US 11,987,459 B2
Gravity-driven flow rack assemblies
Lloyd R. Holland, Georgetown, KY (US); Bradley J. Garcia, Louisville, KY (US); Scottie L. Foster, Lawrenceburg, KY (US); Michael C. Greenlee, Paris, KY (US); Eric F. Cornett, Georgetown, KY (US); Randall L. Johnson, Lexington, KY (US); Michael P. Meyer, Georgetown, KY (US); and Steven R. Johnson, Georgetown, KY (US)
Assigned to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/125,046.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194759 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 9/00 (2006.01); B61B 13/04 (2006.01); B62D 65/02 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 47/61 (2006.01); B65G 47/68 (2006.01); B65G 69/20 (2006.01); B29C 61/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 9/008 (2013.01) [B61B 13/04 (2013.01); B62D 65/022 (2013.01); B65G 1/0457 (2013.01); B65G 9/00 (2013.01); B65G 47/61 (2013.01); B65G 47/683 (2013.01); B65G 69/20 (2013.01); B29C 61/02 (2013.01); B65G 2812/01 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of transporting a vehicle engine wire harness from a component preparation location to a component pick location, the method comprising:
placing the vehicle engine wire harness on a hook of a component hanger of a flow rack assembly, the flow rack assembly comprising:
a supply track assembly that extends from a component preparation location to a component pick location;
a transition track assembly that extends from the supply track assembly to a return track assembly, the return track assembly extends from the transition track assembly to the supply location declining in elevation such that the component hanger travels along the return track assembly due to gravity; and
a hanger transport device that moves along a track between ends of the supply track assembly and the return track assembly at the component preparation location, the hanger transport device comprising a hanger support structure configured to receive the component hanger from the return track assembly at a pick-up position and transport the component hanger to the supply track assembly at a release position; and
directing the component hanger with vehicle engine wire harness along the supply track assembly extending through a heated enclosure to the component pick location at a vehicle assembly line.