Automotive body component positioning method and apparatus

• US 20030037432A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Unova IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Unova IP Corp.
• Inventors: McNamara, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US10/217,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037432A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/771
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53313 Means to interrelatedly feed plural work parts from plural sources without manual intervention

Abstract

An automotive body component positioning method and apparatus including a framing station that receives and supports the two gates of a framing gate pair in respective framing positions against opposite sides of a vehicle body disposed between them. At least two framing gate pairs are movable between the framing station and respective gate pair storage stations. Each framing gate pair includes a plurality of locating fixtures that hold sub-elements of a vehicle body in their respective proper positions relative to one another when the gates are held in their respective framing positions. Each framing gate pair accommodates a specific corresponding vehicle body configuration. A turntable is rotatably supported adjacent the framing station with the gate storage stations spaced circumferentially around and adjacent the turntable. The turntable is rotated into respective positions to receive a framing gate pair from any one of the stations and is then rotated into respective positions to allow the framing gate pair to be offloaded to any other of the stations.

Claims

1. An automotive body component positioning apparatus comprising:

a framing station configured to receive and support the two gates of a framing gate pair in respective framing positions against opposite sides of a vehicle body disposed between them;

at least two framing gate pairs movable between respective gate pair storage stations and the framing station, each framing gate pair including a plurality of locating fixtures positioned and configured to hold sub-elements of a vehicle body in their respective proper positions relative to one another when the gates are held in their respective framing positions, each framing gate pair being adapted to accommodate a specific corresponding vehicle body configuration; and

a turntable rotatably supported adjacent the framing station with the gate storage stations spaced circumferentially around and adjacent the turntable, the turntable configured to be rotated into respective positions to receive a framing gate pair from any one of the stations and to then be rotated into respective positions to allow the framing gate pair to be offloaded to any other of the stations.

2. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the turntable is disposed downstream from the framing station along a vehicle body assembly line.

3. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including a re-spot welding station disposed downstream from the framing station along the vehicle body assembly line and configured to hold a vehicle body received from the welding station in position for additional welds.

4. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the re-spot welding station is disposed on the turntable.

5. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the framing station includes a framing drive operably connectable to and configured to drive the two gates of a framing gate pair between respective stowed positions spaced from and generally parallel to respective opposite sides of a vehicle body disposed between them, and their respective framing positions.

6. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which:

the framing station includes a pair of frame stands supported for reciprocal motion toward and away from each other and to receive and move the two gates of a framing gate pair between respective stowed positions spaced from and generally parallel to respective opposite sides of a vehicle body assembly line conveyor disposed between them, and their respective framing positions; and

the framing drive is operatively connected to the frame stands and is configured to move the frame stands so as to drive the framing gates between their stowed and framing positions.

7. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which:

the framing station includes a pair of parallel rails positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the framing station;

each of the storage stations includes a pair of parallel rails positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the storage stations and to support the gate pairs during storage; and

the turntable includes a pair of parallel rails positioned to be rotated into alignment with the rails of the framing station and the rails of each of the storage stations and to support and guide gate pairs as they are being moved between the turntable and each of the storage stations.

8. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the rails of the framing station are spaced from the rails of the turntable when the framing station and turntable rails are aligned.

9. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the rails of the turntable are spaced from the rails of each of the storage stations when the turntable rails are aligned with the respective storage stations.

10. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the gates of each gate pair are configured to releasably interconnect when moved to a transport position abutting one another.

11. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which each gate pair includes a pair of releasably interconnecting extension frames, each extension frame being fixed to an upper edge of one of the gates of the gate pair and configured to releasably interconnect along respective interfacing edges in the transport position.

12. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which the interfacing edge of at least one of the extension frames of each gate pair includes at least one locating pin engageable with a corresponding pin receptacle in the interfacing edge of the other extension frame of the gate pair.

13. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which each gate pair includes at least one clamp configured to hold the interconnecting extension frames of each gate pair together in the transport position.

14. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which each gate pair includes at least one pair of tie bars configured to releasably connect between the two frames of each gate pair while crossing one another in an X configuration.

15. An automotive body component positioning apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which each gate of each gate pair includes two vertically spaced posts, each post configured to releasably engage one end of one of the tie bars.

16. A method for positively locating and holding together loosely assembled components of any one of a number of different automotive body configurations to prepare the components to be welded together in an automotive assembly line process, the method including the steps of:

providing a framing station, at least two framing gate pairs movable between respective gate pair storage stations and the framing station, and a turntable rotatably supported adjacent the framing station with the gate storage stations spaced circumferentially around and adjacent the turntable;

rotating the turntable into a position to receive a first desired gate pair from one of the storage stations;

moving the first desired gate pair onto the turntable from the first storage station;

rotating the turntable into a position to unload the first gate pair onto the framing station; and

moving the first gate pair to the framing station from the turntable.

17. The method of claim 16 in which:

the step of providing a framing station includes providing a pair of parallel rails at the framing station positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the framing station;

the step of providing gate storage stations includes providing a pair of parallel rails at each storage station positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the storage stations;

the step of providing the turntable includes providing a pair of parallel rails on the turntable positioned to be rotated into alignment with the rails of the framing station and the rails of each of the storage stations;

the step of rotating the turntable into a position to receive a first desired gate pair includes rotating the turntable until the turntable rails are aligned with the rails of the first storage station where the first gate pair is movably supported on the rails;

the step of moving the first gate pair onto the turntable includes moving the first gate pair from the storage station rails to the turntable rails;

the step of rotating the turntable into a position to unload the first gate pair includes rotating the turntable until the turntable rails are aligned with the rails of the framing station; and

the step of moving the first gate pair to the framing station includes moving the first gate pair from the turntable rails to the framing station rails.

18. The method of claim 16 including the additional steps of:

moving the first gate pair to the turntable from the framing station;

rotating the turntable into a position to unload the first gate pair onto an empty storage station;

moving the first gate pair from the turntable to the empty storage station;

rotating the turntable into a position to receive a second desired gate pair from a second storage station;

moving the second gate pair onto the turntable from the second storage station;

rotating the turntable into a position to unload the second gate pair onto the framing station; and

moving the second gate pair to the framing station from the turntable.

19. The method of claim 18 in which:

the step of providing a framing station includes providing a pair of parallel rails at the framing station positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the framing station;

the step of providing gate storage stations includes providing a pair of parallel rails at each storage station positioned to support and guide a gate pair as it is being moved between the turntable and the storage stations;

the step of providing the turntable includes providing a pair of parallel rails on the turntable positioned to be rotated into alignment with the rails of the framing station and the rails of each of the storage stations;

the step of moving the first gate pair to the turntable includes moving the first gate pair from the framing station rails to the turntable rails;

the step of rotating the turntable into a position to unload the first gate pair includes rotating the turntable until the turntable rails are aligned with the rails of the empty storage station;

the step of moving the first gate pair from the turntable includes moving the first gate pair from the turntable rails to the empty storage station rails;

the step of rotating the turntable to a position to receive a second desired gate pair includes rotating the turntable until the turntable rails are aligned with the rails of a second storage station supporting the second gate pair;

the step of moving the second gate pair onto the turntable includes moving the second gate pair from the rails of the second storage station to the turntable rails;

the step of rotating the turntable into a position to unload the second gate pair includes rotating the turntable until the turntable rails are aligned with the framing station rails; and

the step of moving the second gate pair to the framing station includes moving the second gate pair from the turntable rails to the framing station rails.