Methods and systems for kitting parts for manufacturing processes
First Claim
1. A method of kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
- (a) sequentially transferring a first predetermined selection of parts from a supply of parts from a part supply structure to a part staging structure by a first robotic transfer device, wherein the supply of parts has two or more sets of distinct parts held by the part supply structure;
(b) sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder by a second robotic transfer device, the first manufacturing kit holder with the first predetermined selection of parts defining a first kitted holder;
(c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring a second predetermined selection of parts from the supply of parts from the part supply structure to the part staging structure by the first robotic transfer device; and
(d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring the second predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder by the second robotic transfer device, the second manufacturing kit holder with the second predetermined selection of parts defining a second kitted holder.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods comprise (a) sequentially transferring, from a part supply structure to a part staging structure, a first predetermined selection of parts; (b) sequentially transferring, from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder, the first predetermined selection of parts to define a first kitted holder; (c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring, from the part supply structure to the part staging structure, a second predetermined selection of parts; and (d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring, from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder, the second predetermined selection of parts to define a second kitted holder. Systems comprise a part supply structure; a part staging structure; a first robotic transfer device; a plurality of manufacturing kit holders; a second robotic transfer device; and a holder positioning structure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
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(a) sequentially transferring a first predetermined selection of parts from a supply of parts from a part supply structure to a part staging structure by a first robotic transfer device, wherein the supply of parts has two or more sets of distinct parts held by the part supply structure; (b) sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder by a second robotic transfer device, the first manufacturing kit holder with the first predetermined selection of parts defining a first kitted holder; (c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring a second predetermined selection of parts from the supply of parts from the part supply structure to the part staging structure by the first robotic transfer device; and (d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring the second predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder by the second robotic transfer device, the second manufacturing kit holder with the second predetermined selection of parts defining a second kitted holder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the method comprising:
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(a) sequentially transferring a first predetermined selection of parts from a supply of parts from a part supply structure to a part staging structure by a first robotic transfer device, wherein the supply of parts has two or more sets of distinct parts held by the part supply structure; (b) sequentially transferring the first predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a first manufacturing kit holder by a second robotic transfer device, the first manufacturing kit holder with the first predetermined selection of parts defining a first kitted holder; (c) concurrently with (b), sequentially transferring a second predetermined selection of parts from the supply of parts from the part supply structure to the part staging structure by the first robotic transfer device; (d) subsequent to (b), sequentially transferring the second predetermined selection of parts from the part staging structure to a second manufacturing kit holder by the second robotic transfer device, the second manufacturing kit holder with the second predetermined selection of parts defining a second kitted holder; (e) concurrently with (a), inspecting each of the first predetermined selection of parts by an optical inspector while the first predetermined selection of parts is being transferred from the part supply structure to the part staging structure for a confirmation of a conformance with first predetermined criteria, wherein the first predetermined criteria comprises one or more of;
proper identity, proper size, proper dimensions, proper shape, proper material, and proper quality for the parts of the first predetermined selection of parts;(f) concurrently with (a) and responsive to (e), discarding a defective first part by the first robotic transfer device if the defective first part does not conform to the first predetermined criteria, and replacing, with the first robotic transfer device, the defective first part with a replacement first part from the supply of parts; (g) concurrently with (c), inspecting each of the second predetermined selection of parts by the optical inspector while the second predetermined selection of parts is being transferred from the part supply structure to the part staging structure for a confirmation of a conformance with second predetermined criteria, wherein the second predetermined criteria comprises one or more of;
proper identity, proper size, proper dimensions, proper shape, proper material, and proper quality for the parts of the second predetermined selection of parts;(h) concurrently with (c) and responsive to (g), discarding a defective second part by the first robotic transfer device if the defective second part does not conform to the second predetermined criteria, and replacing, with the first robotic transfer device, the defective second part with a replacement second part from the supply of parts; (i) prior to (b), receiving the first manufacturing kit holder from a user or an insertion robot; (j) subsequent to (b), delivering the first kitted holder to the user or a retrieval robot; (k) prior to (d), receiving the second manufacturing kit holder from the user or the insertion robot; (l) subsequent to (d), delivering the second kitted holder to the user or the retrieval robot; (m) prior to (b), operatively positioning the first manufacturing kit holder by a holder positioning structure for receipt of the first predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; (n) subsequent to (m) and prior to (d), operatively positioning the second manufacturing kit holder by the holder positioning structure for receipt of the second predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; (o) concurrently with (b), operatively positioning the first manufacturing kit holder by the holder positioning structure for receipt of the first predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; (p) concurrently with (d), operatively positioning the second manufacturing kit holder by the holder positioning structure for receipt of the second predetermined selection of parts from the second robotic transfer device; (q) prior to (a), receiving, by a computer, a first identifier that identifies the first manufacturing kit holder and that represents the first predetermined selection of parts, wherein the first manufacturing kit holder comprises a first identifying structure that represents the first identifier, and wherein (q) comprises scanning, with a scanner device, the first identifying structure to receive the first identifier; (r) prior to (c), receiving, by the computer, a second identifier that identifies the second manufacturing kit holder and that represents the second predetermined selection of parts, wherein the second manufacturing kit holder comprises a second identifying structure that represents the second identifier, and wherein (r) comprises scanning, with the scanner device, the second identifying structure to receive the second identifier; (s) responsive to (q), accessing, by the computer, a parts database and identifying, by the computer, the first predetermined selection of parts for performance of (a); and (t) responsive to (r), accessing, by the computer, the parts database and identifying, by the computer, the second predetermined selection of parts for performance of (c).
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13. A system for kitting parts for a manufacturing process, the system comprising:
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a part supply structure configured to hold a supply of parts having two or more sets of distinct parts; a part staging structure positioned relative to the part supply structure, wherein the part staging structure is configured to receive parts from the supply of parts; a first robotic transfer device positioned relative to the part supply structure and the part staging structure, wherein the first robotic transfer device is configured to sequentially transfer parts from the part supply structure to the part staging structure; a plurality of manufacturing kit holders, wherein each manufacturing kit holder is configured to hold a predetermined selection of parts from the supply of parts; a second robotic transfer device configured to sequentially transfer parts from the part staging structure to a selected manufacturing kit holder of the plurality of manufacturing kit holders; and a holder positioning structure positioned relative to the second robotic transfer device, wherein the holder positioning structure is configured to receive the selected manufacturing kit holder, and wherein the holder positioning structure is configured to operatively position the selected manufacturing kit holder for receipt of parts from the second robotic transfer device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification