Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Chutes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-02-13
Krizek, Janice L. (Department: 3652)
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Chutes
C193SDIG001, C194S344000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186303
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for conveying parts by gravity, which is particularly useful for conveying flat parts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In manufacturing shops comprising various machines, sometimes each machine has to be fed with parts that are then assembled or modified by the machine. It is common for the feed to require a long continuous conveyance of the parts that is not always direct. It is sometimes necessary to allow for the presence of other machines that have to be avoided or to cross partitions or ceilings. Guiding devices then have paths that are not rectilinear to allow for the presence of obstacles. Such guides are not always accessible for an operator, much less so when the workshop can sometimes be in the dark. Most guides used are directly manufactured to form a non-rectilinear path that causes considerable manufacturing costs. Further, when it is required to feed a machine with flat parts that have to reach the machine in a precise position, a conveyor device that positions the parts perfectly must be used.
The use of a conveyor device constituted by a U-shaped guide as shown in
FIG. 1A
is known. The U-shaped guide
10
is made of Teflon® to facilitate the sliding of parts
11
in the conveyor device. The conveyor device has a shape that works perfectly with the shape of the parts
11
to be conveyed. As the whole surface of the part
11
is in contact with the guide
10
, there is much friction between the parts and the guide. When for instance metal parts are conveyed in such a device, the friction of the parts on the Teflon® guide creates static electricity. Then the parts stay stuck to the support and a jam occurs in the guide. Further, when metal parts are covered with paint, this tends to be removed. In addition, such a conveyor guide cannot have any position. In fact, the guide's U-shape does not permit it to be rotated 180°, as the part would no longer be held in the guide.
The use of another type of guide in the form of a “C” shaped guide
10
as shown in
FIG. 1B
is also known. Here again, practically the whole surface of part
11
is in contact with the guide
10
. The same problems as those encountered using the guide described in
FIG. 1A
appear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide for a device for conveying parts that limits the friction between the parts to be conveyed and the conveyor device so as to avoid static problems.
Another object of the invention is to provide for a device for conveying parts that can be arranged in various configurations.
It is also an object of the invention to provide for a simple and cheap process for the conveyor device.
The invention relates to a device for conveying parts by gravity that comprises two guides of length L equidistant from one another. Each guide has a U-shaped cross-section, and the opening of one of the U-shaped cross-sections is arranged opposite the opening of the other U-shaped cross-section so as to define a path of the parts to be conveyed. A contact surface between the guides and the parts is sufficient to hold the parts between the two guides, and the guides are made of a material that facilitates sliding of the parts to be conveyed.
The invention also relates to a process for making a device for conveying parts that comprises:
the production of each guide of length L from a flat element;
the fixing of a bracket on at least one side of the guides so as to hold the guides equidistant one from the other throughout their length L; and
the shaping of the guides held equidistantly one from the other by the bracket into the position wanted.
The present invention also relates to a manufacturing process of a device for conveying parts by gravity which comprises the steps of: producing first and second guides having a length L from a flat element, each of the first and second guides being equidistant from each other and having U-shaped cross-sections, with the first guide having an opening which faces an opening of the second guide so as to define a path for parts to be conveyed therebetween, and each of the first and second guides being made of a material that facilitates sliding of the parts to be conveyed; fixing a bracket on at least one side of the first and second guides so as to hold the first and second guides equidistant from one another along their length L; and shaping the first and second guides and the bracket therebetween so as to define a desired conveyance path for the parts.
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patent: 4795018 (1989-01-01), Anderson
patent: 5046989 (1991-09-01), Dass
patent: 5125493 (1992-06-01), Abe
patent: 5170874 (1992-12-01), Abe
patent: 5425439 (1995-06-01), Tsuchida
patent: 5558197 (1996-09-01), Rothschild et al.
patent: 0509235 A1 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 2 240 073 (1975-03-01), None
patent: 1351951 (1974-05-01), None
patent: 2258861 (1993-02-01), None
Eastman Kodak Company
Krizek Janice L.
Novais David A.
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