Cutting – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-24
2001-03-20
Rachuba, M. (Department: 3724)
Cutting
Processes
C083S056000, C083S073000, C083S075500, C083S076800, C083S289000, C083S370000, C083S421000, C083S391000, C451S041000, C451S044000, C451S005000, C451S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202524
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass workpiece locating system and method for locating a rectangular glass workpiece on a cutting table. The present invention further relates to a method of retrofitting existing cutting tables with the positioning system of the present invention.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a conventional cutting table
10
which is utilized for locating, squaring and cutting a rectangular glass workpiece having known dimensions. The conventional method of locating and squaring a rectangular workpiece on the cutting table
10
is to transport the workpiece in a transporting direction
12
by conveyors
14
. The workpiece is conveyed in the transporting direction
12
until the workpiece abuts a first pair of stops
16
. Upon contact between the workpiece and the first pair of stops
16
, the conveyors
14
are stopped, and the workpiece is transported subsequently transversely to the transporting direction
12
against a second pair of stops or locators
18
. The transportation transverse to the transporting direction
12
is carried out by a retractable conveyor
20
operating transverse to the conveyors
14
. With the rectangular workpiece abutting against both the first pair of stops
16
and the second pair of stops
18
, the workpiece has now been squared, and the cutting head assembly
22
can begin cutting the workpiece according to a predetermined pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,357 to Curtze et al. discloses an automatic sizing and severing apparatus for rectangular glass workpieces similar to the prior art illustrated in FIG.
1
. The Curtze et al. patent discloses an apparatus utilizing an air support table which is sloped from the horizontal. A glass workpiece is transported onto the table by conveyor rolls and then is subsequently allowed to float to a squared-up position by the air table. The work may also be driven into the squaring index by rolls positioned transverse to the conveying rolls. After the glass workpiece is appropriately squared, it can be severed by an automatic scoring mechanism which is controlled by a series of edge-sensing sensors. A photocell or sensor is mounted on the positioning bridge of the cutting head to sense the trailing edge of the glass workpiece while another sensing device is mounted within the air support table to detect the leading edge of the glass workpiece. The sensors cooperate to determine the relevant position of the glass workpiece to control the severing apparatus.
The prior art cutting tables disclosed in FIG.
1
and in the Curtze et al. patent require a complicated set of conveyors operating transverse to each other, at least one of which being retractable. Additionally, the transverse movement of the glass workpiece in these prior art systems increases the likelihood of damage to the specific workpiece.
Another known glass workpiece positioning system for a cutting table utilizes an edge sensor for determining the precise location of the workpiece. A conveyor will transport a workpiece onto the cutting table and stop, positioning the glass workpiece in an arbitrary location on the cutting table. An edge-detecting sensor will move across the cutting table until it has detected at least three edges of the workpiece sufficient so that the precise orientation of the glass workpiece can be determined. The movement of the cutting head assembly is adjusted according to the specific positioning of the glass workpiece. In this prior art system, the adjustment generally requires a rotation of the coordinate system to correspond to the orientation of the glass workpiece. This system represents a time-consuming and complex positioning system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple, efficient glass workpiece locating system which can be easily retrofitted into existing cutting tables. The objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a glass workpiece positioning system which includes a conveyor mechanism, a stop mechanism and a movable side edge sensor. The conveyor mechanism receives, transports and supports a rectangular glass workpiece thereon in a transporting direction. The stop mechanism is adapted to abut a front edge of the rectangular glass workpiece which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the transporting direction of the conveyor, wherein the conveyor transports the rectangular glass workpiece in the transporting direction until the rectangular glass workpiece engages the stop mechanism. The movable side edge sensor is adapted to sense an edge of the rectangular glass workpiece extending substantially parallel to the transporting direction, wherein the edge sensor is movable at least perpendicular to the transporting direction.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the movable side edge sensor is mounted on a movable cutting head assembly of the cutting table, wherein the cutting head assembly includes a cutting head for cutting the glass workpiece according to a predetermined pattern.
The present invention may additionally include a plurality of retractable stops positioned in a line perpendicular to the transporting direction to form the stop mechanism. The conveyor mechanism may include a plurality of substantially parallel conveyor belts adapted to receive and transport the glass workpiece in the transporting direction which is substantially parallel to the conveyor belts. Additionally, the side edge sensor of the present invention may be formed as a photocell.
The present invention includes a method of positioning a rectangular glass workpiece on a cutting table including the steps of:
a) receiving and transporting a rectangular glass workpiece in a transporting direction;
b) abutting a first edge of the glass workpiece which is positioned substantially perpendicular to the transporting direction;
c) moving an edge sensor substantially perpendicular to the transporting direction; and
d) sensing an edge of the glass workpiece which is substantially parallel with the transporting direction with the movable edge sensor.
The present invention additionally includes a method of retrofitting a rectangular glass workpiece positioning system onto an existing glass workpiece cutting table having at least a conveyor mechanism for receiving and moving the glass workpiece in a transporting direction and a movable cutting head assembly which includes a cutting head for cutting the glass workpiece according to a predetermined pattern. The method of retrofitting according to the present invention includes the steps of: first, disabling any supplemental conveyor rolls operating transverse to the transporting direction; second, a stop mechanism is provided to abut a first edge of the glass workpiece which is substantially perpendicular to the transporting direction; and third, an edge sensor is attached to the cutting head assembly, wherein the edge sensor is adapted to sense an edge of the rectangular glass workpiece which is substantially parallel with the transporting direction.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the brief description of the preferred embodiment taken together with the attached figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3151794 (1964-10-01), Brand
patent: 3424357 (1969-01-01), Curtze et al.
patent: 3577829 (1971-05-01), Rowley et al.
patent: 3600992 (1971-08-01), Dryon
patent: 3668955 (1972-06-01), Rupprecht et al.
patent: 3718061 (1973-02-01), Wilkin
patent: 3742794 (1973-07-01), Rupprecht et al.
patent: 3923157 (1975-12-01), Cavenar
patent: 4011779 (1977-03-01), Berg
patent: 4111412 (1978-09-01), Cathers
patent: 4171657 (1979-10-01), Halberschmidt et al.
patent: 4185672 (1980-01-01), Vit et al.
patent: 4210052 (1980-07-01), Fisher
patent: 4235139 (1980-11-01), Haenni et al.
patent: 4358978 (1982-11-01), Lwason
patent: 4608783 (1986-09-01), Bavelloni
patent: 46
Billco Manufacturing Inc.
Rachuba M.
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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