Workpiece transfer apparatus and workpiece transfer method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501273-B2
Application number	US-201816029882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a mounting surface, a non-contact chuck, and an extracting mechanism. The mounting surface receives workpieces stacked one above the other. The non-contact chuck is located above the workpieces to draw the uppermost workpiece. The extracting mechanism extracts the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece in a predetermined extracting direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A workpiece transfer apparatus comprising:
a mounting surface for receiving a plurality of workpieces stacked one above the other;
a non-contact chuck located above the workpieces to draw an uppermost workpiece; and
a roller or a gripper configured to extract the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece in a predetermined extracting direction.

2. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the chuck is one of a plurality of chucks that are arranged in the extracting direction and are spaced apart from each other.

3. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a blocking member located adjacent to the workpieces, wherein
the blocking member extends over a distance between the mounting surface and a lower surface of the chuck, and
the blocking member restricts the uppermost workpiece from laterally sliding in a direction different from the extracting direction.

4. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a displacing mechanism, which selectively lifts and lowers at least one of the mounting surface and a lower surface of the chuck in such a manner that the distance between the uppermost workpiece and the lower surface of the chuck is within a predetermined range that allows the uppermost workpiece to be drawn.

5. The workpiece transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the roller or the gripper is further configured to extract the uppermost workpiece in a horizontal direction.

6. A method for transferring a plurality of workpieces stacked one above the other on a mounting surface in order from the top, the method comprising:
drawing an uppermost workpiece using a non-contact chuck; and
extracting the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck in an extracting direction by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece using a roller or a gripper.

Assignees

• Toyota Boshoku Kk

Inventors

• Nishibun Takahiko
• Haraguchi Takuya

Classifications

• B65G59/045

  with a stepwise upward movement of the stack · CPC title

• B65H2406/122

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B65G2201/02

  Articles · CPC title

• B65H3/0816 Primary

  separating from the top of pile · CPC title

• B65H2406/12

  producing gas blast · CPC title