Glass stacking systems and methods

A method of using a robotic sheet stacking system to stack glass sheets, the robotic sheet stacking system comprising first and second robot arms and a conveyor line, the first robot arm having a free end region to which is attached a first suction frame, the second robot arm having a free end region to which is attached a second suction frame, the method comprising conveying a plurality of glass sheets along the conveyor line and moving the first and second robot arms in a sequentially alternating unloading operation such that the system has a first position in which the first robot arm is elevated and has the first suction frame loaded with one or more sheets while the second robot arm is lowered and has the second suction frame unloaded and the system has a second position in which the second robot arm is elevated and has the second suction frame loaded with one or more sheets while the first robot arm is lowered and has the first suction frame unloaded, the conveyor line having a cantilevered end region comprising a plurality of individual conveyors having longitudinal gaps therebetween, wherein the method comprises moving the system into a first picking configuration in which a first beam of the free end region of the first robot arm extends crosswise directly below the conveyors of the cantilevered end region of the conveyer line such that the first suction frame projects upwardly through the longitudinal gaps between the individual conveyors of the cantilevered end region of the conveyor line so as to engage one or more sheets on the conveyor line, the first beam being rotatable about a rotation axis along which the first beam is elongated.

A method of using a robotic sheet stacking system to stack glass sheets, the robotic sheet stacking system comprising first and second robot arms and a conveyor line, the first robot arm having a free end region to which is attached a first suction frame, the second robot arm having a free end region to which is attached a second suction frame, the method comprising conveying a plurality of glass sheets along the conveyor line and moving the first and second robot arms in a sequentially alternating unloading operation such that the system has a first position in which the first robot arm is elevated and has the first suction frame loaded with one or more sheets while the second robot arm is lowered and has the second suction frame unloaded and the system has a second position in which the second robot arm is elevated and has the second suction frame loaded with one or more sheets while the first robot arm is lowered and has the first suction frame unloaded, wherein the sequentially alternating unloading operation is performed such that the system has a first loaded configuration in which the first suction frame retains two sheets in a first rotational position adjacent the conveyor line, and the system has a second loaded configuration wherein the first suction frame retains said two sheets in a second rotational position adjacent a storage rack, such that said two sheets are effectively offset rotationally relative to a vertical axis by about 90 degrees when in the second rotational position as compared with the first rotational position.

A method of using a robotic sheet stacking system to stack glass sheets, the robotic sheet stacking system comprising first and second robot arms and a conveyor line, the method comprising conveying a glass sheet along the conveyor line in a machine direction, the conveyor line being elongated in the machine direction, the first and second robot arms being located on opposite sides of the conveyor line, the method comprising moving the first and second robot arms independently of each other, the first robot arm comprising a free end region having attached thereto a first suction frame, the second robot arm comprising a free end region having attached thereto a second suction frame, the conveyor line having a cantilevered end region with an underpass that is open on a downstream side, and the method comprising sequentially moving the first and second robot arms such that the first and second suction frames sequentially travel in a counter-machine direction, starting from a downstream position, which is spaced from the cantilevered end region in the machine direction, to an approach position underneath the cantilevered end region, wherein the first suction frame when in the approach position is in a first rotational orientation about a vertical axis, and wherein the first suction frame when in the downstream position is in a second rotational orientation about a vertical axis, the first and second rotational orientations being offset by greater than 25 degrees.