Compartment storage container with electronically addressable compartments

摘要

A compartment storage container for use in a collective objects management system with remote location of compartments containing sought objects. Each compartment has an address decoder with a unique address electrically connected to an electrical input connector which supplies compartment search signals to the container. Each compartment has an LED indicator which is activated when a compartment search signal specifies a compartment address which matches the address of an address decoder in the container. Each container has an electrical output connector which can be connected to the electrical input connector of another container so that several containers can be connected to one another. Each container can be removably installed in a cabinet drawer and electrically connected to conductive support rails in the drawer to communicate with a cabinet based collective objects management system.

主权项

1. A compartment storage container for enabling remote location and retrieval of objects located in compartments in the container, said container comprising:
a base wall; a plurality of upstanding wall members connected to said base wall, said base wall and said plurality of upstanding wall members defining an enclosure volume, said plurality of upstanding wall members including a front wall member, a rear wall member, a first side wall member, and a second side wall member; a plurality of upstanding partition members located within said enclosure volume and defining a plurality of compartments for receiving objects, said plurality of upstanding partition members including a first sub-plurality of upstanding partition members extending between said front wall member and said rear wall member, and a second sub-plurality of upstanding partition members extending between said first side wall member and said second side wall member; a plurality of address decoders each positioned in a different one of said plurality of compartments and each having a unique address; an electrical input connector secured to one of said upstanding wall members and ohmically coupled to said plurality of address decoders for providing compartment search signals supplied by a source to said plurality of address decoders; and a plurality of light sources each electrically coupled to a different one of said plurality of address decoders and activatable thereby whenever one of said compartment search signals specifies an address matching the address of the associated one of said plurality of address decoders.