Background Flour distribution from Australian flourmills to bakeries is determined by the size or flour consumption of the bakery.

Basically there are two methods of distribution employed, the bulk tanker system and the bag system.

The bulk tanker system is used in industrial size bakeries where tanks or silos of 30 to 100 tonne capacity are refilled using bulk tankers, which carry a single load of flour from the mill to the bakery. The weight of flour transported is determined by weighing the truck on the mill's weighbridge and the bakery is charged accordingly.

The bag system is used in small to medium sized bakeries, where mostly 25Kg bags are transported by truck in palletised form from the mill to a number of smaller bakeries before the truck returns to the mill for reloading.

Object The present invention seeks to reduce manual labour and minimise potential work injuries which may result from the above bag system.

Summary In accordance with the invention, there is provided a distribution method including delivering produce to a facility, transferring the produce into a silo, calculating a cost of the delivered produce based on the weight of the silo and issuing a charge such as by an invoice.

Preferably, the method further includes monitoring the weight of the silo whilst the produce exits the silo during production.

Preferably, the method includes delivering produce to a plurality of facilities and

issuing a charge for each facility based on the weight of the respective silo at each facility.

In another aspect, there is provided a distribution system including a silo, for receipt of produce, at least one load cell for monitoring the weight of the silo, a microprocessor for monitoring the amount of produce in the silo based on the weight of the silo, and for generating data for use in calculating a charge in respect of the received produce.

Preferably, the microprocessor measures produce exiting the silo for subsequent processing.

In yet another aspect, there is provided a facility which includes a distribution system, as described above, wherein the facility is in the form of a bakery arranged to process produce, in the form of flour.

In a further aspect, there is provided a method for invoicing flour delivered to a bakery including transferring the flour from a truck into a silo, measuring the weight of the silo and generating an invoice for the cost of the flour based on the measured weight.

In another aspect, there is provided a method including monitoring an amount of produce transferred into and output from a silo, using a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor generates data for use in calculating a charge in respect of the produce transferred into the silo.

Preferably, the data is transmitted to a remote location for issuing the charge.

Preferably, the data is transferred automatically, upon completion of a filling operation.

More preferably, the amount of produce is monitored by weighing the silo as produce is input to and output from the silo.

Preferably, the data includes historical consumption data, which is utilised to determine delivery of further produce.

Preferably, the method further includes delivery of the produce for transferral into the silo.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention is described in more detail, with reference to Figure 1, which shows a diagrammatic representation of a facility with a delivery system.

Detailed Description A facility 1, is shown as including a system 2 comprising silos 3,4, supported by a frame 5 and a hopper/mixer 6, 6' arrangement which receives produce from the silos 3,4 via line 7. Each silo 3,4 has a stainless steel inlet pipe 8. The pipe 8 of the left most silo 3 is shown connected to a feed pipe 9 of a tanker 10.

In use of the system 2, produce is delivered from the tanker 10, to each of the silos 3,4, as required, through the connected pipes 8 and 9. When needed, the produce is caused to exit the silos 3,4 via respective valves 11 at the bottom of each silo. From there, the produce is pneumatically transferred to the hopper/mixer 6,6'along the line 7, where additional products may be added, if required. The mixer 6'dispenses a predetermined quantity of the product for subsequent processing.

The silos 3,4 are provided with load cells 13, beneath each of the feet 14 of the silo frame 5 for monitoring the weight of the silo and that in turn will provide an indication of the amount of produce not only within each silo, but also being transferred into the silo 3,4 from the tanker 10 and subsequently exiting the silo for processing. The load cells 13 are preferably linked to a microprocessor (not shown) which may also control the valves 11 and, indeed, the entire operation of the system, including the pneumatic transfer of the produce.

Feedback from the load cells is also used to determine the cost of the produce transferred from the tanker and a driver of the truck 10 may carry a portable device, which is adapted to issue a charge in the form of an invoice.

As previously indicated, the produce is preferably in the form of flour and the facility 1 is a bakery, although the invention should not be considered as being limited to that application only.

A more specific description of the system, when used in a bakery, is as follows: It is envisaged, for a conventional small sized bakery that a silo in the order of 2.5 to 5 tonne capacity would be used, that has a footprint of about 1.8 x 1. 8 meters, which compares favourably with the space requirements of 1.2 m2 for a conventional 1 tonne pallet of bagged flour.

The flour is delivered pneumatically from the silo to the mixer via an intermediate hopper 6, which is located next to the dough mixer 6'and connected with the silo through

the pipeline 7, which may be up to 15 meters in length. In order to further reduce cost and dimensional requirements, a smaller structure, which only holds 0.9 to 1.0 ton of flour and measures 1300 x 1300 mm may be implemented, with an auger system installed in place of the pneumatic system, piping and intermediate hopper.

In any event, both the flour delivery from an external source (tanker 10) and the flour supply to the dough mixer 6'are measured or controlled via one microprocessor.

As may be appreciated, the system 1 can provide a very significant reduction of manual labour in small to medium sized bakeries, as compared to a conventional small bakery where a baker may be lifting on average between 500Kg and 1 000Kg of bagged flour per day. Using the system 1, this proportion of manual labour is completely removed from the baker's daily routine.

The baker can call 1Kg to 50Kg of flour from the silo via the hopper 6.

The microprocessor can also allow for storage of frequently used tasks (formulations) and show historical consumption data.

As indicated above, when the flour is delivered to the bakery, the driver can simply connect a portable data processor/printer to the microprocessor. He presses a reset button to zero the weight reading and after the filling of the silo is completed the portable data processor/printer will produce a delivery docket stating the delivered amount of flour and customer details.

The customer retains one hardcopy of the delivery docket and the data contained in the portable data processor will be converted into invoices on return to the mill. In an alternative, the portable data processor may be dispensed with, in which case, the microprocessor generates data for use calculating a charge in respect of the produce transferred into the silo and transfers that data to a remote location, such as the flour mill, for issuing the charge in the form of an invoice or account statement. The data transfer may be effected using any suitable type of information transfer medium such as electronically, via a conventional modem and telephone line.

The data preferably includes historical consumption data as well, which may be utilised to automatically determine delivery of further flour.

In order to initiate the transfer of data, a system may be devised whereby the driver carries a swipe card, or other form of ID, which is presented to an ID reader at a point of

delivery, prior to commencement of a filling operation, so as to automatically reset the measured weight of the silo to zero, ready for receipt of flour. After completion of the filling operation, the card is swiped again and the data is automatically transferred to the remote location/mill.

The ID reader and connection point, where the feed pipe 9 couples to the inlet pipe 8, are preferably arranged externally of the bakery so that the driver can have access to the system 2, to fill the silos 3,4, without the assistance of staff within the bakery. As such the silos may be filled outside of normal operating hours.

In its entirety, the system 1 and associated method of delivery reduces the overall cost of a silo system to the point where it is commercially viable for a customer base with a relatively low throughput, which until now would not have been able to be supplied with bulk flour from a tanker 10, or the like.

The overall system also allows the tanker 10 to deliver flour to several bakeries on one truckload and eliminates the necessity for the truck to go back to a weighing bridge after each single delivery for certification of the quantity being delivered for billing purposes.

The following features facilitate some of the main differences of the invention compared to an existing bulk supply system: 1) The reduced dimensions and capacity of the silo 2) The use of load cells under the feet of the silo with a double function : a. Weighing the flour being delivered by the flourmill. b. Weighing the flour delivered to the mixer by detraction from the total weight of the flour present in the silo 3) The microprocessor and its software, which allows not only the control of, the above listed functions, but also a printout of the flour delivered by the tanker.

In contrast, in existing bulk flour storage systems: the silos are normally too big to fit in small bakeries; weighing cells are currently only installed under some flour silos and they are only used to double-check the mills flour deposits and are not used to measure the flour pneumatically transported to the dough mixer. Further weighing cells on the weigh hopper are necessary to measure the flour deposit into the mixer;

microprocessors are currently only used to control partial functions of the system, but not to control the functioning of the system in its entirety; microprocessors are not used to produce a formal document (delivery docket) stating the quantity of flour delivered by the flourmill.

Throughout the specification, the term"silo"has been used for the sake of clarity, however, it is intended that the term include any form of receptacle.

Further, the invention has been described by way of non-limiting example only and many modifications and variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described.