Compact hoist for overhead applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688328-B2
Application number	US-201414326498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A compact overhead traveling hoist system for transferring product elements from a remote marshalling area to an assembly line work station includes an elevated rail system with a fixed longitudinally extending runway rail and a laterally extending bridge rail which is displaceable along the runway rail. A rail trolley is carried for controlled bi-directional displacement along the bridge rail. A hoisting device is carried by the rail trolley and includes a base member, an object grappler carried with the base member operative to selectively engage, transport and release product elements between the marshaling area and the work station, a linearly expandable structure coupling the rail trolley and the base portion, and a hoist drive operative for raising and lowering the base portion/object grappler. A controller includes assembly line work station operator input control devices located on the object grappler to control all aspects of the operation of the hoist system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An overhead traveling hoist system for supplying product elements to an assembly line work station, said hoist system comprising:
a rail trolley movably engaged with an elongated elevated rail system for controlled bi-directional longitudinal and lateral displacement;
a hoisting device carried with said rail trolley, said hoisting device including a base member, an object grappler carried with said base member, said object grappler operable to engage and release a product element at an assembly line work station, a linearly expandable structure coupling said rail trolley and said base member, and a hoist drive operative for raising and lowering said base member with respect to said rail trolley;
a bearing assembly interconnecting said base member and said object grappler for enabling limited relative rotation there between, said bearing assembly including a rotation limiting device operative to limit bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler, wherein said rotation limiting device is adjustable to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler, and a resilient member operative to continuously urge said base member and said object grappler into rotational alignment; and
a controller, said controller including at least one operator input control device disposed on said base member and/or said object grappler, said at least one operator input control device operable to effect said controlled bi-directional longitudinal and lateral displacement of said rail trolley, operation of said hoist drive and operation of said object grappler.

2. The hoist system of claim 1 , further comprising traveling powered traction drive devices operable to drive said rail trolley for said controlled bi-directional longitudinal and lateral displacement in response to actuation of said at least one operator input control device.

3. The hoist system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one operator input control device comprises grips for operator manual manipulation of said hoisting device.

4. The hoist system of claim 1 , wherein said bearing assembly comprises an upper portion carried by said base member and a lower portion carried by said object grappler, and said rotation limiting device is operative to limit bi-directional freedom of rotation between said upper and lower portions to limit said relative rotation between said base member and said object grappler, and adjustable to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said upper and lower portions to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler.

5. An overhead traveling hoist system for supplying product elements to an assembly line work station, said hoist system comprising:
an elevated rail system including at least one fixed longitudinally extending runway rail, a laterally extending bridge rail carried for controlled bi-directional displacement along said runway rail and a rail trolley carried for controlled bi-directional displacement along said bridge rail;
a hoisting device carried with said rail trolley, said hoisting device including a base member, an object grappler carried with said base member, said object grappler operable to selectively engage, transport and release product elements between a remote marshaling area and an assembly line work station, a linearly expandable structure coupling said rail trolley and said base member, and a hoist drive operative for raising and lowering said base member with respect to said rail trolley;
a bearing assembly interconnecting said base member and said object grappler for enabling limited relative rotation there between, said bearing assembly including a rotation limiting device operative to limit bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler, wherein said rotation limiting device is adjustable to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler, and a resilient member operative to continuously urge said base member and said object grappler into rotational alignment; and
a controller, said controller including at least one operator input control device disposed on said base member and/or said object grappler, said at least one operator input device operable to effect said controlled bi-directional displacement of said bridge rail, said controlled bi-directional displacement of said rail trolley, operation of said hoist drive and operation of said object grappler.

6. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said at least one operator input control device comprises grips for operator manual manipulation of said hoisting device.

7. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said at least one operator input control device comprises electric or pneumatic actuators for operator powered manipulation of said hoisting device.

8. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said bearing assembly comprises an upper portion carried by said base member and a lower portion carried by said object grappler, and said rotation limiting device is operative to limit bi-directional freedom of rotation between said upper and lower portions to limit said relative rotation between said base member and said object grappler, and adjustable to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said upper and lower portions to vary said bi-directional freedom of rotation between said base member and said object grappler.

9. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said hoist drive comprises a pneumatic load balancer.

10. The hoist system of claim 9 , wherein said hoist drive comprises a force multiplying pulley and cable system.

11. The hoist system of claim 10 , wherein said force multiplying pulley and cable system comprises a flexible cable secured at one end with said rail trolley, dressed around a moving pulley carried with said base member, dressed around a fixed pulley carried with said rail trolley and terminating about a take-up member of said pneumatic load balancer.

12. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said hoisting device further comprises an inertia-activated self-engaging clutch operative to deploy an elongated flexible member between said rail trolley and said base member and to engage said clutch wherever downward velocity and/or acceleration of said base member exceeds a respective pre-established set limit therefor.

13. The hoist system of claim 5 , further comprising a flexible canopy extending vertically between said rail trolley and said base member to enclose said linearly expandable structure.

14. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said object grappler comprises an array of vacuum cups pneumatically inter-connected with said controller.

15. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said product elements are generally planar automobile glass panoramic moon roof panels.

16. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said elevated rail system comprises a second rail trolley coupling said runway rail and said bridge rail for said controlled bi-directional displacement of said bridge rail.

17. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said linearly expandable structure comprises a scissors-type structure enabling controlled vertical elongation while preventing longitudinal or lateral sway or torsion of said base member with respect to said rail trolley.

18. The hoist system of claim 5 , wherein said at least one operator input control device comprises a plurality of operator input control devices disposed circumferentially about an outer periphery of said

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Perkins Blair C

Classifications

• B66C1/0256

  Operating and control devices · CPC title

• B62D65/18 Primary

  Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines {(conveyors and haulage in general B65G)} · CPC title

• B66C1/0243

  Separate cups · CPC title

• B66C17/04

  with lifting beams, e.g. slewable beams, carrying load-engaging elements, e.g. magnets, hooks (constructions of load-engaging elements B66C1/00, B66C3/00) · CPC title