Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes a load supported by a conveyor portion which...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-22
2002-10-15
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes a load supported by a conveyor portion which...
C198S687100, C198S867080
Reexamination Certificate
active
06464067
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, storing transporting elements according to the preambles of Claim
1
and Claim
9
, respectively.
Conveying installations with conveying paths along which certain products can be conveyed with the aid of grippers are used in a wide range of industrial sectors, for example in the printing industry. Transporting means which are coupled in each case to the grippers have to be stored on an intermediate basis in such conveying installations in certain applications. In particular, there is also the need for these gripper-coupled transporting means to be stored on an intermediate basis when the grippers are not retaining any products.
Swiss Patent CH 382 768 discloses a buffer path in which, on account of the amount of storage space required by the gripper-coupled transporting means, only a relatively small number of transporting means can be stored in a buffer path of predetermined length.
Less storage space is required by grippers and transporting means according to Swiss Patent CH 569 197, although this advantage disadvantageously requires grippers and transporting means to be pivoted through 90° if a product is to be gripped by a gripper.
The object of the invention, then, is to make it possible for the transporting means to be stored, without any significant disadvantages being created in the process, such that they require the smallest possible amount of storage space.
The method according to the invention provides that the storage space for transporting means is determined by the degree of opening of its gripper or—in the case of grippers which are closed to a sufficiently pronounced extent—by the dimensions of the transporting means, and open grippers are at least partially closed, without performing a retaining function, before the transporting means which are coupled to said grippers are fed to a buffer path. This means that, with the same number of stored transporting means, the transporting means take up a shorter buffer path than in cases based on known principles, in which open grippers which take up a relatively large amount of space and are in contact with one another pass into a buffer path with the transporting means spaced apart from one another.
Since, according to the invention, a comparatively large number of transporting means can be stored in a buffer path, it is advantageously possible for these to be moved relatively slowly within the buffer path—if this is a constituent part of a conveying path—or to be introduced into the buffer path, or retrieved therefrom, at low speed.
It is preferred if the transporting means are conveyed along the buffer path, and the grippers are conveyed to such an extent that their dimensions in the conveying direction are smaller than or equal to the dimensions of the transporting means in the conveying direction.
The grippers may be closed, for example, in that, in the inlet region of the buffer path, the transporting means are conveyed past a closing device, for example a closing guide, which then, e.g. in interaction with a closing element of the gripper, close [sic] the latter.
The transporting means may be conveyed individually and independently of one another, continuously or intermittently in the conveying path. This can take place either actively, by each transporting element being coupled to a drive means via a retaining part, by means of which it is retained and guided in a guide element of the conveying path, or else in that only individual transporting means are driven, these then pushing other, non-driven transporting means in front of them. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the transporting means to be moved along the conveying path, e.g. in a state in which they are decoupled from drive means, on account of an impulse imparted to each transporting means, or merely to individual transporting means, or on account of their own gravitational force.
In a buffer path according to the invention, it is basically possible to store transporting means which are coupled to a driving means or are uncoupled from a driving means. It is thus possible to buffer-store transporting means with or without drive means.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a closing device can be moved along the conveying path. This displacement possibility makes it possible for the length of the buffer path to be coordinated with the number of transporting elements which are to be stored. It is thus possible, for example, to react in a flexible manner to irregularities occurring in the operating speed of certain operating stations.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the transporting means, as they leave the buffer path, are guided past an opening device, which may be configured, for example in the form of an opening guide, with the result that only transporting means which are ready for receiving purposes, i.e. transporting means with open grippers, are available downstream of the buffer path, as seen in the conveying direction. The opening movement of the gripper legs preferably takes place here in the conveying direction.
In that region of the conveying path which is located outside the buffer path, the distance between the centers of two successive transporting means is preferably always somewhat smaller than or equal to the maximum distance between two gripping legs of an open gripper. This ensures that the gripping legs of adjacent transporting means, in the open state, are always in contact with one another and fix their alignment in relation to the conveying path.
In order to implement the method, use may be made of a conveying installation according to Claim
9
which has a closing device just upstream of the buffer path or in the inlet region of the same. It is likewise possible for the closing device to be arranged such that the grippers are closed immediately following a product-discharging operation, with the result that the gripper is ready for being stored on an intermediate basis immediately following said product-discharging. operation. The closing device may be designed in the form of a closing guide which may preferably be displaced along the conveying path, with the result that the length of the buffer path can be adjusted in a variable manner in accordance with the respective requirements.
At the end of the buffer path, it is possible to provide an opening device, e.g. in the form of an opening guide, which ensures that only transporting means with open grippers leave the buffer path.
If the closing and opening device can be optionally activated and deactivated, entire buffer paths can be connected up and disconnected as required.
A specific advantage is achieved if the three-dimensional extent of the transporting means in the conveying direction, with grippers projecting perpendicularly from the conveying path, is smaller than or approximately equal to the extent of the closed gripper in the conveying direction.
Further preferred types of method and advantageous configurations of the conveying installation in conjunction with the method according to the invention form the subject matter of the subclaims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3032341 (1962-05-01), Reist
patent: 3948551 (1976-04-01), Reist
patent: 4036356 (1977-07-01), Reist
patent: 5261520 (1993-11-01), Duke
patent: 5755436 (1998-05-01), Reist
patent: 5819906 (1998-10-01), Enderlein et al.
patent: 382768 (1964-10-01), None
patent: 382 768 (1964-12-01), None
patent: 569167 (1972-11-01), None
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia L.
Ferag AG
LandOfFree
Method and device for storing transport elements does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and device for storing transport elements, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and device for storing transport elements will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2937088