EP1752935A1 - Deposit label and reverse vending machine with deposit labels - Google Patents

Abstract

The label has an electromagnetically readable code (5) and another code, which is an optically detectable code (4) or an electromagnetically detectable code, where the codes are arranged on a common carrier (3). The optically detectable code is identified from a front side of the carrier, and the readable code is arranged in a rear side of the carrier. The detectable code is non-destructive read and/or converted. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for utilizing a deposit label (2) a delivery station for utilization for a deposit object (3) a control electronics for a delivery station.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a deposit label, a delivery station for accepting items provided with the deposit label, and a method for using the deposit label.

State of the art

In recent years, efforts have been made to adapt existing deposit bottle systems to the needs of today. This concerns the increased use of so-called PET bottles instead of glass bottles. Prior art systems include sensor systems that are capable of detecting PET bottles or boxes with a series of PET single bottles and then creating a deposit on them. The collected bottles are returned to the filling stations for reuse. Thus, the deposit label is formed by the bottle itself, whose characteristics can be recognized.

However, deposit can also be levied on cans, in particular aluminum cans, where it can be problematic here that the can is deformed or dented prior to entry into a dispensing station. Then conventional dispensing stations can not be used. Furthermore, deposit can also be levied on so-called composite packaging and a deposit system should also be suitable for the processing of glass returnable bottles.

The present invention thus relates to a method which the withdrawal of a container (eg PET beverage bottle, metal cans, composite packages, glass bottles, etc.) and after successful and successful examination, the payment of the pledge in any Form (amount of money, voucher etc) includes. The container itself, in which the interesting for the consumer good, such as a drink, is so gets hit on his sale a monetary value, the pledge. In order to prevent abuse, containers, such as bottles, must be canceled on return, otherwise customers or employees of companies who have access to a dispensing station and entered containers may obtain a deposit several times for the same bottle.

The WO 2004/032071 discloses a system which starts the payout process due to the withdrawal of a bottle. The customer has the option to choose between a lottery ticket or a voucher. However, the system does not invalidate the bottle.

The WO 97/46985 works much like WO2004 / 032071 but here the user can choose to donate part of a charity.

The patent US 5,361,913 discloses a machine that takes back glass bottles and issues the customer a corresponding amount of money. The bottles have a bar code which identifies the bottle color, the criteria of returning the bottle to the producer (in destroyed or undamaged form) and the right to the amount of money. After detection of the bottle, it is fed to the appropriate containers.

Part of a possible etiquette revealed WO 02/082475 which describes a micro-wire that can store one bit of information.

Summary of the invention

Based on this prior art, the present invention seeks to provide a deposit label, which is safe in its use and at the same time cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for its production which is safe and, in particular, ensures that the deposit is paid out only to the claimant.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a deposit label having the features of claim 1. A dispensing station for use of such a deposit label is characterized by the features of claim 10. An advantageous control electronics for such a dispensing station is laid down in claim 13. A method for applying a label according to the invention is specified in claim 5.

The control of whether it is a container to be redeemed, is carried out using a pawn label that can be adapted to different products.

The present invention provides a method to perform the return of containers quickly, easily, inexpensively and above all safe. The invention also includes delivery stations and an associated depository accounting system, preferably in the form of a magnetic memory (e.g., micro-wire) and a visual code (e.g., barcode), which tag is invalidated upon return relative to the magnetic storage.

In the method for the application of the inventive label, a batch activation of labels is used, wherein the labels are then used after use on the pawn essentially individually or in small groups, ie be devalued in dispensing stations. Thus, an essential value for a batch of deposit labels arises only at a bottler, in which the pawn itself also receives a higher value by the filling. At the same time, the discipline of the bottling companies can be increased in meeting the conditions of the operator of the cycle. Thus, the value position of the deposit label is decoupled from his physical carrier and can be easily checked and controlled.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine schematische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemässen Etiketts gemäss einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemässen Etiketts gemäss einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Abgabestation für Pfandgegenstände gemäss einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und

Fig. 4

ein Flussdiagramm der verschiedenen Schritte eines Verfahrens unter Verwendung von Etiketten nach Fig. 1.

The invention will now be described with reference to an embodiment with reference to the drawings. Show it

Fig. 1

a schematic view of a novel label according to a first embodiment,

Fig. 2

a schematic view of a novel label according to a second embodiment,

Fig. 3

a schematic view of an inventive dispensing station for pawns according to an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 4

a flow chart of the various steps of a method using labels of FIG. 1.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a label 10 according to the invention. This label 10 consists of two label areas 1 and 2, which are arranged on a common carrier 3 in FIG. The carrier 3 may be, for example, a paper carrier, in particular a carrier 3, which is substantially coated on the back with adhesive in order to attach to a pawn 20 how to stick to a bottle or can.

The first label area 1 carries an optically readable code 4 only indicated in the drawing, for example a bar code, which may be a one- or two-dimensional code. It is also possible, as shown here in Fig. 2, the bar code 4 at several, here two locations of the label 10 provide. Advantageously, the optically readable code 4 is printed on the paper carrier or plastic carrier 3. The carrier 3 may also be a transparent film, provided that only the code information is optically readable. This can be achieved for example by a fluorescent code 4, which is to be read by a suitable light source of a dispensing station 30. As a barcode, for example, the 3 of 9 barcode code 39 can be used. Instead of a barcode, any other visual code can be used, such as a color code. In an alternative embodiment, the first label area is also designed with an electromagnetically readable code, for example an RFID element. The first label area with its code 4 is used for the transmission of information (more information compared to the following code 5, this information being known in advance only in the control station 43).

The second label area 2 carries an electromagnetically readable code 5. This second label area 2 can be formed in particular by passive electromagnetic elements such as so-called RFID elements or one or more elements as they are known from the WO 02/082475 are known. FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic simplification, two microfosses as carriers of the electromagnetically readable code 5. It is essential that the readable code is destroyed by appropriate electromagnetic radiation of a dispensing station 30. Underneath is too understand that in a second pass of the tag 10 provided with the pawn 20, the dispensing station 30 no longer recognizes the electromagnetically readable code 5 of the second label area 2. Passage of the pawn 20 by the delivery station 30 thus corresponds to a cancellation of the deposit label 10 if the readability of the electromagnetically readable code 5 is a condition for the validity of the deposit label 10. It will be described below that in an advantageous use of such a label 10, this readability of the electromagnetically readable code 5 is only a necessary but not sufficient condition for the validity of the deposit label 10. It may be that the article carrying the electromagnetically readable code 5, RFID element, microwire, etc. itself includes the device that allows erasure. However, it may also be that an additional magnetic strip is provided in the deposit label 10 for this purpose. The code of the second label area serves in advance for security and usually comprises less information than the code of the first label area.

In particular, it is possible to apply the optically readable code 4 on the front side of the carrier 3 and the electromagnetically readable code on the back side of the carrier 3 with respect to the optically readable code 4, provided that a surrounding carrier area for adhering the label 10 to a pawn 20 is sufficient ,

It is also possible to print the optically readable code 4 directly on the pawn 20 and to introduce the electromagnetically readable code 5 in the pawn 20, for example in a screw cap (made of plastic) or in the material (for example, PET casing, as an intermediate layer in the composite material , Etc.).

A signet 6 may be provided as a further security feature or it may provide for the proper orientation of the pawn 20 in a dispensing station 30. It is also a security feature against counterfeiting, for example if it is a Metallex print.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a label 10 according to the invention according to a second embodiment, in which two optical codes 4 are arranged at two corners of the label 10 and two electromagnetically readable codes 5 in the two other corners of the label 10. Of course, each other combination and arrangement of one or more codes 4, 5 on the label 10 possible. Advantageously, the optically readable codes 4 are configured identically. The electromagnetically readable codes 5 may be, for example, several elements, as they are known from WO 02/082475 are known, which are arranged at the different locations. Thus, for the electromagnetically readable codes 5 different code information can be generated by the purely spatially different arrangement of, for example, microwires, which are also appropriately readable in the case of location-dependent detection and can yield an overall code in the evaluation. The spatially different arrangement corresponds to a rotationally symmetrical pawn item 20, for example, the different height arrangement of the codes 5, resulting in the longitudinal direction of the pawn item 20.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a deposit station 30 for pawns according to an embodiment with an inserted pawn 20, which carries a label 10 according to FIG. The dispensing station 30 has a receptacle 33 for the pawn 20. Around the receptacle 33 around are two Sensors 31 and 32 are arranged. The sensor 31 is an optical sensor capable of reading optical information such as the optical code 4. The sensor 32 is an electromagnetic sensor capable of reading electromagnetic field information such as the electromagnetic code 5. The sensors 31 and 32 may be provided close to each other or spatially separated. Here, the sensor 32 is arranged above the sensor 31. The sensor 31 is able to read a deposit label 10 when the pawn 20 is standing on the bottom surface of the receptacle 33. The sensor 32 is capable of reading out the electromagnetic part of the deposit label 10 when the pawn 20 passes through the receptacle 33, in particular before it stands on the ground, that is, before the optical code information is read out.

The dispensing station 30 has a switching electronics 34, which performs the following actions in interaction with various sensors. A sensor not shown in the drawings recognizes that a can or bottle has been introduced as a pawn 20 into the delivery station 30. It may also report that the pawn 20 is properly oriented so that the optical sensor 31 is located opposite the pawn label 10. Optionally, the pawn 20 is rotated or the sensor 31 may be spatially misplaced.

The electromagnetically readable code 5 is read out by the electromagnetic sensor 32. The optically readable code 4 is read out by the optical sensor 31. Both results are passed as signals to the control electronics. It is possible that one will take place before the other reading time, or both occur substantially simultaneously. Furthermore, deletion or destruction of the code by a corresponding deleting unit 35 can be delayed in time or directly after the reading of the electromagnetically readable code 5 respectively. The deletion or destruction of such codes is known per se to those skilled in the art for RFID tags. Such an erase pulse could be caused by the control electronics regardless of how the result of the evaluation of the sensor signals. The erase unit 35 can, as shown, be arranged between and with respect to the sensors 31 of the receptacle 33, which is rotationally symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal axis. It may be connected to the sensor 32 or placed near the sensor 31 to act on the resting pawn 20. However, it is also possible that the erase pulse, as well as the reading of the electromagnetic code 5 takes place in the movement of the pawn 20.

It is essential that the control electronics then considers the pawn to be covered and thus releases a repayment of the deposit if the sensor signal of the electromagnetic sensor 32 indicates a valid deposit label. It is possible that with deformed cans or scratched label 10, the optical code 4 in the first label area 1 is no longer legible. Of course, the rate of the read optical codes 4 should be as high as possible, for example 95 to 98 percent, its unsuccessful reading is not a reason for the non-return of the pledge with individual objects 20. However, such an event is noted in a log file of the dispensing station 30 and can trigger subsequent actions if such events occur frequently. Advantageously, in a first step, for example by detecting the sign 6, the position of the pawn 20 is detected before a read attempt of the optical code 4 is made. Then it can be determined more reliably within a short time that a reading attempt has not been successful.

As will be seen below, reading can also be done be successful, but the corresponding optical code 4 can not be released. Even then, the pledge is paid or not, if legally possible. As an emergency measure, the dispensing station 30 can be locked as such, so that it performs up to a user intervention, for example, from the service, possibly also via data lines, no more actions.

By deleting the electromagnetic code 5 it is ensured that the deposit object 20 can not be used again for the payment of the deposit or the creation of a corresponding credit, since a renewed passage is not recognized.

For example, a microfad as carrier of the electromagnetic code 5 can be acted upon by the sensor 32 with a sinusoidal magnetic field. Then, such a thread generates, for example, after the zero crossing of the magnetic field, a short voltage pulse. In the case of iron-based microfibres, with a diameter of, for example, 10 to 20 micrometers and a length of 1 to 3, in particular approximately 2 centimeters, a pulse length of 10 to 30 microseconds with an amplitude of 0.03 mV can be recognized, if a switching field is between 0, 1 and 10 Oersted is present.

This thread is connected to a deletion of the information carried by the thread provided magnetic tape, with a deletion, for example, according to the teaching of EP 0 197 076 is possible.

For example, the sensor 32 can read the electromagnetic code 5, and immediately afterwards the pattern is deleted. If thereafter the electromagnetic code 5 of a another sensor 32 is taken up again and is unchanged, then it is another object, since the deletion process is also a validation step for the deposit label.

Each tag 10 forms a unit of the two codes. The electromagnetic code 5 constitutes the indication of the validity of the deposit label 10 per se. The optical code 4 forms the display of additional information to the deposit labels 10, such as the batch. It is also possible to store batch information in the electromagnetic code 5 itself, although the printing and optical reading of label information is preferred for reasons of cost. Thus, it is possible to provide various electromagnetic codes 5. These can be, for example, indications for various substances to be recycled. One electromagnetic code 5 can be differentiated for transparent PET bottles, another for green PET bottles, a third for glass bottles, possibly also for color, another for aluminum cans and finally one for composite packaging. It can thus be achieved that the control electronics 34 of the dispensing station 30 can program the output directly from the holder 33, so that identical items 20 can be placed in corresponding containers. Thus, the direct separation of recyclable materials, for example, according to material types (glass, aluminum, cardboard, PET) and / or in addition to material colors (especially in glass and PET) is possible. In addition to the batch, land information may also be provided in the codes 4, 5 in order to suppress a pawn tourism, so that corresponding pawns 20 can only be returned in the corresponding land of purchase.

It is also possible that this information regarding the nature of the delivered pledges 20 exclusively in the optical Code 4 is encoded. If this optical code is unreadable, then the pawn 20 may be returned to the user to either manually read the optical code 4 into another external optical reader 36 located outside the dispensing station 30. If this is not successful, then - if so provided - the Pfandgegenstand 20 can still be accepted as such and provided for a later triage.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for using the labels. This is evident from FIG. 4, which shows a flow chart of the various steps involved in the manufacture and use of the labels 10 on a pawn 20.

In a first step, the pawn label 10 as such is physically created by a manufacturer 40. This comprises the steps of attaching the optically readable code 4 and the electromagnetically readable code 5 to the deposit label 10. Various production methods are available, depending on the optically readable 4 and electromagnetically readable 5 codes selected. For example, the carrier 3 of the label 10 itself can carry the electromagnetically readable code 5, for example in its fibers of the paper, or it can be arranged on the back between the carrier layer 3 and adhesive, for example as microwires, which adhere there. The optically readable code 4 can be printed on a paper or plastic carrier material 3. The erasing element may be a magnetic strip adjoining the electromagnetically readable code 5.

Such a deposit label 10 is made in series to order a bottling company 42. This means that when manufacturing the manufacturer 40 is known what kind of pawn 20 should be connected to this deposit label 10, which according to the preferred embodiment, the type of electromagnetically readable code 5 conditions. The optically readable code 4 includes, for example, the planned bottling plant, the type of beverage and / or the nature of the future pawn item 20. These pawn labels 10, which are produced in large quantities per batch, initially have only the value to him the filler and the creator of the label attaches. However, it is now advantageous that the transport 41 of the labels 10 does not constitute an economic hazard in the sense that labels 10 disappear or are stolen. For a batch of, for example, 100,000 pawn labels 10, which have a value of, for example, 100,000 × 25 euro cent = 25,000 euro when dispensed in the dispensing stations 30, are useless for the time being because the dispensing stations 30 do not know these labels 10. Although in individual cases, the electromagnetically readable code 5 would be recognized and accordingly a pledge to be paid. However, since the dispensing station does not (yet) know the optical code 4, manipulations by dispensing large amounts of alleged pledgets 20 at a station 30 are not possible.

Thus, the produced deposit labels 10 can be delivered 41, for example, against payment of their production price to a filler 42 of pawns 20. The latter can then feed in the deposit labels 10 in his production process and generate subsequent pawns 20 provided with these deposit labels 10. Alternatively, the manufacturer of the labels can install these directly into the dispensing container and then deliver the container already provided with the deposit label 10 as pawns 20 to a filling operation.

Meanwhile, before or soon after, the filler 42 has to contact the operator of the dispensing station 30. this could happened directly. Usually, however, many operators of dispensing stations 30, which are connected together via a clearing house (reference numeral 45) exist. Filler 42 pays the deposit amount, here in the example, 25'000 EUR for the 100'000 pledges that he wants to sell, to the clearing house and gives the necessary information about the deposit labels 10 and / or the products to be sold. This includes the type of packaging (PET [with color indication], glass [with color information], composite packaging, aluminum can, possibly also the size and / or contents of the containers), which corresponds to the coding of the electromagnetic code 5 and / or the optical code 4 , In principle, it is also possible to provide this information when ordering the labels to the manufacturer, who then delivers this information (irrespective of the payment) to the clearing house 43. The manufacturer 40 of the deposit labels 10 can also provide the relevant information directly to the clearing house 43 and thus in particular to ensure that the clearing house 43 knows that labels with a specific optical code (batch) have been created and delivered to one or more fillers 42. The clearing house 43 then learns that a corresponding cash receipt is to be expected. Until then, the clearing house 43 additionally and optionally the corresponding code, usually only the optical code 4, since the electromagnetic code, as long as no more complex RFID labels are used, only indicates the type of container, received so that they to the dispensing stations 30th can pass (reference numeral 47), so that they reject appropriate container for the time being, at least in larger quantities, since the pledge amount has not yet been paid.

If the deposit amount has now been paid, the clearing house 43 transmits corresponding instructions 47 and thus an information corresponding to the (optical) code to the control electronics 34 of the dispensing station 30, so that from then release this code to trigger deposit payments. Meanwhile, the pawns reach the market (reference numeral 46) various delivery stations 30.

These data transmissions are advantageously carried out over modem or Internet lines, possibly wirelessly, so that this information can be transmitted directly and without delay for release. This also applies in the opposite sense to the transfer of data from a dispensing station 30 to its operator or the clearing house in relation to issued pledge, type of pledged assets, statistical information and error reports and rapports. Reference numerals 40, 42 and 43 should be understood to mean, in particular, the control computers and electronic data processing systems which, independently of human intervention, handle the manufactured, delivered, processed deposit labels 10 in the data processing and can carry out the transfers 44, 45 and 47 automatically.

It is thus possible to leave the deposit labels 10 "to avoid misuse and errors until the actual placing on the market" without (deposit) value ", so that this deposit value only arises and is connected to the container of the pawn 20, if this pawn 20 itself has an increased value, namely because the pawn 20 is now connected to the product to be sold and thus represents an inherent value.

The present invention thus also relates in summary to a method for processing run data of deposit labels 10 of a take-back system for containers. A deposit label is attached to the containers 20 and corresponding information are stored visually and magnetically. A billing system adds value to the labels 10 at a particular time and invalidates the labels 10 after insertion into the dispensing station 30. Such a station 30 is also called a reverse vending machine. In this case, an electronic system is provided, which carries out the said validation.

It is essential that the electromagnetic detection 5 is almost 100% safe and reliable, since this is the necessary condition for the deposit issuer. Of course, a high recognition rate for reading the optical code 4 is also desirable, in particular to implement the concept of "worthless" deposit labels 10 prior to use. In practice, however, a lower detection rate will be acceptable. The deletion of the electromagnetic code 5 must also be 100% safe, which the skilled person can implement without problems. A not insignificant feature is the lack of interference with existing article surveillance systems (EAS). The dispensing station 30 advantageously has a sorting device, for example a rotating base plate, so that recognized items 20 can be disposed of according to their composition, or collected.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

first label area

2

second label area

3

carrier

4

optically readable code

5

Electromagnetically readable code

6

signet

10

Pawn label

20

Pawn

30

dispensing station

31

optical sensor

32

electromagnetic sensor

33

admission

34

Schaltelektronik

35

extinguishing unit

36

external optical reader

40

Pawn label manufacturer

41

Pawn label Delivery

42

bottler

43

Tax calculator of the clearing house

44

Data transfer to deposit labels

45

Data transmission for the use of the deposit labels

46

Away from pawns via third parties (market)

47

Data transmission for release of the deposit labels

Claims (14)

A token label (10) comprising a first electromagnetically detectable code (5) and a second code which may be an optically detectable code (4) or an electromagnetically detectable code arranged on a common carrier (3). The deposit label (10) of claim 1, wherein the optically detectable code (4) from a front side of the carrier (3) of the deposit label (10) is recognizable, and wherein the electromagnetically detectable code (5) in the carrier (3) or on whose back is arranged. The deposit label (10) according to claim 2, wherein the support (3) is designed to be at least partially adherent on its rear side in order to be attachable to a pawn item (20). Deposit label (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electromagnetically detectable code (5) is non-destructively interrogated and / or changeable. A method of using deposit labels (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the following steps: - production of a deposit label (10) with at least one electromagnetically readable and deductible code (5), - applying the deposit labels (10) to pawns (20), Transmission of the at least one code (4, 5) to a control computer, - Transmission of parts or the whole of the code or codes (4, 5) by the control computer to a control electronics (34) in delivery stations (30) for releasing the deposit labels (10) for the purpose of disbursement of the pledge after devaluation of the electromagnetically readable and deductible code (5). Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the codes (4, 5) also include an optically readable code (4) and / or a further electromagnetically readable code (5), which in parts or in total is transmitted by the control computer to control electronics ( 34) are transmitted to delivery stations (30). A method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the electronic control unit (34) of the dispensing station (20) pays the deposit generally when the electromagnetically readable code (5) is recognized, and the deposit usually pays, even if the optical (4) or other electromagnetically readable (5) code is illegible, but does not normally pay the pledge if the optical (4) or other electromagnetically readable (5) code is recognized as unreleased code. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the production of the deposit labels (10) spatially separated from the application takes place that the manufacturer (10) the transmission of the optically readable code (4) and / or the electromagnetically readable code ( 5) to a control computer via telecommunications lines makes that the control computer is arranged spatially separated from the dispensing stations, and that the transmission of parts or the whole of the optically readable code (4) and / or the electromagnetically readable code (5) by the control computer the control electronics (34) is made in dispensing stations (30) via further telecommunication lines. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the control computer transmits the release of the deposit labels (10) in terms of time only after transmission of a corresponding control signal from the applicator of the deposit labels (10). Dispensing station (30) for use in deposit (20), each having a deposit label (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in a method according to any one of claims 5 to 9. Dispensing station (30) according to claim 10, comprising a receptacle (33) for the deposit (20) to be dispensed, comprising a first sensor (31) capable of displaying optical information in the form of an optical code (4) or electromagnetic field information of the further electromagnetic codes, and a second sensor (32) capable of reading electromagnetic field information of the electromagnetic code (5). Dispensing station (30) according to claim 11, wherein the sensors (31 and 32) are provided close to each other or spatially separated. Control electronics for a dispensing station (30) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, which is connected to the sensors (31 and 32) to receive optical and / or electromagnetic sensor information (4, 5) and in accordance with the electromagnetic sensor information (5) Paid out the deposit amount. Control electronics according to claim 13, characterized in that it is connected to selection means to the pawns (20) depending on their recyclable materials corresponding storage containers for the pawns (20) supply.

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