WO2017061984A1 - Buttocks enhancing garment - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment to cover lower portion of the body comprising a plurality of volume enhancement pads sewn to the left and right interior buttock area of the garment which provides a voluminous appearance to the buttocks. The pads may be sewn between interior surface and lining of the garment. The garment may be jeans, pants, trousers, or skirts. The garment may be a tight fitting jean. The pads may be stitched with stitching marks not visible the on outer surface of the garment. The pad may be made of sponge, silicon or fabric. The fabric may be spandex. The number of said pads may be at least two.

Description

SECURED INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (S.I.M.S) INVENTOR: SOMMER SHOPE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to secure inventory management system, and specifically, to inventory management of consumables. More particularly the present invention relates to shelving and product display and a system for aiding in determining the inventory on the shelf in a retail store.

BACKGROUND Inventory management is becoming increasingly important in today's growing economy. New products are continuously being developed and placed in the market for consumer purchase. Although this growth provides consumers with more choices for selecting various goods and services, businesses (e.g., retailers, wholesalers, etc.) are tasked with managing this growing inventory. To manage growing product inventories, businesses have implemented perpetual type inventory management systems, which are systems that use Point Of Sale (POS) data on products sold, invoicing data, and historical data on inventory audits or cyde counts (e.g., periodic inventory counts of products) to determine the inventory that exists within the walls of a retail store. POS data generally refers to data generated at a checkout system (i.e., cash register). Based on the inventory level within the retail stores, products may be reordered from a manufacturer. Alternatively, the manufacturer and retailer may have an agreement that directs the manufacturer to preemptively deliver products according to the terms of the agreement. Ideally, inventory is replenished in a manner such that inventory arrives at the retail store just before existing stock levels are exhausted. Although perpetual inventory management systems alleviate some of the burden in managing large inventories, they employ a management that injects inaccuracies in cycle counts, POS scanning data, redundant re-ordering, misdirected shipments, and/or unusual sales velocity (i.e., the sale of products that take place either too fast or too stow). The result is physical (actual) inventory out-of-stock levels as high as 11-12 percent or even much higher for specially promoted products or products that are closely monitored for safety purposes {e.g., products with expiration dates).

Another shortcoming associated with perpetual inventory management systems includes inventory shrinkage, also described as the reduction of inventory due to non-sale circumstances. For example, shrinkage may occur at any point in a supply chain, stemming from invoice errors, vendor fraud, misdirected shipments, retail employee theft and customer theft. If Inventory is computed as described above (i.e., using perpetual inventory management techniques), shrinkage rates (amounting to several percent of sales) can cause divergence of theoretical (i.e., inventory that is proposed or planned) and physical inventory. Another problem with perpetual inventory management systems is the uncertainty associated with the effectiveness of product promotions. For instance, if the relationship between price and inventory velocity, known as price elasticity, is not well understood, promotions can cause an out-of-stock condition that negatively impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty. Alternatively, promotions can fail to achieve a desired reduction of inventory when too much inventory is ordered and the price elasticity is poorly estimated or measured.

Further, another related problem with conventional inventory management systems is associated with misplaced inventory on a retail shelf or similar support unit Product manufacturers devote large sums of money to market certain products to consumers. In some instances, this marketing may include combating a competitor that manufacturers a similar product. Because retailers generally desire to present as much inventory as possible for sale to the customer, some employees may fill a void on a shelf dedicated for an out of stock product with related products. In some instances, the related products may include products produced by a manufacturer's competitor. This may result in lost sales for the manufacturer and, in some cases, reduction in customer satisfaction. This may also violate agreements between retailers and manufacturers or their distributors.

To address the shortcomings of conventional inventory management systems, businesses have begun to incorporate wireless identification devices to assist in managing the inventory of products. This advancement contemplates attaching Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on products during manufacture or when the products are stored in a warehouse. Each RFID tag includes an Integrated Circuit (IQ that enables the tag to have a unique identification number. Therefore, when a product is taken from a warehouse and placed on a retail shelf, for example, the products may be scanned to give a comprehensive inventory. Further, RFID tag technologies have been contemplated in providing distributed inventory management between a manufacturer and a retailer. For example, a manufacturer may be alerted through the Internet each time a product is sold at a retailer using the information stored in the product's RFID tag. The manufacturer may then use this information to forecast replenishment schedules with the retailer to prevent an out of stock situation. Store associates must perform routine tasks throughout the store and require information to support operation of the store. Back room inventory management is on routine task which can be labor intensive. Store associates must routinely track movement of stock in and out of the back room, including time and location on back room shelves.

A major cost in the operation of retail stores relates to inventory management, which includes the tracking and storing of inventory. A significant portion of this cost relates to product inventory management in the selling area of the store. A considerable portion of this inventory management cost is the periodic counting of product on the store shelves. This counting is necessary to determine the amount of product on the shelf and to help ensure the shelves are fully stocked. Historically, the counting of inventory on store shelves was done manually and the results were recorded on paper. More recently, however, inventory has been counted manually with the use of a small hand-held computer that can be configured to transmit the entered data to a central computer that compiles data and can be programmed to make decisions regarding the purchase of products for restocking the shelves. These recent advances have helped reduce the cost of inventory management but counting inventory still requires significant manual labor. It would be beneficial to reduce the amount of manual labor required to count the inventory. Another significant cost relating to inventory management is product theft. Certain items are relatively small but represent a high value to potential thieves who can either resell the Items or use them for other illegitimate purposes, as in the case of certain pharmaceutical products. The losses generated by such thefts have a negative impact on the profitability of the retail stores.

Theft can be the result of both customers and employees actions and has been difficult to eliminate. Attempts to deter and prevent theft have proven to be only partially effective. For instance, in-store cameras often do not observe the theft dearly enough to catch or prosecute the thief. In addition, in-store security personnel are rarely in the correct position to actually observe a thief In action. As a result, theft continues to be a significant problem and cost in the management of inventory. It would be beneficial to provide aid in monitoring for theft Currently, retail stores can track the amount of product sold based on a number of items scanned at the checkout counter. While this ability has proven useful, certain inherent disadvantages result from the use of such a system. One inherent disadvantage is that the scanner only counts the number of products that are legitimately purchased. Therefore, if product is removed from the shelf but not purchased, the store is unable to determine the fact that product has been misplaced or stolen without visual inspection or detection. It would be useful to compare changes in product level on the shelves with the amount of product sold.

Therefore there exists a need of a Secure Inventory Management System that can cater the problems of theft and knowledge of the theft to owner. Inventory in stock and the identification of users/ employees taking out certain quantities from the selves. There exists a need of some security system that immediately sends an alert to the employer about the extra movement of inventory from the shelf and about the stock left on shelves. The current invention targets to overcome all such defects in prior art and provides a Secured inventory management system that is aided with an app and linked up through a computer system to the sensors at shelves that calculates the weight of product/ ingredients on shelve and balance weight after withdrawal from shelf, a voice box for employee identification, a camera connected to the sensors and computer that functions in automated manner only In case of theft

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention includes the shelves are installed with sensors (wireless/ wired) with sensors functioning by calculating the weight of inventory on the self before and after removal of a component from the shelf. In an embodiment, the data is transmitted to a store computer.

An aspect of an embodiment of the present Invention is that the periodic manual counting of inventory can be avoided because the data transmitted to the store computer allows the determination of inventory levels. In an embodiment, the determination of inventory can be done In real time.

An aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is that the sensors are labelled according to the product on the shelf. A unique Identity code number can be associated with a particular sensor. If desired, the identity number can be associated with a product in the store computer. When it is desired to change the product kept on the shelf, the new product can be associated with the identifying number.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the amount of product sold from a particular location in the retail store can be determined. This information can be used to determine the effectiveness of product placement and promotional displays, particularly when a product can be obtained from various places within the retail store. In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is a voice box where the employee ID is to be entered and also the product required to be removed from the shelf.

In an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is a camera linked up to the sensors and computer such that when the employee tries to remove the inventory more than what he had entered in the computer, the camera gets activated and dicks his picture for identification.

Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification as hereinafter related.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the Invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.

It is noted the purpose of the foregoing summarized matter is to enable the Patent Office and the public generally, especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, Its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the shelves with sensors according toa preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the Secure Inventory Management System according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements. The embodiments, dimensions, components and/or geometrical configurations are preferred, for exemplification purposes only.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

In one embodiments of the current invention, the shelving units with sensors are disclosed where the shelves are made up of steel and the sensors are as illustrated in Po land are wired or wireless type. These sensors are used to monitor products by weight and being connected to the computer system of the store, sends the information to the computer. The process of taking the inventory/ any component from the shelf will indude steps: Firstly the employee enters his employee code number into the computer system and also the details of the product/ component/inventory to be taken from the shelf. Then the computer system deducts that particular product from the list of the inventory. Alternately, the employee goes near the shelf where that product is placed and speaks his employee code and the product he requires in the voice box on the shelf, which passes this information to the computer system in store and the computer hence deducts the quantity of product from the Inventory list

If someone tries to take some extra quantity from the shelf, with his employee code already in the system, the computer will send an alert text or call the employer/ owners. Also the camera will be activated once the extra quantity is removed and sensor senses the extra weight removal from the shelf. The camera dicks an on the spot picture of the employee doing the theft.

The advantages of the Secure Inventory Management System to the owner are it effortlessly counts the Inventory and sorts out of the problem of unexplained shortages of inventory. The owner need not deploy people merely for counting / tracking inventory. The system provided in the current invention measures weight in pounds. It not only accurately counts the inventory but also informs about the dishonest employees to the owners. The system of the current invention saves time and money all the while minimizing shortages.

There can be an insulated box for the computer in cases when the computer is located in cool places, to prevent damage that may occur to the computer. The Fig. 2 illustrates the S.I.M.S (secure inventory management system) dearly showing the employee ID steps which include: 1. Entering employee ID and password.

2. Select the product required from the self.

3. Entering the quantity of the product required.

4. Ensure right quantity entered in the computer and Exit.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention. Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this Invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The benefits and advantages which may be provided by the present invention have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the embodiments.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS I daim:

1. A garment to cover lower portion of body comprising plurality of volume enhancement pads sewn to the left and right interior buttock area of said garment which provides voluminous appearance to the buttocks.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein said pads are sewn between interior surface and lining of the garment.

3. The garment of claim 1, wherein said garment Is Jeans, pants, trousers, or skirts.

4. The garment of claim 1, wherein said garment is a tight fitting Jean.

5. The garment of claim 1, wherein said pads are stitched with stitching marks not visible on outer surface of said garment.

6. The garment of claim 1, wherein said pad is made of sponge, silicon or fabric

7. The garment of daim 6, wherein said fabric is spandex.

8. The garment of daim 1» wherein number of said pads is at least two.