GB2405515A

GB2405515A - Self-service mailing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2405515A
Application number: GB0320117A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Amanda Bothwell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-08-28
Filing date: 2003-08-28
Publication date: 2005-03-02
Also published as: GB0320117D0

Abstract

A mailing machine has a geographical display 22 having a touch screen from which a user can select a zone to send a postal item, a franking device for franking the postal item or providing a printed label and a payment receiving means 50. The machine may be at an airport and be used to mail items which are not allowed to be taken on board a plane. The machine can supply one of two sizes of empty package, selected by buttons 32, into which the item to be posted is placed. The machine may also include weighing apparatus, to take the weight of an item into account when the postage is calculated.

Description

240551 5 1 Vending Apparatus 3 The present invention relates to vending

apparatus.

There is an increasing need for effective security 6 at airports and other ports and border controls. A 7 number of types of items are prohibited from being 8 carried by travellers. These items include various 9 types of knives, such as pen knives and paper knives, and also scissors and tools.

12 Many travellers still attempt to travel with these 13 items and, when the item is discovered during 14 detecting or searching, the item may be confiscated.

The item can have significant monetary or 16 sentimental value for the traveller, and many 17 millions of items are confiscated each year in the 18 UK alone. To avoid confiscation, the traveller must 19 leave the searching area to locate a stationery shop; for suitable packaging, such as a Jiffy_ bag, and 21 then a Post Office for weighing and posting of the l 1 packaged item. This can cause delays for travellers 2 and security personnel.

4 There is therefore the need for an apparatus or service provided at the point of search which allows 6 travellers to conveniently send the discovered item 7 to the traveller's home address or destination 8 rather than simply giving up the item for disposal.

According to the present invention there is provided 11 a vending apparatus comprising: 12 display means for displaying at least a 13 plurality of geographical zones; 14 inputting means for receiving an input from the user; 16 a franking device for printing a franking value 17 on a package or on a label to be attached to the 18 package; 19 control means for determining the franking value in response to the input from the user.

22 Preferably the control means comprises an electronic 23 controller. Preferably the control means includes a 24 memory for storing at least a plurality of franking values. Preferably the memory also stores a 26 plurality of zone values, wherein each zone value 27 corresponds to one of the plurality of franking 28 values.

Preferably the input from the user is a zone value.

31 Alternatively, the input from the user is a franking 32 value. . ,,

2 Preferably the display means displays a map for 3 presenting the plurality of geographical zones. The 4 or each zone may be a region of the map.

Alternatively, each zone may be one or more 6 countries.

8 Preferably the apparatus includes label storage 9 means. Preferably the apparatus includes label dispensing means for dispensing the franked label to 11 the user.

13 Preferably the apparatus includes package storage 14 means for storing a plurality of packages.

Preferably two sizes of packages are provided.

16 Preferably the inputting means includes package size 17 selecting means. The packages may be in an 18 assembled form. Alternatively, the packages may be 19 in the form of a blank for assembly by the user.

Preferably the apparatus includes package dispensing 21 means.

23 The apparatus may include weighing apparatus for 24 weighing the package containing the item.

26 Preferably the apparatus includes payment receiving 27 means. Preferably the payment receiving means 28 comprises means for receiving payment from a credit 29 card.

31 The apparatus may include package depositing means.

32 Alternatively, the package depositing means is 1 provided separately and proximal to the apparatus.

2 Preferably the package depositing means is 3 transparent or translucent for inspection of the 4 contents of the package depositing means.

6 An embodiment of the present invention will now be 7 described, by way of example only, with reference to 8 the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vending apparatus.

12 Fig. 2 is a detailed front view of a portion of the 13 vending apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 (a) and (b) are plan views of the vending 16 apparatus of Fig. 1 situated at a searching area. - 18 Fig 1 shows a vending apparatus 10 for the posting 19 of prohibited items. The apparatus includes display means 20 in the form of a map which shows a number 21 of geographical zones at a region of the map. The 22 display means 20 also includes an information panel 23 24 which provides step by step instructions to a 24 user 100. 2 5

26 The display means 20 also includes inputting means 27 30 for allowing the user 100 to select the 28 appropriate zone. This inputting means 30 comprises 29 touch sensitive portions of the map 22. The input from the user therefore corresponds to a zone 31 presented by the map 22.

1 The inputting means also includes package size 2 selection buttons 32. Two sizes of packages are 3 dispensed by the apparatus 10. The smaller size of 4 package corresponds to packages containing an item that weigh up to 100 g. The larger size of package 6 corresponds to packages containing an item that 7 weigh up to 400 g. For convenience, the display 8 means 20 also includes illustration panels 26 which 9 presents to the user 100 images of the typical items appropriate for each size of package. An example of 11 an illustration panel 26 used to show the smaller 12 size of package is shown in Fig. 2.

14 The apparatus 10 may include weighing apparatus so that a user 100 can check the weight of the package 16 containing the item. An alternative is to provide 17 only the larger size of package. The sizing of the 18 package is such that items greater than 400 g 19 typically will not fit within the package.

21 The apparatus 10 includes an internal franking 22 device (not shown). The apparatus 10 also includes 23 label storage means (not shown) for storing a number 24 of blank labels. As is well known in the art, the vending apparatus 10 includes a feeding mechanism 26 (not shown) for moving a blank label from the label 27 storage means and presenting the label to the 28 franking device so that a franking value may be 29 printed on the label. The feeding mechanism then provides label dispensing means for dispensing the 31 franked label to the user. The label is offered to 32 the user 100 at a slot 40.

2 The apparatus 10 includes control means in the form 3 of an electronic controller (not shown). The 4 control means includes a memory for storing a number of franking values, which is the cost of postage for 6 sending the package to the respective destination.

7 The memory also stores a number of zone values, each 8 zone value corresponding to one of the franking 9 values. The input from the user 100 represents a zone value, and the control means determines the 11 corresponding franking value. The control means is 12 adapted to operate the franking device to print the 13 determined franking value onto the label.

The apparatus also includes package storing means 16 for storing a number of empty packages. Two sizes 17 of packages are stored. The apparatus 10 includes 18 package dispensing means. The package is dispensed 19 to the user 100 at a slot 42, the size of the package depending on the user's input to the package 21 size selection buttons 32.

23 The apparatus 10 includes payment receiving means 50 24 which is adapted to receive, scan and debit payment from a credit card.

27 A writing implement may be provided which may be 28 securely fastened to the apparatus 10. The 29 apparatus 10 may also include a tray which the user 100 may lean on when writing out the address on the 31 label. The tray may fold down from a surface of the 32 apparatus 10.

2 Package depositing means in the form of a 3 transparent or translucent post box 60 is provided.

4 The post box allows inspection of its contents.

6 In use, the user 100 approaches the searching area 7 70 which includes various detecting equipment 72.

8 This is shown in Fig. 3 and the approach of the user 9 100 towards the search area 70 is designated 74 in Fig 3 (a).

12 If a prohibited item is discovered, the user 100 may 13 walk 74 to the apparatus 10 which is provided 14 nearby. The user 100 pays a fee by credit card, and selects the zone of the map 22 which includes the 16 destination address for the package containing the 17 item. The control means determines the franking 18 value, which is printed on to the label. The user 19 100 also selects one of the two sizes of packages 110. The printed label and the appropriate size of 21 package are then dispensed to the user 100. The 22 user 100 writes the destination address on the label 23 and affixes the label to the package.

The user 100 then walks 76 back to the searching 26 area and then the user and package 110 separately 27 travel through the detecting equipment 72. The user 28 100 then proceeds without the package 110 which is 29 taken to the post box 50 by security personnel. The security personnel are therefore assured that there 31 has been no interference with the package 110 since 1 the package has been scanned using the detecting 2 equipment 72.

4 Various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present 6 invention. For example, the franking value may be 7 printed directly on to the package. The inputting 8 means may include a keyboard for inputting the 9 destination address and this address may be printed on to the label by a printer within the apparatus.

Claims

1 Claims 3 1. A vending apparatus comprising: 4 display means for

displaying at least a plurality of geographical zones; 6 inputting means for receiving an input from the 7 user; 8 a franking device for printing a franking value 9 on a package or on a label to be attached to the package; 11 control means for determining the franking 12 value in response to the input from the user.

14

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the control means comprises an electronic controller.

17

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, 18 wherein the control means includes a memory for 19 storing at least a plurality of franking values.

21

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the 22 memory stores a plurality of zone values, and 23 wherein each zone value corresponds to one of the 24 plurality of franking values.

26

5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 27 wherein the input from the user is a zone value.

29

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the display means displays a map for 31 presenting the plurality of geographical zones.

1

7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 2 further comprising label storage means.

4

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, including label dispensing means for dispensing the franked 6 label to the user.

8

9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 9 further comprising package storage means for storing a plurality of packages.

12

10. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 13 wherein the inputting means includes package size 14 selecting means.

16

11. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 17 including package dispensing means.

19

12. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, including weighing apparatus for weighing the 21 package containing the item.

23

13. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 24 including payment receiving means.

26

14. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, 2 7 including package depositing means.

29

15. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the package depositing means is transparent or 31 translucent for inspection of the contents of the 3 2 package depositing means.