WO2011154301A1

WO2011154301A1 - Apparatus for disseminating instructions and/or advertising messages

Info

Publication number: WO2011154301A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/059080
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luciano Salda
Original assignee: CMS SpA
Current assignee: CMS SpA
Priority date: 2010-06-09
Filing date: 2011-06-01
Publication date: 2011-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2012-12-09
Also published as: ITBO20100061U1

Abstract

Apparatus for disseminating instructions and/or advertising messages, comprising at least one flat- screen colour monitor (2) combined with a compacting machine (1) and installed in any suitable way on the machine or in the vicinity thereof, and means for disseminating through the at least one monitor (2) instructions and/or messages with advertising images of any suitable type and for any suitable purpose.

Description

TITLE:

APPARATUS FOR DISSEMINATING INSTRUCTIONS AND/OR ADVERTISING MESSAGES

DESCRIPTION

For some time, the applicant has been producing refuse compacting machines for cafeterias, fast food outlets, restaurants, hospitals, shopping centres, amusement parks or other sites where feasts, fairs or festivals are held, vending stations, or other places, each machine having at least one hopper into which the user tips the refuse to be disposed of, the refuse generally being solid and/or liquid, the machine also having screw presses and means for compacting the refuse, for gravity separation of any liquid part from the solid part, and for discharging both parts into corresponding containers which are placed, for example, on a carriage or drawer which is taken out periodically for the replacement and emptying of the containers when they are full. On request, the machine can be designed for direct discharge of liquid refuse into the sewerage system and for direct discharge of the compacted solid refuse into a bin positioned outside the room where the machine is located. In addition to the requirement for periodic replacement and emptying of the containers, it is necessary to carry out simple periodic maintenance operations on the machine, for example by cleaning predetermined areas, usually outside the machine, with small quantities of sanitizing product, or by intervening when the machine stops, according to predetermined procedures which are easily followed by the service personnel and others. The machine as produced at present is generally provided with a small interface with the internal processor, this interface being used for the most part by the specialist technical personnel who test the operating condition of the machine periodically or on request, and who carry out specialized maintenance for which they normally use programming, monitoring and diagnostic means to be connected to the interface, requiring, for example, the use of a portable PC and a small printer.

With the aim of increasing users' awareness and educating them in the use of the aforesaid machines, which are relatively recent and are not familiar to all users, while also providing fast and effective training for the service personnel of the places where the compacting machines are installed, it was suggested that it would be extremely useful to provide the machine with at least one monitor of suitable dimensions, appropriately arranged to provide a sufficiently clear and panoramic view and accompanied with means for periodically disseminating images and visual and auditory explanations to show how the machine is to be used by the users, to demonstrate the environmental aims of the machine and to make images and/or a list of instructions appear at the request of the service personnel, or automatically on the occurrence of certain events, thus informing the service personnel of the operations to be performed and the care to be taken in the performance of these periodic maintenance operations on the machine. At this point, it was further suggested that advertising messages relating to the activity and products present in the place where the compacting machine is installed, or paid advertising messages, could also be usefully disseminated through the monitor.

These and other characteristics of the invention, and the advantages derived therefrom, are illustrated more fully in the following description which refers to the figures of the single attached sheet of drawing, in which the sole figure presents a block diagram of the apparatus, with the essential parts shown in solid lines and optional parts and accessories of the apparatus shown in broken lines.

In this drawing, the number 1 indicates the compacting machine and 2 indicates at least one flat-screen colour monitor of the latest generation, preferably at least the loudspeakers incorporated and positioned, for example, in the upper part of the machine 1 , in a position which is fixed or manually or automatically variable or adjustable, as indicated schematically by the double arrow F, the whole arrangement being such that a wide field of view of the monitor is provided, with allowance for the position in which the compacting machine 1 is installed in any particular circumstances. The monitor 2 can be connected by branching or in any other way to one or more additional monitors 102 which are associated in any way with the apparatus in question and are also arranged on or near the machine 1 and/or distributed at different points of the place where the compacting machine is located, so as to be visible by all the users, regardless of the positions of these users with respect to the compactor 1 . The main monitor 2 can also be located in a different way in the vicinity of the machine 1 , not necessarily on the machine.

The number 3 indicates a main electronic unit, with the appropriate software, which may for example be what is known as a "digital signage" unit, which stores and controls the advertising information and information on operation which is to be displayed by means of the monitor or monitors 2, 102, this unit interacting through the connection 103 with the internal processor of the machine 1 , interacting through the connection 203 with the monitors, and interacting through a further connection 303 with a programming and monitoring unit 4, such as a PC, by means of which the content and/or operation of the main unit 3 can be monitored and modified if necessary (see below). The main unit 3 can be connected, for example, to one or more of the following peripherals: at least one video camera 5, at least one touch screen 6, at least one small printer 7, at least one unit 8 for reading and writing to cards or other magnetic media, and/or any other peripherals 9. If required, the main unit 3 can be provided with an Internet connection 10.

The apparatus as described operates in the following way.

All the information for transmission to the monitors can be selected for each compacting machine and for all monitors or for each of the monitors combined with each compacting machine. The programming of the apparatus is carried out with allowance for the operating requirements of the machine 1 , and must therefore be controllable in terms of time and repeatability and for operation at periodic intervals with respect to working days and any special timetables, and the apparatus is therefore provided with a calendar and its own clock. During the normal operating period of the machine 1 , images or video footage can be shown on the monitor or monitors 2, 102 or on part of their screens, continuously or at specified times, in order to inform users of the procedures for using the machine, to instruct them and to request them to insert into the machine any solid and, if appropriate, liquid refuse remaining on tables and/or trays following consumption. At the same time, the method of operation of the machine and its environmental aims can be displayed in order to make users aware of the use of the machine 1 , by illustrating the disposal route of the refuse compacted and collected in the machine 1 and how this process can contribute to the reduction of environmental problems.

Whenever a user uses the machine, he can be given a small reward, for example by means of the printer 7 or by means of a magnetic medium inserted in the reading and writing unit 8, these rewards being cumulative over time and giving entitlement, for example, to a small discount on the purchase of certain products sold at the place where the compacting machine 1 is installed (see below). As a condition of the validity of the reward, if a touch screen unit 6 is available, it is possible to ask the user to specify the types and/or quantity of differentiated refuse inserted into the machine (such as cans, bottles and beakers made of plastic, paper or other material) to obtain useful information on the differentiated collection of the refuse. As an alternative to the above procedure, it is possible to activate other dialogue procedures for the same purpose.

In combination with, or as an alternative to, the aforementioned video footage, it is possible to use the monitor or monitors 2, 102 to show video footage and/or advertising images relating to the business at whose premises the compactor 1 is installed, or advertising of any other type, including paid advertising. If the touch screen units 6 and the printer 7 are available, the user can be given the option of printing small amounts of information such as addresses, telephone numbers, product lists or calendars of events relating to the advertising displayed on the monitor or monitors 2, 102.

With the means described, the apparatus could be used to select and order items from menus, thus simplifying the operations at the counter of the fast food or other restaurant business, with evident benefits in terms of convenience and speed for the user and others. If the apparatus is provided with an Internet connection 10, the latter can be used to obtain traffic information or weather information, or to obtain specific information or to make bookings for events or tours, with the option of printing an acknowledgement slip, possibly serving as a receipt, by means of the printer 7.

When specified events occur in the machine 1 , for example when the hatch is opened to change the bag and discharge the liquid, the main unit 3 can display images and instructions on the monitor or monitors 2, 102 to show the service personnel the operations that are required. At the end of each working day, or at specified times, the unit 3 can cause images, video footage and/or instructions to be shown on the monitor or monitors 2, 102 in order to explain to the service personnel the daily or periodic cleaning or other operations to be carried out on the compacting machine 1 .

If any operating anomalies of the machine 1 occur, the unit 3 can cause images, video footage and/or instructions to be shown on the monitor or monitors to explain the operations to be carried out in order to restore the operating capacity of the machine. When the Internet connection 10 and video cameras 5 are available, it is also possible to use fast, convenient and economical procedures for the remote maintenance of the compactor 1 and/or for the programming and monitoring of the apparatus in question.

Claims

1 . Apparatus for disseminating instructions and/or advertising messages and for other possible uses, for at least one machine (1 ) adapted to compact refuse which is received from cafeterias or other places and which is to be sent for disposal, characterized in that it comprises at least one flat-screen colour monitor (2) of suitable dimensions, combined with the compacting machine (1 ) and installed in any suitable way on the machine or in the vicinity thereof, and in that it comprises means for disseminating through the at least one monitor (2) instructions and/or messages with advertising images of any suitable type and for any suitable purpose.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a plurality of monitors (2, 102) positioned in any way such that they can also be viewed by the public frequenting the place in which one or more stations with compacting machines (1 ) are installed, means being provided to enable all the information for transmission to the monitors (2, 102) to be selectable for each individual station and for all or each of the monitors combined with each station.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises programming means which allow for the operating requirements of the compacting machine (1 ) and which enable the machine and the apparatus to be controlled in terms of time and repeatability and for operation at periodic intervals within working days and special timetables, the apparatus being provided for this purpose with a calendar and its own clock.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a main digital signage unit (3) with appropriate software, which stores and controls the advertising information and information on operation which is to be displayed by means of the monitors (2, 102), this unit (3) being connected to the internal processor of the compacting machine (1 ), being connected to the monitors (2, 102) and being connected to any programming and monitoring unit (4), such as a PC, which may be present, by means of which the content and/or operation of the main unit (3) can be monitored and modified if necessary.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises one or more of the following peripheral units: at least one video camera (5), at least one touch screen (6), at least one compact printer (7), at least one unit (8) for reading and writing to cards or other magnetic media, any other peripherals (9), and an Internet connection (10) if required.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises means for showing images or video footage on the monitor or monitors (2, 102) or on part of their screens, continuously or at specified times, during the normal operating period of the compacting machine (1 ), in order to inform users of the procedures for using the machine (1 ), to instruct them and to request them to insert into the machine any solid and, if appropriate, liquid refuse remaining on tables and/or trays following consumption, while also displaying the mode of operation of the machine (1 ) and its environmental aims, for example by showing the disposal route of the refuse compacted and collected by the machine and how this can contribute to the reduction of environmental problems.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means such that, in combination with, or as an alternative to, the aforementioned video footage, it is possible to use the monitor or monitors (2, 102) to show video footage and/or advertising images relating to the business at whose premises the compactor (1 ) is installed, or advertising of any other type, including paid advertising.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means which enable the user, if touch screen units (6) and at least one printer (7) are available, to print small amounts of useful information such as addresses, telephone numbers, product lists or calendars of events relating to the advertising displayed on the monitor or monitors (2, 102).

9. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means such that whenever a user uses the compacting machine (1 ) he will be given a small reward, for example by means of the printer (7) or by means of a magnetic insert placed in the reading and writing unit (8), arrangements being made for this receipt to give entitlement, for example, to a small discount on the purchase of the products sold at the place where the compacting machine (1 ) is installed, arrangements being made to enable the user, if a touch screen unit (6) is available, to be asked to specify the types and/or quantity of refuse disposed of and inserted into the machine (such as cans, bottles and beakers made of plastic, paper or other material), or to enable any other instruction and dialogue procedure to be implemented in order to obtain useful information on differentiated collection.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means such that it can also be used to select and order items from menus, thus simplifying the operations at the counter of the fast food or other restaurant business, with benefits in terms of convenience and speed for the user and others.

1 1 . Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises means such that, if an Internet connection (10) is provided, the apparatus can be also used to obtain traffic information or weather information, or to obtain specific information or to make bookings for events or tours, with the option of printing an acknowledgement slip, serving as a receipt, by means of the printer (7).

12. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises means such that, when specified events occur in the compacting machine (1 ), for example when the hatch is opened to change the bag of compacted solid refuse and to empty the container of liquid refuse, the main unit (3) can display images and instructions on the monitor or monitors (2, 102) to show the service personnel the operations that are required, the arrangement also being such that, at the end of the working day, or at specified times, the main unit (3) can cause images, video footage and/or instructions to be shown on the monitor or monitors (2, 102) in order to explain to the service personnel the daily or periodic cleaning or other operations to be carried out on the compacting machine (1 ).

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, characterized in that it comprises means such that, if any operating anomalies of the compacting machine (1 ) occur, the main unit (3) can cause images, video footage and/or instructions to be shown on the monitor or monitors (2, 102) to explain the operations to be carried out in order to restore the functionality of the machine (1 ), the arrangement being such that, when an Internet connection (10) and video cameras (5) are present, fast and economical procedures can be activated for the remote maintenance of the compactor (1 ) and/or for the programming and monitoring of the apparatus in question.