System for collecting and shipping items

• US 5,481,464 A
• Filed: 02/18/1994
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uship Intellectual Properties LLC (Uship Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: U-Shin Limited (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramsden, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/198,872
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 364/464.02, 364/464.03
• US Class Current: 705/407
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/005 with electric or electronic computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4148 for controlling postal rate in articles to be mailed franking apparatus with means for computing G07B17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00193 Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00225 Vending machine or POS (Point Of Sale) apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00233 Housing, e.g. lock or hardened casing
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00274 Mechanical, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0037 Calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00685 Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00701 Measuring the weight of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42

Abstract

Disclosed is an integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services, the unit including a scale for weighing the item to be shipped, a computer for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped and for analyzing the inputted information including calculating the fee for shipment of the item, a card reader for receiving bank credit card information and for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person, and secured storage, the computer being adapted for communicating the shipment fee by telephone lines.

Claims

1. A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial carrier, comprising:

an outer housing;

means for weighing an item which a customer may intend to ship;

means for inputting information relating to the destination of the item from customer;

control means for calculating a shipment fee for the item, said control means being in communication with said weighing means and said information inputting means;

means in communication with said control means, for accepting identification information relating to eventual payment from the customer, said communication means comprising means for receiving and reading a credit card, means for communicating the charges information to a central location for billing the charges to said customer;

a storage area defined by said outer housing; and

secure deposit means for permitting a customer to securely deposit the item into the storage area, said secure deposit means including a first zone which serves as a holding space when said item is first placed in the storage area and a secure zone into which the item is moved for secure storage.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said system includes means for supplying voice instructions for operation of said system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for communicating comprise a card reader supported in said outer housing and a telephone line connected to said card reader at one end and a credit card service center at the other end.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for communication further includes a telephone receiver whereby the customer may orally communicate with a service center.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said outer housing includes means for measuring the item size and inputting such size into said control means for use in calculating the shipping charge.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said outer housing comprises an enviromentally controlled outer housing.

7. An integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services:

said automated unit comprising,

means for weighing the item to be shipped;

means for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped;

control means for analyzing the inputted information and calculating the fee for shipment of the item;

said control means further including means for receiving credit card information and means for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person owning the credit card, said means for communicating the shipment fee being by telephone lines;

means for securely storing said item until the item is collected by said commercial delivery service;

means for storing the inputted information once said item is disposed in said secured storage means, said information storage means including means for displaying a manifest.

8. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 7 including means for printing a hard copy of said manifest.

9. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 7 wherein said means for storing said information further includes means for communicating said information to a remote location staffed by a human operator.

10. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 9 wherein said unit includes a pivotable door that serves as a slide when said door is opened, said slide serving to transport the item to a storage area for secure storage.

11. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 10 wherein said door serves to secure said storage area when said door is opened.

12. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 7 wherein said means for receiving said credit card information comprises a magnetic card reader.

13. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 12 wherein said unit includes a ramp, said ramp serving to transport the item from a first zone which serves as a holding space when said item is first placed in the storage area to a zone into which the item is moved for secure storage.

14. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 13 wherein said ramp serves to secure said second zone.

15. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 12 wherein said card reader is adapted to read credit cards issued by any of a plurality of credit card companies and wherein said fee communicating means is adapted to communicate selectively with the credit card company issuing the card being used in the transaction.

16. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 15 wherein said fee communicating means includes means for validating said credit card prior to issuing the shipping label.

17. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 16 wherein said validating means includes means for determining the type of card and the expiration date of the card.

18. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 17 wherein said validating means further includes means for determining whether the card is listed as a bad card.

19. An integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services:

said automated unit comprising,

means for weighing the item to be shipped;

means for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped;

control means for analyzing the inputted information and calculating the fee for shipment of the item;

said control means further including means for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person, said means for communicating the shipment fee being by telephone lines;

means for securely storing said item until the item is collected by said commercial delivery service;

means for storing the inputted information once said item is disposed in said secured storage means, said information storage means including means for transmitting a manifest to a remote location.

20. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 19 wherein said fee communicating means includes means for validating said account prior to issuing the shipping label.

21. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 19 including means for printing a hard copy of said account charge for said person.

22. A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial carrier, comprising:

means for weighing an item which a customer may intend to ship, said weighing means being supported by said outer housing;

means for inputting information relating to the destination of the item from customer;

control means for calculating a shipment fee for the item, said control means being in communication with said weighing means and said information inputting means;

means in communication with said control means, for accepting identification information relating to eventual payment from the customer;

a storage area; and

secure deposit means for permitting a customer to securely deposit the item into the storage area, said secure deposit means including a first zone which serves as a holding space when said item is first placed in the storage area and a secure zone into which the item is moved for secure storage, and ramp means for moving said item from said holding space to said secure zone.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said means for weighing comprises a portion of said conveyor means.

24. A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial carrier, comprising:

means for weighing an item which a customer may intend to ship;

means for inputting information relating to the destination of the item from customer;

control means for calculating a shipment fee for the item, said control means being in communication with said weighing means and said information inputting means;

means in communication with said control means, for accepting identification information relating to eventual payment from the customer, said communication means comprising means for communicating the charges information to a central location for billing the charges to said customer;

a storage area; and

secure deposit means for permitting a customer to securely deposit the item into the storage area, said secure deposit means including a first zone which serves as a holding space when said item is first placed in the storage area and a secure zone into which the item is moved for secure storage and means for conveying said item from said holding space to said storage area.

25. A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial carrier, comprising:

means for weighing an item which a customer may intend to ship, said weighing means being supported by said system;

means for inputting information relating to the destination of the item from customer;

control means for calculating a shipment fee for the item, said control means being in communication with said weighing means and said information inputting means;

means in communication with said control means, for accepting identification information relating to eventual payment from the customer, said communication means comprising means for communicating the charges information to a central location for billing the charges to said customer;

a storage area; and

secure deposit means for permitting a customer to securely deposit the item into the storage area, said secure deposit means including a first zone which serves as a holding space when said item is first placed in the storage area and a secure zone into which the item is moved for secure storage.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said means for communicating comprise a card reader and a telephone line connected to said card reader at one end and a credit card service center at the other end.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said means for communication further includes a telephone receiver whereby the customer may orally communicate with a service center.

28. An integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services:

said automated unit comprising,

means for weighing the item to be shipped;

means for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped;

control means for analyzing the inputted information and calculating the fee for shipment of the item;

said control means further including means for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person, said means assessing comprising means for printing a hard copy of said account charge for said person;

means for securely storing said item until the item is collected by said commercial delivery service;

means for storing the inputted information once said item is disposed in said secured storage means, said information storage means including means for displaying a manifest.

29. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 28 wherein said fee communicating means includes means for validating said account prior to issuing the shipping label.

30. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 28 including means for communicating said account charge to a remote location.

31. An integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services:

said automated unit comprising,

means for weighing the item to be shipped;

means for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped;

control means for analyzing the inputted information and calculating the fee for shipment of the item;

said control means further including means for receiving credit card information and means for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person owning the credit card;

means for securely storing said item until the item is collected by said commercial delivery service, said means for securely storing including a pivotable door that serves as a slide when said door is opened, said slide serving to transport the item to a storage area for secure storage, said door serving to secure said storage area when said door is opened, said means for securely storing further including a baffle cooperating with said opened pivotable door to secure said storage area;

means for storing the inputted information once said item is disposed in said secured storage means.

32. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 31 wherein said weighing means comprises a portion of said pivotable door.

33. The integrated, automated, unattended unit of claim 31 wherein said unit includes means for measuring the item size and inputting such size into said control means for use in calculating the shipping charge.

34. An integrated, automated, unattended unit for collecting and securely holding items for collection and shipment by commercial delivery services:

said automated unit comprising,

means for inputting information relating to the destination to which the item is to be shipped;

control means for analyzing the inputted information and calculating the fee for shipment of the item;

said control means further including means for communicating and assessing the shipment fee to the account of the person, said means for communicating the shipment fee being by telephone lines;

means for securely storing said item until the item is collected by said commercial delivery service;

means for storing the inputted information once said item is disposed in said secured storage means, said information storage means including means for transmitting information that may be used to prepare a manifest to a remote location.