Pallet/skid power roll system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for moving transport media along a path of travel, a 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 some of the rollers having a first drive member and a second drive member associated therewith, the first and second drive members of one roller operably connected to different rollers for transmitting rotation between the rollers along the path of travel;
at least one motor for driving the rollers interconnected by first and second drive members in rotation; and
each one of the groups of 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.
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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
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for moving transport media along a path of travel, a 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 some of the rollers having a first drive member and a second drive member associated therewith, the first and second drive members of one roller operably connected to different rollers for transmitting rotation between the rollers along the path of travel; at least one motor for driving the rollers interconnected by first and second drive members in rotation; and each one of the groups of 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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3. The apparatus of claim I further comprising:
each roller of sufficient dimension to operably engage and support both groups of transport media for movement along the path of travel.
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11. A method for moving a plurality of transport media along a path of travel comprising the steps of:
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providing a 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; supporting each one of the groups of transport media on a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted in fixed locations spaced along a path of travel; transmitting rotation between the rollers along the path of travel with at least some of the rollers having a first drive member and a second drive member operably associated therewith, the first and second drive members of one roller operably connected to different rollers; driving the rollers interconnected by the first and second drive members in rotation with at least one motor; and moving each one of the groups of 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. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A combination of an apparatus for moving transport media along a path of travel, the combination comprising:
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a plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having support rails transversely space from one another at 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; a plurality of transversely spaced rollers rotatably mounted in fixed longitudinally spaced locations along a path of travel, a portion of the plurality of rollers aligned along the path of travel and having sufficient axial length to rollingly engage support rails associated with at least one transport media from each group for movement along the path of travel, each transport media of each group continuously engageable with at least two rollers simultaneously while each transport media moves along the path of travel; and at least one motor for driving at least one of the rollers in rotation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A combination of an apparatus for moving transport media along a path of travel, the combination comprising:
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a plurality of transport media defining at least two groups of transport media, each group of transport media having support rails transversely spaced from one another at 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; a lift workstation located along the path of travel for transferring a workpiece carried by one transport media to another transport media; at least two vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation; and first and second elevators connected to the vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation and moveable vertically along the vertically extending frame members for engaging and lifting a workpiece from one transport media located at a ready position and for lowering the lifted workpiece to another transport media located at the ready position after exchanging the one transport media having a first transverse dimension with another transport media having a different transverse dimension.
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19. 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 support rails transversely spaced from one another at 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 lift workstation located along the path of travel for transferring a workpiece carried by one transport media to another transport media; at least two vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation; and first and second elevators connected to the vertically extending frame members positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel at the lift workstation and moveable vertically along the vertically extending frame members for engaging and lifting a workpiece from one transport media located at a ready position and for lowering the lifted workpiece to another transport media located at the ready position after exchanging the one transport media having a first transverse dimension with another transport media having a different transverse dimension.
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Specification