Thermoformed platform having a communications device

• US 20050241548A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Original Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Inventors: Muirhead, Scott Authur William
• Granted Patent: US 7,789,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/51.300
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/24308 comprising electronic elements or detection means, e.g. chips, RFIDs or barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/157 Coating linked inserts, e.g. chains
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/162 of deep containers or boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/46 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/433 Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4722 Fixing strips to surfaces other than edge faces fixing strips to edge faces B29C63/0026
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83411 Roller, cylinder or drum types B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/96 characterised by the method for implementing the controlling of the joining process
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/9672 involving special data inputs, e.g. involving barcodes, RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2017/00 : Carriers for sound or information
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7126 : large, e.g. for bulk storage
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7172 : Fuel tanks, jerry cans
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 : Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 : and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 : Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 : made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00442 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 : without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 : chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0094 : nestable
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 : having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 : Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 : Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 : Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1049 : Folding only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 : by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/109 : Embedding of laminae within face of additional laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1734 : Means bringing articles into association with web

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A trackable pallet for handling product, the pallet comprising:

a recess to receive at least one tracking device; and

a cover to close the recess to protect said at least one tracking device.

2. The trackable pallet of claim 1 wherein the recess includes a rim to secure cover.

3. The trackable pallet of claim 1 wherein the recess is formed as part of the pallet.

4. The trackable pallet of claim 1 wherein the recess is positioned on a surface of said pallet such that said recess is accessible to add and remove the cover.

5. The trackable pallet of claim 4 wherein said cover is removed to access said recess.

6. The trackable pallet of claim 5 wherein said at least one tracking device is added or removed from said recess.

7. The trackable pallet of claim 4 wherein a second tracking device is added to said recess, the first tracking device being indicative of a first characteristic and the second tracking device being indicative of a second characteristic.

8. A trackable pallet for handling a product, the pallet including an electronic device, the electronic device comprising:

a wireless communications device selected from a group consisting of one or more of a wireless digital telephony device, a wireless mobile PC device, a wireless area Ethernet network device, a wireless GPS device, and a wireless microwave device.

9. The trackable pallet of claim 8 wherein the electronic device is capable of communicating wirelessly to provide at least one of local or remote and one of either one-way and two-way communication between said pallet and an integrated distributed computing network.

10. The trackable pallet of claim 8 wherein the electronic device includes a sensor, the sensor detecting variations in the external environment, and electronic device wirelessly communicates said variations to the integrated distributed computing network.

11. The trackable pallet of claim 8 wherein said wireless communications device includes a memory component with a permanent unique identification code specific to at least one of said pallet and said electronic device.

12. A product conveyance comprising at least a first electronic device, the first electronic device comprising:

a tag reader, the tag reader detecting at least one RFID tag associated with at least one product carried by the conveyance.

13. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein said tag reader comprises at least one antenna to send a query signal to the at least one RFID tag associated with the at least one product.

14. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein said tag reader comprises at least one antenna to receive a reply signal from the at least one RFID tag associated with the at least one product.

15. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein the tag reader comprises at least one antenna to receive a data encoded signal from an integrated distributed computing network.

16. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein the tag reader comprises at least one antenna to send a data encoded signal to an integrated distributed computing network.

17. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein the tag reader includes a unique identifier that allows the tag reader to identify the product conveyance with which it is associated.

18. The product conveyance of claim 12 wherein the tag reader includes wireless communications apparatus linking the tag reader to an integrated distributed computing network.

19. The product conveyance of claim 12 further including a second electronic device, the second electronic device comprising a conveyance RFID tag.

20. The product conveyance of claim 19 wherein data contained in signals received by the tag reader is transferred to the conveyance RFID tag.

21. The product conveyance of claim 19 wherein data contained in the signals from the conveyance RFID tag are received by the tag reader and sent to an integrated distributed computing network.

22. The product conveyance of claim 19 wherein data contained in the conveyance RFID tag is received by the tag reader.

23. The product conveyance of claim 19 wherein data contained in the reply signal from the at least one RFID tag associated with the at least one product is received by the tag reader and said data is subsequently sent by the tag reader to the conveyance RFID tag.