US 7,414,378 B2Granted

High precision positioning powered turntable and control method thereof

AssigneeSailrail Automated Systems, Inc.

InventorShawn Dawson

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Abstract

The invention relates to the field of material handling or logistic equipment in particular, relates to turntables, which can be used especially for automation of production line, assembly assistance, linefeeading and synchronous manufacturing. A high precision positioning powered turntable and its controlling method are disclosed herewithin, based on slewing ring bearing having an integral gear on the inner ring, and positively driven by a gear motor. A plurality of sensors and sensor flags are installed for monitoring position of the turntable top structure for controlling acceleration, deceleration and stopping. A controller, such as a programmable logic controller, is used for monitoring the position of the turntable top structure tlirough the plurality of sensors, and decides how it operates a motor drive, such as variable frequency drive, of the gearmotor for controlling the acceleration, deceleration and stopping of the turntable.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A high precision positioning powered turntable for handling materials comprises:

(i) a turntable top structure;
(ii) a base frame structure for providing a housing structure for a motor and for providing a foundation structure for said turntable top structure;
(iii) a slewing ring bearing for rotatably attaching said turntable top structure to said base frame structure;
wherein said slewing ring bearing comprises an inner and outer rings slidably attached to each other, wherein said inner ring of said slewing ring bearing has an integral gear and a plurality of fastening means for fastening said turntable top structure, and said outer ring of said slewing ring bearing has a plurality of fastening means for fastening said slewing ring onto said base frame structure, wherein said motor has a pinion gear engaging with said gear on said inner ring of said slewing ring bearing;
(iv) a controlling means, comprising:
a plurality of sensing means attached around said base frame structure for measuring the position and movement of said turntable top structure;
a processing means for computing the position and movement of said turntable top structure, and deciding the next movement of said turntable top structure;
a storage means for storing instructions programmed for said processing means;
and
a motor driving means for driving said motor controlled by said processing means.

7 more elements

A method for controlling a precision positioning powered turntable for handling materials comprising the steps of:

(i) monitoring the position of a turntable top structure by a plurality of sensing means for controlling acceleration, deceleration and stopping;
(ii) computing the position and movement of said turntable top structure by a processing mean;
(iii) determining the movement of said turntable top structure by said processing means;
(iv) driving a motor mounted in a base frame structure of said precision positioning powered turntable as determined at step (iii) through a motor driving means;
wherein, said turntable top structure is rotatably attached to said base frame structure by a slew ring bearing and wherein said slewing ring bearing comprises an inner and outer rings slidably attached to each other, wherein one of said rings has an integral gear and a plurality fastening means for fastening said turntable top structure, and the other of said rings has a plurality of fastening means for fastening said slewing ring onto said base frame structure, wherein said motor has a pinion gear engaging with said gear on said inner ring of said slewing ring bearing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/566,972Filed 5 Dec 2006
Priority: CA 25288925 Dec 2005
Published: US 2008/0094014 A124 Apr 2008
Granted: 19 Aug 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B23Q 16/025
In which only the indexing movement is of importance: by converting a continuous movement into a rotary indexing movement
G05B 19/416
Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to…
G05B 2219/37277
Measurements: inductive proximity sensor
G05B 2219/43099
Speed, acceleration, deceleration control ADC: select acceleration deceleration time constants as function of weight, load, position