Patent ID: 12214384

INDEX TO REFERENCE NUMERALS

FIG.1:Rapid sorting mechanical structures6Depalletizer8Full pallet infeed10Palletwidth infeed conveyor12First intermediate width transfer conveyor14Second intermediate width transfer conveyor16Baler discharge gate18Baler discharge chute20Third intermediate width transfer conveyor22Air single filer24Single file air conveyor26Inside camera #128Inside defect rejection chute #130Deco camera #232Deco defect rejection chute #234Vacuum transfer station(from bottom conveyance to top conveyance)36(bottom of can) Bodymaker ID &Ink dot camera #3 with ink dot assurance printer38Ink dot defect rejection chute #340Single file vacuum conveyor42Fourth intermediate width transfer conveyor44Palletwidth outfeed conveyor46Pallet size layer outfeed48Palletizer (repalletizer)50FIG.2Badge scanner1002D hand scanner102Rapid sort machine inputs104Human machine interface106PLC108Reports (printable)110Camera system & camera database112Processing & formatting114Master database/data compilation database116Output118Database access120Client access122Client data sources124Output file126Data request128Assurance mark printer130Data input class132Data sources class134Output class136FIG.3RFID reader employee data200Component action202Component204Pallet206Event208Action code210Event client bridge212Camera action214Camera216Client data (external sources)218

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Glossary

As used herein, “such” refers to items which are not part of the invention itself but rather are work pieces sorted by the invention, including cans, can interiors, exteriors, domes, decorations, layers of cans, pallets of cans, etc.

As used herein a “can buyer” is NOT an end consumer, for example a human being buying a can of soft drink. Instead, a “can buyer” is a bottler/beverage manufacturer/filler, whose businesses require large quantities of empty, decorated, and reliably inspected cans continually flowing into the bottling/beverage manufacturing facility.

As used herein, a non-camera component of the system is at least one of the following: a sensor, a conveyor, an air jet, a switch and other devices measuring the status of different mechanical and electronic components of the system, and so forth.

As used herein, the term “disposition” refers to either accepting a can and palletizing it after inspection or removing a can from the inspection process after the can has failed. Disposition may refer to going to a baler, which compacts numerous cans for recycling. Disposition may also refer to re-basecoating the cans which fail inspection and reusing them without recycling.

As used herein, reports refers to printed and electronic reports, and also to providing online reports, alerts and so forth, as well as files, which may refer to providing a file in any common format such as .csv or the like.

HMI, human machine interface, refers to a control panel, for example, a touch screen, keyboard, app or the like.

HFI on the other hand refers to cans “Held For Inspection”, that is, believed to have some quantity of defects among the cans.

End Glossary

FIG.1is a planform diagram showing the major physical components of the rapid sort system of the invention. It is important to understand that the system of the invention relies upon mechanical, electrical, and digital devices, and the unique arrangement of both the machinery and the data which is collected. The present system is NOT automation by computer of a pre-existing machine or business practice but rather allows unique and new business practices by providing unique and new data structures both to can makers and to their customers, which are in turn enabled by a unique arrangement and ordering of equipment used in the industry.

Rapid sorting mechanical structures6(meaning, the mechanical components of the overall system) start with depalletizer8which is similar but not identical to known depalletizers. This device takes a full pallet onto full pallet infeed10and then pushes off the top layer of the cans that were on the pallet (and then on the system/conveyor) that is, a full layer of the cans.

Palletwidth infeed conveyor12is able to accept the full layer of cans, however, for individual inspections the cans will necessarily be narrowed (“reduced”) down to a single file. This is partially accomplished using a series or sequence of intermediate width transfer conveyors. First intermediate width transfer conveyor14may for example be 36″ wide, and second intermediate width transfer conveyor16may be 24″ wide, but these are just exemplary.

Baler discharge gate18would allow the system to dispose of large numbers of cans without inspection if the decision is made that the entire pallet of cans should be rejected, specifically if the cans should be crushed into a dense mass for recycling. The baler machine however cannot accept an entire pallet of cans at once so wholesale rejected cans must be regulated as they are diverted: the gate allows the cans to pass through in groups when open, but when shut prevents overloading the baler. Baler discharge chute20actually conveys the cans to the baler (not shown).

Third intermediate width transfer conveyor22, which is narrower again, is for the cans which are not rejected en masse (as a group), and leads to the air single filer24. This device places the cans in single file and puts them onto single file air/vacuum conveyor26. At this stage, the conveyor26is using vacuum applied to the bottom of the cans to hold them and convey them.

The first camera the cans pass is the inside camera #1 (see reference numeral28), which is disposed above the conveyor26and the file of cans. In this (first) position the cameras can see downward through the open top of the cans to inspect the interior. This camera inspection may be manual (eyeball watching monitor) but obviously for the required speed of the system automatic inspection is essential required.

Inside defect rejection chute #130is activated by the inside camera28. When a can is rejected, it goes down the chute30for disposition, which as noted may be recycling, or re-basecoating and reuse, etc.

Deco camera #2 (see reference numeral32) is disposed in a second position beside the file of cans, which rotate as they pass so that the camera (or multiple cameras) may see all of the exterior (cylindrical) sides of the cylindrical body and the decorations thereon. Deco defect rejection chute #234receives those cans which camera32rejects. Note that by having multiple chutes and not trying to continue inspecting cans which have already been rejected in a previous phase, processing is greatly speeded up, a necessity given the huge numbers of HFI cans which accumulate in production facilities.

Vacuum transfer36transfers the cans from being vacuum conveyed while held on the bottom to being vacuum conveyed while held on top. That is, vacuum is now applied to the top of the can, while the bottom conveyor is separated from the bottom of the cans. The cans, now suspended from their tops, continue on, and they pass over ink dot camera #338which inspects the bottom of the cans from a position below the suspended cans. Carbonated beverage cans have a domed bottom, which in turn may bear inconspicuous ink marks used to verify that the ink is correct (and thus the decoration of the can is correct), or is used for batch numbers, dates and so forth. If the bottom does not pass inspection, the can is fed to the ink dot defect rejection chute #340.

Single file vacuum conveyor42may at this time be suspending the cans from the top or supporting them from the bottom as it returns them to a fourth intermediate width transfer conveyor44for return to a pallet width outfeed conveyor46, which orders the cans on the pallet size layer outfeed48where a palletizer (repalletizer)50accepts each layer of inspected and approved cans.

However, it turns out that the mere mechanics of the system do not convey the actual picture of the processing which occurs. In particular, there has been no discussion yet of the tracking and tracing of the invention which requires novel data structures.

A beverage filler receiving a pallet of cans would have no assurance that the pallet of cans had actually been inspected and re-sorted based on their acceptability.

One physical way to provide some assurance is to provide an assurance mark printer130(FIG.2) which, while the can is suspended from the top, places an assurance mark which is invisible to the naked eye on the bottom of the can. The assurance mark printer38is thus located with the ink dot camera in position three. The mark may be UV ink for example. If a beverage filler experiences problems, this will allow them to know whether the problems are due to the HFI-inspected-sorted cans or other cans.

But even that does not allow tracing of individual cans, understanding of the types of manufacturing defects occurring, data sharing with customers and production operators and so forth.

Thus, a series of data structures are required in order to provide a complete picture of the status of the cans, and these data structures and their handling are also parts of this invention.

FIG.2is a second embodiment of the data acquisition and reporting of the data structures of the present invention required by the device, also showing hardware components required by the data structures of the invention.

Badge scanner100collects data from an employee badge and matches it to an employee data file: if the employee is permitted, the machine may begin operation under the guidance of the employee.

Before the machine can operate though, the size and type of the cans must be known so that the machinery can be adjusted to handle that size of can. The desired and approved decoration the cans should have should be known and so forth. In order to provide this easily, the 2D hand scanner102reads a scannable code on the incoming pallet of cans. The code contains the information needed by the operation/system, but also may contain other information as needed for customer satisfaction.

Rapid sort machine2as well as client-side data124and the camera database112will all provide data to the system of the invention via processing and formatting (114) and inclusion in comprehensive database116. Client-side systems124may also make data requests128from the data compilation database116.

In addition, the device itself and its operators provide information via the human machine interface HMI106and the programmable logic controller108actually operating the device/system on the machinery side (not to be confused with the hardware side or the data structures side).

This in turn is used by a computer (not the programmable logic controller operating the machinery) to create output for information for both the can maker and the can filler/buyer (see client access122). For example, the can filler/buyer may need to know which pallets of cans came through this inspection process and which did not, while the can maker may need to know if their production machinery (not shown and not part of this invention) is producing an unusually large ratio of cans with a particular defect, for example, if the exterior sides are being mis-decorated. This of course allows the maker to check for problems in their production line.

Reports (printable)110(on an inkjet printer or the like, output118), database access120/client access122, output files126in various formats (Excel, .csv, etc) and so forth may all be provided. Note that client access refers to a server/client computer relationship, but may refer to the actual beverage filler/buyer of the cans if they have a client computer and are permitted limited access to the comprehensive database116.

Client-side computers of the can maker, can buyer or others may also provide inputs to the data structures, as seen in box124.

Note that items132,134and136(Date Inputs, Date Sources, and Outputs) provide provide convenient tabular expansion of the drawing information in the corresponding boxes above them. Index letters are provided (Letters A through I) linking different data structures together between the tabular boxes below and the linked boxes above in the drawing. Badge scanner100and 2D hand scanner102are presented inFIG.2in a box labelled “data inputs”. At the bottom of the drawing, item132shows a more detailed listing of the data inputs required in order for the device of the invention to function. The rapid sorting machine inputs104, camera system112and the client systems124are presented within the box labeled “data sources”, while at the bottom of the figure, item134(“Data Sources”) provides some expanded examples of the data sources: run time, emergency stops, cans scanned, cans rejected and the reasons, etc. Item136similarly corresponds to the box above it (“Outputs”) containing items110,120and126(Printable reports, database access and files).

At this point it is worth reiterating that the present system is NOT mere automation of a hypothetical manual process. There is no known comprehensive HFI (held for inspection) can sorting machine presently on the market, as seen inFIG.1and represented by the various electro-mechanical devices seen toward the left-had side ofFIGS.2and3. The machinery side is unique and the computer hardware side (labelled “internal computer”) and the data structure side (depicted in the three boxes data inputs, data sources and outputs in both machinery, and hardware and then expanded at the bottom of the figure) are all necessary to make the novel machinery part of the system to work; contrawise, the data structures of the invention stand as novel inventions themselves, but require this or equivalent new mechanical/electrical systems and hardware system in order to operate. There is no non-automated analog of this machine in the prior art and thus the machine is not mere automation of a process previously known: this process was not previously known, the machinery was not previously known.

FIG.3is a data acquisition and reporting diagram of the data structures of the present invention, also showing hardware components required for the data structures.

In this embodiment, the data inputs box containing badge scanner100and 2d hand scanner102is seen and expanded upon in box132for data inputs, the data sources box (holding once again104,112and124) and the data sources134table below it are seen, and the outputs box136is seen below the outputs in a box above in the drawing, showing110,120and126. (Referring to rapid sorting machine104, camera system112, client data source124, printable reports110, database access120and file126).

While these components are identical or similar to the same numbered components in the previous embodiment ofFIG.2, it may be seen that the data flow has been altered.

Firstly, the data inputs (100and102) now flow to the rapid sort machine104(item2inFIG.1) itself, before being passed on to the hardware (non-transitory storage media, a disk storage device, solid state disk, etc) of data compilation database116. In this embodiment, the HMI and PLC may be considered to be part of the machine2but are ignored for data flow purposes. Data formatting and processing is also ignored for this embodiment, being incorporated elsewhere.

While the output (printer, db access, etc)118is still available to provide the printable reports110, database access120and files126, it may be seen that client access is no longer required.

Note also that client data requests from the comprehensive data database116are no longer used.

In this simplified chart of the machinery, data, and hardware, it may be seen that the device and system of the invention may be optimized, simplified, and altered. It may also be seen that a few elements of the invention may even be eliminated or deprecated as lower level sub-component parts of other systems of the device.

FIG.4is a data model of the invention. RFID reader employee data200contains data fields appropriate to determining if a given employee is authorized and capable of using the system. While accessing the data fields for tracing or tracking a pallet is easy, using the machinery (which spans many feet/meters and contains numerous actuators, mechanical & electrical devices and so forth) is not. Assuming that the employee ID is approved, the machine can begin operations.

The pallet data structure206is the next item needed for a run: the size and shape of the cans, the reason the pallet is being inspected, the potential buyer, instructions how to handle the cans during and after inspection and so forth are all required and provided by the hand scanner which is used to scan the code on the pallet as it is placed into the machine.

Components of the system break down into two general categories: the cameras doing the visual inspection and the machinery & process handling the cans. These non-camera components may include, as noted previously, sensors, switches, conveyors, air jets, and more, all of which can be measuring and/or monitoring limits, line control/statuses, switch statuses, camera operations, pneumatic variables and so forth. Each type of component has a component data structure: component202or camera216are not the physical objects but the data fields for these components, which are needed to operate the system and even to assist in tracking cans and pallets and outcomes and dispositions.

This in turn means that there is a component action data structure202and a camera action data structure214, either of which is instantiated whenever a component/camera is activated, for example, by scanning a can with a camera. Behind these data structures there is in turn the action code210which details the action taken, whether a can was or was not rejected, and so forth: this action code is then used in building the component action and camera action202and214, which are then used to build an event208when one occurs.

Either type is added to an Event container208which contains the data required to understand what has happened to cans on a pallet or even the individual cans of the pallet. As was seen inFIGS.2and3, events of any type flow to the comprehensive database and are stored in a manner allowing numerous outputs such as via event client bridge212, and of course, can be augmented with external data from a client-side computer.

The disclosure is provided to render practicable the invention by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation, including the best mode presently contemplated and the presently preferred embodiment. Nothing in this disclosure is to be taken to limit the scope of the invention, which is susceptible to numerous alterations, equivalents and substitutions without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be understood from the appended claims.

Methods and components are described herein. However, methods and components similar or equivalent to those described herein can be also used to obtain variations of the present invention. The materials, articles, components, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.

Having illustrated and described the principles of the invention in exemplary embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described examples are illustrative embodiments and can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. Techniques from any of the examples can be incorporated into one or more of any of the other examples. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.