Container management system

Abstract

A container management system (1) with a number of containers (2) which have identifying, electronically readable codes assigned to them, and with a number of dispensing/filling stations configured for dispensing a liquid from the container (2) or supplying said container with a fluid. The dispensing/filling stations are associated with electronic reading units by means of which the codes of containers (2) can be read. Data read by the electronic reading units are fed into a cloud-based computer system (13) configured for storing and analyzing the data.

Claims

1. A container management system (1) with a number of containers (2) which have identifying, electronically readable codes assigned to them, and with a number of dispensing/filling stations configured for dispensing a liquid from the container (2) or supplying said container with a liquid, characterized in that electronic reading units are associated with the dispensing/filling stations, by means of which codes of containers (2) are readable, in that data read by electronic reading units are fed to a cloud-based computer system (13) which is designed for storing and analyzing the data, and in that monitoring of distributed systems, even globally distributed container systems and systems for emptying and filling of containers associated with said container systems, is enabled with the cloud-based computer system, wherein electronic reading units are connected to an interface unit (11) individually or in groups, said interface unit being connected with the cloud-based computer system (13) via a wirelessly operating data transmission unit (12), wherein at least one control unit (5) is connected to the interface unit (11), wherein control commands for dispensing and/or filling processes are generated by means of the cloud-based computer system based on data transmitted by means of electronic reading units, wherein dispensing and filling processes of all containers of the overall system are controlled via the cloud-based computer system, and wherein control commands are sent to control units by the cloud-based computer system, wherein with the control commands, the cloud-based computer system accurately specifies how the control units control the individual control processes, in particular dispensing and filling processes of containers, and the cloud-based computer system accurately specifies and monitors the functions of all control units.

2. The container management system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic codes are stored on a chip respectively integrated in the connection (3) of a container (2).

3. The container management system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the chip is an RFID chip and in that each electronic reading unit is an RFID reading unit.

4. The container management system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that an electronic reading unit is integrated in a dispensing/filling station.

5. The container management system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that data of the container (2) and/or data of a liquid accommodated in the container (2) are stored on a chip of a container (2).

6. The container management system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that an electronic reading unit forms an assembly with an interface unit (11).

7. The container management system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that dispensing and/or filling processes of containers (2) are controllable by at least one control unit.

8. The container management system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of the cloud-based computer system (13) control commands for dispensing and/or filling processes are generated based on data transmitted by means of the electronic reading units, wherein the control commands are send to control units (5) by the cloud-based computer system (13).

9. The container management system (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that in response to a valid code of a container (2) read by an electronic reading unit and the transmission of said code to the cloud-based computer system (13), said cloud-based computer system generates an enable signal for a dispensing or filling process for this container (2) as a control command.

10. The container management system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cloud-based computer system (13) generates status messages for containers (2) based on data from the electronic reading units.

11. The container management system (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that fill levels of containers (2), positions of containers (2) or error states for containers (2) are generated as status messages and/or blocking signals or warning signals are generated.

12. The container management system (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the cloud-based computer system (13) generates control commands and/or messages for procurement processes and warehousing processes based on status messages.

13. The container management system (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the cloud-based computer system (13) generates documentation and/or time-based status reports based on status messages.

14. A method for operating a container management system (1) with a number of containers (2) which have identifying, electronically readable codes assigned to them, and with a number of dispensing/filling stations, each of which is connectable to a connection (3) of a container (2) for dispensing a liquid from the container (2) or supplying said container with a liquid, characterized in that electronic reading units are associated with the dispensing/filling stations, by means of which codes of containers (2) are readable and in that data read by electronic reading units are fed to a cloud-based computer system (13) which is designed for storing and analyzing the data, and in that monitoring of distributed systems, even globally distributed container systems and systems for emptying and filling of containers associated with said container systems, is enabled with the cloud-based computer system, wherein electronic reading units are connected to an interface unit (11) individually or in groups, said interface unit being connected with the cloud-based computer system (13) via a wirelessly operating data transmission unit (12), wherein at least one control unit (5) is connected to the interface unit (11), wherein control commands for dispensing and/or filling processes are generated by means of the cloud-based computer system based on data transmitted by means of electronic reading units, wherein dispensing and filling processes of all containers of the overall system are controlled via the cloud-based computer system, and wherein control commands are sent to control units by the cloud-based computer system, wherein with the control commands, the cloud-based computer system accurately specifies how the control units control the individual control processes, in particular dispensing and filling processes of containers, and the cloud-based computer system accurately specifies and monitors the functions of all control units.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1: Schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the container management system according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 2: Detailed representation of a section of the container management system according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of the container management system 1 according to the invention.

(4) The container management system 1 serves for automated handling of containers 2 containing liquids, in particular chemicals. The containers 2 may be designed as bottles, canisters or, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in the form of drums.

(5) Each container 2 has a connection 3 to which a dispensing/filling station, here a head 4, may be connected, via which liquid can be removed from the container 2 or can be supplied to it. The emptying or filling of the container 2 takes place automatically, as exemplified for the left container 2 in FIG. 1.

(6) In this case, the head 4 is designed as a dispensing head. After connecting the dispensing head to the connection 3 of the container 2, a pump 6 can be activated via a control unit 5, by means of which pump liquid is being pumped out of the container 2 via a line 7 and the dispensing head.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a configuration of multiple containers 2 which may be arranged at different locations. The configuration of multiple containers may also comprise a significantly higher number of heads 4 and containers 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each container 2 may be connected to a head 4 for dispensing or filling a liquid. For this purpose, the heads 4 may be associated with pumps 6 controlled by control units 5, wherein one control unit 5 may control several pumps 6 and several heads 4 may be connected to one pump 6.

(8) According to the present invention, each container 2 has a chip, in particular in its connection 3, on which chip an electronically readable code is stored which unambiguously identifies the container 2. In the present case, the chips are designed as RFID chips 8.

(9) An electronic reading unit in the form of an RFID reading unit 9 is integrated in each head 4. In principle, the electronic reading unit may also be spatially associated with the head 4 without a physical connection. If a container 2 is connected to the head 4, the RFID chip 8 integrated in the connection 3 is within the reading range of the RFID reading unit 9 so that said RFID reading unit is able to read the code from the RFID chip 8. The RFID chip 8 may also be arranged separately on the container 2.

(10) According to the present invention, the heads 4 are connected individually or in groups to interface units 11 via wired or wireless data connections 10. The control units 5 are also connected to the interface units 11 via the data connections 10. The interface units 11 are designed as gateways that are each connected to a cloud-based computer system 13 via a data transmission unit 12 in the form of an Internet connection. The cloud-based computer system 13 has a distributed arrangement of computing units in the form of process computers and web servers.

(11) As shown in FIG. 1, the individual containers 2 are identified with barcodes 14. Encoded in the barcodes 14 are container data specifying the containers 2 and chemical data specifying the liquid in the respective container 2. The data encoded in the barcodes 14 are readable with barcode readers 15.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a specific design of the container management system 1 according to FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the top of a container 2 is shown in the form of a drum, wherein a connection 3 in the form of a bung is provided on this top. Joint to this bung is a dip tube, not shown, which is inserted into the internal volume of the drum.

(13) A head 4 in the form of a dispensing head is placed on the connection 3. The dispensing head has a threaded coupling for fixing said dispensing head to the connection 3.

(14) An RFID chip 8 is integrated in the bung. An RFID reading unit 9 is attached laterally on the dispensing head. The RFID reading unit 9 is connected to a gateway forming an interface unit 11 which is connected with the cloud-based computer 13 via an Internet connection as a data transmission unit 12.

(15) A line 7 leads from the dispensing head to a pump 6 which is controlled by a control unit 5 in the form of a PLC control. The control unit 5 is also connected to the gateway.

(16) The operating principle of the container management system 1 is such that the cloud-based computer system 13 controls the entire container handling, in particular also dispensing or filling processes of the containers 2 that are to be carried out using heads 4.

(17) For this purpose, not only container 2 codes are stored on the RFID chip 8. In addition, basic data are stored there which specify the connection 3 of the container 2, for example. Moreover, the container data and the chemical data are stored on the respective RFID chip 8. For this purpose, the barcode 14 of the container 2 is read using the barcode reader 15. The data obtained thereby are stored on the RFID chip 8.

(18) Moreover, the current container position can be stored on the RFID chip 8 or in the cloud using a GPS receiver, for example.

(19) When connecting a container 2 to a head 4, the RFID reading unit 9 on the head 4 reads the data from the RFID chip 8 of the container 2 and transmits said data to the cloud-based computer system 13.

(20) Based on all such data transmitted to the cloud-based computer system 13, the cloud-based computer system 13 documents, monitors and controls the container management system 1.

(21) In particular, control commands for dispensing and/or filling processes are generated by means of the cloud-based computer system 13 based on data transmitted by means of electronic reading units.

(22) The cloud-based computer system 13 outputs the control commands to control units 5.

(23) In particular, in response to a valid code of a container 2 read by an electronic reading unit and the transmission of said code to the cloud-based computer system 13, said cloud-based computer system generates an enable signal for a dispensing or filling process for this container 2 as a control command.

(24) This way, all dispensing and filling processes are controlled by the cloud-based computer system 13. In particular, a correct association of containers 2 with heads 4 is monitored using the cloud-based computer system 13.

(25) Moreover, the cloud-based computer system 13 analyzes status messages of the containers 2. This includes their position, fill level and the like.

(26) Moreover, the cloud-based computer system 13 generates status messages for the containers 2 based on data from the reading units.

(27) For example, fill levels of the containers 2, positions of the containers 2 or error states for the containers 2 are generated as status messages.

(28) In particular, the cloud-based computer system 13 generates documentation and/or time-based status reports based on status messages.

(29) Furthermore, the cloud-based computer system 13 generates control commands and/or messages for procurement processes and warehousing processes based on status messages.

(30) Finally, the cloud-based computer system 13 can generate blocking messages or warning messages based on status messages.

(31) The container management system according to the invention allows for end-to-end traceability of the containers (2). In particular, it is possible to record when and where containers (2) are filled or emptied. It is also possible to record for how long a container (2) was connected to a dispensing/filling station. It is also possible to predict when a container (2) at a dispensing/filling station will be empty and when the next container (2) must be delivered. It is also possible to control the disposal of the containers (2).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(32) (1) Container management system (2) Container (3) Connection (4) Head (5) Control unit (6) Pump (7) Line (8) RFID chip (9) RFID reading unit (10) Data connection (11) Interface unit (12) Data transmission unit (13) Cloud-based computer system (14) Barcodes (15) Barcode reader