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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933373-B2
Application number	US-201414264231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism and associated method are utilized in an in-line glass sheet optical inspection system. The mechanism includes an exterior support frame mounted in proximity to one of the glass sheet processing system conveyors, and an interior support frame operably connected to the exterior support frame such that the interior support frame may be selectively positioned from its first orientation to a second orientation whereby the retained glass sheet is positioned between the camera and the screen at a preselected position. The interior support frame is also operably connected to the exterior support frame to provide for positioning of the interior support frame to a third orientation in which the glass sheet is released from the interior support frame for continued movement on the conveyor. An in-line glass sheet optical inspection system incorporating the glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism for an inline system for measuring 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 mechanism comprising:
an exterior support frame mountable in proximity to one of the one or more conveyors between the camera and the background screen;
first and second support arms configured to be operably connected to the exterior support frame for slidable and pivotal movement with respect to the exterior support frame; and
an interior support frame configured to be supported on the first and second support arms so that the interior support frame is selectively positionable with respect to the exterior support frame from a first generally horizontal orientation in a plane of the glass sheet on the one conveyor to a second, upwardly-tilted orientation whereby an upstream end of the interior support frame is elevated from a plane of the one conveyor with the glass sheet retained thereon to thereby position the glass sheet between the camera and the screen at the preselected position, and so that the interior support frame is thereafter positionable to a third orientation for releasing the glass sheet retained in the interior support frame for continued movement on the one conveyor.

2. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 1 further including one or more locators mountable in proximity to the one conveyor such that, when the interior support frame is positioned in its first orientation, the one or more locators are positioned or positionable to catch a glass sheet as it is moving on the one conveyor and retain the glass sheet in position for securing the glass sheet on the interior support frame.

3. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more locators is mounted on the interior support frame.

4. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 2 wherein the one or more locators comprise a first location including an actuator which may be selectively operated to move the first locator into contact with the glass sheet to position and retain the glass sheet within the interior support frame.

5. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 4 wherein the actuator may be selectively operated to move the first locator out of contact with the glass sheet to facilitate release of the glass sheet from the interior support frame onto the one conveyor.

6. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 1 wherein the third orientation of the interior support frame is an upwardly-tilted orientation in which a downstream end of the interior support frame is upwardly tilted to facilitate release of a glass sheet retained in the interior support frame onto the one conveyor.

7. The glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism of claim 1 wherein, when the acquisition and positioning mechanism is used with the inline system and the system for fabricating glass sheets, the support arms and the interior support frame are movable together when the interior support frame moves from the first generally horizontal orientation to the second, upwardly-tilted orientation, and the interior support frame is movable with respect to the support arms when the interior support frame moves from the second, upwardly-tilted orientation to the third orientation.

8. A glass sheet acquisition and positioning mechanism for an inline system for measuring 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 a heating station for heating the glass sheet to a temperature adequate to soften the glass sheet for forming into a desired shape, a bending station for forming the softened glass sheet to the desired shape, a cooling station for cooling the formed glass sheet in a controlled manner, and one or more conveyors for conveying the glass sheet from station to station during processing, the acquisition and positioning mechanism comprising:
an exterior support frame mountable in proximity to one of the one or more conveyors between the camera and the background screen, the exterior support frame including first and second generally horizontal rails mountable, respectively, on opposite sides of the one conveyor, each of the generally horizontal rails having a guideway, and first and second generally vertical rails mountable, respectively, on opposite sides of the one conveyor, each of the generally vertical rails having a guideway;
first and second support arms, the first support arm including a first positioning guide configured to be operably connected for slidable and pivotal movement in the guideway of the first generally vertical rail and a second positioning guide configured to be operably connected for slidable and pivotal movement in the guideway of the first generally horizontal rail, the second support arm including a first positioning guide configured to be operably connected for slidable and pivotal movement in the guideway of the second generally vertical rail and a second positioning guide configured to be operably connected for slidable and pivotal movement in the guideway of the second generally horizontal rail;
an interior support frame including
first and second elongate, generally parallel, spaced-apart side members,
a cross-member extending transverse to and interconnecting the side members, thereby defining a generally u-shaped support that is open at an upstream end relative to a direction of conveyance of the one conveyor when the interior support frame is positioned in a first generally horizontal orientation in a plane of the glass sheet on the one conveyor, and
one or more locators connected to one or more of the first side member, the second side member or the cross-member such that, when the interior support frame is positioned in its first orientation, the one or more locators are positioned to catch and retain the glass sheet as it is moving on the one conveyor, wherein
each of the first and second side members includes an upstream support element positionable upstream relative to the direction of conveyance, which upstream support elements of the first and second side members are configured to be supported, respectively, by the first and second support arms, and each of the first and second side members includes a downstream support element positionable downstream in the direction of conveyance, which downstream support elements of the first and second side members are configured to be releasably supported, respectively, by the first and second support arms, such that the first and second support arms may be slidably and pivotally positioned to move the interior support frame from the first generally horizontal orientation to a second, upwardly tilted orientation whereby the open end of the interior support frame is elevated from a plane of the conveyor;

a first actuating mechanism including at least one actuator configured to contact

Assignees

• Glasstech Inc

Inventors

• Vild Michael J
• Snyder Jr Stephen D

Classifications

• G01N2201/0635

  Structured illumination, e.g. with grating · CPC title

• G01N2021/9586

  Windscreens · CPC title

• G01N21/896

  Optical defects in or on transparent materials, e.g. distortion, surface flaws {in conveyed flat sheet or rod (for other objects G01N21/958)} · CPC title

• G01N21/958 Primary

  Inspecting transparent materials {or objects, e.g. windscreens (for conveyed flat sheet or rod G01N21/896)} · CPC title