MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCTS MANUALLY PROCESSED
First Claim
1. A material handling system for a product to be manually processed by an operator at a work-station, including:
- at least one operator work-station including a work space at which an operator is able to receive a batch of product and to manually process said product and place said product in a packing container; and
computer-controlled batch delivery means for delivering batches of product to said work-station, said batch delivery means including means for identifying when a batch of product is required at said operator work-station and means for automatically delivering batches of the product to said operator work-station on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis for manual processing by the operator; and
computer-controlled packing container delivery means for delivering packing containers to said work-station, said packing container delivery means including means for identifying when a packing container is required at the work-station and means for automatically delivering individual packing containers to said operator work-station on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis for filling with the product after manual processing of the product by the operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a material handling system and method for a product to be manually processed by an operator (O) at a work-station (10). The material handling system (100) includes: batch delivery means (20) for automatically delivering batches of the product to the work-station (10) on an “as required” or “on demand” basis for manual processing by the operator; and packing container delivery means (60) for automatically delivering individual packing containers (61) to the work-station on an “as required” or “on demand” basis for filling with the product after manual processing by the operator. Each batch of product is typically supplied in a batch container (21) and the system may further include batch container dispatch means (40) for automatically dispatching the batch containers (21) from the work-station (10) on an “as required” or “on demand” basis after the operator has finished manually processing the product it contained. The system also typically includes packing container dispatch means (80) for automatically dispatching product-filled packing containers (61) from the work-station on an “as required” or “on demand” basis.
6 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A material handling system for a product to be manually processed by an operator at a work-station, including:
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at least one operator work-station including a work space at which an operator is able to receive a batch of product and to manually process said product and place said product in a packing container; and
computer-controlled batch delivery means for delivering batches of product to said work-station, said batch delivery means including means for identifying when a batch of product is required at said operator work-station and means for automatically delivering batches of the product to said operator work-station on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis for manual processing by the operator; and
computer-controlled packing container delivery means for delivering packing containers to said work-station, said packing container delivery means including means for identifying when a packing container is required at the work-station and means for automatically delivering individual packing containers to said operator work-station on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis for filling with the product after manual processing of the product by the operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A material handling method for a product to be processed manually by an operator at a work-station, the method including the steps of:
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providing at least one operator work-station including a work space at which an operator is able to receive a batch of product and to manually process said product and place said product in a packing container;
automatically delivering discrete batches of the product to said operator work-station for manual processing by the operator, said batches being delivered on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis using a computer-controlled delivery means in accordance with a signal from means at said work-station that identifies when a batch of product is required; and
automatically delivering individual packing containers to said operator work-station for filling with said product after said product has been processed by said operator, said packing containers being delivered on an “
as required”
or “
on demand”
basis using a computer-controlled delivery means in accordance with a signal from means at said work-station that identifies when a packing container is required. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A food handling system for processing and packaging meat, including:
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a plurality of operator work-stations, each work station including a work space at which an operator is able to receive a batch of meat and to manually process and package said meat;
a batch-delivery mechanism for delivering batches of meat to said operator work-stations;
a packing container delivery mechanism for delivering packing containers to said operator work-stations for filling with meat by said operator; and
a controller for operating said batch-delivery mechanism and said packing container delivery mechanism so as to provide batches of meat and packing containers to said operator work-stations on a demand basis;
wherein said controller identifies when an operator work-station requires a batch of meat and when an operator work-station requires a packing container; and
wherein said controller operates said batch-delivery mechanism to supply a batch of meat to an operator work-station when said controller determines that a batch of meat is required at said operator work-station, and said controller operates said packing container delivery mechanism to deliver a packing container to an operator work-station when said controller determines that a packing container is required at said operator work-station.
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26. A food handling system for trimming and packaging meat, including:
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a transport mechanism, a controller and a plurality of operator work-stations situated along said transport mechanism;
wherein each said operator work-station provides a work-space at which an operator is able to receive a batch of meat and to manually trim said meat and manually package said meat into a packing container;
wherein said transport mechanism includes;
a batch container delivery mechanism for delivering batches of meat to said operator work-stations in batch containers;
a packing container delivery mechanism for delivering packing containers to said operator work-stations for filling with meat by said operator;
a batch container dispatch mechanism for removing an empty batch container from said operator work-stations; and
a packing container dispatch mechanism for removing a packing container that has been packed with meat from said operator work-stations;
wherein said controller identifies when an operator work-station requires a batch of meat, a packing container, the removal of an empty batch container or the removal of a packed packing container; and
wherein said controller operates said delivery and dispatch mechanisms of said transport mechanism so as to provide batch containers and packing containers to said operator work-stations on a demand basis and so as to remove empty batch containers and packed packing containers from said operator work-stations on a demand basis.
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27. A material handling system for the manual processing of a product by an operator at a work-station, including:
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a plurality of operator work-stations, each of which provides a work-space at which an operator is able to receive batches of product and to manually process said product and manually package said product into a packing container;
a transport mechanism including;
a batch container delivery mechanism for delivering batches of product to said operator work-stations in batch containers;
a packing container delivery mechanism for delivering packing containers to said operator work-stations for filling with product by said operator;
a batch container dispatch mechanism for removing empty batch containers from said operator work-stations; and
a packing container dispatch mechanism for removing packing container that has been packed with product from said operator work-stations;
wherein each said operator work-station includes an operator-controlled actuator for requesting the removal of an empty batch container and an operator-controlled actuator for requesting the removal of a packed packing container; and
wherein said transport mechanism is operated in accordance with the actuation of said operator-controlled actuators, so as to remove empty batch containers and packed packing containers from said operator work-stations on a demand basis, and so as to deliver batch containers of product and packing containers to said operator work-stations on a demand basis. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification