Pet food, in particular dry dog food kibble, may be purchased in small, single-use packages at an indoor retail pet store. The 5-50 pound packages can be easily carried by one person. A traditional supply chain (
Bulk food stores exist in some cities, enabling customers to fill their own jars or bags with an amount of their choosing. However, access may be limited to one store in a entire metro area; customers may drive 5 miles to avoid packaging waste, but consume gasoline in the process. Further, loose fitting lids on bulk bins may permit a continuous air exchange, leading to stale food. Also, the bins may be small in order to make room for many other items like nuts, grains, and dried fruit. Therefore, price markup may be high in order to pay for frequent replenishment during each day as well as premium aisle space.
Big box stores such as Petco® may partner with a bulk food kiosk such as Canidae® to offer bulk pet food. However, product selection may be limited to two varieties, and storage volume per variety is relatively small at a couple of hundred pounds, which is reloaded using a single-use plastic bulk bag, therefore working completely against eliminating plastic waste. The products in these kiosks are also greatly exposed to the outside elements, which lead to significant risks for contamination, pest/rodent infestation, as well as additional food safety issues. Customers must also purchase specialized Canidae® packages, must weigh their product on a scale, pay for their product at a remote location, and don't have access to a quality user interface or newer generation technology.
Inexpensive outlets such as coffee huts or trailers may be stationed in parking lots, which may afford deploying a large number of these outlets in convenient locations throughout a metro area. However, the housings for these huts may require new construction materials such as lumber and steel to build, and an electric utility drop for providing electricity. Access to electricity may be limited and may reduce how many outdoor locations are available for siting the huts. Although there may be neighborhood access for the customer, the cost of employees and the new construction materials may keep customer prices as high as in a brick-and-mortar traditional coffee shop.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In an embodiment, there is disclosed a method of eliminating waste in the delivery of a metered amount of a dry food item from a manufacturing outlet to a customer in a delivery area of the outlet. The method may comprise siting one or more stand-alone micro-retail units continuously accessible to the customer at outdoor locations in the delivery area. Each micro-retail unit may comprise a weatherproof housing sheltering multiple food silos. Each of the silos may be configured to store an intermediate capacity of the dry food item and may include a silo inlet and a silo outlet. The micro-retail unit may further comprise a food dispenser connectable to the silo outlet for dispensing the metered amount. A refill hatch may be provided in a housing wall for each of the silos. The silo inlet may sealably connect to the hatch positioned above the corresponding inlet. A vending interface may be disposed on the housing and may include a metering means for measuring the metered amount according to a selection of the customer
The method may further include alerting the manufacturing outlet, by a level indicator of the vending interface, of a low storage level of the dry food item. The method may further include delivering, in an intermediate bulk transport compartment and to the retail unit, a bulk supply of the dry food item, which may be freshly available at the manufacturing outlet. The method may further include conveying the bulk supply from the transport compartment through a closed mechanical or pneumatic conveyor adapted to the refill hatch. The method may further include dispensing and metering the selected dry food item from the food dispenser into a customer-provided package. The bulk supply delivery and the dry food dispensing may together eliminate single-use packaging waste common to distribution and retail operations.
In a further embodiment, there is disclosed a stand-alone micro-retail unit for a bulk food vending system. The bulk vending system may be configured to provide, from a manufacturing outlet, a metered amount of a dry food item to a retail customer. The manufacturing outlet may provide the metered amount through a network of the micro-retail units in a delivery area of the manufacturing outlet.
Each micro-retail unit may comprise a weatherproof housing having a dispensing end and a refilling end opposite the dispensing end. The retail unit may be configured for an outdoor location in the delivery area. Multiple food silos may be disposed within the weatherproof housing for storing the dry food item, where each food silo may have a silo inlet and a silo outlet configured to dispense old food first. A refill hatch for each of the multiple food silos may be disposed on the refilling end of the housing and positioned above the silo inlet. The hatch may be sealably connected to the silo inlet when the hatch is closed, and may be configured to receive a bulk delivery of the dry food item when the hatch is open. The bulk delivery may arrive directly at the hatch from an intermediate bulk transport compartment delivered to the outdoor location.
Each micro-retail unit may further include a food dispenser on the dispensing end of the housing and connected to the silo outlet. The dispenser may be configured to transfer the dry food item to a customer-provided package. A vending interface may be positioned on the housing and may include a payment system for selling the metered amount. The vending interface may also include a signaling means for alerting the manufacturing outlet of a low storage level of the dry food. The vending interface may also include a metering means for measuring the metered amount according to a selection of the customer. The customer may pay for the selected metered amount through the payment system. The bulk delivery and the dry food dispensing may eliminate single-use packaging waste.
In still another embodiment, there is provided a stand-alone micro-retail unit for a bulk food vending system providing a metered amount of a dry food item to a retail customer in a delivery area of the manufacturing outlet.
Each micro-retail unit may include a housing having a dispensing end and a refilling end opposite the dispensing end and configured for the delivery area. At least one food silo may be provided within the housing for storing the dry food item, each food silo having a silo inlet and a silo outlet configured to dispense old food first. A refill hatch may be provided on the refilling end of the housing and sealably connected to the silo inlet when the hatch is closed, the hatch positioned above the inlet and configured to receive a bulk delivery of the dry food item when the hatch is open and from an intermediate bulk transport compartment delivered to the outdoor location. A food dispenser may be provided on the dispensing end of the housing and connectable to the silo outlet for transferring the dry food item to a customer-provided package. A vending interface may be provided on the housing and including a payment system for selling the metered amount, a signaling means for alerting the manufacturing outlet of a low storage level of the dry food, and a metering means for measuring the metered amount according to a selection of the customer. A dispensing auger may be provided for transferring the selected dry food item from the silo outlet to the food dispenser, where the metering means is counting a number of rotations of the auger during the dispensing, and where the metered amount is a calculated weight based on measuring a duration of the dispensing. In an embodiment, the customer pays for the selected metered amount through the payment system, and the bulk delivery and the dry food dispensing eliminates single-use packaging waste.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the technology will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the technology.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention, including the preferred embodiment, are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Illustrative embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which:
Embodiments are described more fully below in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the system and method. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
When elements are referred to as being “connected” or “coupled,” the elements can be directly connected or coupled together or one or more intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when elements are referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled,” there are no intervening elements present.
The subject matter may be embodied as devices, systems, methods, and/or computer program products. Accordingly, some or all of the subject matter may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, state machines, gate arrays, etc.) Furthermore, the subject matter may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media.
Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by an instruction execution system. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, of otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.
When the subject matter is embodied in the general context of computer-executable instructions, the embodiment may comprise program modules, executed by one or more systems, computers, or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.
As may be appreciated, based on the disclosure, there exists a need in the art for an inexpensive and 24/7 neighborhood source of bulk pet food dispensable into a reusable package owned by a retail customer. Also, there exists a need in the art for protecting the bulk food from air exchange once it's manufactured in order to keep the food fresh. Additionally, there exists a need in the art to reduce single-use packaging during shipping from a manufacturing outlet. Further, there exists a need in the art for larger bulk storage containers that reduce the labor of daily replenishment, and a need for off-grid housing of the bulk storage for quicker deployment in any outdoor location.
Referring to
Referring to
Continuing, in various embodiments, a bulk supply of the dry food item 14 available at the manufacturing outlet 80 may be delivered 83 to the micro-retail unit 10 in an intermediate bulk transport compartment 30. For example, the bulk supply may be delivered 83 to the micro-retail unit 10 in a reusable IBC (intermediate bulk container) tote 30 (
Referring to
Continuing with
Referring to
Continuing further with
Continuing, the shipping container may be modified (repurposed) to suit the requirements of the stand-alone micro-retail unit 10. Shipping containers may be plentiful, designed for outdoor environments, structurally sound, inexpensive, about 8 feet wide, and typically about 10-40 feet in length. Repurposing the shipping container may require cutting out one or more of a hatch passage 17 for the hatch 16, a vending cutout 61 for vending interface 60, and a dispenser cutout 53 for connecting the transfer line 28 (
Referring to
Alternatively, wind, biomass, and other forms of renewable energy may also supply electrical power to the vending system 11 independent of the utility grid. In a preferred embodiment, solar panels 70 may be mounted to a roof of the repurposed shipping container.
Referring now to
Continuing, the dispatch control 88 (
Continuing with
Further, the metering means may utilize one or more of the level indicator 26 for each of the multiple silos 20, a dispensing scale (not shown) for weighing the metered amount, and a flow meter on the transfer line 28 connecting the silo outlet 24 and the food dispenser 50. The transfer line 28, in one embodiment, may be a dispensing auger for transferring the selected dry food item 14 from the silo outlet 24 to the food dispenser 50, where the metering means is counting, by the vending interface 60, a number of rotations of the auger 28 during the dispensing, and where the metered amount is a calculated weight based on measuring a duration of the dispensing. Counting the rotations and duration may constitute the flow meter for metering the dry food item 14 while dispensing. The dispensing auger 28 may be a flexible or rigid tube for moving dry food horizontally and uphill to the dispenser outlet 51 driven by auger motor 29 and controllable by vending interface 60 and controller 63.
In further embodiments, continuing with
Referring now to
Continuing, when the customer has filled their reusable package 15, they may release the trigger 58 which may close the outlet gate 25. The auger transfer line 28, or alternative mechanical or pneumatic transfer means, may be allowed to run for a few more seconds to clear out the transfer line. In alternative embodiments different from the dispensing wand 50, the dispenser outlet 51 (not shown) may be an opening in the dispensing end 13a of the housing, similar to conventional bulk food bins, and the customer trigger 58 may be a sliding door normally covering the opening. The customer trigger 58 may alternatively be a locking mechanism that enables the sliding door to be opened.
Considering now
Continuing, once the storage level for one or more of the food silos 20 has fallen below a refill threshold, the bulk supply may be delivered to the outdoor location 82 for replenishing the food silo 20 exhibiting the low storage level 27. The delivery truck 83 (
Referring to
Continuing, in another embodiment not shown, a flexible auger may operate to automatically convey the bulk supply through the auger hose 35 and be driven by an auger motor powered by the delivery truck 83 or by the micro-retail unit 10. Other closed mechanical conveyors known in the art may also be employed which are operable to move dry bulk food from the IBC tote 30 and through the flexible hose 35. In another embodiment, the intermediate transport compartment 30 may be elevated above the refill hatch 16 to provide a closed gravity conveyance through a rigid or flexible channel. For example, the delivery truck 83 may include a hydraulic lift to elevate the intermediate transport compartment 30 above the elevation of the refill hatch 16.
Referring now to
Continuing with
Relays (not shown) in the compressor hose (or hoses) 48 may be actuated by the vending interface 60 and controller 63 for switchably controlling which injection port 41 is fed compressed air, thereby enabling only the dry food type (1, 2, 3, or 4) selected by the customer. Downpipe 43 may include a diametric constriction 49 located between an intake intersection and the pneumatic pump 40 in order to accelerate a flow of air after engaging the pneumatic conveyor and before opening the outlet gate 25. A diameter of the constriction may be about 2.5″ when a diameter of the downpipe is about 3″.
Referring now to
The customer may be given an option 91a to purchase one or more reusable vended bags (not shown) in case they neglected to provide one. The vending interface 60 may include a bag chamber 68 for storing and selling the reusable bags to the customer. A bag dispensing door 69 may be connected to the bag chamber 68 for dispensing the reusable bags. The bags may be stocked as folded up squares for the purpose of fitting inside the bag chamber 68. Each bag may zip into itself to form a smooth exterior without loose flaps or edges and without strings that would become tangled with other packages in the bag chamber 68. Once purchased and received 91b, the customer may unfold it into a large resealable bag that can be filled with dog food or other dry food items. The reusable bag may also contain a pocket on the inside for storing a scoop for conveniently serving the dry food item.
Continuing still with
Continuing further, next, the customer may point the dispenser outlet 51 into the customer-provided package 15 and press 96 the dispenser trigger 58. The controller 63 may then enable 97 the transfer line 28/42. Once the flow of the dry food item 14 is established, the outlet gate 25 may be opened 98 by the controller 63 for the corresponding food silo 20. When the customer has filled their reusable package 15, they may release 99 the trigger 58 which may close and seal the outlet gate 25. Shortly thereafter, the transfer line 28/42 may be disabled 100 once any remaining dry food 14 in the transfer line has been cleared.
Referring again to
Although the above embodiments have been described in language that is specific to certain structures, elements, compositions, and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the technology defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures, elements, compositions and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed technology. Since many embodiments of the technology can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/339,741 filed on May 9, 2022 and entitled STAND-ALONE BULK FOOD VENDING SYSTEM, the entire contents of Application 63/339,741 being expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63339741 | May 2022 | US |