Product count tracking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10271666-B2
Application number	US-201715493464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2016
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are described herein useful to indicate the number of products on a merchandising unit. Counting devices as described herein maintain an accurate count of the number of products on a given merchandising unit and provides a display of the count.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for tracking a product number count of merchandised products, the apparatus comprising:
a merchandising unit supporting one or more products for display to a consumer;
a counting mechanism coupled to the merchandising unit and configured to determine a count of a number of products of the one or more products supported in a row by the merchandising unit, wherein the counting mechanism comprises:
a pusher configured to track a first depth of the row;
an adjustable, spring-driven drum coupled to the pusher by a string wrapped around the drum and configured to be adjusted so that a circumference of the drum is generally equal to a second depth of a product of the number of products, wherein the pusher is driven rearwardly or forwardly by the depth of the product as the product is placed in or removed from the row while the drum makes a full rotation to increase or decrease the count on a display by one respectively; and
a gear driven by the adjustable, spring-driven drum; and

the display coupled to the counting mechanism and visible on the merchandising unit, the display comprising a front portion having a number of windows, a background portion, and a blocking portion disposed between the front portion and the background portion, the display configured to display the count of the number of products supported in the row by the merchandising unit through a first rotation of the gear that causes the blocking portion to be driven, wherein the blocking portion comprises teeth along a top of the blocking portion that couple to the gear, and wherein a second rotation of the adjustable, spring-driven drum causes the gear to rotate by one position causing the blocking portion to drive forwardly or rearwardly one position accordingly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the merchandising unit comprises one of a shelf or a package.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the counting mechanism is configured to keep a count of the number of products supported in the row.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the counting mechanism is free from electronics.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display includes a light source configured to provide illumination after the count drops below a predetermined number to indicate a low stock level.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit coupled to the counting mechanism, the communication unit configured to send the count to a remote computing device.

7. An apparatus for tracking a product number count of merchandised products, the apparatus comprising
a merchandising unit supporting one or more products for display to a consumer;
a counting mechanism coupled to the merchandising unit and configured to determine a count of a number of products of the one or more products supported in a row by the merchandising unit, wherein the counting mechanism comprises:
a pusher configured to track a first depth of the row;
an adjustable member configured to be adjusted so that a circumference of an adjustable gear is generally equal to a second depth of a product of the number of products, the adjustable gear coupled to the pusher, such that as the product is placed in or removed from the row, the pusher is driven rearwardly or forwardly by the second depth of the product while the adjustable gear makes a full rotation to increase or decrease the count on a display by one respectively; and
a numbered gear having numbers disposed on a periphery thereof and operatively coupled to the adjustable member such that one rotation of the adjustable member causes the numbered gear to rotate one position displaying a number of the numbers disposed on the periphery corresponding to a current count of products in the row; and

the display coupled to the counting mechanism and visible on the merchandising unit, the display comprising a window configured to align with the number corresponding to the current count of products in the row.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the merchandising unit comprises one of a shelf or a package.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the counting mechanism is configured to keep a count of the number of products supported in the row.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the counting mechanism is free from electronics.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display includes a light source configured to provide illumination after the count drops below a predetermined number to indicate a low stock level.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a communication unit coupled to the counting mechanism, the communication unit configured to send the count to a remote computing device.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Taylor Robert J
• Alexander Matthew
• Cruz Jeffrey S
• Propes William M
• Scobey Leigh Ann

Classifications

• A47F1/125 Primary

  with an article-pushing device · CPC title

• G07F9/026

  for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G07G1/0036

  Checkout procedures · CPC title