Portable gantry robot

• US 5,119,732 A
• Filed: 01/18/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RR Donnelley & Sons Company
• Original Assignee: RR Donnelley & Sons Company
• Inventors: Lisy, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US07/643,036
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 104/48, 104/88, 104/89, 104/90, 104/96, 104/98, 104/102, 104/106, 104/111, 104/130, 104/131, 104/137, 414/279, 414/253, 414/264
• US Class Current: 104/48
• CPC Class Codes: B61J 1/10 Traversers
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 23/00 Easily dismountable or movable tracks, e.g. temporary railways; Details specially adapted therefor

Abstract

In order to reduce operating costs while enhancing the overall operating efficiency of an industrial plant, a method for automating a plant or warehouse using portable gantry robots is provided. Work stations for the robots are organized along rows in various parts of the plant where work is present. An overhead rail system is provided over the work stations wherein at least some overhead rail system have sections of displaceable rails. A transporter is provided for transporting the portable robots between rail systems or locations within a rail system. The transporters have a section of transfer rails which are identical in size to the displaceable rail section. A displaceable rail section is displaced following which the transfer rail section is locked into plance. The transfer rail section may also be aligned at one end of an overhead rail system. The robots are then added or removed from the overhead rail system while the transfer rail section is aligned with the overhead rail system.

Claims

1. A portable gantry robot system comprising:

a plurality of overhead rail systems for suspending a gantry robot, each of said rail systems comprising at least one rail, wherein all of said rail systems have rails of the same general cross section;

at least one portable gantry robot suspendable by any one of said overhead rail systems;

means for transporting said portable robot horizontally between said overhead rail systems;

a displaceable section of at least one of said overhead rail systems,

means for displacing said displaceable section for insertion of said portable gantry robot onto said overhead rail system adjacent said displaced displaceable section.

2. The portable gantry robot system of claim 1 further comprising work stations along said rail systems and means for propelling said gantry robots along said rail systems to said work stations.

3. The portable gantry robot system of claim 1 wherein said transporting means includes a transporter for transporting said robot, said transporter comprising a transfer rail section of the same general cross section as said rails of said rail system and the same length as said displaceable section, and said robot being suspended by said transfer rail section during transportation of said robot on said transporter.

4. The portable gantry robot system of claim 3 further comprising:

said displacing means mounted to said transporting means, said displacing means horizontally moving said displaceable section tangentially to and to one side of said one of said rail systems;

means for locking said transfer rail section to said one rail system adjacent said displaceable section when said displaceable section has been moved horizontally to one side; and

means for moving said robot between said one rail system and said transfer raid section.

5. The portable gantry robot system of claim 3 further comprising:

said displacing means mounted to said transporting means, said displacing means vertically moving said displaceable section above said one of said rail systems;

means for locking said transfer rail section to said one rail system adjacent said displaceable section when said displaceable section has been moved vertically above said one rail system; and

means for moving said robot between said one rail system and said transfer rail section.

6. The portable gantry robot system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for aligning said transfer rail section with at least one end of at least one of said rail system;

means for locking at least one end of said transfer rail section onto said end of said rail system; and

means for moving a robot between said rail system and said transfer rail section.

7. An automated industrial plant comprising:

a plurality of work stations;

at least one rail suspended above said work stations having at least one displaceable rail section;

at least one portable gantry robot capable of being suspended by said rail;

means for moving said robot along said rail;

means for transporting said robot horizontally to and from said displaceable rail section, said transporting means including a transfer rail section of the same length and size as said displaceable rail section, said robot being removably suspended from said transfer rail section;

means for displacing and replacing said displaceble rail section;

means for aligning said transfer rail section with said rail at a location adjacent said displaceable rail section; and

means for locking and unlocking said transfer rail section onto said rail at said location adjacent said displaceable rail section.

8. The automated industrial plant as in claim 7 further comprising means on said transporting means for aligning said transfer rail section with at least one end of said rail.

9. The automated industrial plant as in claim 7 wherein said displaceable rail section is movable in a direction tangential to and to the side of said rail.

10. The automated industrial plant as in claim 7 wherein said displaceable rail section is movable to a point above said rail.

11. The automated industrial plant as in claim 7 wherein said transporting means comprises a transporter, said transporter comprising:

a base;

means for moving said transporter; and

a frame extending upwards from said base for suspending the robot above the base;

said transfer rail section being mounted on said frame for suspending said portable robot.

12. A transporter for transporting a portable robot between said rail systems having a cross-sectional size, said transporter comprising:

a base;

a frame extending upwards from said base for suspending a portable robot above the base;

means for moving said transporter in a horizontal plane; and

transport rail means mounted on said frame for suspending said robot while said robot is being transported on said transporter, said transport rail means being substantially identical in cross-sectional size to said rail systems.

13. The transporter of claim 12 wherein at least one of said rail systems contains at least one displaceable section, said transport rail means being substantially identical in length to said displaceable section, and said transporter further comprising means for displacing said displaceable section.

14. An automated printing plant having a press room and a bindery area, said plant comprising:

at least one portable robot;

a plurality of press delivery stations in the press room positioned in a row;

at least one press rail system supported above said delivery stations, said rail system having a cross-sectional size;

means on one of said robot and said rail system for suspending said robot from said press rail system;

means for moving said robot along said press rail system;

a transporter having a transfer rail section affixed thereto for suspending said robot therefrom, said transfer rail section being the same cross-sectional size as said press rail system;

means for moving said robot between said transfer rail section and said press rail system;

a plurality of binding lines in the bindery area;

a bindery rail system above each of said binding lines identical in cross-sectional size to said press rail system;

means on one of said robot and said binding rail system for suspending said robot from said bindery rail system;

means on said press rail system and said bindery rail system for receiving said transfer rail section for transfer of said robot between said rail systems and said transporter;

means on the transporter for aligning said transfer rail section with said receiving means;

means for locking and unlocking said transfer rail section onto said receiving means;

means for moving said robot in a suspended position in a horizontal plane between said transfer rail section and each of said bindery rail systems; and

means for moving said robot along said bindery rail system.

15. The automated printing plant of claim 14 wherein said receiving means comprises at least one displaceable rail section, said transfer rail section being the same length as said displaceable rail section, said plant further comprising:

means for displacing and replacing said displaceable rail section relative to said rail system; and

means for locking and unlocking said transfer rail section onto said rail systems at a former location of said displaceable rail section when said displaceable rail section has been displaced from said rail systems.

16. A method of transferring a robot between locations on a overhead rail system, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a displaceable rail section in said rail system;

(2) providing a transporter having a transfer rail section thereon for suspending a robot;

(3) transporting the robot on the transporter in a suspended position to said displaceable rail section;

(4) displacing said displaceable rail section;

(5) aligning and locking said transfer rail section suspending said robot with said rail system at the former location of said displaceable rail section;

(6) moving said robot off of said transfer rail section and onto a suspended position on said rail system;

(7) unlocking and moving said transporter from said location of said displaceable rail section; and

(8) moving said displaceable rail section back into alignment with said rail system.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

(1) aligning an empty transporter adjacent said displaceable rail section;

(2) displacing said displaceable rail section;

(3) aligning and locking a transfer rail section of said empty transporter with said rail system;

(4) moving said robot onto said transfer rail section from said rail system;

(5) unlocking and moving said transporter with said transfer rail section while said transfer rail section is suspending said robot; and

(6) moving said displaceable rail section back into alignment with said rail system.

18. A method of automating an industrial plant, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing portable robots capable of performing tasks;

(2) organizing work areas for said robot in areas in the plant having said tasks performed by said robots;

(3) arranging a plurality of said work area into rows;

(4) suspending a plurality of substantially identical rail systems over said work areas capable of suspending said robots while said robots are performing said tasks;

(5) providing at least one displaceable rail section in at least one of said rail systems;

(6) horizontally transporting said portable robots on a transporter between non-contiguous rail systems and a displaceable rail section within said one of said rail systems, said transporter having a transfer rail section substantially identical in size and form to said displaceable rail section from which the robot is suspended; and

(7) moving said robot between said transfer rail section and said work area;

by displacing said displaceable rail section; and

locking into place said transfer rail section at the location where said displaceable rail section was displaced.