Inverted Carrier Lift Device System and Method
First Claim
1. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
- a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel;
a carrier connected to the trolley operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; and
a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the carrier operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inverted carrier lift and method is disclosed. The inverted carrier lift includes a trolley movable along an overhead conveyor and a carrier for supporting a workpiece to undergo an assembly or manufacturing process. The carrier is movable relative to the trolley from a raised position to a lowered position by a motor mounted engaged with a lifting mechanism onboard the trolley. On rotation of the motor, the carrier and supported workpiece is lowered or raised to position the workpiece in the workstation for processing. The workpiece may be disengaged by the carrier for support of the workpiece by one of many different fixtures depending on the processing. Following processing, the workpiece is re-engaged by the carrier, moved to a raised position and the trolley is transferred to a subsequent workstation.
6 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A carrier lift for use in manipulating the position of a workpiece, the carrier lift comprising:
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a trolley operable to engage a conveyor for movement of the trolley along a path of travel; a carrier connected to the trolley operable to support a workpiece, the carrier having a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley defining a carrier axis of travel; and a lift mechanism connected to the trolley and the carrier operable to move the carrier between the raised position and the lowered position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for selectively raising and lowering a workpiece in a workstation, the method comprising:
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transferring a carrier supporting a workpiece by a conveyor to a predetermined position at a workstation; one of lowering or raising the carrier from a respective raised position to a lowered position or from a lowered position to a raised position in the workstation; conducting a process on the workpiece; the other of the one of raising or lowering the carrier from the respective lowered position to the raised position or the raised position to the lowered position in the workstation; and transferring the carrier supporting the workpiece from the predetermined position at the workstation by the conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification