Assembly and inspection cart for precision equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034343-B2
Application number	US-201816211881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

An assembly and inspection cart for precision equipment includes a frame that has three support portions to support the precision equipment at three points, air float devices attached to the frame at three positions, a rubber roller and a motor that are provided so as to be freely lifted and lowered with respect to the frame, and an air cylinder that lifts and lowers the rubber roller. The air float device floats the frame together with the precision equipment and forms an air layer between the frame and a floor surface. The rubber roller is arranged at a center of the three air float devices and is configured so as to press against the floor with a predetermined force when lowered by the air cylinder in a state where the frame is floated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cart for precision equipment, the cart comprising:
a frame that has three supports to support the precision equipment at three points;
a plurality of air floaters attached to the frame at three respective positions;
a drive roller; and
a rotation driver, wherein:
the drive roller and rotation driver are each freely lifted and lowered with respect to the frame,
at least one of the drive roller and the rotation driver are mounted within the frame,
the plurality of air floaters float the frame together with the precision equipment and form an air layer between the frame and a floor surface, and
the drive roller is configured such that, in a state where the frame is floated, the drive roller is lowered by an elevator and is pressed against the floor surface.

2. The cart according to claim 1 , wherein:
a position of the drive roller in a horizontal direction with respect to the frame coincides with a center of gravity of the cart, and
the drive roller is arranged at a center point between the plurality of air floaters.

3. The cart according to claim 2 , wherein:
the drive roller comprises a pair of rollers,
respective rotation axes of the pair of rollers are on the same axis line, and
the rotation driver is provided to each roller.

4. The cart according to claim 1 , wherein the elevator for the driver roller is configured such that an air cylinder is used to press the drive roller against the floor surface.

5. The cart according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller that performs speed control and acceleration control of the drive roller.

6. The cart according to claim 1 , further comprising a lift that changes a height of the frame.

7. The cart according to claim 1 , wherein the three supports each includes a level adjuster that adjusts a height of the respective supports.

8. The cart according to claim 1 , further comprising a collision prevention sensor configured to detect a collision.

9. The cart according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a detector that detects a guidance tape provided on the floor surface; and
a displacement controller that displaces the cart according to data of the guidance tape detected by the detector.

10. A method of precision equipment assembly and inspection, the method comprising:
dividing one of an assembly and an inspection site into a plurality of stations having different work content; and
displacing the precision equipment under assembly or inspection to the next station using a cart which carries the precision equipment, the cart having:
a frame that has three supports supporting the precision equipment at three points;
a plurality of air floaters attached to the frame at three respective positions;
a drive roller; and
a rotation driver, wherein:
the drive roller and rotation driver each freely lifted and lowered with respect to the frame,
at least one of the drive roller and the rotation driver are mounted within the frame,
the plurality of air floaters float the frame together with the precision equipment and form an air layer between the frame and a floor surface, and
in a state where the frame is floated, an elevator lowers the drive roller such that the drive roller is pressed against the floor surface.

Assignees

• Mitutoyo Corp

Inventors

• Sakuma Mitsuyoshi
• Ogura Katsuyuki

Classifications

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• B60V1/115 Primary

  by ground or water engaging means, e.g. rudders or wheels · CPC title

• B62B11/00

  Hand-propelled vehicles not otherwise provided for (rider propulsion of vehicles B62M1/00) · CPC title

• B62B5/049

  locking against movement by contacting the floor or a wall · CPC title

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title