Mobile work station for transporting a plurality of articles
First Claim
1. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, the apparatus comprising:
- a wheeled chassis;
a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis;
a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis and operably configured to;
load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on the platform;
orunload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform;
at least one actuator operably configured to cause successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform for loading or unloading each subsequent article in the plurality of articles; and
wherein the manipulator includes;
a pair of outwardly directed spaced apart arms, each arm having a respective end effector distally disposed on the arm, the arms being operably configured to move to cause the respective end effectors to grasp the article; and
an arm actuator, operably configured to vertically rotate the arms toward the platform while the article is grasped by the end effectors and suspended between the arms.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for transporting a plurality of articles is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wheeled chassis, and a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis. The apparatus also includes a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis and operably configured to load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on the platform, or unload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform. The apparatus further includes at least one actuator operably configured to cause successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform for loading or unloading each subsequent article in the plurality of articles.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, the apparatus comprising:
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a wheeled chassis; a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis; a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis and operably configured to; load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on the platform;
orunload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform; at least one actuator operably configured to cause successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform for loading or unloading each subsequent article in the plurality of articles; and wherein the manipulator includes; a pair of outwardly directed spaced apart arms, each arm having a respective end effector distally disposed on the arm, the arms being operably configured to move to cause the respective end effectors to grasp the article; and an arm actuator, operably configured to vertically rotate the arms toward the platform while the article is grasped by the end effectors and suspended between the arms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of transporting a plurality of articles on a wheeled chassis, the method comprising:
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causing a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis to; move a pair of outwardly directed spaced apart arms to cause a respective end effector distally disposed on each of the arms to grasp an article; vertically rotate the arms toward or away from the platform while the article is grasped by the end effectors and suspended between the arms to; load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis;
orunload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform; causing successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform; and causing the manipulator to load or unload each subsequent article of the plurality of articles to or from the successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of articles, the apparatus comprising:
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a wheeled chassis; a platform disposed on the wheeled chassis; a manipulator coupled to the wheeled chassis and operably configured to; load a first article of the plurality of articles at a first position on the platform;
orunload the first article of the plurality of articles from the first position on the platform; wherein the manipulator includes; a pair of outwardly directed spaced apart arms, each arm having a respective end effector distally disposed on the arm, the arms being mounted for one of rotational movement about a pivot or lateral movement to cause the pair of end effectors to grasp or release the article; an arm actuator, operably configured to vertically rotate the arms toward the platform while the article is suspended between the arms; at least one actuator operably configured to cause successive relative rotational movements between the manipulator and the platform to provide access to successive rotationally spaced apart positions on the platform for loading or unloading each subsequent article in the plurality of articles.
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Specification