Automated consolidation station
AssigneeDell USA, L.P.
InventorLorne Marcum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated consolidation station for the assembly of computer systems includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor. A first code reader reads a label on a chassis on the first conveyor. A second code reader reads a label on a tote carrying computer components on the second conveyor. A first signal generated by the first reader is compared with a second signal generated from the second reader to determine if the signals are matched. A device receives an output when the signals are matched and another device senses the position of the tote and the chassis. The output energizes a system to position the chassis and the tote adjacent each other on a single one of the conveyors.
Claims20
An automated consolidation station comprising:
- a first conveyor for conveying a chassis including a first label;
- a second conveyor for conveying a tote including a second label matched to the first label;
- a pair of bar code readers, one of the readers for reading the chassis label and the other of the readers for reading the tote label;
- a decoder connected to receive a signal from each reader and to compare each signal;
- and
- a gripper, energized by an output produced by a match indicated by each signal being compared, for positioning the chassis and the tote on a single one of the conveyors.
An automated consolidation station comprising:
- a first code reader for reading a label on a chassis on a first conveyor;
- a second code reader for reading a label on a tote on a second conveyor;
- means for comparing a first signal generated from the first code reader and a second signal generated from the second code reader to determine if the first and second signals are matched;
- means for receiving an output from the means for comparing in response to the first and second signals being matched;
- means for sensing the position of the chassis and the tote;
- and
- means for positioning the chassis and the tote on a single one of the conveyors.
A method of matching and consolidating a chassis and a tote on a computer assembly line comprising the steps of:
- conveying a computer chassis on a first conveyor;
- conveying a tote containing computer components on a second conveyor adjacent the first conveyor;
- reading a label on the chassis with a first reader;
- reading a matching label on the tote with a second reader;
- comparing a first signal from the first reader and a second signal from the second reader;
- verifying that the first and second signals are matched;
- sensing the relative positions of the chassis and the tote;
- and
- positioning the chassis and the tote on a single one of the conveyors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.