Automated workpiece inversion systems and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11932497-B2
Application number	US-202217697627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2022
Priority date	Mar 30, 2021
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A method of inverting workpieces in a mass production process includes: advancing an end effector in electronic synchronization with advancement of a carrier to synchronize arrival of the carrier at a stop position with arrival of the end effector at an unloading position, in which the end effector is in alignment with a workpiece held by the carrier for engaging the workpiece; while the end effector is in engagement with the workpiece, retracting the end effector away from the carrier to unload the workpiece from the carrier and advancing the end effector back toward the carrier to load the workpiece back into the carrier; and rotating the end effector relative to the carrier to invert the workpiece in electronic synchronization with the retracting and advancing of the end effector for loading the workpiece back into the carrier when inverted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of inverting workpieces in an automated mass production process, comprising:
a) advancing a carrier along a transport track toward a stop position adjacent a workpiece inversion station, the carrier holding at least one workpiece;
b) advancing an end effector of the workpiece inversion station to an unloading position in electronic synchronization with advancement of the carrier to the stop position to synchronize arrival of the carrier at the stop position with arrival of the end effector at the unloading position, in which the end effector is in alignment with the workpiece held by the carrier at the stop position and engages the workpiece;
c) while the end effector is in engagement with the workpiece, retracting the end effector from the unloading position to unload the workpiece from the carrier and advancing the end effector to a loading position to load the workpiece back into the carrier; and
d) during (c), rotating the end effector relative to the carrier by 180 degrees to invert the workpiece in electronic synchronization with the retracting and advancing in (c) for loading the workpiece back into the carrier when inverted.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading position is spaced apart from the unloading position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotating in (d) is initiated during retraction of the end effector away from the carrier and terminates during advancement of the end effector back toward the carrier.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein movement of the end effector from the unloading position to the loading position in (c) comprises a generally continuous, uninterrupted translation of the end effector.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotating in (d) comprises a generally continuous, uninterrupted rotation of the end effector.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (e), after the workpiece is loaded into the carrier, operating the end effector to release the workpiece, and retracting the end effector away from the loading position in electronic synchronization with advancement of the carrier along the track away from the stop position.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: (f), after (e), rotating the end effector by 180 degrees relative to the carrier to reset a rotational orientation of the end effector in preparation for a subsequent inversion cycle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, repeating (a) to (f) for a plurality of subsequent carriers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein during (c), the workpiece is unloaded from a first location on the carrier and loaded back on the carrier at a second location on the carrier spaced apart from the first location.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first location comprises a first nest for holding the workpiece prior to inversion, and the second location comprises a second nest for holding the workpiece when inverted.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the workpiece defines a first product part, and the carrier has a second product part at the second location, the second product part loaded into the carrier prior to the carrier arriving at the stop position, and wherein (c) includes mating the first product part with the second product part during loading of the workpiece back into the carrier.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second location is at an elevation below the first location and spaced horizontally apart from the first location toward the inversion station when the carrier is at the stop position.

13. A method of inverting workpieces in an automated mass production process, comprising:
a) advancing at least one carrier along a transport track toward a stop position adjacent a workpiece inversion station, the at least one carrier holding a plurality of workpieces;
b) advancing a plurality of end effectors of the workpiece inversion station to an unloading position in electronic synchronization with advancement of the at least one carrier to the stop position to synchronize arrival of the at least one carrier at the stop position with arrival of the end effectors at the unloading position, in which each end effector is in alignment with a corresponding workpiece held by the at least one carrier at the stop position and engages the corresponding workpiece;
c) while the end effectors are in engagement with corresponding workpieces, retracting the end effectors away from the unloading position to unload the workpieces from the at least one carrier and advancing the end effectors to a loading position to load the workpieces back into the at least one carrier; and
d) during (c), rotating each end effector relative to the at least one carrier by 180 degrees to invert the workpieces in electronic synchronization with movement of the end effectors in (c) from the unloading position to the loading position for loading the workpieces back into the at least one carrier when inverted.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: (e), after the workpieces are loaded back into the at least one carrier, operating the end effectors to release the workpieces simultaneously, and retracting the end effectors away from the at least one carrier in electronic synchronization with advancement of the at least one carrier away from the stop position.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one carrier comprises a plurality of the carriers, and each carrier holds a plurality of the workpieces.

16. An automated mass production system, comprising:
a) a track including a plurality of carriers, each carrier holding at least one workpiece and advanceable through a stop position along the track;
b) a workpiece inversion station adjacent the stop position, the workpiece inversion station including a pick-and-place robot having at least one end effector, the end effector operable to engage the workpiece on a carrier at the stop position and translatable toward and away from the carrier for unloading the workpiece from the carrier and loading the workpiece back on the carrier, and the end effector rotatable relative to the carrier for inverting the workpiece when unloaded by the end effector; and
c) a control system for synchronizing operation of the carriers and inversion station, the control system configured to:
i) advance the end effector to an unloading position in electronic synchronization with advancement of the carrier to the stop position to synchronize arrival of the carrier at the stop position with arrival of the end effector at the unloading position, in which the end effector is in alignment with the workpiece held by the carrier at the stop position and engages the workpiece;
ii) while the end effector is in engagement with the workpiece, retract the end effector away from the unloading position to unload the workpiece from the carrier and advance the end effector to a loading position to load the workpiece back into the carrier; and
iii) during (ii), rotate the end effector relative to the carrier by 180 degrees to invert the workpiece in electronic synchronization with movement of the end effector from the unloading position to the loading position for loading the workpiece back into the carrier when inverted.

17. The production system of claim 16 , wherein the control system is configured to initiate rotation of the end effector in (iii) during retraction of the end effector away from the carrier, and terminate rotation of the end effector in (iii) during advancement of the end effector toward the carrier.

18. The production system of claim 16 , wherein the retraction and advancement of t

Assignees

• Ats Corp

Inventors

• Nicholson Kenneth Wayne
• Munroe Philip David
• Mclean James Mark
• Macgregor Robert James
• Tait David Andrew
• Barea Gustavo
• Hogan Roger Craig

Classifications

• B65G47/248 Primary

  by turning over or inverting them (B65G47/244 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G47/902

  provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements · CPC title

• B65G47/905

  Control arrangements · CPC title

• B65G2203/0283

  Position of the load carrier · CPC title

• G05B19/4182 Primary

  manipulators and conveyor only · CPC title