Positioning mechanism for positioning a palletized device on a processing apparatus

• US 5,310,038 A
• Filed: 08/04/1992
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Katsunori, Akaike, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US07/924,463
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 414/749, 414/754, 29/33 P, 198/345.3, 198/803.01, 198/803.02, 198/465.1, 198/465.3, 198/349, 198/352, 198/353, 198/354
• US Class Current: 198/345.3
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 41/00 Combinations or associations of metal-working machines not directed to a particular result according to classes B21, B23, or B24 B23Q37/00, B23Q39/00 take precedence; features relating to operations performed, if the different metal-working operations are of the same kind, see the subclass for the kind of operation, e.g. punching B21D, welding B23K, grinding B24B; features relating to technically specified combinations of different metal-working operations B23P23/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5196 Multiple station with conveyor

Abstract

The present invention provides a positioning mechanism for positioning, on a processing apparatus, a device mounted on a pallet transported by a conveyor to the processing apparatus. The positioning mechanism is provided with an information communication arrangement capable of storing adjustment data of the device by preceding processing apparatus. The data stored in the information communication arrangement is used in processing the device by the processing apparatus to enable the processing apparatus to process the device using the least number of necessary processing steps.

Claims

1. A positioning mechanism for supporting a device on a pallet which has an upper major face and positioning holes which are adapted to receive positioning pins, comprising:

first and second parallel support seats which respectively project upwardly from the upper major face of the pallet, said first support seat having first and second holes formed therein, said second support seat having third and fourth holes formed therein;

first and second positioning shafts for supporting the device on the pallet, said first and second positioning shafts being parallel to one another and extending between and loosely supported by said first and second support seats, said first positioning shaft being disposed in said first and third holes, said second positioning shaft being disposed in said second and fourth holes, said first and third and said second and fourth holes having diameters which are respectively greater than said first and second positioning shafts; and

a positioning member which is supported on the pallet and movable upwardly toward said first and second positioning shafts, said positioning member being directly engageable with a device which is supported on said first and second positioning shafts.

2. A positioning mechanism as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a memory card which is detachably seated in a recess formed in the major face of the pallet, said memory card forming part of a communication means for receiving, storing and transmitting data to and from processing apparatuses relating to the device which is supported on said first and second positioning shafts.

3. A positioning mechanism as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a resilient damper which is disposed in an edge of the pallet, said damper being engageable with a surface when the pallet is disposed on a processing apparatus.