US 11,702,292 B2 · Conveyor system with automated carriers

Abstract

A conveyorized industrial system includes at least one work station including a heated oven chamber. A fixed, non-powered rail defines a conveyor path including an oven zone in which the rail extends through or over the heated oven chamber. An automated conveyor carrier (ACC) is suspended from the rail by a self-driving trolley having an on-board motor for driving the ACC along the rail, and by at least one additional free-rolling trolley. The ACC further comprises an enclosure containing one or both of an inverter and a battery, the enclosure having a wall defining an interior space of the enclosure. A heat protection system is provided in addition to the wall, the heat protection system operating to limit an internal temperature of the enclosure during transport along the oven zone.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A conveyorized industrial system comprising:

at least one work station including a heated oven chamber;
a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path including an oven zone,
wherein the rail extends through or over the heated oven chamber;
and
an automated conveyor carrier (ACC) including a self-driving trolley having an on-board motor, the ACC being suspended from the rail by the self-driving trolley and drivable along the rail by the self-driving trolley,
wherein the ACC further comprises an enclosure containing one or both of an inverter and a battery,
the enclosure having a wall defining an interior space of the enclosure, and
wherein a heat protection system is provided in addition to the wall,
the heat protection system operating to limit an internal temperature of the enclosure during transport along the oven zone.

6 more elements

A conveyorized industrial system comprising:

at least one work station including a heated oven chamber;
a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path including an oven zone, wherein the rail extends through or over the heated oven chamber;
and
an automated conveyor carrier (ACC) including a self-driving trolley having an on-board motor,
the ACC being suspended from the rail by the self-driving trolley and drivable along the rail by the self-driving trolley,
wherein the ACC further comprises an enclosure containing an inverter, a battery connected to the inverter,
a controller connected to the inverter, and a wireless transceiver connected to the controller,
the enclosure having a wall defining an interior space of the enclosure, and
wherein a heat protection system is provided in addition to the wall,
the heat protection system including an air conditioning system operating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigeration circuit,
the air conditioning system operable to deliver conditioned air to the interior space of the enclosure to limit an internal temperature of the enclosure during transport along the oven zone.

8 more elements

A conveyorized industrial system comprising:

at least one work station including a heated oven chamber;
a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path including an oven zone,
wherein the rail extends through or over the heated oven chamber;
and
an automated conveyor carrier (ACC) including a self-driving trolley having an on-board motor,
the ACC being suspended from the rail by the self-driving trolley and drivable along the rail by the self-driving trolley,
wherein the ACC further comprises an enclosure containing an inverter, a battery connected to the inverter,
a controller connected to the inverter, and a wireless transceiver connected to the controller,
the enclosure having a wall defining an interior space of the enclosure, and
wherein a passive heat protection system is provided in addition to the wall,
the passive heat protection system including a heat absorbing device including a contained quantity of phase change material.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/196,225Filed 9 Mar 2021 · continuation

Priority

6 Apr 2018

Published

US 2021/0188557 A124 Jun 2021

Granted

18 Jul 2023

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B05B 13/0264
Characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts: overhead conveying means, i.e. the object or…
B05B 16/90
Spray booths: comprising conveying means for moving objects or other work to be sprayed in and out of the booth, e.g. through the booth
B61C 13/04
Locomotives or motor railcars characterised by their application to special systems or purposes: for elevated railways with rigid rails
B65G 17/485
Controlling attitudes of load-carriers during movement: the load carriers being suspended

Family

Application62/653,836Us provisional application · filed 6 Apr 2018

Application16/376,142Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Apr 2019

US 2021/0188557 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Jun 2021

US 10,947,049 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2019/0308820 A1Published application

US 11,702,292 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Conveyor system with automated carriers

Life of this patent

Conveyor system with automated carriers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20