Operational control system and a system providing for remote monitoring of a manufacturing device
View Patent ↗A system and method for providing operational control and/or remote monitoring of a manufacturing device as in a foam dispenser device such as a foam-in-bag dispensing device. In architecture, the remote monitoring system includes a server device containing a remote monitoring system. The remote monitoring system further includes a transceiver to receive an indication of a help condition, connect to the manufacturing device; and receive data from the manufacturing device. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for providing remote monitoring of a manufacturing device. The method operates by (1) receiving an indication of a help condition; (2) connecting to the manufacturing device; and (3) receiving data from the manufacturing device. The operational control system is designed to control operation of one or more sub-systems of the manufacturing device as in a foam dispenser's chemical supply (proper temperature and pressure) and solvent supply as well as performance of a reciprocating valve device. With a foam-in-bag system, the control system provides for additional control over, for example, film feed and tensioning, bag edge and end seals as well as dispenser output into the bag. In a preferred embodiment, the operational control system and remote monitoring control interface with each other.
1. A method for providing remote monitoring of a foam dispenser device, the method comprising:
connecting to the foam dispenser device for purposes of data communication, and wherein said foam dispenser device is a foam-in-bag dispensing device comprising a chemical shot output mixing assembly, a bag forming assembly, a film advance device and an upstream film tensioner device; and
receiving data from the foam dispenser device with means for receiving data from said foam dispenser device, which data includes;
a) film advance and film tensioning correlation data derived from compared operation characteristics of each of said film advance device and said upstream film tensioner device, and which correlation data provides a source for film supply condition information as to a film supply used in a bag forming assembly of said dispenser device, and
b) data as to a number of dispenser chemical output shots; and said method further including
receiving from said dispenser device a request for resupply of film for the foam dispenser device, which request for resupply is based, at least in part, on data involving a).
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
acquiring performance data from the foam dispenser device; and
generating a report from the performance data concerning a).
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: downloading software to the foam dispenser device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving data in a) further comprises
receiving film advance and film tensioning correlation data indicative of a real time film run out situation as the film supply condition information.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving data in a) further comprises receiving;
film advance and film tensioning correlation data indicative of a film jam situation as the film supply condition information.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising forwarding a help condition signal to means for receiving a help condition signal, which means for receiving a help condition signal receives a help condition signal based on a sensing of system parameter deviation from a norm value or values relative to a closed loop sensing system associated with the dispensing device.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of receiving data from said foam dispenser device includes communication of data to a service computer which service computer is remote from said dispenser device.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for receiving data from the foam dispenser device includes component location data from said dispenser device which involves a).
9. The method of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of foam dispenser devices and a plurality of service computers associated with said foam dispenser devices, and said method includes having said plurality of foam dispenser devices and service computers interfacing with a common network that enables data stream communication amongst said foam dispenser devices and service computers, and wherein whether or not activity is carried by one or more of said foam dispenser devices and service computers is based on data characteristics relative to the data stream being transferred on said common network and received on a network interface of said foam dispenser devices and computers.
10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of receiving an indication of a help condition and wherein said request for resupply is forwarded in conjunction with the step of receiving an indication of a help condition and wherein said receipt of said indication of a help condition is located at a location remote from the foam dispensing device being monitored.
11. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of receiving an indication of a help condition and wherein said help condition is a film resupply need status condition that is based upon a monitoring of current film supply level relative to a preset film supply need criteria.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining a film level suited for a resupply need that includes a review of past history usage of said dispenser device.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the review of past history includes a review of foam shot output by said dispenser device.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said location data includes location data relative to a driving component of said film tension device.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving an indication of a help condition wherein said indication of a help condition is an indication of a film resupply need in a foam-in-bag dispenser device generated by a user of the dispenser device and forwarded to a remote supply monitoring location.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for resupply is based on a historical comparison between said output shot data and said film advance and film tensioning correlation data.
17. An apparatus for providing remote monitoring of a foam dispenser device that is a foam-in-bag dispensing device comprising a chemical shot output mixing assembly, a bag forming assembly, a film advance device and an upstream film tensioner device, comprising:
means for connecting to the foam dispenser device; and
means for receiving data from the foam dispenser device, which data includes:
a) film advance and film tensioning correlation data derived from compared operation characteristics of each of said film advance device and said upstream film tensioner device, and which correlation data provides a source of film supply level information as to a film supply used in the bag forming assembly of said dispenser device, and
b) data that involves a number of dispenser chemical output shots, and
wherein said means for receiving data from the foam dispenser device receives a request for a resupply of film for the foam dispenser device that is based on data concerning the number of chemical output shots for a prior run period of said dispenser device.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for acquiring performance data from the foam dispenser device; and
means for generating a report from the performance data concerning a).
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
means for downloading software to the foam dispenser device.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said means for receiving data from the foam dispensing device includes a service location remotely located from said dispensing device.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein there are a plurality of foam dispenser devices and a plurality of service computers associated with said foam dispenser devices, said plurality of foam dispenser devices and service computers interfacing with a common network that enables data stream communication amongst said foam dispenser devices and service computers, and wherein whether or not activity is carried by one or more of said foam dispenser devices and service computers is based on data characteristics relative to the data stream being transferred on said common network and received on a network interface of said foam dispenser devices and computers.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the request for resupply of film based on a number of dispenser chemical output shots includes a historical comparison between data of a) and b).
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising means for receiving an indication of a help condition and wherein said means for receiving an indication of a help condition receives an indication of a help condition based on data generated in a).
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising means for receiving an indication of a help condition which comprises a remotely located service computer.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said means for receiving an indication of a help condition receives an indication of a help condition in the form of a resupply request, and said resupply request is based on data derived from a) that includes consideration of current film level data with past history usage data of film by said dispenser device.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein said past history usage data includes dispenser foam shot output data.
27. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said means for receiving data from the foam dispenser device includes component location data from said dispensing device.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said location data includes location data relative to a driving component of said film tensioner device.
29. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising means for receiving an indication of a help condition and wherein said indication of a help condition is an indication of a film resupply need in a foam-in-bag dispenser device generated by a user of the dispenser device and forwarded to a remote supply monitoring location.