DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a purchase and management apparatus for purchasing and managing ready-for-use empty containers and used empty containers of said purchase apparatus.

In particular, the present invention refers to a purchase apparatus with an industrial application in the sale of goods in major retail outlets.

One of the main sources of the production of plastic waste is due to the packaging of foodstuffs that are purchasable in major retail outlets.

Normally, packaging for foodstuffs, in particular of the departments stocking fresh and very fresh produce, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, have a life cycle that is closely connected to the consumption of the foodstuff. In other words, such packages are single-use and if after use they are not recovered and recycled they generate waste with a high environmental impact and which takes a long time to break down.

In order to combat the production of polluting waste, policies have been introduced of gradual replacement of some packaging of petrochemical origin with other packaging made of biodegradable materials. In this manner, biodegradable packaging that is accidentally dispersed in the environment breaks down over a few dozen months compared with the hundreds of years required for petrochemical packaging to break down.

Nevertheless, the introduction of such policies was limited to the field of bags for purchases of fruit and vegetables, whereas containers of pre-packed fresh and very fresh produce and trays are mainly made of plastics obtained by petrochemical synthesis.

It is further pointed out that in the field of the biodegradable bags used for fruit and vegetable purchases, items are often present in major retailing that are polluting, like for example the labels affixed to indicate the weight, type and cost of the product.

One object of the present invention is to make a purchase and management apparatus for purchasing and managing ready-for-use empty containers and used empty containers of said purchase apparatus that solves the aforesaid problems of the prior art, in particular increases the ratio between time of use and life cycle of packaging for foodstuffs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a purchase apparatus that enables a smaller number of incidents of packaging waste and thefts to be generated with respect to what is known from the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is also to make an apparatus for managing ready-for-use empty containers and used empty containers of said purchase apparatus that enables simply and effectively reuse to be incentivized and the number of refuse items to be decreased that are generated from packaging.

The technical task, as well as these and other objects according to the present invention, are achieved by making a purchase apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

Instead of the cash register, said apparatus can be more in general set with a maximum threshold number of return events of said container and count a number of reuses of said container for the transport of said container to a collection and recycling point instead of to a washing point if said counted number of reuses is greater than said maximum threshold number.

In particular, if there are several cash registers, the apparatus can obviously be provided with a central server set with the maximum threshold number of return events of the container, the cash registers being connected to the central server and the central server storing the acquisitions of the container made by all the cash registers so as to make the correct count of the total number of reuses of the container even if it is acquired each time by different cash registers.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will more fully emerge from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the purchase apparatus according to the invention, illustrated by way of indicative and nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

-figure 1 shows a schematic view of the purchase apparatus, which is the object of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment;

-figure 2 shows a detail of the purchase apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment.

With reference to the figures cited, a purchase apparatus is shown, which is generally indicated by number 1.

The purchase apparatus 1 comprises at least one cash register 2, at least one electronic scale 3 and at least one container 4.

The container 4 is made of a material which is recyclable, washable and compatible for direct contact with foodstuffs, and configured for containment of foodstuffs. The container 4 might or might not contain foodstuffs.

The container 4 has an electronic device 5 for identifying the container 4 and for automatically storing information.

The electronic device 5 comprises a support, a microchip, a radiofrequency antenna and a programmable non-volatile memory.

In particular, the programmable non-volatile memory comprises at least one identification code of the container 4.

According to one particular aspect of the invention, the identification code of the container 4 comprises information on the weight of the empty container 4.

The electronic scale 3 has a radioffequency reading unit configured to interact with the radiofrequency antenna of the electronic device 5 for reading on the programmable non-volatile memory the identification code of the container 4 to identify the container 4.

The electronic scale 3 has a control unit configured to automatically calibrate the weighing of the container 4 with the identification code of the container 4.

The electronic scale 3 further comprises a writing unit configured to interact with the radiofrequency antenna of the electronic device 5 to write on the programmable non-volatile memory a sale price corresponding to the monetary value of at least one detected net weight of at least one food product contained in the identified container 4.

The cash register 2 has a radiofrequency reader for interacting with the radiofrequency antenna of the electronic device 5 for reading on the programmable non-volatile memory said sale price and the identification code of the container 4 and issuing means for issuing a purchase receipt.

The cash register 2 also has calculating means configured to acquire the identification code of the container 4, to assign a monetary deposit value to the container 4 and automatically to add or detract in the purchase receipt an amount equal to the monetary deposit value.

The identification code identifying the container 4 is a unique identification code.

In particular, the calculating means of the cash register 2 is configured to store the acquisitions of the unique identification codes of the containers 4 and is configured to add and respectively detract, or vice versa, a monetary amount equal to the monetary deposit value in said receipt in two consecutive acquisitions of the unique identification code.

Each container 4 comprises a hermetically sealed protective casing 6 housing the electronic device 5.

The casing 6 is indissolubly fixed to the container 4.

Preferably, the electronic device 5 is a rewritable passive Rfid tag.

Preferably, the sale apparatus comprises a plurality of containers 4 belonging to different types of container in terms of shape, dimensions and weight.

According to one embodiment, the container 4 is made of a breathable material. In this manner, the foodstuffs contained inside the container 4 can be kept, for example in the refrigerator, without the formation of condensation.

According to one embodiment, the container 4 has a semi-rigid base 7, a side wall 8 made of a mesh fabric fixed below the semi-rigid base 7 and a closing tie 9 connected above to the side wall 8.

In particular, the side wall 8 is foldable on itself.

Preferably, the semi-rigid base 7 has a disk shape and the side wall 8 is fixed below to the edge of the semi-rigid base 7.

Preferably, the semi-rigid base 7 is made of breathable platinic silicone and the side wall 8 is made of polyester fibres.

In other embodiments, the materials of the container can be different provided that they are compatible with use for foodstuffs.

According to a further embodiment, the container 4 has a box-shaped body and comprises a closing cover.

Preferably, the closing cover is fixed rotatably to the box-shaped body.

In other embodiments that are not shown, the closing cover is separate from the box-shaped cover and is made of a biodegradable transparent film.

According to one particular aspect of the invention, each container 4 is washable in water.

According to a further embodiment, each container 4 is washable in other nonwater based sanitization systems.

In particular, each container 4 is washable in washers and/or dishwashers.

According to a further aspect of the invention, each container 4 is washable and reusable for a maximum number of times.

The maximum number of uses and washes is comprised between 500 and 5000 reuses.

According to one particular aspect of the invention, the cash register is configured to count the number of reuses of each container 4.

According to a further embodiment, the purchase apparatus comprises an automatic collecting and distribution device of said containers provided with a radiofrequency reading unit configured to interact with the radiofrequency antenna of the electronic device 5.

According to another embodiment, the apparatus comprises an electronic mobile device comprising a writing unit and a radiofrequency reading unit and configured to interact with each container, each case and each scale.

For example, said electronic mobile device can be a smartphone, tablet or other similar devices.

Advantageously, each electronic device 5 is protected by protection systems from fraudulent rewriting and cryptography.

Advantageously, the sale apparatus comprises computer systems for correct management of the sensitive data.

Preferably, the sale apparatus comprises software for the scale interface.

Preferably, the sale apparatus further comprises data management software that is compatible and interfaceable with other logistic management software or ERP, so as to be able to program the logistics of the containers and manage sales data.

The present invention also relates to a method of managing the ready-for-use empty containers 4a and used empty containers 4b of a purchase apparatus 1 installed in a sale point.

The method comprises the following steps:

- at the cash register 2, returning each used empty container 4b available and delivering each filled container 4a,

-through the cash register 2 identifying each filled container 4a and each returned used empty container 4b, assigning a monetary deposit value to each filled container 4a, issuing a purchase receipt by the cash register 2 adding to the receipt a value equal to the monetary deposit value assigned to each filled container 4a and detracting from said purchase receipt said monetary deposit value assigned to each returned used empty container 4b in a preceding purchase event by said purchase apparatus 1,

-transporting each returned used empty container 4b to a washing point,

-washing each returned used empty container 4b returned to the washing point,

- transporting each washed container 4b to the sale point,

- displaying, in the sale point, each washed container 4a as being ready to use.

In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the following steps for filling a ready-for-use empty container 4a:

- collecting at least one ready-for-use empty container 4a at the sale point,

- filling said ready-for-use empty container 4a with a type of foodstuff,

-placing the filled container 4a on the scale 3,

-identifying the filled container 4a by the scale 3, detecting the net weight of the foodstuffs contained in the identified container 4a, assigning a sale price corresponding to the detected net weight to said identified container 4a.

In particular, the steps for filling a ready-for-use empty container 4a can be performed by department employees of a point of sale, by customers of the point of sale, by manufacturers both outside the point of sale and at the place of production thereof are provided with ready-for-use empty containers 4a and with an electronic scale 3 similar to that of the purchase apparatus 1.

Preferably, the method comprises the further steps:

- counting a number of returned events of each returned used empty container 4b following identification of each returned used empty container 4b by means of said cash register 2,

and if said number of returned events of a returned used empty container is greater than a maximum threshold number of returned events set at said cash register 2: -transporting said returned empty container 4b to a collection and recycling point instead of transporting said returned empty container 4b to a washing point.

The purchase apparatus 1 as conceived herein is susceptible to many modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; further, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the needs and the state of the art.

For example, the electronic device 5 can contain data of different type such as the unique and non-transferable reference to the container 4 to which, for the entire life of the container, the number of washes/sanitization events that the container 4 undergoes over its life, the unit price, weight and total price of the products with which the container 4 is filled at each use (these data can be deleted and rewritten at each new filling), the type of goods with which the container 4 is filled at each use, the date of purchase of each use, the date of return of each use, the date of each wash/sanitization event of each use, the expiry date.

The electronic device 5 can be further provided with at least one detection sensor for detecting the state of freshness of food products contained in the container 4, for example humidity sensors, or sensors of liquids or gases emitted by the food products contained in the container 4.

The electronic device 5 can also communicate with weighing systems and payment systems of different type including purchase systems without cash registers i.e. by electronic devices such as for example smartphones, portable ReFid tag readers or other devices.

The electronic device 5 can communicate with management systems for the logistic control of the container and with sales management systems.

The electronic device 5 can contain data that are entered by a management system of a point of sale or of a manufacturer of goods.

The electronic device 5 can also communicate with software embedded into smart domestic storage systems like IOT refrigerators.

The electronic device 5 can communicate to the IOT refrigerator some of the data that were already recorded during the purchase (type of product, weight, purchase date), the refrigerator can record these data and signal the approach of an expiry date, for example by suitable acoustic or visual signalling means.

The electronic device 5 can detect by the aforesaid sensors the storage conditions of the produce, informing the refrigerator of the deterioration of the produce.

The electronic device 5 can communicate with software embedded in systems and smart storage environments of the products or transport of the goods (such as for example refrigeration cells, trucks or other product transport carriers).

The electronic device 5 can communicate with apps (software) supporting management of domestic stock and programming domestic expenditure.

The electronic device 5 can communicate to the consumer that the products in the refrigerator have finished communicating and suggesting repurchasing to the smartphone of the consumer by an app.