Supply system and method for operation
OwnerHans Broich, Michael Viethinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Supply system 10 for delivery of elements 130, 150 to one or more users 12 comprising a forwarding device 76, 76′, 76″ which supplies the elements from a stored quantity 78 to a sorting device 70, 70′, which only permits elements having a predetermined position to pass and with a transport device 72, 72′, which transports the positionally correctly sorted elements 130, 150 to the user 12, characterized in that the forwarding device 76, 76′, 76′ forms part of a basic module while the sorting device 70, 70′ and the transport device 72, 72′ belong to an interchangeable module. In this way the components of the supply system 10 can be manufactured and used more rationally, whereby the investment costs sink and can be more quickly amortized.
Claims24
Supply system for the delivery of first configured elements for use in manufacturing operations to one or more manufacturing systems comprising:
- a basic supply module including a supply chamber for storing elements and a forwarding device proximate to said supply chamber and positioned to receive elements from an output of said supply chamber for moving elements from said supply chamber;
- and
- a first interchangeable mechanical sorting device of the type providing a continuous sorting of elements for producing a continuous element stream, said interchangeable mechanical sorting device located proximate to said forwarding device and positioned to receive the elements from said forwarding device, said first interchangeable mechanical sorting device being configured for receiving and sorting the first configured elements from said forwarding device and delivering only correctly positioned ones of the fist configured elements to a transport device of the type providing a continuous flow of elements to a manufacturing system for transporting correctly positioned ones of first configured elements to the manufacturing system wherein:
- said first interchangeable mechanical sorting device is removeably mounted on said basic supply module and mechanically affixed thereto with a rapid disconnect coupler, and further wherein said first interchangeable mechanical sorting device is readily replaceable with a like second interchangeable mechanical sorting device configured for sorting and supplying second configured elements.
A method for the operation of a user which receives elements from a supply system of the type comprising a basic supply module including a supply chamber and a forwarding device, and an interchangeable mechanical sorting device including a sorting device and a transport device affixed to the basic supply module, and functioning to sort elements in a desired predetermined element position to change the supply system from sorting a first configured element to sorting a second configured element, said method comprising the steps:
- disconnecting the interchangeable mechanical sorting device from the basic supply module;
- removing the interchangeable mechanical sorting device configured to sort the first configured elements from the basic supply module;
- placing another interchangeable mechanical sorting device configured to sort the second configured elements on the basic supply module;
- aligning the other interchangeable mechanical sorting device with respect to the forwarding device of the basic supply module;
- and
- connecting the other interchangeable mechanical sorting device to the basic supply module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.