The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 13, 2001
Brad Huff, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Joseph L. La Pres, Brighton, MI (US);
James Wayne Lowe, Temperance, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A pallet system for use in a manufacturing process. The pallet system includes several pallets which are adapted to receive and support a portion of a product, such as a vehicle underbody The system uses simplified pallets having externally actuated clamping assemblies and A docking station receives the pallets and includes a pair of robots which detect the proper positioning of the underbody upon the pallet and externally activate the clamping assemblies and thereby securing the underbody to the pallet A controller is communicatively connected to the robots and activates a conveyor assembly which transports the pallet to manufacturing stations once the underbody is properly secured to the pallet