Apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article
AssigneeASM International N.V.
InventorsJan Zinger, Kornelius Haanstra, Rudi Schimmel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article from a first unloading position to a second loading position compensates for misalignment of the article on a support arm. During movement of the support arm the periphery of the circular article is detected, and a correction of the movement of the support arm is generated.
Claims12
An apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article from a first loading position to a second unloading position, the apparatus comprising:
- displaceable transferring means for engaging the article at the first position, transferring it substantially horizontally along a linear path, and discharging it at the second position;
- means for determining a horizontal position of the article relative to said displaceable transferring means while the article is engaged by said displaceable transferring means and is being transferred along said linear path, said means for determining comprising a first generally linear array of light sensors in said linear path between the first and second positions in a direction not parallel to said linear path, and calculating means for determining the horizontal position of the article relative to said displaceable transferring means based on an output from said first array;
- and
- position control means connected to said calculating means for controlling movement of said displaceable transferring means.
An apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article from a first loading position to a second unloading position, the apparatus comprising:
- displaceable transferring means for engaging the article at the first position, transferring it substantially horizontally along a linear path, and discharging it at the second position;
- speed determining means for determining a speed of the article while the article is engaged by said displaceable transferring means and is being transferred along said linear path, said speed determining means comprising a first generally linear array of light sensors in said linear path between the first and second positions in a direction not parallel to said linear path and a multi-pronged reference on said displaceable transferring means, each prong of said multi-pronged reference for being detected by a light sensor in said first array during passage of the article along said linear path, and calculating means for determining the speed of the article based on an output from said first array;
- and
- position control means connected to said calculating means for controlling movement of said displaceable transferring means.
An apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article at least substantial horizontal from a first unloading position to a second loading position, comprising:
- displaceable transferring means for engaging said article, transferring it in a linear path and discharging it in said second position;
- means for determining the substantial horizontal position of said article relative to said displaceable transferring means;
- position control means for controlling movement of said displaceable transferring means;
- said means for determining the substantial horizontal position of said article comprising an array of light sensitive means positioned in said path of the article between said first and said second positions in a direction not parallel with said path;
- said transferring means being arranged such that said article is moved along said path along said array of light sensitive means;
- and
- calculating means for determining the position of said article relative to said transferring means based on the output of said array of light sensitive means and the linear speed of said transferring means along said linear path and which is connected to said position control means.
An apparatus for transferring a substantially circular article at least substantial horizontal from a first unloading position to a second loading position, comprising:
- displaceable transferring means for engaging said article, transferring it in a linear path and discharging it in said second position;
- means for determining the substantial horizontal position of said article on said displaceable transferring means;
- position control means for controlling movement of said displaceable transferring means;
- said means for determining the substantial horizontal position of said article comprising an array of light sensitive means positioned in said path of the article from said first to said second position in a direction not parallel with said path;
- said transferring means being arranged such that said article is moved along said linear path along said array of light sensitive means;
- calculating means for determining the position of said article relative to said transferring means based on the output of said array light sensitive means and the linear speed of said transferring means along said linear path and which is connected to said position control means;
- and
- further light sensitive means for determining the linear speed of said article during passage of said array of light sensitive means which is connected to said calculating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.