Glass sheet acquisition and positioning system and associated method for an inline system for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257598-A1
Application number	US-201514639655-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A glass sheet acquisition and positioning system and associated method are utilized in a glass sheet optical inspection system installed in-line in a glass sheet processing system. The acquisition and positioning system include an exterior support frame and a moveable glass sheet support frame connected to the exterior support frame such that the glass sheet support frame may be selectively positioned from first orientation whereby a glass sheet is removed from a conveyor and retained on the support frame, to a second orientation whereby the glass sheet is positioned for processing by the optical inspection system. The system may also include a glass sheet part identifier and a programmable control including logic for analyzing acquired image data and identifying the glass sheet as one of a set of known part types and thereafter securing and positioning the glass sheet on the glass sheet support frame based upon the part-shape analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A glass sheet acquisition and positioning system for an inline system for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet, which inline system includes a background screen including contrasting elements arranged in a pre-defined pattern, a digital camera for acquiring an image of the background screen with the glass sheet positioned between the camera and the screen at a preselected position, and which inline system is installed in a system for fabricating glass sheets including one or more processing stations and one or more conveyors for conveying the glass sheet from station to station during processing, the acquisition and positioning system comprising:
an exterior support frame mounted in proximity to the conveyor between the camera and the background screen; a moveable glass sheet support frame operably connected to the exterior support frame such that the glass sheet support frame may be selectively positioned from a first generally horizontal orientation in the plane of the glass sheet on the conveyor to a second, upwardly-tilted orientation whereby the glass sheet support frame is elevated from the plane of the conveyor with a glass sheet retained thereon to thereby position the glass sheet between the camera and the screen at the preselected position, and thereafter re-positioned for releasing the glass sheet from the glass sheet support frame for continued movement on the conveyor; a positioning mechanism actuable for orienting the glass sheet relative to the glass sheet support frame; a retaining mechanism for securing the glass sheet to the glass sheet support frame; and a programmable control including at least one processor programmed to execute logic for controlling the transport mechanism, the positioning mechanism and the retaining mechanism.

2 . The glass sheet acquisition and positioning system of claim 1 further including a glass sheet part identifier including a sensor for acquiring data associated with the shape of a glass sheet travelling on a conveyor upstream from the inline system, wherein the programmable control includes logic for analyzing the acquired data and identifying the glass sheet as one of a set of known part shapes, and wherein the positioning mechanism and the retaining mechanism are controlled based in part upon the identified part shape.

3 . The glass sheet acquisition and positioning system of claim 1 further including a transport mechanism actuable for lifting the glass sheet off of the conveyor.

4 . The glass sheet acquisition and positioning system of claim 3 wherein the transport mechanism includes a support stand including a plurality of glass sheet supports each moveable from a first position below the plane of a glass sheet located on the conveyor to a second position in contact with the surface of a glass sheet being conveyed on the conveyor, whereby the supports lift the glass sheet upwardly off the conveyor.

5 . The glass sheet acquisition and positioning system of claim 1 wherein the positioning mechanism includes one or more moveable positioners mounted in proximity to the conveyor such that, when the glass sheet support frame is positioned in its first orientation, the positioners are moved to contact and move a glass sheet to a position for securing the glass sheet on the glass sheet support frame.

6 . The glass sheet acquisition and positioning system of claim 1 wherein the retaining mechanism includes one or more positionable clamps mounted on the glass sheet support frame in proximity to the glass sheet such that, when the glass sheet support frame is positioned in its first orientation, the clamps are positioned to contact and secure glass sheet on the glass sheet support frame, and when the glass sheet support frame is re-positioned for releasing the glass sheet from the glass sheet support frame for continued movement on the conveyor, the clamps are positioned to release the glass sheet from the glass sheet support frame onto the conveyor.

7 . An inline apparatus for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet in a system for fabricating glass sheets including one or more processing stations and one or more conveyors for conveying the glass sheet from station to station during processing, the apparatus comprising:
a background screen including contrasting elements arranged in a pre-defined pattern, a digital camera for acquiring an image of the background screen, a glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism for receiving a glass sheet as it is conveyed on one of the conveyors, momentarily removing the glass sheet from the conveyor, and positioning the glass sheet in the path between the camera and the background screen so that the camera may capture an image of the pattern transmitted through the glass sheet, the acquisition and positioning mechanism including:
an exterior support frame mounted in proximity to the conveyor between the camera and the background screen; and
a moveable glass sheet support frame operably connected to the exterior support frame such that the glass sheet support frame may be selectively positioned from a first generally horizontal orientation in the plane of the glass sheet on the conveyor to a second, upwardly-tilted orientation whereby the glass sheet support frame is elevated from the plane of the conveyor with a glass sheet retained thereon to thereby position the glass sheet between the camera and the screen at the preselected position, and thereafter re-positioned for releasing the glass sheet from the glass sheet support frame for continued movement on the conveyor; and
a computer including at least one processor programmed to execute logic for receiving the captured image data associated with a selected glass sheet and performing one or more processing operations using the captured image data to analyze the optical characteristics of the glass sheet.

8 . The inline apparatus for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet glass sheet of claim 7 further including,
a glass sheet part identifier including a sensor for acquiring data associated with the shape of a glass sheet travelling on a conveyor upstream from the inline apparatus;
a transport mechanism for lifting the glass sheet off of the conveyor;
a positioning mechanism for orienting the glass sheet after it has been lifted off the conveyor;
a retaining mechanism for securing the glass sheet to the glass sheet support frame; and
a programmable control including at least one processor programmed to execute logic for controlling one or more of the transport mechanism, the positioning mechanism and the retaining mechanism, and logic for analyzing the acquired data and identifying the glass sheet as one of a set of known part shapes, and wherein one or both of the positioning mechanism and the retaining mechanism are controlled based in part upon the identified part shape.

9 . The inline apparatus for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet glass sheet of claim 8 wherein the transport mechanism includes a support stand including a plurality of glass sheet supports each moveable from a first position below the plane of a glass sheet located on the conveyor to a second position in contact with the surface of a glass sheet being conveyed on the conveyor, whereby the supports lift the glass sheet upwardly off the conveyor.

10 . The inline apparatus for measuring the optical characteristics of a glass sheet glass sheet of claim 8 wherein the positioning mechanism includes one or more moveable positioners mounted in proximity to the conveyor such that, when the glass sheet support frame is positioned in its first orientation, the positioners are moved to contact and move

Assignees

• Glasstech Inc

Inventors

• Vild Michael
• Addington Jason
• MORAN Benjamin

Classifications

• C03B35/14 Primary

  Transporting hot glass sheets {or ribbons, e.g. by heat-resistant conveyor belts or bands} · CPC title

• G01M11/0264

  by using targets or reference patterns · CPC title

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title

• B65G49/064

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

• G01N2021/9586

  Windscreens · CPC title