Coating system
AssigneeAxis USA, Inc.
InventorsAlessandro Faraoni, Massimo Lombardi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for processing components which are to be transferred to second system. Portions of the system are selectively controlled so that when demand from the second system is stopped, processing of the components is allowed to be completed as needed. The system includes a preparation station which is stopped once demand is stopped, a processing station which continues to process components until such process can be safely stopped without producing unusable finished products, and a waiting station which is stopped once demand is stopped. The capacity of the waiting station is adjustable in order to accommodate components which must be passed out of the processing station so that other components may be passed through the processing station to complete all uninterruptable processes.
Claims41
A system for processing and coating portions of components each having a magnetic core before transferring said components to an other processing system, said processing and coating system comprising:
- a plurality of stations including a coating station and a final station, wherein interruption of the coating process at said coating station for longer than a period of time results in defective units;
- means for transporting said components through said stations, said transporting means having a plurality of separately controllable portions and a plurality of support members designed for carrying components having a magnetic core;
- and
- means for removing said components from said final station and transferring said components to said other processing system according to production demands of said other processing system;
- and
- means for, when said demands from said other processing system are halted for longer than said period of time:
- stopping said removing and transferring means,
- allowing at least one portion of said transporting means to continue to transport components which have begun to be coated through and out of said coating station, and
- separately adjusting the at least one portion of said transporting means that transports said components through said final station to thereby increase the capacity of said final station to accommodate a selected number of said components based on the number of said components determined to be in said coating station at the time said demands from said other processing system are halted and said removing and transferring means are stopped, without changing the capacity of other of said plurality of stations.
An adjustable station in a system for coating portions of components each having a magnetic core, said system having at least said adjustable station and an upstream coating station before said adjustable station, said adjustable station comprising:
- a first point at which said components are received by said adjustable station;
- a second point at which said components are transferred out of said adjustable station;
- continuous conveying means extending between said first and second points and having a plurality of means designed for supporting components having a magnetic core;
- means for controlling movement of said continuous conveying means at said first point based on the number of the components present in said coating station to assure that said components continuously move through and out of said coating station at a rate to produce properly coated components independent of upstream and downstream production demands;
- and
- means for stopping movement of said continuous conveying means at said second point when the downstream production demands are halted;
- said adjustable station being operable such that transfer of components out of said system is stopped when the downstream production demands have been halted such that:
- said means for stopping stops said continuous conveying means at said second point;
- components present in said coating station continue to move through and out of said coating station;
- and
- said means for controlling movement of said continuous conveying means continues to move said conveying means so that a selected number of said support means on said continuous conveying means passes said first point, said selected number being based on the number of components determined to be in said coating station at the time transfer out of said system is stopped;
- whereby all components in said coating system can be completely and properly coated without leaving said coating system.
A method of processing components, each having a magnetic core, in a coating system, and transferring said components for processing in accordance with an other system, said processing method comprising the steps of:
- applying a coating on a portion of each of said components, wherein interruption of application of said coating for longer than a period of time results in defective coating of said portion of said components;
- transferring coated components into a final station of said coating system;
- transferring said processed components out of said final station for processing by said other system, according to demand of said other system;
- and
- when demand from said other system has halted for longer than said period of time, stopping transfer of said components from said final station, continuing to apply a coating to said portion of each of said components already in said coating station without increasing the capacity of at least said coating station, moving coated components out of said coating station, and increasing capacity of said final station to accommodate a selected number of components based on the number of components that are determined to be in said coating station at the time demand is halted so that proper and complete coating of all components in the coating station is achieved.
A processing system for coating with resin portions of components having a magnetic core, said system comprising:
- a resin coating station having means for applying resin to portions of said components and means for rotating said components during coating;
- a finishing station for conveying said components from said resin coating station to a downstream system, said resin being cured while being conveyed in said finishing station;
- means for placing said components into said system;
- means for removing said components from said system;
- and
- means for stopping said removing means from removing said components from said system and simultaneously adjusting the capacity of said finishing station without adjusting the capacity of said resin coating station so that said finishing station can accommodate additional components leaving said resin coating station but not leaving said processing system so that said components can be completely and properly coated, wherein the adjustment performed by said means for stopping and adjusting is controlled by the a number of components determined to be in said coating station at the time said means for stopping and adjusting stops said removing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.