Pallet/skid power roll system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for moving a plurality of transport media along a path of travel, the plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having substantially identical transverse dimensions with respect to one another within one group of transport media, while having substantially different transverse dimensions with respect to another group of transport media, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel;
at least one motor for driving at least one of the rollers in rotation;
at least one transport media supportable on the rollers for movement along the path of travel in response to rotation of the roller by the motor, each transport media continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while the transport media moves along the path of travel;
each roller operably associated with a common shaft supporting a driven pulley and a driving pulley; and
a plurality of elongate drive members engaged between adjacent rollers connecting the driven pulley of one roller with the driving pulley of an adjacent roller for transmitting rotation from the motor to the plurality of rollers along the path of travel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus moves a plurality of transport media along a path of travel. The plurality of transport media define at least two groups of transport media, where each group of transport media has substantially identical transverse dimensions with respect to one another within one group of transport media, while having substantially different transverse dimensions with respect to another group of transport media. The apparatus includes a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel. At least one motor is provided for driving at least one of the rollers in rotation. At least one transport media is supported on the rollers for movement along the path of travel in response to rotation of the roller by the motor. Each transport media has at least one elongate support member continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while the transport media moves along the path of travel. A lift workstation can be located along the path of travel for transferring a workpiece carried by one transport media to another transport media.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for moving a plurality of transport media along a path of travel, the plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having substantially identical transverse dimensions with respect to one another within one group of transport media, while having substantially different transverse dimensions with respect to another group of transport media, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel; at least one motor for driving at least one of the rollers in rotation; at least one transport media supportable on the rollers for movement along the path of travel in response to rotation of the roller by the motor, each transport media continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while the transport media moves along the path of travel; each roller operably associated with a common shaft supporting a driven pulley and a driving pulley; and a plurality of elongate drive members engaged between adjacent rollers connecting the driven pulley of one roller with the driving pulley of an adjacent roller for transmitting rotation from the motor to the plurality of rollers along the path of travel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for moving a plurality of transport media along a path of travel, the plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having substantially identical transverse dimensions with respect to one another within one group of transport media, while having substantially different transverse dimensions with respect to another group of transport media, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel; at least one motor for driving at least one of the rollers in rotation; at least one transport media supportable on the rollers for movement along the path of travel in response to rotation of the roller by the motor, each transport media continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while the transport media moves along the path of travel; and a lift workstation located along the path of travel for transferring a workpiece carried by one transport media to another transport media, wherein the lift workstation includes at least two vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation, and reciprocal means moveable vertically along the vertically extending frame members for lifting a workpiece from one transport media and for delivering the lifted workpiece to another transport media, wherein the reciprocal lifting means includes first and second elevators connected to the vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for moving a plurality of transport media along a path of travel, the plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having substantially identical transverse dimensions with respect to one another within one group of transport media, while having substantially different transverse dimensions with respect to another group of transport media, the method comprising the steps of:
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supporting at least one transport media on a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel; driving at least one of the rollers in rotation with at least one motor; moving the at least one transport media supportable on the rollers along the path of travel in response to rotation of the roller by the motor, each transport media continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while the transport media moves along the path of travel; delivering a workpiece to a lift station with a first transport media; lifting the workpiece from the first transport media with reciprocal elevators; reversing movement of the empty first transport media to remove the empty first transport media from the lift workstation; delivering an empty second transport media to the lift workstation; loading the lifted workpiece on the second transport media with the reciprocal elevators; and reversing movement of the loaded second transport media to remove the loaded second transport media from the lift workstation.
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Specification