US4573830A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chip decelerator
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1984-06-21
•
Granted: 1986-03-04
•
Expires: 2004-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A conveying system for pneumatically conveying fragile, light weight workpieces by timed pulses of compressed air. Each pulse of air is used to propel a workpiece along a path that leads into a downwardly sloping chute and to decelerate the workpiece after it travels a selected distance down the chute so that all the initial momentum given the workpiece by the pulse of air is removed such that the workpiece will continue down the chute only under the influence of gravity. By decelerating or retarding the propelled workpiece it is prevented from impacting against queued workpieces, that proceeded it down the chute, with a high velocity that can cause breaking, chipping or jamming of the workpieces.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond H. Richardson
- 👤 Robert T. Valley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:57
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G51/00; B65G51/02; B65G51/04; B65G51/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A workpiece transfer apparatus comprising: a reservoir of workpieces to be transferred, each of said workpiece having a predetermined length, a receiving element for receiving a workpiece transferred from said reservoir, a track having a bottom, sidewalls and a top, at least partially closed, and an inclined section coupling the reservoir and the receiving element, means for applying a timed propelling pulse of gas to a selected workpiece to propel the selected workpiece from the reservoir onto the track towards said receiving element, means mounted on said inclined section of said track more than five workpiece lengths from the propelling means, for applying, at a selected time after the selected workpiece has entered the track, a timed decelerating pulse of gas, perpendicular to the direction of travel of said propelled selected workpiece to decelerate said selected workpiece at a predetermined position in said track so that upon termination of the timed decelerating pulse of gas, the selected workpiece is relieved of said decelerating pulse of gas and permitted to traverse the remainder of the track under the influence of the force of gravity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A workpiece transfer apparatus comprising: a reservoir of workpieces to be transferred, each of said workpiece having a predetermined length, a receiving element for receiving a workpiece transferred from said reservoir, a track having a bottom, sidewalls and a top, at least partially closed, and an inclined section coupling the reservoir and the receiving element, means for applying a timed propelling pulse of gas to a selected workpiece to propel the selected workpiece from the reservoir onto the track towards said receiving element, means mounted on said inclined section of said track more than five workpiece lengths from the propelling means, for applying, at a selected time after the selected workpiece has entered the track, a timed decelerating pulse of gas, perpendicular to the direction of travel of said propelled selected workpiece to decelerate said selected workpiece at a predetermined position in said track so that upon termination of the timed decelerating pulse of gas, the selected workpiece is relieved of said decelerating pulse of gas and permitted to traverse the remainder of the track under the influence of the force of gravity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said track is a c-shaped track having a continuous longitudinal slot therein, and said means mounted on said track comprises a flow nozzle located on said track in said slot and directed towards the bottom of the track such that the gas flowing through said nozzle lifts the selected workpiece towards the nozzle from the bottom of the track towards the nozzle and the top of the track a selected time before the workpiece reaches said means mounted on said track.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said means mounted on said track comprises a flow nozzle located on said track and directed towards the top of the track such that the gas flowing through said nozzle lifts the workpiece from the bottom of the track and against the top of the track.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3160443A
Cited
US3268048A
Cited
US3556604A
Cited
US3603646A
Cited
US3711038A
Cited
US3734567A
Cited
US3760166A
Cited
US3837540A
Cited
US3840274A
Cited
US3892333A
Cited
US3987933A
Cited
US4165132A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-03-03 | 1989-09-02 | 1990-03-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-03-03 | 1993-09-02 | 1994-03-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-03-03 | 1997-09-02 | 1998-03-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |