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US 11,078,719 B2Granted
Independently operating insulated glass unit assembly line and method
AssigneeErdman Automation Corporation
InventorMorgan Donohue
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insulated glass assembly line generally includes a first and second automated lite picker, a washer, a vertical gas filling and wetting station, a robot, and an applicator station.
Claims20
A manufacturing line for manufacturing insulated glass units, the manufacturing line comprising:
- an infeed station including a first gripper assembly that grips a lite on a front surface side thereof for use in a manufacturing process and transports the lite from a storage rack to a conveyor;
- a spacer application station, that receives the lite via the conveyor including a spacer applicator and a second gripper assembly that grips the lite on a front surface side and removes the lite from the conveyor in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the conveyor and separates a back side of the lite from the conveyor by a first distance sufficient so that the spacer applicator can fit between the conveyor and the lite, and wherein the spacer applicator is interposable between the lite and the conveyor and applies a spacer material proximate perimeter edges of the back side of the lite thus creating a spacer applied lite;
- a gas filling and wetting station proximate the conveyor that receives a topping lite via the conveyor, at which the second gripper assembly aligns the spacer applied lite with the topping lite and contacts the spacer material to the topping lite;
- and
- a secondary sealant application station including a secondary sealant applicator and a third gripper assembly that grips an insulated glass unit, wherein the insulated glass unit comprises the spacer applied lite primarily sealed to the topping lite opposite the spacer material, and wherein the secondary sealant applicator applies a secondary sealant material to the peripheral edges of the insulated glass unit.
2 more elements
A manufacturing line for manufacturing insulated glass units, the manufacturing line comprising:
- an infeed station including a gripper assembly that grips a lite on a surface thereof and moves the lite on and off a conveyor;
- a work station including a spacer applicator and a secondary sealant applicator, wherein the gripper assembly removes the lite from the conveyor in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the conveyor and separates a back surface of the lite from the conveyor by a first distance, and wherein the first distance is sufficient so that the spacer applicator and the secondary sealant applicator are interposable between the lite and the conveyor and the spacer applicator applies a spacer material proximate perimeter edges of the back side thus creating a spacer applied lite, the gripper assembly aligning the spacer applied lite across the spacer material from a topping lite, received via the conveyor, and contacting the spacer material to the topping lite, thus creating an insulated glass unit, wherein the secondary sealant applicator is interposable between the insulated glass unit and the conveyor and applies a secondary sealant material to the peripheral edges of the insulated glass unit.
A method of manufacturing insulated glass units, the method comprising:
- providing a gripper assembly configured to move a lite or an insulated glass unit between a conveyor of a manufacturing line and a work station;
- placing the lite on the conveyor at an infeed station;
- conveying the lite from the infeed station to the work station, the work station including a spacer applicator interposable between the gripper assembly and the conveyor and a secondary sealant applicator interposable between the gripper assembly and the conveyor;
- gripping a front side of the lite and removing the lite from the conveyor, in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the conveyor such that a back side of the lite is separated from the conveyor by a distance sufficient to enable the spacer applicator and the secondary sealant applicator to be interposed between the lite and the conveyor;
- applying a spacer material proximate perimeter edges of the back side of the lite via the spacer applicator, thus creating a spacer applied lite;
- aligning the spacer applied lite with a topping lite on the conveyor, wherein the spacer material is between the spacer applied lite and the topping lite;
- adhering the spacer material of the spacer applied lite with the topping lite, thus forming the insulated glass unit;
- and
- applying a secondary sealant material to the peripheral edges of the insulated glass unit via the secondary sealant applicator.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.