Work holders – With fluid means – Vacuum-type holding means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-11-06
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Work holders
With fluid means
Vacuum-type holding means
C269S022000, C451S388000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311966
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a workpiece retention carrier unit with a suction head, for using when a workpiece in the shape of a plate, for instance, is retained and carried with a laser beam machining equipment or the like.
In the past, when a workpiece in the shape of a plate, for instance, is retained and carried in a laser beam machining equipment or the like, a retention carrier unit having a suction head using vacuum pads or the like has been used.
However, the workpiece after machining has various kinds of shapes. Especially, in case of the workpiece having complex shape, it is difficult to retain and carry the workpiece since, oftentimes the position of the vacuum pad cannot be successfully fitted in the shape of the workpiece. In addition, in the case of the workpiece having a fine part, the vacuum pad may not make sufficient contact with the workpiece. So,effective suction force cannot be generated and it is difficult to retain and carry.
Furthermore, when the retained workpiece is carried to a narrow place, such as just beside the pile of workpieces already piled, a problem may be encountered in that the suction head interferes with the pile of workpieces, and thus the workpiece cannot be successfully carried.
Accordingly, taking the above-mentioned circumstances into consideration, the object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece retention carrier unit and a suction head, capable of appropriately retaining even complex and finely-shaped workpieces. Furthermore,preferably, the object of the present invention is to provide a suction head capable of appropriately carrying workpieces to a narrow place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim
1
of the present invention is a workpiece retention carrier unit, comprising:
a machine body being free to move and drive at least in a horizontal direction;
a head support rest provided with said machine body, being free to raise,
one or more retention means aggregates provided with said head support rest, being free to move and position in a horizontal two-dimensional direction through a horizontal direction moving structure;
said retention means aggregate having a plurality of retention means provided such that retention portions are adjacent to one another; and
a retention driving means connected with each of said retention means.
With this structure, one or more than one retention means aggregates are provided, being free to move and position in a horizontal two-dimensional direction through the horizontal direction moving structure. Then, even if the workpiece to be retained and carried is one having complex shape, the workpiece can be retained and carried with no problem in such a manner that the retention means aggregates are matched with the shape of the workpiece so as to move and position in a horizontal two-dimensional direction. Besides, the retention means aggregate has a plurality of retention means provided such that the retention portions are adjacent to one another, and the retention driving means is connected with each of the retention means. That is, the retention of the workpiece can be separately performed by each retention means. Even if the workpiece to be retained and carried has a fine part and some retention portions of the retention means aggregate are out of the fine part of the workpiece, for instance, the retention of the workpiece can be effectively performed through the remainder retention portions positioning on this workpiece without getting out, so the workpiece can be retained and carried with no problem. In this way, in the workpiece retention carrier unit according to the present invention, even fine complex workpiece can be appropriately carried.
Besides, the invention of claim
2
of the present invention is the workpiece retention carrier unit according to the invention of claim
1
wherein a plurality of said retention means aggregates are provided, and these plural retention means aggregates are free to individually move and position in a horizontal two-dimensional direction through said horizontal direction moving structure.
Then, a plurality of retention means aggregates are provided, being free to separately move and position in a horizontal two-dimensional direction. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the invention of claim
1
, a plurality of retention means aggregates can be positioned with various location patterns, so the workpiece having more complex shape can be retained and carried. Then, complex retained and it is very convenient.
Besides, the invention of claim
3
of the present invention is the workpiece retention carrier unit according to the invention of claim
1
wherein respective retention means of said retention means aggregate are supported, being free to respectively individually move in up and down direction.
Then, in addition to the effects of the invention of claim
1
, effects can be exercised when the retained workpiece is brought down at a narrow place so as to be delivered to the pallet or the like. That is, in this case, the retention means which does not retain the workpiece may hit another hindrance during going down. But, each retention means is free to move in up and down direction, separately. Then, while the retention means which hit a hindrance stops going down as it is, the retention means retaining the workpiece goes down without hindrance and the retained workpiece can be delivered to the pallet or the like with no problem. So, it is very convenient. Then, the end portion of the workpiece in the shape of a plate, positioned near another workpiece or a part of the classification head, can be retained.
The invention of claim
4
of the present invention is the workpiece retention carrier unit according to the invention of claim
1
wherein said retention driving means has an retention control means for intermittently controlling retention state of each retention means.
Then, in case where some retention portions of the retention means aggregate get out of the workpiece, the retention state of the retention means is cut off through the retention control means only concerning the retention means of the retention portion getting out of the workpiece. Then, in addition to the effects according to the invention of claim
1
, using vain energy by operating the retention means by which effective suction force can not generate to the workpiece is avoided and the saving of the energy is realized. Furthermore, the inconvenience of retaining dust excluding the workpiece by the retention means can be removed, so, it is very convenient.
The invention of claim
5
of the present invention is the workpiece retention carrier unit according to the invention of claim
1
wherein said horizontal direction moving structure has a frame provided with said head support rest, being free to rotate and position, an arm provided with said frame, being free to rotate and position and a head putting portion for putting said retention means aggregates, provided with said arm, being free to move and position in a horizontal direction.
Then, each retention means aggregate can be moved and positioned in a horizontal two dimensional direction by rotating and positioning the frame with respect to the head support rest, and by rotating and positioning the arm with respect to the frame, and by moving and positioning the head putting portion with respect to the arm in a horizontal direction, and then, can be positioned at various positions in the horizontal plane. Therefore, in addition to the effects according to the invention of claim
1
, the workpiece having more complex shape can be also retained and carried, so it's convenient.
The invention of claim
6
of the present invention is a suction head, comprising:
a head body;
a plurality of retention means, provided with said head body;
a slide portion in the shape of a bar provided with each of said retention means, movably supported in an axial center direction with respect to said head body, being independent of another reten
Furuhashi Ryoichi
Morishita Akio
Ochiai Akiyoshi
Toda Kazuyuki
Gilly Richard P.
Hail III Joseph J.
Morishito Akio
Shanley Daniel
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