Claims
- 1. A packaging system comprising:
a packaging system controller for sequentially providing packaging instruction steps related to at least one part to be packaged, and an output device for conveying the packaging instruction steps to a packer for use in packing the part, and wherein the packaging system controller automatically advances from a first packaging instruction step to a second packaging instruction step after a predetermined amount of time sufficient to enable performance of the first packaging instruction step by the packer.
- 2. A packaging system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a packaging material supply device for supplying a packaging material; and wherein the packaging system controller instructs the packaging material supply device to provide the packaging material for the at least one part to be packaged in coordinated relationship with the instruction steps conveyed to the packer.
- 3. The packaging system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the packaging instruction steps are programmed using an instruction programming tool, the instruction programming tool having a database of previously stored images.
- 4. The packaging system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the packaging instruction steps are programmed using an instruction programming tool, the instruction programming tool being executed by the packaging system controller.
- 5. The packaging system of any preceding claim, wherein the [display] output device provides an illustration of the packing technique of the part being packaged.
- 6. The packaging system of any one of claims 2-5, wherein the packaging material supply device includes a conversion machine that converts sheet stock material into a dunnage product.
- 7. A method of packaging parts, comprising the steps of:
retrieving packaging instruction steps associated with the at least one part to be packaged; and sequentially conveying the packaging instruction steps to a packer for use in packing the part, wherein the packaging system controller automatically advances from a first packaging instruction step to a second packaging instruction step after a predetermined amount of time sufficient to enable performance of the first packaging instruction step by the packer.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of programming the packaging instructions using an instruction programming tool, the step of programming the packaging instruction including the step of retrieving a previously stored image from an image database.
- 9. The method of claim 7 or claim 8, comprising the step of controlling a packaging material supply device to provide the packaging material for the at least one part to be packaged in coordinated relationship with the instruction steps conveyed to the packer.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein sheet stock material is supplied to the packaging material supply device for conversion into a packaging material.
- 11. A method of packaging differing parts, comprising the steps of:
determining a step by step set of packaging instructions associated with each of a plurality of parts; programming the set of packaging instructions using an instruction programming tool; and storing the set of packaging instructions for subsequent retrieval.
- 12. A packaging system comprising:
a packaging system controller for providing packaging instructions related to at least one part to be packaged, and a display for displaying the packaging instructions to a packer for use in packing the part, wherein the packaging instructions are programmed using an instruction programming tool, the instruction programming tool having a database of previously stored images.
- 13. A packaging system comprising a packaging material supply device for supplying a packaging material; and a packaging system controller for providing packaging instructions related to at least one part to be packaged and instructing the packaging material supply device to provide the packaging material for the at least one part to be packaged.
- 14. A method of packaging parts, comprising the steps of:
identifying at least one part to be packaged; retrieving packaging instructions associated with the at least one part to be packaged; and controlling a packaging material supply device using the packaging instructions.
Related Application Data
[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT application Ser. No. PCT/US00/17956, filed Jun. 29, 2000, which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/141,452 filed on Jun. 29, 1999 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/096,123 filed Jun. 11, 1998, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60141452 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US00/17956 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Child |
10035028 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09096123 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
10035028 |
Dec 2001 |
US |