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US 11,161,211 B1Granted
Dual rotary positioning apparatus and method
AssigneeAutomated Assembly Corporation
InventorDavid Neuman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A disclosed apparatus and related method are directed to engagement of a tool with a workpiece, utilizing a first platen having a first axis of rotation and a workpiece mount and a second platen having a second axis of rotation and a tool mount. The first platen moves the workpiece mount along a first arc by rotating about the first axis of rotation, and the second platen moves the tool mount along a second arc by rotating about the second axis of rotation. The first and second platens rotate relative to one another such that a tool-workpiece intersection point (e.g., a tool endpoint), which is offset from and fixed relative to the second platen, follows a tool path that is offset from and fixed relative to the first platen as the first and second platens rotate.
Claims22
An apparatus comprising:
- a first platen having a first fixed axis of rotation, the first platen being configured and arranged to hold a workpiece centered in a position offset from the first axis of rotation and to move the workpiece along a first arc by rotating about the first axis of rotation;
- a second platen having a second fixed axis of rotation that is laterally offset from the first axis of rotation, the second platen being configured and arranged to secure a tool and to move the tool along a second arc by rotating about the second axis of rotation, the first and second arcs being nonconcentric;
- and
- the first and second platens being configured and arranged with each other to engage the tool with the workpiece for a distance along a defined tool path with the workpiece being held by the first platen during and after engagement of the tool with the workpiece, by moving the workpiece and the tool respectively along the first arc and the second arc via relative rotation about the respective first and second axes of rotation.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a first platen having a first axis of rotation, the first platen being configured and arranged to hold a workpiece and to move the workpiece along a first arc by rotating about the first axis of rotation;
- a second platen having a second axis of rotation, the second platen being configured and arranged to secure a tool and to move the tool along a second arc by rotating about the second axis of rotation, and to secure a material feeder at a fixed position relative to the tool and to maintain the fixed relative positioning of the material feeder as the second platen rotates about the second axis;
- and
- the first and second platens being configured and arranged with each other to engage the tool with the workpiece for a distance along a defined tool path with the workpiece being held by the first platen during and after engagement of the tool with the workpiece, by moving the workpiece and the tool respectively along the first arc and the second arc via relative rotation about the respective first and second axes of rotation.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a first platen having a first fixed axis of rotation, the first platen having a workpiece mount to mount to a workpiece with the workpiece mount centered in a position that is offset from the first axis of rotation, and the first platen being configured and arranged to move the workpiece mount along a first arc by rotating about the first axis of rotation;
- and
- a second platen having a second fixed axis of rotation that is laterally offset from the first axis of rotation, the second platen having a tool mount to mount to a tool and being configured and arranged to move the tool mount along a second arc by rotating about the second axis of rotation, the first and second arcs being nonconcentric, the first and second platens being configured and arranged to rotate relative to one another such that an engagement portion of the tool at a tool-workpiece intersection point offset from and fixed relative to the second platen follows a tool path that is offset from and fixed relative to the first platen as the first and second platens rotate, and such that the tool engages with the workpiece for a distance along the tool path with the workpiece being held by the first platen during and after engagement of the tool with the workpiece.
A method comprising:
- mounting a workpiece to a first platen having a first fixed axis of rotation, the workpiece being centered in a position offset from the first axis of rotation;
- and
- engaging a tool, mounted to a second platen having a second fixed axis of rotation that is laterally offset from the first axis of rotation, with the workpiece by:
- rotating the first platen about the first axis of rotation and therein moving the workpiece along a first arc relative to the first axis of rotation, and
- rotating the second platen about the second axis of rotation and therein moving the tool along a second arc relative to the second axis of rotation, the first and second arcs being nonconcentric, therein engaging the tool with the workpiece for a distance along a tool path while the workpiece remains mounted on the first platen during and after engagement of the tool with the workpiece.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.