Systems and methods for weighing products on a shelf
AssigneeShekel Scales Co. (2008) Ltd.
InventorMichael Trakhimovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelf assembly for tracking the weight of non-homogeneous products stored thereupon in a refrigerator comprises a weighing base comprising opposing load-cell bases detachedly attachable to respective left and right internal walls of the refrigerator, a shelf frame or at least one beam member joining respective said opposing load-cell bases so as to form, in combination therewith, a rigid shelf frame, the rigid shelf frame being open to a vertical airflow over at least 25% of its horizontal surface area; a shelf open to a vertical airflow over at least 50% of its horizontal surface area; and a plurality of load cell assemblies fixedly attached to each of respective said opposing load-cell bases so as to mediate between the load-cell bases and the shelf. The shelf can be a wire-grid shelf.
Claims20
A shelf assembly for tracking the weight of non-homogeneous products stored thereupon in a refrigerator, the shelf assembly comprising:
- a. a weighing base comprising:
- i. opposing load-cell bases detachably attached to respective left and right internal walls of the refrigerator,
- ii. a rigid shelf frame, at least 25% of the horizontal surface area thereof being open to permit a vertical airflow therethrough;
- b. a respective plurality of load cell assemblies fixedly attached to each of said opposing load-cell bases each load cell assembly comprising:
- i. a load cell body having a free end and an anchored portion, and including a spring element and a receiving element, and
- ii. a strain-sensing gage, bonded to said spring element and adapted to measure a strain therein;
- and
- c. a shelf disposed upon said plurality of load cell assemblies, at least 50% of the horizontal surface area of the shelf being open to permit a vertical airflow therethrough, and,
- wherein (i) said load cell body is attached to said horizontal member at said anchored portion of the load cell body, and (ii) said at least one receiving element is adapted to receive a vertical load from the shelf, said receiving element has (A) an unloaded disposition, and (B) a loaded disposition in which said at least one receiving element receives said vertical load, wherein in said loaded disposition, said free end attains a depressed position with respect to said free end in said unloaded disposition.
A method of tracking inventory of non-homogeneous products in a refrigerator, the method comprising:
- a. tracking weight of non-homogeneous products stored on a shelf assembly disposed in the refrigerator, the shelf assembly comprising (i) opposing load-cell bases detachably attached to respective left and right internal walls of the refrigerator, (ii) a rigid shelf frame, at least 25% of the horizontal surface area thereof being open to a vertical airflow therethrough, (iii) a respective plurality of load cell assemblies fixedly attached to each of said opposing load-cell bases, each load cell assembly comprising:
- (A) a load cell body having a free end and an anchored portion, and including a spring element and at least one receiving element, and (B) a strain-sensing gage, bonded to said spring element and adapted to measure a strain in said spring element, and (iv) a shelf disposed upon said plurality of load cell assemblies, at least 50% of the horizontal surface area of the shelf being open to permit a vertical airflow therethrough;
- b. in response to a change in weight of the products on the shelf assembly, sending information about the weight of the products from at least one weighing assembly of said plurality of weighing assemblies to a computing device;
- and
- c. in response to receiving the information about the weight of the products:
- i. determining, by the computing device, that a product has been added to or removed from the shelf assembly, and
- ii. in response to the determining that a product has been added to or removed from the shelf assembly, identifying the product added or removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.