Supply cabinet

• US 6,648,153 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SupplyPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SupplyPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Holmes, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Jr., Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/000,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 211/12, 211/85.15, 211/85.29, 211/187, 211/94.01, 211/94.02, 248/95
• US Class Current: 211/85.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A supply cabinet with inventory sensors in a bore/slot arrangement. The supply cabinet contains a plurality of vertically adjustable shelves. Each shelf has a plurality of bore/slot arrangements extending from the front to the rear of the shelf. Each bore/slot arrangement secures a plurality of containers, which are suspended from a lower surface of the shelf.

Claims

1. A supply cabinet comprising:

a plurality of shelves, each having a front edge, a rear edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface;

a plurality of elongated bores in each shelf, each bore having a length extending from the front edge toward the rear edge of the shelf, each bore being open at the front edge of the shelf and at the lower surface of the shelf and

a container secured along an edge within the bore and suspended from the lower surface of the shelf.

2. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the container is a transparent plastic bag.

3. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the bore includes an optical sensor, which senses movement of the container within the bore.

4. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the shelves are vertically adjustable.

5. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein each bore has a diameter of approximately 0.25 inches.

6. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the container contains more than one type of item.

7. The cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a slot intersecting the bore to form a bore/slot arrangement, the slot having a width of approximately 0.030 inches.

8. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the container includes two optically readable labels, the optically readable labels being spaced apart and coupled to the container in the proximity of an upper closure portion of the container, the upper closure portion being secured within the bore.

9. A supply cabinet comprising:

a frame defining an interior;

a plurality of adjustable shelves coupled within the interior, each shelf having a front edge, a rear edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface;

a plurality of elongated bores extending into the shelves from the front edges of the shelves;

a plurality of slots extending into the shelves from the front edges of the shelves, the slots intersecting the bores and opening through the lower surfaces of the shelves, the intersecting bores and slots defining a plurality of bore/slot arrangements; and

a plurality of optical sensors coupled to the bore/slot arrangements.

10. The cabinet of claim 9, further comprising a container suspended from the bore/slot arrangement and having an optically readable label thereon.

11. The cabinet of claim 10, wherein the container comprises a transparent, recloseable, plastic bag, the bag being recloseable along an upper closure portion, the bag being secured to the shelf by sliding the upper closure portion of the bag into the bore/slot arrangement.

12. The cabinet of claim 10, wherein the container comprises a metal clam shell including a bead running along an edge of the clam shell, the bag being secured to the shelf by sliding the bead of the clam shell into the bore/slot arrangement.

13. A supply cabinet comprising:

a plurality of adjustable shelves each having a front edge, a rear edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface;

a plurality of slots having a length extending from the front edge toward the rear edge;

a sensor in each slot; and

a container suspended from at least one of the slots.

14. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein the plurality of shelves are vertically adjustable.

15. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein each slot further comprises an elongated bore of substantially the same length as the length of the slot, the bore also extending from the front edge toward the rear edge, thus forming a bore/slot arrangement.

16. The cabinet of claim 15, wherein the bore/slot arrangement extends through the lower surface of the shelf.

17. The cabinet of claim 15, wherein the container is suspended from the bore/slot arrangement and has an optically readable label thereon.

18. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein each shelf houses a specific type of item.

19. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein each slot has a width of approximately 0.030 inches.

20. The cabinet of claim 13, wherein the sensor senses removal and return of items.