Consumable authentication

Abstract

A receptacle for a consumable material, such as a wire spool 2, to be loaded into a machine, such as a wire tying machine 18, comprises first and second indicating means 6, 12 for identifying the receptacle, wherein one of the indicating means 6 is separable from the receptacle.

Claims

1. A spool for a wire to be loaded into a machine, said spool comprising first and second indicators for identifying the spool, wherein the spool comprises a flange, wherein a tab is defined in the flange, wherein the tab comprises the first indicator, wherein the tab is connected to the flange by a line of weakness between the flange and the tab that allows the tab to be separated from the spool.

2. A spool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second indicators provide first and second identifications respectively, wherein the first and second identifications are different.

3. A spool as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second identifications are related by a predetermined algorithm that defines a mathematical relationship between the first and second identifications.

4. A spool as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the indicators on the spool comprises a radio frequency identification chip that provides a radio frequency identification.

5. A receptacle for a consumable material to be loaded into a machine, said receptacle comprising first and second indicators for identifying the receptacle, wherein the receptacle comprises a flange, wherein a tab is defined in the flange, wherein the tab comprises the first indicator, wherein the tab is connected to the flange by a line of weakness between the flange and the tab that allows the tab to be separated from the receptacle.

6. A receptacle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first and second indicators provide first and second identifications respectively, wherein the first and second identifications are different.

7. A receptacle as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first and second identifications are related by a predetermined algorithm that defines a mathematical relationship between the first and second identifications.

8. A receptacle as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one of the indicators on the receptacle comprises a radio frequency identification chip that provides a radio frequency identification.

9. A receptacle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the receptacle is in the form of a spool for a wire to be wound.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 A and FIG. 1B show plan and end elevations of a wire spool embodying the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the spool of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B wound with wire;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a wire tying machine after the spool of FIG. 2 has been loaded into it; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial view showing a tab separated from the spool and inserted into the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a spool 2 around which a wire for use in a wire tying machine can be wound. The spool 2 is of broadly conventional shape and construction, typically being moulded of plastic. However the upper flange 4 of the spool exhibits some novel features. Firstly a tab 6 is defined in one region of the flange 4 by a series of elongate slots so that it remains attached to the rest of the flange by three web sections 8. The precise attachment of the of the tab is not critical as long as it can be snapped offi.e. permanently detachedfrom the spool. The tab 6 has an embossed code 10 on it. However it also contains an embedded RFID chip bearing either this code or one derived from it.

(7) Meanwhile the upper spool flange 4 carries a second embossed code 12 and a second RFID chip which carries the second code 12 or one derived from it. It also has embossed directions to snap the tab off.

(8) The two codes 10, 12 do not immediately appear to bear any relationship to each other. However there is a predefined relationship between them in the form of an algorithm to turn one into the other (although it need not necessarily be reversible) to allow them to be compared to check that they belong to the same spool.

(9) FIG. 2 shows the spool 2 wound with wire 14. In FIG. 3 the spool 2 is shown loaded into the spool compartment 16 of a wire tying machine 18. The compartment cover 20 is shown left open to allow the spool to be seen. It will be seen from this that prior to insertion of the spool the tab 6 is snapped off to reveal the wire 14 beneath. As is shown in the inset FIG. 4, once the tab 6 is separated from the spool 2 it is slotted into a suitable slot 22 in the rear of the machine 18.

(10) The spool compartment 16 and the tab slot 22 both contain very short range RFID interrogators which read the codes of the embedded RFID chips in the spool and tab respectively. These are then communicated to a microprocessor or ASIC in the machine (not shown) which applies a predetermined algorithm to the codes to determine whether they match. As long as the tab 6 comes from the spool 2 currently loaded into the spool compartment 16 of the machine, these codes will match and so the control electronics can permit normal operation of the machine. If the codes do not match or both codes are not supplied, for example if an unauthorised spool has been loaded or a spool has been rewound and so no longer has its original tab, an error LED 24 or a warning LED 26 can be lit. Thereafter the machine may not operate at all or might, for example, operate at a lower speed to minimise the risk of damage that could arise from an inferior wire or an incorrectly wound spool.

(11) Although rather impractical, the protective system described above could theoretically be defeated by keeping the spool 2 and its original tab 6 together while the spool was rewound. However even this can be prevented by simply arranging for the machine to alter or render inoperative one or other of the identifying meansi.e. the RFID chips in the spool or tab 6. This could be after the code has been initially read or once the spool has been detected to be empty (the latter allows the spool to be removed and reinserted during use if necessary for any reason). Another alternative would be for the machine to store details of the spools/tabs that it has read in a suitable non-volatile memory and to reject any code that it has seen already.

(12) An application of the invention to wire spools has been shown but this could be extended to any manner of consumables e.g. a spool of plastic wire for a lawn strimmer, a printer ink/toner cartridge to name just two.