Method and apparatus for thermoplastic sheet with RFID

• US 8,313,594 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Original Assignee: Nextreme LLC
• Inventors: Muirhead, Scott Arthur William
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera, Joshel
• Application Number:
  US12/924,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110073250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 156/64, 156/350, 156/351, 156/367, 156/378, 156/379, 156/150, 156/151, 156/242, 156/243, 156/244.11, 156/244.12, 156/244.19, 156/290, 156/293, 156/298, 156/500, 156/552
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/24308 comprising electronic elements or detection means, e.g. chips, RFIDs or barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/001 Shaping in several steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/157 Coating linked inserts, e.g. chains
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/162 of deep containers or boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/46 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/433 Casing-in, i.e. enclosing an element between two sheets by an outlined seam for bookbinding B42C11/06; for packaging B65B; by laminating B32B37/00; enclosing tubular articles between substantially flat elements B29C66/53261
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4722 Fixing strips to surfaces other than edge faces fixing strips to edge faces B29C63/0026
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83411 Roller, cylinder or drum types B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/96 characterised by the method for implementing the controlling of the joining process
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/9672 involving special data inputs, e.g. involving barcodes, RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2017/00 : Carriers for sound or information
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7126 : large, e.g. for bulk storage
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7172 : Fuel tanks, jerry cans
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 : Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 : and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 : Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 : made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00442 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 : without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 : chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0094 : nestable
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 : having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 : Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/244 : Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 : Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1049 : Folding only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1051 : by folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/109 : Embedding of laminae within face of additional laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1734 : Means bringing articles into association with web

Abstract

A pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention includes 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.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing extruded plastic sheet having RF devices comprising:

at least two local computers connected to a network,

an extruder for producing the plastic sheet, said extruder having a first PLC linked to a first local computer,

a RF device applicator spaced apart from said extruder and having a second PLC linked to said first local computer,

said first local computer communicating with the network to obtain rules and acquire instructions for communicating with said second PLC actuating said applicator to selectively affix a RF device upon said extruded plastic sheet, and

a second local computer connected to the network, said second local computer linked to a thermoformer for shaping the extruded plastic sheet having at least one RF device into a three dimensionally shaped article having at least one RF device for identifying said article in said network.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which:

a third local computer is connected to the network, said third local computer linked to a third apparatus for producing RF devices according to customer defined specifications,

said first local computer utilizing said specifications, and

said applicator includes at least a selected one of a roll, a bundle, a stack or means having a supply of said of RF devices sequentially affixed by said applicator to the sheet produced by said extruder corresponding to said specifications.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which:

first and second local computers are connected to a common network,

at least one of said first and second local computer connections including at least one of a hardwire link and a wireless link, and

said wireless link including at least one of a LAN, a cellular, a PCS and a 2.4 gigahertz air interface protocol for communicating in the common network.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

a read/write device linked to at least one of the computer and the network for communicating data between the network and the RF devices.

5. An apparatus for affixing RF devices to extruded sheet used in the manufacture of three dimensionally thermoformed articles bearing the RF devices comprising:

an extruder for producing the sheet, said extruder controlled by a first PLC linked to a local computer,

a gantry spaced apart from said extruder and including an inventory of RF devices,

a press mounted upon said gantry for moving the RF devices from the inventory to an affixed position upon the sheet,

a thermoformer for shaping the extruded sheet having at least one RF device,

said press controlled by a second PLC linked to a local computer, and

said local computer connected to a network for controlling the operation of said press and placement of the RF devices upon the sheet corresponding to a specification for each intended article.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which:

said press includes indexing means for selectively affixing the RF devices in different positions along one of a width and a length of the sheet to be subsequently thermoformed into an article with the attached RF device.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which:

said gantry includes a plurality of presses for selectively affixing a plurality of RF devices at least across a width and along a length of an extruded plastic web, and

said web having a thickness and in the form of a roll and a cut sheet suitable for simultaneously thermoforming a plurality of articles with attached RF devices.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which:

said local computer and said second PLC includes a communications module for downloading data from the network and writing said data onto the RF devices for the intended articles, and

said data used within the network to subsequently identify the sheet with at least one RF device affixed thereto.

9. A system for producing thermoformed articles with attached radio frequency transponders comprising:

a first apparatus for assembling radio frequency transponders, said first apparatus including a local computer connected to a network wherein a customer defined radio frequency transponder is specified, said first apparatus producing said transponders,

a second apparatus for producing a web of plastic as a precursor for producing said thermoformed articles, said second apparatus connected to the network wherein a customer defined plastic web is specified, said second apparatus producing said web,

a third apparatus spaced beside said second apparatus and in-line with said web, said third apparatus connected to the network wherein a customer defined radio frequency transponder placement is defined, said third apparatus configured to apply said transponder upon a surface of said web, and

a fourth apparatus for thermoforming the web into a customer defined three dimensionally shaped article, said fourth apparatus including a interrogator for reading the transponder and connected to the network to access a data base of information concerning the intended article based upon customer defined specifications, said fourth apparatus producing said articles with attached radio frequency transponders.