Rapid Mode Processing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for an RVM system and an RVM system configured to implement the method, comprising the steps of receiving a series of used containers from a user via an infeed, initiating a new collection session and establishing a session ID, initiating transfer of the session ID to the user via physical or digital means after the new collection session is initiated, establishing a refund amount for the series of used containers, and associating the refund amount with the session ID, wherein the step of initiating transfer of the session ID to the user is performed before the step of associating the refund amount with the session ID.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for collecting used containers, such as used food and / or beverage containers, which are eligible for a refund, and to an RVM system configured to carry out such a method. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices for receiving, verifying and / or sorting used objects, such as used beverage and food containers, and then paying a refund to a user, are commonly used in supermarkets. When using a device, also known as a recovery machine or RVM, a user feeds used containers into the device, which processes the received objects to determine whether they are valid and, if so, provides the user with a receipt indicating the amount to be refunded. Such devices are described, for example, in WO2009 / 041825 (WO'825). In WO'825, it is described that the user is given the option of participating in a lottery, but another, perhaps more common, alternative is that the user is given the option of donating the amount to be refunded to a charity. The device described in (WO'825) is configured to receive used containers one by one. In addition to RVMs that receive objects one by one, there are also RVMs that are configured to receive objects in bulk, such as those described in WO2018 / 007524.

[0003] There are RVMs of various sizes, some of which are small, about 1m 2 of floor space, the other includes a sorting station in the rear space, which occupies 5 m 2 More than 10m 2 or more, or 20m 2 Occupy more than this.

[0004] Conventionally, there are two alternative ways in which a user can receive a refund. According to one alternative, the user waits by the infeed of the RVM until the container has been processed, and then a receipt is printed by a printer that usually has an outfeed at the front of the RVM, near the infeed of the container, and the printed receipt lists the amount of the refund (in WO '825, the receipt is called a token). The user takes the receipt to a checkout station where it is processed and the money is paid to the user.

[0005] According to another alternative, a session is initiated by a user who is identified to the RVM, which associates the RVM's operations with an account held by the user. User accounts and transactions between these accounts are managed by a management instance / organization. Once the container's operation is completed, the RVM provides information about the session (date, time, refund amount) to the management instance / organization, which automatically increments the amount held in the account belonging to the user. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, both options are associated with disadvantages and there is a need to improve the methods of providing reimbursement to users of RVM.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least mitigate the drawbacks associated with the way refunds are processed by the prior art and to provide a more flexible solution. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for an RVM system configured to collect used containers, such as used food and / or beverage containers, comprising: receiving a series of used containers from a user through an infeed opening of the RVM, said series of used containers being preferably received together; initiating a new collection session in response to at least one of the following events: receiving the used container through the infeed opening; and receiving a start command from the user. after the new collection session is initiated, establishing a session ID and transferring or initiating transfer of the session ID to a user via physical or digital means; processing each used container of the series, said processing including establishing a refund amount for each used container of the series and establishing a resultant refund amount, said resultant refund amount optionally being a total refund amount for the series of used containers or optionally an array of refund amounts corresponding to the total refund amounts for the series of used containers; and associating the calculated refund amount with the session ID; The step of transferring or initiating the transfer of the session ID to a user is performed prior to the step of associating the resulting refund amount with the session ID.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an RVM system configured to collect used containers, such as used food and / or beverage containers, comprising: an infeed opening for receiving a series of used containers from a user, the series of used containers being preferably received together; processing means for processing each used container of the series of used containers, said processing including establishing a refund value for each used container of the series of used containers and determining a resulting refund value, optionally a total refund value for the series of used containers, or optionally an array of refund values ​​corresponding to the total refund values ​​for the series of used containers; a transfer means for transferring or initiating the transfer of a session ID to said user via physical or digital means, and transferring or initiating the transfer of said refund amount of said calculation result to said user via digital means; Optionally, communication means for communicating with said user; Optionally, a closure component operable to close the infeed opening; and processing circuitry; The processing circuit is initiating a new collection session in response to at least one of the following events: receiving the used container through the infeed opening; receiving a start command from the user; or a user moving a closure component of an RVM to a closed state, thereby blocking the infeed opening; establishing a session ID and associating said session ID with each new collection session and providing said session ID to said transport means; receiving a resultant refund amount from said processing means, associating said resultant refund amount with said session ID, and providing said resultant refund amount to said transport means; An RVM system is provided, wherein the processing and / or transferring means is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the session ID to the user before a refund amount of the computation result is associated with the session ID.

[0010] By first providing the user with a session ID without the resulting refund amount, the user can leave the RVM while the RVM processes the container, since the user is provided with the resulting refund amount by transferring this amount to a physical token held by the user, i.e. an electronic device belonging to the user, such as a mobile phone, or to a portable third-party electronic device. This reduces the time the user spends in front of the RVM, thereby resulting in an improved user experience.

[0011] In the context of the present invention, the terms "resulting refund amount" or "established resulting refund amount", which are used interchangeably, correspond to the total refund amount of said series of used containers. The format of the resulting refund amount can be a single value, for example EUR 25, or an array of values, where each element in the array can correspond, for example, to the refund amount of a respective container, i.e. the number of elements corresponds to the number of used containers or the number of valid used containers. Alternatively, it is an array of values, where each element corresponds, for example, to the total refund amount of a respective type of container (like the total refund amount of all 0.5L containers and all 1.5L containers, respectively).

[0012] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for an RVM system configured to collect used containers, such as used food and / or beverage containers, and comprising a processing means, a transport means and a processing circuit, the method comprising: receiving a series of used containers from a user through an infeed opening of the RVM, said series of used containers being preferably received together; initiating a new collection session by the processing circuitry in response to at least one of the following events: receiving a used container through the infeed opening; and receiving a start command from the user. after the new collection session is initiated, establishing, by said processing circuitry, a session ID and transferring or initiating transfer, by said transfer means, of said session ID to a user via physical or digital means; processing, by said processing means, each used container of the series, said processing including establishing a refund value for each used container of the series and establishing a resulting refund value, said resulting refund value optionally being a total refund value for said series of used containers, or optionally an array of refund values ​​corresponding to the total refund values ​​for said series of used containers; and associating, by the processing circuitry, the resulting refund amount with the session ID; The step of transferring or initiating the transfer of the session ID to a user is performed prior to the step of associating the resulting refund amount with the session ID.

[0013] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an RVM system comprising: Initiating a new collection session in response to at least one of the following events: receiving a used container through an infeed opening of the RVM system; and receiving a start command from a user. After the new collection session is initiated, establishing a session ID and transferring or initiating the transfer of the session ID to a user via physical or digital means; establishing a refund amount for each of said used containers and establishing a resulting refund amount, said resulting refund amount optionally being a total refund amount for said series of used containers or optionally an array of refund amounts corresponding to total refund amounts for said series of used containers; a program for associating the calculated refund amount with the session ID; The transfer or initiation of the transfer of the session ID to the user is performed prior to associating the resulting refund amount with the session ID.

[0014] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, An RVM system according to a second aspect of the present invention; A refund collection point, receiving the session ID from the user; and transmitting the session ID to a central database and receiving from the central database a refund amount associated with the session ID; transferring a refund corresponding to the refund amount of the calculation result to the user; Optionally, there is provided a used container collection and refund system comprising a refund receiving station configured to: invalidate said session ID once said refund has been transferred to said user.

[0015] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, An RVM system according to a second aspect of the present invention; A refund collection point, receiving the resulting refund amount and optionally the session ID from the user; Verifying the refund amount as a result of the calculation; transferring a refund corresponding to the refund amount of the calculation result to the user; Optionally, there is provided a used container collection and refund system comprising a refund receiving station configured to: invalidate said session ID once said refund has been transferred to said user.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the session ID is invalidated (voided or cancelled) after each withdrawal of a refund corresponding to the refund amount resulting from the above computation.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the above first, second and third aspects, the RVM issues a unique session ID to one or more RVM sites, the session ID being provided as an optically readable code (such as a barcode or QR code), which is for example printed on a paper or plastic-based substrate or displayed to the user on a display screen placed in front of the RVM, and which can be transferred to the user by the user taking a picture of the displayed code. According to an exemplary embodiment, the code is generated based on a random PIN code selected by the user, such a code may for example include only the PIN code and optionally also the ID and / or the timestamp of the RVM. According to a preferred example of this exemplary embodiment, the session ID is provided to the user without the user having to register in an instance such as an account management instance, i.e. without the user having to register an account for example to receive a refund. This is beneficial as it speeds up the refund process and allows the user to be anonymous.

[0018] According to one exemplary embodiment, the code is printed, for example, by a printer having an output on the front side of the RVM, typically near the inlet of the container.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the session ID may be associated with a physical characteristic of the user, e.g., biometric information such as a fingerprint or retinal appearance. According to one example, the session ID is generated in whole or in part based on the physical characteristic of the user. When the session ID is generated in part based on the physical characteristic of the user, it also includes additional information such as an ID of the RVM and / or a timestamp, and / or a randomly generated code.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment, the RVM system transmits the resulting refund amount and the associated session ID to a central database. Once the process is complete and the user wishes to receive the refund, the user provides the session ID (i.e., e.g., a code or the aforementioned fingerprint, as described above) to a refund receiving station (a checkout station at the relevant grocery store, a checkout station in another store or point of business such as a bank, or any other trusted location). The receiving station digitally transfers the session ID to the central database, which then transmits the resulting refund amount associated with that session ID to the receiving station, which in turn provides the refund amount to the user, e.g., in cash. See also act V below.

[0021] Additionally or alternatively, the RVM system transmits the resulting refund amount to the user, for example by providing it to a physical device with digital communication, which may belong to the RVM system, the user, or a third party. When the process is completed and the user wants to receive the refund, the user provides the device (where the resulting refund amount has been transferred) and optionally a session ID to a refund pick-up point (a checkout point at the relevant grocery store, a checkout point at a point of sale, or any other trusted location), which in turn provides the refund amount to the user, for example in cash. See also act V below. Preferably, the pick-up point verifies the information in the device before issuing the refund, which may or may not involve contacting a central database.

[0022] According to one example, a user interacts with the checkout station digitally, for example via a homepage.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment, after a collection session is initiated, a compartment is opened and a user may obtain a tag with a session ID. Then, once a calculated refund amount is established, the refund amount is wirelessly transferred to the tag, and the wireless transfer is configured to reach the user anywhere within, for example, a shopping mall. Alternatively, multiple tags may be placed in the vicinity of the RVM, or the tag may be a personal tag belonging to the user.

[0024] Alternatively, the session ID and the subsequent refund amount are provided to the user by digital means, preferably wirelessly, such as by WLAN, or via the Internet. According to one example, the RVM system transfers the session ID and / or the refund amount, e.g., NFC, provided by the RVM system. According to another example, the RVM system initiates the transfer of the session ID and / or the refund amount by providing information, e.g., as an SMS, to a predefined destination, which SMS is sent from the RVM system and forwarded to the predefined destination by a third party outside the RVM system, according to a given protocol. SMS is given as an example to explain the terminology of initiating the transfer, and as known to those skilled in the art, there are many ways to initiate the transfer other than by proving as an SMS. Preferably, the act of initiating the transfer of the session ID and / or the refund amount includes sending the session ID and / or the refund amount outside the RVM system.

[0025] According to one exemplary embodiment, the RVM includes a locking infeed cover that prevents containers belonging to a first user from being mixed with containers belonging to a second user.

[0026] The RVM system is preferably configured to receive used containers in bulk. Bulk means that more than one container can be received by the device at the same time, and preferably means that the containers can be made of various materials, shapes, and sizes, such as tin cans, cylindrical, square or special-shaped bottles, tetra-pack containers, etc. Furthermore, food or beverage containers can be made of various materials, such as plastic, paper, metal, glass, or combinations thereof. The device can be adapted to receive and process all or part of the various standard sizes of containers in various countries. For example, 33cl and 50cl tin cans, as well as 33cl, 50cl and 1.5 PET bottles can be handled.

[0027] In a particular embodiment, the device may comprise a front wall. The front wall will be understood to be a wall that is substantially parallel to the plane in which the circumferential path is located with respect to the transport device. The front wall will be understood to extend so as to be located adjacent to at least 25% of the circumferential path, preferably adjacent to at least 50% of the portion of the circumferential path that extends from the first receiving area to the second receiving area, and most preferably adjacent to the entire portion of the circumferential path that extends from the first receiving area to the second receiving area. The front wall will be understood to be offset from the center of the transport device or container lifting member by at least 3 cm, preferably at least 5 cm, most preferably at least 10 cm. The front wall will be understood to be offset from the center of the transport device or container lifting member by no more than 30 cm, preferably no more than 25 cm, most preferably no more than 20 cm. The front wall will be understood to be offset in the same direction as the container lifting member extends from the transport device. The front wall will be understood to be offset from the transport device in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis.

[0028] According to one exemplary embodiment, the delivery device does not comprise a front wall.

[0029] According to one example, the processing circuitry is located locally within the RVM and all steps of the method are performed therein. Alternatively, the processing circuitry is distributed among the RVM, a computer located within the store, and / or a computer located at a remote location. The computer may belong to one or more of the owner of the RVM, the retailer of the RVM, the company or store housing the RVM, a third party other than those mentioned herein, such as a bank or instance management account.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transferring or initiating a transfer via digital means of the refund amount of the calculation result and optionally the session ID to a central database, the refund amount and the session ID being preferably transferred simultaneously.

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment, the method further comprises transferring or initiating a transfer of the resultant refund amount to the user via digital means, and the transferring of the resultant refund amount to the user via digital means preferably further comprises transferring or initiating a transfer of the resultant refund amount to an account held by the user.

[0032] According to an exemplary embodiment, the step of starting a new session by receiving a start command from the user includes at least one of the following: the user inputting a command; the user presenting a code to the RVM, preferably communicated wirelessly; the user pressing a button on the RVM; the user moving the feed section cover to a closed state that blocks the feed section opening; and the user moving the feed section cover to an open state that exposes the feed section opening.

[0033] According to one exemplary embodiment, the step of transferring or initiating the transfer of the session ID to the user via physical or digital means is accomplished by an operation selected from the group including: issuing a physical token to the user, transferring the ID to an electronic device belonging to the user, such as a mobile phone, and transferring the ID to a third party portable electronic device.

[0034] According to one exemplary embodiment, the method further includes transporting each used container of the series of used containers to a processing station where the processing begins.

[0035] According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer means of the RVM system is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the refund amount of the calculation result to the user via digital means, preferably after the refund amount of the calculation result has been associated with the session ID.

[0036] According to an exemplary embodiment, the transfer means of the RVM system is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the refund amount of the calculation result to an account held by the user and / or to a central database.

[0037] According to an exemplary embodiment, the start command received from the user includes at least one of a command input by the user, a code presented to the RVM, preferably wirelessly communicated, by the user presenting it to the RVM, a button on the RVM being pressed by the user, the feed section cover being moved by the user to a closed state blocking the feed section opening, and the feed section cover being moved by the user to an open state exposing the feed section opening.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment, the transport means of the RVM system is configured to transport the session ID to the user by an operation selected from the group including: issuing a physical token to the user; transporting the ID to an electronic device belonging to the user, such as a mobile phone; and transporting the ID to a third party portable electronic device.

[0039] According to an exemplary embodiment, the RVM system further includes a transport means for transporting the used container of each of the series of used containers to a processing station where the processing begins.

[0040] Essentially, the present invention relates to a method for an RVM system and an RVM system configured to implement said method, comprising the steps of receiving a set of used containers from a user via an infeed, initiating a new collection session and establishing a session ID, initiating transfer of said session ID to a user via physical or digital means after said new collection session is initiated, establishing a resultant refund amount for said set of used containers, and associating said resultant refund amount with said session ID, where initiating transfer of said session ID to a user is performed prior to associating said resultant refund amount with said session ID. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1a] 1 is a side view of a device for singulating objects, such as used beverage and food containers, received in bulk into individual objects; [Figure 1b] FIG. 1b is a top view of the device shown in FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine 25 including a closure device, said closure device being in an open position. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine including a closure device, said closure device being in an open state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine including a closure device, said closure device being in a closed state. [Figure 5a] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine including a closure device in a closed state. [Figure 5b] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine including a closure device in an open state. [Figure 6a] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine 10 including a closure device in a closed state. [Figure 6b] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine 10 including a closure device in an open state. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a container recycling machine including a closure device, said closure device being in an intermediate state. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view from the rear of a container recycling machine including a closure device; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Typically, when a user arrives at an RVM system constructed in accordance with the present invention with a set of used containers, the user performs the following actions.

[0043] Act I. A user provides a series of used containers to the RVM through the infeed opening, preferably the containers are provided in bulk.

[0044] Act II. The user enables the RVM system to provide the user with a session ID. This can be enabled, for example, by the user waiting for the RVM to output a physical token, which optionally includes a means of wireless communication. Alternatively, this can be enabled by the user pairing the RVM system with a wireless communication equipped electronic device, for example, pairing it with a personal electronic device (e.g., a mobile phone, a personal tag, or a laptop computer), or a handheld electronic device (e.g., a tag or a scanner for scanning groceries, which is later returned to the store at the checkout before the customer pays for the scanned goods) belonging to the RVM system or a third party. The pairing is accomplished, for example, by providing a session ID to the wireless communication equipped electronic device or an account belonging to the user, to enable the RVM system to provide the session ID to the user.

[0045] Act III. The user receives a session ID, but does not receive information regarding the result of the refund for the series of used containers. The user preferably receives the first session ID before all the used containers are processed. According to one example, if the number of used containers in the series of used containers is more than 10, or if the number is more than 15, the user receives the first session ID before all the used containers are processed. If the number of containers in the series of containers is less than 6, or less than 3, or less than 2, the user may receive the session ID after the result of the refund is established by the RVM.

[0046] Act IV. The user receives information regarding the calculated refund amount for the set of used containers.

[0047] Act V. The user optionally receives payment of the resulting refund amount, or the user may have agreed that the refund amount will be handled in an alternative manner.

[0048] Where act I may be performed depending on the configuration of the RVM system, according to some embodiments act I may be performed any time before act II and up until after act III. According to some embodiments act I is required to establish a new session ID, and in these instances act I must be performed before act II.

[0049] In addition to the acts described above, a user may also perform one or more additional acts as described herein.

[0050] The above acts are discussed in more detail below.

[0051] <Act I> According to one example, the container is directly provided in an open container (2'') such as the one shown in Figure 1a, the infeed opening being defined by the upper edge of the container inner wall.

[0052] According to an alternative embodiment, the RVM includes a closure component such as that shown in Figures 3a to 3d, the closure component 101 being movable between a closed state in which the infeed opening is closed and an open state in which the infeed opening is open, and the container is presented through the infeed opening when the closure component is in the open state.

[0053] According to an alternative example, the RVM has an infeed opening but lacks a closure component, similar to that shown in Figures 3a-3b, and comprises a front portion having an infeed 100 but no closure component 101.

[0054] <Act II> According to one example, the physical token is a piece of paper with a code, such as a barcode, printed on it, which is non-renewable and does not have wireless communication capabilities.

[0055] <Act III> The act of receiving the session ID may include receiving a token that includes information about the session ID, but the token does not include information about the resulting refund value for the series of used containers.

[0056] <Act V> Generally, there are numerous ways in which the refund amount can be handled other than being paid in cash to the user. -A digital voucher that can be redeemed at the check-out point at stores / sites where container collection is carried out. -Transfer money to electronic payment accounts such as PayPal. - Sending money to a bank account (e.g. held by a company, a sports club or a charity recipient). - Accumulation of loyalty points / bonus points / discount points. - Participation in a lottery.

[0057] Typically, when a user arrives at an RVM system constructed in accordance with the present invention with a set of used containers, the RVM system performs the following actions / steps.

[0058] Action A. The RVM receives a series of used containers through an infeed opening.

[0059] Act B. The RVM system initiates a new session and establishes a session ID associated with the new session.

[0060] Act C. The RVM system outputs the session ID, for example by sending or transmitting the session ID to a wireless communication equipped electronic device or to an account belonging to the user, so that it can be received by the user. The session ID is sent to the user without any refund of the computation result.

[0061] According to one exemplary embodiment, the RVM may output a token that includes a session ID, but does not include information regarding the resulting refund amount for a series of used containers. The token may be a physical token, such as a tag, or electronic information that is sent or transmitted to a user, for example, by providing the session ID to a wireless communication equipped electronic device or account belonging to the user.

[0062] Act D. The RVM processes the series of used containers to determine a refund value for each container in the series and establishes a refund value for the series of used containers. The processing may include, for example, one or more of determining a material characteristic and / or weight of the container, reading a security mark provided on the container, reading refund information provided on the container, determining a characteristic related to a shape of the container, such as a contour and / or length of the container, and classifying the container as valid or invalid. Optionally, the processing includes retrieving information regarding one or more of the determined characteristics from a database. Preferably, the RVM system associates a session ID with the established refund value for the series of used containers.

[0063] Act E. The RVM system outputs the established refund value (also referred to as the resulting refund value) for the set of used containers, for example by sending or transmitting the resulting refund value to a wireless communication equipped electronic device or to an account belonging to a user, so that it can be received by the user.

[0064] According to one exemplary embodiment, the RVM may send or transmit the resulting refund amount in a token that includes the session ID.

[0065] Preferably, the RVM system outputs the established refund amount for said series of used containers together with the associated session ID.

[0066] Where action A occurs depends on the configuration of the RVM system, according to some embodiments, action A may be performed any time before action B, up to after action C. According to some embodiments, action A is required to establish a new session ID, and in these instances action A must be performed before action B.

[0067] According to one exemplary embodiment, if a new user gives the command to start a new session while the RVM is still processing containers received from another user, the new user is asked to wait and / or the infeed cover is kept in a closed state until the new user can deposit his / her containers into the RVM without them being mixed with containers belonging to the previous user.

[0068] In addition to the acts described above, the RVM system may also perform one or more additional acts as described herein.

[0069] The above acts are discussed in more detail below.

[0070] <Act A> According to one exemplary embodiment, the RVM may indicate to the user that the user should stop feeding used containers when the receiving compartment is full, and once some of the provided containers have been processed, the RVM may indicate to the user that feeding may resume.

[0071] <Act B> According to an exemplary embodiment, the act / step of the RVM system initiating a new session and establishing a session ID associated with the new session may further include receiving information from the user regarding which electronic device the session ID is to be sent and how the device is to be reached.

[0072] According to an exemplary embodiment, the RVM system initiates a new collection session in response to one or both of the following events: receiving a series of used containers through the infeed opening and receiving a start command from the user. According to one example, receiving a start command from the user may include at least one of: a user inputting a command (e.g., via a keypad attached to the RVM, by pressing a display attached to the RVM, or using their voice); a user presenting a code to the RVM, which is preferably communicated wirelessly (e.g., by being scanned / photographed by a camera or transferred via, e.g., IR or NFC communication); a user pressing a button on the RVM; a user moving an infeed cover to a closed state that blocks the infeed opening; and a user moving an infeed cover to an open state that exposes the infeed opening.

[0073] <Act D> According to one exemplary embodiment, the RVM system initiates processing of used containers to determine a refund amount in response to the infeed cover being moved to a closed state (after a batch of containers has been received by the RVM).

[0074] According to an alternative embodiment, the RVM system begins processing the used container and determining the refund amount while the infeed cover is still open.

[0075] According to one exemplary embodiment, the user may reopen the infeed cover and load more containers after processing has begun, and these containers will be assigned the same session ID.

[0076] WO2018 / 00724 describes in detail an RVM system for handling used containers received in bulk, this document is incorporated herein by reference and a brief summary is provided below.

[0077] An RVM system, also referred to as device 1'', for receiving objects such as empty disposable hollow bodies, e.g. used food and / or beverage containers, in bulk and transporting them individually for further processing, will now be discussed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this document, used beverage or food containers may also be referred to as objects.

[0078] The collection of food and / or beverage containers received by device 1'' may be assorted and of various shapes and sizes. For example, the containers may be cans, specially shaped cylindrical or rectangular bottles, tetra pack containers, etc. The used beverage or food containers usually have an elongated shape and may, for example, be substantially cylindrical. Furthermore, the food or beverage containers may be made of various materials such as plastic, paper, metal, glass, or a combination thereof.

[0079] The device 1'' may be adapted to be able to receive and process containers of different standard sizes in different countries.

[0080] The device 1'' may be placed in a cabinet. Alternatively, the device may be freestanding. The device 1'' may be placed, for example, in a local store, residential area, or parking lot to receive and process used beverage containers and / or food containers from consumers, or in an industrial building to sort and process used beverage containers or food containers. The device 1'' may also be placed, for example, in a cargo container, for example in a festival area, to receive used beverage containers and / or food containers. Moreover, the device 1'' may be used to upgrade an existing container return machine and may be placed in a cabinet of such a container return machine. Optionally, some of the existing hardware and / or software is also used after the upgrade. Thus, the size of the device may be adapted to the standard size of the existing container return machine.

[0081] A first example of a device 1'' will now be discussed in detail with reference to Figures 1a and 1b. The device 1'' of Figure 1a has a first receiving area 2'' where containers are collected after entering the device.

[0082] The device 1'' comprises a rotatable conveying device 4'' with a lifting member 5'' for conveying containers from a first receiving area 2'' to a second receiving area 3''. The lifting member 5'' moves along a circumferential path about a first axis x and is locked thereto, when the conveying device 4'' is activated, said first axis x being inclined at an angle of 0 to 45° with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0083] When the conveying device 4'' is activated and now rotates, the lifting members 5'' carry the containers one by one randomly from the first receiving area 2'' to the second receiving area 3''.

[0084] The container is lifted from the first receiving area 2'' by a lifting member 5'' by a scooping, pushing or nudging action.

[0085] When the container is in a predefined vertical position, the so-called drop point, it leaves the lifting member 5'' of the transport device 4 and falls by gravity or glides by a gliding movement to the position of the second receiving area 3''.

[0086] The container can then be transferred to a processing station 19'' equipped with inspection means 7'', see FIG. 1, in order notably to establish the refund amount.

[0087] Based on the results at the processing station, the container may be forwarded for at least one of further inspection, counting, recording, evaluation, sorting, storage, recycling, returned to the user (if invalid), or sent back to the first receiving area 2''.

[0088] The delivery device 4'' may be designed in other ways, as discussed in more detail in WO2018 / 00724.

[0089] The conveying device 4'' may be actuated by a motor. Additionally or alternatively, the conveying device 4'' may be actuated by a drive wheel (not shown) arranged in contact with the conveying device 4''. Such a drive wheel may be actuated by a motor to actuate the conveying device. The motor may be controlled by a control unit.

[0090] The delivery device 4'' may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or a combination thereof.

[0091] The conveying device 4'' may further comprise a retaining means 6'', the purpose of which is to retain the container in the conveying device 4'' when transferring the container from the first receiving area 2'' to the second receiving area 3''. Alternative configurations of the retaining means are discussed in more detail in WO2018 / 007524.

[0092] As shown in Figure 1, the first receiving area 2'' may be formed as a receptacle. By way of example, the first receiving area may be bowl-shaped.

[0093] The bottom of the first receiving area 2'' may be curved to have the same or similar curvature as the periphery of the delivery device 4''.

[0094] The first receiving area 2'' may be adapted such that a lifting member 5'' moving through the first receiving area 2'' may be able to carry a container from the first receiving area.

[0095] The vertical lower part of the transport device 4'' may form the inner wall of the first receiving area 2''.

[0096] The first receiving area 2'' may, for example, consist of metal and / or plastic.

[0097] The conveyor belt of the third receiving area may be a V-conveyor or a flat conveyor.

[0098] According to this embodiment, the second receiving area 3'' and the third receiving area 14'' are one and the same. Such an arrangement may consist only of a belt conveyor along which the containers descend and are transported to a container processing station 19''.

[0099] As a further alternative, if the second receiving area 3'' and the third receiving area 14'' are identical, the arrangement may include only a plate made of a material with low surface friction, such as metal or a suitable plastic material, inclined towards the processing station 19'' so that containers received in the combined second and third receiving areas slide down towards the processing station 19.

[0100] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device 1 may further comprise a processing station 19'' equipped with inspection means 7'' through which the containers are conveyed to establish the refund amount and, optionally, to identify the container. Based on the information obtained by the inspection means 7'', the container is either accepted (if it is valid, i.e. eligible for collection and refund) or rejected (if it is invalid, i.e. not eligible for refund). There are several different options for how accepted or rejected containers can be handled.

[0101] According to one example, if accepted, the container may be transferred to a box (not shown), such as a box for containers that are to be recycled. Alternatively, there may be several different boxes into which the accepted container may be transferred, for example depending on the type and / or size of the container.

[0102] If rejected, the container can be transported back to the first receiving area 2'', to the original user or directly to a waste collector.

[0103] The inspection means 7'' may comprise a scanner, such as a camera or a barcode reader. The inspection means may also include means for identifying material properties.

[0104] As an example, the inspection means 7'' may be a OneRing system including a camera for identifying the bulk of the container. The camera of the OneRing system may be capable of processing 80-220 objects per minute.

[0105] There may be additional numbers and types of inspection means, e.g., cameras, scanners, etc., arranged in series or parallel to obtain various information of the container so that the container can be identified and / or classified based on this information.

[0106] The processing station 19'' may further comprise a determination unit configured to receive a signal from the inspection means 7'' and, based on this signal, to send the container to a sorting station, back to the first receiving area 2'' or to the sending section 21'' of the device 1''.

[0107] If the inspection means 7'' is unable to identify the container, the container may be rejected. If rejected, the container may be sent back to the first receiving area 2'' to provide another reading of the container. This may be done by a conveyor belt 16'' arranged below the processing station 19'' with respect to the conveying direction A of the container in the second receiving area 3'' and / or the third receiving area 14''.

[0108] After being identified, the containers can be sorted by the propeller wheels 17''. The arranged propeller wheels and conveyor belts 15'' and 16'' are described in more detail in WO2018 / 007524.

[0109] Alternatively, rejected containers may be returned to the user via the sender so that the user can decide whether the container should be reinserted into the device, discarded, or stored. This may be done by a conveyor belt.

[0110] The first receiving area 2'' may be mounted on a bracket that may be mounted on or in connection with the dust collector 12''. Such a dust collector may thus be positioned below the first receiving area 2''. The dust collector may have any shape, such as rectangular.

[0111] The dust collector may be removably connected to the device so that the dust collector can be detached and emptied.

[0112] The containers that end up in the dumpster can be manually processed, sorted, or simply considered trash.

[0113] The device 1'' may further comprise an inlet for facilitating entry of the container into the first receiving area 2''.

[0114] In the absence of an infeed, there may only be an opening, e.g. in a cabinet, in which the device 1'' is located, into which the containers can be inserted. Such an opening may therefore be located adjacent to the first receiving area 2''.

[0115] The size of the opening can be adapted to allow containers of different sizes and shapes to enter the device 1 and to meet the requirements of safety standard NS-EN349:1992+A1:2008.

[0116] Furthermore, the distance between the opening and the conveying device 4'' may be adapted to meet the requirements of the standard ISO13857:2008, equipment safety.

[0117] According to ISO13857:2008, a further equipment safety standard, the opening must be equipped with various safety features to prevent injuries. For example, it may be equipped with a light curtain using a light beam that functions such that when the device 1'' is operating, the device is stopped immediately if the light beam is broken.

[0118] The infeed may comprise a tray which may be tilted slightly relative to the horizontal plane to facilitate the transfer of the containers to the first receiving area 2''. The infeed and tray are described in more detail in WO2018 / 007524.

[0119] The RVM system 1 in Figures 2 and 4 a first receiving area arranged to simultaneously receive and store a plurality of containers to be singulated; a first singulating and transporting device comprising a container singulator, which may also be referred to as a lifting member, for transporting individual containers from the first receiving area to the second receiving area; a second transport device for transporting each individual container from the second receiving area to an inspection station where the validity of the container is determined; a front portion provided with an infeed portion 100 for directing the batch of containers towards the first receiving area, The front part is a movable closing device 101 for closing the infeed section, the closing device 101 being movable between an open state in which the infeed section is open and a closed state in which the infeed section is closed; Optionally, further including an automatic locking device configured to lock the movable closure device in a closed state at the start of a container singulation session and to unlock the movable closure device at the end of the container singulation session.

[0120] As used herein, the terms movable closure device and closure component are used interchangeably.

[0121] In Fig. 2 the mobile closure device is arranged in an open state, in Fig. 4 the mobile closure device is arranged in a closed state. As can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the mobile closure device is arranged upstream of the infeed section and is moved between the open and closed states by a translational non-rotational movement following the outer surface of the front section. The direction of movement of the mobile closure device is controlled by a guide 102 mounted at the front of the empty container recovery machine, to which the mobile closure device is attached.

[0122] The size of the infeed opening can be adapted to allow containers of different sizes and shapes to enter the device 1 and to meet the requirements of safety standard NS-EN349:1992+A1:2008.

[0123] Furthermore, the distance between the opening and the singulating transport device can be adapted to meet the requirements of standard ISO 13857:2008, equipment safety.

[0124] According to ISO13857:2008, a further equipment safety standard, the opening must be equipped with various safety features to prevent injury. For example, it may be equipped with a light curtain using a light beam that functions such that when the device 1 is operating, if the light beam is broken, the device is stopped immediately.

[0125] The infeed may include a tray that may be tilted slightly relative to the horizontal plane to facilitate the transfer of the containers to the first receiving area.

[0126] The infeed section 100 may be made of plastic material, metal, and / or wood.

[0127] The infeed section 100 may further include rims on both sides to hold containers being transferred towards the first receiving area and prevent the containers from falling out of the infeed section as they are being delivered to the first receiving area.

[0128] The tray may include a slit for handling loose objects, such as pieces of paper like container labels, into which the loose objects may fall.

[0129] Loose objects fall onto a steep surface below the infeed and can be guided directly or via a funnel into a dust collector.

[0130] The dust collector may be, but need not be, the same as the dust collectors or bins described above.

[0131] The infeed may further comprise a conveyor belt to further facilitate the transport of the containers from the tray towards the first receiving area. The conveyor belt may be disposed between the tray and the first receiving area of ​​the device 1 and is thus adapted to the size of the infeed and the opening of the device.

[0132] Such a conveyor belt may include rims on either longitudinal side to prevent objects from falling off the conveyor and to hold containers towards the first receiving area.

[0133] The conveyor belt may be disposed substantially horizontally relative to a horizontal surface.

[0134] Alternatively, the infeed may comprise only trays or only conveyor belts.

[0135] Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the empty container recycling machine showing a possible example in an open state. This example is equivalent to the one shown in Figures 2 and 4, except that the movable closure device is attached to the front by a hinge, and the movable closure device can rotate between the open state and the closed state. In the closed state, the position of the movable closure device is equivalent to the position shown in Figure 4.

[0136] Figure 5b is a front perspective view of the empty container collecting machine showing a possible example in an open state. This example is identical to that shown in Figures 2 and 4, except that the mobile closure device moves between the open and closed states by a translational non-rotational movement, which follows a transverse or perpendicular direction to the front face of the machine, as indicated by the double arrow. Figure 5a shows this mobile closure device in a closed state.

[0137] Fig. 6b is a front perspective view of the empty container collecting machine showing a possible example in an open state. This example is equivalent to the one shown in Figs. 2 and 4, except that the mobile closure device moves between the open and closed states by a translational non-rotational movement, which follows a transverse or perpendicular direction to the front face of the machine, as indicated by the double arrow. The direction of movement crosses the front face of the machine at an angle of 5° to 80° or 10° to 60°. Fig. 6a shows this mobile closure device in a closed state.

[0138] In the examples shown in Figures 2 to 6b, the movable closure device is arranged upstream of the infeed section.

[0139] Figure 7 is a front perspective view of the empty container recovery machine showing a possible example in an intermediate state, i.e. between the open and closed states. This example is equivalent to the one shown in Figures 2 and 4, except that the mobile closure device is flat and is located inside the infeed section of the device, i.e. downstream of the infeed section opening and upstream of the infeed section end. The mobile closure device moves between the open and closed states by a translational non-rotational movement, which movement may follow a direction parallel to the front face of the machine, as indicated by the double arrow. When the mobile closure device is placed in the closed state, it completely covers the passage formed by the infeed section.

[0140] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the front part shown in Figures 6a and 6b, as seen from behind, where an optional funnel is positioned to guide the container towards the first receiving area. Additionally, the optional back side of the infeed part 100' is shown.

[0141] Next, an exemplary sequence of steps that can be used to control the infeed of the empty container recycle machine is shown: First, a batch of objects is received via the infeed of the empty container recycle machine as 1001. Then, the singulation process is started as 1010, or the movable closure device is closed and locked as 1020. The singulation process is started and waits for some of the containers provided to the machine to be processed, so that the filling level of the machine drops, before closing the movable closure device allows the user to insert so many containers that a predefined filling level of the machine is reached and no more containers can or should be inserted (e.g. the machine signals the user), after which the user can add more containers to the machine. Once the user has provided all the containers to the machine as 1011, the movable closure device is closed (manually or automatically) as 1020 and automatically locked as 1020, so that the user can leave the machine while the machine continues to process the containers as 1021. Once the singulation process is complete, as at 1012, the movable closure device is unlocked.

[0142] Alternatively, before or at the same time as the singulation process begins, as 1010, the movable closure device is closed and optionally locked, as 1020 and 1021, which has the advantage that the user is protected from injury caused by moving parts in the apparatus and parts operating in the singulation process, which also has the advantage of reducing noise caused by the singulation process during the entire singulation process.

[0143] According to one illustrative example, the infeed is open in the idle state, i.e. when the device is waiting for a new user. Alternatively, the infeed is closed in the idle state.

[0144] According to one method of operating a container recovery machine for singulating used beverage or food containers received in bulk into individual objects, the method includes: providing an empty container recovery machine having a first receiving area configured to simultaneously receive and store a plurality of containers to be singulated, an infeed section, a first singulating and transporting device for individually transporting the containers from the first receiving area to a second receiving area, and a movable closing device for closing the infeed section, the closing device being movable between an open state in which the infeed section is open and a closed state in which the infeed section is closed; receiving a batch of used beverage or food containers through an infeed; receiving and storing a batch of used beverage or food containers in a first receiving area; individually transporting the containers from the first receiving area to the second receiving area; and protecting a user of the empty container recycling machine, The steps of protecting the user include: providing an automatic locking device; providing an activation signal to the automatic locking device when the movable closure device is to be locked, the activation signal being issued based on one or two or all of the following: a number of objects received at the first receiving area, a speed at which containers or objects are received at the first receiving area, and a position of the movable closure device; providing a deactivation signal to the automatic locking device when the movable closure device is to be unlocked, the activation signal being issued based on one or both of the following: the number of objects or containers present in the first receiving area; and the transport speed of the containers from the first receiving area to the second receiving area; or preventing initiation of individual transfers of containers from the first receiving area to the second receiving area while the movable closure device is in the open state; or Stopping the first singulating transport device and interrupting individual transport of containers from the first receiving area to the second receiving area in response to movement of the movable closure device to the open condition.

[0145] The step of receiving and storing the batch of used beverage or food containers in the first receiving area may further include the steps of continuously singulating individual containers from the bulk or batch of containers in the first receiving area and transporting the individual containers from the first receiving area to a second receiving area, the second receiving area being disposed at a higher vertical level.

[0146] Although the present invention has been described with reference to some detailed examples, the skilled person will understand that many variations of the embodiments described herein are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The method according to the present invention is of course also applicable to other types of batch sorters than those of the accompanying drawings. For example, the design of the conveying device including the container lifting members may be scaled or given a different design depending on the material, size, shape, weight, etc. of the containers that the singulating device may be able to handle. Guided by this specification, possibly in combination with some testing, the skilled person will be able to find a suitable design. Furthermore, the empty container recovery machine of the inventive concept may have alternative configurations and may include alternative means for singulating used beverage or food containers, such as those disclosed in US2012 / 118700 or EP2014 / 052546. When using a container recovery machine of the inventive concept with the singulating conveying device of EP 2014 / 052546, the inlet may guide the containers towards a central part of the rotating surface, i.e. towards the first receiving area, where the containers are then singulated by the device disclosed in EP 2014 / 052546. More specifically, the objects may have a more spherical or hemispherical profile, such as, for example, plate-like containers.

Claims

1. 1. A method for an RVM system configured to collect used containers, the used containers being food and / or beverage containers, comprising: receiving a series of used containers from a user through an infeed opening of the RVM system; initiating a new collection session in response to at least one of receiving the used container through the infeed opening and receiving a start command from the user; after the new collection session is initiated, establishing a session ID and transferring or initiating transfer of the session ID to a user via physical or digital means; processing each used container in the series, the processing step including: establishing a refund value for each used container in the series; and establishing a resultant refund value, the resultant refund value being a total refund value for the series of used containers or an array of values ​​corresponding to the total refund value for the series of used containers; and associating the calculated refund amount with the session ID; A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transferring or initiating the transfer of the session ID to a user is performed before the step of associating the resulting refund amount with the session ID.

2. the series of used containers is received together; The method of claim 1 , wherein the resulting refund amount is associated with the session ID such that, when the session ID is presented, a user can collect a refund corresponding to the resulting refund amount.

3. and transferring or initiating a transfer of the resulting refund amount and the session ID to a central database via digital means. The method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising transferring or initiating a transfer of the resulting refund amount to the user via digital means.

5. said step of initiating a new session by receiving a start command from said user comprising: said user inputting a command; the user submitting a code to the RVM system to the RVM system; the user pressing a button on the RVM system; the user moving the infeed section cover to a closed state that blocks the infeed section opening; the user moving the infeed section cover to an open state to expose the infeed section opening; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least one of:

6. The step of transferring or initiating the transfer of a session ID to a user via physical or digital means, issuing a physical token to the user that includes the session ID; transporting the ID to an electronic device belonging to said user; transferring the ID to a third party portable electronic device; The method is carried out by an operation selected from the group including A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the issuing of a physical token to the user, the physical token comprising the session ID, comprises printing a barcode onto a substrate comprising paper and / or plastic.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising the step of transporting each used container of the series to a processing station where the processing begins.

8. 1. An RVM system configured to collect used containers, the used containers being food and / or beverage containers, comprising: an infeed opening for receiving a series of used containers from a user; processing means for processing each used container in the series, said processing comprising: establishing a refund value for each used container in the series; and determining a resulting refund value, the resulting refund value being a total refund value for the series of used containers or an array of values ​​corresponding to the total refund value for the series of used containers; a transfer means for transferring or initiating the transfer of a session ID to the user via physical or digital means and transferring or initiating the transfer of a refund amount of the calculation result to the user via digital means; communication means for communicating with said user; a closure component operable to close the infeed opening; processing circuitry; The processing circuitry includes: initiating a new collection session in response to at least one of receiving the used container through the infeed opening, receiving a start command from the user, or the user moving a closure component of the RVM system to a closed state, thereby blocking the infeed opening; establishing a session ID and associating said session ID with each new collection session and providing said session ID to said transport means; receiving a resultant refund amount from said processing means, associating said resultant refund amount with said session ID, and providing said resultant refund amount to said transport means; The RVM system, wherein the processing and / or transferring means is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the session ID to the user before the resulting refund amount is associated with the session ID.

9. the series of used containers is received together; 9. The RVM system of claim 8, wherein a refund amount of the resulting operation is associated with the session ID such that, when the session is submitted, a user can collect a refund corresponding to the refund amount of the resulting operation.

10. 10. The RVM system of claim 8 or 9, wherein the transfer means is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the resultant refund amount to the user via digital means.

11. 11. The RVM system of claim 10, wherein the transfer means is configured to transfer or initiate a transfer of the resulting refund amount to an account held by the user and / or to a central database.

12. The start command received from the user is commands entered by the user; and a code submitted by the user to the RVM system; a button on the RVM system is pressed by the user; the feed section cover is moved by the user to a closed state in which the feed section cover blocks the feed section opening; the feed section cover is moved by the user to an open state exposing the feed section opening; The RVM system according to any one of claims 8 to 11, comprising at least one of:

13. The transport means is issuing a physical token to the user; transporting the ID to an electronic device belonging to said user; transferring the ID to a third party portable electronic device; The RVM system of any one of claims 8 to 12, configured to transport the session ID to the user by an action selected from the group comprising:

14. The RVM system of any one of claims 8 to 13, further comprising transport means for transporting the used container of each of the series of used containers to a processing station where the processing begins.

15. A used container collection and refund system, comprising: An RVM system according to any one of claims 8 to 14, A refund acceptance point; The refund acceptance point is: receiving the session ID from the user; transmitting the session ID to a central database and receiving from the central database a refund amount for the computation result associated with the session ID; transferring a refund corresponding to the refund amount of the calculation result to the user; and invalidating the session ID once the refund has been transferred to the user.

16. A used container collection and refund system, comprising: An RVM system according to any one of claims 8 to 14, A refund acceptance point; The refund acceptance point is: receiving the calculated refund amount and the session ID from the user; Verifying the calculated refund amount; transferring a refund corresponding to the refund amount of the calculation result to the user; invalidating the session ID once the refund has been transferred to the user; A used container collection and refund system configured to:

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