Method and device for turning large-area panels in extreme oversize

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10464760-B2
Application number	US-201314434067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2013
Priority date	Oct 9, 2012
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and device for turning large-area panels, in particular glass panels, in extreme oversize of the order of magnitude of more than 40 meters in length and over 6 meters in width, wherein pick-up from the bath side or from the air side is possible, the method comprising the following features: a) the glass panels ( 2 ) delivered on conveyor rollers of a transport device ( 3 ) are gripped by means of a plurality of stacking robots ( 1 ) that extend for the entire length of the glass panel ( 2 ) and are installed on respective robot base frames ( 19 ) on the air side or on the bath side by means of pivotable suction frames ( 6 ) and suction cups ( 5 ) fastened thereto, b) the glass panel ( 2 ) gripped in this manner is pivoted jointly by the plurality of stacking robots and set down on a stacking shelf ( 4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for repositioning glass panels of large surface area and, wherein said panels can be held from the bath side or from the air side, the apparatus comprising:
a transportation apparatus comprising conveying rollers, wherein the conveying rollers run in two tracks which run in parallel and at a distance from each other, the conveying rollers are driven individually, and wherein the horizontal distance of the individual conveying rollers in relation to one another can be varied;
a plurality of stacking robots arranged next to one another, wherein each stacking robot has two pivotable main arms, each main arm having a rotary joint connected in an articulated manner and having a synchronous drive, a robot arm connected to said rotary joint in an articulated manner and connected to a pivot head, and a suction device frame fastened to said robot arm, the stacking robots being installed on robot basic frames;
a plurality of suction devices supported on the suction device frames by transverse webs arranged in a structure resembling a rake; and
a stacking framework on which a glass panel can be set down with the air side at the top or with the bath side at the top,
wherein the suction device frames are fitted with laser sensors for coordinating the position of adjacent suction device frames, each of the robot basic frames having light field sensors for coordinating the position of the entire glass panel,
wherein the laser sensors communicate diagonally to detect twisting of individual section suction device frames to correct twisting using control means,
and wherein each individual suction device includes a sealing ring guided in a suction device head, the suction device head sliding together in a rubber bellows in a holding plate, wherein the suction device heads are made of a solid, non-flexible material, the net impact being the suction devices, in the aggregate, work to hold the pane of glass flat, avoiding the undulating bending characteristic at the locations of contact points of the respective suction devices with flexible lips.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the respective suction device frames comprise transverse webs, said apparatus further comprising at least one of power suction devices, precision suction devices and grippers employed on the transverse webs of the suction device frames, the grippers being selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic grippers and electrostatic grippers.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the glass panels are coated, and wherein the grippers are used for repositioning purposes on the air side of the glass panels.

4. A method for repositioning glass panels of large surface area, wherein said panels can be held from the bath side or from the air side, comprising the following steps:
capturing respective glass panels of about 40 meters in length and about 6 meters in width by means of a plurality of stacking robots extending over the entire length of the glass panels and each installed on robot basic frames, on the air side or on the bath side by means of pivotable suction device frames and suction devices which are fastened to said suction device frames and delivering the glass panels on conveying rollers of a transportation apparatus, wherein the conveying rollers run in two tracks which run in parallel and at a distance from each other, where the conveying rollers are driven individually, and wherein the horizontal distance of the individual conveying rollers in relation to one another can be varied,
holding each respective glass panel flat through the work of the suction devices in the aggregate, wherein each individual suction device includes a sealing ring guided in a suction device head, the suction device head sliding together in a rubber bellows in a holding plate, wherein the suction device heads are made of a solid, non-flexible material, the net impact being that the suction devices work in unison to hold each respective pane of glass flat, avoiding the undulating bending characteristic at the locations of contact points of the respective suction devices with flexible lips,
jointly pivoting each respective glass panel by said plurality of stacking robots and setting the respective glass panels down on a stacking shelf; and
fitting the suction device frames with laser sensors for coordinating the position of adjacent suction device frames, and coordinating the position of the entire glass panel by the robot basic frames which each have light field sensors for coordinating the position of the entire glass panel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the suction device frames each have transverse webs, and the method further including the step of employing a selected one or both of power suction devices and precision suction devices on the transverse webs of the suction device frames.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the glass panels are to be coated, and the method further using a selected one or both of electrostatic grippers and ultrasonic grippers for repositioning purposes on the air side for the glass panels to be coated.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4 , and further including the step of using the stacking robots individually in a rapid mode of operation by direct pivoting.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4 , and further including the step of using a suction device having at its center a circular filter element operative to keep fine glass particles away from an associated vacuum pump.

9. An apparatus for repositioning glass panels of large surface area and, wherein said panels can be held from the bath side or from the air side, the apparatus comprising:
a transportation apparatus comprising conveying rollers, wherein the conveying rollers run in two tracks which run in parallel and at a distance from each other, the conveying rollers are driven individually, and wherein the horizontal distance of the individual conveying rollers in relation to one another can be varied;
a plurality of stacking robots arranged next to one another, wherein each stacking robot has two pivotable main arms, each main arm having a rotary joint connected in an articulated manner and having a synchronous drive, a robot arm connected to said rotary joint in an articulated manner and connected to a pivot head, and a suction device frame fastened to said robot arm, the stacking robots being installed on robot basic frames;
a plurality of suction devices supported on the suction device frame by transverse webs arranged in a structure resembling a rake; and
a stacking framework on which a glass panel can be set down with the air side at the top or with the bath side at the top,
wherein the suction device frames are fitted with laser sensors for coordinating the position of adjacent suction device frames such that each laser sensor is able to emit laser beams for the purpose of communication with a respectively adjacent suction device frame and also to receive laser beams of this kind as communication signals, so that said laser sensors can coordinate the control of the drives of the robot basic frames, each of the robot basic frames having light field sensors for coordinating the position of the entire glass panel, which light field sensors are able to contribute to superordinate data-related coordination of each of the individual suction devices over the entire region of the glass panel,
wherein the laser sensors communicate diagonally to detect twisting of individual suction device frames to correct twisting using control means,
and wherein each individual suction device includes a sealing ring guided in a suction device head, the suction device head sliding together in a rubber bellows in a holding plate, wherein

Assignees

• Grenzebach Maschb Gmbh
• Grenzebach Maschinebau Gmbh

Inventors

• Herfert Christian

Classifications

• B65G49/067 Primary

  Sheet handling, means, e.g. manipulators, devices for turning or tilting sheet glass (suction cups B65G49/061; combined with vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; stacking and destacking B65G49/068) · CPC title

• B65G49/068

  Stacking or destacking devices; Means for preventing damage to stacked sheets, e.g. spaces (stacking in general B65G57/00; destacking in general B65G59/00; spacer sheets in general B65H) · CPC title

• B65G47/915

  provided with drive systems with rotary movements only · CPC title

• B65G47/92

  incorporating electrostatic or magnetic grippers · CPC title

• B65G47/91

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title