Object storing system with illuminated housings

• US 6,981,639 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morse Watchmans, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Morse Watchmans, Inc.
• Inventors: Pires, Manuel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stcyr, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/426,735
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 362/559, 362/23, 235/492, 221/2
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/10 Key holders; Key boards key cases A45C11/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

A storage system for storing a plurality of objects, wherein one or more objects are each associated with a smartkey, the system comprising a system housing defining a recess; a front panel with at least one opening therein; a support board positioned within the recess and behind the front panel; a plurality of smartkey housings, each of which are coupled to at least one of the front panel and the support board, and operable to receive a smartkey therein; a plurality of concentrated lightsources each of which are associated with a respective smartkey housing and coupled to the support board, the concentrated lightsources being positioned behind at least a portion of each of the respective smartkey housings; circuitry for processing information and causing the illumination of specific concentrated lightsources; wherein at least a portion of each smartkey housing is illuminatable when the concentrated lightsource associated with a smartkey housing is illuminated.

Claims

1. A storage system for storing at least one object, wherein the object is associated with a smartkey, the system comprising:

a system housing;

a front panel with at least one opening therein;

a support board coupled to the system housing and behind the front panel;

at least one smartkey housing, coupled to the front panel and operable to receive the smartkey therein, wherein the smartkey housing is coupled to the front panel by a snap-fitting arrangement;

a concentrated lightsource which is associated with the smartkey housing and coupled to the support board, the concentrated lightsource being positioned behind at least a portion of the smartkey housing;

circuitry for processing information and causing the illumination of the concentrated lightsource;

wherein at least a portion of the smartkey housing is illuminatable when the concentrated lightsource associated with the smartkey housing is illuminated.

2. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front surface of the smartkey housing extends outwardly from the front panel, and wherein at least the front surface of the smartkey housing is illuminated when the concentrated lightsource associated with and disposed behind the smartkey housing is illuminated.

3. The storage system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the smartkey housing is comprised of a translucent material.

4. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smartkey housing comprises a lightguide integrally formed with and extending outwardly from the back of the smartkey housing, the lightguide having a distal end in which a concavity is formed.

5. The storage system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the concentrated lightsource is at least essentially aligned with the concavity of the lightguide to channel light from the concentrated lightsource into the lightguide and through the smartkey housing.

6. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concentrated lightsource is an LED.

7. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the smartkey housing includes a guidepost, and wherein the support board receives the guidepost of the smartkey housing;

whereby the smartkey housing is prohibited from being incorrectly mounted against the support board due to the fact that the smartkey housing cannot be snap-fitted to the front panel if the guidepost is not received by the support board.

8. The storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage housing includes a recess and the support board is positioned in the recess.

9. A storage system for storing a plurality of objects, wherein one or more objects are each associated with a smartkey, the system comprising:

a system housing;

a front panel with at least one opening therein;

a support board coupled to the system housing and behind the front panel;

a plurality of smartkey housings, each of which are coupled to at least one of the front panel and the support board, and operable to receive a smartkey therein;

at least one concentrated lightsource associated with each respective smartkey housing and coupled to the support board, the concentrated lightsources being positioned behind at least a portion of each of the respective smartkey housings;

circuitry for processing information and causing the illumination of specific concentrated lightsources;

wherein at least a portion of each smartkey housing is illuminatable when the concentrated lightsource associated with a smartkey housing is illuminated.

10. The storage system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the storage housing includes a recess and the support board is positioned in the recess.

11. A storage system for storing at least one object, wherein the object is associated with a smartkey the smartkey comprising a two terminal electronic memory device that comprises an individualized code, the system comprising:

a system housing;

a front panel with at least one opening therein;

a support board coupled to the system housing and behind the front panel;

at least one smartkey housing, coupled to at least one of the front panel and the support board, and operable to receive the smartkey therein;

a concentrated lightsource which is associated with the smartkey housing and coupled to the support board;

circuitry for serially receiving the individualized code from the two terminal electronic memory device, processing information provided by a user and based thereon, causing the illumination of the concentrated lightsource;

wherein the concentrated lightsource is positioned proximate the smartkey housing so that at least a portion of the smartkey housing is illuminatable when the concentrated lightsource associated with the smartkey housing is illuminated.

12. The storage system as claimed in claim 11, wherein a front surface of the smartkey housing extends outwardly from the front panel, and wherein at least the front surface of the smartkey housing is illuminated when the concentrated lightsource associated with the smartkey housing is illuminated.

13. The storage system as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the smartkey housing is comprised of a translucent material.

14. The storage system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the smartkey housing comprises a lightguide integrally formed with and extending outwardly from the back of the smartkey housing, the lightguide having a distal end in which a concavity is formed.

15. The storage system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the concentrated lightsource is at least essentially aligned with the concavity of the lightguide to channel light from the concentrated lightsource into the lightguide and through the smartkey housing.

16. The storage system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the storage housing includes a recess and the support board is positioned in the recess.

17. A storage system for storing at least one object, wherein the object is associated with a smartkey, the system comprising;

a system housing defining a recess;

a front panel with at least one opening therein;

a support board positioned in the recess and behind the front panel;

at least one smartkey housing, coupled to at least one of the front panel and the support board, and operable to receive the smartkey therein;

a concentrated lightsource which is associated with the smartkey housing and mounted to the support board, the concentrated lightsource being positioned such that upon the illumination of the concentrated lightsource, at least a portion of the smartkey housing is illuminatable, wherein light is channeled thought the smartkey housing and out at least a front surface thereof;

and circuitry for processing information and causing the illumination of the concentrated lightsource.