US5355987A — Single station reverse vending machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 156 words

A commodity collection, densification and storage assembly, comprising: a housing; insert means in the housing for receiving commodities; sensor means, adjacent the insert means, for sensing at least one feature of the commodities; separation means responsive to the sensor means for separating the commodities according to the sensed feature; densification means for densifying the commodities received from the separation means; sorter means for receiving the densified commodities from the densification means and sorting them according to the sensed feature; a plurality of separate storage compartments, each for storing the densified commodities as sorted by the sorter means; removal means for removing the densified commodities from the sorter means to the storage compartments; and timing means for coordinating a sequential operation of the sensor means, separation means, densification means, sorter means, and removal means so that the assembly may receive a plurality of various commodities while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 156 words

A commodity collection, densification and storage assembly, comprising: a housing; insert means in the housing for receiving commodities; sensor means, adjacent the insert means, for sensing at least one feature of the commodities; separation means responsive to the sensor means for separating the commodities according to the sensed feature; densification means for densifying the commodities received from the separation means; sorter means for receiving the densified commodities from the densification means and sorting them according to the sensed feature; a plurality of separate storage compartments, each for storing the densified commodities as sorted by the sorter means; removal means for removing the densified commodities from the sorter means to the storage compartments; and timing means for coordinating a sequential operation of the sensor means, separation means, densification means, sorter means, and removal means so that the assembly may receive a plurality of various commodities while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert means comprises a generally rectangular insert port for receiving generally rectangular commodities and a generally round insert port for receiving generally cylindrical commodities.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the separation means separates the commodities into a first group of commodities consisting of glass commodities and a second group of commodities consisting of plastic and aluminum commodities.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The assembly of claim 1, further including a return mechanism for ejecting commodities from the housing without densification responsive to the sensor means, the separation means further separating ejected commodities from other inserted commodities.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 12 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor means detects a barcode.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor means senses a color of each commodity.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor means senses a shape of each commodity.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor means senses a weight of each commodity.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the densification means comprises a shredding mechanism for shredding commodities.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the densification means comprises a crushing mechanism for crushing commodities.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The assembly of claim 3, wherein the densification means comprises a shredding mechanism for shredding commodities and a crushing mechanism for crushing commodities.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first group of commodities is densified by the crushing mechanism, and the second group of commodities is densified by the shredding mechanism.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the storage means includes a plurality of separate storage compartments, each for storing the densified commodity according to the composition.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the intake means comprises at least one roller.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 47 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the intake means comprises at least one roller assembly comprising a pair of rollers and a rotatable belt disposed therebetween, the belt movable about the rollers in a direction to draw the commodities from the insert means through the gate means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

The assembly of claim 15, wherein the intake means is adjustable to conform to the size of the commodities.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the removal means includes pneumatic means for removing the densified commodities from the sorter means to the storage compartments.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The assembly of claim 1, further comprising payment means for determining the number of commodities inserted and issuing at least one token in response.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 12 words

The assembly of claim 18, wherein the token comprises a redeemable voucher.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 12 words

The assembly of claim 18, wherein the token comprises a redeemable receipt.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 12 words

The assembly of claim 18, wherein the token comprises a redeemable coin.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 74 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 1, further comprising: gate means adjacent the insert means movable between an open and closed position, for allowing the commodities to pass therethrough into the housing; intake means for drawing the commodities from the insert means through the gate means; and first sensor means for sensing the presence of an object in the gate means after the gate means has moved from the open position.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 38 words

The assembly of claim 22, wherein the intake means ceases operation in response to the intake sensor means sensing the presence of an object in the gate means after the gate means has moved from the open position.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 65 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the separation means includes a separation mechanism rotatably mounted on a shaft in the housing, the sensor means sensing each commodity while the commodity is disposed on the separation mechanism, the separation mechanism rotating either clockwise or counter clockwise responsive to the determined composition sensed by the sensor means to thereby separate various commodities.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 17, wherein the pneumatic means removes the densified commodities from the densification means to the storage means via suction.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor means senses a composition of each commodity.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 26, wherein the sensor means senses a commodities composed of glass.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 26, wherein the sensor means senses a commodities composed of plastic.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 15 words

The assembly of claim 26, wherein the sensor means senses a commodities composed of metal.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 212 words

A commodity collection, densification and storage assembly, comprising: a housing; insert means in the housing for receiving commodities; sensor means for sensing at least one feature of the commodities; separation means responsive to the sensor means for separating the commodities into a first group of commodities consisting of glass commodities, and a second group of commodities consisting of plastic and aluminum commodities; a crushing mechanism for crushing commodities within the first group; a shredding mechanism for shredding commodities within the second group; a first sorter mechanism which receives densified commodities from the crushing mechanism and sorts them responsive to the sensor means; a second sorter mechanism which receives densified commodities from the shredding mechanism and sorts them responsive to the sensor means including sorting the aluminum commodities from the plastic commodities; a plurality of separate storage compartments, each for storing the densified commodities as sorted by the sorter mechanisms; removal means for removing the densified commodities from the respective sorter mechanisms to the respective storage compartments; and timing means for coordinating a sequential operation of the sensor means, separation means, crushing and shredding mechanisms, sorter mechanisms, and removal means so that the assembly may receive a plurality of various commodities while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 212 words

A commodity collection, densification and storage assembly, comprising: a housing; insert means in the housing for receiving commodities; sensor means for sensing at least one feature of the commodities; separation means responsive to the sensor means for separating the commodities into a first group of commodities consisting of glass commodities, and a second group of commodities consisting of plastic and aluminum commodities; a crushing mechanism for crushing commodities within the first group; a shredding mechanism for shredding commodities within the second group; a first sorter mechanism which receives densified commodities from the crushing mechanism and sorts them responsive to the sensor means; a second sorter mechanism which receives densified commodities from the shredding mechanism and sorts them responsive to the sensor means including sorting the aluminum commodities from the plastic commodities; a plurality of separate storage compartments, each for storing the densified commodities as sorted by the sorter mechanisms; removal means for removing the densified commodities from the respective sorter mechanisms to the respective storage compartments; and timing means for coordinating a sequential operation of the sensor means, separation means, crushing and shredding mechanisms, sorter mechanisms, and removal means so that the assembly may receive a plurality of various commodities while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 30 words

The assembly of claim 30, wherein the sorter means includes at least one chute movable responsive to the sensor means for directing the densified commodities to the corresponding storage compartment.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 26 words

The assembly of claim 31, wherein the removal means includes pneumatic means for removing the densified commodities from the sorter mechanisms to the corresponding storage compartment.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 37 words

The assembly of claim 32, wherein the pneumatic means includes a plurality of inlet pipes, each for receiving densified commodities of a single composition from the chute and transferring the densified commodities to the corresponding storage compartment.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 49 words

The assembly of claim 33, wherein the pneumatic means includes a plurality of outlet pipes and a blower, each outlet pipe being in communication with a corresponding storage compartment and the blower, the blower drawing the densified commodities through the inlet pipe to the corresponding storage compartment via suction.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 79 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 30, further comprising: intake means for drawing the commodities from the insert means into the housing comprising at least one roller assembly including a pair of rollers and a rotatable belt disposed therebetween, the belt movable about the rollers in a direction to draw the commodities from the insert means into the housing; and stoppage means for halting operation of the intake means if an object blocks the insert means.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 42 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 30, wherein the sensor means senses a color of each commodity, the first sorter mechanism routing each densified commodity to a corresponding storage compartment according to the color sensed by the sensor means.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 45 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 30, wherein the sensor means senses a color composition and color of each commodity, the second sorter mechanism routing each densified commodity to a corresponding storage compartment according to the composition sensed by the sensor means.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 28 words

The commodity collection, densification and storage assembly of claim 37, wherein the second sorter mechanism routes each densified commodity according to the color sensed by the sensor means.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of collecting, densifying and storing recyclable commodities comprising: inserting the commodities one at a time through insert means into a housing; sensing at least one feature of each commodity adjacent the insert means; separating the commodities according to the sensed feature after the sensing step; densifying the commodities in a densification mechanism after the separating step; sorting the commodities in a sorter mechanism after the densifying step according to the sensed feature; removing the densified commodities for storage including receiving the densified commodities from the sorter mechanism and routing the densified commodities to a corresponding one of a plurality of storage compartments to maintain separation of the various densified commodities as sorted in the sorting step; and coordinating the steps of sensing, separating, densifying, sorting, and removing so that a plurality of various commodities may be inserted while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 151 words

A method of collecting, densifying and storing recyclable commodities comprising: inserting the commodities one at a time through insert means into a housing; sensing at least one feature of each commodity adjacent the insert means; separating the commodities according to the sensed feature after the sensing step; densifying the commodities in a densification mechanism after the separating step; sorting the commodities in a sorter mechanism after the densifying step according to the sensed feature; removing the densified commodities for storage including receiving the densified commodities from the sorter mechanism and routing the densified commodities to a corresponding one of a plurality of storage compartments to maintain separation of the various densified commodities as sorted in the sorting step; and coordinating the steps of sensing, separating, densifying, sorting, and removing so that a plurality of various commodities may be inserted while maintaining the separation of each type according to the sensed feature.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 69 words

The method of claim 39, further comprising: drawing the commodities from the insert means to gate means adjacent the insert means within the housing; passing the commodities through the gate means, the gate means moving from a closed to an open position allowing the commodities to pass therethrough; and sensing the presence of an object in the gate means after the gate means has moved from the open position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-10-17	1998-04-18	1998-10-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-10-17	2002-04-18	2002-10-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-10-17	2006-04-18	2006-10-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Single station reverse vending machine

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