Shuttle system and method for transferring glass sheets between multiple conveyor systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492083-B2
Application number	US-202318359499-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2023
Priority date	Jul 26, 2023
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A shuttle system for transferring glass sheets between multiple conveyor lines. At least two conveyor lines are located crosswise from one another and the shuttle system transfers at least one glass sheet from a first conveyor line to the second conveyor line while the first conveyor line remains operational. A top surface of the glass sheet remains untouched during the conveyance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A glass conveyor system comprising a first conveyor line, a second conveyor line, and a shuttle system configured to transfer glass sheets from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line, the first conveyor line comprising a plurality of transport rollers configured to convey glass sheets in a first direction, the second conveyor line comprising a plurality of conveyor belts configured to convey glass sheets in a second direction, the second direction being crosswise to the first direction, the shuttle system comprising a plurality of lifting rollers, the lifting rollers having a retracted configuration and an elevated configuration, such that the lifting rollers when in the elevated configuration are at a higher elevation than the transport rollers of the first conveyor line, wherein the shuttle system is movable linearly between a first location and a second location, such that when the shuttle system is in the first location, the lifting rollers are configured to move from the retracted configuration to the elevated configuration and thereby lift a glass sheet off the transport rollers of the first conveyor line, and when the shuttle system is moved from the first location to the second location, the lifting rollers are configured to move from the elevated configuration to the retracted configuration and thereby set the glass sheet onto the conveyor belts of the second conveyor line.

2 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the conveyor belts of the second conveyor line are at a higher elevation than the transport rollers of the first conveyor line.

3 . The glass conveyor system of claim 2 wherein the lifting rollers when in the elevated configuration are at a higher elevation than the conveyor belts of the second conveyor line.

4 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the lifting rollers are configured to rotate while moving from the retracted configuration to the elevated configuration.

5 . The glass conveyor system of claim 4 wherein one or more of the lifting rollers are driven rollers.

6 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the lifting rollers are configured to rotate while moving from the retracted configuration to the elevated configuration, such that the glass sheet when thereby lifted off the transport rollers of the first conveyor line can roll along the lifting rollers so as to continue moving in the first direction during such lifting.

7 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein each of a series of the transport rollers is received rotatably by first and second rotary bearings located respectively on first and second end supports, such that there is a series of second end supports and a gap region is located between each adjacent two of the second end supports, and each of the lifting rollers is disposed in a respective one of the gap regions.

8 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the shuttle system is configured to simultaneously transfer two glass sheets from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line.

9 . The glass conveyor system of claim 8 wherein the shuttle system is configured such that during the transfer: (a) a first of the two glass sheets can be restrained from rolling along the lifting rollers, while simultaneously (b) a second of the two glass sheets can roll along the lifting rollers so as to continue moving in the first direction.

10 . The glass conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the first conveyor line is positioned to convey tempered glass sheets away from an upstream glass tempering furnace.

11 . The glass conveyor system of claim 10 wherein the second conveyor line is positioned to convey tempered glass sheets toward an unloading zone where they are loaded onto an adjacent glass rack.

12 . The glass conveyor system of claim 11 further comprising a vertical glass accumulator located between the second conveyor line and the unloading zone.

13 . A glass conveyor system comprising a first conveyor line, a second conveyor line, and a shuttle system configured to transfer glass sheets from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line, the first conveyor line comprising a plurality of transport rollers configured to convey glass sheets in a first direction, the second conveyor line comprising a plurality of conveyor belts configured to convey glass sheets in a second direction, the second direction being crosswise to the first direction, the shuttle system comprising a plurality of lifting rollers, the lifting rollers having a retracted configuration and an elevated configuration, such that the lifting rollers when in the elevated configuration are at a higher elevation than the transport rollers of the first conveyor line, wherein each of a series of the lifting rollers has: (a) a first end region that is disposed in a gap region between two adjacent transport rollers of the first conveyor line, and (b) a second end region that is disposed in a gap region between two adjacent conveyor belts of the second conveyor line.

14 . A glass conveyor system comprising a first conveyor line, a second conveyor line, and a shuttle system configured to transfer glass sheets from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line, the first conveyor line comprising a plurality of transport rollers configured to convey glass sheets in a first direction, the second conveyor line comprising a plurality of conveyor belts configured to convey glass sheets in a second direction, the second direction being crosswise to the first direction, the shuttle system comprising a plurality of lifting rollers, the lifting rollers having a retracted configuration and an elevated configuration, such that the lifting rollers when in the elevated configuration are at a higher elevation than the transport rollers of the first conveyor line wherein the shuttle system includes a plurality of support beams, each of the support beams being elongated and extending beneath a respective one of the lifting rollers, and each of the lifting rollers being mounted on a respective one of the support beams wherein the shuttle system includes a plurality of support columns, the shuttle system comprising a plurality of cantilever assemblies, each of the cantilever assemblies comprising one of the lifting rollers, one of the support beams, and one of the support columns, each of the cantilever assemblies having opposed first and second ends, such that for each of the cantilever assemblies the first end is an unsupported end whereas one of the support columns is located at the second end.

15 . The glass conveyor system of claim 14 comprising a plurality of drive shafts, each extending upwardly through a respective one of the support columns and configured to drive rotation of a respective one of the lifting rollers.

16 . The glass conveyor system of claim 15 wherein the drive shafts are configured to drive rotation of the lifting rollers by virtue of each drive shaft having a gear intermeshed with a gear of a respective one of the lifting rollers.

17 . A glass conveyor system comprising a first conveyor line, a second conveyor line, and a shuttle system configured to transfer glass sheets from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line, the first conveyor line comprising a plurality of transport rollers configured to convey glass sheets in a first direction, the second conveyor line comprising a plurality of conveyor belts configured to convey glass sheets in a second direction, the second direction being crosswise to the first direction, the shuttle system comprising a plurality of lifti

Assignees

• Cardinal Ig Co

Inventors

• Chic Karl

Classifications

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title

• B65G49/064

  in a horizontal position (B65G49/066 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G47/57 Primary

  for articles · CPC title

• B65G47/54 Primary

  at least one of which is a roller-way · CPC title