Dynamic conveyor system for custom sized packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11878871-B2
Application number	US-202217983767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2022
Priority date	Feb 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A conveyor system includes a rail having one or more channels therein and one or more sleds operatively associated with the rail. A sled can include a body and one or more wheels mounted on the body and configured to move through the one or more channels in the rail. A sled can also include a holding device connected to the body. The holding device can be configured to engage a packaging container to move the packaging container along the rail. Multiple sleds can be used to secure a packaging container therebetween and move the packaging container along the rail. The conveyor system may also include a queue system that dynamically moves packaging containers to packaging stations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer system for high-speed and high-efficiency packaging of items, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
receive a particular corrugate container on a particular dynamic transportation mechanism, wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism is configured to automatically physically size itself to carry the particular corrugate container;
associate, with the one or more processors, the particular corrugate container with a particular donor bin, wherein the particular donor bin contains at least one of one or more target products;
generate a queue command that is configured to cause the particular dynamic transportation mechanism to physically move itself into a queue of a set of dynamic transportation mechanisms;
receive a request to package a second corrugate container with a particular item, wherein the particular item is also associated with the particular donor bin; and
generate a packing command that is configured to cause both:
the particular dynamic transportation mechanism to physically move itself out of the queue and to a particular packing station where the particular donor bin is located, and
a second dynamic transportation mechanism associated with the second corrugate container to physically move itself to the particular packing station.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the corrugate container comprises a corrugate box.

3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the corrugate container comprises a corrugate envelope.

4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism is configured to hold both the corrugate box and the corrugate envelope.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the particular donor bin contains multiples of a single type of product.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism comprises a first independently controlled sled and a second independently controlled sled that are configured to be adjustable closer to each other or further apart from each other.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to generate a spacing command for the particular dynamic transportation mechanism, the spacing command configured to cause the first independently controlled sled and the second independently controlled sled to move a particular distance away from each other, wherein the particular distance is determined based upon a width or length dimension of the particular corrugate container.

8. The computer system of claim 7 , wherein:
the particular corrugate container comprises a corrugate envelope, and
the particular distance is less than a width or length of the corrugate envelope.

9. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism comprises one or more tracks that the first independently controlled sled and the second independently controlled sled move within.

10. A computer-implemented method, executed on one or more processors using instructions stored in memory, for high-speed and high-efficiency packaging of items, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a particular corrugate container on a particular dynamic transportation mechanism, wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism is configured to automatically physically size itself to carry the particular corrugate container;
associating, with the one or more processors, the particular corrugate container with a particular donor bin, wherein the particular donor bin contains at least one of one or more target products;
generating a queue command that is configured to cause the particular dynamic transportation mechanism to physically move itself into a queue of a set of dynamic transportation mechanisms;
receiving a request to package a second corrugate container with a particular item, wherein the particular item is also associated with the particular donor bin; and
generating a packing command that is configured to cause both:
the particular dynamic transportation mechanism to physically move itself out of the queue and to a particular packing station where the particular donor bin is located, and
a second dynamic transportation mechanism associated with the second corrugate container to physically move itself to the particular packing station.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the particular corrugate container comprises a corrugate box.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the corrugate container comprises a corrugate envelope.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism is configured to hold both the corrugate box and the corrugate envelope.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the particular donor bin contains multiples of a single type of product.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism comprises a first independently controlled sled and a second independently controlled sled that are configured to be adjustable closer to each other or further apart from each other.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising generating a spacing command for the particular dynamic transportation mechanism, the spacing command configured to cause the first independently controlled sled and the second independently controlled sled to move a particular distance away from each other, wherein the particular distance is determined based upon a width or length dimension of the particular corrugate container.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein:
the particular corrugate container comprises a corrugate envelope, and
the particular distance is less than a width or length of the corrugate envelope.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism comprises one or more tracks that the first independently controlled sled and the second independently controlled sled move within.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , wherein the first independently controlled sled and the second independently controlled sled move within a single, common track.

20. A computer program product comprising one or more physical computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause a computer system to perform a method for high-speed and high-efficiency packaging of items, the method comprising:
receiving a particular corrugate container on a particular dynamic transportation mechanism, wherein the particular dynamic transportation mechanism is configured to automatically physically size itself to carry the particular corrugate container;
associating, with the one or more processors, the particular corrugate container with a particular donor bin, wherein the particular donor bin contains at least one of one or more target products;
generating a queue command that is configured to cause the particular dynamic transportation mechanism to physically move itself into a queue of a set of dynamic transportation mechanisms;
receiving a request to package a second corrugate container with a particular item

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Kiessner Hanko
• Lamb Thomas
• Iverson David
• Gallaway Rod
• Sjoblom Brady

Classifications

• B65G35/06 Primary

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• B65G2207/08

  Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size · CPC title

• B65G2207/42

  Soft elements to prevent damage to articles, e.g. bristles, foam · CPC title

• B65G65/00 Primary

  Loading or unloading (of vehicles B65G67/00) · CPC title