Automated wrapping of components in transport structures
AssigneeDivergent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJon Paul Gunner, Alex James Hamade, Narender Shankar Lakshman, Stuart Paul Macey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated wrapping technique for vehicle components is disclosed. A component to be wrapped is secured to a fixture, which in turn is coupled to an actuator. A grabber arm grabs a length of wrap from a feed roll. The grabber arm removes the backing and spreads the wrap over the component. The actuator pushes the component upward until the wrap contacts the component surface. An applicator may concurrently smooth the wrap and evacuate trapped air. The wrap may be cut around the periphery of the component, and hemmed. A controller provides instructions to automate the wrapping mechanism.
Claims47
An apparatus for automated film wrapping of vehicle components, comprising:
- a grabber arm mounted to a base at a first end and configured to grab a length of film from a feed roll and configured to position the length of film over a vehicle component to be wrapped based on moving the grabber arm and film from a first position to a second position in an arc-like direction thereby enveloping the vehicle component;
- a fixture configured to secure the vehicle component such that an exterior portion of the vehicle component faces the film;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the fixture and configured to controllably push the vehicle component into the film until the exterior portion is at least partially wrapped therein, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move in a vertical motion, a pivot motion and a rotational motion.
A system for automated film wrapping, comprising;
- a first station including:
- a grabber arm mounted to a base at a first end and configured to grab a length of film from a feed roll and configured to drag the film into a position over a component to be wrapped based on moving the grabber arm and film from a first position to a second position in an arc-like direction thereby enveloping the component;
- a fixture configured to secure the component;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the fixture and configured to controllably push an exterior portion of a vehicle component into the film until the exterior portion is at least partially wrapped therewith, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move in a vertical motion, a pivot motion and a rotational motion.
A method for automated film wrapping, comprising:
- receiving a component on a fixture such that an exterior portion of the component faces the film;
- grabbing, by an automated grabber arm, a length of film from a feed roll;
- dragging, by the automated grabber arm, the film into a position over the component, wherein the automated grabber arm and film are moved from a first position to a second position in an arc-like direction thereby dragging the film and enveloping the component;
- and
- controllably pushing, by an actuator coupled to the fixture, the component into the film until the exterior portion is at least partially wrapped therein, and wherein the actuator is further configured to move in a vertical motion, a pivot motion and a rotational motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.