Liquid color management methods
AssigneeMaguire Products, Inc.
InventorPaul Sherwood MAGUIRE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for managing the supply of liquid color to a process machine utilizes an electronic memory device connected permanently to a container of liquid color and an electronic memory controller that interacts with the electronic memory device, preferably wirelessly over the Internet.
Claims11
A method for furnishing liquid color to a plastic resin process machine to fabricate finished or semi-finished plastic parts of a prescribed color from a liquid color container having an electronic memory, comprising:
- a) loading the electronic memory with information relating to the liquid color in the container, the information including the weight of the container when full and when empty, and the pounds per gallon density for the liquid color in the container;
- b) metering a predetermined weight of liquid color, on a machine cycle-by-machine cycle basis, from the liquid color container to a process machine;
- c) continuously sensing weight of the liquid color container from which the liquid color is being drawn;
- d) computing the average loss of weight of liquid color by the container per process machine cycle;
- e) adjusting the predetermined weight in step “b” on the basis of average loss of weight of the liquid color container for each process machine cycle.
A method for managing the supply of liquid color to a process machine, comprising:
- a) providing a container of liquid color having an electronic device physically connected to the container;
- b) loading the electronic device with information relating to liquid color in the container, the information including identification of the color, the quantity of liquid color in the container, weight of the container when empty and when full, and the weight density of the liquid color in pounds per gallon;
- c) providing liquid color to a process machine from the container as the process machine produces plastic parts;
- d) weighing the container when supply of liquid color to the process machine has concluded;
- e) computing the quantity of liquid color consumed by the process machine by subtracting the weight of the container when supply of liquid color has concluded from the container weight stored in the electronic memory device and converting such weight difference to pounds of liquid color consumed.
A method for verifying a shipment of liquid color vis-à-vis an order for liquid color having specifications therefor, comprising:
- a) loading a container with a batch of liquid color of a given hue;
- b) downloading information respecting that batch of liquid color into an electronic memory device affixed to the container;
- c) reading the information from the electronic memory device;
- d) comparing the information read from the electronic memory device with the liquid color specifications and verifying that the liquid color furnished for the order is correct if the information matches the specifications.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.