[미국특허]
Thermoformed platform having a communications device
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65D-019/38
G08B-026/00
출원번호
UP-0476434
(2006-06-28)
등록번호
US-7804400
(2010-10-21)
발명자
/ 주소
Muirhead, Scott Arthur William
출원인 / 주소
Nextreme, LLC
대리인 / 주소
Price & Adams
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
19인용 특허 :
241
초록▼
An apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. In another aspect of the present invention, a pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification device attached t
An apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. In another aspect of the present invention, a pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification device attached to an apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, a communications device is incorporated into one or more sheets of a pallet or other container prior to forming. Methods of making and using a thermoformed pallet and container, having a communications device, are also provided.
대표청구항▼
I claim: 1. A system comprising: a manufacturing machine, a receiver, an electrical control system connected to said machine and said receiver, an extruded sheet with at least one data storage device affixed thereto with said sheet being manufactured by said machine into an article, and said receiv
I claim: 1. A system comprising: a manufacturing machine, a receiver, an electrical control system connected to said machine and said receiver, an extruded sheet with at least one data storage device affixed thereto with said sheet being manufactured by said machine into an article, and said receiver operably interfacing with said data storage device to ascertain data previously stored on said device and said control system changing manufacturing characteristics of said machine based upon data received from the device. 2. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which: the data is ascertained by said receiver from said data storage device prior to the manufacture of the article containing said device by said machine. 3. A system as set forth in claim 1 which includes: a transceiver spaced apart from said receiver with said transceiver being operable to send new storable data to said data storage device affixed to the article after being manufactured by said machine. 4. A system as set forth in claim 3 in which: the new storable data is subsequently ascertained by a second receiver spaced apart from said transceiver. 5. A system comprising: a thermoforming apparatus for shaping extruded sheet into articles, a receiver associated with the thermoforming apparatus operable to send and receive radio frequency signals, an electronic control system connecting to said thermoforming apparatus and said receiver for receiving and processing data contained in the radio frequency signals, an extruded sheet with at least one data storage device affixed thereto with said extruded sheet being thermoformed by said thermoforming apparatus into an article, said receiver operably interfacing with said data storage device using radio frequency signals to obtain shaping instructions stored on said data storage device and said electronic control system changing shaping characteristics of said thermoforming apparatus based upon instructions received from the device. 6. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which: said receiver ascertains the instructions using an activation signal, said data storage device immediately replies in response to the activation signal, and said thermoforming apparatus shapes the extruded sheet into the articles in response to the reply to the activation signal. 7. A system as set forth in claim 5 which includes: said receiver being mounted on the thermoforming apparatus, and said electronic control system stores received and processed shaping instructions in a structured format and said electronic control system connecting to a managing network for controlling said thermoforming apparatus using the instructions. 8. A system as set forth in claim 7 which includes: said receiver sending new storable information to an additional receiver being spaced apart from said first receiver, and said additional receiver ascertaining the new storable information from the electronic control system and the managing network and combining the new storable information with the instructions indicating the control data for the article. 9. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which includes: said extruded sheet having a plurality of data storage devices affixed thereto with at least one data storage device including previously stored data and at least one data storage device for receiving new stored data, and at least one data storage device transmitting information concerning a condition or triggering event that would influence the shaping of said extruded sheet into an article by said thermoforming apparatus. 10. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which: said data storage devices include& data selected from the group consisting of a manufacture date, serial numbers, load bearing capabilities, operating temperatures, material compositions, repair instructions, an expiration date, recycling requirements, ownership, ISO certificates, last scan time and date, movement order number field, from field, to field, shipper field, pallet release rental field, pallet return instructions, battery information field and preventative maintenance schedule field. 11. A system as set forth in claim 5 in which: said electronic control system includes a device for managing operation of the thermoforming apparatus selected from the group consisting of programmable logic controller (PLC) and a separately controllable machine component. 12. An apparatus for shaping extruded plastic materials comprising: a machine frame having at least four stages including a first stage for admitting the plastic materials, a second stage for heating the plastic materials, a third stage for shaping the plastic materials, and a fourth stage for holding exiting articles, a receiver for communicating with RF devices positioned within said machine frame stages, said receiver having a plurality of interrogation zones comprising reader/writers for receiving and transmitting data to and from the RF devices, a control system connected to a network for managing operations of the apparatus, for processing data communicated within the interrogation zones, for receiving condition information about the plastic materials, and for obtaining heating and shaping instructions for the intended articles, and means for storing the information and changing the apparatus shaping influences to produce said intended articles. 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 which includes: means for storing information being in the reader/writer, the control system, and the network. 14. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which: said reader/writer communicatively coupling with the RF device at said machine frame third stage. 15. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which: said RF device is resistant to thermoforming influences. 16. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which: said receiver includes at least one antenna assembly, a transmitter module, a receiver module, and a data processing and control module connected to a local PC. 17. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which: said receiver is distributed in the first, second, third and fourth stages. 18. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which: said machine frame passes an RF device associated with said materials through said stages with the RF device remaining communicatively coupled with said receiver at the plurality of interrogation zones. 19. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 which includes: a plurality of integrated programmable logic controllers (PLC) for executing instructions received from said receiver and said control system at each stage. 20. A thermoforming apparatus of claim 19 in which: said PLCs control the communication of information within said interrogation zones based upon rules stored within said reader/writer, said control system, and said network, and said PLCs control information including an input, an output, a state, and a status parameter of at least one of the plastic materials, the articles, and the apparatus. 21. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 which includes: said machine frame admitting, heating, and shaping a plurality of plastic materials at once, and said control system being responsive to the information obtained from at least one RF device relating to the admitting, heating, and shaping of said plurality of plastic materials. 22. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 21 in which: said machine frame receives a first RF device corresponding to a first material for forming into a shaped article having information for managing operations of the apparatus and a second RF device corresponding to a second material having custom information for secondary managing and processing operations. 23. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 22 in which: said machine frame receives the second RF device having custom information, including data concerning a unique processing property of the plastic materials, a rigidifying structure for placement in the assembled article, an RF device to be used, and a housing with parts for further sub-assembly into the article. 24. A thermoforming apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which: said control system integrates with a LAN PC that connects with a host that is connected to the network that stores condition information concerning the apparatus, the plastic materials, the articles, and the RF devices. 25. A system comprising: an extruded sheet being sized for shaping a plurality of articles with a plurality of attached RFID tags pre-positioned for each article, a thermoforming apparatus having a receiver for communicating with the RFID tags, and said receiver having a reader/writer communicating with at least one RFID tag to obtain instructions before the extruded sheet is shaped into said articles, said instructions including processing information for the articles to be shaped by the thermoforming apparatus. 26. A system as set forth in claim 25 which includes: said receiver communicating with at least a sub-set of the RFID tags after said extruded sheet is shaped by said thermoforming apparatus, so that said receiver provides data for storage in the memory of the sub-set of the RFID tags. 27. A system as set forth in claim 25 in which: said extruded sheet having a plurality of tags within the space sized for each article, such that the articles include one or more RFID tags. 28. A system as set forth in claim 25 in which: one of said RFID tags communicates with said thermoforming apparatus to provide processing information. 29. A system as set forth in claim 25 in which: said receiver includes at least one RF transceiver for sending query signals to a RFID tag with the expectation of an immediate reply, and a RF receiver for the reply signals from said RFID tag. 30. A system as set forth in claim 29 which includes: said RF transceivers and said RF receivers being distributed in the thermoforming apparatus so that the RFID tags are within range of the read/writer while residing in the apparatus. 31. A system as set forth in claim 25 in which: said extruded sheets form articles having memory for storing data that includes information from the RFID tag containing the instructions. 32. A system for making a twin sheet article with an attached RFID tag comprising: a thermoforming apparatus having a machine frame with a plurality of defined processing stations for shaping the twin sheet article and means for communicating with the RFID tag distributed within said processing stations, a receiver having a reader/writer, a first extruded sheet with an attached RFID tag containing shaping information, a second extruded sheet for forming into the twin sheet article, a control module for processing data obtained from the attached RFID tag, at least one programmable logic controller (PLC) linked to said control module for managing components within the processing stations, and said PLC being responsive to the data to control the operation of said thermoforming apparatus. 33. A system as set forth in claim 32 which includes: said second extruded sheet being different than said first extruded sheet with the RFID tag having processing information unique to said second extruded sheet. 34. A system as set forth in claim 32 which includes: at least one of said processing stations having means for incorporating a second RFID tag into the twin sheet article responsive to data obtained from the first RFID tag. 35. A system as set forth in claim 34 which includes: said reader/writer communicating with the second RFID tag after the first extruded sheet and second extruded sheet are shaped into the twin sheet article. 36. A system as set forth in claim 35 in which: the second RFID tag receives communications from the reader/writer that include information indicative of the processed data received from the first RFID tag.
Snodgrass Charles K. (Boise ID) Montalvo Armando (Belmont CA), Apparatus and method for error detection and correction in radio frequency identification device.
Lind, Michael A.; Priddy, Kevin L.; Morgan, Gary B.; Griffin, Jeffrey W.; Ridgway, Richard W.; Stein, Steven L., Application specific intelligent microsensors.
Soong, Anthony C. K.; Weaver, Jr., Lindsay A.; Harms, Brian K.; Funk, Thomas J.; Flowers, Larry D.; Schwartz, Bruce S.; Pressley, Todd A.; Night, Robin, CDMA signal transmission control.
Arends Albert W. (Gladwin MI) Pickard George L. (Beaverton MI) West George A. (Clare MI) Russell Edward J. (Gladwin MI), Differential pressure forming machine with variable mold closed cycle.
Whiteside Robert C. (Harrison MI) Greynolds Fred L. (Beaverton MI), Differential pressure synthetic plastic forming machine and method with formed article carrier means.
Aster,G체nther; Gebbeken,Bernhard; Hebbel,Gerd; Schulze,Reiner, Dispenser for continuously and discontinuously dispensing material composed of double-sidedly self-adhesive carrier material on a reel.
Breezer Harlon W. (Portage WI) Price William (Portage WI) Wilken Kenneth C. (Minneapolis MN) Wolfe Michael J. (Pardeeville WI), Double deck plastic pallet.
Breezer Harlon W. (Portage) Price William (Portage WI) Wilken Kenneth C. (Minneapolis MN) Wolfe Michael J. (Pardeeville WI), Double deck plastic pallet.
Shober R. Anthony (Red Bank NJ) Vannucci Giovanni (Middletown Township NJ) Wright Gregory Alan (Colts Neck NJ), Dual mode modulated backscatter system.
Brown Gaylord W. (Emerald Pointe ; B-206 ; 25188 Marion Ave. Punta Gorda FL 33950), Fluid pressure operated apparatus for mounting a differential pressure mold on a platen.
West George A. (Clare MI) Arends Albert W. (Gladwin MI) Pickard George L. (Beaverton MI), Hydromechanical plastic web indexing system for synthetic plastics thermoforming machinery.
Kralj Nicholas L. (687 Lakeview Rd. Watsonville CA 95076) Upson Gary A. (5229 Rio Lobo Dr. San Jose CA 95136), Integrated reusable pallet having data collection devices and method for using shipping conveyances.
Jordan Richard Alan (Clinton Township MI) Jacoby ; Jr. James William (Rochester Hills MI) Gosnell Raymond Harold (Plymouth MI), Load distributor for pallets.
Gelvin, David C.; Girod, Lewis D.; Kaiser, William J.; Merrill, William M.; Newberg, Fredric; Pottie, Gregory J.; Sipos, Anton I.; Vardhan, Sandeep, Method and apparatus for distributed signal processing among internetworked wireless integrated network sensors (WINS).
Eagleson, James G.; Anderson, III, Arthur E.; Brand, Timothy K.; Cargonja, Nikola; Rajapakse, Ravindra U., Method and apparatus for tracking items using dual frequency tags.
Walczak Thomas Joseph ; Lemersal ; Jr. Donald Bernard, Method and radio frequency identification system for a novel protocol for reliable communication.
Gelvin, David C.; Girod, Lewis D.; Kaiser, William J.; Merrill, William M.; Newberg, Fredric; Pottie, Gregory J.; Sipos, Anton I.; Vardhan, Sandeep, Method for collecting data using compact internetworked wireless integrated network sensors (WINS).
Anderson,Ronald K.; Fu,Xiaoyong; Mandel,Sheldon Wayne; Tirrell,Steven G., Method for creating a substantially uniform temperature across a plastic sheet for delivery to an appliance liner thermoforming device.
Pintsov, Leon A.; Wong, Kwan C.; Miller, Kenneth G.; Winkelman, John H.; Bodie, Kevin W., Method for maintaining the integrity of a mailing using radio frequency identification tags.
Brown, William A.; Muirhead, Richard William; Reddington, Francis Xavier, Method for management of workflows between devices in a pervasive embedded or external environment.
Teixidor Casanovas Jaime,ESX ; Amaya Mele Leopoldo,ESX, Method for manufacturing loading platforms with replaceable feet, and platform manufactured with said procedure.
Boyce Joseph S. (Hanover MA) Freitas Glenn A. (Foxboro MA) Campbell Thomas G. (Concord MA), Method of forming a truss reinforced foam core sandwich structure.
Ellemor John W. (Cnr. Main Road and One Tree Hill Road Ferny Creek ; Victoria AUX), Method of moulding a sheet including the use of heated barrier fluid.
Tirrell Steven G. ; Becker Theodore A. ; Hattori Kenneth M. ; Crosby Samuel C. ; Mayne Michael C., Method of thermoforming a plastic refrigerator door.
Giannini Dennis A. (Poynette WI) Cutler ; deceased Bruce (late of Simpsonville SC by Gleana Cutler ; Administratrix), Modular shipping container and clip for assembling components thereof.
Tuttle John R. (Corrales NM) Hoyt Eugene P. (Colorado Springs CO) Springett James C. (La Crescenta CA), Modulated spread spectrum in RF identification systems method.
Arai Hiroshi (4740 Princeton Avenue Richmond ; British Columbia CAX) Hewson Clifford B. (4740 Princeton Avenue Richmond ; British Columbia CAX) Hartloff John W. (4740 Princeton Avenue Richmond ; Brit, Pallet support leg including semi-circular flange blades.
Pritchett Don Michael (Apalachin NY) Milicic ; Jr. Matthew J. (Newark Valley NY) Greene Edward E. (Barton NY), Phased array antenna for radio frequency identification.
Pigott Maurice J. (591 Cherry St. Winnetka IL 60093) Pigott Brandon L. (1017 Elmwood Ave. Wilmette) Pigott Peter S. (803 Elmwood Ave. Wilmette IL 60091) Pigott Schuyler F. (1122 N. Patton St. Arlingt, Plastic pallet with deck assembly.
Breezer Harlon W. (Portage WI) Wilken Kenneth C. (Minneapolis MN) Wolfe Michael J. (Pardeeville WI) Price William (Portage WI), Plastic pallet with two decks.
Steinlein Rudolf (Almbachstrasse 8 8 Munich 25 DT) Schoeller ; deceased Alexander (Chesa Balaster LATE OF Munich-Solln DT) Schoeller ; administratrix by Christina (Chesa Balaster 7524 Zuoz (Engadin) , Plastics material pallet.
Chazal, Guy A.; Bodet, Jean A., Process of making folded cardboard container covered by a layer of synthetic material and provided with a peripheral frame.
Carroll Gary T. (4260 Blackcherry Ct. Boulder CO 80301) Pauley J. Donald (Panorama Dr. Estes Park CO 80517), Programmable identification apparatus and method therefor.
Bowers John H. ; Clare Thomas J., RFID tags which are virtually activated and/or deactivated and apparatus and methods of using same in an electronic security system.
Heinrich Harley Kent ; Cesar Christian Lenz ; Cofino Thomas A. ; Friedman Daniel J. ; Goldman Kenneth Alan ; Greene Sharon Louise ; McAuliffe Kevin G, Radio frequency identification system with write broadcast capability.
Mish William ; Tuttle Mark E. ; Tuttle John R. ; Lake Rickie C., Radio frequency identification system, radio frequency identification device package, and method of use of radio freque.
Cybulski, Eric R.; Dehn, Francis D.; Francis, Robert C.; Hogerton, Peter B.; Kallestad, Mary C.; Kropp, Karl M.; McGee, James P.; Tong, Sai-Kit, Radio frequency identification systems for asset tracking.
Geiszler Theodore D. (Los Gatos CA) Eberhardt Noel H. (Cupertino CA) Walker Russel E. (San Jose CA) Radding Herbert P. (Saratoga CA), Reader system for waste bin pickup vehicles.
Vraa, Timothy S.; Tanamachi, Steven W.; Jensen, Douglas D.; Featherstone, Leah C.; Joyce, Terrance C.; Spurr, Robert W.; Donaldson, Eric J., Sheet media system having radio-frequency identification transponder.
Zhou, Peter Y.; Pang, Dexing; Tong, Yiu-Cho Alan; Lin, Ning; Addington, David Ralph; Albanna, Rowena Lampa; Albanna, Amro; Bolton, Keith I., System for localizing and sensing objects and providing alerts.
Whiteside Robert C. (Harrison MI), System for thermoforming articles such as picnic plates in a pair of simultaneously fed, continuous thermoplastic webs w.
Whiteside Robert C. (Harrison MI) Arends Albert W. (Gladwin MI), Thermoforming equipment for differential pressure forming products in thermoplastic material.
Arends Albert W. (Gladwin MI) Pickard George L. (Beaverton MI) West G. Allan (Clare MI) Russell Edward J. (Gladwin MI), Thermoforming machine with variable mold closed cycle.
Debras Jean-Jacques,FRX ; Plissonnier Bernard,FRX, Transport and/or collection device made of molded plastics material and including an identity device, and a method of manufacture.
Rajapakse, Ravindra U.; Thorne, Roderick E.; Jennings, Robert Fraser; Farrell, Steven J.; Zhu, Liping Julia, Method and apparatus for control or monitoring of a container.
Constien, Scott Douglas; Moore, Charles Chapman; Donahue, Daniel Martin; Daugherty, Jr., Thomas Howard, Methods and apparatus for modeling, monitoring, estimating and controlling power consumption in battery-operated devices.
Constien, Scott Douglas; Moore, Charles Chapman; Donahue, Daniel Martin; Daugherty, Jr., Thomas Howard, Methods and apparatus for modeling, monitoring, simulating and controlling power consumption in battery-operated devices.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.