# US 10,480,040 B2 · Hide customization systems and methods

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- Number: US 10,480,040 B2
- Document ID: US10480040B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/724,643
- Filed: 2015-05-28
- Published: 2015-12-03
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2014-05-28
- Assignees: National Beef Packing Company, LLC
- Applicants: National Beef Packing Company, LLC
- Inventors: Robert Horst Hein; Kenneth Graham Press
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480040B2

## CPC

- C14B 17/005: {Inspecting hides or furs}
- C14B 17/02: Blading cylinders or other working cylinders, e.g. slicking or scraping cylinders
- B07C 5/16: Sorting according to weight (sorting eggs A01K43/00; weighing apparatus per se G01G)
- B07C 5/34: Sorting according to other particular properties {(material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14)}
- B07C 5/38: Collecting or arranging articles in groups
- B65G 57/00: Stacking of articles (B65G60/00 takes precedence; feeding, piling or stacking sheets B65H)
- B65G 57/02: by adding to the top of the stack
- C14B 1/14: using tools cutting the skin in a plane substantially parallel to its surface
- C14C 1/06: Facilitating unhairing, e.g. by painting, by liming
- C14C 3/00: Tanning; Compositions for tanning
- C14C 3/06: using chromium compounds
- C14C 15/00: Apparatus for chemical treatment or washing of hides, skins, or leather
- G05B 19/4189: {characterised by the transport system}
- G06Q 30/0621: {by configuring or customising goods or services}
- G05B 2219/39106: Conveyor, pick up article, object from conveyor, bring to test unit, place it
- C14B: MECHANICAL TREATMENT OR PROCESSING OF SKINS, HIDES OR LEATHER IN GENERAL; PELT-SHEARING MACHINES; INTESTINE-SPLITTING MACHINES (making leather substitutes B29, D06N; making articles from leather B68F; mechanical cleaning of hides or the like D06G; artificial leather D06N)
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- C14C: CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF HIDES, SKINS OR LEATHER, e.g. TANNING, IMPREGNATING, FINISHING; APPARATUS THEREFOR; COMPOSITIONS FOR TANNING (bleaching of leather or furs D06L; dyeing of leather or furs D06P)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Methods and systems for customizing hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that improves profitability and customer satisfaction by facilitating the customization of hides according to customer orders. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency and responsiveness by producing packages of hides that exactly match customer orders. Additionally, one or more embodiments enhance the traceability of hides by capturing data related to the customization of hides.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of customizing hides comprising:
accessing, from customer data storage of a tanning control system, electronic customer order information associated with a first customer order;
identifying, using a customer order manager of the tanning control system, one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information;
selecting, using a hide manager of the tanning control system, a group of hides that corresponds to the one or more hide characteristics, the group of hides located at one or more hide inventory sources;
identifying, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, a specification within the electronic customer order information that indicates one or more customizations to perform with respect to one or more hides of the group of hides; and
performing, based on the identified specification and using a customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more customizations to transform the one or more hides of the group of hides by providing a specification communication to a customization controller of a customized processing system, wherein the customized processing system further comprises at least one of a wetting drum, a wringing device, a splitting device, a trimming device, or a folding device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, one or more characteristics associated with the group of hides to the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information; and
determining, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, that the one or more characteristics associated with the group of hides match the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
selecting, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, one or more additional groups of hides that correspond to the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information; and
performing, based on the identified specification and using the customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more customizations onto transform one or more hides of the one or more additional groups of hides by providing an additional specification communication to the customization controller of the customized processing system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
identifying, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, a hide count indicated by the electronic customer order information; and
selecting, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, the one or more additional groups of hides based on a determination that the hide count indicated by the electronic customer order information exceeds a hide count of the selected group of hides.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
accessing, from customer data storage of the tanning control system, additional electronic customer order information associated with a second customer order;
identifying, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, an additional specification within the additional electronic customer order information that indicates one or more additional customizations to perform with respect to one or more additional hides of the group of hides; and
performing, based on the identified additional specification and using the customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more additional customizations to transform the one or more additional hides of the group of hides by providing an additional specification communication to the customization controller of the customized processing system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
identifying, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, a hide count indicated by the electronic customer order information;
determining, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, that the hide count is less than a hide count of the group of hides; and
identifying, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, the second customer order based on a determination that one or more hide characteristics within the additional electronic customer order information associated with the second customer order match the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information associated with the first customer order.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising splitting the one or more hides of the group of hides in accordance with a custom grain type indicated by the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising folding the one or more hides of the group of hides in accordance with a custom fold type indicated by the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating, using the tanning control system, a custom pallet identifier;
associating, using the tanning control system, the custom pallet identifier with a custom pallet;
stacking, using the customized processing system, the one or more hides of the group of hides onto the custom pallet; and
marking, using the customized processing system, the custom pallet with the custom pallet identifier.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
identifying, using the tanning control system, a hide identifier of each of one or more hides stacked onto the custom pallet; and
associating, using the tanning control system, the custom pallet identifier with the hide identifier of each of the one or more hides stacked onto the custom pallet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
identifying, using the tanning control system, a device identifier of each of one or more devices used to perform the one or more customizations on the one or more hides stacked onto the custom pallet; and
associating, using the tanning control system, the custom pallet identifier with the device identifier of each of one or more devices.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying, using the customized processing system, that the one or more hides of the group of hides were customized in accordance with the specification.

### Claim 13

A system comprising:
one or more computing devices; and
a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more computing devices, cause the system to:
access, from customer data storage of a tanning control system, electronic customer order information associated with a first customer order;
identify, using a customer order manager of the tanning control system, one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information;
select, using a hide manager of the tanning control system, a group of hides that corresponds to the one or more hide characteristics;
identify, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, a specification within the electronic customer order information that indicates one or more customizations to perform with respect to one or more hides of the group of hides; and
perform, based on the identified specification and using a customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more customizations to transform the one or more hides of the group of hides by providing a specification communication to a customization controller of a customized processing system, wherein the customized processing system further comprises at least one of a wetting drum, a wringing device, a splitting device, a trimming device, or a folding device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to:
compare, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, one or more characteristics associated with the group of hides to the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information; and
determine, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, that the one or more characteristics associated with the group of hides match the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to:
select, using the hide manager of the tanning control system, one or more additional groups of hides that correspond to the one or more hide characteristics within the electronic customer order information; and
perform, based on the identified specification and using the customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more customizations to transform one or more hides of the one or more additional groups of hides by providing an additional specification communication to the customization controller of the customized processing system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to:
access, from customer data storage of the tanning control system, additional electronic customer order information associated with a second customer order;
identify, using the customer order manager of the tanning control system, an additional specification within the additional electronic customer order information that indicates one or more additional customizations to perform with respect to one or more additional hides of the group of hides; and
perform, based on the identified additional specification and using the customization manager of the tanning control system, the one or more additional customizations to transform the one or more additional hides of the group of hides by providing an additional specification communication to the customization controller of the customized processing system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to split the one or more hides of the group of hides in accordance with a custom grain type indicated by the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to fold the one or more hides of the group of hides in accordance with a custom fold type indicated by the electronic customer order information.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to:
generate, using the tanning control system, a custom pallet identifier;
associate, using the tanning control system, the custom pallet identifier with a custom pallet;
stack, using the customized processing system, the one or more hides of the group of hides onto the custom pallet; and
mark, using the customized processing system, the custom pallet with the custom pallet identifier.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause the system to verify, using the customized processing system, that the one or more hides of the group of hides were customized in accordance with the specification.