Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
IMPROVED METHOD FOR PRODUCING WOOD FLOORING
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
[00011 The present invention relates generally to the field of flooring
manufacture and
more particularly to automated flooring manufacturing processes having
integrated automated
scanners, automated cross cut saws, and automatic sorting and orienting means
upstream of the
machining process.
2. Discussion of Background information
[0002] Manufacturing processes for the production of solid hardwood flooring
panels
have existed since the late 1800s. These processes are generally operator-
dependent, inefficient,
and costly.
[0003] Flooring manufacture generally consists of preparing flooring blanks
and then
machining these blanks to create finished flooring pieces. Blank creation
typically begins by
ripping pieces of lumber to width and planing them to thickness. Operators
then select blanks of
consistent width and feed those blanks into an infeed of machining processes
that output finished
flooring pieces. These processes generally includes flattening the blanks,
adding interlocking
tongue and groove features, and optionally adding relief to the back face of
the flooring.
Operators then visually distinguish lumber grade along the top face of each
blank and manually
pull each piece through a chop saw to cut the long length pieces according to
grade. This is a
highly labor intensive process that relies on extensive training.
[0004] Automated laser scanners greatly improve this method by replacing
operators
both in identifying removable lumber defects and in identifying lumber grade.
Optical laser
scanners automatically detect defects such as knots, wane, cracks, blemishes,
stains, and rot.
Color cameras are capable of identifying subtle defects including
differentiations between
(P0122949.3)
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
heartwood and sapwood. These automated scanners greatly improve accuracy and
efficiency by
eliminating subjective grade determination by an operator.
[0005] In addition to improving efficiency and reducing labor costs, scanners
improve
yield recovery. Present manufacturing processes rely on analyzing only one
face of a blank,
whereas a scanner can analyze multiple faces of a blank. Because of this
ability, a scanner
rapidly can identify pieces of higher value lumber that otherwise would be low
grade or scrap
based on an analysis of only a single face. The scanner can identify the
defect in an otherwise
usable piece of lumber and determine that cutting out that defect or sorting
out a dimensionally
scant piece would make that piece more valuable. Introducing these automated
scanners into a
flooring manufacturing line, therefore, increases the amount of valuable
product identified,
produced, and sold.
[0006] In addition to automated scanners, automated chop saws, or cross cut
saws, also
now exist. Automated scanners may feed lumber to such automated saws on an
automated
manufacturing line. Automated scanners output data usable by these automated
chop saws, such
as defect location or optimal cutting solution for a particular wood type.
Chop saws then use this
data to identify where to place cuts and how to sort the blanks after cutting.
Following this
sorting step, operators manually pile blanks onto storage pallets for later
retrieval and manual
delivery to the machining center.
[0007] Although automated scanners and automated saws improve process
efficiency,
operators still manually feed flooring blanks into the machining process.
Additionally, placing
the scanner downstream of the machining process limits recovery to use of just
one face, the best
face according to the upstream operator feeding the blanks into the machining
center. A need
exists for improved automation of flooring manufacturing lines and greatly
improved recovery
rates of valuable lumber that might otherwise be scrapped under current
methods.
(P0122949.3} 2
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is directed to an improved method for producing
wood
flooring that greatly increases value and recovery over existing methods. This
method comprises
providing a roughhewn board having an upper and a lower surface and ripping
the board to a
desired width thereby providing a long length flooring blank. The method
further includes
scanning the long length flooring blank to maximize value and recovery and
then cutting a
dimensional flooring blank based on grade and length. The improved method also
comprises
automatically sorting the dimensional flooring blank based on grade and
length, automatically
orienting the dimensional flooring blank for downstream machining by flipping
and rolling the
blank, and machining the oriented dimensional flooring blank to provide
desired features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present
invention will
become better understood with reference to the following description, appended
claims, and
accompanying drawings where:
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a historical method for producing wood
flooring.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an automated method for producing wood
flooring.
[0012] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a particular embodiment of a method
for
producing wood flooring according to the present invention.
[0012a] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a
method
for producing wood flooring according to the present invention.
JP01229493y 3
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring now to FIG. 1, an historical method of wood flooring
production 10
required a high dependence on manual labor for lumber processing and defect
detection.
Typically, a production line comprised a planer 20 and ripper 30 that operated
in series to
generate long length flooring blanks of consistent width and thickness.
Operators at a manual
blank selection 40 step identified blanks of consistent width and surveyed
them for any gross
defects that could cause problems during machining, defects such as knots,
wane, crooks, and
splinters. A manual defect removai process 45 existed for mitigating the
deleterious effects of
such defects, and operators at this process step sawed off any such-identified
defective portion(s)
of a flooring blank prior to the blank's entry into the machining processes
50.
[0014] Following the manual defect removal process 45, operators visually
inspected
each long length flooring blank to determine a best face before feeding each
blank onto a
conveyor feeding the machining processes 50. A"best" face was one that looked
visually more
appealing and manifested fewer imperfections than other faces. With the best
face subjectively
determined, an operator would feed the long length flooring blank into the
infeed of the
machining processes 50. These machining processes 50 typically included steps
for molding the
blank, flattening the blank, adding interlocking tongue and groove features,
and adding relief to
the back face of the flooring.
[0015] Once machined, the long length flooring piece traveled by lateral
conveyor to a
deck for a manual grade determination 60. At this step in the historical
method of wood flooring
production 10, operators retrieved each blank from the deck and determined
lumber grade based
again on a visual inspection of the best face. This visual determination
resulted in a subjective
determination of grade zones along the length of the blank's best face. With
grade determined,
operators at this stage pulled the long length pieces through a manual chop
saw 70 to produce
dimensional flooring blanks of appropriate grade and length. Lastly, operators
manually
delivered dimensional flooring blanks to an infeed of an end matcher 80. This
highly labor
intensive process relied on extensive training.
(PO1u949.3) 4
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
[0016] For several reasons, this historical method of wood flooring production
10
suffered from much inefficiency and potential profit loss. First, this method
10 allowed recovery
of acceptable flooring from only one face of the long length blank because the
machining
processes 50 preceded the process step of manual grade determination 60. This
historical
method 10 failed to capture and recover any higher grade sections of that long
length blank if
lumber grade changed several times along a blank's length and if the best face
altemated several
times along the length. Once machined, a piece of lumber was permanently
deformed. An
operator at the entrance to the machining processes 50 subjectively determined
a best face of
each long length flooring blank, and operators further downstream made a
manual grade
determination 60 and subjectively chopped the blank according to apparent
grade zones along
the blank's length. No opportunities existed for maximizing value of a
flooring blank prior to
machining. Second, placing the manual chop saw 70 downstream of the machining
center
increased a need for manual labor and thereby precluded process optimization
for cost recovery.
Third, no recovery process existed for pieces of machined flooring that
operators discarded for
being too narrow or pieces that operators could have cut along their length
for recovery and sale
as a narrower and higher grade piece of flooring.
[0017] With the advent of automated lumber scanners and automated chop saws,
wood
flooring production lines improved. By incorporating these tools,
manufacturers have overcome
some of inefficiencies inherent in the historical method 10 by reducing labor
costs and slightly
increasing yield.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, an automated method of producing wood flooring 100
proceeds much like the historical method 10 of FIG. 1. A typical automated
method 100
includes a planer 200 and a ripper 300 working in series to generate flooring
blanks of consistent
width and thickness. A manual blank selection 400 process step precedes manual
defect removal
450, and operators then load long length flooring blanks onto an infeed to the
machining
processes 500.
[0019] This automated method of producing wood flooring 100 slightly improves
upon
the historical method 10 at the next stage in the manufacturing line, the
automated scanner 600.
(P0122949.3} 5
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
Blanks leaving the machining processes 500 enter an automated scanner 600 that
locates defects
and distinguishes grade characteristics. Blanks then convey automatically or
by manual
transport to an automated chop saw 700 for removal of defects identified by
the scanner. By
identifying any markers or text printed on the flooring pieces and by
interpreting positioning data
provided by the scanner, the automated chop saw 700 accurately locates
identified defects and
grade zones and slices the flooring pieces accordingly to produce dimensional
blanks.
[0020] Placing both an automated scanner 600 and an automated chop saw 700
downstream of the manufacturing processes 500 eliminates some labor costs by
reducing the
number of operators required for the manual grade determination 60 of the
historical method 10
and final preparation with a manual chop saw 70. Production yields also
slightly increase
because of the accuracy with which the automated scanner 600 identifies
defects. Inefficiencies,
however, still exist. This automated method 100 fails to maximize yield or
recovery because an
operator still determines best face prior and because grade determination
occurs after permanent
deformation of the flooring blanks at the machining processes 500.
[0021] These deficiencies are addressed by the present invention. FIG. 3
depicts an
embodiment of the invention, which is an improved method of manufacturing wood
flooring
150a. This improved method 150a greatly improves upon the typical automated
method of
producing wood flooring 100. As with other methods already presented here,
this improved
method 150a optionally begins with a planer 200 and a ripper 300 that
initially prepare long
length flooring blanks for processing. These steps are optional because the
automated scanner
600 and other automated equipment downstream are capable of inspecting raw
lumber. The
planer 200 and the ripper 300, therefore, may be omitted or placed further
downstream.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment, however, the improved method 150a includes a
planer
200 for planing raw, roughhewn lumber pieces on their top and bottom faces.
This step provides
a consistent thickness along each piece and cleans each surface for more
accurate and efficient
scanning. A ripper 300, or saw, then rips the planed lumber to produce long
length flooring
blanks of consistent width. In one embodiment, the ripper 300 optionally may
incorporate a
laser triangulation device that optimizes width recovery. Laser triangulation
is well known
(P01229493) 6
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
technology in this art. Simple triangulating lasers "shape" the surface of a
piece of lumber to
deliver data on wane, taper and sweep to a PLC or computer. The processor then
interfaces with
a ripper 300 to optimize ripping the lumber to width. In another embodiment,
the ripper 300
optionally may include overhead laser lights that assist with alignment for
ripping lumber to
pieces of consistent width. In this altecnate embodiment, the overhead laser
lights guide an
operator who manually feeds and directs the lumber into the ripper 300.
[0023] Once a saw rips the lumber to width at the ripper 300 stage, the long
length blanks
convey to an infeed of an automated scanner 600 disposed upstream of the
machining processes
500. Each blank conveys through the automated scanner 600 in a linear fashion.
Automated
scanners are also known in the art. Automated lumber scanners, like the
WoodEyeO Scanner
made by Innovativ Vision, rapidly and accurately scan all surfaces of a blank
and locate defects
like black knots, wane, cracks, pith and stain. In addition to finding subtle
defects through color
matching techniques, these scanners are capable of differentiating between
wood grades and
types. For example, automated scanners are sophisticated enough to distinguish
between
heartwood and sapwood by analyzing the amount of red color in the wood.
Scanners also may
integrate lasers and black and white multi-sensor cameras to locate defects
and analyze density
differences and changes in fiber orientation.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the automated scanner 600 determines an
appropriate
cutting solution for a particular blank and forwards that solution from a
reservoir to an automated
chop saw 700. The scanner 600 collects and provides data on cut positions to
the automated
chop saw 700, or crosscut saw. The automated scanner 600 additionally may mark
each blank to
indicate orientation for later processing and output electronic processing
instructions for cutting
and sorting.
[0025] Scanners can simultaneously analyze multiple faces of a long length
flooring
blank. The best face of a blank may alternate several times along its length.
By analyzing all
surfaces of the blank, the automated scanner 600 identifies these changes and
collects data on
their locations. Data from the scanner presently relays through an intervening
processor.
Conceivably, software developments may enable integration of the automated
scanner 600 and
(P0122949.3) 7
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
automated chop saw 700 so that the two machines talk directly and so that no
solution transfer
occurs. Presently, the automated chop saw 700 receives a blank and cutting
solution from the
automated scanner 600 and cuts the long length blank in accordance with the
provided data.
Later processes sort and orient the separated portions of the blank also
according to data
accumulated, analyzed and produced by the automated scanner 600.
[0026] Upon exiting the automated scanner 600, the long length flooring blank
conveys
to an infeed of an automated chop saw 700 along with any necessary cutting
solution and
electronic data transferred by the automated scanner 600. The automated chop
saw 700 cuts the
long length flooring blanks into dimensional blanks based on the positioning
data provided by
the automated scanner 600. That positioning data indicates where best to sever
the long length
blank to produce highest yield and highest quality dimensional flooring
pieces. The automated
chop saw 700 also may mark the dimensional blanks with ink dots and inkjet
print for indicating
best orientation of the blank when entering the machining processes 500.
[0027] The automated chop saw 700 integrates an automated sorter for parsing
flooring
blanks. The automated chop saw 700 might sever a long length blank into more
than one
dimensional flooring blank of different grades and sizes. This product
variation necessitates
sorting. Because the automated scanner 600 has already determined and
delivered data on grade,
an automated sorter 740 more easily can parse dimensional blanks into like
batches. Depending
on what product is running though to the end of the improved process 150a at a
given time, some
batches optionally may convey to the storage accumulation bins 750 to await
later use and
reintroduction into the automated line. The automated sorter 740 may be semi-
automated and
may require operator intervention to actuate and control any operator-
dependent equipment or to
manually convey dimensional flooring blanks to the storage accumulation bins
750.
[0028] The automatic sorter 740 also may employ a kicker to kick off boards
that are
smaller than a minimum dimension required by some or all of the machining
processes 500.
This improved method, therefore, includes a step for the automatic removal of
non-conforming
blanks 760. These non-conforming blanks convey to a reprocessing center 770
where they are
further processed and recovered for use as alternate product. These
reprocessed blanks also may
(P0122949.3) 8
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attomey Docket No. 25484-7171
convey to the storage accumulation bins 750 to await reintroduction into the
improved process
150a production line.
[0029] Dimensional blanks leaving the automatic sorter 740 and traveling
through
remaining production processes then enter an automatic orienter 790. The
automatic orienter
790 positions each dimensional flooring blank for entry into the machining
processes 500 in
accordance with any marks or data provided by the automated scanner 600 and
automated chop
saw 700. The automatic orienter 790 may employ automated or semi-automated
means for
flipping and rolling each blank. Preferably, the automatic orientor employs a
flipper device for
flipping or spinning a blank around its longitudinal axis. The automatic
orienter 790 may also
employ a device for rolling a flooring blank, reorienting it from end to end.
For example, such a
device may comprise a kicker that ejects the flooring blank into a sluice
which then repositions
the blank so that a particularly identified end now faces the entrance to the
machining processes
500. These methods and devices may be fully automatic or may require operator
intervention to
actuate and control any operator-dependent equipment.
[0030] Once oriented, dimensional flooring blanks convey automatically, semi-
automatically or manually to an infeed of the machining processes 500. The
machining
processes 500 apply desired features such as molding, applying relief, adding
interlocking tongue
and groove features, etc. Upon exiting the machining processes 500, flooring
blanks then
optionally feed into an end matcher 800, conveying via automatic or semi-
automatic means.
[0031 ] In an altemate embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, an improved method for
producing
wood flooring 150b includes a bar code marker 640 disposed between the
automated scanner 600
and automated chop saw 700. Alternatively, the automated scanner 600 may
include therein a
bar code marker 640. In either case, a bar code prints directly onto a scanned
long length
flooring blank. The bar code may be of any type, but preferably is a matrix
type bar code, such
as a 2D scatter bar code, that contains a large amount of usable data. A bar
code may contain
data pertaining to, for example, defect type and location, blank dimensions,
blank grade and best
orientation. The automated scanner 600 also may produce a cut list linked to
the bar codes and
containing data pertaining to all identified defects. Each cut list contains
quality data and
(P0122949.3)
9
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
dimensional data for each blank, and that information stores to an electronic
database that is
searchable for selecting particular blanks and then processing those retrieved
blanks. The bar
code matrices and associated cut lists, therefore, provide an accurate and
efficient way to store,
retrieve and process scanned flooring blanks.
[0032] Once marked with a bar code, the long length flooring blank conveys to
an
automated chop saw 700 that may contain a bar code reader head for
interpreting the data
contained in the printed bar code. In another embodiment, scanned and marked
long length
flooring blanks may convey to an independent bar code reader and sorter 650
that batches blanks
into like groups for delivery to a warehouse storage area 660. In yet another
embodiment, the
bar coded blanks relocate to a warehouse area without a bar code reader and
sorter 650
therebetween for batching blanks of like quality. In this alternative
embodiment, boards of
varying quality will leave storage and enter an automated chop saw 700 that
incorporates a bar
code reader head for expeditiously processing bar code information.
Alternatively, an
independent bar code reader 670 may be disposed between the warehouse storage
area 660 and
the automated chop saw 700. FIG. 4 depicts placement of optional, independent
bar code reader
and sorter 650 and optional independent bar code reader 670 using dotted
lines.
[0033] Overall, the improved method for producing wood flooring 150a, 150b is
more
efficient and more cost effective than the historical and automated methods
10, 100. The
improved method 150a, 150b combines an upstream, automated scanner 600, an
automated chop
saw 700, an automated sorter 740 and an automated orienter 790 which result.s
in higher
production yields and higher recovery of flooring pieces that might otherwise
be scrap material.
The upstream placement of the automated scanner 600 is seemingly
counterintuitive because the
scanner no longer replaces manual laborers downstream of the machining
process. The
automated sorter 740 and automated orienter 790, however, help compensate for
this by also
reducing downstream labor requirements and by greatly improving yield and
efficiency. The
improved method of producing wood flooring 150a, 150b is, therefore, more
efficient and most
cost effective than other processes 10, 100.
(roInva9.3) 10
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attorney Docket No. 25484-7171
[0034] The significant benefits of early placement of the automated scanner
600
combined with automated advancements in sorting and orienting are
quantifiable. Traditional
floor mills using the historical method for producing wood flooring 10 will
recover as finished
flooring product approximately 48-51% of purchased raw material. This
percentage range
covers a broad input grade mix. Employing the present improved method for
producing wood
flooring 150a, 150b and using an input grade mix lower than that traditionally
used in the wood
flooring industry results in a much larger recovery of 62-67% of raw material
as finished
flooring product.
[0035] In the historic method 10 and the automated method of flooring
production 100,
an operator feeding the machining processes 50, 500 made a visual inspection
to determine a
long length blank's best face. This method was tedious, highly inefficient and
resulted in
accepting the best average face of the blank. In other words, even if an
opposite face was
superior to the best face over a portion of a blank's length, that portion was
lost because an
operator already had determined a best overall face. The historic and
automated methods 10,
100 provided no mechanism for recovering such portions having a better face on
an opposite
surface of the blank, that entire surface subjectively having been deemed to
be a lesser-valued
face.
[0036) Unlike prior methods of wood flooring production, the present improved
method
150a, 150b produces graded, dimensional flooring blanks from the long length
blanks prior to the
machining process 500. This enables recovery of the better face, even if the
better face changes
for instance once, twice or three times over the length of a piece. An
internal study of this
improved method 150a, 150b revealed that the traditional automated method 100
discarded as
scrap 10% of material processed through the machining processes 500 when, in
fact, most of
these pieces of scrapped material were acceptable as flooring on an opposite
face. By employing
the present improved method 150a, 150b grade recovery increased by 15% because
the present
invention turns the shorter flooring blanks prior to machining to identify
more accurately a best
face.
(roM9+9.3)
11
CA 02606852 2007-10-12
Attomey Docket No. 25484-7171
[0037] Placing the automated scanner 600 upstream in the manufacturing process
also
lowers labor costs. The down stream placement in the typical automated method
100 decreases
labor costs slightly by replacing operators that would otherwise manually
determine grade. By
placing the automated scanner 600 upstream of the machining processes 500 the
improved
method 150a, 150b lowers costs by improving yield and additionally improving
recovery of
product that would otherwise constitute scrap. Because of efficiency and
accuracy, this
improved method 150a, 150b reduces cost of goods sold by at least 15-20%, a
substantial
improvement over existing, traditional wood flooring production methods.
[0038] Prior to machining, the improved method 150a, 150b segregates material
that is
better suited for an alternative product than the rest of its lot, that is
dimensionally scant, or that
would be of higher value with reprocessing. This improved method of producing
wood flooring
150a, 150b recovers 25-30% of material that would otherwise be scrapped as
opposed to the
automated method 100, wluch recovers approximately only 4% by placing the
scanner
downstream of the machining processes 500.
[0039] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for
the purpose
of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present
invention. While the
present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary
embodiment, it is
understood that the words, which have been used herein, are words of
description and
illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the
purview of the
appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from
the scope and spirit
of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has
been described herein
with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present
invention is not
intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the
present invention extends to
all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within
the scope of the
appended claims.
12
