Automated roll handling system
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorStephen Reinke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated roll handling system includes a cart with an integrated vertical spindle and a plurality of wheels on bottom frame of the cart. A trio of cart locating pads is situated on the bottom frame of the cart, and a cart centering post is situated on the bottom frame of the cart and used in combination with the trio of cart locating pads to locate the spindle in space to a predetermined positioning tolerance that allows for control of five degrees of freedom. A roll transfer system is also provided including a pivot arm, a system frame, a vacuum arm, a plurality of vacuum suction cups affixed to the vacuum arm for holding a sidewall of a stock roll, and a cart locator system on the bottom of the system frame for precise positioning of the cart.
Claims3
An automated roll handling system, comprising:
- a) a cart with an integrated vertical spindle comprising:
- a1) a plurality of wheels on bottom frame of the cart;
- a2) a trio of cart locating pads situated on the bottom frame of the cart;
- a3) a cart centering post situated on the bottom frame of the cart and used in combination with the trio of cart locating pads to locate the spindle in space to a predetermined positioning tolerance that allows for control of five degrees of freedom;
- and
- b) a roll transfer system, comprising:
- b1) a pivot arm;
- b2) a system frame for supporting the pivot arm;
- b3) a vacuum arm that is capable of sliding within the pivot arm;
- b4) a plurality of vacuum suction cups affixed to the vacuum arm for holding a sidewall of a stock roll;
- and
- b5) a cart locator system on bottom of the system frame for precise positioning of the cart using the combination of the trio of cart locating pads and the cart centering post.
A method of loading a stock roll with an automated roll handling system, comprising the steps of:
- a) locating a cart centering post against a cart locator;
- b) actuating a cart locator latch to precisely position the cart centering post against the cart locator;
- c) actuating cart lifting devices to accurately position a spindle axis within a predetermined tolerance while allowing for control of five degrees of freedom;
- d) actuating a vacuum arm to acquire a top-most stock roll;
- e) actuating the vacuum arm to a fully retracted position;
- f) actuating a rotary actuator to rotate a pivot arm in a horizontal position for alignment with a receiving spindle;
- g) actuating a stop cylinder to limit vacuum arm's stroke;
- h) actuating the vacuum arm out against the stop cylinder to load the stock roll over the receiving spindle;
- i) grasping of the stock roll core by the receiving spindle;
- j) de-energizing vacuum pressure on the vacuum arm;
- k) retracting the vacuum arm until its fully retracted position;
- and
- l) rotating the pivot arm to its initial position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.