Registers – Records
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-28
2001-06-26
Pitts, Harold I. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
C235S375000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250556
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field
This invention relates to inventory control systems and methods. More particularly, it relates to an inventory control tagging system and method particularly suited for vehicle parking, repairs, and storage. It provides for control tagging of automobiles and trucks, but can be used with the tracking of other types of articles, and for patron admission. It also provides advertising, an inexpensive souvenir, ticketing, and coupons.
2. State of the Art
There are a number of different inventory control methods and devices using tags for numerical controls. Logging in of items and keeping track of their locations has always been a problem in a number of industries, such as the automotive and truck repair business. There has for sometime heretofore been recognition of the need to tag or identify vehicles with a low cost, disposable, identification system. Accordingly, a variety of systems have been known prior to this invention.
Two systems in use at the present time are expensive and non-disposable. Both require tagging and retrieval from the vehicle before being returned to the owner. Another system is less expensive using disposable tags attached to the rear view mirror bracket, and is not suitable for use where these brackets are not present as in medium and heavy duty trucks, which do not have inside rear view mirrors. All products and systems in use at the present time require a separate device for the attachment of key identification tags at additional expense. Furthermore, all products currently in use tend to blow off or fall onto the floor of the vehicles during road tests, rendering them useless for viewing from outside the vehicle.
There remains a need for a simple inexpensive disposable tracking system using tags, which can also be used to provide advertising and discount coupon services, as well as admission to various events. The present invention is particularly suited for the automotive and truck service industry where numerical control of vehicles and their keys is required for locating vehicles, and job dispatch purposes. It provides a device and multipurpose tracking method described below satisfying these requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one objective of the invention to provide a control numbering system that can be placed directly on the inside of the windshield by means of a pre-pasted non-marking glue.
It is another objective of the invention to provide a key tag that is detached from the vehicle tag and removably attached to an article such as a key or key ring by means of looping around the key or key ring and back through itself
It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a detachable customer claim check with a referencing control number.
In accordance with these objectives, the invention provides a more universal attaching system which is more permanent while in use, easy to use, disposable, and eliminates the need for a second attaching device for the key tag. The invention meeting these objectives is an inventory control pad comprised of a plurality of sequentially numbered removably stacked bendable sheets. These sheets have different inventory control numbers, which are generally numbered in consecutive order increasing from top to bottom. These sheets are made of flexible paper, plastic, or tear resistant materials such as that produced by Dupont Corporation under the tradename Tyvek.
Each sheet has an adhesive strip usually placed along its top edge to self adhere until used. Upon removal of a sheet, the adhesive is still sufficiently tacky to allow the sheet to removably adhere to the surface of an item. Generally, the preferred adhesive is clear, non-marking, removable, and re-stickable such as that produced by 3M Corporation for use with Post-It® note pads.
Each sheet is scored or perforated to easily separate into at least three parts. The first part is a numbered control tag containing the adhesive strip to removably attach to an article. It has numbering sufficiently large to be viewed from a distance, such as when mounted to the window of an automobile or truck being repaired. Preferably, both sides of the control tag are printed with the same numbers or codes to be viewed from either side when mounted on a transparent surface, such as the front window of a vehicle or truck being serviced. The second part is a customer claim check having corresponding numbering or codes to the numbered control tag. It is relatively small so that it may be carried in a purse, wallet, or pocket of a customer, until it is time to redeem the automobile.
The third part is a wrapping tag with ends of sufficient length and width to pass through an opening in the article to be tagged, such as a keyhole, to wrap about the article. The wrapping tag has a longitudinal groove through which one end of the wrapping tag may loop through the groove and form a clove hitch knot about an article, such as a key or key ring.
As each sheet contains the same number or code for the control tag, customer claim check, and article wrapping tag, mismatching of the inventory control tags is minimized. Further, there is no need to locate a second attaching device, such as a key tag. These codes may be numeric, colored, or symbolic in a manner to aid in indexing and retrieval of objects.
As each sheet is constructed of paper, plastic, or other tear resistant bendable materials, they may be patterned and shaped in a variety of colors, logos, and designs. This allows the inventory control tags, claim checks and wrapping tags to be stamped with advertising, designs, or coupons, which can be used as a souvenir of a business or an event. If the inventory control tags, claim checks and wrapping tags are used to check vehicles into an amusement park or other event requiring vehicle check in, an additional scored or perforated tear strip can be included in the control tag section for separation and use as a wristband admission tag. In this preferred embodiment, each sheet is sized of sufficient length also to form a wristband to secure around a user's wrist. The wristband is generally patterned with an admission tab attached to display the numbering or coding to allow admission to an event.
If desired, the numbered control tag section can be further scored to form additional tear segments such as a coupons or prize giveaways for advertising purposes. Dealer incentives, and advertising to promote future attendance can thus be included as part of the inventory control invention. Thus, the improved system can be employed at various events to not only control entry and admission, but also the check in of articles and vehicles. It is particularly suited for valet parking and sporting events where it is necessary to check in vehicles as well as provide an admission receipt.
A preferred embodiment of the inventory control device adapted to check in vehicles for repairs is comprised of a pad of a plurality of sequentially numbered stacked bendable sheets. These sheets are made of a tear resistant material with adhesive strips usually along the top edge removably adhered to one another. Each sheet is then scored to removably separate into:
1) a coded two sided top segment forming a numbered control tag containing the adhesive strip along at least one edge to removably attach to an article.
2) a customer claim check having corresponding cooing as the control tag, and
3) a key tag having corresponding numbering as the control tag with ends of sufficient length and width to pass through an opening in an article and wrap about the article, the tag defining a longitudinal groove through which one end of the tag may loop through the groove and form a clove hitch knot about the article.
Preferably, the key tag has a segment independent of the loop segment containing the corresponding coding proximate the groove to provide greater visibility of the number. It is also preferable that the control tag, claim check, and key tag are made of a waterproof material for use out of doors. Waterproof sheets are a must for outdoor concerts and sporting event
Pitts Harold I.
Theodore Marcus G.
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