Material transport and assembly system

Abstract

A transport and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly material and one or more vehicle vehicles including a controller. The vehicle transport is configured to transport the assembly material. The control server is communicatively coupled with a controller of one or more vehicle vehicles. The control server is configured to identify an available vehicle vehicle from the one or more vehicle vehicles and to determine a suitability of the available vehicle vehicle to receive the assembly material. The assembly station is configured to receive an available vehicle transport comprising an assembly material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to material delivery and assembly systems. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of the present disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the presently named inventors, as well as aspects of the description that may not qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art with respect to the present disclosure.

[0003] Materials and tools are often stored in warehouses and storage facilities prior to being assembled into a vehicle. Retrieval of materials can be accomplished by various means, such as a forklift that can be manually operated. Materials are often delivered by truck, from which they are unloaded and stored in a warehouse or other storage facility until installed in the vehicle. Storage methods may result in repeated reconfiguration of transportation traffic and materials to maintain available space for materials. Summary of the invention

[0004] In some aspects, a material transport and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly materials and one or more vehicle transports. The one or more vehicle transports include a controller. The one or more vehicle transports are configured to transport the assembly materials and guide the one or more vehicle transports through an assembly process. A control server is communicatively coupled to the controllers of the one or more vehicle transports and is configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports. The control server is also configured to determine the suitability of the available vehicle transports to receive a first set of assembly materials.

[0005] In some examples, the material delivery and assembly system may include an assembly station configured to receive an available vehicle transport including a first set of assembly materials. The control server may be configured to send a signal corresponding to the delivery of a second set of assembly materials to a controller of the available vehicle transport. Optionally, the control server may be configured to transmit coordinates to the controller of the available vehicle transport, and the available vehicle transport may be configured to autonomously travel between the reserve station and the assembly station based on the coordinates received from the control server. In some cases, the available vehicle transport may be configured to install the assembly materials at one or more of a plurality of storage locations, and the controller of the available vehicle transport may be configured to transmit an installation signal to the control server in response to the installation of the assembly materials.

[0006] In some configurations, the available vehicle transports may be configured to transport assembly materials to the assembly station, and the assembly materials may be configured to be removed from the available vehicle transports at the assembly station. Alternatively, one or more vehicle transports may be autonomous vehicle transports, and the controller may be configured to detect objects around the one or more vehicle transports. In some cases, the control server may include an assembly time that may be associated with each of the one or more vehicle transports. The control server may be configured to identify the available vehicle transports based on the associated assembly time.

[0007] In another aspect, a conveying and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly materials and one or more vehicle transports including a controller. The vehicle transports are configured to transport the assembly materials. A control server is communicatively coupled to the controllers of the one or more vehicle transports. The control server is configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports and is configured to determine the suitability of the available vehicle transport to receive the assembly materials. The assembly station is configured to receive the available vehicle transport including the assembly materials.

[0008] In some examples, one or more vehicle transports may include a sensor slide operably coupled to a controller and may be configured to guide available vehicle transports between a reserve station, a plurality of storage locations, and an assembly station. In some cases, the suitability of the available vehicle transports may include available sizes of the available vehicle transports. The control server may be configured to identify the available vehicle transports based on the available sizes. In some configurations, the plurality of storage locations may include material storage locations and tool storage locations. The material storage locations may include one or more of a delivery vehicle, a shelving unit, and a warehouse. The available vehicle transports may be configured to install assembly materials at a delivery vehicle at a material storage location.

[0009] In other cases, the available vehicle transport may be configured to install the assembly material at one or more of the plurality of storage locations. The controller of the available vehicle transport may be configured to transmit a completion signal to the control server in response to the installation of the assembly material. In other examples, the controller may be configured to send a signal to the controller of the available vehicle transport corresponding to the delivery of the assembly material.

[0010] In other aspects, a conveying and assembly system includes a plurality of storage locations including assembly materials and one or more vehicle transports including a controller. The one or more vehicle transports are configured to transport assembly materials. The controller includes storage hardware for storing vehicle transport capacity. A control server is communicatively coupled to the controllers of the one or more vehicle transports. The control server is configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports based on the capacity of the vehicle transport. The control server is configured to determine the suitability of the available vehicle transport to receive a first set of assembly materials. The assembly station is configured to receive an available vehicle transport including the first set of assembly materials.

[0011] In some examples, the controller of one or more vehicle transports may be configured to determine the travel time between a plurality of storage locations and the assembly station. Optionally, the controller may be configured to send a conveying signal corresponding to the retrieval and conveying of the second group of assembly materials to the control server. The assembly station may include a first assembly station and a second assembly station. The available vehicle transport may be configured to convey the first group of assembly materials to the first assembly station and convey the second group of assembly materials to the second assembly station. In some cases, the available vehicle transport may be configured to install the assembly materials at a corresponding one of the plurality of storage locations. The assembly materials may include seats for the available vehicle transport. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle conveyance according to the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sensor slide for a vehicle transport according to the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of a material delivery and assembly system according to the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4 is an example schematic diagram of a material delivery and assembly system according to the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5 is another example schematic diagram of a material delivery and assembly system according to the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6 is another exemplary schematic diagram of a material delivery and assembly system according to the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 7 is an example flow chart of a material delivery and assembly system according to the present disclosure; and

[0020] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 An example flow chart of a material delivery and assembly system.

[0021] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be implemented in many different forms, and that the specific details and exemplary configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] The terms used herein are only for describing specific exemplary configurations, not for limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprise", "include", "contain" and "have" are inclusive, thus specifying the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as an execution order. Additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0024] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0025] The terms first, second, third, etc. can be used here to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish each element, component, region, layer or part. Terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence unless the context clearly indicates. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or part, without departing from the teaching of the example configuration.

[0026] In this application, including the definitions below, the term module may be replaced by the term circuit. The term "module" may refer to or be part of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0027] The term code used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class and / or an object. The term shared processor includes a single processor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor includes a processor that executes some or all of the code from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor. The term shared memory includes a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory includes a memory that stores some or all of the code from one or more modules in combination with an additional memory. The term memory may be a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium does not include transient electrical signals and electromagnetic signals propagated through the medium and can therefore be considered to be tangible non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, including non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0028] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0029] Software applications (i.e., software resources) may refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, software applications may be referred to as "applications," "apps," or "programs." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0030] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., instruction sequences) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as bootloaders). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and disk or tape.

[0031] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0032] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be realized in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system comprising at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, and to send data and instructions to the storage system.

[0033] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors, also known as data processing hardware, executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating outputs. These processes and logic flows can also be performed by dedicated logic circuits, such as FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) or ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits). For example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more storage devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include or be operably connected to one or more large-capacity storage devices for storing data, such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks, to receive data from the large-capacity storage device or to transmit data to it, or both. However, a computer does not need to have such a device. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and storage devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.

[0034] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented on a computer having a display device for displaying information to the user, such as a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touch screen, and an optional keyboard and pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including sound, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0035] refer to Figure 1-4, the material transport and assembly system 10 includes one or more vehicle transports 12 that communicate with a control server 14 via a network 100. The transport and assembly system 10 is configured for use in various assembly centers 200 where various assembly materials 16 and / or process materials 18 may be transported or otherwise stored. As described herein, the vehicle transports 12 are configured to transport assembly materials 16 throughout the assembly center 200 between storage locations 20 and assembly stations 22. Between transports of assembly materials 16 and / or process materials 18, the vehicle transports 12 may be positioned at a reserve station 24 until activated by the control server 14.

[0036] Each vehicle transport 12 includes a controller 30 configured with memory hardware 32. The memory hardware 32 stores a vehicle profile 34, which includes dimensions 36 and capacity 38 of the vehicle transport 12. The vehicle profile 34 may be repeatedly updated throughout the use of the vehicle transport 12 as various assembly materials 16 are added to and / or installed with the vehicle transport 12. Ultimately, the vehicle transport 12 is configured to be assembled into a vehicle by the conveying and assembly system 10. Prior to completion of assembly, the vehicle transport 12 is configured to facilitate transport of the assembly materials 16 and process materials 18 to various locations within the respective assembly center 200. For example, the vehicle transport 12 is a partially assembled vehicle.

[0037] The vehicle conveyance 12 may have autonomous capabilities and may optionally include a sensor sled 40 that may be configured to detect objects around the vehicle conveyance 12. The sensor sled 40 includes a sled body 42 coupled to an underside 44 of a body 46 of the vehicle conveyance 12 and further includes a plurality of pins 48 that selectively couple the sled body 42 to the underside 44 of the vehicle conveyance 12. The sensor sled 40 may be selectively removable from the vehicle conveyance 12 via the plurality of pins 48. The sensor sled 40 includes a plurality of sensors 50 for detecting objects around the vehicle conveyance 12 and further includes a sled controller 52 in communication with the sensors 50 and the controller 30 of the vehicle conveyance 12. The sensors 50 are configured to generate sensor data 54 related to the detected objects, which is communicated to the sled controller 52. The sled controller 52, in conjunction with the controller 30 of the vehicle conveyance 12, is configured to direct the movement of the vehicle conveyance 12.

[0038] The vehicle transport 12 may utilize the sensor slide 40 when transporting the assembly materials 16 to the assembly station 22. The sensor slide 40 may be configured to guide the vehicle transport 12 through an assembly process that transforms the vehicle transport 12 into an assembled vehicle. For example, the sensor slide 40 may be configured to guide the vehicle transport 12 between the reserve station 24, the storage location 20, and the assembly station 22. The sensor slide 40 may be optionally removed after assembly is complete, or may remain as part of the assembled vehicle.

[0039] Further references Figure 1-4 , the controller 30 of the vehicle transport 12 is communicatively coupled to the control server 14. The control server 14 is configured to identify an available vehicle transport 12a from one or more vehicle transports 12 and determine the suitability of the available vehicle transport 12a to receive the assembly materials 16. For example, the control server 14 may query the controller 30 for a vehicle profile 34 via the network 100. The vehicle profile 34 may indicate the capacity 38 and / or size 36 of the vehicle transport 12, which may help the control server 14 determine which vehicle transport 12 may be used to transport the various assembly materials 16. In addition, the control server 14 may determine the size of the assembly materials 16 and / or process materials 18 that may be conveyed or otherwise transported by the vehicle transport 12. The size of the assembly materials 16 and process materials 18 may affect the selection of the available vehicle transport 12a as compared to the size 36 and capacity 38 of the vehicle transport 12.

[0040] For example, the control server 14 may select an available vehicle transport 12a based on an increased capacity 38 compared to other vehicle transports 12. The availability of the vehicle transports 12 may depend on the transport job defined by the control server 14, such that the increased capacity 38 may be advantageous for transporting large assembly materials 16 compared to a lower capacity 38 available for transporting small assembly materials 16. In other words, the control system 14 identifies the suitability of the available vehicle transports 12a including the available size 36 of the available vehicle transport 12a, and is configured to select the available vehicle transport 12a based on the available size 36.

[0041] The assembly station 22 is configured to receive assembly materials 16 from the available vehicle transport 12a before assembling the vehicle. It is contemplated that in some examples, multiple assembly stations 22 may be used at various stages of vehicle assembly and may receive different assembly materials 16. For example, a first assembly station 22a may receive a first group 16a of assembly materials 16, and a second assembly station 22b may receive a second group 16b of assembly materials 16. The first group 16a and the second group 16b may contain the same or different assembly materials 16, depending on the assembly configuration of each assembly station 22a, 22b. The control server 14 communicates with the controller 30 of the corresponding vehicle transport 12 to indicate the corresponding one or more storage locations 20 and which assembly material 16 to collect. For example, the control server 14 may send a signal corresponding to the delivery of assembly materials 16 to the controller 30 of the available vehicle transport 12.

[0042] The control server 14 includes an assembly time 56 associated with each vehicle transport 12. For example, the vehicle transport 12 may be in different stages of assembly, so that each vehicle transport 12 may have a different assembly time 56 based on the current assembly stage. The control server 14 may identify available vehicle transports 12a based on the assembly time 56. In addition, the controller 30 is configured to determine the travel time 58 between each storage location 20, assembly station 22, and the current location of the vehicle transport 12 to maximize the efficiency of the conveying and assembly system 10. For example, the control server 14 may identify available vehicle transports 12a based on the travel time 58 to identify the vehicle transport 12 closest to the target assembly material 16. It is also contemplated that the control server 14 may evaluate and identify available vehicle transports 12a using each of the vehicle profile 34, assembly time 56, and travel time 58. The identified available vehicle transport 12a may vary based on each of the vehicle profile 34, assembly time 56, and travel time 58 and based on the assembly material 16 and / or processing material 18 to be transported by the vehicle transport 12.

[0043] Reference now Figure 3-6In some examples, the control server 14 may transmit coordinates of the storage location 20 corresponding to the assembly material 16 to the controller 30. In response to receiving the coordinates, the available vehicle 12a may autonomously drive between the reserve station 24 and the assembly station 22 via the controller 30 to transport the assembly material 16, as described in more detail below. The storage location 20 may include a material storage location 60 and a tool storage location 62. The material storage location 60 may include, but is not limited to, a shelving unit, a warehouse, a truck bed, and any other feasible storage location. Once the storage location 20 is identified by the control server 14, the control server 14 may identify a route 64 for the vehicle transport 12. The control server 14 considers the travel time 58 of the selected available vehicle transport 12a when determining the route 64. The control server 14 may also determine whether the vehicle transport 12 will be waiting for the assembly material 16 at the storage location 20.

[0044] If the control server 14 determines that the travel time 58 is less than the expected wait time, the control server 14 may select a different vehicle transport 12, or may choose to wait to deploy the vehicle transport 12 until the wait time is less than the expected travel time 58. The control server 14 may continuously compare each vehicle transport 12 to identify an available vehicle transport 12a that has the lowest wait time and also has available capacity 38 to receive assembly materials 16 and / or process materials 18. Although described herein with particular reference to assembly materials 16, it is contemplated that the vehicle transport 12 may also repeatedly transport process materials 18 between the storage location 20 and the assembly station 22. For example, the vehicle transport 12 may transport assembly materials 16 and tool materials 18, which may be used during the installation of the corresponding assembly materials 16. Thus, the vehicle transport 12 may be used to maximize the efficiency of vehicle assembly.

[0045] Figure 5 and Figure 6 The examples shown in 10 and 11 depict a vehicle transport 12 collecting assembly materials 16 from a delivery vehicle 66. In these examples, the vehicle transport 12 advantageously helps minimize overall on-site storage space by unloading assembly materials 16 for installation from the delivery vehicle 66. Prior to collecting the assembly materials 16 for installation, the vehicle transport 12 may first collect corresponding processing materials 18 that may be used to install the assembly materials 16 at the storage location 20. It is particularly advantageous to install large or bulky assembly materials 16 at the storage location 20 to minimize the amount of manual handling, storage, or additional transportation of the large assembly materials 16.

[0046] For example, the assembly material 16 may include a seat 16c for the vehicle transport 12, which may be installed when removed from the delivery vehicle 66. The control server 14 may receive data related to the assembly material 16 on each delivery vehicle 66 via the network 100, and may activate an available vehicle transport 12a configured to store the assembly material 16 in the installed delivery vehicle 66. Thus, the available vehicle transport 12a may have the assembly material 16 installed in the storage location 20. In other examples, the available vehicle transport 12a receives the assembly material 16 and installs the assembly material 16 at the assembly station 22 alone.

[0047] The controller 30 may send a delivery signal 70 to the control server 14 corresponding to delivering the assembly material 16. It is also contemplated that the controller 30 may transmit an installation signal 72 to the control server 14 via the network 100. The installation signal 72 may correspond to the installation of one or more assembly materials 16 on the vehicle conveyance 12. For example, an activated available vehicle conveyance 12a may have one or more assembly materials 16 installed at the storage location 20, and the controller 30 transmits the installation signal 72 to the control server 14 in response to the completed installation. As described above, some assembly materials 16 are large, making it advantageous to install the large assembly materials 16 directly into the available vehicle conveyance 12a at the storage location 20.

[0048] Specific reference Figure 7 and 8 , an example flow chart of the material transport and assembly system 10 is provided. At 400, the control server 14 identifies the size of the assembly material 16 and / or the processing material 18 to be transported, and identifies the storage location 20 storing the corresponding assembly material 16 and / or the processing material 18. At 402, the control server 14 determines the route 64 of the vehicle transport 12 and calculates the expected travel time 58 of the vehicle transport 12 along the route 64. At 404, the control server 14 determines whether the waiting time of the vehicle transport 12 at the storage location 20 will be greater than the travel time 58. If the waiting time exceeds the travel time 58, the control server 14 can stop the activation of the vehicle transport 12 or can identify a different vehicle transport 12. If the travel time 58 exceeds the expected waiting time, then at 406, the control server 14 determines whether the vehicle transport 12 has sufficient capacity 38 to receive the assembly material 16. If there is sufficient capacity 38, then at 408, the control server 14 identifies a subsequent operation. Subsequent operations may include activating an available vehicle transport 12 a to retrieve the assembly material 16 , initiating a mounting procedure for installing the assembly material 16 upon retrieval, and identifying additional available vehicle transports 12 a to retrieve additional assembly materials 16 .

[0049] In another example flow chart of the material transport and assembly system 10, at 500, the control server 14 determines the size of the assembly material 16 and / or the processing material 18 to be transported, and at 502, identifies the storage location 20 of the corresponding assembly material 16 and / or the processing material 18. At 504, the control server 14 queries the controller 30 of each vehicle transport 12 for the corresponding availability and suitability of the vehicle transport 12 based on the identified assembly material 16 and / or the processing material 18. Based on the vehicle profile 34 received from the controller 30, at 506, the control server determines whether there is an available vehicle transport 12a.

[0050] If the vehicle profile 34 does not support the identified assembly material 16 and / or processing material 18, then at 508, the control server 14 may utilize an alternative transporter. For example, the alternative transporter may include, but is not limited to, a forklift, a hand truck, and any other feasible transporter. If one or more vehicle profiles 34 support the identified assembly material 16 and / or processing material 18, then at 510, the control server 14 identifies the vehicle transport 12 with the highest suitability match as an available vehicle transport 12a. As described herein, the highest suitability match corresponds to a vehicle transport 12 with sufficient capacity 38 and size 36 to receive the identified assembly material 16 and / or processing material 18. Once the available vehicle transport 12a is identified, then at 512, the control server 14 transmits the vehicle profile 34 of the identified available vehicle transport 12a to the dispatch 102 for the conveying and assembly system 10.

[0051] Reference again Figure 1-8 , during vehicle assembly, the conveying and assembly system 10 advantageously assists in retrieving assembly materials 16 and process materials 18. Autonomous navigation of the vehicle transport 12 to the storage location 20 minimizes the additional expense of locating and hauling the assembly materials 16 and process materials 18 back to the assembly station 22. Instead, the vehicle transport 12 is configured to efficiently retrieve the assembly materials 16 for installation. In some cases, the assembly materials 16 can be easily installed in the vehicle transport 12 at the storage location 20, which facilitates efficient storage and unloading from the transport vehicle 66. Even after the assembly materials 16 are installed, the vehicle transport 12 can continue to be used as part of the conveying and assembly system 10. It is contemplated that the control server 14 can identify a completion point based on the assembly materials installed in the vehicle transport 12. The completion point identified by the control server 14 can correspond to a point at which the vehicle transport 12 can be phased out of the conveying and assembly system 10 and prepared for final vehicle assembly.

[0052] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims.

[0053] The foregoing description has been provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but where applicable, they are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration even if not specifically shown or described. This can also be varied in a variety of ways. Such variations should not be considered a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A material conveying and assembly system, comprising: Includes multiple storage locations for assembly materials; one or more vehicle transports including a controller and configured to transport assembly materials and guide the one or more vehicle transports through the assembly process; as well as A control server is communicatively coupled to the controller of the one or more vehicle transports, the control server configured to identify an available vehicle transport from the one or more vehicle transports and configured to determine suitability of the available vehicle transport to receive the first set of assembly materials.

2. The material conveying and assembly system of claim 1 further comprising an assembly station configured to receive an available vehicle transport including a first set of assembly materials, the control server configured to send a signal corresponding to conveying a second set of assembly materials to a controller of the available vehicle transport.

3. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 2, wherein: The control server is configured to transmit the coordinates to a controller of the available vehicle transport, and the available vehicle transport is configured to autonomously travel between the reserve station and the assembly station based on the coordinates received from the control server.

4. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 3, wherein: The available vehicle transport is configured to install assembly materials at one or more of the plurality of storage locations, and a controller of the available vehicle transport is configured to transmit an installation signal to the control server in response to the installation of assembly materials.

5. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 2, wherein: The available vehicle transport is configured to transport assembly materials to the assembly station, and the assembly materials are configured to be removed from the available vehicle transport at the assembly station.

6. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 1, wherein: The one or more vehicle vehicles are autonomous vehicle vehicles, and the controller is configured to detect objects around the one or more vehicle vehicles.

7. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 1, wherein: The control server includes an assembly time associated with each of the one or more vehicle conveyances, the control server being configured to identify the available vehicle conveyances based on the associated assembly time.

8. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 1, wherein: The one or more vehicle transports include a sensor rail operably coupled to the controller and configured to guide the serviceable vehicle transports between a reserve station, a plurality of storage locations, and an assembly station.

9. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 1, wherein: The suitability of the available vehicle transports includes available sizes of the available vehicle transports, and the control server is configured to identify the available vehicle transports based on the available sizes.

10. The material delivery and assembly system of claim 1, wherein: The plurality of storage locations include material storage locations and tool storage locations, the material storage locations including one or more of a transport vehicle, a shelving unit, and a warehouse.

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