US3686630A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Input-output apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-02-10
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Granted: 1972-08-22
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Expires: 1991-02-10
Abstract
Abstract An input-output apparatus particularly adapted for use in business systems in which the input apparatus is an order board which is portable and capable of operation by the ordering or consuming public. The board has a plurality of slide members therein which are selectively moved in ordering to various locations corresponding to quantities of an item to be ordered. A plurality of rows of holes in the board aligned with the slide members provide information of the quantity of an item to be ordered and these holes are blocked by the slide members when moved in a manner corresponding to the number of items to be ordered. A readout device in the form of a plurality of contact pins having the same array orientation as the holes in the order board will be brought into alignment with and inserted into the holes in the board wherein those holes not blocked will allow passage of the pins and those blocked will cause the pins to slide in the reader to actuate contacts and energize signaling devices corresponding to the number of items ordered. This information is available for transmittal as a display at the point of sale and to a remote location in a business system. It also provides information in terms of signals to a memory storage unit for retaining such information for business purposes.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth P Zubay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
An input-output apparatus comprising, a first part including a panel board having a plurality of slide members positioned within the panel board and slidably mounted in a slot therein, a portion of the slot in said panel board being exposed to a surface of the panel board, a plurality of rows of holes extending through the panel board and aligned respectively with each of said slide members and with one another, said slide members including handle means extending through the exposed slot in the panel board and adapted to be moved to slide the slide members within the panel to cover progressively the holes in the rows aligned with the slide members, and a second part of the apparatus including means having rows of aligned sensors corresponding to the holes in the rows in the panel member and adapted to align with the rows of holes in the panel member to sense the positions of the respective slide members therein by the presence of blocked holes therethrough, said sensors including means to provide signal outputs responsive to the number of holes blocked in each row by the slide members in said panel board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
An input-output apparatus comprising, a first part including a panel board having a plurality of slide members positioned within the panel board and slidably mounted in a slot therein, a portion of the slot in said panel board being exposed to a surface of the panel board, a plurality of rows of holes extending through the panel board and aligned respectively with each of said slide members and with one another, said slide members including handle means extending through the exposed slot in the panel board and adapted to be moved to slide the slide members within the panel to cover progressively the holes in the rows aligned with the slide members, and a second part of the apparatus including means having rows of aligned sensors corresponding to the holes in the rows in the panel member and adapted to align with the rows of holes in the panel member to sense the positions of the respective slide members therein by the presence of blocked holes therethrough, said sensors including means to provide signal outputs responsive to the number of holes blocked in each row by the slide members in said panel board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 1 and including detent means located on each of the slide members and adapted to fit selectively into one of the plurality of holes aligned in the panel board with the slide members to hold the slide members in a predetermined position relative to the row of holes therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 2 and including indicia means positioned on one side of the panel board and aligned with each of the slide members to identify the same.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 3 and including an additional row of holes aligned with the indicia means and positioned respectively over each of the plurality of slide members, said row of holes aligning with and disclosing indicia means positioned on the slide members and distributed along the extent of the same such that as each slide member is moved and different indicia appears within the holes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 4 and including an aperture extending through the panel board and a selectively removable and insertable tab means positioned in said aperture with corresponding identifying indicia positioned on the panel board and on the tab means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
202 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 4 in which the slot in the panel board is a recess within the same, the recess being open to one surface of the board and in which the plurality of slide members are elongated members positioned within the recess and exposed to said one side of said board intermediate their extent with handle means attached to the slide members, said slide members being positioned in contacting relationship with adjacent members to be guided for sliding movement within the recess and in which the rows of holes are aligned with the extent of the slide member and to one side of said opening in the side of the panel member and extending through the panel member such that the individual slide members may be independently and selectively slidable within the recess to be guided by adjacent slide members and with the detent means aligning with the row of holes such that the detent means may fall into any one of the holes in the row to position the slide member with respect to the row of holes and such that the slide members block certain of the holes in the row as they are moved relative thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
The input-output apparatus of claim 1 in which the means having rows of aligned sensors forming the second part of the apparatus includes a base member having a plurality of slidably mounted prong Members therein with the prongs being arranged in a plurality of rows corresponding to the plurality of holes in the panel member and including switch contact means included in part in each of the plurality of prongs to be operated when the prongs slide in the base and relative thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
210 words
An order taking apparatus comprising, a portable board having a plurality of rows of apertures therein, each row representing an item to be ordered and in each aperture in the row representative progressively from the start of a row of the quantity of an item to be ordered, indicia means positioned on the surface of the board and identifying items available for ordering, individual slide means positioned within the portable board and aligned with the indicia means and respectively with each of the rows of holes and having projecting gripping means positioned beyond the surface of the board enabling the slide means to be moved toward and away from the rows of holes to block selected holes in each row in accord with the desired quantity of an item to be ordered, and a fixed sensor having a frame with rows of aligned sensing elements corresponding to the apertures in each row in the portable board, said sensing elements each including means for providing a signal output therefrom, said portable board when positioned adjacent said fixed sensor so that the rows of sensing elements aligned with the rows of apertures in the board causing signal outputs from the sensing elements at the holes which are blocked by the slide means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
210 words
An order taking apparatus comprising, a portable board having a plurality of rows of apertures therein, each row representing an item to be ordered and in each aperture in the row representative progressively from the start of a row of the quantity of an item to be ordered, indicia means positioned on the surface of the board and identifying items available for ordering, individual slide means positioned within the portable board and aligned with the indicia means and respectively with each of the rows of holes and having projecting gripping means positioned beyond the surface of the board enabling the slide means to be moved toward and away from the rows of holes to block selected holes in each row in accord with the desired quantity of an item to be ordered, and a fixed sensor having a frame with rows of aligned sensing elements corresponding to the apertures in each row in the portable board, said sensing elements each including means for providing a signal output therefrom, said portable board when positioned adjacent said fixed sensor so that the rows of sensing elements aligned with the rows of apertures in the board causing signal outputs from the sensing elements at the holes which are blocked by the slide means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The order taking apparatus of claim 8 in which the fixed sensor is a frame having a plurality of rows of slidably mounted contact pins therein which cooperate with a fixed contact in the frame and with each other when moved to connect individual signal producing elements in circuits with an energizing source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The order taking apparatus of claim 9 in which the frame of the sensor is an insulated material and the pins in the rows are electrically conductive material and in which the portable board and the slide means therein are made of a nonconductive plastic material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
132 words
An order taking apparatus comprising, a portable board having a plurality of rows of apertures therein, each row representing an item to be ordered and in each aperture in the row representative progressively from the start of a row of the quantity of an item to be ordered, indicia means positioned on the surface of the board and identifying items available for ordering, individual slide means positioned within the portable board and aligned with the indicia means and respectively with each of the rows of holes and having projecting gripping means positioned beyond the surface of the board enabling the slide means to be moved toward and away from the rows of holes to block selected holes in each row in accord with the desired quantity of an item to be ordered.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
An order taking apparatus comprising, a portable board having a plurality of rows of apertures therein, each row representing an item to be ordered and in each aperture in the row representative progressively from the start of a row of the quantity of an item to be ordered, indicia means positioned on the surface of the board and identifying items available for ordering, individual slide means positioned within the portable board and aligned with the indicia means and respectively with each of the rows of holes and having projecting gripping means positioned beyond the surface of the board enabling the slide means to be moved toward and away from the rows of holes to block selected holes in each row in accord with the desired quantity of an item to be ordered.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |