Method and Process of Verifying Physical Connections Within a Material Handling System

• US 20160170391A1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IPEG, INC. (Sewickley Capital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPEG, INC. (Sewickley Capital, Inc.)
• Inventors: HOOPES, Mark, TIMBLIN, Randy
• Application Number:
  US15/042,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/66 Use of indicator or control devices, e.g. for controlling gas pressure, for controlling proportions of material and gas, for indicating or preventing jamming of material controlling the flow of coal firing systems C21B5/003
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/041 Function-oriented details
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25296 Identification module, type connected I-O, device

Abstract

Manufacturing and industrial processes that involve the transfer of materials from source locations to destination location may utilize the presently described system and process to verify that the correct physical connections are established and maintained in a material handling system. The system collects information related to individual physical connections, including machine-identifiable indicia, and compares this information to data that defines the intended connections within the material handling system. In doing so, the system and process verify whether the proper physical connections are in place.

Claims

1. A material handling system comprising:

a plurality of material sources for providing material to be transferred;

a plurality of destination locations for receiving material from the material sources;

a distribution mechanism having machine-identifiable indicia and selectively connected to one of the destination locations and selectively connected to one of the material sources for selectively directing material from the selected material source to the selected destination location;

a detection device arranged near the distribution mechanism for detecting the machine-identifiable indicia; and

a programmable controller connected to the detection device. for comparing the detected machine-identifiable indicia to stored data for determining that the selected material source has been connected to the selected destination location and for initiating transfer from the selected material source to the selected destination location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmable controller records which material source is connected to which destination location and the time period of such connection.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein material is transferred from multiple selected material sources to multiple selected destination locations simultaneously.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the distribution mechanism further comprises multiple connectors with each of the connectors having machine-identifiable indicia for connecting a selected destination location to a selected material source.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the detection device is moveably mounted and capable of being repositioned with respect to the distribution mechanism for changing the detection device perspective.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the distribution mechanism comprises a selector plate having an array of openings with each opening capable of having a connector disposed in one end thereof and having the other end thereof connected to a material source.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

machine-identifiable indicia associated with each material source;

the detection device arranged for detecting the machine-identifiable indicia of each connector and each material source; and

the programmable controller comparing the machine-identifiable indicia of the selected material source to the machine-identifiable indicia of the selected destination location.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the machine-identifiable. indicia is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, two-dimensional barcode, symbol, character, marking, color, and optically identifiable indicia.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the detection device includes a data collection mechanism that is selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a still camera, a laser, and a photo-sensor.

10. A method of verifying a physical connection between source locations and destination locations in a material handling process comprising:

using a detection device to collect data related to machine-identifiable indicia and the location of each related physical connection; and

comparing the data related to machine-identifiable indicia and the location of each related physical connection to stored data related to intended physical connections.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

recording which material source is connected to which destination location and the time period of each connection; and

transferring material from the material source to the destination source.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising moving the detection device with respect to the distribution mechanism for changing the detection device perspective.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transferring material from multiple selected material sources to multiple selected destination locations simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of moving the detection device comprises moving the detection device on a track for changing the detection device perspective.