Technical field

The present invention relates to a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction, and to a container provided with the kit.

Background art

There are a plurality of applications in which it is necessary to identify the quantity of material introduced by each user into a specific container.

In particular, this need is felt strongly in the waste collection sector.

Currently, each user in fact pays an amount, which is proportional to the size of his home (in the case of an individual person) or to the characteristics of his business (in the case of a corporate body), for the collection and disposal of waste, which is performed by the assigned body/agency.

The use of this criterion penalizes those who, despite owning a large home (or a large company), act so as to minimize the quantity of waste produced.

At the same time, in view of the necessity to recycle as much waste as possible, it is convenient to be capable of quantifying the sorted material introduced by each user in each respective waste container (or generic collection container) in order to identify virtuous users, for example to reward them (for example with a reduction in service costs, a free rendering of services to which they are entitled, and more).

The waste containers currently in use do not allow the mentioned monitoring and therefore make it complicated and/or impossible to make the costs of the service that each user must bear proportionate to that user's actual use of the service, as well as to the user's willingness to recycle.

Disclosure of the invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by proposing a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction, which is suitable for detecting the quantity of each type of material introduced in specific containers by each individual user.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to propose a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction that allows detecting and storing of the information monitored in a preset time interval, which corresponds to the period for which the user must pay an amount for the service of collection of this material.

Another object of the invention is to propose a container provided with said kit which is suitable for recording and monitoring the information concerning the introduction of material performed by all authorized users.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container and a container provided with said kit, which are suitable for ensuring the traceability of the material introduced and therefore also the certification of the service for collection and disposal of said material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction and a container provided with said kit which have a low cost and are relatively easy to provide in practice and safe in application.

This aim and these and other objects that will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction, characterized in that it comprises at least one control and management device provided with at least one memory unit, at least one transceiver block functionally associated with the at least one control and management device, at least one remote detection and reading assembly controlled by the at least one control and management device, for acquiring data strings from identification means associated with the material being introduced.

This aim and these objects are also achieved by a container designed to store and collect material introduced by authorized users, characterized in that it comprises at least one control and management device provided with at least one memory unit, at least one transceiver block functionally associated with the at least one control and management device, at least one remote detection and reading assembly controlled by the at least one control and management device, for acquiring data strings from identification means associated with the material being introduced.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more . apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container by each user authorized to perform said introduction and of the container provided with said kit according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the kit according to the invention; Figure 2 is a functional block diagram view of the kit according to the invention.

Ways of carrying out the invention

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a kit for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container 2 by each user authorized to perform said introduction and a container 2 provided with the kit 1. The monitoring kit 1 comprises at least one control and management device 3 provided with at least one memory unit 4.

The control and management device 3 may be constituted by a device of the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) type, i.e., a computer for industrial use designed to control and process the processes of the components that it controls, a generic computer and/or an apparatus such as a smartphone and/or handheld computer.

The kit 1 comprises, moreover, at least one transceiver block 5 generally coupled to a respective antenna.

The block 5 is functionally associated with the at least one control and management device and allows the exchange of information between said device 3 and a control center C (remotely connected to a plurality of different kits 1).

The possibility is not excluded that the containers 2, by means of the respective devices 3 of the installed kit 1, can communicate with each other or with vehicles (for example the ones intended to empty them) or with other portable and/or fixed components (such as for example personal computers, handheld computers, smartphones, data processing devices and the like).

Finally, the kit 1 according to the invention comprises at least one remote detection and reading assembly 7, also controlled by the at least one control and management device 3, for acquiring data strings from specific identification means 8 associated with the material being introduced 9.

The identification means 8 might be associated with the material 9 being introduced directly (for example by gluing and/or fixing them to its surface) or they might be integral with a bag designed to contain said material 9 being introduced.

This second possibility is particularly interesting if one refers to containers 2 for the collection of waste: in this case, in fact, the waste is generally contained inside a respective bag by the user so as to facilitate its transport and storage.

Therefore, the identification means 8 might be constituted by pads which are adhesive (or fixable otherwise to a surface of the material being introduced 9) or, as an alternative, by laminar elements comprised in the collection bag.

In the first case, the user shall have to apply a pad of his own (that constitutes the identification means 8) to the material 9 being introduced; in the second case there is no activity by the user, because the bag is already provided with the identification means 8.

According to a particular constructive solution of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the containers 2 provided with the kit shall be a plurality within a certain area monitored by a respective control center C.

In this case, a respective control and management device 3, the corresponding memory unit 4, the transceiver block 5 and the remote detection and reading assembly 7 are installed on a respective container 2 and a respective identification means 8, which contains a specific data string, is arranged on a respective grouping of material 9 to be introduced in the container 2.

The advantage of this constructive architecture is that it allows the control center C to communicate with all the containers 2 of the area assigned to it, receiving from them information concerning each introduction of material 9 performed by each user (which will be uniquely identified by the identification means 8 associated with the material being introduced 9).

The control center C can thus record the quantity of material introduced by each user, identifying precisely the type of service used by the user and the volume of material 9 introduced by said user.

This is particularly interesting in connection with separately collected waste: it shall in fact be possible to reward or provide incentives to virtuous users who perform optimum waste sorting, with a reduction of the costs of the collection and disposal service, and penalize instead those who use only containers for unsorted waste.

Moreover, users who produce large volumes of waste, using intensively the collection and disposal service, shall pay a higher fee for this service than those who produce very little waste.

The container 2 (or rather the network of containers 2) according to the invention (i.e., provided with the kit 1) shall have the function, when it is correctly associated with a respective control center C, of counting the volume (mass) and type (for sorted collection) of introduced waste in order to ensure that the user pays an amount for the actual use of the service performed 8.

According to a particular constructive solution of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the remote detection and reading assembly 7 is of the type preferably selected among radio-frequency assemblies, assemblies of the type known as "Bluetooth®" (in telecommunications, "Bluetooth®" is an industrial specification for personal wireless networks), assemblies of the type known as "NFC" (acronym of Near Field Communication, which is a technology that provides wireless bidirectional short-range radio-frequency connectivity, up to a maximum of 10 cm), infrared assemblies, photocell assemblies, photodiode assemblies, bar code readers, QR code readers (the QR code is a two-dimensional matrix-type bar code composed of generally black modules arranged inside a square pattern), magnetic strip scanners, electrical field detectors and magnetic field detectors.

In this field, each identification means that contains a specific data string shall be of the type preferably selected among transponders, magnetic media, labels with bar codes, labels with QR codes, generators of magnetic fields, generators of electrical fields, generators of coded light signals, emitters of electromagnetic signals, emitters of a signal of the type known as "Bluetooth®", emitters of a signal of the type known as NFC and emitters of a radio-frequency signal.

With particular reference to a constructive option suitable for providing the user with the maximum possible number of information items, the kit 1 comprises an information display panel 10, of the type of a screen, a display and the like, which is functionally associated with the control and management device 3.

The panel 10 can provide the user with information about the quantity and the quality (for example the apportionment of what has been introduced in connection with waste differentiation) of the material introduced 9 in a certain time interval.

This will allow the user to estimate the amount he shall have to pay for the service used.

At the same time, the panel 10 may provide general information about the collection services, as well as advertisement information and other information.

The use of the panel 10 to ensure access to quick-intervention services (thanks to the connection to the control center C it shall be therefore possible to request the intervention of police forces, of an ambulance or of the fire department) or services of other type shall not be excluded.

Conveniently, the kit 1 may comprise at least one sensor for detecting the filling level of the container 2 with which it is associated: in this manner the control center will send a vehicle to empty the container 2 only when said container is full.

This method ensures that the control center schedules a "dynamic collection", planning a path for its collection vehicles that is tied to the actual emptying requirements of the containers 2 (this will reduce the operating costs of this service).

The present invention also comprises a container 2 designed to store and collect material 9 introduced by authorized users, which comprises at least one control and management device 3 provided with at least one memory unit 4, at least one transceiver block 5, which is functionally associated with at least one control and management device 3, at least one remote detection and reading assembly 7, which is controlled by the at least one control and management device 3, for acquiring data strings from identification means 8 associated with the material being introduced 9.

The container 2 according to the invention comprises favorably at least one electric power source (designed to supply electric power to the assembly 1 1 that comprises the control and management device 3, the memory unit 4, the transceiver 5 and the reader 7, as well as all the other components controlled by them), preferably selected among at least one photovoltaic panel, at least one battery, at least one electromechanical generator driven by the movement of at least part of the container, such as for example the doors, at least one wind power generator and the electric grid, both by means of a wired connection and by means of electromagnetic couplings thereto (inductive or capacitive coupling to respective apparatuses connected to the electric grid and arranged proximate to the site where the container is located in use is in fact not excluded).

According to a particular constructive solution of unquestionable interest in practice and in application, the container 2 comprises a panel 10 for displaying information, of the type of a screen, a display and the like, functionally associated with the control and management device 3, arranged along one of its external surfaces and easily accessible by authorized users.

By means of the panel 10, the user can request (for example with touch screen panels or, if it has been provided, also a keypad proximate to the panel 10) information from the control center C or, more simply, he can watch advertising messages, informational messages and the like.

The fact is stressed that conveniently the container 2 can comprise multicolor light sources with selective and adjustable emission: in practice, each source can emit a beam of a predefined color, characterizing, for example, the container 2 in relation to a particular service associated with that specific color.

These multicolor light sources shall be functionally associated with the control and management device 3, for modifying the appearance and color of the container 2: this might be preset in the memory unit 4 or remotely controlled by the control center C.

In fact, it might occur that in a certain area there is the need to increase the number of containers 2 designed to collect paper with respect to containers 2 intended for other waste. From the control center C it would be possible to change the color of the container 2: for example, it would be possible to change the color of the container 2 by selecting the color that characterizes the containers 2 intended to collect paper, uniquely marking said container 2 in every respect for that type of collection and storage.

This type of colored lighting may be useful as an anti-tampering system, in case someone tries to damage the container 2 in order to steal some of the installed components: in this case, the lights might be induced to flash so as to attract the attention of passersby and police forces.

The optional changing of the color of some portions of the container 2 provided with the kit 1 may also be obtained by a variation in the arrangement of a multicolor component associated with the container 2: following an appropriate command of the control and management device 3, an actuator shall modify its position so that from the outside of the container 2 only a part of the component that has a specific color is visible (the position of the multicolor component, therefore, will ensure that users identify a particular color of the portion designed to provide visual information on the container 2).

It is convenient to specify that the container 2 can comprise at least one sensor for detecting its filling level which is functionally associated with the control and management device 3: at a specific preset filling level, the control and management device 3 shall send a request for emptying to the control center C, designed to provide this service, by means of the at least one transceiver block 5.

Usefully, the container 2 may comprise at least one loudspeaker functionally associated with the control and management device 3 for the transmission of messages and information.

In this case also, the loudspeaker may be used in combination with the multicolor light sources to discourage tampering attempts and attract the attention of passersby and police forces.

Finally, it is specified that the container 2 can also comprise at least one apparatus for blocking the at least one door 12 for access to the compartment defined inside the container 2 and a detector, which are functionally controlled by the control and management device 3.

Each authorized user shall have at his disposal respective identification means 8 that can be recognized by the detector for verifying his authorization and for the consequent unlocking of the apparatus and the free opening of the door 12.

The described detector might also be constituted by the remote detection and reading assembly 7 itself.

Conveniently, the present invention proposes a kit 1 for monitoring the quantity of material introduced in at least one container 2 by each user authorized to perform said introduction that allows the detection and storage of the information monitored in a preset time interval, which corresponds to the period for which the user shall have to pay an amount for the service of collection of said material.

In this manner, the kit 1 installed in the container 2 (via the optional control center C) will behave exactly like a meter, allowing the user to pay an amount that corresponds to the service actually used.

Positively, the container 2 provided with the kit 1 is suitable for recording and monitoring the information concerning the introduction of material 9 performed by all authorized users, allowing the control center C to establish the correct rate assignment of all its users.

Advantageously, the monitoring kit 1 according to the invention and the container 2 provided with the kit 1 are suitable for ensuring the traceability of the material introduced and therefore also the certification of the collection and disposal service of the material itself.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; moreover, all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

For example, the possible intercommunication among different containers 2 provided with the kit 1 and their communication with the vehicles and/or the control center C allows each container 2 to transmit its own operating status and therefore also to communicate any malfunctions in order to plan maintenance operations.

In the examples of embodiment shown, individual characteristics, given in connection with specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other examples of embodiment.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.