Placement method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274002-B2
Application number	US-202016838346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	May 8, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A placement method using a placement device provided with a first process of pressing a transfer plate a topmost layer sheet member so as to pick up it when a restraint device is rendered a restraining state, a second process of rendering the restraint device a non-restraining state to render the transfer plate an inclined state while pressing down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction by a base end part side of the transfer plate rendered the inclined state, a third process of inserting the restraining blade into the space formed between the topmost layer sheet member and the sheet member of the layer below it and again render the restraint device the restraining state, and a fourth process of making the transfer plate retract upward while returning it to the horizontal state and transferring the topmost layer sheet member to the holder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A placement method using a placement device configured to take out and place a topmost layer sheet member from among a plurality of sheet members set horizontally at a placement station in a pre-stacked state, which placement device comprising:
a restraint device having a restraining blade pressing against the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction, arranged at a side of the placement station, and configured to be able to switch between a restraining state where it uses the restraining blade to press against the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction and a non-restraining state making the restraining blade retract from above the plurality of sheet members and release the restraining action of the restraining blade;
a transfer device having a transfer plate picking up and holding the topmost layer sheet member from above the plurality of sheet members in the stacking direction, arranged so as to face the restraint device across the placement station, and configured to be able to switch the transfer plate between a horizontal state where the transfer plate faces the topmost layer sheet member in parallel and an inclined state lifting upward a front end part side of the transfer plate at the restraint device side; and
a holder configured to receive the topmost layer sheet member from the transfer plate and to pick up and hold the topmost layer sheet member received,
the method comprising:
a first process of pressing the transfer plate rendered the horizontal state against the topmost layer sheet member from above the plurality of sheet members in the stacking direction so as to pick up and hold the topmost layer sheet member when the restraint device is rendered the restraining state;
a second process, after the first process, of rendering the restraint device the non-restraining state to render the transfer plate the inclined state while pressing down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction by a base end part side of the transfer plate rendered the inclined state at the side opposite to the restraint device side;
a third process, after the second process, of inserting the restraining blade into a space formed between the topmost layer sheet member and the sheet member of the layer below it due to rendering the transfer plate the inclined state in the second process to again render the restraint device the restraining state; and
a fourth process, after the third process, of making the transfer plate picking up and holding the topmost layer sheet member retract upward while returning it to the horizontal state and transferring the topmost layer sheet member picked up and held on the transfer plate to the holder.

2. The placement method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second process, when the restraint device is rendered the non-restraining state and the transfer plate is made the inclined state, air is discharged toward the space from the restraining blade.

3. The placement method according to claim 1 , wherein
the transfer plate and the holder are made comb tooth shapes engaging with each other when facing each other in a horizontal plane,
in the fourth process, the transfer plate returned to the horizontal state is made to retract upward to a position facing the holder in the horizontal plane, the topmost layer sheet member picked up and held at the transfer plate is picked up and held by the holder, and the pickup and holding action of the transfer plate on the topmost layer sheet member is released.

4. The placement method according to claim 1 , wherein
the holder is attached to a mover of a linear motor running on a rail and
the method is further provided with, after the fourth process, a fifth process of conveying the topmost layer sheet member transferred to the holder by the mover and placing it at a placement station separate from the placement station arranged below the rail.

5. The placement method according to claim 1 , wherein
the restraint device is provided with a shaft extending vertically in parallel with the stacking direction of the plurality of sheet members and having the restraining blade fixed to it,
the shaft configured to be able to move up and down and configured to be able to rotate about its axis.

6. The placement method according to claim 5 , wherein
the restraint device makes the shaft move downward to thereby make the restraining blade push down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction and makes the shaft turn within a predetermined range of rotational angle to thereby switch between the restraining state and the non-restraining state.

7. The placement method according to claim 1 , wherein
the transfer device is provided with a plate adjustment mechanism for adjusting the vertical position and inclined angle of the transfer plate,
the plate adjustment mechanism is provided with:
a first shaft arranged at a base end part side of the transfer plate, extending vertically in parallel to the stacking direction of the plurality of sheet members, and configured to be able to move vertically;
a second shaft arranged at a position further away from the transfer plate than the first shaft so as to be alongside the first shaft, extending vertically in parallel to the stacking direction of the plurality of sheet members, and configured to be able to move vertically; and
a connecting arm connecting the transfer plate and the second shaft,

the transfer plate is attached to the first shaft to be able to turn up and down so that the transfer plate can turn up and down pivoting about the base end part side, and
the connecting arm is fixed at one end side to the transfer plate to be unable to turn and at the other end side to the second shaft to be able to turn up and down.

8. The placement method according to claim 7 wherein
when the transfer plate is in the horizontal state, the plate adjustment mechanism makes the second shaft move below the first shaft to render the transfer plate the inclined state.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Abe Nobuhira
• Narita Yuto
• Itoh Yuichi

Classifications

• B65H3/54 Primary

  Pressing or holding devices · CPC title

• B65H2801/72

  Fuel cell manufacture · CPC title

• B65H3/56

  Elements, e.g. scrapers, fingers, needles, brushes, acting on separated article or on edge of the pile {(B65H3/52 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65H3/50

  Elements, e.g. fingers, plates, rollers, inserted or traversed between articles to be separated and remainder of the pile · CPC title

• H01M10/0404 Primary

  Machines for assembling batteries · CPC title