Method for producing different products on a single production line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11048243-B2
Application number	US-202016821036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2020
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Methods for simultaneously producing different products on a single production line are disclosed. The method may be used to produce different fluent products and other types of products including assembled products. In some cases, the method includes providing a plurality of articles which are components of the products to be produced. The method further involves providing a track system and a plurality of vehicles for the articles. At least some of the vehicles may be independently routable around the track system. The method further includes simultaneously sending one article-loaded vehicle to a unit operation station where a step in the production of a product is performed and another article-loaded vehicle to a unit operation station where a step in the production of a different product is performed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for simultaneously producing different products on a single production line, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a track system comprising a track on which vehicles are propellable, wherein at least some of said vehicles are independently routable, and wherein a plurality of unit operations stations are disposed along the track system, wherein said plurality of unit operations stations comprise at least two filling unit operation stations;
(b) providing a plurality of articles, said articles comprising a first article and a second article, said first and second articles comprising components of the products to be produced, wherein said articles comprise empty containers, wherein said empty containers comprise a first empty container and a second empty container;
(c) providing a plurality of vehicles;
(d) loading said first empty container on a vehicle to form a container-loaded vehicle;
(e) loading said second empty container on another vehicle to form another container-loaded vehicle; and
(f) simultaneously sending one of said container-loaded vehicles to a filling unit operation station where a fluent product is dispensed into said first empty container and another one of said container-loaded vehicles to another filling unit operation station where a different fluent product is dispensed into said second empty container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the track system comprises:
a primary transport portion that defines a primary path comprised of track that forms a closed loop that is configured to permit at least one article-loaded vehicle to travel in a holding pattern;
at least one secondary transport portion that extends from the primary transport portion and defines a secondary path comprised of track that intersects the primary path at an ingress location and an egress location; and
said method further comprises recirculating at least one article-loaded vehicle in a holding pattern on said primary loop.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Burkhard Ryan Andrew
• Moore Nathan E
• Fikes Elizabeth Marie
• Royce Daniel Richard
• Ballman Kyle Christopher

Classifications

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G05B19/41865

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• G05B19/4189 Primary

  characterised by the transport system · CPC title

• G05B2219/31274

  Convey products, move equipment according to production plan in memory · CPC title