Art sheets storage, display and retrieval systems

Abstract

A novel system for art sheets storage, display and retrieval in a retail store. It includes a tall shelf stand with several shelves. Located beneath the shelves is a motor-powered, computer-controlled multiple drawers stand for storing art sheets to be viewed and retrieved by shoppers. The shelves are covered by a rotatable small pictures panel displaying duplicated pictures, but at reduced sizes, of all art sheets stored in the multiple drawers stand. A shopper can walk down the store aisle to view these small pictures. Once a small picture of interest is spotted, the shopper can press a button in a keypad to request a “Single Picture Show” by opening the drawer showing the corresponding art sheet. After viewing the small pictures, an “All Picture Show”, “Group Picture Show” or “Special Group Picture Show” can also be requested by the shopper to open all drawers or a group of drawers, one drawer at a time, each being opened for a predetermined duration. A “Hold” button can be pushed to hold the currently opened drawer in the open position to give the shopper more time to examine the displayed art sheet and to take out one for purchase. The push of a “Resume” button will resume the All Picture Show, Group Picture Show, or the Special Group Picture Show. A computer program is disclosed for operating such a multiple drawers stand.

1 . An art sheets storage, display, and retrieval system in a retail store, comprising: 
 (A) a drawer stand having 
 (a) a plurality of drawers for storage, display and retrieval of said art sheets, and  
 (b) multiple motors for operating said drawers, and  
   (B) a requesting element for requesting, by a store shopper, the opening of one of said drawers in said drawer stand, and    (C) a displaying member for displaying duplicated pictures, of reduced sizes, of said art sheets and providing locations of said art sheets in said drawer stand.    
   
   
       2 . The art sheets storage, display, and retrieval system of  claim 1  also comprising a shelf stand having: 
 (a) multiple storage shelves, and    (b) a holder for holding said displaying member in front of said multiple storage shelves and above said drawer stand.    
   
   
       3 . The art sheets storage, display, and retrieval system of  claim 2  in which said holder is a hinge for rotatably holding said displaying member.  
   
   
       4 . The art sheets storage, display, and retrieval system of  claim 1  also comprising a microcontroller for controlling the operation of said drawers.  
   
   
       5 . The art sheets storage, display, and retrieval system of  claim 1  in which each of said duplicated pictures has a size more than one hundredth ( 1/100) of the size of the corresponding art sheet in said drawers.  
   
   
       6 . A method of displaying a plurality of art sheets, comprising the steps of 
 (A) providing a multiple drawers stand for storing said art sheets,    (B) providing a number of motors for operating said multiple drawers,    (C) providing a computer for controlling the operation of said multiple drawers stand, and    (D) opening those drawers storing said art sheets in said stand, one drawer at a time, each being opened for a pre-determined duration.    
   
   
       7 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 6  also including requesting, by a user, to hold one said opened drawer in its open position beyond said pre-determined duration, whereby said user will be allowed additional time to examine an art sheet stored in said drawer.  
   
   
       8 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 7  also including requesting, by said user: 
 (a) to close said drawer opened beyond said pre-determined duration, and    (b) to resume opening remaining said those drawers not yet opened, one drawer at a time, each being opened for said pre-determined duration.    
   
   
       9 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 6  in which said those drawers of said stand include every drawer in said multiple drawers stand.  
   
   
       10 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 6  in which said those drawers of said stand are a group of pre-decided drawers.  
   
   
       11 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 6  in which said those drawers of said stand are a group of drawers specified by a user wanting to see the display of said art sheets.  
   
   
       12 . The method of displaying said art sheets of  claim 6  in which said computer includes a microcontroller.  
   
   
       13 . An arts storage and retrieval system in a retail store, comprising: 
 (A) a stand having a plurality of storage shelves,    (B) a device placed in front of said stand for storing said arts to be viewed and retrieved by a store shopper, and    (C) a displaying member placed above said device and at the front side of said stand for displaying duplicated pictures, of reduced sizes, of said arts and providing locations of said arts in said device.    
   
   
       14 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which said displaying member is mounted on said stand.  
   
   
       15 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which said displaying member is a panel rotatably mounted on said stand.  
   
   
       16 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which each said duplicated picture has a size more than one hundredth ( 1/100) of the size of the corresponding art in said device.  
   
   
       17 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which each said duplicated picture has a size more than one twentieth ( 1/20) of the size of the corresponding art in said device.  
   
   
       18 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which said arts include a plurality of art sheets.  
   
   
       19 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which said arts include a plurality of art frames.  
   
   
       20 . The arts storage and retrieval system of  claim 13  in which said arts include a plurality of mat boards.  
   
   
       21 . An arts display system in a retail store, comprising: 
 (A) a sheets displaying stand having: 
 (a) a plurality of different art sheets displayable in said sheets displaying stand, and  
 (b) a motor for moving one of said plurality of different art sheets between 
 (i) a concealed position for concealing said one art sheet, and  
 (ii) an exposed position for displaying said one art sheet.  
 
   
   
   
       22 . The arts display system of  claim 21  also comprising a computer-based member for controlling the operation of said sheets displaying stand.  
   
   
       23 . The arts display system of  claim 22  in which said computer-based member includes a microcontroller.  
   
   
       24 . The arts display system of  claim 22  in which said computer-based member includes a keypad having a plurality of push buttons.  
   
   
       25 . The arts display system of  claim 21  also comprising a plurality of different small pictures posted close to said sheets displaying stand, each of said small pictures being similar to a corresponding art sheet in said sheets displaying stand, but of reduced size.  
   
   
       26 . The arts display system of  claim 25  in which each of said small pictures has a size larger than one hundredth ( 1/100) of the size of said corresponding art sheet in said sheets displaying stand.  
   
   
       27 . The arts display system of  claim 21  in which said sheets displaying stand also has a plurality of drawers for storing said art sheets in said sheets displaying stand.  
   
   
       28 . An arts display method comprising the steps of: 
 (A) providing a multiple sheets displaying stand having a plurality of art sheets therein,    (B) providing at least one motor for operating said multiple sheets displaying stand,    (C) providing a computer for controlling the operation of said multiple sheets displaying stand, and    (D) moving one of said art sheets from a concealed position to an exposed position for displaying said one art sheet for a pre-determined duration.    
   
   
       29 . The arts display method of  claim 28  also comprising requesting, by a user, to keep said one art sheet in said exposed position beyond said pre-determined duration, whereby said user will be allowed additional time to examine said one art sheet.  
   
   
       30 . The arts display method of  claim 28  also comprising requesting, by a user, to display each of said art sheets sequentially for said pre-determined duration.  
   
   
       31 . The arts display method of  claim 28  also comprising requesting, by a user, to display each of several pre-selected art sheets in said multiple sheets displaying stand sequentially for said pre-determined duration.  
   
   
       32 . The arts display method of  claim 28  also comprising requesting, by a user, to display each of several art sheets in said multiple sheets displaying stand, specified by said user, sequentially for said pre-determined duration.  
   
   
       33 . An arts display and storage system in a retail store, comprising: 
 (A) an arts storage device having a plurality of arts stored therein, and    (B) a plurality of small samples posted close to said arts storage device, each of said small samples being similar to a corresponding art stored in said arts storage device, whereby, once a small sample is found of interest, the store shopper can find and examine said corresponding art in said arts storage device.    
   
   
       34 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 33  in which 
 (a) said plurality of arts is a plurality of art sheets, and    (b) said plurality of small samples is a plurality of small pictures.    
   
   
       35 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 33  in which said arts storage device is a multiple drawers stand, each of said multiple drawers being for storing one or more said art sheets.  
   
   
       36 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 33  in which said plurality of arts is a plurality of art frames.  
   
   
       37 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 33  in which said plurality of arts is a plurality of mat boards.  
   
   
       38 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 33  also comprising a stand having a plurality of storage shelves placed close to said arts storage device.  
   
   
       39 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 38  also comprising a panel holding said plurality of small samples.  
   
   
       40 . The arts display and storage system of  claim 39  in which said panel is removably mounted on said stand.