System for loading and unloading cassette and method for loading and unloading cassette

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919878-B2
Application number	US-201515110412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Jun 23, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

The embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for loading and unloading a cassette. The system comprises: a lifting device vertically moving between a first height and a second height; a first conveying device in the lifting device to move the cassette horizontally; a second conveying device to move the cassette in horizontally; a third conveying device to move the cassette horizontally, a plurality of first position sensors to detect a position of the lifting device; and a control device to control vertical movements of the lifting device, and adjust further movements of the first conveying device in the lifting device based on an initial stop position of the lifting device such that the first conveying device is aligned with the second conveying device at the first height, or is aligned with the third conveying device at the second height.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for loading and unloading a cassette, comprising:
a lifting device configured to vertically ascend and descend between a first height and a second height;
a first conveying device mounted in the lifting device and configured to move the cassette in a horizontal direction;
a second conveying device mounted at the first height and configured to move the cassette in the horizontal direction;
a third conveying device mounted at the second height and configured to move the cassette in the horizontal direction;
a plurality of first position sensors configured to detect a position of the lifting device; and
a control device configured to control ascending and descending of the lifting device, and adjust a further rising or falling of the first conveying device in the lifting device based on an initial stop position of the lifting device detected by the first position sensor such that the first conveying device is aligned with the second conveying device at the first height, or is aligned with the third conveying device at the second height.

2. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary lifting device provided in the lifting device and configured to adjust the height of the first conveying device with respect to the lifting device.

3. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 2 , wherein, the auxiliary lifting device comprises:
a lifting frame, which is mounted inside the lifting device and on which the first conveying device is mounted; and
a first driving motor mounted inside the lifting device and configured to drive the lifting frame to rise or fall.

4. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 3 , wherein, the auxiliary lifting device further comprises a second position sensor configured to detect the height of the first conveying device in the lifting device, and the control device adjusts a height of the lifting frame based on measurements of the first position sensor and the second position sensor.

5. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 1 , wherein, further comprising two buffer conveying devices mounted between the first conveying device and the second conveying device at the first height and between the first conveying device and the third conveying device at the second height, respectively.

6. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of third position sensors mounted in the lifting device so as to detect a position of the cassette on the first conveying device.

7. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of fourth position sensors mounted in the second conveying device and the third conveying device so as to detect a position of the cassette on the second conveying device or the third conveying device, respectively.

8. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 7 , wherein, each of the third position sensors and the fourth position sensors is a photoelectric sensor, and comprises a light source and a light receiver for receiving a light emitted from the light source, which are provided at two sides of the first conveying device, the second conveying device or the third conveying device in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the cassette.

9. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 1 , wherein, each of the first, second and third conveying devices comprises a second driving motor, and a conveyer belt driven by the second driving motor.

10. The system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 1 , wherein, the initial stop position of the lifting device is within a predetermined range with respect to the first height or the second height.

11. A method for loading and unloading the cassette by using the system for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 1 , wherein, the method comprising:
step S 100 : controlling the lifting device to initially stop according to a predetermined first height or second height;
step 200 : detecting the initial stop position of the lifting device by the first position sensor; and
step 300 : adjusting the first conveying device in the lifting device to further ascend and descend based on the initial stop position of the lifting device detected by the first position sensor so as to align the first conveying device with the second conveying device at the first height, or align the first conveying device with the third conveying device at the second height, and unload the cassette on the first conveying device to the second conveying device or the third conveying device, or load the cassette on the second conveying device or the third conveying device to the first conveying device.

12. The method for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 11 , wherein,
in a case of loading, in step S 100 , the lifting device is initially stopped at a position below the first height or the second height; and
in a case of unloading, in step S 100 , the lifting device is initially stopped at a position above the first height or the second height.

13. The method for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 12 , wherein,
in the case of loading, the step S 300 comprising:
moving the cassette to a first position on the second or third conveying device by the second or third conveying device;
by means of an auxiliary lifting device provided in the lifting device, driving the first conveying device to rise in the lifting device, such that the first conveying device is aligned with the second conveying device at the first height, or aligned with the third conveying device at the second height; and
loading the cassette on the second or third conveying device onto the first conveying device.

14. The method for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 13 , wherein,
the step of loading the cassette on the second or third conveying device onto the first conveying device comprises:
moving the cassette on the second or third conveying device towards the first conveying device to a second position on the second or third conveying device;
further driving the first conveying device to rise in the lifting device to a position above the first or second height by the auxiliary lifting device;
completely moving the cassette onto the first conveying device; and
driving the lifting device again to arrive a target height.

15. The method for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 14 , wherein,
during a process of moving the cassette from the first position to the second position, the height of the first conveying device in the lifting device is adjusted in real time by the auxiliary lifting device, such that the first conveying device keeps in alignment with the second conveying device or the third conveying device.

16. The method for loading and unloading the cassette according to claim 12 , wherein,
in the case of unloading, step S 300 comprising:
moving the cassette to a third position on the first conveying device by the first conveying device;
by means of an auxiliary lifting device provided in the lifting device, driving the first conveying device to fall in the lifting device, such that the first conveying device is aligned with the second conveying device at the first height, or is aligned with the third conveying device at the second height; and
unloading the cassette on the first conveying device onto the second or th

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd
• Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dong Xiang

Classifications

• H10P72/3221

  Overhead conveying · CPC title

• H10P72/3218

  Conveying cassettes, containers or carriers · CPC title

• H10P72/3208

  Changing the direction of the conveying path · CPC title

• B65G47/643 Primary

  in a vertical plane · CPC title

• H05K13/0061

  Tools for holding the circuit boards during processing; handling transport of printed circuit boards · CPC title