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US 5,470,195 AGranted
Vacuum turret
AssigneeGlobe-Union Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Blank, Roger O. Crill, Bruce A. Pusey, Kashyap H. Shah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vacuum turret apparatus for moving objects from a first location to a second location is disclosed. The turret is specifically designed to move individual plate-like objects from a stack of such objects located at the first location to the second location. Flexible bellows in combination with vacuum are used to lift, hold, and move the objects. An air knife ejecting a stream of high pressure air towards the selected object helps separate that object from the rest of the stack.
Claims21
An apparatus for lifting an individual object from a stack of objects and moving the object between a first location and a second location, the apparatus comprising:
- a turret assembly rotatably mounted about a central turret axis, the turret assembly including a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the central turret axis, each arm having a suction head at a spaced distance from the central turret axis;
- an indexer connected to the turret assembly to rotate the turret assembly in stepwise fashion, sequentially moving each suction head from the first location to the second location;
- and
- a pneumatic circuit configured for connection between a vacuum source and each suction head to selectively provide a vacuum to each suction head when in proximity to the first location and during a preselected portion of the rotation of the turret assembly, wherein the vacuum is sufficient to secure the individual object to the suction head at the first location and oriented to provide a lifting bias on the individual object generally parallel to the central turret axis, the suction head being configured to stablilize the object as it moves from the first location to the second location, wherein each suction head includes at least one flexible bellows, each flexible bellows being in a generally relaxed position until it engages the object, at which time the vacuum created in the flexible bellows causes the bellows to contract and lift the object.
1 more element
An apparatus for lifting an individual object from a stack of objects and moving the object between a first location and a second location, the apparatus comprising:
- a turret assembly rotatably mounted about a central turret axis, the turret assembly including at least one arm, each arm having a suction head at a spaced distance from the central turret axis;
- an indexer connected to the turret assembly to rotate the turret assembly in stepwise fashion, sequentially moving each suction head from the first location to the second location;
- and
- a pneumatic circuit configured for connection between a vacuum source and each suction head to selectively provide a vacuum to each suction head when in proximity to the first location and during a preselected portion of the rotation of the turret assembly, wherein the vacuum is sufficient to secure the individual object to the suction head at the first location and the suction head is configured to stabilize the object as it moves from the first location to the second location, wherein each suction head includes at least one flexible bellows, each flexible bellows being in a generally relaxed position until it engages the object, at which time the vacuum created in the flexible bellow causes the bellows to contract and lift the object, wherein each arm is pivotally mounted to a center hub to allow generally vertical pivotal movement of each suction head.
1 more element
An apparatus for lifting an individual object from a stack of objects and moving the object between a first location and a second location, the apparatus comprising:
- a turret assembly rotatably mounted about a central turret axis, the turret assembly including at least one arm, each arm having a suction head at a spaced distance from the central turret axis;
- an indexer connected to the turret assembly to rotate the turret assembly in stepwise fashion, sequentially moving each suction head from the first location to the second location;
- and
- a pneumatic circuit configured for connection between a vacuum source and each suction head to selectively provide a vacuum to each suction head when in proximity to the first location and during a preselected portion of the rotation of the turret assembly, wherein the vacuum is sufficient to secure the individual object to the suction head at the first location, and the suction head is configured to stabilize the object as it moves from the first location to the second location, wherein each arm is pivotably mounted to a center hub to allow generally vertical pivotal movement of each suction head, further comprising a cam follower surface on each arm, wherein each cam follower surface moves along a cam track extending around the central turret axis, the cam track being configured to move each suction head into closer proximity with the object at the first location and to lift the suction head as it continues to rotate about the central turret axis,
- further comprising a skip pate which cooperates with each suction head in proximity to the first location to lift the suction head away from the object and to selectively prevent attachment of the object to the suction head.
2 more elements
An apparatus for lifting an individual object from a stack of objects and moving the object between a first location and a second location, the apparatus comprising:
- a turret assembly rotatably mounted about a central turret axis, the turret assembly including at least one arm, each arm having a suction head at a spaced distance form the central turret axis;
- an indexer connected to the turret assembly to rotate the turret assembly in stepwise fashion, sequentially moving each suction head from the first location to the second location;
- and
- a pneumatic circuit configured for connection between a vacuum source and each suction head to selectively provide a vacuum to each suction head when in proximity to the first location and during a preselected portion of the rotation of the turret assembly, wherein the vacuum is sufficient to secure the individual object to the suction head at the first location, and the suction head is configured to stabilize the object as it moves from the first location to the second location, further comprising an air knife connected to the pneumatic circuit and disposed to project a high pressure stream of air towards the individual object to facilitate separation of the object from the stack.
1 more element
An apparatus for transferring battery electrode plates disposed in a stack, the apparatus being configured to move individual battery electrode plates between a first location and a second location, the apparatus comprising:
- a turret assembly rotatably mounted about a central turret axis, the turret assembly including a center hub and a plurality of arms extending radially outward from the hub, each arm including a suction head having at least one contractible bellows configured for engagement with an uppermost electrode plate of the stack and for lifting of the uppermost electrode plate from the stack;
- an indexing assembly connected to the turret assembly to rotate the turret assembly and sequentially move each arm from the first location to the second location;
- and
- a pneumatic circuit configured for connection between a vacuum source and each contractible bellows to selectively provide a vacuum during a preselected portion of the rotation of each suction head from the first location to the second location, wherein the vacuum is sufficient to secure the individual plate to the suction head at the first location.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.