System and Method for Producing Customized Products Intermixed With Mass Produced Products

• US 20180075506A1
• Filed: 09/08/2017
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Burkhard, Ryan Andrew, Moore, Nathan E., Capeci, Scott William, Fikes, Elizabeth Marie, Royce, Daniel Richard
• Application Number:
  US15/698,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/02 Plurality of alternative input or output lines or plurality of alternative packaging units on the same packaging line for improving machine flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/04 Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/52 using roller-ways or endless conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/00 Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages , to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/003 Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/006 Multiple parallel packaging lines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/00 Closing containers or receptacles after filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0235 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/23 of electric linear motors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/06 comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/642 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 11/00 Apparatus for weighing a continuous stream of material during flow; Conveyor belt weighers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/03 for weighing during motion G01G19/04, G01G19/07 take precedence check weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers G01G15/00; weighing a continuous stream of material during flow G01G11/00; G01G19/02, e.g. G01G19/022, G01G19/045 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42337 Tracking control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 : Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 : Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A system and method for producing customized products intermixed with mass produced products are disclosed. The system and method utilize an automated track system and a plurality of vehicles that are independently routable along the track system. The track system includes a primary transport path and at least one secondary transport path. At least some vehicles may be independently routable along the track system to deliver first and second vehicles, with the respective first and second articles, to at least one of at least two unit operation stations. The first article and the second article are routable so that: the first article is routable to form a customized product; and the second article is routable separate from the first article to form part of a stream of mass produced products.

Claims

1. A system for producing customized products intermixed with mass produced products, said system comprising:

an automated track system comprising a primary transport path and at least one secondary transport path;

a plurality of unit operation stations disposed along the track system, each of said unit operation stations being capable of performing an operation in the process of producing a product and/or preparing a product for distribution;

a plurality of vehicles propellable along the track system, comprising at least;

a first vehicle for transporting a first article, and

a second vehicle for transporting a second article, wherein

said first and second vehicles are independently routable along the track system to deliver the first and second vehicles, with the respective first and second articles, to at least one of the unit operation stations; and

wherein the first article and the second article are routable so that;

said first article is routable to form a customized product; and

said second article is routable separate from said first article to form part of a stream of mass produced products.

2. The system of claim 1 for producing customized fluent products intermixed with mass produced fluent products, wherein:

at least two of the unit operation stations comprise filling unit operation stations; and

said first article comprises a first empty container, and said second article comprises a second empty container.

3. The system of claim 1 for producing customized assembled products intermixed with mass produced products, wherein at least some of the unit operation stations perform a step in the assembly of a product.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the track system is a linear synchronous motor system wherein the vehicles comprise a magnet, and the vehicles are propellable along the track system using electromagnetic force.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the track system comprises:

a primary transport portion that defines a primary path that forms a closed loop; and

a secondary transport portion that extends from the primary transport portion and defines a secondary path that intersects the primary path at an ingress location and an egress location, wherein;

the secondary transport portion comprises at least one unit transport segment; and

one of the unit operation stations is disposed along the at least one unit transport segment.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said first and second vehicles with said first and second articles thereon comprise article-transporting vehicles, and said primary path is configured to permit at least one of said article-transporting vehicles to travel in a holding pattern.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control system in communication with said track system for receiving orders for customized products and routing vehicles to unit operation stations for creating the ordered customized products.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said control system is configured to receive orders in one or more of the following manners:

via e-mail, via a website, via an application on a smart phone, via manual entry, and via production demand software.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising a control system in communication with said track system for receiving orders for customized products and routing vehicles to unit operation stations for creating the ordered customized products, wherein said control system is configured to allow a user to request products from a pick list in which one or more of the following can be selected:

a. size or quantity of product in combination with one or more of the following

b. version of product

c. SKU number

d. decoration on a product, container, or package

e. name to be placed on the product, container, or package

f. color of product, container, or package

g. formulation

h. scent

i. container type

j. container shape, and

k. container closure type.

10. The system of claim 2 further comprising a control system in communication with said track system for receiving orders for personalized products and routing vehicles to unit operation stations for creating the ordered personalized products, wherein said control system is configured to allow a user to request products from a number of possible options in which one or more of the following can be selected:

a. an additive added to the product where the customer or consumer is able to define the weight percentage of the additive(s) from any percentage from 0% to less than 100%;

b. the color of the product or a portion thereof selected from any combination of a full color gamut;

c. a scent of a product selected by mixing scents in any desired amount and combinations;

d. adding a decoration supplied by a customer or consumer; and

e. adding a customer'"'"'s or consumer'"'"'s text to the article or label.

11. The system of claim 9 further comprising a control system in communication with said track system for receiving orders for personalized products and routing vehicles to unit operation stations for creating the ordered personalized products, wherein said control system is configured to allow a user to request products from a number of possible options in which one or more of the following can be selected:

a. an additive added to the product where the customer or consumer is able to define the weight percentage of the additive(s) from any percentage from 0% to less than 100%;

b. the color of the product or a portion thereof selected from any combination of a full color gamut;

c. a scent of a product selected by mixing scents in any desired amount and combinations;

d. adding a decoration supplied by a customer or consumer; and

e. adding a customer'"'"'s or consumer'"'"'s text to the article or label.

12. A method for producing customized products intermixed with mass produced products on the same system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an automated track system comprising a track on which vehicles are propellable, wherein a plurality of unit operations stations are disposed along the track system, each of said unit operation stations being capable of performing an operation in the process of producing a product and/or preparing a product for distribution;

(b) providing a plurality of vehicles propellable along said track system, said vehicles comprising at least;

a first vehicle for transporting a first article, and

a second vehicle for transporting a second article, wherein

said first and second vehicles are independently routable along the track system to deliver the first and second vehicles to at least one of the unit operation stations;

(c) loading a first article onto said first vehicle to form a first article transporting vehicle;

(d) loading a second article onto said second vehicle to form a second article transporting vehicle;

(e) sending said first article transporting vehicle to a first unit operation station configured to performing an operation in the process of producing a customized product and/or preparing a customized product for distribution;

(f) sending said second article transporting vehicle to a second unit operation station configured to performing an operation in the process of producing a mass produced product and/or preparing a mass produced product for distribution in a stream of mass produced products; and

(g) simultaneously performing an operation in the process of producing a customized and a mass produced product and/or preparing a customized and a mass produced product for distribution.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising an ordering system and a control system in communication with said track system for receiving orders for customized products and routing vehicles to unit operation stations for creating the ordered customized products.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said mass produced products are produced before an order for the mass produced products is placed, and said customized products are produced after an order for said customized products is placed.

15. A method according to claim 12 for producing customized fluent products intermixed with mass produced fluent products, wherein:

at least two of the unit operation stations comprise filling unit operation stations; and

said first article comprises a first empty container, and said second article comprises a second empty container.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first unit operation station comprises a first filling unit operation station which dispenses one or more individual ingredients or a pre-mix composition into said first container, and said method further comprises subsequently sending said first container to at least one more filling unit operation station for adding additional ingredients or compositions to the first container.

17. A method according to claim 12 for producing customized assembled products intermixed with mass produced products, wherein at least some of the unit operation stations perform a step in the assembly of a product.