Modular hangers for product storage and retrieval system

• US 9,043,234 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxor National Pharmacy Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Maxor National Pharmacy Services Corporation
• Inventors: Delaney, Kevin C, Lim, Kendrick S, Guillermo, Robert G
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMBESS, YOLANDA RENEE
• Application Number:
  US13/741,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/00 Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system for locating goods stored in a storage area includes a computer, radio frequency transceivers and modular hangers. Ordered goods are placed in storage units that each have addresses at a central filling center. The filled storage units are shipped to local storage areas where they are coupled to hook units to form modular hangers and stored on rails. The identifications of the goods and the electronic addresses for corresponding hangers are stored on a local computer database. When a user wants to pick up goods stored in the containers, the user inputs the identification or order information for the goods and the computer will cause the radio frequency transmitter to emit a data packet that includes a search address and illumination data. The hangers compare the search address to the electronic address. If there is a match, the hanger is illuminated so the ordered goods can be found.

Claims

1. A product storage method comprising:

providing a hook unit having a hook support, a first coupling, a microprocessor coupled to a power receiver, an indicator light, a hanger transceiver and a first electrical connector;

providing a storage unit having a container attached to a second coupling, a memory storing a hanger address and a second electrical connector;

placing a product in the container; and

assembling the modular hanger by connecting the first coupling of the storage unit to the second coupling of the storage unit which causes the first electrical connector to be connected to the second electrical connector.

2. The product storage method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing the assembled modular hanger on a storage rail having electrical power; and

transmitting the electrical power from the storage rail to the power receiver and the microprocessor.

3. The product storage method of claim 2 further comprising:

obtaining by the microprocessor, the hanger address from the memory; and

transmitting the hanger address through the hanger transceiver.

4. The product storage method of claim 2 further comprising:

providing a local computer having a database storing product information for a plurality of hanger addresses, a local transceiver coupled to the local computer and a user interface;

inputting a request for the product through the user interface;

identifying by the database, the hanger address associated with the product; and

transmitting the hanger address through the local transceiver.

5. The product storage method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving the hanger address by the hanger transceiver;

comparing by the microprocessor, the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver and the hanger address stored in memory;

determining by the microprocessor that the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver matches the hanger address stored in memory; and

illuminating the indicator light by the microprocessor.

6. The product storage method of claim 5, further comprising:

removing the modular hanger from the storage rail;

removing the product from the container; and

disassembling the modular hanger by separating the first coupling of the hook unit from the second coupling of the storage unit.

7. The product storage method of claim 6 wherein the disassembling the modular hanger includes releasing a locking mechanism coupled to the storage unit that prevents accidental separation of the first coupling of the hook unit from the second coupling of the storage unit.

8. A product storage method comprising:

providing a hook unit having a hook support, a first coupling, a microprocessor coupled to a power receiver, an indicator light, a hanger transceiver and a first electrical connector;

providing a storage unit having a container attached to a second coupling, a memory storing a hanger address and a second electrical connector;

placing a product in the container at a central fill location;

transporting the product in the storage unit to a distribution location; and

assembling the modular hanger at the distribution location by connecting the first coupling of the storage unit to the second coupling of the storage unit which causes the first electrical connector to be connected to the second electrical connector;

wherein the central fill location and the distribution location are separated by at least one mile.

9. The product storage method of claim 8 further comprising:

placing the assembled modular hanger on a storage rail having electrical power at the distribution location; and

transmitting the electrical power from the storage rail to the power receiver and the microprocessor at the distribution location.

10. The product storage method of claim 9 further comprising:

obtaining by the microprocessors in each of the hook units, the hanger address from the memory in the storage unit coupled to each of the hook units; and

transmitting by each of the modular hangers, the hanger addresses through the hanger transceivers.

11. The product storage method of claim 9 further comprising:

obtaining by the microprocessor, the hanger address from the memory; and

transmitting the hanger address through the hanger transceiver at the distribution location.

12. The product storage method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing at each of the distribution locations, a local computer having a database storing product information for a plurality of hanger addresses, a local transceiver coupled to the local computer and a user interface;

inputting at each of the distribution locations, a request for the product through the user interface;

identifying by the database at each of the distribution locations, the hanger address associated with the product; and

transmitting the hanger address through the local transceiver at each of the distribution locations.

13. The product storage method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing at the distribution location, a local computer having a database storing product information for a plurality of hanger addresses, a local transceiver coupled to the local computer and a user interface;

inputting a request for the product through the user interface;

identifying by the database, the hanger address associated with the product; and

transmitting the hanger address through the local transceiver.

14. The product storage method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the hanger address by the hanger transceivers at each of the distribution locations;

comparing by the microprocessors in each of the modular hangers, the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver and the hanger address stored in the memory at each of the distribution locations;

determining by the microprocessor in one of plurality of the modular hangers, that the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver matches the hanger address stored in the memory at each of the distribution locations; and

illuminating the indicator light by the microprocessor of the one of plurality of the modular hangers at each of the distribution locations.

15. The product storage method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the hanger address by the hanger transceiver;

comparing by the microprocessor, the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver and the hanger address stored in memory;

determining by the microprocessor that the hanger address received by the hanger transceiver matches the hanger address stored in memory; and

illuminating the indicator light by the microprocessor.

16. The product storage method of claim 15, further comprising:

removing the one of plurality of the modular hangers from the storage rail at each of the distribution locations;

removing the product from the container at each of the distribution locations;

disassembling the one of the modular hangers by separating the first coupling of the hook unit from the second coupling of the storage unit at each of the distribution locations;

keeping the hanger units at each of the distribution locations; and

transporting the storage units back to the central fill location.

17. The product storage method of claim 15, further comprising:

removing the modular hanger from the storage rail;

removing the product from the container at the distribution location;

disassembling the modular hanger by separating the first coupling of the hook unit from the second coupling of the storage unit at the distribution location;

keeping the hanger unit at the distribution location; and

transporting the storage unit back to the central fill location.

18. The product storage method of claim 17 wherein the disassembling the modular hanger includes releasing a locking mechanism coupled to the storage unit that prevents accidental separation of the first coupling of the storage unit from the second coupling of the storage unit.

19. A product storage method comprising:

providing a plurality of hook units, each hook unit having a hook support, a first coupling, a microprocessor coupled to a power receiver, an indicator light, a hanger transceiver and a first electrical connector;

providing a plurality of storage units, each storage unit having a container attached to a second coupling, a memory storing a hanger address and a second electrical connector;

placing a different product in each of the containers at a central fill location;

transporting the products in the storage units to a plurality of distribution locations; and

assembling the modular hangers at the distribution locations, each of the modular hangers is assembled by connecting the first coupling of the storage unit to the second coupling of the storage unit which causes the first electrical connector to be connected to the second electrical connector;

wherein the central fill location and each of the distribution locations are separated by at least one mile.

20. The product storage method of claim 19 further comprising:

placing the assembled modular hangers on a storage rail having electrical power at each of the distribution locations; and

transmitting the electrical power from the storage rail to the power receiver and the microprocessor of the assembled modular hangers at each of the distribution locations.