Method and Process of Verifying Physical Connections Within a Material Handling System

Abstract

Manufacturing and industrial processes that involve the transfer of materials from source locations to destination location may utilize the presently described system and process to verify that the correct physical connections are established and maintained in a material handling system. The system collects information related to individual physical connections, including machine-identifiable indicia, and compares this information to data that defines the intended connections within the material handling system. In doing so, the system and process verify whether the proper physical connections are in place.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A material handling system comprising:
 a plurality of material sources for providing material to be transferred;   a plurality of destination locations for receiving material from the material sources;   a distribution mechanism having machine-identifiable indicia and selectively connected to one of the destination locations and selectively connected to one of the material sources for selectively directing material from the selected material source to the selected destination location;   a detection device arranged near the distribution mechanism for detecting the machine-identifiable indicia; and   a programmable controller connected to the detection device. for comparing the detected machine-identifiable indicia to stored data for determining that the selected material source has been connected to the selected destination location and for initiating transfer from the selected material source to the selected destination location.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the programmable controller records which material source is connected to which destination location and the time period of such connection. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein material is transferred from multiple selected material sources to multiple selected destination locations simultaneously. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the distribution mechanism further comprises multiple connectors with each of the connectors having machine-identifiable indicia for connecting a selected destination location to a selected material source. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the detection device is moveably mounted and capable of being repositioned with respect to the distribution mechanism for changing the detection device perspective. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the distribution mechanism comprises a selector plate having an array of openings with each opening capable of having a connector disposed in one end thereof and having the other end thereof connected to a material source. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising:
 machine-identifiable indicia associated with each material source; 
 the detection device arranged for detecting the machine-identifiable indicia of each connector and each material source; and 
 the programmable controller comparing the machine-identifiable indicia of the selected material source to the machine-identifiable indicia of the selected destination location. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the machine-identifiable. indicia is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, two-dimensional barcode, symbol, character, marking, color, and optically identifiable indicia. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the detection device includes a data collection mechanism that is selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a still camera, a laser, and a photo-sensor. 
     
     
         10 . A method of verifying a physical connection between source locations and destination locations in a material handling process comprising:
 using a detection device to collect data related to machine-identifiable indicia and the location of each related physical connection; and   comparing the data related to machine-identifiable indicia and the location of each related physical connection to stored data related to intended physical connections.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 recording which material source is connected to which destination location and the time period of each connection; and 
 transferring material from the material source to the destination source. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising moving the detection device with respect to the distribution mechanism for changing the detection device perspective. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising transferring material from multiple selected material sources to multiple selected destination locations simultaneously. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of moving the detection device comprises moving the detection device on a track for changing the detection device perspective.