APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A ROTOR

• US 20160016316A1
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Balancing Limited (China Everbright Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Universal Balancing Limited (China Everbright Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fowler, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0057 mounted on a turret
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0096 co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/02 Details of balancing machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/24 Performing balancing on elastic shafts, e.g. for crankshafts
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/027 Test-benches with force-applying means, e.g. loading of drive shafts along several directions
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31041 Machine balancing, distribute articles evenly over machines
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37378 Balance of workpiece from vibration sensor and angle sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45083 Manipulators, robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/06 Communication with another machine

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus capable of transporting a rotor from a first location to a second location, including: a holding device for engaging with a portion of the rotor at the first location so as to hold the rotor relative to the apparatus; a position determination device for determining the position of at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; a positioning device for positioning or repositioning said at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and a movement device for moving the rotor from the first location to the second location. Also described is a method of loading a rotor into a balancing machine.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of transporting an elongate rotor from a first location to a second location, the apparatus comprising:

a holding device capable of engaging with a portion of the rotor at the first location so as to hold the rotor relative to the apparatus;

a position determination device capable of determining the position of at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body;

a positioning device capable of positioning or repositioning said at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and

a movement device capable of moving the rotor from the first location to the second location.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 comprising two or more of said positioning devices, each capable of positioning or repositioning a respective component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said positioning device(s) is capable of angularly positioning or repositioning a component of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said positioning device is capable of rotating a component part relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said positioning device(s) is capable of:

axially positioning or repositioning a component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and

/or

positioning or repositioning a component part of the rotor such that it lies in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an elongate axis of the rotor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 where said positioning device is capable of axially displacing a component part relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises:

at least one positioning device capable of angularly positioning or repositioning a component of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body, and

at least one alignment device capable of;

axially positioning or repositioning a component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and

/or

positioning or repositioning a component part of the rotor such that it lies in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an elongate axis of the rotor.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of the positioning devices is capable of positioning or repositioning an endmost articulated part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of the positioning devices is capable of positioning or repositioning an elongate part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a plurality of positioning devices and/or a plurality of position determination devices and/or a plurality of holding devices.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein one or more of the holding device(s) are capable of axially positioning a component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein one or more of the holding device(s) are capable of angularly positioning a component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each holding device includes a pair of engaging members that are moveable towards and away from each other so as to hold the rotor therebetween.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each positioning device includes an opening or recess to receive a portion of the rotor wherein opening or recess preferably opens downwardly in normal use.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the positioning device(s) and/or the holding device(s) is/are pneumatically, hydraulically or electro-mechanically operated.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein another component part of the rotor is a generally elongate part thereof preferably an articulated part of the rotor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein another component part of the rotor is an endmost, or articulated endmost, part of the rotor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein another component part of the rotor is an intermediate, or intermediate articulated, part of the rotor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein another body is a component part of a balancing machine or a main body of the apparatus.

20. A method of loading an elongate rotor into a balancing machine, the method comprising:

obtaining a balancing machine comprising;

first and second mounting apparatus each capable of engaging with and holding respective ends of the rotor; and

means for driving one or both the first and second mounting apparatus,

collecting a rotor from a first location using a transporting apparatus, the transporting apparatus including a holding device capable of engaging with a portion of the rotor so as to hold the rotor relative to the transporting apparatus;

determining the position of at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body;

loading the rotor into the balancing machine; and

engaging the first and second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine with respective end of the rotor,

wherein, prior to or at the same time as the step of loading the rotor into the balancing machine, the method includes one or both of the steps of;

positioning or repositioning said at least one component part of the rotor relative to the another component part of the rotor or the another body; and

/or

positioning or repositioning one of the first and second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine at a desired position which corresponds to the position of the at least one component part of the rotor.

21. The method according to claim 20 comprising the steps of:

determining the position of two component parts of the rotor relative to one or more other component part of the rotor or another body(ies);

and wherein, prior to or at the same time as the step of loading the rotor into the balancing machine, the method includes one or both of the steps of;

positioning or repositioning said two component parts of the rotor relative to their respective other component part of the rotor or their respective another body(ies); and

/or

positioning or repositioning both the first and second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine at desired positions which corresponds to the position of the two component parts of the rotor.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the component part of the rotor is an endmost part thereof.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining the position of a first endmost part of the rotor;

determining the position of a second, opposite, endmost part of the rotor;

positioning or repositioning the first mounting apparatus of the balancing machine at a desired position which corresponds to the position of the first endmost part of the rotor;

positioning or repositioning the second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine at a desired position which corresponds to the position of the second endmost part of the rotor;

loading the rotor into the balancing machine; and

engaging the first and second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine with respective endmost parts of the rotor.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the method comprises the steps of:

determining the position of a first endmost part of the rotor;

determining the position of a second, opposite, endmost part of the rotor;

positioning or repositioning the first mounting apparatus of the balancing machine at a desired position which corresponds to the position of the first endmost part of the rotor;

loading the rotor into the balancing machine;

engaging the first mounting apparatus of the balancing machine with the first endmost part of the rotor;

rotating the rotor until the second endmost part of aligned with the second mounting apparatus; and

engaging the second mounting apparatus of the balancing machine with second endmost part of the rotor.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the rotor is rotated by a positioning device or holding device on the transporting apparatus.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the rotor is rotated by driving the first mounting apparatus.

27. The method according to claim 20 wherein the positioning of the first and second mounting apparatus is angular positioning.

28. The method according to claim 20 wherein the position determined is the angular and/or axial position of the first and second endmost parts of the rotor.

29. An apparatus capable of transporting an articulated elongate rotor from a first location to a second location, the rotor including at least two rotor portions connected to each other, the apparatus comprising:

two holding devices each capable of engaging with one of the rotor portions at the first location;

a position determination device capable of determining the position of at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body;

a positioning device capable of positioning or repositioning said at least one component part of the rotor relative to another component part of the rotor or another body; and

a movement device capable of moving the articulated rotor from the first location to the second location.