Methods of manufacturing parts using a manufacturing cell
US8544159B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 2012 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 29, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/53548
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A manufacturing cell has a plurality of stations arranged in two rows having a main aisle therebetween. Each of the plurality of stations has a station-aisle interface that provides an interaction area to the main aisle. The manufacturing cell also comprises a plurality of storage units that are located within the cell along the main aisle and a guided forklift truck that traverses the main aisle without requiring steering control of a stock handler operating the forklift truck within the main aisle to relocate containers from the storage units to designated station-aisle interfaces and to remove containers from the designated station-aisle interfaces when work is completed at the corresponding stations. At least one of the plurality of stations having two conveyors each having a tiltable platform such that each of the two conveyors can be used to receive and return containers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.