means for creating suction, and a plurality of outlet tubes, each outlet tube being in communication with a corresponding storage bin and the suction means, the suction means drawing each predetermined type of densified commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin through the corresponding intake pipe via suction.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the different commodities include aluminum, glass, and polymer resin.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the glass includes green, brown and white glass, and the stations each include means for segregating the glass into separate storage bins for receiving the green, brown and white glass, respectively.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the polymer resin includes high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

19. The system of claim 15 wherein each collection station further includes means for issuing at least one token in response to the receipt of a predetermined commodity.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the suction means comprises a single blower in communication with the plurality of storage bins via the outlet tubes.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of blowers, each of the blowers being in communication with a single storage bin via a single corresponding outlet tube.

24. A method for collecting and storing a plurality of different predetermined post consumer commodities utilizing a plurality of collection stations each including a plurality of reverse vending machines, comprising the steps of:

inserting a commodity into one of a plurality of insert ports in a collection station, each machine having at least one of the ports, each of the ports being for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity;

verifying that the inserted commodity is of the predetermined type;

storing data corresponding to the verified commodities;

densifying the commodities received by the insert ports and verified to be the predetermined type;

separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity remotely from the stations in one of a plurality of storage bins, each storage bin corresponding to one of the machines; and

pneumatically conveying each predetermined type of densified commodity, after densifying, to the corresponding storage bin while continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, each predetermined type of densified commodity being drawn by suction into the corresponding storage bin.