Container and process for monitoring and recordal of product information

• US 6,761,318 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Dudek, David Robert, Saniford, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TREMBLAY, MARK STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/843,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 235/487
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/02 responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10

Abstract

A reusable container which comprises therein one or more electronically and/or optically readable identification means; and a process for the monitoring and recordal of product information during the filling or refilling of a reusable container, which comprises reading an electronic and/or optical identification means on said reusable container and storing the information obtained therefrom in a storage means that is capable of being interrogated to extract and optionally process said information. The information can include customer data, such as buying frequency, quantity, product type, produce customisation characteristics, and/or other consumer related data.

Claims

1. A portable reusable container for transporting household products, which comprises therein one or more readable identification means, the identification means comprising an updatable electronic intelligent tag adapted to be reprogrammable with information related to one or more household products consisting of detergents and cleaning products stored in the portable reusuable container, the container comprising collapsible portion below a rigid upper portion, the collapsible portion having an impermeable interior for receiving the household products stored therein.

2. The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the collapsible portion comprises a collapsible bag or sachet.

3. The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the collapsible portion comprises pleated, fluted or folded peripheral side walls.

4. The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the collapsible portion comprises an expandable elastomeric material.

5. The reusable container of claim 1, wherein the reusable container comprises one or more fill apertures and one or more dispense apertures, the fill apertures being remotely positioned on the container in relation to the dispense apertures.

6. A container for providing information, comprising a portable reusable container for transporting household products, an identification means comprising an adaptable electronic intelligent tag coupled to the reusable container, and one or more fill apertures for refilling the reusable container with one or more household products consisting of detergents and cleaning products, wherein the electronic intelligent tag is adapted to be reprogrammed with information regarding the household products stored in the container.

7. The container of claim 6, wherein the identification means comprises a transponder.

8. The container of claim 6, wherein the identification means comprises data based on use of the reusable container.

9. A process for the monitoring and recordal of household product information during filling or refilling of a portable reusable container for transporting one or more household products, comprising:

(a) reading an identification means comprising an adaptable electronic intelligent tag on the reusable container during filling or refilling of a reusable container with the household products consisting of detergents and cleaning products, the container comprising a collapsible portion having an impermeable interior for receiving the household products stored therein; and

(b) storing the information obtained therefrom in a storage means that is capable of being interrogated to extract and optionally process the information.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container is of a collapsible nature.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container comprises an exterior collapsible bag or sachet.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container comprises pleated, fluted or folded peripheral side walls.

13. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container comprises an xpandable elastomeric material.

14. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container comprises a rigid upper portion.

15. The process of claim 9, wherein the reusable container comprises one or more fill apertures and one or more dispense apertures, the fill apertures being remotely positioned on the container in relation to the dispense apertures.

19. The process of claim 9, further comprising reprogramming the adaptable electronic intelligent tag with household product information.

16. A process for using an identification means, comprising:

(a) providing one or more identification means comprising an adaptable electronic intelligent tag with a portable reusable container for transporting household products the container comprising collapsible portion having an impermeable interior for receiving the household products consisting of detergents and cleaning products stored therein; and

(b) monitoring and recording household product information using the adaptable electronic intelligent tag during a refilling of the reusable container with one or more household products.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the reusable container is of a collapsible nature.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein the reusable container comprises a rigid upper portion.

20. The process of claim 16, further comprising reprogramming the adaptable electronic intelligent tag with changed household product information.

21. The process of claim 20, further comprising extracting the reprogrammed information and refilling the container based on the reprogrammed information.

22. A reusable container for household products, which comprises therein one or more readable identification means, the identification means comprising an updatable electronic intelligent tag adapted to be reprogrammable with information related to one or more household products stored in the reusuable container, the container comprising an exterior collapsible portion below the rigid upper portion, the reusable container comprising one or more fill apertures and one or more dispense apertures, the fill apertures being remotely positioned on the container in relation to the dispense apertures.

23. A process for the monitoring and recordal of household product information during filling or refilling of a reusable container with one or more household products, comprising:

(a) reading an identification means comprising an adaptable electronic intelligent tag on the reusable container during filling or refilling of a reusable container with the household products; and

(b) storing the information obtained therefrom in a storage means that is capable of being interrogated to extract and optionally process the information, the reusable container comprising one or more fill apertures and one or more dispense apertures, the fill apertures being remotely positioned on the container in relation to the dispense apertures.