Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
Applicant’s submission filed 6/23/25 has been entered. Claims 1-14 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomsen (US 20140229226 A1), in view of Lepper et al. (US 5555504 A).
Re-claim 1, Thomsen teaches -A method for automatic target configuration in a conveyor system, the method comprising:
-perform a pallet-flow analysis for a station;
(see e.g. [0044] For example, in certain embodiments, the sensors 36 may include sensors configured to measure the rate of bottles per minute (BPM) entering or leaving a machine component (i.e., stations 13, 16, 20, 22, 24, 26 or 28), or the rate of accumulation of bottles on a portion of a conveyor section (e.g., conveyor section 14, 17, or 21).
[0031] The simulation may indicate the progress/movement of the simulated cans through the layout, and may also visualize problem areas within the layout (e.g., bottleneck areas, high speed areas, areas with empty cans, and so forth).
-generate target and move configurations for the station;
(see e.g. [0026] For example, during a simulation or design phase, the components, including the conveyors may be changed, re-arranged, enlarged, reduced, sped or slowed, and so forth until a better or best solution is found, and this solution, including supporting configuration data, may be saved for later use in ordering, assembling, installing, programming, and commissioning of the actual system components. This use of the objects, programming, and visualization both for design and simulation, and for later commissioning may greatly facilitate the both the initial design and the later building and programming of the actual system.)
-finalize routing targets’ configurations; and -finalize exit move configurations.
(see e.g. [0031] The optimized design or configuration of the represented system 10 (i.e., layout optimized by the human system designer with the visualization tool 58) may be stored within the design file 76.
[0044] In general, any sensors 36 capable of measuring a parameter value of interest relating to the beverage packaging process of system 10 (e.g., rate, pressure, speed, accumulation, density, distance, position/arrangement, quantity, size, and so forth) may be used. In some embodiments, the signals relating to the measured parameter values may be used by the visualization tool 58 in the commissioning/runtime system 74 to the normalized utilization and the numerical utilization for each conveyor section of the system 10.)
[0027] In some implementations, it may be useful to define a library or standard set of objects and visualizations that can be re-used, and adapted for specific locations, sizes, speeds, and so forth. During simulation, the data layer may provide information that is used for altering the visualization (e.g., labels, utilization indicia, coloring, etc.), while during actual use, the data may reflect the actual performance of the components.)
Thomsen does not explicitly teach the following limitation as claimed.
However, Lepper et al. teach ---determine if there are more stations and perform the pallet flow analysis and the generate target and move configurations until all stations are completed;
(see e.g. (13) - STATUS memory locations 155 allows the PLC to determine whether a particular station of the lens fabrication facility should perform an operation on the identified pallet. If the status for an identified pallet is negative, no more operations are performed and the negative status remains until a reject station is reached.
(44) where bar code scanner 112 identifies each pallet 12a, 12b entering the station, and informs the PLC to generate a corresponding time stamp value corresponding to the time of entry of each identified pallet 12a, 12b into the monomer filling station. The PLC writes the time stamp value into PALL.sub.-- TIME[PALL.sub.-- ID.sub.-- NUM] locations of memory storage array 180 corresponding to each identified pallet entering the monomer filling/mold assembly station 50
(10) The time information for each pallet constitutes the specific time that the process condition status has been last updated for each pallet, i.e., the time at which a pallet has passed a particular bar code scanner. The time period in which each pallet undergoes a specific process or event, for e.g., enters and leaves a specific processing station, is calculated by the PLC using the time information entries in the memory storage devices in the manner described in greater detail below.
(157) As a successful operation occurs within the demold apparatus, the shift register representing that particular pallet is updated with a commensurate status and that status data is shifted to the next index as the pallet is advanced. Thus, an assignment is performed: STATUS.sub.-- A[i]:=STATUS.sub.-- A[i-1] for all positions, i=2, . . . ,9. Likewise for the pallets being processed on the walking beam B; i.e., STATUS.sub.-- B[i]:=STATUS.sub.-- B[i-1] for all positions, i=2, . . . ,9. For instance, for a pallet on walking beam A, STATUS.sub.-- A[8] will receive data from STATUS.sub.-- A[7] after the last successful operation is performed on the pallet.
(158) After the last operation is performed and the pallets exit the de-mold apparatus, each pallet is scanned by bar code reader 116, and the pallet status data that is present in STATUS.sub.-- A[8] and STATUS.sub.-- B[8] will be mated with the PALL.sub.-- ID.sub.-- NUM as identified by the bar code scanner. A suitable proximity sensor 289 shown in FIG. 18, will confirm that a pallet from walking beam rail A (STATUS.sub.-- A) will exit the demolder first and be identified by scanner 116. Thus, the unique status information stored in register STATUS.sub.-- A[8] will be mated with the pallet status information already in pallet status array 170 for the pallet ID identified by bar code scanner 116. Likewise, status information stored in register STATUS.sub.-- B[8] will be mated with the pallet status information already in pallet status array 170 for the pallet ID identified by bar code scanner 116.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Thomsen, and include the steps cited above, as taught by Lepper et al., in order to incorporate a tracking and quality control system in a production line pallet system, for quality improvement and process optimization. (see e.g. (7)and (15)).
Claim 8 recites similar limitations as claim 1 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claims 2, 3, 5-7, 9-10, 12- 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomsen (US 20140229226 A1) in view of Lepper et al. (US 5555504 A), in further view of Gildersleeve et al. (US 20190232525 A1) .
Re-claims 2, 3, 5, Thomsen teaches --A method according to claim 1, wherein the pallet-flow analysis comprises:
-determine operation points within the station;
(see e.g. [0018] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system 10 may include machine components configured to conduct a particular function within the beverage packaging process. For example, the beverage packaging process begins at a loading station 13, where pallets of empty cans or bottles needed to be filled are fed into the system 10 via a conveyor section 14. The conveyor section 14 transports the empty cans from the loading station 13 to a washing station 16, where the empty cans and bottles are washed and prepared for filling. As the washed cans and bottles exit the washing station 16, a conveyor section 14 may gradually transition into an aligning conveyor section 17, such that the washed cans and bottles enter a filling and sealing station 20 in a single-file line.)
-determine if there are any pallets in-process at the station;
(see e.g. [0042] During the operation of the simulation engine 78 within the design system 72, the detected sensor data from the sensors 152 is used to provide the normalized utilization and the numerical utilization for each conveyor section 146, 148, 150, 162, 164, and 166. The numerical utilization may be a scaled number between, for example, 1 bottle and 50 bottles. The numerical utilization may indicate the number of bottles out of 50 that are currently on a particular conveyor section. --- Furthermore, the numerical utilization 148b of the conveyor section 148 is "19.07," and indicates that nearly 20 bottles are positioned on the conveyor section 148 at the same moment the snapshot was taken.)
Although Thomsen anticipates --calculating a required move distance in at least:
[0019] As the sealed cans exit the filling and sealing station 20, a buffering conveyor section 21 may delay allowing the sealed cans to enter the next station. In addition, the buffering conveyor section 21 may transport the sealed cans in a single-file line so that the sealed cans arrive at the sterilization station 22 or a labeling station 24 at a desired time with the desired quantity of cans.
[0021] In general, any sensors 36 capable of measuring a parameter value of interest relating to the beverage packaging process of system 10 (e.g., rate, pressure, speed, accumulation, density, distance, position/arrangement, quantity, size, and so forth) may be used.
Lepper et al. do not teach the following limitation as claimed.
However, Gildersleeve et al. explicitly teach ---if there are pallets in-process, calculate a required move distance by calculating a distance from the most downstream operation point to the most downstream unprocessed part and move in-process pallets forward by the calculated required move distance;
--determine if all operation points at the current station have been utilized, if no, add new pallets;
(see e.g. [0060] The load/unload sequence runs when CPM 300 is in need of a pallet 92 to raise up against a mold box 314 as shown in FIG. 2; this triggers block 158 where the system requests a pallet for load/eject.
[0064] Once the pallet 92 is lifted against the underside 318 of the mold box 314 as in block 188 (FIG. 10), another production pallet is moved forward from the in-feed conveyor 200 onto the pallet feeder conveyor 12 and continues forward to the staged position immediately behind the load/unload expanse 14.
-mark processed parts by updating the processed status of parts that are currently at manufacturing operation points; and
(see e.g. 0004] After molding is complete, the molded product is typically pushed out of the mold cavities onto the pallet as the pallet is separated from the underside of the mold box and is transported on the pallet away from the CPM.
[0061] Upon detection of the rear edge 95 of pallet 92, operation proceeds to block 165 in which the servo drive registers the back (i.e. falling) edge of the production pallet and sends the position and proximity switch status to the concrete products machine PLC 112. PLC 112 sees that the back edge 95 of the pallet 92 was detected and calculates a target position for the production pallet and production pallet feeder conveyor 12 position.
-determine if all parts have been processed and if not, return to check on pallets in process, otherwise end the method.
[0064] This completes one cycle of the CPM (e.g. block 190), which is then repeated continuously during a production run.
[0078] As explained above, multiple pallets may be simultaneously moved by the selected motion profile. For instance, after a production cycle has been completed where the production pallet 92a, loaded with molded product, is placed back down onto the conveyor 12 from the production zone 304, a staged pallet 92b may be moved from a staged position on the conveyor to a load/unload position on the conveyor.
[0061] If properly positioned, operation proceeds to block 172 in which the load/eject sequence is complete and the automated production cycle of the CPM continues until molded product is extruded from the mold cavities onto the production pallet 92.)
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the calculate a required move distance comprises calculating a pallet offset. 5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the configure pallet entry routings comprises configuring pallet offsets.
(see e.g. claim 18 - The method for correcting pallet position on a conveyor of claim 17, wherein the position correction operation includes: calculating a difference between a length of the pallet and a distance between the upstream and downstream sensors; and sending instructions to the conveyor to move the pallet half the calculated difference downstream if the sensor detected to be immediately adjacent the pallet is an upstream sensor, otherwise sending instructions to the conveyor to move the pallet half the calculated difference upstream if the covered sensor is a downstream sensor.
[0058] PLC 112 sees that the front edge 93 of production pallet 92 was detected and calculates a target position for the production pallet 92 and pallet feeder assembly conveyor 12. The target position consists of the pallet feeder assembly conveyor position when the front edge of the production pallet was detected and a staged offset spacing O.sub.s that is set by the machine operator through a human-machine interface such as through computer 114, via display 116. This target position allows the control system to consistently position the front edge 93 of pallet 92 in the same staged location, e.g. a staged offset O.sub.s downstream from sensor 102 (see, e.g. FIG. 7B), regardless of the pallet feeder conveyor staging velocity or deceleration rate.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Thomsen, in view of Lepper et al. and include the steps cited above, as taught by Gildersleeve et al., in order to achieve greater accuracy with pallet positioning without the use of a physical stop or pushing device (see e.g.[0029]).
Re-claims 6, 7, Thomsen, in view of Lepper et al., do not teach the limitations as claimed.
However, Gildersleeve teaches -- A method according to claim 1, wherein the finalize routing targets’ configurations comprises: setting a routing target between the current station and the upstream neighboring station; or setting a conditional hover-routing target at a most upstream target of the current station.
(see e. g. [0054] FIG. 7E illustrates a pallet correctional move upstream to a desired load point midway between sensors 104 and 108.
[0056] Pallet staging is the process of moving a production pallet 92 entering the upstream end 18 of the pallet feeder assembly 10 to a point just upstream of the load/unload zone 14 (e.g. “staged position”). Having a pallet 92 in the staged position allows minimal delay in providing the next pallet to the CPM 300 during a subsequent production cycle. In this way, CPM production cycles can occur more quickly so that more molded products are produced in the same amount of time.
[0057] Block 144 moves production pallet 92 forward from in-feed conveyor 200 onto the upstream end 18 of conveyor 12, an action detected by sensor 100.)
--A method according to claim 1, wherein the finalize exit move configurations comprises: setting the destination target to be the most upstream pallet target for the subsequent station.
(see e. g. [0056] Pallet staging is the process of moving a production pallet 92 entering the upstream end 18 of the pallet feeder assembly 10 to a point just upstream of the load/unload zone 14 (e.g. “staged position”).)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Thomsen, in view of Lepper et al. and include the steps cited above, as taught by Gildersleeve et al., in order to allow minimal delay in providing the next pallet to the CPM 300 during a subsequent production cycle. (see e.g.[0056]).
Claim 9 recites similar limitations as claim 2 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claim 10 recites similar limitations as claim 3 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claim 12 recites similar limitations as claim 5 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claim 13 recites similar limitations as claim 6 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claim 14 recites similar limitations as claim 7 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claims 4, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomsen (US 20140229226 A1), in view of Lepper et al. (US 5555504 A), in further view of Gildersleeve et al. (US 20190232525 A1), in further view of Official Notice (as evidenced by Gildersleeve et al. )
Re-claim 4, Thomsen, in view of Lepper et al., do not teach the following limitations.
However, Gildersleeve et al. teach --A method according to claim 1, wherein the generate target and move configurations comprises: -determine the most downstream and upstream pallet locations for the current station; -configure a routing target and place the routing target upstream of the current station;
(see e. g. [0054] FIG. 7E illustrates a pallet correctional move upstream to a desired load point midway between sensors 104 and 108.
[0056] Pallet staging is the process of moving a production pallet 92 entering the upstream end 18 of the pallet feeder assembly 10 to a point just upstream of the load/unload zone 14 (e.g. “staged position”). Having a pallet 92 in the staged position allows minimal delay in providing the next pallet to the CPM 300 during a subsequent production cycle. In this way, CPM production cycles can occur more quickly so that more molded products are produced in the same amount of time.
[0057] Block 144 moves production pallet 92 forward from in-feed conveyor 200 onto the upstream end 18 of conveyor 12, an action detected by sensor 100. )
Thomsen, in view of Lepper et al., in further view of Gildersleeve et al. do not teach -- -determine if there is a new unique target set size, if yes, use the new targets and, if no, use the existing targets;
-determine if there are more processing steps, if yes, return to determine if there is a new unique target set size; -determine if there are more substations; if yes, return to determine if there is a new unique target set size; configure pallet entry routings; -configure in-station routings; and -perform any additional routing target configuration.
However, Official Notice is taken that it is old and well known, that production pallets are monitored and feedbacks are collected during each production cycle based on certain established rules. Based on the findings, different measures are taken.
For example, Gildersleeve et al. teach a pallet feeder assembly operation running through different production cycles and determining status of the operation for each cycles. (see e.g. [0056-0058]. Furthermore, Gildersleeve et al. determine pallet size on the conveyor (see e.g. [0028, [0062]).
Claim 11 recites similar limitations as claim 4 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Conclusion
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/LUNA CHAMPAGNE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627
November 24, 2025