Multiple use commodity collection and storage system

Claim 2

A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprising: a plurality of collection stations, each station for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities, each station including: a. a plurality of reverse vending machines with a consumer selectable insert port being located in each machine, each port for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity, the size of each machine being within predetermined limits; b. pre-selection means associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type; c. microprocessor means for storing data corresponding to the commodities verified by the pre-selection means; and d. means for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection means to be of the predetermined type; bulk storage means remotely located from the collection stations, including at least one storage bin corresponding to each machine for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity, each bin being remotely positioned in relation to the corresponding machine for receiving commodities from the corresponding machine; and pneumatic means for conveying each predetermined type of densified commodity from each machine to the corresponding storage bin in the bulk storage means and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, the pneumatic means including a plurality of intake pipes, each intake pipe for receiving densified commodities from one machine and being in communication with a corresponding storage bin, suction means for creating suction, and a plurality of outlet tubes, each outlet tube being in communication with a corresponding storage bin and the suction means, the suction means drawing each predetermined type of densified commodity from the corresponding machine to the corresponding storage bin through the corresponding intake pipe via suction.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 also including a plurality of commodity collection vehicles, each vehicle including a transport compartment and means for automatically loading the densified commodity of at least one of the predetermined types from the bulk storage means into the transport compartment.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 wherein the transport compartment of each vehicle includes a plurality of separate segregated zones, each for receiving a different densified commodity from the bulk storage means.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined commodities include aluminum, glass and plastic containers.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1, also including means for remotely accessing the microprocessor means of each station for centrally reading the data.

Claim 7

The system of claim 2, further comprising means for remotely accessing the microprocessor means of each station for centrally reading the data.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1, wherein each collection station further includes means for issuing at least one token in response to the receipt of a predetermined commodity.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6 wherein the remotely accessing means includes a central processing unit for analyzing the data from the plurality of stations, and routing the commodity collection vehicles to the stations on the basis of the data.

Claim 10

The system of claim 6 wherein each station also includes failure means for generating failure data when the station is inoperable, the remotely accessing means includes a central processing unit for receiving the failure data to indicate to an operator that the station is inoperable.

Claim 11

The system of claim 3 wherein the commodity collection vehicles each includes vacuum suction means for transferring each densified commodity from the bulk storage means to the corresponding segregated zone in the vehicle.

Claim 12

The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a redeemable voucher.

Claim 13

The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a coupon.

Claim 14

The system of claim 7 wherein the token includes a coin.

Claim 15

The system of claim 7 wherein each station also includes coupon printing means for printing and issuing redeemable coupons in response to commodities received and verified by the pre-selection means.

Claim 16

A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprising: a plurality of collection stations, each station for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities, each station including: a. a plurality of reverse vending machines with a consumer selectable insert port being located in each machine, each port for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity, the size of each machine being within predetermined limits; b. pre-selection means associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type; c. means for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection means to be of the predetermined type; d. prestorage means including a separate space for each predetermined type of commodity; and e. transfer means for automatically transferring each predetermined type of densified commodity from the densifying means to the corresponding separate space in the prestorage means; bulk storage means remotely located from the collection stations, including at least one storage bin corresponding to each machine for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity, each bin being remotely positioned in relation to the corresponding machine for receiving commodities from the corresponding machine; and pneumatic means for conveying each predetermined type of commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin in the bulk storage means and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, the pneumatic means including a plurality of intake pipes, each intake pipe being in communication with the prestorage means of one of the stations and a corresponding storage bin, suction means for creating suction, and a plurality of outlet tubes, each outlet tube being in communication with a corresponding storage bin and the suction means, the suction means drawing each predetermined type of densified commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin through the corresponding intake pipe via suction.

Claim 17

A multiple use commodity collection and storage system, comprising: a plurality of collection stations, each station for receiving a plurality of different predetermined post-consumer recyclable commodities, each station including: a. a plurality of reverse vending machines with a consumer selectable insert port being located in each machine, each port for receiving one different predetermined type of commodity, the size of each machine being within predetermined limits; b. pre-selection means associated with each insert port for automatically verifying that an inserted commodity is of the predetermined type; c. means for densifying the commodities received in each insert port and verified by the pre-selection means to be of the predetermined type; d. prestorage means including a separate space for each predetermined type of commodity; and e. transfer means for automatically transferring each predetermined type of densified commodity from the densifying means to the corresponding separate space in the prestorage means; bulk storage means remotely located from the collection stations, including at least one storage bin corresponding to each machine for separately storing each predetermined type of densified commodity, each bin being remotely positioned in relation to the corresponding machine for receiving commodities from the corresponding machine; and pneumatic means for conveying each predetermined type of commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin in the bulk storage means and continuously maintaining the segregation of the commodity types during the conveyance, the pneumatic means including a plurality of intake pipes, each intake pipe being in communication with the prestorage means of one of the stations and a corresponding storage bin, suction means for creating suction, and a plurality of outlet tubes, each outlet tube being in communication with a corresponding storage bin and the suction means, the suction means drawing each predetermined type of densified commodity from the prestorage means to the corresponding storage bin through the corresponding intake pipe via suction.

Claim 18

The system of claim 15 wherein the different commodities include aluminum, glass, and polymer resin.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16, wherein the glass includes green, brown and white glass, and the stations each include means for segregating the glass into separate storage bins for receiving the green, brown and white glass, respectively.

Claim 20

The system of claim 16 wherein the polymer resin includes high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Claim 21

The system of claim 15 wherein each collection station further includes means for issuing at least one token in response to the receipt of a predetermined commodity.

Claim 22

The system of claim 1, wherein the suction means comprises a single blower in communication with the plurality of storage bins via the outlet tubes.

Claim 23

The system of claim 15, wherein the suction means comprises a single blower in communication with the plurality of storage bins via the outlet tubes.

Claim 24

The system of claim 1, wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of blowers, each of the blowers being in communication with a single storage bin via a single corresponding outlet tube.

Claim 25

The system of claim 15, wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of blowers, each of the blowers being in communication with a single storage bin via a single corresponding outlet tube.