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US 11,834,896 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.
Claims19
A manufacturing line for manufacturing insulated glass units, the manufacturing line comprising:
- a spacer applicator station, which receives a lite from a first conveyor and includes a first robot that grips a front surface of the lite and separates a back surface of the lite from the first conveyor in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the first conveyor by a distance sufficient to enable a spacer applicator to be positioned between the lite and the first conveyor, wherein the spacer applicator applies spacer material around perimeter edges of the back surface of the lite, thus forming a spacer applied lite;
- a vertical gas filling and wetting station that receives a wetting lite positioned on the first conveyor, wherein the first robot aligns the spacer applied lite with the wetting lite and brings the spacer material into contact with the wetting lite, and a gas source fills a cavity between the spacer applied lite and the wetting lite at least partially with a non-air gas into and the first robot presses the spacer applied lite and the wetting lite together, thus forming a primary sealed insulated glass unit;
- and
- a secondary sealing station.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing insulated glass units, the method comprising:
- separating a lite from a first conveyor in a direction transverse to a direction of travel of the first conveyor and in a vertical orientation;
- interposing a spacer applicator between the lite separated from the first conveyor and the first conveyor while the lite is supported by a first robot that grips a front surface of the lite;
- applying spacer material with the spacer applicator proximate perimeter edges of a back surface of the lite, thereby forming a spacer applied lite;
- aligning the spacer applied lite by operation of the first robot with a wetting lite positioned on the first conveyor, wherein the spacer material is between the spacer applied lite and the wetting lite;
- contacting the spacer material of the spacer applied lite to the wetting lite by operation of the first robot;
- filling a cavity between the spacer applied lite and the wetting lite at least partially with a non-air gas from a gas source;
- pressing the spacer applied lite and the wetting lite together by operation of the first robot, thereby forming a primary sealed insulated glass unit;
- and
- applying secondary sealant material around peripheral edges of the primary sealed insulated glass unit.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.