Custom designed floormat order placement system

• US 20040254856A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Newell Operating Company (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newell Operating Company (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Dotson, Robert Cameron
• Application Number:
  US10/463,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254856A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

An automated system for ordering and manufacturing custom designed floormats and chairmats is disclosed. The system may include the steps of entering information related to the desired shape, dimension, and material of the mat and transmitting same, by way of a network connection, such as an Internet connection, from a computer to a server of a mat manufacturer. The entered information can then be transferred from the server to an automated machine tool to manufacture the mat according to the desired specifications and shipped to the customer in a relatively short timeframe.

Claims

1. A method of ordering and manufacturing a mat, comprising:

accessing an on-line order placement site;

identifying a desired shape for the mat;

entering dimensions for the desired mat;

transferring shape and dimension data to an automated machine tool; and

cutting the desired mat using the automated machine tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step is performed using a screen grid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated machine tool is a computer-numeric-controlled machine tool.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mat is a chairmat.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of providing customer identification information to the order placement site and shipping the mat to the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of selecting the desired mat material and color.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of translating the customer entered data into CNC router readable code.

8. A method of ordering a chairmat, comprising:

accessing an on-line order placement site;

entering a desired shape;

entering desired dimensions;

entering a desired material;

providing customer identification and payment information; and

authorizing payment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the entering the desired shape step is performed by drawing the desired shape onto a grid provided by the on-line placement site.

10. A method of manufacturing a chairmat, comprising:

receiving order information from an on-line order placement system;

translating the order information into code readable by a CNC machine tool; and

manufacturing the chairmat using the CNC machine tool.

11. The method of claim 10, further including shipping the chairmat to a customer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving order information step includes receiving information as to shape, size, color, and material of the desired chairmat.

13. A chairmat order placement system, comprising:

a remote computer;

an Internet connection between the server and the remote computer; and

an automated chairmat cutting machine tool in connection with the base computer.

14. The chairmat order placement system of claim 13, wherein the automated machine tool is a CNC router.

15. The chairmat order placement system of claim 13, further including means for translating data entered by way of the personal computer into code readable by the CNC router.