CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a U.S. National Phase application of PCT/GB2019/050170, filed Jan. 22, 2019, which claims priority to Great Britain Patent Application No. 1801047.0, filed Jan. 23, 2018, the disclosures of each of these applications being incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an assembly of a storage system. In one aspect, it relates to a cover for mounting on a support beam in stock control systems well-known for use, for example, in manufacturing and medical facilities or as vending machines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In typical automated stock control systems, a storage cabinet comprises a plurality of latched drawers held between panels fixed between support beams. Articles to be supplied to users are provided in the drawers or compartments of the drawers. Examples of such articles include cutting tools and the like used with machine tools; other manufacturing tools and components; drugs, needles and other medical items; and legal documents. A control system allows a user to access the required article by unlatching the drawer containing the required article. The drawer is then pulled out from the home position (where no compartments are exposed) to the extent that the compartment containing the article is exposed, when the drawer is latched again to prevent further opening of the drawer.

In a known system, each panel includes a control mechanism for the drawers. The control mechanism on all panels is centrally connected to a system controller by means of cabling. The cabling runs along the surface of the support beams between the panels. At the time of assembly or re-configuring of the system, the panels may be added or moved from one point to another along the support beams. To mount a panel between an upper and a lower support beam, it is necessary to hold the panel above the cabling so that it aligns with engagement extensions provided on the support beams. Once aligned, a screw is inserted through a hole at the top of the panel to fix it to the engagement section in the upper beam and a screw is then inserted at the bottom of the panel to fix it to the bottom support beam. Understandably, this is very fiddly and can lead to the cabling becoming damaged. When there are several beams and several levels of panels within the cabinet, the task of assembling can become cumbersome.

Moreover, as the panels can easily misalign with respect to the support beams during mounting, it is very difficult for a single person to keep them aligned while fixing the screws. Therefore, to carry out the task efficiently, two people are needed in the existing system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to address the problems of the prior art system. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cover for a support beam comprising: a plate; an abutment portion extending upwards from the plate; and a guide projection formed on the upper surface of the plate and extending at an angle to the abutment portion.

Advantageously, such a cover when mounted on a support beam in a storage system aids in assembling the storage system by allowing a panel to be fitted between the support beams via the guide projection formed on the cover. Moreover, the cover protects the surface of the support beam from damage during assembly.

Preferably, the plate further comprises at least one positioning projection formed in a side of the plate and extending along the guide projection.

Preferably, the plate further comprises a line of weakness extending along the surface of the plate, between the abutment portion and the guide projection, such that the plate can be broken into two parts along the line of weakness.

Preferably, the plate further comprises a fixing hole formed in the plate adjacent the line of weakness.

Preferably, the plate further comprises at least one engagement protrusion, extending outwards from a side of the plate, adapted to engage with the back of the support beam.

Preferably, the plate further comprises a cabling hole formed in the plate, wherein the cabling hole is adapted to allow a cable with a plug to pass through.

Preferably in that, the plate further comprises a plug socket formed in the plate such that the plug can fit into the plug socket.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system comprising: a panel adapted to be mounted between a first support beam and a second support beam; and the cover as described above adapted to be mounted on the surface of the support beams.

Preferably, the panel is adapted to slide onto the cover mounted on the first support beam along the guide projection such that the top end of the panel abuts the positioning projection formed in the cover mounted on the second support beam; and the panel is further adapted to abut the abutment portion formed in an adjacent cover when the panel is turned in a direction away from the guide projection.

Preferably, the panel comprises engagement extensions adapted to engage with corresponding fixing tabs on the support beams upon turning the panel onto the cover mounted on the first support beam.

Preferably, the panel further comprises a guide block on one side and a support on the other side.

Preferably, the panel is adapted to hold a storage unit between the guide block on one side of the panel and the support on the other side of an adjacent panel.

Preferably, the guide block comprises means for controlling and monitoring the movement of the storage unit.

Preferably in that, the guide block is adapted to connect to a controller through cabling running along the surface of the support beams, and the cover is adapted to cover the cabling on the surface of the support beams.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a support beam comprising: a base plate; at least one abutment portion extending upwards from the base plate; and at least one guide projection formed on the upper surface of the base plate and extending at an angle to the abutment portion.

Preferably, the base plate further comprises at least one positioning projection formed in a side of the base plate and extending along the guide projection.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of fixing a panel between a first support beam and a second support beam, the method comprising: mounting one or more covers on the surface of the support beams; sliding the panel along a guide projection, formed in the cover mounted on the first support beam; rotating the panel in a direction away from the guide projection until it abuts an abutment portion formed in an adjacent cover such that engagement extensions formed in the panel aligns with corresponding engagement features formed in the support beams; and fixing the panel to the support beams by fastening means.

