Thermoformed apparatus having a communications device
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a manufacturing machine;
a receiver;
an electrical control system connected to the receiver and the machine;
a product having multiple sheets and a data storage device located between the sheets, the product being manufactured by the machine;
the receiver operably interfacing with the data storage device to ascertain data previously stored on the device, the control system changing manufacturing characteristics of the machine based on a data received from the device.
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Abstract
An apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. In another aspect of the present invention, a pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification device attached to an apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, a communications device is incorporated into one or more sheets of a pallet or other container prior to forming. Methods of making and using a thermoformed pallet and container, having a communications device, are also provided.
461 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a manufacturing machine;
a receiver;
an electrical control system connected to the receiver and the machine;
a product having multiple sheets and a data storage device located between the sheets, the product being manufactured by the machine;
the receiver operably interfacing with the data storage device to ascertain data previously stored on the device, the control system changing manufacturing characteristics of the machine based on a data received from the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of manufacturing a product with machinery, and method comprising:
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(a) electrically communicating between the product and the machinery in a wireless manner;
(b) changing an operational characteristic of the machinery prior to processing the product in the machinery, based on the communication of step (a); and
(c) shaping the product with the machinery after step (b). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a pallet having a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag, said first RFID tag including externally readable data indicative of a first characteristic, and said second RFID tag including externally readable data indicative of a second characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A material handling device comprising:
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a first polymeric member, a second polymeric member attached to said first polymeric member, a first externally readable RFID tag positioned between said first member and said second member, said first tag including information indicative of a first characteristic, a second externally readable RFID tag positioned between said first member and said second member, and said second tag including information indicative of a second characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A material handling apparatus comprising:
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a first externally readable RFID tag, a second externally readable RFID tag, said first RFID tag includes non-erasable information pertaining to the material handling apparatus, and said second RFID tag includes rewritable information pertaining to events associated with the use of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for using a material handling apparatus having an RFID tag comprising the steps of:
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(a) moving the material handling apparatus into an interrogation field by means of a carrier, (b) reading information stored in a memory component of the RFID tag after the moving step, and (c) activating an indicator after the reading step to instruct an operator of the carrier to move the material handling apparatus out of the interrogation field. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for using a material handling apparatus comprising the steps of:
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(a) affixing an RFID tag to the apparatus so that the RFID tag transmits information pertaining to the apparatus, (b) providing a plurality of interrogators capable of receiving information from the RFID tag within a plurality of interrogation fields located within a distribution network, (c) providing a plurality of local area computers so that each computer is located within an interrogation field and is connected to a host computer, (d) providing a plurality of visual message delivery devices within the interrogation fields so that each visual message delivery device is connected to at least one of the local area computers and to the host computer, (e) providing a carrier to move the apparatus within the distribution network, (f) providing an operator to maneuver the carrier within the distribution network and to observe the devices, (g) using the carrier to move the apparatus into one off the interrogation fields to allow one of the interrogators to convey the information pertaining to the apparatus contained on the RFID tag to at least one of the local area computers and the host computer, and (h) therafter one of the local area computers and the host computer activates the device in the interrogation field observed by the operator to instruct the operator to maneuver the carrier and the apparatus out of one of the interrogation fields. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of using a material handling apparatus comprising:
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(a) affixing an RFID tag upon the apparatus for transmitting information pertaining to the apparatus, (b) providing a plurality of interrogators capable of receiving information from the RFID tag with each of the interrogators being located in one of a plurality of interrogation fields located within a distribution network, (c) providing a local area computer connected to each one of the interrogators within each interrogation field with the local area computers being connected to a host computer, (d) providing a carrier to move the apparatus within the distribution network with the carrier including a visual message delivery device being wirelessly connected to at least one of the local area computers and the host computer, (e) providing an operator to maneuver the carrier within the distribution network to observe the device, (f) using the carrier to move the apparatus into one of the interrogation fields thereby allowing one of the interrogators to convey the information pertaining to the apparatus contained on the RFID tag to at least one of the local area computers and the host computer, and (g) thereafter at least one of the local area computers and the host computer activating the device on the carrier observed by the operator to instruct the operator to maneuver the carrier and the apparatus out of one of the interrogation fields. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification