Storage cassette for large panel glass substrates
First Claim
1. A cassette for storing a plurality of substantially flat panels, comprising:
- a frame having a first side and an opposing second side; and
a plurality of racks separately disposed on the frame at different levels, each rack adapted to store a flat panel, wherein each of the racks comprises;
a plurality of rollers for supporting the flat panel, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in a first direction or in an opposing second direction, wherein the rollers are motionally engaged with each other such that the rollers can be caused to rotate simultaneously; and
a mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the first side of the rack, the coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the rollers, wherein the coupling mechanism is adapted to engage mechanically with a movement means so that the rollers can be caused by the movement means through the coupling mechanism to rotate simultaneously in the first direction for moving the flat panel from the first side to the second side, or to rotate simultaneously in the second direction for moving the flat panel from the second side to the first side.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a cassette having racks for storing glass substrates, rollers are used to support a glass substrate in a rack and to move the glass substrate into and out of the cassette. Two rows of interlocking gears are used to rotate the rollers in the same direction. A transfer platform having a plurality of rollers and two rows of interlocking gears is used as a conveyor to deliver or retrieve a glass substrate to or from the cassette after the gears on the transfer platform are also engaged with the gears on a cassette stage. Alternatively, the rollers on the cassette racks and on the transfer platform are driven by inter-linking belts or chains. In a different embodiment, rollers are driven by magnetic coupling devices mechanically linking the transfer platform and the rack through magnetic coupling.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A cassette for storing a plurality of substantially flat panels, comprising:
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a frame having a first side and an opposing second side; and
a plurality of racks separately disposed on the frame at different levels, each rack adapted to store a flat panel, wherein each of the racks comprises;
a plurality of rollers for supporting the flat panel, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in a first direction or in an opposing second direction, wherein the rollers are motionally engaged with each other such that the rollers can be caused to rotate simultaneously; and
a mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the first side of the rack, the coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the rollers, wherein the coupling mechanism is adapted to engage mechanically with a movement means so that the rollers can be caused by the movement means through the coupling mechanism to rotate simultaneously in the first direction for moving the flat panel from the first side to the second side, or to rotate simultaneously in the second direction for moving the flat panel from the second side to the first side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A transfer conveyor for use with a cassette, the cassette adapted to store a plurality of substantially flat panels, the cassette comprising:
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a frame having a first side and an opposing second side; and
a plurality of racks separately disposed on the frame at different levels, each rack adapted to store a flat panel, wherein each of the racks comprises;
a plurality of rollers for supporting the flat panel, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in a first direction or in an opposing second direction; and
a mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the first side of the rack, the coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the rollers, said transfer conveyor comprising;
a platform frame having a first frame side and an opposing frame side;
a plurality of platform rollers, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in the first direction or the second direction, wherein the platform rollers are motionally engaged with each other such that the platform rollers can be caused to rotate simultaneously;
a further mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the second platform side, the further mechanical coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the platform rollers; and
a movement means operatively linked to the further mechanical coupling mechanism for causing the platform rollers to rotate simultaneously in the first direction or the second direction, wherein the further mechanical coupling mechanism is adapted to engage mechanically with the mechanical coupling mechanism of one of the racks for causing the rollers on said rack to rotate simultaneously with the platform rollers in the same first or second direction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A panel transfer system comprising:
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one or more cassettes, each of the cassettes adapted to store a plurality of substantially flat panels, the cassette comprising;
a frame having a first side and an opposing second side; and
a plurality of racks separately disposed on the frame at different levels, each rack adapted to store a flat panel, wherein each of the racks comprises;
a plurality of rollers for supporting the flat panel, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in a first direction or in an opposing second direction; and
a mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the first side of the rack, the coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the rollers; and
a transfer conveyor position in relationship with said one or more cassettes, said transfer platform comprising;
a platform frame having a first frame side and an opposing frame side;
a plurality of platform rollers, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in the first direction or the second direction, wherein the platform rollers are motionally engaged with each other such that the platform rollers can be caused to rotate simultaneously;
a further mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the second platform side, the further mechanical coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the platform rollers, and a movement means operatively linked to the further mechanical coupling mechanism for causing the platform rollers to rotate simultaneously in the first direction or the second direction, wherein the further mechanical coupling mechanism is adapted to engage mechanically with the mechanical coupling mechanism of one of the racks for causing the rollers on said rack to rotate simultaneously with the platform rollers in the same first or second direction in order to move a flat panel from or to said rack. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for use with a cassette to move a substantially flat panel to or from the cassette, the cassette adapted for storing a plurality of flat panels, the cassette comprising:
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a frame having a first side and an opposing second side; and
a plurality of racks separately disposed on the frame at different levels, each rack adapted to store a flat panel, wherein each of the racks comprises;
a plurality of rollers for supporting the flat panel, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in a first direction or in an opposing second direction; and
a mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the first side of the rack, the coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the rollers, said method comprising the steps of;
1) locating a platform frame in relationship with the cassette, the platform frame having;
a first frame side and an opposing frame side;
a plurality of platform rollers, each roller capable of rotating along a rotational axis in the first direction or the second direction, wherein the platform rollers are motionally engaged with each other such that the platform rollers can be caused to rotate simultaneously; and
a further mechanical coupling mechanism disposed on the second platform side, the further mechanical coupling mechanism motionally engaged with the platform rollers;
2) engaging the further mechanical coupling mechanism to the mechanical coupling mechanism;
3) operatively linking a movement means to the further mechanical coupling mechanism for causing the platform rollers to rotate simultaneously in the first direction or the second direction and further causing the rollers the rollers on said rack through the mechanical coupling mechanism to rotate simultaneously with the platform rollers in the same first or second direction in order to move the flat panel from or to said rack.
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Specification