System and Method for Independently Routing Container-Loaded Vehicles to Create Different Finished Products
First Claim
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1. A system for independently routing container-loaded vehicles to create different finished products, said system comprising:
- a plurality of containers for holding a fluent material;
a track system in communication with a control system;
a plurality of unit operation stations disposed along the track system, at least one of which unit operation stations comprises a loading unit operation station and at least one of which comprises a filling unit operation station;
a plurality of vehicles propellable along the track system, wherein;
each container is disposed on one of the vehicles at a loading unit operation station before it can be propelled along the track system;
each vehicle is independently routable along the track system to deliver the containers to at least two unit operation stations; and
at least some of said vehicles have associated therewith a unique route along the track system assigned by the control system to facilitate simultaneous production of different finished products.
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Abstract
A system and method for independently routing container-located vehicles to create different finished products are disclosed. The vehicles are independently routable along a track system to deliver the containers to at least one unit operation station. At least some of the vehicles have a unique route associated therewith that is assigned by a control system to facilitate simultaneous production of different finished products.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for independently routing container-loaded vehicles to create different finished products, said system comprising:
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a plurality of containers for holding a fluent material; a track system in communication with a control system; a plurality of unit operation stations disposed along the track system, at least one of which unit operation stations comprises a loading unit operation station and at least one of which comprises a filling unit operation station; a plurality of vehicles propellable along the track system, wherein; each container is disposed on one of the vehicles at a loading unit operation station before it can be propelled along the track system; each vehicle is independently routable along the track system to deliver the containers to at least two unit operation stations; and at least some of said vehicles have associated therewith a unique route along the track system assigned by the control system to facilitate simultaneous production of different finished products. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for independently routing container-loaded vehicles to create different finished products, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a track system comprising a track on which vehicles may be propelled, wherein a plurality of unit operations stations are disposed along the track system, said unit operation stations comprising at least one filling unit operation station, wherein said track system, said vehicles, and said unit operation stations are in communication with a central control system; (b) providing a plurality of empty containers having a shape, an opening and a volume for holding a fluent material; (c) providing a plurality of vehicles propellable along said track system; (d) loading a first empty container on a vehicle to form a first container-loaded vehicle; (e) loading a second empty container on a vehicle to form a second container-loaded vehicle; (f) assigning a first route along said track system for said first container-loaded vehicle to a filling unit operation station where a fluent material is dispensed into said first container; (g) assigning a second route along said track system for said second container-loaded vehicle to a filling unit operation station where a fluent material is dispensed into said second container, wherein at least one of the following is different;
said first route and said second route are different and/or the operation performed at the filling unit operation station where fluent material is dispensed into said first container and the operation performed at the filling unit operation station where fluent material is dispensed into said second container are different; and(h) simultaneously routing said first and second containers along said track system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification