Optimizing planer infeed system and method
AssigneeUSNR/Kockums Cancar Company
InventorsRonald W. McGehee, Patrick Doyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optimizing planer infeed system for feeding an array of workpieces downstream to a planer includes an apparatus for setting the size of the gaps between successive linearly aligned workpieces so that each gap between successive workpieces provides enough time for at least one of movable cutting elements in the planer and movable guiding elements to be moved to their optimized position corresponding to the next successive workpiece.
Claims26
An infeed system for feeding an array of workpieces linearly downstream to a processing machine with at least one or more movable cutting elements or movable guiding elements, wherein the processing machine is an optimizing planer, a planer, a planer-matcher, or a moulder, the infeed system comprising:
- a workpiece feed path, operatively coupled to the processing machine, the workpiece feed path including means for translating the array of workpieces downstream toward the processing machine;
- and
- means, operatively coupled to the workpiece feed path, for setting the size of gaps between successive workpieces in the array of workpieces being translated linearly into the processing machine;
- wherein the means for setting the size of gaps is configured to set the gaps to provide enough time for at least one of the movable cutting elements or the movable guiding elements to be moved a position corresponding to the next successive workpiece in the array of workpieces.
An infeed system configured to feed an array of workpieces linearly downstream to a processing machine with at least one or more movable cutting elements or movable guiding elements, wherein the processing machine is an optimizing planer, a planer, a planer-matcher, or a moulder, the infeed system comprising:
- a workpiece feed path operatively coupled to the processing machine;
- one or more workpiece acceleration devices, operatively coupled to the workpiece feed path, configured to adjust the speed of a workpiece in the array of workpieces;
- one or more workpiece sensors operatively coupled to the workpiece feed path and configured to determine one or more of the position, velocity and acceleration of the workpiece;
- a control system coupled to the one or more workpiece sensors and to the one or more workpiece acceleration devices, the control system configured to receive the data from the one or more workpiece sensors and to adjust the speed of the one or more workpiece acceleration devices in order to set the gap between successive workpieces in the array of workpieces.
An infeed system comprising:
- an infeed conveyor describing a path of workpiece flow, the infeed conveyor configured to transport a first and a second workpiece sequentially downstream along said path;
- an acceleration device coupled to the infeed conveyor and configured to adjust the velocity of the first and the second workpieces along said path;
- a variable speed drive coupled to the acceleration device and configured to control the acceleration device;
- a workpiece sensor coupled to the infeed conveyor and configured to generate data corresponding to one or more attributes of the first and the second workpiece, said one or more attributes including at least one of position, velocity, and acceleration;
- a cutting apparatus operatively coupled to the control system, the cutting apparatus having at least one movable guiding or cutting element, wherein the cutting apparatus is an optimizing planer, a planer, a planer-matcher, or a moulder;
- and
- a control system coupled to the workpiece sensor and the variable speed drive, the control system configured to
- receive said data from the workpiece sensor,
- determine a length of time required to reposition the at least one movable guiding or cutting element between the first and second workpieces,
- determine a desired gap between the first and second workpieces on said infeed conveyor based at least in part on said data and said length of time, and
- send an instruction to the variable speed drive, the instruction
- comprising a command for adjusting operation of the acceleration device, wherein adjusting operation of the acceleration device adjusts the distance between the first and second workpieces to create the desired gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.