# US 10,870,542 B1 · Manually-initiated synchronization apparatuses for connecting independently-driven platforms to conveying platforms for movement therewith > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,542 B1 - Document ID: US10870542B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/670,171 - Filed: 2019-10-31 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-31 - Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing; North America, Inc. - Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend; Brian McElroy; Robert Aaron Allex - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870542B1 ## CPC - B65G 47/24: orientating the articles - B62D 65/18: Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines {(conveyors and haulage in general B65G)} - B65G 17/42: Attaching load carriers to traction elements - B65G 35/06: comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) - B65G 43/10: Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract An independently-driven platform used in vehicle assembly includes a side frame and a manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus mounted to the side frame. The manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus includes a linear actuator including a cylinder portion mounted to the side frame and a rod portion that extends and retracts from the cylinder portion. A conveying platform engagement member has a front that faces a conveying direction when synchronizing with a synchronization tab of a conveying platform, a rear that faces an upstream direction and a top connected to the rod portion of the manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus. The conveying platform engagement member has a notch in the rear that is configured to engage the synchronization tab. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An independently-driven platform used in vehicle assembly, comprising: a side frame; a manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus mounted to the side frame, the manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus comprising a linear actuator comprising a cylinder portion mounted to the side frame and a rod portion that extends and retracts from the cylinder portion; and a conveying platform engagement member having a front that faces a conveying direction when synchronizing with a synchronization tab of a conveying platform, a rear that faces an upstream direction and a top connected to the rod portion of the manually-initiated synchronizing apparatus, the conveying platform engagement member having a notch in the rear configured to engage the synchronization tab. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The independently-driven platform of claim 1 further comprising a user input comprising a control mechanism, wherein user actuation of the control mechanism extends and retracts the rod portion relative to the cylinder portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The independently-driven platform of claim 1, wherein the front of the conveying platform engagement member includes an angled portion that is oblique to horizontal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The independently-driven platform of claim 1, wherein the notch includes a vertical engagement surface and a horizontal engagement surface, the vertical engagement surface arranged and configured to engage a leading edge of the synchronization tab in an engaged configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The independently-driven platform of claim 4, wherein the vertical engagement surface extends vertically a distance of at least about five millimeters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The independently-driven platform of claim 1, wherein the linear actuator comprises a pneumatic cylinder. ### Claim 7 A method of synchronizing an independently-driven platform with a conveying platform of a conveyor, the method comprising: manually actuating a control mechanism thereby lowering a conveying platform engagement member from a disengaged position to an engaged position using a linear actuator, the conveying platform engagement member having a front that faces a conveying direction, a rear that faces an upstream direction and a top that is connected to the linear actuator, the front of the conveying platform engagement member including an angled portion that is oblique to horizontal; with the conveying platform engagement member in the engaged position, sliding the angled portion of the front over a synchronization tab of the conveying platform; and engaging a leading edge of the synchronization tab with the rear of the conveying platform engagement member such that the independently-driven platform moves with the conveying platform in the conveying direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the conveying platform engagement member has a notch in the rear configured to engage the synchronization tab. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the notch includes a vertical engagement surface and a horizontal engagement surface, the vertical engagement surface engaging the leading edge of the synchronization tab. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the vertical engagement surface extends vertically a distance of at least about five millimeters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising manually actuating a user input comprising a control mechanism, wherein actuation of the control mechanism extends and retracts a rod portion of the linear actuator relative to a cylinder portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the linear actuator comprises a pneumatic cylinder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising manually actuating the control mechanism thereby raising the conveying platform engagement member from the engaged position to the engaged position using the linear actuator thereby disengaging the conveying platform engagement member from the synchronization tab.