Production device for fuel tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738498-B2
Application number	US-202017633395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2020
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A production device for a fuel tank, having two or more built-in components attached to an inside of a fuel tank body when the fuel tank body is formed, includes: jigs configured to have the built-in components placed thereon; and a feed robot, as a feed device, configured to feed the built-in components, along with the jigs having the built-in components placed thereon, to a position below molding dies. The feed device may feed the jig, having the built-in components placed thereon, to the position via a subsurface feed path leading to the position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A production device for production of fuel tanks having two or more built-in components, the production device comprising:
a first jig having two or more first built-in components placed thereon, when a first fuel tank is molded, so that the two or more first built-in components are built in the first fuel tank;
a second jig having two or more second built-in components placed thereon when a second fuel tank is molded, to provide for the two or more second built-in components to be built in the second fuel tank;
a pair of molding dies;
a lifting device including a support rod, a pedestal, and a slide mechanism, and the lifting device is configured to support:
the first jig when the first fuel tank is molded, and
at a subsequent time, the second jig when the second fuel tank is molded; and

at least one feed device configured to feed the first jig, having the two or more first built-in components placed thereon, to a position below the molding dies, so that the first jig is supported by the lifting device when the first fuel tank is molded;
the at least one feed device is configured such that following completion of molding of the first fuel tank, the at least one feed device performs replacement of (a) the first jig, from which the two or more first built-in components have been removed for molding, with (b) the second jig having the two or more second built-in components, for the second fuel tank, placed thereon; and
the at least one feed device performing replacement of the first jig with the second jig includes (a) removal of the first jig from the lifting device; and (b) independently moving the second jig, relative to movement of the first jig, so that the second jig is supported by the lifting device for when the second fuel tank is molded.

2. The production device for a fuel tank according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one feed device feeds the first jig, having the built-in components placed thereon, to the position through a subsurface feed path leading to a location below the molding dies.

3. The production device for a fuel tank according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one feed device includes a feed robot.

4. The production device for a fuel tank according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one feed device includes a conveyor.

Assignees

• Yachiyo Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kato Yuichi
• SATO Tsukuba
• Ding Yinghao
• Okano Masatoshi

Classifications

• B29C49/42446

  by using a robot arm or similar actuator · CPC title

• B29C49/20 Primary

  of articles having inserts or reinforcements {; Handling of inserts or reinforcements} · CPC title

• B29C49/42065 Primary

  Means specially adapted for transporting preforms · CPC title

• B29C49/42113

  Means for manipulating the objects' position or orientation · CPC title

• B29C2049/2008

  inside the article · CPC title