Method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels

• US 9,067,254 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Espinel, Ruth Karina, Biondich, Scott C., Santamaria, Alejandro Jose, Adams, John E., Allen, Katherine W., Rajesh, Gopalaswamy, Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba, Essama
• Application Number:
  US12/577,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20100095502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,087 Days
• Field of Search: 294/011, 295/63, 700/95, 700/96, 700/97, 700/117, 705/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/26 cans or tins; Closing same in a permanent manner making outlet arrangements B21D51/38; welding or soldering B23K
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4187 by tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5124 with means to feed work intermittently from one tool station to another

Abstract

A method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels includes receiving a plurality of consumer or event data. Further, the method includes configuring a plurality of vessel forming stations based in part on the received consumer or event data. Once the vessel forming stations are configured, a plurality of vessels are shaped by indexing the plurality of vessels through the vessel forming stations. The shaping operation can include shaping by contouring a length of each of the plurality of vessels, selecting a decoration style to be applied to the plurality of vessels based in part on the consumer or event data, and configuring a top-forming station based in part on the consumer or event data.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, consumer or event data;

determining whether at least one of a decoration and shape of a vessel needs to be customized based in part on said consumer or event data;

responsive to determining that at least one of said decoration and shape of said vessel needs to be customized, changing, by a controller, a configuration of at least one of a plurality of vessel forming stations each being inclusive of a plurality of work zones from an initial configuration to another configuration that causes indexing of the vessel through the plurality of work zones within the at least one of the plurality of vessel forming stations to be altered based in part on said consumer or event data; and

shaping a plurality of vessels by indexing said plurality of vessels through selected work zones of said plurality of vessel forming stations.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein

each of said plurality of vessel forming stations comprises at least one opposing facing pair of operation wheels, and

indexing said plurality of vessels through said plurality of vessel forming stations comprises rotating, by a star wheel, said plurality of vessels in a clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said shaping further comprises shaping by contouring a length of each of said plurality of vessels.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a plurality of die forming operations.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a pressure ram forming operation.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a hydro forming operation.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a magnetic impulse forming operation.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a decoration style to be applied to said plurality of vessels based in part on said consumer or event data.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

decorating said plurality of vessels with at least part of said consumer or event data.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining a quantity of said plurality of vessels based on said consumer or event data.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a printing operation needs to be performed at a pre-determined spot on a vessel of said plurality of vessels;

responsive to determining that said printing operation needs to be performed at said pre-determined spot, rotating the vessel at a work zone to locate said pre-determined spot of said vessel; and

applying a decoration to said vessel at said pre-determined spot.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein changing the configuration of at least one of a plurality of vessel forming stations is performed dynamically.

13. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the event data is indicative of a sporting event.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising communicating signals, responsive to said consumer or event data, to the at least one vessel forming station to cause the at least one vessel forming station to change configurations.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising communicating signals, responsive to said consumer or event data, to the at least one vessel forming station to cause the at least one vessel forming station to change non-shape forming operations.

16. A method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, consumer or event data;

determining whether at least one of a decoration and shape of a vessel needs to be customized based in part on said consumer or event data;

responsive to determining that said decoration of said vessel needs to be customized, configuring a decoration station based in part on said consumer or event data;

responsive to determining that said shape of said vessel needs to be customized, changing, by a controller, a configuration of at least one of a plurality of vessel forming stations each being inclusive of a plurality of work zones from an initial configuration to another configuration that causes indexing of the vessel through the plurality of work zones within the at least one of the plurality of vessel forming stations to be altered based in part on said consumer or event data; and

shaping and decorating a plurality of vessels by indexing said plurality of vessels through selected work zones of said decoration station and selected work zones of said plurality of vessel forming stations.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of vessel forming stations comprises at least one opposing facing pair of operation wheels,

indexing said plurality of vessels through said plurality of vessel forming stations comprises rotating, by a star wheel, said plurality of vessels in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

configuring a top-forming station based in part on said consumer or event data; and

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a pressure ram forming operation.

19. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

shaping said plurality of vessels by subjecting said plurality of vessels to a hydro forming operation.

20. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

selecting a decoration style to be applied to said plurality of vessels based in part on said consumer or event data.

21. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

decorating said plurality of vessels with at least part of said consumer or event data.

22. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

determining a quantity of said plurality of vessels based on said consumer or event data.

23. A method of configuring a production line to mass customize shaped vessels, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, consumer or event data;

determining whether at least one of a decoration and shape of a vessel needs to be customized based in part on said consumer or event data;

responsive to determining that said decoration of said vessel needs to be customized, configuring, by a controller, a decoration station based in part on said consumer or event data;

responsive to determining that at least one of said decoration and shape of said vessel needs to be customized, changing, by the controller, a configuration of at least one of a plurality of vessel forming stations each being inclusive of a plurality of work zones from an initial configuration to another configuration that causes indexing of the vessel through the plurality of work zones within the at least one of the plurality of vessel forming stations to be altered based in part on said consumer or event data, each of said plurality of vessel forming stations comprising at least one operation wheel;

selecting, by the controller, a pathway through said plurality of vessel forming stations;

controlling, by the controller, a rotational indexing direction of at least one operation wheel of said plurality of vessel forming stations according to said pathway; and

shaping and decorating a plurality of vessels by indexing said plurality of vessels through selected work zones of said decoration station and selected work zones of said plurality of vessel forming stations.

24. The method in accordance with claim 23, wherein

each of said plurality of vessel forming stations comprises an opposing facing pair of operation wheels,

each operation wheel further comprising a plurality of work zones, and

controlling a rotational indexing direction comprises rotating said at least one operation wheel in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.