Automotive service line

• US 10,150,455 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CMT Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: CMT Group, LLC
• Inventors: Gile, Trevor, Gile, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Jason L
• Application Number:
  US15/894,984
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 198600
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 5/00 Tool, instrument or work supports or storage means used in association with vehicles; Workers' supports, e.g. mechanics' creepers collecting or removing exhaust gases in workshops B08B15/002; vehicle lifting devices, e.g. jacks, platforms or ramps B66F
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 13/00 Vehicle-manoeuvring devices separate from the vehicle vehicle lifting , e.g. liftable turntables or pushing devices B66F; workshop equipment B25H
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/12 with two or more endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0294 Vehicle bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/66 Fixed platforms or combs, e.g. bridges between conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/04 Filling or draining lubricant of or from machines or engines
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 31/00 Means for collecting, retaining, or draining-off lubricant in or on machines or apparatus oil separators for separating oil from exhaust steam F22G
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes

Abstract

A service line for servicing a vehicle includes stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle;

two or more transition plates, a driver side transition plate disposed between the driver side conveyor of a first station and the driver side conveyor of a second station, and a passenger side transition plate disposed between the passenger side conveyor of the first station and the passenger side conveyor of the second station, the driver side transition plate including at least one roller configured to rotate in the serial direction when at least one of the driver side conveyors conveys the vehicle along the serial direction and to lock to prevent rotation in the serial direction when the at least one of the driver side conveyors is stopped, the passenger side transition plate including at least one roller configured to rotate in the serial direction when at least one of the passenger side conveyors conveys the vehicle along the serial direction and locking to prevent rotation in the serial direction when the at least one of the passenger side conveyors is stopped;

an oil change substation including a hose and a vacuum-inducing device, the hose having a first end operably connected to a vacuum-inducing device and a second end, the oil change substation configured to, when the second end of the hose is introduced in an oil reservoir of the vehicle and the vacuum-inducing device is activated, suction out oil from the oil reservoir of the vehicle through the hose; and

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door;

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions upon validation of vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

2. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle; and

two or more transition plates, a driver side transition plate disposed between the driver side conveyor of a first station and the driver side conveyor of a second station, and a passenger side transition plate disposed between the passenger side conveyor of the first station and the passenger side conveyor of the second station, the driver side transition plate including at least one roller configured to rotate in the serial direction when at least one of the driver side conveyors conveys the vehicle along the serial direction and to lock to prevent rotation in the serial direction when the at least one of the driver side conveyors is stopped, the passenger side transition plate including at least one roller configured to rotate in the serial direction when at least one of the passenger side conveyors conveys the vehicle along the serial direction and locking to prevent rotation in the serial direction when the at least one of the passenger side conveyors is stopped.

3. The service line of claim 2, each of the stations including at least one service substation selected from the group consisting of:

an oil change substation,

a tire rotation substation, and

a lift substation.

4. The service line of claim 2, wherein at least one of the stations includes:

an oil change substation including a hose and a vacuum-inducing device, the hose having a first end operably connected to a vacuum-inducing device and a second end, the oil change substation configured to, when the second end of the hose is introduced in an oil reservoir of the vehicle and the vacuum-inducing device is activated, suction out oil from the oil reservoir of the vehicle.

5. The service line of claim 2, wherein at least one of the stations includes:

at least one lift configured to lift the vehicle off the conveyors, the at least one lift, the conveyors, and the rollers of the transition plates configured to act in concert by, when the lift lifts the vehicle off the conveyors, the conveyors are stopped and the rollers are locked to prevent rotation in the serial direction.

6. The service line of claim 2, comprising:

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door;

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions upon validation of vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

7. The service line of claim 2, comprising:

an optical scanner configured to scan vehicle identifying information recorded on a surface of the vehicle;

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door;

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions based on the vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

8. The service line of claim 2, comprising:

an optical scanner configured to scan vehicle identifying information recorded on a surface of the vehicle;

a controller operably connected to the scanner and configured to receive the vehicle identifying information from the scanner and, based on the vehicle identifying information, identify at least one of;

manufacturer'"'"'s recommended maintenance procedures corresponding to the vehicle, and

automotive components or parts corresponding to the vehicle.

9. The service line of claim 2, comprising:

two parallel paths disposed along the serial direction and adjacent the stations; and

a barrier disposed between at least one of the two parallel paths and the stations.

10. The service line of claim 2, comprising:

a camera;

two parallel paths disposed along the serial direction and adjacent the stations; and

a display adjacent at least one of the two parallel paths and configured to display an image transmitted by the camera.

11. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle;

an oil change substation including a hose and a vacuum-inducing device, the hose having a first end operably connected to a vacuum-inducing device and a second end, the oil change substation configured to, when the second end of the hose is introduced in an oil reservoir of the vehicle and the vacuum-inducing device is activated, suction out oil from the oil reservoir of the vehicle through the hose;

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door; and

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions upon validation of vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

12. The service line of claim 11, comprising:

a walking path parallel the serial direction and remote from the stations;

a camera disposed in or adjacent the stations to capture images of the vehicle;

a display disposed in or adjacent the walking path and configured to display the images captured by the camera to a person present in the walking path; and

a barrier disposed between the walking path and the stations.

13. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle;

an oil change substation including a hose and a vacuum-inducing device, the hose having a first end operably connected to a vacuum-inducing device and a second end, the oil change substation configured to, when the second end of the hose is introduced in an oil reservoir of the vehicle and the vacuum-inducing device is activated, suction out oil from the oil reservoir of the vehicle through the hose;

an optical scanner configured to scan vehicle identifying information recorded on a surface of the vehicle;

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door; and

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions based on the vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

14. The service line of claim 13, comprising:

a walking path parallel the serial direction and remote from the stations;

a camera disposed in or adjacent the stations to capture images of the vehicle;

a display disposed in or adjacent the walking path and configured to display the images captured by the camera to a person present in the walking path; and

a barrier disposed between the walking path and the stations.

15. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle;

an oil change substation including a hose and a vacuum-inducing device, the hose having a first end operably connected to a vacuum-inducing device and a second end, the oil change substation configured to, when the second end of the hose is introduced in an oil reservoir of the vehicle and the vacuum-inducing device is activated, suction out oil from the oil reservoir of the vehicle through the hose;

an optical scanner configured to scan vehicle identifying information recorded on a surface of the vehicle; and

a controller operably connected to the scanner and configured to receive the vehicle identifying information from the scanner and, based on the vehicle identifying information, identify at least one of;

manufacturer'"'"'s recommended maintenance procedures corresponding to the vehicle, and

automotive components or parts corresponding to the vehicle.

16. The service line of claim 15, comprising:

a walking path parallel the serial direction and remote from the stations;

a camera disposed in or adjacent the stations to capture images of the vehicle;

a display disposed in or adjacent the walking path and configured to display the images captured by the camera to a person present in the walking path; and

a barrier disposed between the walking path and the stations.

17. A service line for servicing a vehicle, comprising:

stations disposed in a serial direction along the service line, each station including a pair of conveyors disposed along the serial direction, a driver side conveyor configured to support and convey driver side tires of the vehicle and a passenger side conveyor configured to support and convey passenger side tires of the vehicle; and

a parts locker array including;

a plurality of parts lockers;

each parts locker including;

a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the parts locker'"'"'s interior; and

a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the parts locker access door;

a locker array controller configured to communicate locker unlocking instructions upon validation of vehicle identifying information, wherein the locker array controller is configured to transmit the unlocking instructions to a specific one of the parts lockers based on the vehicle identifying information for a respective locker locking mechanism to unlock a respective locker access door to permit opening of the respective locker access door to permit access to parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle.

18. The service line of claim 17, comprising:

an optical scanner configured to scan vehicle identifying information recorded on a surface of the vehicle; and

a controller operably connected to the scanner and configured to receive the vehicle identifying information from the scanner and transmit the vehicle identifying information to the parts locker array to permit access to the parts in the specific one of the parts locker'"'"'s interior that specifically correspond to the vehicle based on the scanned vehicle identifying information.

19. The service line of claim 17, comprising:

two parallel paths disposed along the serial direction and adjacent the stations; and

a barrier disposed between at least one of the two parallel paths and the stations.

20. The service line of claim 17, comprising:

a camera;

two parallel paths disposed along the serial direction and adjacent the stations; and

a display adjacent at least one of the two parallel paths and configured to display an image transmitted by the camera.