초록 ▼

A method of vending a containerized product using multiple fillings of the same container. The method includes the steps of placing machine-readable indicia on the container indicative of the price charged for both the container and the product contained therein, and at the time of placement of said

A method of vending a containerized product using multiple fillings of the same container. The method includes the steps of placing machine-readable indicia on the container indicative of the price charged for both the container and the product contained therein, and at the time of placement of said indicia, or subsequently to such placement, including at a location adjacent said indicia, a stimulus-responsive machine-readable indicator capable of responding to a stimulus to undergo a change of state which is readable, conjunctively with said indicia, by a machine, to indicate a price to be charged solely for the product in the refilled container. After initial vending of the container and the product, the container is refilled with product at least once, while concurrently, during each such refilling, stimulating said indicator to cause it to undergo said change, whereby the customer buying a refill of product is charged, on the basis of the subsequent machine reading, only for such product as is placed in the container during the refilling thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

The method of vending a containerized product by selling multiple fillings of the same product in the same container, the container having machine-readable indicia thereon indicative of at least the price of the product, the method comprising: placing adjacent the indicia at the time of, or subseque

The method of vending a containerized product by selling multiple fillings of the same product in the same container, the container having machine-readable indicia thereon indicative of at least the price of the product, the method comprising: placing adjacent the indicia at the time of, or subsequently to, placement of said indicia, a stimulus-responsive machine-readable indicator capable of responding to a stimulus to undergo a change of state readable by the machine capable of reading the indicia, and readable conjunctively with said indicia to indicate a price to be charged for the product alone in the refilled container; then, after initial vending of the container and product, refilling the container with the product at least once while concurrently, during at least the initial refill, stimulating said indicator to cause it to respond to the stimulus by undergoing said change of state, whereby the customer buying a refill of product is charged, on the basis of the subsequent machine reading, only for the product, and not for the container which is refilled.