# US 2021/0241238 A1 · Reusable food or beverage container system

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- Number: US 2021/0241238 A1
- Document ID: US20210241238A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/159,066
- Filed: 2021-01-26
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-04
- Assignees: Sperry Product Innovation, Inc.
- Applicants: Sperry Product Innovation, Inc.
- Inventors: Laurence B. Sperry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241238A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal
- A47G 19/2227: {with means for amusing or giving information to the user (A47G23/16 takes precedence)}
- A47L 15/0015: {other treatment phases, e.g. steam or sterilizing phase}
- A47L 15/0063: {using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems}
- A47L 15/0076: {of non-domestic use type, e.g. commercial dishwashers for bars, hotels, restaurants, canteens or hospitals (machines specially adapted for drinking glasses A47L15/0065; drawer-type dishwashers A47L15/0084; in-sink dishwashers A47L15/0086; miniature dishwashers A47L15/0089; conveyor-type dishwashers A47L15/24; machines with crockery cleaned by brushes A47L15/37)}
- A47L 15/24: with movement of the crockery baskets by conveyors {(for drinking glasses A47L15/0071)}
- A47L 15/4236: {Arrangements to sterilize or disinfect dishes or washing liquids (A47L15/4234 takes precedence)}
- A47L 15/4295: {Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the crockery or tableware, e.g. nature or quantity}
- B65G 1/0485: {Check-in, check-out devices}
- G06K 7/10366: {the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications}
- A47L 15/0065: {specially adapted for drinking glasses}
- A47L 2401/04: Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition
- B65G 2201/0235: Containers
- B65G 2203/0216: Codes or marks on the article
- Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A reusable food or beverage container system and method of operation automates tracking, returning, washing, and outputting of reusable food or beverage containers. A reusable food or beverage container has an identification device associated therewith. The reusable food or beverage container is used to supply a food or beverage to a customer and associated with a customer identifier. When the customer is done using the reusable food or beverage container, it is returned to a receptacle of the system, and automatically transported to a washing subsystem where it is washed, sanitized, and dried, and then output to a stack or other organized storage structure of container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reusable food or beverage container system, comprising:
a reusable food or beverage container;
a tracking subsystem, comprising:
an identification device incorporated into and associated with the reusable food or beverage container;
a computing device in communication with a data store storing a status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container; and
at least one reader that communicates with the identification device and exchanges container data that characterizes the identification device and associated reusable food or beverage container;
a reusable food or beverage container receptacle;
an automated washing subsystem; and
an automated organizing and outputting subsystem;
wherein the reusable food or beverage container receptacle receives the reusable food or beverage container in a used and returned state and the reusable food or beverage container is conveyed to the automated washing subsystem;
wherein the automated washing subsystem washes, sanitizes, and dries the reusable food or beverage container in used and returned state transforming it to a ready state;
wherein the reusable food or beverage container in ready state is conveyed to the automated organizing and outputting subsystem; and
wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem outputs the reusable food or beverage container in ready state and arranged for use.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the tracking subsystem receives the container data and updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container and stores the status indicator in the data store.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the status indicator comprises a status of returned, washing, ready, and/or dispatched.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container prior to or at a point of handoff.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 4, wherein the point of handoff is at a point of sale.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 4, wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the point of handoff, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data, associates the reusable food or beverage container with a food or beverage order, and updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 6, wherein the status indicator is updated to a dispatched status.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at a point of receipt.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 8, wherein the point of receipt is at the reusable food or beverage container receptacle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 8, wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the point of receipt, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to the tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 10, wherein the status indicator is updated to a returned status.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at the automated washing subsystem.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 12, wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the automated washing subsystem, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to the tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 13, wherein the status indicator is updated to a washing status.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein an instance of the at least one reader is disposed to read the identification device of the reusable food or beverage container at a storage point.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 15, wherein the storage point is an automated organizing and outputting subsystem.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 15, wherein when the reusable food or beverage container is at the storage point, the reader reads the identification device and receives the container data and communicates the container data to the tracking subsystem, which updates the status indicator of the reusable food or beverage container in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 17, wherein the status indicator is updated to a ready status.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem comprises an automated stacking subsystem that places the reusable food or beverage container onto an existing stack of containers or places the reusable food or beverage container to initiate a new stack of containers.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 19, wherein the automated stacking subsystem comprises an electromechanical device that lifts or pushes the reusable food or beverage container onto or into a stack or lowers or drops the reusable food or beverage container substantially vertically onto a stack.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the automated organizing and outputting subsystem comprises an automated aligning subsystem that places the reusable food or beverage container into a predetermined aligned arrangement.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, further comprising a first conveying mechanism that receives the reusable food or beverage container in at the receptacle and feeds the reusable food or beverage container to the automated washing subsystem.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 22, wherein the first conveying mechanism comprises an electro-mechanical device capable of moving the reusable food or beverage container and optionally a lid and comprising one or more of conveyor belts, automated grippers, robotic arms, rotary conveyors, and mechanical actuators.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, further comprising a second conveying mechanism that receives the reusable food or beverage container from the automated washing subsystem and feeds the reusable food or beverage container to the automated organizing and outputting subsystem.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 24, wherein the second conveying mechanism comprises an electro-mechanical device capable of moving the reusable food or beverage container and optionally a lid and comprising one or more of conveyor belts, automated grippers, robotic arms, rotary conveyors, and mechanical actuators.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the identification device comprises one or more of a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, or a near-field communication (NFC) chip.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the reusable food or beverage container receptacle is sized, dimensioned, and configured to receive the reusable food or beverage container.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the reusable food or beverage container receptacle further comprises a door covering an opening of the reusable food or beverage container receptacle.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The reusable food or beverage container system of claim 1, wherein the automated washing subsystem comprises a dishwashing system.

### Claim 30

A method of managing reusable food or beverage containers using a reusable food or beverage container system, the method comprising:
providing a reusable food or beverage container system comprising a reusable food or beverage container, a tracking subsystem with at least one reader, a reusable food or beverage container receptacle, an automated washing subsystem, and an automated organizing and outputting subsystem, the reusable food or beverage container having an identification device incorporated therein and readable by the at least one reader;
receiving a customer order for a food or beverage, the order being associated with a customer identifier;
fulfilling the order using the reusable food or beverage container in ready state;
the system associating the reusable food or beverage container identification device and associated reusable food or beverage container with the customer identifier in a computer executed data store;
providing the customer order in the reusable food or beverage container to the customer;
the customer returning the reusable food or beverage container by placing the reusable food or beverage container into the reusable food or beverage container receptacle;
the automated washing subsystem washing, sanitizing, and drying the reusable food or beverage container; and
the automated organizing and outputting subsystem outputting the reusable food or beverage container cleaned, sanitized, and dried in ready state.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein associating the reusable food or beverage container identification device with the customer identifier occurs in a computer executed data store using one or more computing devices to create a data association between the reusable food or beverage container identification device and the customer identifier.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more computing devices are located on premise with the system, or remotely in a cloud supported network environment.

### Claim 33

A method of managing reusable food or beverage containers using a reusable food or beverage container system, the method comprising:
providing a one or more reusable food or beverage containers with an identification device incorporated therein and having a status indicator in a tracking subsystem;
issuing one or more of the reusable food or beverage containers to fulfill a food or beverage order and updating the status indicator;
receiving one or more of the issued reusable food or beverage containers at a receptacle and updating the status indicator;
washing, sanitizing, and drying the one or more received reusable food or beverage containers in a washing subsystem, thereby resulting in one or more cleaned reusable food or beverage containers; and
outputting the one or more cleaned reusable food or beverage containers using an organizing and outputting subsystem and updating a status indicator.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the status indicator has a ready status in the tracking subsystem at the step of providing the one or more reusable food or beverage containers.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein updating the status indicator at the step of issuing one or more reusable food or beverage containers comprises updating the status indicator to a dispatched status in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein updating the status indicator at the step of receiving one or more of the issued reusable food or beverage containers comprises updating the status indicator to a returned status in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein updating the status indicator at the step of outputting the one or more of cleaned reusable food or beverage containers comprises updating the status indicator to a ready status in the tracking subsystem.

### Claim 38 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, further comprising updating a status indicator of the one or more reusable food or beverage containers with a washing status when the one or more reusable food or beverage containers is in the washing, sanitizing, and drying step.

### Claim 39 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, further comprising associating the reusable food or beverage container identification device with a customer identifier thereby creating a data association between the reusable food or beverage container identification device and the customer identifier.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the status indicator and the tracking subsystem are executed in a computer executed data store using one or more computing devices.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the one or more computing devices are located on premise with the system, or remotely in a cloud supported network environment.