公开(公告)号：US4176260A

公开(公告)日：1979-11-27

申请号：US797324

申请日：1977-05-16

申请人： Theodore W. Ward ,  Danny W. Ward

发明人： Theodore W. Ward ,  Danny W. Ward

IPC分类号： G06K13/073 ,  G06K19/06 ,  B65H3/04

CPC分类号： G06K13/073 ,  G06K19/06009

摘要： Method and apparatus for central inventory control as particularly adapted for retail vending wherein all merchandise is made to carry a coded identifier ticket characteristic of the product. Upon sale of the product the identifier ticket may be removed and at periodic times all accrued identifier tickets can be processed through a label sorter and reader to compile data for input to a central computer which then provides various forms of inventory readout to the user entity. More particularly, the invention utilizes a form of identifier ticket adapted for gummed adhesion and tear-off from the product, and the removed identifier ticket is then processed in a sorting and reading apparatus to provide recorded as well as instantaneous output for input to an associated computer or other peripheral equipment. The ticket sorting apparatus consists of a hopper portion to receive tickets in bulk for subsequent mechanical feeding into a separating track after which the individual identifier tickets bearing binary coded digital marking are optically read with output data provided for computer usage. The separating track consists of an elongated belt conveyor, of critical width to accommodate identifier tickets, which includes a serially arranged plurality of separating flanges arrayed therealong to control passage of single identifier tickets therealong. Finally, after optical reading of the identifier tickets they are dropped into a common depository for collection, storage, etc.

摘要翻译： 用于中央库存控制的方法和装置，特别适用于零售售货，其中所有商品都被用来携带产品的编码标识符特征。 在销售产品时，可以删除标识符票据，并且在定期时间期间，可以通过标签分类器和读取器处理所有应计的标识符票据，以编译数据以输入到中央计算机，然后中央计算机向用户实体提供各种形式的库存清单。 更具体地说，本发明利用了一种形式的识别器票据，其适用于从产品中胶粘和撕下，然后在排序和读取装置中处理去除的标识符票据以提供记录以及即时输出以输入到相关联的 电脑或其他外围设备。 票据分拣装置包括用于批量接收票据的料斗部分，用于随后的机械进给分离轨道，之后用提供给计算机使用的输出数据光学地读取带有二进制编码数字标记的单个标识符票据。 分离轨道包括具有临界宽度的细长带状输送机，以适应识别器票据，其包括沿其排列的串联布置的多个分离凸缘，以控制其上的单个识别器票据的通过。 最后，在光学读取识别器票据之后，它们被丢弃到用于收集，存储等的公共存储器中。