Method, apparatus and kit for manufacturing an inventory item storage receptacle for an inventory control system and the system

摘要

A method for manufacturing an inventory item storage receptacle (7) for an inventory control system includes placing the inventory items (104) (figure 7 — not shown), or blanks or equivalents thereof, into a mould (84) between first and second moulding surfaces (92,86), placing a flexible member (e.g. latex enclosure) (100) into the mould (84) between the inventory items (104) and the second moulding surface (86), feeding a fluid or semi-solid material into the mould such that the flexible member (100) is moulded around each of the inventory items (104) to be stored in the receptacle (7), or blanks/equivalents thereof, and solidifying the fluid or semi-solid material to form a body (108) having individually-shaped recesses (10) in the body (108) that are matched to the inventory items (104). The inventory control system includes at least one of said storage receptacles (7), a monitoring system (12) for monitoring the removal and replacement of die inventory items (104) from the storage locations (10), and a data processing system (13) for recording the removal and replacement of inventory items (104) from the recesses according to signals received from the monitoring system (12). The storage receptacle (7) includes a plurality of inventory item storage locations (10), wherein each of the storage location (10) comprises an individually-shaped recess for receiving a specific inventory item (104), the shape of the recess being matched to the shape of the inventory item. Apparatus for manufacturing the inventory item storage receptacle, a kit for such an apparatus and an inventory control system including at least one of the storage receptacles are also disclosed. An self-expandable and/or foaming material is fed into the moulding device, forming part of the apparatus and the kit, from a container to form the body 108. The weight of plate 92 and biasing force of springs 98 maintain the position of a set of tools (104) and any moulding blocks (102) (figure 7 — not shown) whilst allowing the plate 92 to move vertically as the foam expands.