US 8,556,680 B2Granted

Process and apparatus for automatically grinding edges of glass sheets under clean room conditions

AssigneeGrenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH

InventorEgbert Wenninger

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Abstract

An embodiment of the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automatic edge grinding of glass sheets under clean room conditions, comprising the following: a) a multi-axis robot at a gripper arm thereof carries a suction frame having a plurality of suction units for receiving a glass sheet, b) a grinding unit having at least one rotatable grinding wheel that is supported in a stationary manner is installed in the usable pivot range of the gripper arm of the robot, c) the ground product occurring during operation of the grinding unit is extracted by an extraction system, d) the degree of wear and the state of the grinding wheel are monitored by a calibration device in conjunction with a detection device, and a computer program for carrying out the method.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for automatically grinding an edge of a glass sheet comprising:

a) a gripper arm of a multi-axis robot bearing a suction frame having a plurality of suction units for receiving the glass sheet;
b) at least one position sensor configured to detect a position of the edge of the glass sheet and provide the multi-axis robot with the detected position data;
and
c) a grinding unit comprising
a rotatable grinding wheel mounted in a stationary manner and installed in a pivot range of the gripper arm of the multi-axis robot;
a flexible sealing lip adjacent to the rotatable grinding wheel, the flexible sealing lip configured to cling to the glass sheet on both sides during grinding;
a duct configured to supply emulsion;
and
an extraction system including a main extraction duct for extracting a ground product generated during grinding, the extraction system disposed adjacent to the rotatable grinding wheel;
and
a calibration device in conjunction with a detection device configured to monitor a degree of wear and a state of the rotatable grinding wheel.

8 more elements

A method for automatically grinding an edge of a glass sheet, the method comprising:

receiving the glass sheet by a plurality of suction units, the suction units disposed on a suction frame and the suction frame connected to a gripper arm of a multi-axis robot;
detecting a position of the edge of the glass sheet by at least one position sensor;
placing the glass sheet between a flexible sealing lip, the flexible sealing lip disposed adjacent a rotatable grinding wheel, the rotatable grinding wheel disposed in a grinding unit mounted in a stationary manner in a pivot range of the gripper arm of the multi-axis robot;
supplying a grinding emulsion via a duct, the duct adjacent the rotatable grinding wheel;
grinding the edge of the glass sheet at the grinding unit;
extracting a ground product generated during grinding the edge of the glass sheet through an extraction system, the extraction system comprising a main extraction duct and the extraction system being disposed adjacent to the rotatable grinding wheel;
and
monitoring a degree of a wear and a state of the rotatable grinding wheel by a calibration device in conjunction with a detection device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/996,305Filed 2 Jun 2009
Priority: DE 10 2008 027 0506 Jun 2008
Published: US 2011/0104988 A15 May 2011
Granted: 15 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B24B 9/10
Of glass: of plate glass
B24B 49/12
Measuring or gauging equipment for controlling the feed movement of the grinding tool or work; Arrangements of indicating or measuring…
B24B 55/06
Safety devices for grinding or polishing machines; Accessories fitted to grinding or polishing machines for keeping tools or parts of the…
B24B
Machines, devices, or processes for grinding or polishing