Robotic turntable
OwnerDean Stoopsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic turntable includes a first rotating table, a second rotating table, and a workpiece table. A motor rotates the first rotating table. The second rotating table is coaxial with the first rotating table and rotationally positionable relative to the first rotating table. The workpiece table is rotationally fixed with respect to the second rotating table and is tiltably positionable with respect to the second rotating table. A first actuator cooperates with the second table to change the rotational position of the second table with respect to the first table. A second actuator cooperates with a lever attached to the first table to change the tilt of the workpiece table. Changes to rotation and tilt are obtained solely by the positions of the actuators and rotation of the first table by the motor.
Claims20
A robotic turntable comprising:
- a motor;
- a first table rotationally driven by the motor;
- a workpiece table mechanically coupled to the first table wherein the workpiece table is rotatable with the first table to maintain a rotational position of the workpiece table with respect to the first table and the workpiece table is rotatable with respect to the first table to change the rotational position of the workpiece table with respect to the first table and the workpiece table is tiltable to a first tilt and to a second tilt with respect to the first table;
- a first actuator having a first actuating member moveable between a free position and a stop position, wherein while the first actuating member is in the free position the first actuating member does not affect rotation of the workpiece table thereby allowing the workpiece table to rotate with the first table and while the first actuating member is in the stop position the first actuating member prevents the workpiece table from rotating with respect to the first table thereby changing the rotational position of the workpiece table with respect to the first table;
- and
- a second actuator having a second actuating member moveable between a second free position and a second stop position, wherein while the second actuating member is in the second free position the second actuating member does not contact rotatable elements of the robotic turntable, and while the second actuating member is in the second stop position, the rotation of the first table is coupled to a change in tilt of the workpiece table.
A robotic turntable comprising:
- a first rotating table;
- a second rotating table;
- a workpiece table;
- and
- a motor for rotating the first rotating table,
- wherein:
- the second rotating table is coaxial with the first rotating table and rotationally positionable relative to the first rotating table;
- the workpiece table is rotationally fixed with respect to the second rotating table and is tiltably positionable with respect to the second rotating table;
- a first actuator includes a first actuating member moveable to a stop position wherein the first actuating member cooperates with the second rotating table to prevent the rotation of the second rotating table to change the rotational position of the second rotating table with respect to the first rotating table;
- a second actuator includes a second actuating member moveable to a second stop position wherein the second actuating member cooperates with a lever attached to the first rotating table and combined with rotation of the first rotating table pivots the lever with respect to the first rotating table causing a change the tilt of the workpiece table;
- and
- changes to rotation and tilt are obtained solely by the positions of the actuators and rotation of the first rotating table by the motor.
A method for controlling a workpiece table, the method comprising:
- aligning a vertical axis of a workpiece table at a first tilt with respect to a first table, the workpiece table rotatably coupled to the first table, the first table rotationally carried by a base;
- rotating the first table using a servo motor attached to the base thereby also rotating the workpiece table at the first tilt;
- stopping the rotation of the first table;
- aligning a second non-rotating actuator arm attached to the base with a tilt lever, the tilt lever mechanically coupled to the first table and rotating with the first table and having a first position causing the workpiece table to assume the first tilt and a second position causing the workpiece table to assume a second tilt with respect to the first table
- rotating the first table to cause the second actuator arm to engage the tilt lever to pivot the tilt lever from the first position to the second position, thereby causing the workpiece table to move from the first tilt angle to the second tilt angle;
- moving the second actuator arm out of alignment with the tilt lever;
- and
- rotating the first table thereby rotating the tilted workpiece table at the second tilt angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.