Inverted carrier lift device system and method
First Claim
1. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
- a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel to a predetermined workstation;
a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel;
the carrier further including a scissors device comprising;
a pair of first links;
a pair of second links each pivotally connected to a respective first link, each of the first links pivotally connected to the trolley and each of the second links pivotally connected to the workpiece support beam, the scissors device operable to contract and extend in a length along the carrier axis of travel on the movement of the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position;
a first guide member positioned on the workpiece support beam;
a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and
a second guide member stationarily positioned in the workstation in vertical alignment with the first guide member when the carrier is positioned in the predetermined workstation, on movement of workpiece support beam to the lowered position, the first guide member engages the second guide member thereby positioning the workpiece at a predetermined location at the workstation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inverted carrier lift and method is disclosed. The inverted carrier lift includes a trolley movable along an overhead conveyor and a carrier for supporting a workpiece to undergo an assembly or manufacturing process. The carrier is movable relative to the trolley from a raised position to a lowered position by a motor mounted engaged with a lifting mechanism onboard the trolley. On rotation of the motor, the carrier and supported workpiece is lowered or raised to position the workpiece in the workstation for processing. The workpiece may be disengaged by the carrier for support of the workpiece by one of many different fixtures depending on the processing. Following processing, the workpiece is re-engaged by the carrier, moved to a raised position and the trolley is transferred to a subsequent workstation.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel to a predetermined workstation; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; the carrier further including a scissors device comprising; a pair of first links; a pair of second links each pivotally connected to a respective first link, each of the first links pivotally connected to the trolley and each of the second links pivotally connected to the workpiece support beam, the scissors device operable to contract and extend in a length along the carrier axis of travel on the movement of the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; a first guide member positioned on the workpiece support beam; a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and a second guide member stationarily positioned in the workstation in vertical alignment with the first guide member when the carrier is positioned in the predetermined workstation, on movement of workpiece support beam to the lowered position, the first guide member engages the second guide member thereby positioning the workpiece at a predetermined location at the workstation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel, the carrier further comprising; a first telescopic post; a second telescopic post, each of the first telescopic post and the second telescopic post having a first end connected to the trolley and a second end connected to the workpiece support beam, each of the first and the second telescopic posts operable to contract and extend in a length along the carrier axis of travel on the movement of the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; a workpiece engaging device connected to the workpiece support beam operable to selectively engage and disengage the workpiece; and a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel, the carrier further including a scissors device comprising; a pair of first links each pivotally connected to the trolley; and a pair of second links each pivotally connected to a respective first link and each pivotally connected to the workpiece support beam, the scissors device operable to contract and extend in a length along the carrier axis of travel on the movement of the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; a workpiece engaging device connected to the workpiece support beam operable to selectively engage and disengage the workpiece; a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and a locking mechanism connected to the trolley, the locking mechanism having a latch arm movable relative to the trolley for selected engagement with a foot member connected to the workpiece support beam, the locking member operable to prevent the carrier from moving relative to the trolley between the raised position and the lowered position when the latch arm is engaged with the foot member.
-
-
11. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; a workpiece engaging device connected to the workpiece support beam operable to selectively engage and disengage the workpiece; and a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position, the lift mechanism further comprising; a tether connected to the workpiece support beam; a ratchet mechanism connected to the trolley and engaged with the tether; a motor mounted in a workstation independent of the trolley and carrier, the motor operable to selectively engage the ratchet mechanism to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the carrier operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and a trunnion fixture positioned in a workstation along the carrier path of travel and having an axis of rotation, the trunnion fixture further comprising; a first end plate; a second end plate positioned longitudinally distant from the first end plate along a trunnion fixture axis of rotation; a frame connected to the first end plate and the second end plate, the frame operable to engage and disengage the workpiece; and a drive to selectively rotate the trunnion fixture about the axis or rotation.
-
-
16. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; a workpiece engaging device connected to the workpiece support beam operable to selectively engage and disengage the workpiece; a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and one of an indexable cradle or buffer operable to support a plurality of the workpieces positioned along the trolley path of travel, the indexable cradle or buffer operable to expose one of the plurality of workpieces for engagement of the exposed workpiece by the workpiece engaging device.
-
-
17. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
-
a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley, the carrier having a workpiece support beam operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; a workpiece engaging device connected to the workpiece support beam operable to selectively engage and disengage the workpiece; a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the workpiece support beam to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position; and an indexable workpiece shuttle positioned transverse to the trolley path of travel, the indexable workpiece shuttle operable to selectively expose the workpiece for engagement of the workpiece by the workpiece engagement device.
-
Specification