Five axis production line handler

• US 20040258513A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth Cooke
• Original Assignee: Kenneth Cooke
• Inventors: Cooke, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 6,994,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/626
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/66 for engaging holes, recesses, or abutments on articles specially provided for facilitating handling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 11/08 with turntables
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 17/00 Overhead travelling cranes comprising one or more substantially horizontal girders the ends of which are directly supported by wheels or rollers running on tracks carried by spaced supports

Abstract

A five-axis production-line handler has a handler shoulder (1) that is suspended rotatively downward from a gantry chassis (2). Two handler columns (4, 5) are spaced apart and suspended vertically downward from the handler shoulder. The handler columns terminate vertically above a production-line floor (6) for allowing horizontally circumferential positioning of the handler columns by rotation of the handler shoulder. The handler columns include hoist carriages (9, 10) that are raised and lowered by a hoist (7) for positioning item-rotation axles (11, 12) and attachment plates (29) to receive and rotate production items on an axis between the handler columns. The gantry chassis is gantry-wheel mobile on a gantry rail system for linear travel along a production line that can be linear or looped for a wide variety of production.

Claims

1. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

a handler shoulder that is hangable rotatively downward from a gantry chassis;

the handler shoulder being rotational on a shoulder axle proximate the gantry chassis and the handler shoulder;

the gantry chassis being articulated for mobility on a gantry rail system;

two handler columns that are spaced apart and suspended vertically downward from the handler shoulder;

the two handler columns including a first handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a first portion of the handler shoulder on a first side of the shoulder axle and a second handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a second portion of the handler shoulder on a second side of the shoulder axle;

the handler columns terminating vertically above a production-line floor for allowing horizontally circumferential positioning of the handler columns by rotation of the handler shoulder about a vertical axis of the shoulder axle;

a hoist having a first hoist portion proximate the first handler column and a second hoist portion proximate the second handler column;

a hoist lifter intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist;

the hoist lifter being articulated for raising and lowering the hoist on the handler columns selectively;

a first hoist carriage attached to the first hoist portion;

a second hoist carriage attached to the second hoist portion;

the first hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the first handler column and the second hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the second handler column;

a first item-rotation axle attached to the first hoist carriage; and

a second item-rotation axle attached to the second hoist carriage.

2. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 and further comprising:

a shoulder rotator on the gantry chassis for rotating the handler shoulder selectively on the shoulder axle.

3. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 2 wherein:

the shoulder rotator includes a motorized shoulder rotator.

4. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 3 wherein:

the motorized shoulder rotator includes programmable shoulder rotation.

5. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 3 wherein:

the motorized shoulder rotator includes radio-control rotation.

6. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 3 wherein:

the motorized shoulder rotator includes predetermined circumferential indexing.

7. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 3 wherein:

the motorized shoulder rotator includes the programmable shoulder rotation, radio-control rotation and predetermined circumferential indexing.

8. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the two handler columns include parallel slideway surfaces;

the first hoist carriage includes parallel sliders in sliding contact with parallel slideway surfaces of the first handler column; and

the second hoist carriage includes parallel sliders in sliding contact with parallel slideway surfaces of the second handler column.

9. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the first hoist portion includes pivotal attachment to the first hoist carriage;

the second hoist portion includes pivotal attachment to the second host carriage; and

the hoist includes pivotal attachment to the hoist lifter for askew orientation of attachment of a production item.

10. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the hoist lifter includes a pulley intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist.

11. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 10 herein:

the pulley includes a motorized pulley.

12. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the first item-rotation axle includes an item rotator for rotating the first item-rotation axle, any item on the first item-rotation axle and any item attached to the first item-rotation axle and to the second item-rotation axle.

13. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 12 wherein:

the item rotator includes a motorized rotator.

14. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 13 wherein:

the motorized rotator includes electrical motorization with a rotational switch positioned on at least one of the two handler columns.

15. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 12 wherein:

the item rotator includes a manual-rotation handle.

16. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 14 wherein:

the item rotator includes a manual-rotation handle.

17. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the first item-rotation axle includes a first brake for maintaining a desired circumferential positioning of the first item-rotation axle, any item on the first item-rotation axle and any item attached to the first item-rotation axle and to the second item-rotation axle.

18. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the second item-rotation axle includes a second brake for maintaining a desired circumferential positioning of the second item-rotation axle, any item on the second item-rotation axle and any item attached to the second item-rotation axle and to the first item-rotation axle.

19. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the first item-rotation axle includes a first item holder and the second rotation axle includes a second item holder for holding select production items intermediate the first item holder and the second item holder while being produced selectively.

20. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 19 wherein:

the first item holder includes a first-axle hub that is affixable circumferentially and linearly on the first item-rotation axle;

the second item holder includes a second-axle hub that is affixable circumferentially and linearly on the second item-rotation axle;

a first attachment member, which includes an attachment plate, is affixable to the first-axle hub;

a second attachment member, which includes an attachment plate, is affixable to the second-axle hub;

the first attachment member includes an item-contact area that is articulated for receiving, positioning and being attached to a first portion of a production item; and

the second attachment member includes an item-contact area that is articulated for receiving, positioning and being attached to a second portion of a production item.

21. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 20 wherein:

the second attachment member is affixed to the second-axle hub with flexible fasteners for allowing askew attachment of the production item to the second-axle hub.

22. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the handler shoulder includes a fixed-sized handler shoulder with the handler columns being fixed distances apart and fixed distances outward radially from the shoulder axle.

23. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 1 wherein:

the handler shoulder includes a positional handler shoulder with handler columns that are positioned select distances apart and outward radially from the shoulder axle.

24. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 23 wherein:

the positional handler shoulder includes shoulder slideways and the handler columns include column sliders that slide on the shoulder slideways for adjustment of distances of the handler columns apart and outwardly from the shoulder axle.

25. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 24 and further comprising:

a column-positioner rod that is opposite-directionally threaded externally and rotated by a positional motor proximate the shoulder axle;

the handler columns include positioning nuts having internal threads positioned proximate the column sliders to receive the column-positioner rod for increasing distances of the handler columns apart by rotation of the column-positioner rod in a first direction and for decreasing distances of the handler columns apart by rotation of the column-positioner in a second direction of rotation with the positional motor.

26. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

a handler shoulder that is hangable rotatively downward from a gantry chassis;

the handler shoulder being rotational on a shoulder axle proximate the gantry chassis and the handler shoulder;

the gantry chassis being articulated for gantry-wheel mobility on a gantry rail system;

two handler columns that are spaced apart and suspended vertically downward from the handler shoulder;

the two handler columns including a first handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a first portion of the handler shoulder on a first side of the shoulder axle and a second handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a second portion of the handler shoulder on a second side of the shoulder axle;

the handler columns terminating vertically above a production-line floor for allowing horizontally circumferential positioning of the handler columns by rotation of the handler shoulder about a vertical axis of the shoulder axle;

a hoist having a first hoist portion proximate the first handler column and a second hoist portion proximate the second handler column;

a hoist lifter intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist;

the hoist lifter being articulated for raising and lowering the hoist on the handler columns selectively;

a first hoist carriage attached to the first hoist portion;

a second hoist carriage attached to the second hoist portion;

the first hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the first handler column and the second hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the second handler column;

a first item-rotation axle attached to the first hoist carriage;

a second item-rotation axle attached to the second hoist carriage;

a shoulder rotator on the gantry chassis for rotating the handler shoulder selectively on the shoulder axle;

the shoulder rotator includes a motorized shoulder rotator;

the two handler columns include parallel slideway surfaces;

the first hoist carriage includes parallel sliders in sliding contact with parallel slideway surfaces of the first handler column;

the second hoist carriage includes parallel sliders in sliding contact with parallel slideway surfaces of the second handler column;

the hoist lifter includes a pulley intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist;

the pulley includes a motorized pulley;

the first item-rotation axle includes an item rotator for rotating the first item-rotation axle, any item on the first item-rotation axle and any item attached to the first item-rotation axle and to the second item-rotation axle;

the item rotator includes a motorized rotator;

the second item-rotation axle includes a second brake for maintaining a desired circumferential positioning of the second item-rotation axle, any item on the second item-rotation axle and any item attached to the second item-rotation axle and to the first item-rotation axle.

the first item-rotation axle includes a first item holder and the second rotation axle includes a second item holder for holding select production items intermediate the first item holder and the second item holder while being processed selectively;

the first item holder includes a first-axle hub that is affixable onto the first item-rotation axle circumferentially and linearly;

the second item holder includes a second-axle hub that is affixable circumferentially and linearly onto the second item-rotation axle;

a first attachment member is affixable to the first-axle hub;

a second attachment member is affixable to the second-axle hub;

the first attachment member includes an item-contact area that is articulated for receiving, positioning and being attached to a first portion of a production item; and

the second attachment member includes an item-contact area that is articulated for receiving, positioning and being attached to a second portion of a production item.

27. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

a handler shoulder that is hung rotatively downward from a gantry chassis;

the gantry chassis having gantry-wheel mobility on a gantry rail system;

the gantry rail system being articulated for a predetermined production line;

the handler shoulder being rotational on a shoulder axle proximate the gantry chassis and the handler shoulder;

two handler columns that are spaced apart and suspended vertically downward from the handler shoulder;

the two handler columns including a first handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a first portion of the handler shoulder on a first side of the shoulder axle and a second handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a second portion of the handler shoulder on a second side of the shoulder axle;

the handler columns terminating vertically above a production-line floor for allowing horizontally circumferential positioning of the handler columns by rotation of the handler shoulder about a vertical axis of the shoulder axle;

a hoist having a first hoist portion proximate the first handler column and a second hoist portion proximate the second handler column;

a hoist lifter intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist;

the hoist lifter being articulated for raising and lowering the hoist on the handler columns selectively;

a first hoist carriage attached to the first hoist portion;

a second hoist carriage attached to the second hoist portion;

the first hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the first handler column and the second hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the second handler column;

a first item-rotation axle attached to the first hoist carriage; and

a second item-rotation axle attached to the second hoist carriage.

28. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 27 wherein:

the gantry rail system includes two gantry channel beams that are articulated for the predetermined production line; and

a plurality of sets of gantry wheels on the gantry chassis are included for the gantry-wheel mobility on the gantry channel beams.

29. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 28 wherein:

the plurality of the sets of the gantry wheels include gantry wheels which are each rotational on juxtaposed-wheel axles;

a plurality of chassis supports are each attached to a juxtaposed-wheel axle intermediate gantry wheels of the sets of the gantry wheels;

the chassis supports are each suspended downward to the gantry chassis through a channel aperture in each of the gantry channel beams; and

the chassis supports are attached to the gantry chassis for carriage support of the gantry chassis with the gantry wheels each riding on one of two channel floors which are oriented horizontally on opposite sides of the channel aperture in each of the gantry channel beams.

30. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 29 wherein:

the gantry channel beams each include a top wall that is oriented horizontally, the two channel floors, and two oppositely disposed side walls that are slanted inwardly from outside edges of the top wall to outside edges of the channel floors which are narrower than the top wall;

the channel floors are on opposite sides of channel apertures through which the chassis supports are suspended; and

the gantry wheels are positioned designedly close to the oppositely disposed side walls for allowing rotational engagement of the gantry wheels with bottom portions of the oppositely disposed side walls while rotational contact of sides of the gantry wheels with the oppositely disposed side walls is prevented for precise-alignment and minimally obstructed travel of the gantry chassis on the gantry channel beams.

31. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 29 wherein:

the gantry chassis includes at least one chassis drive unit;

the chassis drive unit includes a motor in rotational communication with a beam wheel; and

the beam wheel is in upwardly supported contact with a bottom surface of at least one of the gantry channel beams for propelling the gantry chassis along the gantry channel beams selectively.

32. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 27 wherein:

the production line includes a straight production line.

33. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 32 wherein:

the gantry channel beams include dual beams of which the gantry channel beams are bottom beams and stiffener beams are top beams that are positioned predeterminedly above the gantry channel beams;

the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams are spaced apart vertically and joined with beam connectors between them;

the gantry channel beams are suspended downward vertically from gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beam and are positioned on gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items; and

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the dual beams for a production-line distance intermediate a beginning and an end of a production line predeterminedly.

34. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 27 wherein:

the production line includes a loop production line for continuous production with one or more of the five-axis production-line handlers being operational in the loop production line.

35. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 34 wherein:

the loop production line includes a first side section, a first end section, a second side section and a second end section;

the gantry channel beams for the first side section and the second side section each include the dual beams with the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams spaced apart vertically and joined with the beam connectors predeterminedly;

the dual beams for the first side section and the second side section include side dual beams that have side-production lengths which are predetermined for achieving side-production objectives;

the side dual beams are suspended downward vertically from horizontal gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beams and are positioned on the gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the side dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the side dual beams throughout production-line distances intermediate starts and finishes of the first side section and the second side section respectively;

the first end section and the second end section each include end dual beams with cross-channel lengths for receiving the gantry wheels with the end dual beams being lined up concentrically with the gantry channel beams for transporting the end dual beams and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the first side section to the second side section at the first end section and for transporting the gantry chassis and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the second side section to the first side section at the second end section of the production loop; and

the end dual beams for the first end section and for the second end section are affixable to mobile carriages on cross gantry beams which are suspended from end cross rods on end pillars intermediate the first side section and the second side section.

36. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

a handler shoulder that is hung rotatively downward from a gantry chassis;

the gantry chassis having gantry-wheel mobility on a gantry rail system;

the gantry rail system being articulated for a predetermined production line;

the handler shoulder being rotational on a shoulder axle proximate the gantry chassis and the handler shoulder;

two handler columns that are spaced apart and suspended vertically downward from the handler shoulder;

the two handler columns including a first handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a first portion of the handler shoulder on a first side of the shoulder axle and a second handler column that is suspended vertically downward from a second portion of the handler shoulder on a second side of the shoulder axle;

the handier columns terminating vertically above a production-line floor for allowing horizontally circumferential positioning of the handler columns by rotation of the handler shoulder about a vertical axis of the shoulder axle;

a hoist having a first hoist portion proximate the first handler column and a second hoist portion proximate the second handler column;

a hoist lifter intermediate the handler shoulders and the hoist;

the hoist lifter being articulated for raising and lowering the hoist on the handler columns selectively;

a first hoist carriage attached to the first hoist portion;

a second hoist carriage attached to the second hoist portion;

the first hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the first handler column and the second hoist carriage being in traveling contact with the second handler column;

a first item-rotation axle attached to the first hoist carriage;

a second item-rotation axle attached to the second hoist carriage;

the gantry rail system includes two gantry channel beams that are articulated for the predetermined production line;

a plurality of sets of gantry wheels on the gantry chassis are included for the gantry-wheel mobility on the gantry channel beams;

the plurality of the sets of the gantry wheels include gantry wheels which are each rotational on juxtaposed-wheel axles;

a plurality of chassis supports are each attached to a juxtaposed-wheel axle intermediate gantry wheels of the sets of the gantry wheels;

the chassis supports are each suspended downward to the gantry chassis through a channel aperture in each of the gantry channel beams;

the chassis supports are attached to the gantry chassis for carriage support of the gantry chassis with the gantry wheels each riding on one of two channel floors which are oriented horizontally on opposite sides of the channel aperture in each of the gantry channel beams;

the gantry channel beams each include a top wall that is oriented horizontally, the two channel floors, and two oppositely disposed side walls that include predetermined-inward slanting intermediate outside edges of the top wall and outside edges of the channel floors which are narrower than the top wall;

the channel floors are on opposite sides of channel apertures through which the chassis supports are suspended;

the gantry wheels are positioned designedly close to the oppositely disposed side walls for allowing rotational engagement of the gantry wheels with bottom portions of the oppositely disposed side walls while rotational contact of sides of the gantry wheels with the oppositely disposed side walls is prevented for precise-alignment and minimally obstructed travel of the gantry chassis on the gantry channel beams;

the gantry chassis includes at least one chassis drive unit;

the chassis drive unit includes a motor in rotational communication with a beam wheel; and

the beam wheel is in upwardly supported contact with a bottom surface of at least one of the gantry channel beams for propelling the gantry chassis along the gantry channel beams selectively.

37. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 36 wherein:

the production line includes a straight production line;

the gantry channel beams include dual beams of which the gantry channel beams are bottom beams and stiffener beams are top beams that are positioned predeterminedly above the gantry channel beams;

the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams are spaced apart vertically and joined with beam connectors between them;

the gantry channel beams are suspended downward vertically from gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beam and are positioned on gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items; and

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the dual beams for a production-line distance intermediate a beginning and an end of a production line predeterminedly.

38. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 36 wherein:

the production line includes a loop production line for continuous production with one or more of the five-axis production-line handlers being operational in the loop production line.

the loop production line includes a first side section, a first end section, a second side section and a second end section;

the gantry channel beams for the first side section and the second side section each include the dual beams with the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams spaced apart vertically and joined with the beam connectors predeterminedly;

the dual beams for the first side section and the second side section include side dual beams that have side-production lengths which are predetermined for achieving side-production objectives;

the side dual beams are suspended downward vertically from horizontal gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beams and are positioned on the gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the side dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the side dual beams throughout production-line distances intermediate starts and finishes of the first side section and the second side section respectively;

the first end section and the second end section each include end dual beams with cross-channel lengths for receiving the gantry wheels with the end dual beams being lined up concentrically with the gantry channel beams for transporting the end dual beams and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the first side section to the second side section at the first end section and for transporting the gantry chassis and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the second side section to the first side section at the second end section of the production loop; and

the end dual beams for the first end section and for the second end section are affixable to mobile carriages on cross gantry beams which are suspended from end cross rods on end pillars intermediate the first side section and the second side section.

39. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

two handler columns extended downward from a handler shoulder that is articulated to be rotatable on a gantry chassis having gantry-wheel mobility on the gantry chassis;

a hoist carriage in vertically sliding contact with the handler columns;

a hoist lifter attached to a hoist which is attached to the hoist carriage for raising and lowering the hoist carriage on the handler columns;

a first item-rotational axle rotatable on a first of the two handler columns; and

a second item-rotational axle rotatable on a second of the two handler columns.

40. A five-axis production-line handler comprising:

a handler shoulder that is hung rotatively downward from a gantry chassis;

the gantry chassis having gantry-wheel mobility on a gantry rail system;

the gantry rail system being articulated for a predetermined production line;

the handler shoulder being rotational on a shoulder axle proximate the gantry chassis and the handler shoulder;

two handler columns extended downward from the handler shoulder;

a hoist carriage in vertically sliding contact with the handler columns;

a hoist lifter attached to a hoist which is attached to the hoist carriage for raising and lowering the hoist carriage on the handler columns;

a first item-rotational axle rotatable on a first of the two handler columns; and

a second item-rotational axle rotatable on a second of the two handler columns.

41. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 40 wherein:

the production line includes a straight production line;

the gantry rail system has gantry channel beams that include dual beams of which the gantry channel beams are bottom beams and stiffener beams are top beams that are positioned predeterminedly above the gantry channel beams;

the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams are spaced apart vertically and joined with beam connectors between them;

the gantry channel beams are suspended downward vertically from gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beams and are positioned on gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items; and

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the dual beams for a production-line distance intermediate a beginning and an end of a production line predeterminedly.

42. The five-axis production-line handler of claim 40 wherein:

the production line includes a loop production line for continuous production with one or more of the five-axis production-line handlers being operational in the loop production line;

the loop production line includes a first side section, a first end section, a second side section and a second end section;

the gantry channel beams for the first side section and the second side section each include the dual beams with the gantry channel beams and the stiffener beams spaced apart vertically and joined with the beam connectors predeterminedly;

the dual beams for the first side section and the second side section include side dual beams that have side-production lengths which are predetermined for achieving side-production objectives;

the side dual beams are suspended downward vertically from horizontal gantry cross rods to which the top beams are attached;

the gantry cross rods are oriented perpendicularly to the gantry channel beams and are positioned on the gantry pillars;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart laterally at distances from outsides of the gantry channel beams for receiving the side dual beams, the handler shoulders and production items;

the gantry pillars are spaced apart parallel to the side dual beams throughout production-line distances intermediate starts and finishes of the first side section and the second side section respectively;

the first end section and the second end section each include end dual beams with cross-channel lengths for receiving the gantry wheels with the end dual beams being lined up concentrically with the gantry channel beams for transporting the end dual beams and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the first side section to the second side section at the first end section and for transporting the gantry chassis and the five-axis production-line handler thereon from the second side section to the first side section at the second end section of the production loop; and

the end dual beams for the first end section and for the second end section are affixable to mobile carriages on cross gantry beams which are suspended from end cross rods on end pillars intermediate the first side section and the second side section respectively.