Robot positioner and seal arrangement for a closed chamber

• US 4,882,881 A
• Filed: 06/28/1988
• Issued: 11/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Progressive Technologies, Inc. (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Progressive Blasting Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanson, Dale A., VanKuiken, Lewis L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): OLSZEWSKI, ROBERT PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/212,658
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 51/410, 51/417, 51/421, 51/426, 51/268, 51/270, 51/273, 118/326, 118/634, 118/DIG. 7, 160/122, 901/16
• US Class Current: 451/89
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/621 a single sliding pair followed perpendicularly by a single sliding pair
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/085 Flexible coverings, e.g. coiled-up belts
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 9/00 Appurtenances of abrasive blasting machines or devices, e.g. working chambers, arrangements for handling used abrasive material
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 21/00 Chambers provided with manipulation devices constructional features of the mounting of the manipulator in the wall B25J1/08 ; glove-boxes for nuclear applications G21F7/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/07 Hoods

Abstract

A robot positioner for a device which is positioned within a compartment having an open top and including first and second supports mounted above the compartment to move the device along "X" and "Y" coordinates. A flexible cover means associated and movable with each of the first and second supports is provided to in effect provide a movable ceiling for constantly covering the open top of the compartment regardless of the position of the device in the compartment as controlled by the supports.

Claims

1. Apparatus for treating an object within an entirely enclosed compartment having enclosed sides and an enclosed ceiling covering the top of said compartment including an operative device manipulated by a robot manipulator means having an elongated mast extending downwardly through the ceiling of said compartment and supporting said device at its lower end for movement within said compartment and supporting said device at its lower end for movement within said compartment;

said device being adapted to treat said object with a substance some of which is capable while said treatment is taking place of escaping through any opening in said compartment;

the improvement comprising means for enclosing said ceiling in which said manipulator means adjusts the mast during such treatment and while it is extending through said ceiling such adjustment being in a direction along at least two horizontal orthogonal "X" and "Y" coordinates;

said manipulator means comprising a carriage assembly extending in a direction along the "Y" coordinate and mounted over said top for movement in a direction along the "X" coordinate, said carriage assembly having an elongated opening extending in the direction of said "Y" coordinate and through which said mast extends;

a cart assembly mounted on said carriage assembly and supporting said mast for moving said mast through and along the said opening;

first motive means for causing said carriage to move in a direction along the "X" coordinate;

second motive means for causing said cart assembly to move along said carriage assembly in a direction along said "Y" coordinate;

a first belt cover means having first and second portions each attached respectively to and extending from each of the sides of such carriage and except for the portions occupied by said carriage assembly extending in a direction along the "X" coordinate over the open portions of the top of said compartment whereby said first belt cover means moves with said carriage in a direction along the "X" coordinate;

means attached to each of the ends of said first and second portions and operatively connected together to take up the slack in one of said first and second portions while keeping said other portion taut as it moves with the carriage so as to continuously provide a ceiling for the compartment;

a second belt cover means having first and second portions attached respectively to the ends of said cart assembly and extending in a direction along the said "Y" coordinate from such ends for covering the open portions of said elongated opening whereby said second cover means moves with said cart assembly in a direction along the "Y" coordinate;

means attached to the ends of said first and second portions of said second belt cover means and operatively connected together to take up the slack in one of said first and second portions while keeping said other portion taut as it moves with said carriage so as to continuously cover said elongated opening whereby the open top of said compartment is completely covered by said carriage assembly, said cart assembly and said first and second cover means regardless of the position of the elongated mast as it is moved by said carriage and cart assemblies along the "X" and "Y" coordinates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the carriage assembly extends the entire distance between two opposite sides of said compartment and is supported on rails on said opposite sides.

3. The apparatus means of claim 2 in which the carriage assembly includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said cart assembly is mounted for movement on said rails.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over separate ones of spaced guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the said "Y" coordinate, pulley means between said guide means and at the lower edges of said opposite sides;

and cables attached to the free ends of said first cover means remote from said carriage assembly, said cables extending from said cover means over said pulleys and around the bottom of said compartment.

5. The apparatus means of claim 4 in which the carriage assembly includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said cart assembly is mounted for movement on said rails.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the carriage assembly includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said cart assembly is mounted for movement on said rails.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the carriage assembly includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said cart assembly is mounted for movement on said rails and in which said first and second portions of said first cover means are attached to each side of said carriage assembly, said first and second portions of said first means each extend from one of the sides of said carriage assembly over a portion of the open top and down at least portions of one side of said compartment.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means at their free ends remote from said carriage assembly are attached to cables extending from said first cover means around the sides and bottom of said compartment.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means at their free ends remote from said carriage assembly are attached to cables extending from said first cover means around the sides and bottom of said compartment.

10. The apparatus means of claim 1 in which said mast is vertically adjustable for positioning said device along the "Z" coordinate orthogonal to the "X" and "Y" coordinates.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the said "Y" coordinate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over separate ones of spaced guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the "Y" coordinate, pulley means between said guide means and at the lower edges of said opposite sides;

and cables attached to the free ends of said first cover means remote from said carriage assembly, said cables extending from said cover means over said pulleys and around the bottom of said compartment.

13. Apparatus for treating an object within an enclosed compartment having enclosed sides and an enclosed ceiling covering the top of said compartment including an operative device manipulated by a robot manipulator means having an elongated mast extending downwardly and upwardly through said ceiling and supporting said device at its lower end for movement within said compartment;

the improvement comprising means for enclosing said ceiling in which said manipulator means adjusts the mast during such treatment and while it is extending through said ceiling such adjustment being in a direction along at least two horizontal orthogonal "X" and "Y" coordinates;

said manipulator means comprising an elongated first support means extending in a direction along said "Y" coordinate and mounted on said compartment for movement in a direction along the "X" coordinate, said first support means including an elongated opening extending in a direction along said "Y" coordinate to permit movement of said mast along said "Y" coordinate;

a second support means mounted on said first support means for movement along said carriage in a direction along said "Y"coordinate; and

separate first and second belt cover means attached to and extending from said first and second support means for covering the top regardless of the position of the mast as it is moved by said first and second support means along the "X" and "Y" coordinates;

said first belt cover means including first and second portions attached respectively to the sides of said support means and extending in opposite directions from said first support means along the "X" coordinate and movable with said first support means for continuously providing a ceiling for the compartment;

means attached to each of the ends of said first and second portions and operatively connected together to take up the slack in one of said first and second portions while keeping said other portion taut as it moves with said support means and said second belt cover means having first and second portions attached respectively to the ends of said second support means and extending in opposite directions from said second support means along the "Y" coordinate and movable with said second support means along said "Y" coordinate for continuously completely covering said elongated opening;

means attached to the ends of said first and second portions of said second belt cover means and operatively connected together to take up the slack in one of said first and second portions while keeping said other portion taut as it moves with said second support means.

14. The apparatus means of claim 13 in which the first support means extends the entire distance between two opposite sides of said compartment and is supported on rails on said opposite sides.

15. The apparatus means of claim 13 in which the first support means includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said second support means is mounted for movement on said rails.

16. The apparatus means of claim 14 in which the first support means includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said second support means is mounted for movement on said rails.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over separate ones of spaced guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the said "Y" coordinate;

pulley means between said guide means and at the lower edges of said opposite side; and

cables attached to the free ends of said first cover means remote from said first support means, said cables extending from said cover means over said pulleys and around the bottom of said compartment.

18. The apparatus means of claim 17 in which the first support means includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said second support means is mounted for movement on said rails.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the first support means includes spaced rails between which is located said elongated opening and said second support means is mounted for movement on said rails and in which said first and second portions of said first cover means are attached to each side of said first support means respectively, said first and second portions of said first cover means each extending from one of the sides of said first support means over a portion of the open top and down a portion of one side of said compartment.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means at their free ends remote from said first support means are attached to cables extending from said cover means around the sides and bottom of said compartment.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means at their free ends remote from said first support means are attached to cables extending from said cover means around the sides and bottom of said compartment.

22. The apparatus means of claim 13 in which said mast is vertically adjustable for positioning said device along the "Z" coordinate orthogonal to the "X" and "Y" coordinates.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the said one coordinate.

24. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said first and second portions of said first cover means each pass over separate ones of spaced guide means located on opposite sides of said compartment, said sides extending in a direction along the said "Y" coordinate;

pulley means between said guide means and at the lower edges of said opposite side; and

cables attached to the free ends of said first and second portions of said first cover means remote from said carriage assembly, said cables extending from said cover means over said pulleys and around the bottom of said compartment.