Material application system with remote access

• US 7,363,100 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Inventors: Skelton-Becker, Cynthia, Allsop, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick; Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US10/862,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 700/123, 379/188, 379/189, 345/700, 345/763, 345/769
• US Class Current: 700/123
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/002 Manually-actuated controlling means, e.g. push buttons, levers or triggers for single units B05B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/085 responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged B05B1/3006, B05B1/323, B05B7/1254 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/18 for improving resistance to wear, e.g. inserts or coatings; for indicating wear; for handling or replacing worn parts
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/14 designed for spraying particulate materials B05B7/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33125 System configuration, reconfiguration, customization, automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45013 Spraying, coating, painting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0232 based on qualitative trend analysis, e.g. system evolution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A system and related methods for configuring and monitoring a spraying application system for installation and use at a site that is remotely located from the spraying system manufacturing site. The system provides a remote access module that provides spraying system operation and parametric information to be monitored at the manufacturing site to determine how the spraying system is operating and whether repair or maintenance should be initiated. Timer circuits are provided for determining time of usage so that repair/replacement alerts can be issued. Safety related parameters may also be monitored as a backup to the primary monitoring performed at the customer'"'"'s site. The system also provides an extranet or other suitable site available, for example, via the Internet or other communication link, is used to provide an accessible database for historical data and configuration/installation information. A call-in feature is also provided as well as a system query log.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a material application system of the type in which a material is applied to and adheres to an article, comprising:

a material application system including a controller, a material application device and a supply of material therefor;

said controller providing local control and monitoring of said material application device and said supply including control parameters for said material application device and said supply, said controller monitoring real time operating parameters of said material application device and said supply while material is being applied to and adheres to an article during operation of said material application system;

said material application system comprising an interface module that formats said real time operating parameters during operation of said material application system into signals accessible via a communication network; and

a remote access module that enables a user to acquire said real time operating parameters during operation of said material application system via said network;

said user accessing said remote access module with a telephone.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone is wireless.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said user receives said operating parameters via voicemail accessed through said telephone.

4. The system of claim 1 comprising

an inquiry log function that tracks the number of times a user queries said material application system via said remote access module.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said user is a manufacturer'"'"'s representative, and comprising a notification program that notifies a customer contact that said representative has accessed the system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said operating parameters include one or more of the following:

pressure, flow rates, fire detection.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said user acquires information related to a trigger event via said telephone and said remote access module.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said information relates to a gun trigger being activated for a predetermined time period.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said user acquires information related to usage time of one or more wear components in said material application system.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said user directly access said interface module via the Internet or a dedicated connection.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said interface module is locally provided at the material application system operating site.

12. A system for monitoring a material application system of the type in which a material is applied to and adheres to an article, comprising:

a material application system including a controller, a material application device and a supply of material therefor;

said controller providing local control and monitoring of said material application device including control parameters for said material application device, said controller monitoring real time operating parameters of said material application device while material is being applied to and adheres to an article during operation of said material application system;

said material application system comprising an interface module that formats said real time operating parameters during operation of said material application system into signals accessible via a communication network; and

a remote access module that enables a user to acquire said real time operating parameters during operation of said material application system via said network;

said user also enabled to access said operating parameters via said interface module with a hand-held communication device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said hand-held communication device comprises one or more of a telephone, pager, text messaging or e-mail service.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said operating parameters include one or more of the following:

pressure, flow rates, fire detection.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said user acquires information related to a trigger event via said hand-held communication device and said remote access module.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said information relates to a gun trigger being activated for a predetermined time period.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said user acquires information related to usage time of one or more wear components in said material application system.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein said user directly accesses said interface module via the Internet or a dedicated connection.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said interface module is locally provided at the material application system operating site.