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US4768014A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Non-verbal communication system for work stations

Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1986-11-03
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Granted: 1988-08-30
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Expires: 2006-11-03
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Abstract

Abstract A non-verbal communication system for work stations characterized by a work station for the assembly of parts by an assembly operator into a workpiece which work bench includes a plurality of bins for storage of various parts; a punch card reader at the work station including a light source and an array of separate aperture areas disposed in juxtaposed columns and rows, and a plurality of fiber-optic cables having first terminal ends disposed at the aperture areas and having second terminal ends located in the several parts bins, thereby illuminating indicators at the bins of specific parts to be selected by an assembly operator for assembly into a workpiece.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael C. Pettit

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 16:07
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/0053; H05K13/08; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53087; Y10T29/53091; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/53174; Y10T29/53183

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 215 words
A non-verbal communication system for the assembly of a specific set of parts into a workpiece and comprising: (a) a work station for the assembly of various parts into a workpiece; (b) a plurality of bins for storage of various parts in several bins adjacent to the work station; (c) a light source; (d) a plurality of fiber-optic cables having first terminal ends disposed to transmit light from the light source to second terminal ends; (e) the first terminal ends disposed in juxtaposed columns and juxtaposed rows of separate aperture areas in an apertured plate and spaced from the source of light; (f) the second terminal ends being arranged in the several parts bins; (g) the space between the source of light and the apertured plate having a peripheral opening being adapted for manual insertion and removal of replaceable punch cards having columns and rows of apertures alignable with the separate aperture areas with selectively determined punched out apertured areas for enabling the transmission of light through a punch card to illuminate corresponding first terminal ends of the fiber-optic cables; and (h) the second terminal ends of the fiber-optic cables being visible at the several parts bins so as to indicate to an assembly operator which parts to select for assembly of a particular workpiece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 215 words
A non-verbal communication system for the assembly of a specific set of parts into a workpiece and comprising: (a) a work station for the assembly of various parts into a workpiece; (b) a plurality of bins for storage of various parts in several bins adjacent to the work station; (c) a light source; (d) a plurality of fiber-optic cables having first terminal ends disposed to transmit light from the light source to second terminal ends; (e) the first terminal ends disposed in juxtaposed columns and juxtaposed rows of separate aperture areas in an apertured plate and spaced from the source of light; (f) the second terminal ends being arranged in the several parts bins; (g) the space between the source of light and the apertured plate having a peripheral opening being adapted for manual insertion and removal of replaceable punch cards having columns and rows of apertures alignable with the separate aperture areas with selectively determined punched out apertured areas for enabling the transmission of light through a punch card to illuminate corresponding first terminal ends of the fiber-optic cables; and (h) the second terminal ends of the fiber-optic cables being visible at the several parts bins so as to indicate to an assembly operator which parts to select for assembly of a particular workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 39 words
The system of claim 1 in which the work station comprises an assembly fixture and at least one of said second terminal ends being disposed on the fixture to indicate the location of a specific part of the workpiece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 1 in which the punched out apertures are prepunched with required information.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3624676A Cited
US3705347A Cited
US3739339A Cited
US3836911A Cited
US3852865A Cited
US4178708A Cited
US4318222A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-08-30 1992-02-29 1992-08-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-08-30 1996-02-29 1996-08-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-08-30 2000-02-29 2000-08-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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