Title of Invention

"AN EMPTY PITCH LEAVING METHOD FOR A VEHICLE CONVEYER LINE"

Abstract

An empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering a trim iine range of a trim shop in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop is provided. An embodiment of the present invention provides an empty pitch leaving method that determines an empty pitch pattern for vehicles sent into the trim shop from a PBS through a vehicle conveyer line according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme, and loads vehicles according to the determined empty pitch pattern, thereby increasing efficiency of line management of the trim shop and equalization of work in the trim shop.

Full Text

AN EMPTY PITCH LEAVING METHOD FOR A VEHICLE CONVEYER LINE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present Invention relates to an empty pitch method for a vehicle conveyer line. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When a specific kind of vehicle is continuously taken into a trim shop on a vehicle body conveyer line, an excessive work time for a particular process of the trim shop is needed, so an empty seat without a vehicle is left within a line of vehicles or before or after a line of vehicles. The empty seat is referred to as an empty pitch. In order for an automobile company to produce a completed vehicle, various processes, from a selection of material to assembly of the vehicle, are needed. Various efforts to increase productivity through factory automation and efficient use of facilities are continuously being made. In order to facilitate this objective, the automobile company establishes stock management and production sequence data by determining a production schedule according to vehicle purchase orders of consumers. If the production sequence data are staollsnea, as shown in FIG. 6, vehicles that have been painted in a paint shop and stored in painted body storage (PBS) 101 are sent to a trim shop, where various components are assembled to the vehicle body. That is, the painted vehicles are stored in the PBS 101 for a time, and they a re sent to the trim shop considering work equalization of the trim shop according to commands of a PBS controller 103. However, if vehicles of a specific type are excessively continuously taken into the trim shop, work time in a specific process may substantially increase, so it may cause a stoppage of a production line, continuously input into the trim line, an empty pitch P (i.e., an empty seat) is left within a line of vehicles or before or after a line of vehicles. In the prior art, as shown in FIG. 6, if a PBS operator 107 perceives a continuous input of vehicles of a specific type, the PBS operator 107 informs a worker 109 of the same through wire communication, and the worker 109 inputs an order for leaving an empty pitch to a trim line controller 113 using a manual controller 111 when a corresponding vehicle is taken into the trim shop. However, in such prior method, if the worker erroneously omits to input the order for leaving an empty pitch, a possibility of a stoppage of a production line still exists. Accordingly, it is difficult to effectively perform line management of the trim shop and to maintain work equalization in the trim shop. The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the pnor art that is already known to a person skilled in the art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention provides an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering a trim line range of a trim shop, in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop. An embodiment of the present invention provides an empty p itch leaving method that determines an e mpty p itch pattern for vehicles loaded i nto the trim s hop from a PBS through a vehicle conveyer line according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme and loads vehicles according to the determined empty pitch pattern, thereby increasing efficiency of line management of the trim shop and equalization of work in the trim shop. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyor line comprises: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch in a line of vehicles taken into a trim line range of a trim shop from painted body storage (PBS) via a conveyer line range in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop, and initializing related data of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range; renewing vehicle entrance information of a vehicle having entered the conveyer line range and the trim line range if a new vehicle is taken into the trim line range, and determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicle having entered the trim line range; instructing a trim line controller to leave an empty pitch if a sequential number of a vehicle entering the trim line range is equal to an individual item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern, adding '1' to the individual item number DN02, and then determining whether a value of the individual item number is greater than a number of total items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; and determining a number of an empty pitch pattern whose vehicle sequence of a corresponding pseudo pattern is equal to vehicle sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, determining a phority order of the determined empty pitch pattern, and then returning to the instructing a trim line controller. It Is preferable that the empty pitch pattern comprises an empty pitch left in a line of vehicles according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme comprising leaving front, rear, front and rear, or intermediate pitches empty, and wherein a sequence of the empty pitch and the vehicle is described as an item number. Preferably, the related data of the empty pitch pattern comphse a pattern number of an empty pitch pattern for vehicles respectively entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range, and an individual item number that is recorded according to a vehicle insertion sequence including an empty pitch. It is also preferable that the pseudo pattern is obtained by eliminating an empty pitch from the empty pitch pattern. Preferably, the determining an empty pitch pattern and initializing related data comprises: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering the trim line range of the trim shop from the PBS according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme in conformity with the operating situation and the production restriction condition of the trim shop as pattern numbers, and registering the determined empty pitch pattern; and initializing a value of a pattern number of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range and a value of the individual item number that are recorded according to an insertion sequence of vehicles and the empty pitch. It is preferable that the renewing and the determining comprise: determining whether a detection signal indicating entrance of a new vehicle from the conveyer line range to the trim line range is input from a vehicle detection sensor; proceeding to an ending step if it is determined that the detection signal is not input, and renewing vehicle entrance information for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range if it is determined that the detection signal is input and simultaneously chasing a pattern number corresponding to the empty pitch pattern including empty pitches in a line of vehicles according to the basic empty pitch leaving scheme; and determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles having entered the trim line range. Preferably, the embodiment of the present invention further comprises: determining whether an order of a new vehicle entering the trim line range corresponds to an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02, if it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern; outputting an instruction for leaving an empty pitch to a trim line controller, if it is determined that the order of the new vehicle corresponds to the item number DN02 for leaving the empty pitch in the empty pitch pattern PN02; adding '1' to the item number DN02 of the applied empty pitch pattern, and determining whether a value of the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; and proceeding to the ending step if the item number is less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern, and returning to the renewing and the determining after performing resetting if the item number is not less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern. Further preferably, the resetting a pattern number of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the trim line range and the item number in the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the tnm line range. Preferably, the embodiment of the present invention further comprises: determining whether there is a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with a sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if it is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern; determining whether a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; setting the empty pitch leaving number of the empty pitch pattern including the new vehicle entering the trim line range as a corresponding pattern number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; determining a priority of the corresponding empty pitch patterns if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range is more than 1; setting the empty pitch pattern number PN02 as a pattern number having a higher priority; and setting the item number DN02 of the new vehicle in the corresponding empty pitch pattern as '1', and returning to the instructing a trim line controller to leave an empty pitch. In another embodiment of the present invention, an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line comprises: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering a trim line range of a trim shop from painted body storage (PBS) according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop as pattern numbers, and registering the determined empty pitch pattern; initializing a value of a pattern number of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range and a value of the individual item number that are recorded according to an insertion sequence of vehicles and the leaving of the empty pitch; determining whether a detection signal indicating entrance of a new vehicle from the conveyer line range to the trim line range is input from a vehicle detection sensor; proceeding to an ending step if it is determined that the detection signal is not input, and renewing vehicle entrance information for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range if it is determined that the detection signal is input and simultaneously chasing a pattern number corresponding to the empty pitch pattern including empty pitches in a line of vehicles according to the basic empty pitch leaving scheme; determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles having entered the trim line range; determining whether an order of a new vehicle entering the trim line range corresponds to an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02, if it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern; outputting an instruction for leaving an empty pitch to a trim line controller, if it is determined that the order of the new vehicle corresponds to the item number DN02 for leaving the empty pitch in the empty pitch pattern PN02; adding '1' to the item number DN02 of the applied empty pitch pattern, and determining whether a value of the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; proceeding to the ending step if the item number is less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern, and returning to the renewing and the determining after performing resetting if the item number is not less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; determining whether there is a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with a sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if It is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern; determining whether a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; setting the number of the empty pitch of the empty pitch pattern including the new vehicle entering the trim line range as a corresponding pattern number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; determining a priority of the corresponding empty pitch patterns, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range is more than 1; setting the empty pitch pattern number PN02 as a pattern number having a higher priority; and setting the item number DN02 of the new vehicle in the corresponding empty pitch pattern as '1', and returning to the instructing a trim line controller to leaving an empty pitch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, wherein: FIG. 1 is a control diagram of a system for controlling loading of a vehicle into a conveyer line and controlling a trim line for conveying vehicles to a trim shop from a PBS for storing painted bodies to which the present invention can be applied; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a table showing pattern schemes and pseudo patterns that are used in the empty pitch leaving method according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a pattern-applying process according to the empty pitch leaving method for the vehicle conveyer line; and FIG. 6 is a control diagram for a method for leaving an empty pitch in a vehicle conveyer line and a trim line for conveying vehicles from the PBS storing the painted vehicle bodies to a trim shop. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for controlling vehicle input into a trim shop from painted body storage (PBS) to which a present invention may be applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line according to an embodiment of the present invention. A vehicle that has been painted in a paint shop is stored in painted body storage (PBS) 1. A vehicle that is stored in the PBS 1 is inserted to a trim line range R2 of a trim shop from a conveyer line range R1 with a lifting device DL. An empty pitch controller C1 that determines to leave an empty pitch P within a line of vehicles is provided. Information on a vehicle that is discharged from the PBS 1 is detected by a first vehicle detection sensor 3, and the vehicle information is supplied to the empty pitch controller C1 through a production instruction server AS. The empty pitch controller CI may comprise a processor and associated hardware as may be selected and programmed to perform the empty pitch leaving method according to the embodiment of the present invention. A second vehicle detection sensor 5 is disposed at an entrance of the trim I ine range R2 (or at an e xit of t he c onveyer I ine range R1). T he second vehicle detection sensor 5 detects vehicle number information of the vehicle that is taken into the trim line range R2 of the trim shop from the conveyer line range R1, and the detected vehicle number information is supplied to the empty pitch controller C1 through a painted body storage (PBS) controller C2. The empty pitch leaving instructions of the empty pitch controller C1 are output to a trim line controller C3. The trim line controller C3 controls vehicle insertion to a trim conveyor with the lifting device DL, and it can leave an empty pitch P within a line of vehicles. An empty pitch leaving method according to the embodiment of the present invention leaves an empty pitch within a line of vehicles that are taken into a trim line 9 of the trim shop using the above-stated vehicle conveying system, so that efficiency of line management of the trim shop can be improved and equalization of work can be achieved. The empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyer line according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 at step S100, determines an empty pitch pattern in which an empty pitch P is left in a line of vehicles that are taken into the trim line range R2 of the trim shop from the PBS 1, in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop, and initializes related data of the empty pitch pattern for the vehicle entering the conveyer line range R1 and the trim line range R2. The empty pitch pattern, as shown in FIG. 4, includes at least one pattern. In each pattern, an empty pitch is left within the line of vehicles according to a basic empty pitch leaving pattern such as at the front, rear, front and rear, or at an intermediate section of the line. Preferably, the empty pitch and the sequence of vehicles are expressed as an item number, and a pattern number is endowed to each empty pitch pattern. A pattern number of an empty pitch pattern for a line of vehicles entering the conveyer line range R1 is expressed as 'PN01', and an individual item number in the empty pitch pattern for the vehicle entering the conveyer line range R1 is expressed as 'DN01'. A pattern number of an empty pitch pattern for a line of vehicles entering the trim line range R2 is expressed as 'PN02', and an individual item number in the empty pitch pattern for the vehicle entering the trim line range R2 is expressed as 'DN02'. If values of the PN01 and PN02 are '0', it means that there is no empty pitch pattern currently applied. The related data of the empty pitch pattern include pattern numbers PN01 and PN02 of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles respectively entering the conveyer line range R1 and trim line range R2, and the individual item numbers DN01 and DN02 that are recorded a ccording to a vehicle insertion sequence including an empty pitch in the empty pitch pattern. After step S100, if a new vehicle is taken i nto t he t rim line range R2, vehicle entrance information on vehicles that enter the conveyer line range R1 and the trim line range R2 are renewed, and it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles entering the trim line range R2. At step S200, if it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern, the empty pitch controller C1 instructs the trim line controller C3 to leave an empty pitch if an item number is a number of an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02 in the sequence of vehicles, at step S300. Also at step S300, the trim line controller C3 adds '1' to the item number DN02, and determines that the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern. If it is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern at step S200, a number of a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose vehicle sequence of a corresponding pseudo pattern is equal to the vehicle sequence before entering the trim line range R2 is determined, and a priority order of the determined empty pitch pattern is determined, in step 400. After step S400, the control procedure returns to step S300. Referring to FIG. 4, the pseudo pattern of the empty pitch pattern means a pattern (i.e., sequence) of vehicles, and it can be obtained by eliminating an empty pitch from the empty pitch pattern. Hereinafter, the empty pitch leaving method according to the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. 3. At first, at step S11, an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering the trim line range R2 of the trim shop from the PBS 1 according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme is determined in conformity with the operating situation and the production restriction condition of the trim shop as pattern numbers PN01 and PN02, and the determined empty pitch pattern is registered in the empty pitch controller C1. The empty pitch controller C1, at step S12, initializes values of pattern numbers PN01 and PN02 of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range R1 and the trim line range R2, and of the individual item numbers DN01 and DN02 that are recorded according to an insertion sequence of vehicles and the empty pitch for the empty pitch pattern. After step S12, the empty pitch controller C1 determines whether a detection signal indicating entrance of a new vehicle from the conveyer line range R1 into the trim line range R2 is input from the second vehicle detection sensor 5 at step S21. If it is determined that the detection signal is not input, the control procedure proceeds to step S35. On the other hand, if it is determined that the detection signal is input, the empty pitch controller C1 renews the vehicle entrance information for vehicles entering the conveyer line range R1 and the trim line range R2 and simultaneously chases a pattern number PN02 corresponding to the empty pitch pattern including empty pitches in the line of vehicles according to the basic empty pitch leaving scheme, at step S22. Then, at step S23, the empty pitch controller C1 determines whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles having entered the trim line range R2. If it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern at step S23, I.e., if the value of the PN02 is not '0', the empty pitch controller C1, as shown in FIG. 5, determines, at step S31, whether an order of the new vehicle entering the trim line range R2 corresponds to an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch of the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02. If it is determined that the new vehicle corresponds to the item number DN02 for leaving the empty pitch P in the empty pitch pattern PN02, the empty pitch controller C1 outputs an instruction for leaving an empty pitch, to the trim line controller C3 at step S32. Then, the empty pitch controller C1 adds '1' to the item number DN02 of the applied empty pitch pattern at step S33, and determines whether a value of the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern at step S34. If the item number is less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern, the control procedure proceeds to step S35. Otherwise, a reset step S36 is performed and the control procedure returns to step S200. In the reset step S36, the empty pitch pattern number PN02 and the item number DN02 are reset. Meanwhile, if it is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern at step S23, the empty pitch controller C1 determines whether there is a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2 at step S41. If it is determined that there is no empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2 at step S41, the control procedure proceeds to step S300. On the other hand, if the determination is positive at step S41, the empty pitch controller CI determines whether a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2 is equal to 1 at step S42. If a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2 is 1, the empty pitch controller C1 sets a number of the empty pitch pattern including the new vehicle entering the trim line range R2 as a corresponding pattern number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2, at step S43. On the other hand, if a number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range R2 is more than 1, the empty pitch controller C1 determines a priority of the empty pitch patterns, as shown in FIG. 5, at step S44. Then, at step S45, the empty pitch controller C1 sets the empty pitch pattern number PN02 as a pattern number having higher priority. After steps S43 and S45, the empty pitch controller C1 sets the item number DN02 of the new vehicle in the corresponding empty pitch pattern as '1'. Then, the control procedure returns to step S300. According to the empty pitch leaving method for the vehicle conveyer line according to the embodiment of the present invention, an empty pitch pattern that includes an empty pitch among a line of vehicles according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme is determined for the vehicle entering the trim shop from the PBS via the vehicle conveyer line, and vehicles are controlled to enter the trim line according to the empty pitch pattern, so that equalization of work in response to operating conditions and manufacture restriction conditions can be achieved and efficiency of management of the trim shop can be improved. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described In detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. We claim: 1. An empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyor line, comprising: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch in a line of vehicles taken into a trim line range of a trim shop) from painted body storage (PBS) via a conveyer line range in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop, and initializing related data of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range; renewing vehicle entrance information of a vehicle having entered the conveyer line range and the trim line range if a new vehicle is taken into the trim line range, and determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicle having entered the trim line range; instructing a trim line controller to leave an empty pitch if a sequential number of a vehicle entering the trim line range is equal to an individual item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern, adding "1" to the individual item number DN02, and then determining whether a value of the individual item number is greater than a number of total items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; and determining a number of an empty pitch pattern whose vehicle sequence of a corresponding pseudo pattern is equal to a vehicle sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, determining a priority order of the determined empty pitch pattern, and then returning to instructing a trim line controller. 2. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the empty pitch pattern comprises an empty pitch left in a line of vehicles according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme comprising leaving front, rear, front and rear, or intermediate pitches empty, and wherein a sequence of the empty pitch and the vehicle is described as an item number. 3. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, wherein related data of the empty pitch pattern comprise a pattern number of an empty pitch pattern for vehicles respectively entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range, and an individual item number that is recorded according to a vehicle insertion sequence incluc[ing an empty pitch. 4. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pseudo pattern is obtained by eliminating an empty pitch from the empty pitch pattern. 5. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining an empty pitch pattern and initializing related data comprise: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch within a line of vehicles entering the trim line range of the trim shop from the PBS according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme in conformity with the operating situation and the production restriction condition of the trim shop as pattern numbers, and registering the determined empty pitch pattern; and initializing a value of a pattern number of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range and a value of the individual item number that are recorded according to an insertion sequence of vehicles and the empty pitch. 6. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the renewing and the determining comprise: determining whether a detection signal indicating entrance of a new vehicle from the conveyer line range to the trim line range is input from a vehicle detection sensor; proceeding to an ending step if it is determined that the detection signal is not input, and renewing vehicle entrance information for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range if it is determined that the detection signal is input and simultaneously chasing a pattern number corresponding to the empty pitch pattern including empty pitches in a line of vehicles according to the basic empty pitch leaving scheme; and determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles having entered the trim line range. 7. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, comprising: determining whether an order of a new vehicle entering the trim line range corresponds to an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02, if it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern; outputting an instruction for leaving an empty pitch to a trim line controller, if it is determined that the order of the new vehicle corresponds to the item number DN02 for leaving the empty pitch in the empty pitch pattern PN02; adding '1' to the item number DN02 of the applied empty pitch pattern, and determining whether a value of the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; and proceeding to the ending step if the item number is less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern, and returning to the renewing and the determining after performing resetting if the item number is not less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern. 8. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resetting a pattern number of the empty pitch pattern for vehicles-entering the trim line range and the item number in the empty pitch pattern for vehicles entering the trim line range. 9. The empty pitch leaving method as claimed in claim 1, comprising: determining whether there is a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with a sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if it is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern; determining whether a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; setting the empty pitch leaving number of the empty pitch pattern including the new vehicle entering the trim line range as a corresponding pattern number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; determining a priority of the corresponding empty pitch patterns if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range is more than 1; setting the empty pitch pattern number- PN02 as a pattern number having a higher priority; and setting the item number DN02 of the new vehicle in the corresponding empty pitch pattern as "1", and returning to the instructing a trim line controller to leave an empty pitch. 10. A method for leaving an empty pitch in a vehicle conveyer line as claimed in claim 1, comprising: determining an empty pitch pattern for leaving an empty pitch in a line of vehicles entering a trim line range of a trim shop from a painted body storage (PBS) according to a basic empty pitch leaving scheme in conformity with an operating situation and a production restriction condition of the trim shop as pattern numbers, and registering the determined empty pitch pattern; initializing a value of a pattern number of the empty pitch leaving pattern for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range and a value of the individual item number that are recorded according to an insertion sequence of vehicles and the leaving of the empty pitch; determining whether a detection signal indicating entrance of a new vehicle from the conveyer line range to the trim line range is input from a vehicle detection sensor; proceeding to an ending step if it is determined that the detection signal is not input, and renewing vehicle entrance information for vehicles entering the conveyer line range and the trim line range if it is determined that the detection signal is input and simultaneously chasing a pattern number corresponding to the empty pitch pattern including empty pitches in a line of vehicles according to the basic empty pitch leaving scheme; determining whether there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern for the vehicles having entered the trim line range; determining whether an order of a new vehicle entering the trim line range corresponds to an item number DN02 for leaving an empty pitch in the corresponding empty pitch pattern PN02, if it is determined that there is a currently applied empty pitch pattern; outputting an instruction for leaving an empty pitch to a trim line controller, if it is determined that the order of the new vehicle corresponds to the item number DN02 for leaving the empty pitch in the empty pitch pattern PN02; adding '1' to the item number DN02 of the applied empty pitch pattern, and determining whether a value of the item number is less than a number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; proceeding to the ending step if the item number is less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern, and returning to the renewing and the determining after performing resetting if the item number is not less than the number of all items of the corresponding empty pitch pattern; determining whether there is a corresponding empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with a sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if it is determined that there is no currently applied empty pitch pattern; determining whether a number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; setting the empty pitch leaving number of the empty pitch pattern including the new vehicle entering the trim line range as a corresponding pattern number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range; determining a priority of the corresponding empty pitch patterns, if the number of the empty pitch pattern whose registered pseudo pattern coincides with the sequence of vehicles before entering the trim line range is more than 1; setting the empty pitch pattern number PN02 as a pattern number having a higher priority; and- setting the item number DN02 of the new vehicle in the corresponding empty pitch pattern as 'V, and returning to the instructing a trim line controller to leave an empty pitch. 11. An empty pitch leaving method for a vehicle conveyor line substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1011-del-2004-abstract.pdf

1011-del-2004-claims.pdf

1011-del-2004-complete specification(as files).pdf

1011-del-2004-complete specification(granted).pdf

1011-del-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

1011-del-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

1011-del-2004-description (complete).pdf

1011-del-2004-drawings.pdf

1011-del-2004-form-1.pdf

1011-del-2004-form-19.pdf

1011-del-2004-form-2.pdf

1011-del-2004-form-3.pdf

1011-del-2004-form-5.pdf

1011-del-2004-gpa.pdf