Continuous processing system with accumulator model for product flow control
First Claim
1. A continuous processing system for performing production operations on a plurality of unit products using at least two discrete processing machines comprising:
- (a) an upstream processing machine means for performing a first operation on unit products passing therethrough, said upstream machine means having a product inlet and a product outlet;
(b) a downstream processing machine means for performing a second operation on unit products passing therethrough, said downstream machine having a product inlet and a product outlet;
(c) accumulator means for transferring said plurality of unit products between said upstream machine means and said downstream machine means and for accumulating unit products in tightly packed continuously touching relationship in a variable length area starting at a position adjacent said downstream machine product inlet and extending toward said upstream machine product outlet;
the number of unit products in said tightly packed continuously touching reltaionship adjacent said downstream machine product inlet defining a continuous-fill-accumulation;
(d) count-in sensor means for sensing each unit product entering said accumulator means from said upstream machine product outlet and for generating a count-in sensor signal in response thereto;
(e) count-out sensor means for sensing each unit product exiting from said accumulator means to said downstream machine product inlet and for generating a count-out sensor signal in response thereto;
(f) accumulator modeling means for receiving said count-in and said count-out sensor signals and for continuously predicting said continuous-fill-accumulation;
(g) machine speed control means for continuously variably controlling the speed of at least one of said upstream machine and said downstream machine based on said predicted continuous-fill-accumulation for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently low relative said upstream machine speed to continuously provide a sufficiently large continuous-fill-accumulation to enable an uninterrupted flow of unit products to said downstream machine, and for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently high relative said upstream machine speed to continuously prevent excessive accumulation of unit products in said accumulation means.
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Abstract
A continuous processing system for performing production operations on a plurality of unit products using at least two discrete processing machines including: an upstream processing machine; a downstream processing machine; an accumulator for transferring unit products between the upstream machine and the downstream machine and for accumulating unit products in tightly packed continuously touching relationship in a variable length area starting at a position adjacent the downstream machine and extending toward the upstream machine, the number of unit products in the tightly packed continuously touching relationship defining a continuous-fill-accumulation; a count-in sensor for sensing each unit product entering the accumulator; a count-out sensor for sensing each unit product exiting from the accumulator; a computer software accumulator model for operating on data derived from the sensor signals and from physical characteristics of the accumulator for continuously predicting the continuous-fill-accmulation; and machine speed control apparatus for continuously variably controlling the speed of the upstream machine and/or the downstream machine based on the predicted continuous-fill-accumulation.
24 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A continuous processing system for performing production operations on a plurality of unit products using at least two discrete processing machines comprising:
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(a) an upstream processing machine means for performing a first operation on unit products passing therethrough, said upstream machine means having a product inlet and a product outlet; (b) a downstream processing machine means for performing a second operation on unit products passing therethrough, said downstream machine having a product inlet and a product outlet; (c) accumulator means for transferring said plurality of unit products between said upstream machine means and said downstream machine means and for accumulating unit products in tightly packed continuously touching relationship in a variable length area starting at a position adjacent said downstream machine product inlet and extending toward said upstream machine product outlet;
the number of unit products in said tightly packed continuously touching reltaionship adjacent said downstream machine product inlet defining a continuous-fill-accumulation;(d) count-in sensor means for sensing each unit product entering said accumulator means from said upstream machine product outlet and for generating a count-in sensor signal in response thereto; (e) count-out sensor means for sensing each unit product exiting from said accumulator means to said downstream machine product inlet and for generating a count-out sensor signal in response thereto; (f) accumulator modeling means for receiving said count-in and said count-out sensor signals and for continuously predicting said continuous-fill-accumulation; (g) machine speed control means for continuously variably controlling the speed of at least one of said upstream machine and said downstream machine based on said predicted continuous-fill-accumulation for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently low relative said upstream machine speed to continuously provide a sufficiently large continuous-fill-accumulation to enable an uninterrupted flow of unit products to said downstream machine, and for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently high relative said upstream machine speed to continuously prevent excessive accumulation of unit products in said accumulation means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of measuring product inventory in a loosely coupled mechanical system of the type having an upstream processing machine and a downstream processing machine operable at variably different speeds and connected to an entrance and exit portion of a product accumulator which transfers unit products from the upstream machine to the downstream machine and which has a variable length floating accumulation area beginning at the accumulator entrance where product speed is dependent only on the conveyor characteristics, and a variable length continuous accumulation area, extending from the floating accumulation area to the accumulator exit where products are packed in continuous touching contact and where product speed is dependent on the downstream machine operating speed, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a floating accumulation data array having a predetermined number of serially arranged data storage elements corresponding to physical portions of the accumulator; (b) providing a continuous-fill-accumulation data storage element for storing a value corresponding to the number of unit products currently in the continuous accumulation area of the accumulator; (c) detecting each unit product as it enters the accumulator and incrementing a data element of the floating accumulation data array which corresponds to the entrance of the accumulator in response to each detected entering product; (d) periodically serially shifting data through the elements of the data array in a direction corresponding to the direction of physical product movement through the accumulator; (e) periodically transferring data from a number of serially adjacent elements of the data array, which are selected based on the current value stored in the continuous-fill-accumulation data storage element, to the continuous-fill-accumulation data storage element to provide a new continuous-fill-accumulation value; (f) detecting each unit product as it exits the accumulator and decrementing the continuous-fill-accumulation element in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A continuous processing system for performing production operations on a plurality of unit products comprising:
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(a) a downstream processing machine means for performing an operation on unit products passing therethrough, said downstream machine having a product inlet and a product outlet; (b) accumulator means having a product inlet and having a product outlet connected to said downstream machine product inlet for receiving and transferring said plurality of unit products to said downstream machine means and for accumulating unit products in tightly packed continuously touching relationship in a variable length area starting at a position adjacent said downstream machine product inlet;
the number of unit products in said tightly packed continuously touching relationship adjacent said downstream machine product inlet defining a continuous-fill-accumulation;(c) count-in sensor means for sensing each unit product entering said accumulator means product inlet and for generating a count-in sensor signal in response thereto; (d) count-out sensor means for sensing each unit product exiting from said accumulator means product outlet to said downstream machine product inlet and for generating a count-out sensor signal in response thereto; (e) accumulator modeling means for receiving said count-in and said count-out sensor signals and for continuously predicting said continuous-fill-accumulation; (f) machine speed control means for continuously variably controlling the speed of said downstream machine based on said predicted continuous-fill-accumulation for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently low relative the rate of unit products entering said accumulator means to continuously provide a sufficiently large continuous-fill-accumulation to enable an uninterrupted flow of unit products to said downstream machine, and for maintaining said downstream machine speed sufficiently high relative the rate of unit products entering said accumulator means to continuously prevent excessive accumulation of unit products in said accumulation means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification