Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records
Patent
1994-05-27
1996-07-23
Hajec, Donald T.
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
235491, G06F 1700
Patent
active
055391885
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a system for the identification of containers, notably gas cylinders.
There are known ways of locating, identifying and labelling items such as gas cylinders in gas-filling plants. The numbers affixed to these cylinders can be used to keep track of them during the operations that precede or follow their being filled in the plant. This tracking or follow-up is done notably during cylinder-sorting operations, when the cylinders are unloaded from carrier trucks, when they are filled and then when they are packed in delivery racks or cases, and also when the delivery orders are being prepared as well as when the cylinders are delivered to the customers.
To prevent the labels from being damaged or possibly detached from the cylinders during handling operations in the plant, or when they are being transported, precautions are generally taken to provide mechanical protection means on the cylinders. One efficient method of protection consists, for example, in fastening the labels to the interior of a bell-shaped part that generally encloses the tap of the cylinder. This provides the label with efficient mechanical protection against tearing and at the same time protects the tap against any accidental handling. Unfortunately, this arrangement rules out any possibility of the automatic optical reading of the inscriptions on the labels since these labels are masked by the cover provided by the tap-protecting bell. Furthermore, the fact that the bell is generally made of metal rules out any possibility of using electronic labels provided with devices that emit radioelectric waves for example, since the metal cover behaves like a screen that is opaque to electromagnetic waves.
The aim of the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.
To this end, an object of the invention is a system for the identification of containers shut by by a tap that is surrounded by a protective bell characterized in that said system comprises, firstly an electronic label provided with a device for emitting electromagnetic waves coupled to a memory and, secondly, a data terminal coupled to a detachable read/write head comprising a transceiver of electromagnetic waves that can be introduced, as desired, into the tap-protecting bell to transmit information elements between the memory of the electronic label and the data terminal.
The main advantages of the invention are, firstly, that it enables reliable reading of the information elements contained in the labels, whatever the nature of the rough treatment and mishandling undergone by the cylinders during their transportation or during their packaging and, secondly, that it provides a solution that is perfectly suited to the dynamic labelling of gas cylinders for example.
Other features and advantages of the invention shall be seen here below from the following description, made with reference to the appended drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 shows a system for the identification of containers according to the invention;
FIG. 2a shows an embodiment of a ring wherein the ring has a coil embedded therein which substantially matches the shape of the ring;
FIG. 2b shows another embodiment of a ring wherein the ring has a riveting type of closing device;
FIG. 2c shows another embodiment of a ring wherein the ring has a reinforced zone for housing an electronic label;
FIGS. 3a and 3b show two embodiments respectively of the electronic module of the label and of the read/write head forming the system according to the invention;
FIGS. 4a and 4b show two possible modes of introducing the read/write head into the protective bell of the tap.
The cylinder-identification system according to the invention, shown schematically in FIG. 1, essentially comprises an electronic label 1, in the form of a small-sized patch supported by a ring 2 surrounding a tap 3 used to close a container 4 which, in FIG. 1, takes the form of a gas cylinder. The ring 2 is fixed to the bottom of a protective bell 5 of the tap 3. This system also includes a data terminal 6 that has the role, by
REFERENCES:
patent: 4521676 (1985-06-01), Poulsen
patent: 4590461 (1986-05-01), Cooper
patent: 4827643 (1989-05-01), Hearst et al.
patent: 4873533 (1989-10-01), Oike
patent: 4918296 (1990-04-01), Fujisuka et al.
patent: 4973944 (1990-11-01), Maletta
patent: 5151684 (1992-09-01), Johnsen
patent: 5191992 (1993-03-01), Darley
patent: 5231273 (1993-07-01), Caswell et al.
patent: 5241160 (1993-08-01), Bashan et al.
patent: 5249380 (1993-10-01), Fast
patent: 5280159 (1994-01-01), Schultz et al.
Fallah Michel
Leduc Michel
Gemplus Card International
Hajec Donald T.
Wigmore Steven
LandOfFree
System for the identification of containers, notably gas cylinde does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for the identification of containers, notably gas cylinde, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for the identification of containers, notably gas cylinde will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-714624