Production system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084332-B2
Application number	US-202118017210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 21, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

In a production system 100 , containers have hollow main bodies 1 a having openings at their top parts and caps 1 b for closing the openings. The production system 100 includes a conveyor line L for conveying the containers 1 , a capper 5 for attaching the caps 1 b to the main bodies 1 a of the containers 1 on the conveyor line L, a reading apparatus 18 configured to read first information attached to top surfaces of the caps 1 b of the containers 1 for identifying the containers 1 on the conveyor line L at one or more predetermined points after the capper 5 , and a memory apparatus 52 configured to store linked together the first information of the containers 1 , second information attached to the main bodies 1 a of the containers 1 for identifying the main bodies 1 a , and times at which the containers 1 passed the one or more predetermined points.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A production system of food containers,
in which production system,
the containers have hollow main bodies having openings at their top parts and caps for closing the openings, and
the production system comprises
a conveyor line for conveying the containers,
a capper for attaching the caps to the main bodies of the containers on the conveyor line,
one or more inspection apparatuses arranged on the conveyor line,
a caser packaging a plurality of the containers conveyed on the conveyor line in cases,
a reading apparatus configured so as to read first information attached to top surfaces of caps of the containers for identifying the containers at one or more predetermined points immediately before and/or after the inspection apparatuses, devices for producing the containers for storing food and/or devices for storing food in the containers, and
a memory apparatus configured so as to store linked together the first information of the containers, second information attached to the main bodies of the containers for identifying the main bodies, and times when the containers passed one or more predetermined points, and store fourth information attached to the case and associated with at least one of the first or second information,

wherein the first information is stored in the memory apparatus associating with inspection results from the one or more inspection apparatuses and the devices for producing the containers for storing food and/or the devices for storing food in the containers so that the cause of problem with the containers can be identified in the event of a problem with the container; and
wherein the first information is associated with the fourth information to enable identification of the container and the cases in which the container is contained in the event of a problem with the container.

2. The production system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first apparatus configured so as to attach the first information to the top surfaces of the caps on the conveyor line.

3. The production system according to claim 2 , wherein the first apparatus is configured so as to attach the first information to the top surfaces of the caps by invisible ink unable to be seen under visible light.

4. The production system according to claim 3 , further comprising a second apparatus configured so as to attach the second information to the main bodies on the conveyor line.

5. The production system according to claim 2 , further comprising a second apparatus configured so as to attach the second information to the main bodies on the conveyor line.

6. The production system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second apparatus configured so as to attach the second information to the main bodies on the conveyor line.

Assignees

• Suntory Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Higo Tatsutoshi
• Furukawa Naoki
• Matsuzaki Takahiro
• Shirakawa Yohei

Classifications

• B67B3/204

  Linear-type capping machines · CPC title

• B67B3/006

  Applying date marks, code marks, or the like, to caps during capping (applying marks to labels B65C9/46) · CPC title

• G05B19/41875

  characterised by quality surveillance of production · CPC title

• G05B19/4183

  characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification · CPC title

• B67C3/007

  Applications of control, warning or safety devices in filling machinery (flow-control B67C3/28) · CPC title