Dip coat process material handling system
First Claim
1. A material handling system for dip coating a plurality of workpieces to deposit a layer of coating material thereon, comprising:
- carrier means for receiving the plurality of workpieces;
means for elevating the workpieces in a single plane to load the workpieces onto said carrier means;
a dip station for depositing a layer of coating material onto each of the plurality of workpieces;
first transport means for transporting said carrier means in a first plane to position the workpieces over said dip station; and
second transport means for transporting said carrier means in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane to transport the workpieces into and out of said dip station with the workpieces attached to said carrier means; and
means for transferring said carrier means between said first transport means and said second transport means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dip coat process material handling system and method for coating multiple layers of material on a plurality of workpieces, in particular for producing a multi-layer optical photoconductive drum, wherein a plurality of pipes are suspended from a carrier pallet which transports the workpieces through a dip coat cell housing various dip coating stations. The system includes a load/unload station, vertical and horizontal transport systems for transporting the carrier pallet having workpieces loaded thereon to the various dip coating stations, a drying/cooling booth, and a return conveyor system. The invention allows complete dip coat processing to be completed in an in-line configuration while the workpieces are attached to the carrier pallet, thereby eliminating load/unload steps at each dip coating station to provide efficient and flexible processing of materials.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A material handling system for dip coating a plurality of workpieces to deposit a layer of coating material thereon, comprising:
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carrier means for receiving the plurality of workpieces; means for elevating the workpieces in a single plane to load the workpieces onto said carrier means; a dip station for depositing a layer of coating material onto each of the plurality of workpieces; first transport means for transporting said carrier means in a first plane to position the workpieces over said dip station; and second transport means for transporting said carrier means in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane to transport the workpieces into and out of said dip station with the workpieces attached to said carrier means; and means for transferring said carrier means between said first transport means and said second transport means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. A material handling system for dip coating a plurality of workpiece to deposit a layer of coating material thereon, comprising:
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carrier means for receiving the plurality of workpieces; means for elevating the workpieces in a single plane to load the workpieces onto said carrier means; a dip station for depositing a layer of coating material onto each of the plurality of workpieces; first transport means including a horizontal transport for transporting said carrier means in a substantially horizontal plane to position the workpieces over said dip station, said horizontal transport including a first horizontal transport cart for transporting said carrying means to said vertical transport means; and a second horizontal transport cart for transporting said carrying means away from said vertical transport means; second transport means including a vertical transport for transporting said carrier means in a substantially vertical plane to transport the workpieces into and out of said dip station with the workpieces attached to said carrier means; and means for returning said carrier means to said first horizontal transport cart so as to permit subsequent processing of the workpieces, said returning means including a return conveyor for transporting said carrier means to said first horizontal transport cart; an input elevator for lifting said carrier means to said return conveyor; and an output elevator for lowering said carrier means onto said horizontal transport means.
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Specification