Assembly line system
First Claim
1. Assembly system havinga plurality of transport plates (2) for transporting workpieces (4) thereon;
- a continuously moving transport belt arrangement (3) positioned below the transport plates and having a belt run in engagement with the transport plates for transporting said transport plates along a predetermined transport path (A) at a predetermined transport speed and spaced from each other;
work stations (WS) located along said path for permitting operation of said workpieces thereat,and comprising, in accordance with the invention,a rapid transport carriage (6) located below the transport plates (2);
means (14,
18) for guiding said carriage (6) in a path (B) parallel to said transport path (A);
linear motion drive means (14, 16,
17) coupled to said rapid transport carriage (6) for moving said carriage in a rapid transport direction (B) at a speed which is higher than the transport speed of the transport belt arrangement (3);
lifting means (8,
9) projecting from the rapid transport carriage (6) towards said transport plates and selectively projectionable or retractable to engagement with, or release from, a selected transport plate (2), positioned above said carriage, for rapid shifting of the selected transport plate along said predetermined transport path (A), including at least one positioning projection (10) which, with respect to said rapid transport direction (B), is located in advance of the engaged transport plate (2) to push away a transport plate which was previously located at said work station (WS).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
To increase the overall operating speed of a production, assembly or manufacturing line system, a rapid transport system (6-17) is located beneath normally slow-moving transport belts (3), coupled to a vertical raising system (8, 9), engageable beneath a transport plate between individual belts of the transport system, and rapidly moving a transport plate (2) into and off selected work stations, faster than the movement of the belts. Preferably, the raising system is coupled to a carriage (6) which, in turn, is moved rapidly along the transport path (A, B) by a piston-cylinder unit (16, 17), a motor with a gear belt, or any other similar linear motion transmission.
119 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Assembly system having
a plurality of transport plates (2) for transporting workpieces (4) thereon; -
a continuously moving transport belt arrangement (3) positioned below the transport plates and having a belt run in engagement with the transport plates for transporting said transport plates along a predetermined transport path (A) at a predetermined transport speed and spaced from each other; work stations (WS) located along said path for permitting operation of said workpieces thereat, and comprising, in accordance with the invention, a rapid transport carriage (6) located below the transport plates (2); means (14,
18) for guiding said carriage (6) in a path (B) parallel to said transport path (A);linear motion drive means (14, 16,
17) coupled to said rapid transport carriage (6) for moving said carriage in a rapid transport direction (B) at a speed which is higher than the transport speed of the transport belt arrangement (3);lifting means (8,
9) projecting from the rapid transport carriage (6) towards said transport plates and selectively projectionable or retractable to engagement with, or release from, a selected transport plate (2), positioned above said carriage, for rapid shifting of the selected transport plate along said predetermined transport path (A), including at least one positioning projection (10) which, with respect to said rapid transport direction (B), is located in advance of the engaged transport plate (2) to push away a transport plate which was previously located at said work station (WS). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Assembly system having
a plurality of transport plates (2) for transporting workpieces (4) thereon; -
a continuously moving transport belt arrangement (3) positioned below the transport plates and having a belt run in engagement with the transport plates for transporting said transport plates along a predetermined transport path (A) at a predetermined transport speed; work stations (WS) located along said path for permitting operation of said workpieces thereat, stop means (S) at the work stations (WS) for arresting the transport plates at the work stations, and comprising, in accordance with the invention, a rapid transport carriage (6) located below the transport plates (2) with a fluid-operated piston-cylinder system (16,
17)means (14,
18) for guiding said carriage (6) in a path (B) parallel to said transport path (A);drive means (14, 16,
17) coupled to said rapid transport carriage (6) for moving said carriage at a speed which is higher than the transport speed of the transport belt arrangement (3); andlifting means (8,
9) projecting from the rapid transport carriage (6) towards said transport plates and selectively projectionable or retractable to engagement with, or release from, a selected transport plate (2), positioned above said carriage, for rapid shifting of the selected transport plate along said predetermined transport path (A) said lifting means (8,
9) comprising an engagement element (9) engageable from below against the selected transport plate; and
said lifting elements comprise pneumatic short-stroke piston-cylinder combinationslocating and positioning projections (10) formed on said engagement element (9) for positioning a selected, engaged transport plate and ensuring movement of said transport plate upon rapid transport of the engagement element (9) coupled to said rapid transport carriage (6), including at least one positioning projection (10) which, with respect to said rapid transport direction (B), is located in advance of the engaged transport plate (2) to push away a transport plate which was previously located at said work station (WS). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification