WO2000073873A2

WO2000073873A2 - Store system for the controlled dispensing and management of articles, such as consumables for offices, laboratories and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2000073873A2
Application number: PCT/EP2000/004904
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cristiano Veronese
Original assignee: Inribbon Srl
Priority date: 1999-05-27
Filing date: 2000-05-26
Publication date: 2000-12-07
Also published as: ITMI991174A1; WO2000073873A3; AU6262200A

Abstract

System comprising one or more stores (10) designed to dispense and manage, in a controlled manner, articles such as consumables for offices, or the like, formed by one or more containers (18) containing predefined numbers of articles (19) to be dispensed and managed, provided with means (16) for allowing authorised access to said stores (10), for carrying out the accounting of said articles (19), for managing debits both to companies having authorised access to the stores (10) and to current bank accounts of private individuals who wish to withdraw the articles (19) paying with credit cards or prepaid cards, and for making requests for replenishment to external suppliers in order to keep the stores (10) suitably stocked up, while also informing an administration centre of all the financial, credit and debit operations performed with authorised bodies or private individuals and suppliers.

Description

"STORE SYSTEM FOR THE CONTROLLED DISPENSING AND

MANAGEMENT OF ARTICLES, SUCH AS CONSUMABLES FOR

OFFICES, LABORATORIES AND THE LIKE"

The present invention relates to a system formed by one or more stores for the management and dispensing of consumables to users of the said articles.

In professional offices or laboratories, consumables must often be withdrawn from one or more stores by several independent working bodies or persons who are dependent upon the same administration centre.

Access to the stores and withdrawal of articles from them may be managed in several ways, which can be summarised in the form of two opposing administrative approaches: a) a very rigorous approach, where all the withdrawals - which can only be made with suitable prior authorisation - are noted and all the movements of the articles are carefully recorded, with the costs being divided up among the users according to the withdrawals made and the stocks also being managed so that they are replenished when they fall below a minimum quantity required to ensure continuity of the operations to be performed; and b) a fairly "elastic" approach, which is based on a presumed certain degree of responsibility exercised by the personnel who keep record of the stocks and replenish them when they fall below levels necessary for ensuring continuity of the operations.

These two opposing approaches both have certain advantages and disadvantages.

The first approach ensures strict and tightly controlled management of the stocks and a balanced distribution of the costs of the consumables among the various users, as well as efficient co-ordination with the suppliers for correct replenishing of the said stocks. However, this approach requires the use of at least one employee (such as a storekeeper who also performs simple accounting and stock-management duties) and is therefore suitable only for the management of valuable articles in quantities sufficient to justify the cost of an employee. This approach may also result in problems of gaining access to the stocks, with consequent delays and possible conflicts with other personnel, should there be an overly bureaucratic management structure, adversely affecting the overall productivity of the departments or persons served. Finally, this approach requires good co-ordination between the personnel employed at the store and the personnel dealing with the purchases in order to ensure correct replenishing of the stocks, avoiding errors resulting in the purchase of excessive or inadequate stocks.

The second approach allows more rapid access to the supplies by the users and avoids open conflict between personnel, but is subject to excessive withdrawals of articles owing to the near absence of any control procedures and is particularly unsatisfactory with regard to management of the supplies since communications regarding the stocks are left - in a somewhat arbitrary manner - to the persons who perform the withdrawals. Moreover, it is particularly difficult for a central administration office to divide up the costs of the articles among the various users because it is not known with certainty how many articles have been withdrawn by each user.

With regard to the management of certain consumables used in modern offices and laboratories there is also a problem of eliminating "environmentally critical" waste - such as ink or toner cartridges used for printers and photocopiers, typing or erasing ribbons used in offices, or test tubes, syringes, empty chemical- product containers, batteries and the like, generated by laboratories - which is becoming increasingly serious and increasingly subject to rigorous checks by environmental protection bodies who oppose the elimination of this waste together with the solid urban waste which does not require special treatment for disposal in the environment.

There therefore arises the need for systems which are able to ensure the correct, but easy and low-cost management of stores of consumables, irrespective of their intrinsic value and their quantity and, at the same time, where necessary, correct elimination of special waste which may arise from the use of these consumables.

The object of the present invention is precisely that of providing these systems which can be used both within company organisations and in public places where they could be in the form of vending machines or vending machine systems (so-called electronic mini-markets).

Another object of the present invention is to provide systems activated by computerised cards which are able to allow authorised access and which debit the costs of withdrawal of the articles to the companies corresponding to each computerised card used.

Alternatively, another object of the present invention is that of debiting the costs of withdrawal of the articles to the bank account of a private individual, instead of to a company, using a credit card or similar payment cards, such as pre- credited or prepaid cards.

In short, a system according to the invention comprises at least one container provided with a plurality of loading units filled with consumables, an electronic centre suitable for reading computerised cards and provided with at least one interactive keypad for allowing selection of articles, store management means for checking and updating replenishing of the individual loading units, accounting means for debiting the costs of the articles withdrawn to corresponding company centres or, alternatively, to the current bank accounts of private individuals by means of telematic connections with interbank networks.

In particular, the present invention comprises a plurality of cyclical loading units which can be easily loaded with articles to be dispensed and which, upon request, convey each article for which delivery has been authorised to discharging means connecting each loading unit to a removal opening associated with each container.

The loading units are also provided with means for counting the articles loaded in them and warning means for signalling any imminent depletion of stocks.

In addition, the warning means for indicating imminent depletion of stocks may be telematically connected to suppliers so that orders may be placed in order to replenish stocks on line.

By way of an additional feature, the dispensing system according to the present invention may be provided with an auxiliary container capable of receiving used articles forming special waste which may not be eliminated in the manner of ordinary solid urban waste.

The features of the present invention will be defined in the claims forming the conclusive part of the description. However, other features and advantages of the invention will be understood more clearly from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article dispenser to be installed in company premises;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of an article dispenser to be installed in public premises;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the article dispenser to be installed in company premises, provided with an auxiliary container for storing used articles for which special disposal procedures are required;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of an article dispenser to be installed in public premises, provided with an auxiliary container for storing used articles for which special disposal procedures are required;

- Figure 5 is a cross-sectioned side view of an auxiliary container for storing used articles;

- Figure 6 is a flow diagram of the management procedures which are carried out in an article dispenser to be used m company premises;

- Figure 7 is a flow diagram of the procedures for requesting and selecting the articles to be dispensed;

- Figure 8 is a flow diagram of the procedures for managing the articles to be dispensed;

- Figure 9 is a flow diagram of the procedures for managing debits to be made to a company;

- Figure 10 is a flow diagram of the management procedures which are earned out m an article dispenser which is open to the public and connected to banks or similar financial organisations for computeπsed management of the payments;

- Figure 11 is a flow diagram of the procedures for managing the debits made by dispensers which are open to the public and accept computerised payments; and

- Figure 12 is a flow diagram of the management procedures which are carried out in an article dispenser which is open to the public, and activated by a prepaid cards.

If we examine first of all Figure 1, it can be seen that a store dispenser 10, to be used in company premises, comprises a cabinet 12 provided with a front door 14 which is equipped, from the top towards the bottom, with a control and data panel 16, a plurality of windows or display containers 18_a-_k for articles 19_a-k to be dispensed, counters or numerical indicators 20_a__k for the said articles, lamps 22_a-k for signalling the depletion of articles in one of the loading units and an opening 24 for removing the articles delivered by the dispenser 10.

Considering again the control and data panel 16, it can be seen that it comprises a slot 26 for introducing a card to be read by logic devices of the dispenser, a keyboard 28 for entering both the codes identifying companies and the codes of articles to be removed from the dispenser, a display 30 for informing the user as to the procedures which must be performed during the operations in progress, for displaying financial statements associated with the articles removed and also for informing the user as to any abnormal situations, such as low or depleted stocks of articles, or the like. Some special keys 32 and 34 may be used for particular operations, such as orders for carrying out, continuing or interrupting procedures, approving statements, etc. Finally, a slot 35 is used for emitting a printed sheet showing information about the articles, amounts and costing centres to be debited therewith. Obviously the front door 14 is provided with a lock 36 allowing opening thereof in order to gain access to the containers 18_a-ι which are located behind the windows, for the purpose of replenishing them or replacing defective articles.

We shall now consider Figure 2 which depicts an article dispenser 40 to be installed in public premises for dispensing its articles to the public in general. It must be pointed out that this dispenser, unlike the normal known vending machines, is not operated by introducing money, but using prepaid cards, bank cards (P.O.S.) or credit cards with the obvious aim of making the dispenser unattractive for possible thieves. In a similar manner to a dispenser used within a company, this dispenser also comprises a cabinet 42 which is provided with a front door 44 equipped, from the top towards the bottom, with a control and data panel 46, a plurality of windows or display containers 48_a-_h for articles to be dispensed 49_a-_h and an opening 50 for removing articles delivered by the dispenser 40.

The control and data panel 46 may be constructed in a manner similar to the panels of money dispensing devices or so-called cash dispensers, present in most banks. This panel 46 contains a slot 52 for introducing cards provided with an illustration 54 which indicates the correct direction of insertion of the said card, a numerical keyboard 56 for entering any codes of the card used, a display 58 which provides directions for using the payment cards, for choosing the articles to be purchased, for indicating the availability of articles and for providing information regarding the article containers so that the operators are able to maintain the stocks of articles on sale. In addition to the keys of the numerical keyboard 56, it is possible to provide auxiliary keys 60 and 62 for giving directions and orders to the device, as well as other auxiliary keys 64 and 66 to be used, for example, for selecting articles. A slot 68 is used for emitting a receipt or summary document indicating the type and quantity of each article delivered, as well as the prices of the individual articles and the total sum to be debited to the user. If the dispenser is activated by a prepaid card, the remaining amount left on the card could be shown both on the display 58 and on the document emitted from the slot 68. The door 44 is provided with a lock 70 so as to allow service personnel to gain access to the containers 48_a„_h behind the windows in order to replenish depleted articles or replace defective articles.

If we now consider Figures 3 and 4, these show, respectively, a dispenser of the type used in a company and a dispenser for public use having, installed in the vicnity thereof, a respective auxiliary container 80 for storing used articles.

In particular, the containers 80 shown in Figures 3 and 4 consist of a cabinet comprising a top section 82 in the form of a hatch provided with a handle 84 for opening and closing thereof and a bottom section 86 provided with a handle 88 for opening and closing the bottom section and having internally means for storing used articles without the risk of dispersion.

If we now consider Figure 5, it can be seen that the container 80 contains in its bottom section 86 a bin 90 formed by uprights 92, 94, 96 and by cross- members 98 and 100 and containing a bag 102 having an upper rim 104 wound around the upper cross-member 100, which rim is used to help close the bag 102 when removed from the bin 90. The bin 90 is supported by a trolley provided with wheels 106, 108, 110 travelling on rails 112 for facilitating extraction thereof from the auxiliary container 80, should this be necessary.

Let us now consider Figure 6 which shows a flow diagram of the management procedures carried out in an article dispenser to be used within a company. According to said Figure 6, the procedures start with an action step 120 which consists in introducing a card into the appropriate slot 26 on the control and data panel 16 (Figure 1) and reading its codes and data. This is then followed by an action step 122 requesting a code. A following decision step 124 asks whether the code has been entered. If the answer is NO, the card is rejected by the action step 126 which also terminates the procedure. If the answer is YES, a following decision step 128 asks whether the code is correct. If the answer is NO, an action step 130 emits an error code warning which appears, for example, on the display 30 according to Figure 1, which also displays a subsequent request for a code issued by a following action step 132. This is followed by a decision step 134 which asks whether a code has been entered. If the answer is NO, the procedure passes to the action step 126 which rejects the card and terminates the procedure. If the answer is YES, the procedure passes to a decision step 136 which asks whether the code is correct. If the answer is NO, the procedure passes to a following decision step 138 which asks whether the number of incorrect codes is > 3. If the answer is YES, the procedure passes to the action step 126 which rejects the card and terminates the procedure. If the answer is NO, an incorrect code is signalled and the code is requested again in accordance with the action steps 130 and 132. If the answer of the decision step 136, as to the correctness of the code, is YES, and likewise if the answer of the previous decision step 128 is YES, the procedure passes to an action step 140 for requesting parts or articles to be delivered. This action step 140 for requesting and choosing parts is followed by an action step 142 which performs management of the parts, in turn followed by an action step 144 which manages debiting of the various company centres.

Let us now consider Figure 7 which shows in greater detail a flow diagram of the procedures for requesting and selecting parts indicated in Figure 6 by the action step 140.

According to said Figure 7, the procedures 140 for requesting and selecting parts consist of action step 150 for authorising the request, followed by a step 152 for requesting the code of the part to be selected and delivered. This is followed by a decision step 154 which asks whether a code for a part has been entered. If the answer is NO, the procedure passes to an action step 156 which cancels the function. If the answer is YES, the procedure passes to a set of decision steps 158 to 168 which manages selection of the part requested on the basis of the part code entered. If the first decision step selecting a part A, 158, gives the answer YES, the procedure passes to an action step 170 which confirms the request for the same part A and then exits to step 182 which controls management of a store containing parts A. If, on the other hand, the first decision step 158 gives the answer NO, the procedure passes to a second decision step 160 for asking whether the preselected part is the part B. If the answer is YES, an action step 17 confirms the request for the part B and then exits to a step 184 controlling the management of a store containing parts B. On the other hand, if the answer is NO, the procedure continues to search among successive decision steps until it finds the step corresponding to the selected part. The last decision step 168 in this set corresponds to the part N. If the answer to this last step 168 is YES, an action step 180 confirms the request for the part N and then exits to a step 190 controlling the management of a store containing parts N. If the answer is NO, this means that a request has been made for an article not contained in the dispenser store and, consequently, the procedure returns to the action step 156, cancelling the function 140 for requesting parts.

If we now consider Figure 8, this depicts the possible composition of a procedure for managing a general part or article K, from among those indicated by A to N, represented by the action step 142 in Figure 6.

Once the part K has been chosen, the management of a store containing parts K is started. The start 200 of management of parts is followed by an action step 202 which decrements by 1 a counter for the said parts K. A decision step 204 asks whether the number of parts K is greater than a minimum so-called "reserve" number. If the answer is NO, the procedure passes to an action step 206 signalling a request for replenishing of the store (the activation of a lamp indicating the reserve level of the parts K is sufficient). However, at the same time, a decision step 208 asks whether the reserve stock is empty. If the answer is YES, a step 210 activates an effective alarm, such as an acoustic signal, (a buzzer) a particularly intense and intermittent luminous signal or a suitable message on the display 30 (Figure 1). If the answer is NO, and likewise if the answer from the decision step 204 is YES, the procedure passes to an action step 212 which delivers a part K. Once the part K has been delivered, the procedure passes to an exit step 214 in order to start management of debits to the corresponding company costing centres.

If we now consider Figure 9, this depicts the possible composition of a procedure for managing debits, represented by the action step 144 in Figure 6.

The procedure is started by a step 220 for starting the management of debits. This start 220 activates an accounting operator 222 which, takes into account the codes 224 of the individual costing centres, the codes 226 to 240 of the individual parts and therefore their corresponding unit prices and the numbers of each type of part, determines each total sum to be attributed to each costing centre, eventually performing a print-out 242 of a list of parts and the corresponding amounts debited to each costing centre.

With reference to Figure 10, this is a flow diagram of the procedures for managing an article dispenser which is open to the public and uses exclusively payment cards such as credit cards or bank cards (P.O.S.), being connected to banks and similar financial organisations, such as that depicted in Figure 2.

The procedures start with a step 250 for inserting and reading a card which is followed by an action step 252 requesting authorisation from the bank issuing the card. This is then followed by a decision step 254 requesting authorisation. If the authorisation is not given (reply NO), the procedure passes to the action step 256 rejecting the card and ending the procedure. On the other hand, if authorisation is given (reply YES), the procedure continues with an action step 258 requesting the secret code (P.I.N.) of the card which is then immediately followed by a decision step 260 indicating whether the code has been entered. If the code has not been entered (reply NO), the procedure returns to the action 256 rejecting the card and ending the procedure. On the other hand, if the code has been entered (reply YES), a following decision step 262 asks whether the code is correct. If the code is not correct (reply NO), there follows an action step 264 indicating an incorrect code immediately followed by an action step 266 requesting again a code. In reply to this request, a decision step 268 asks whether a new code has been entered. If the code has not been entered (reply NO), the procedure returns to action step 256 rejecting the card and terminating the procedure. If the code has been entered (reply YES), a decision step 270 asks whether the new code entered is the correct code. If it is not (reply NO), a following decision step 272 asks whether the incorrect codes are > 3. If they are not (reply NO), the procedure returns to steps 264 and 266 in order to indicate again an incorrect code and request again a new code. If the decision step 270 indicates a correct code (reply YES), and if this is likewise indicated by the decision step 262 (reply YES), the procedure continues with an action step 274 for requesting parts or articles, which is substantially identical to the action step 140 indicated in the diagram of Figure 6, passing then to the action step 276 for managing parts, also substantially identical to the action steps 142 indicated in the diagram according to Figure 6. Since the action steps 274 and 276 are substantially identical to the respective steps 140 and 142 depicted in detail in Figures 7 and 8, reference should be made to these figures for a description thereof in order to avoid needless repetition here. At last, the procedure passes to an action step 278 for managing debits, which must take into account particular payments to be made via banks or financial organisations.

Considering Figure 11, this shows the possible composition of a procedure for managing debits, represented by the action step 278 according to Figure 10.

The procedure is started by a step 280 for starting management of the debits. This start 280 activates an accounting operator 282 which, taking into account the code and the banking details 284 of each purchaser, which have been acquired at the time of reading of the card and manual insertion of the secret code, the codes 286 to 300 of the individual parts and therefore their corresponding unit prices, and the numbers of each type of part, determines each total sum to be attributed to the purchaser, then printing out a list 302 of information, for the purchaser, regarding the articles purchased and the price paid and issuing a debit 304 to the current bank account of the purchaser to which the card used for the purchase corresponds.

In the case where, for the dispenser 47 in Figure 2, a prepaid card is used for payment, the flow chart for managing the purchase of articles and payment thereof is different from that shown in Figure 10 which uses bank cards (P.O.S.) or credit cards.

A flow chart for managing the purchase of articles paid for using a prepaid card is depicted in Figure 12.

According to this flow chart, at the step 310 a prepaid card is introduced and duly read. This is immediately followed by a decision step 312 for assessing whether the card possesses a credit amount. If this is not the case (reply NO), the procedure immediately passes to an action step 314 for rejecting the card, a non- valid card having been introduced in order to pay for the articles to be purchased. If the card possesses a credit (reply YES), an action step 316 formulates a request for parts, by means of entry of a code on the keyboard 56 according to Figure 2, followed by selection of the same parts in accordance with the procedure shown in detail in Figure 7. Subsequently an action step 318 debits the cost of the parts or articles purchased to the same prepaid card. A decision step 320 asks whether the debit is less than or equal to (<) the credit amount on the card. If it is not (reply NO), this is followed by an action step 322 issuing a warning as to an insufficient amount, immediately followed by an action step 324 indicating a request for loading of a new card. The request for a new card made by the step 324 is followed by a decision step 326 indicating whether a new card has been added. If no card is added (reply NO), the procedure again finishes with the step 31 rejecting the card. If, on the other hand, a new card credited with a sum has been added (reply YES), the procedure continues with an action step 328 which reads the said new card and enters the credit present thereon into the reading device. This is followed by a following action step 330 where the remaining credit on the old card is added to the credit on the new card and these credits, added together, satisfy the procedure preceding the decision step 312 so that the procedm-e for purchase using a prepaid card may be commenced again. If, on the other hand, the decision step 320 determines that the debit is less than or equal to the credit amount on the prepaid card (answer YES), the procedure passes to the action step 332 in order to subtract the debit from the credit sum of the card. This is followed by an action step 334 reading and displaying the remaining credit, capable of informing the purchaser as to the credit remaining on the prepaid card, in turn followed by an action step 336 for managing parts, substantially identical to the step 142 which is depicted in detail in Figure 8 and to which reference should be made.

The above description depicts some embodiments of the present invention provided by way of example and not to be regarded in any way as limiting the scope of the invention defined by the accompanying claims. Therefore, logical and equivalent variations may occur to skilled in this particular art, from a reading of the above description, all of which are to be regarded as covered in the claims appended to this description. For example, the means printing out messages for the user could be omitted or could be replaced by means which directly link up the dispensing stores according to the invention with administrative calculating centres within a company, without, however, departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, instead of a single opening 24 or 50 for removing articles, it is possible to envisage a plurality of openings, each coinciding with the windows of the containers 18 or 48, allowing direct removal from said containers.

Claims

1. Store system for the controlled dispensing and management of articles, characterized by at least one container (12, 42) provided with a plurality of loading units filled with consumables (19, 49), an electronic centre (16, 46) suitable for reading computerised cards and provided with at least one interactive keyboard (28, 56) for allowing selection of articles (19, 49), store management means (142) for checking and updating replenishing of the individual loading units, accounting means (144, 228) for debiting the costs of the articles withdrawn to corresponding company centres or, alternatively, to the current bank accounts of private individuals by means of telematic connections with interbank networks.

2. Store system according to Claim 1, comprising a plurality of cyclical storing units which can be easily loaded with articles to be dispensed and which, upon request, convey each article for which delivery has been authorised to discharging means connecting each storing unit to a removal opening associated with each container.

3. Store system according to Claim 1, characterized in that the removal of articles from the containers (18, 48) is performed through openings coinciding with the windows of the said containers (18, 48).

4. Store system according to Claims 1, 2 and 3, in which the loading units are also provided with means (20) for counting the articles (19) loaded in them and warning means (22) for signalling any imminent depletion of stocks.

5. Store system according to Claim 4, characterized in that the warning means for indicating imminent depletion of stocks may be telematically connected to supplier organisations so that orders may be placed in order to replenish stocks on line.

6. Store system according to the preceding claims which may be provided with an auxiliary container (80) capable of receiving used articles forming special waste which cannot be disposed of in the manner of ordinary solid urban waste.