US4666493A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet positioning system
Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Inc
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Filing: 1985-12-19
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Granted: 1987-05-19
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Expires: 2005-12-19
Abstract
Abstract A glass sheet positioning system to correctly position a heat softened glass sheet between a pair of vertically aligned upper and lower full surface press faces. A video camera identifies a reference point on an edge of a glass sheet while supported on a frame between the press faces. A programmable computer and controller determine the distance between the reference point and a predetermined set point corresponding to the proper location between the press faces. The controller signals a drive that moves the frame with the glass sheet thereon to the proper predetermined position.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert G. Frank
- 👤 Michael T. Fecik
- 👤 Joseph C. Pavlik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:41
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B23/00; C03B23/02; C03B23/023; C03B23/03; C03B23/0302; C03B35/00; C03B35/14; C03B35/145; C03B35/20; C03B35/202; C03B2225/00; C03B2225/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A sheet positioning apparatus comprising: means to support a sheet on a frame at a mold means of a sheet shaping station; means to move said frame in a plane relative to said mold means; means to identify a reference indicator on said sheet while supported on said sheet support means when said frame is at a given position in said plane, to indicate the location of said sheet relative to a predetermined sheet position at said mold means; and means responsive to said identifying means and acting on said moving means to move said frame with said sheet supported thereon, from said given position to align said sheet at said predetermined position at said mold means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A sheet positioning apparatus comprising: means to support a sheet on a frame at a mold means of a sheet shaping station; means to move said frame in a plane relative to said mold means; means to identify a reference indicator on said sheet while supported on said sheet support means when said frame is at a given position in said plane, to indicate the location of said sheet relative to a predetermined sheet position at said mold means; and means responsive to said identifying means and acting on said moving means to move said frame with said sheet supported thereon, from said given position to align said sheet at said predetermined position at said mold means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said mold means include a pair of vertically aligned, upper and lower shaping molds and further wherein said support means is positioned between said upper and lower molds and said moving means moves said frame in a plane between said upper and lower molds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said identifying means is a video camera.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said support means includes a heat resistant cloth extending in a generally horizontally planar direction across said frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as in claim 4 further including means to maintain said cloth taut across said frame so as to reduce the sag of said sheets supported thereon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as in claim 5 further including means acting on said maintaining means to automatically advance said cloth.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
127 words
The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said maintaining means includes a cloth supply roll positioned along one edge of said frame with a first releasable ratchet assembly mounted thereon to limit rotation of said supply roll in a first direction when said first racket is engaged and a cloth take-up roll, mounted along an opposing edge of said frame with a second releasable ratchet assembly to limit rotation of said take-up roll in a second direction when said second ratchet is engaged, such that said heat resistant cloth is extended from said take-up roll to said supply roll and said rolls are rotated so as to stretch said cloth taut, said ratchets preventing the rotation of said rolls in a direction that would unstretch said cloth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said acting means includes means to automatically engage and disengage said ratchets and means to automatically rotate said rolls to advance said cloth from said supply roll to said take-up roll when said ratchets are disengaged and stretch said cloth when said ratchets are engaged.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said heat resistant cloth is a fiberglass cloth.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
152 words
The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said maintaining means includes a cloth supply roll positioned along one edge of said frame with a first releasable ratchet assembly mounted thereon to limit rotation of said supply roll in a first direction when said first ratchet is engaged, a cloth take-up roll mounted along an opposing edge of said frame with a second releasable ratchet assembly to limit rotation of said take-up roll in a second direction when said second ratchet is engaged, and first and second cloth support rolls positioned relative to said supply and take-up rolls such that said cloth extends from said supply roll, over said support rolls to said supply roll and said supply and take-up rolls are rotated to stretch said cloth between said support rolls, said first and second ratchets preventing the rotation of said supply and take-up rolls in a direction that would unstretch said cloth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus as in claim 10 further including a third releasable ratchet assembly on said first support roll to limit rotation of said first support roll in a third direction and a fourth releasable ratchet assembly to limit the rotation of said second supply roll to a fourth direction wherein said third and fourth ratchet assemblies prevent rotation of said support rolls in a direction that would unstretch said cloth.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said first and third rotating directions are the same direction and opposite said second and fourth rotating directions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said acting means includes means to automatically engage and disengage said ratchet assemblies and means to automatically rotate said supply, support, and take-up rolls to advance said cloth from said supply roll to said take-up roll when said ratchet assemblies are disengaged and to stretch the cloth between said support rolls when the ratchet assemblies are engaged.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes: means to guide said frame movement in said given plane; a slide assembly with a first plate member fixed to a support platform and a second member slidably supported on said first plate member and fixedly connected to said frame; and means to slide said second member relative to said first member so as to slide said frame relative to said support platform.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said sheet is a glass sheet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
Method of positioning a workpiece at a predetermined set point relative to a shaping mold means of a work station comprising: establishing said predetermined set point; supporting said workpiece at said shaping mold means on a support means; identifying at least on reference indicator on said workpiece to indicate the location of said workpiece relative to said set point while supported on said support means; and; moving said support means with said workpiece thereon to align said reference indicator on said workpiece with said set point and position said workpiece at said work station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
Method of positioning a workpiece at a predetermined set point relative to a shaping mold means of a work station comprising: establishing said predetermined set point; supporting said workpiece at said shaping mold means on a support means; identifying at least on reference indicator on said workpiece to indicate the location of said workpiece relative to said set point while supported on said support means; and; moving said support means with said workpiece thereon to align said reference indicator on said workpiece with said set point and position said workpiece at said work station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as in claim 16 wherein said workpiece is a heat softened glass sheet and said workstation is a glass sheet shaping station.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as in claim 17 wherein said support means includes a cloth positioned between a set of vertically aligned upper and lower pressing molds at said shaping station and further including the step of periodically replacing said cloth as said cloth wears.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as in claim 18 wherein said identifying step includes the step of identifying a reference indicator on a portion of the edge of said glass sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as in claim 19 wherein said identifying step includes the step of instantaneously viewing said edge portion with a video camera.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as in claim 20 wherein said identifying step includes the step of identifying a plurality of reference indicators, and said moving step includes moving said support means to align each reference indicator with a corresponding predetermined set point position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as in claim 21 wherein said moving step includes the steps of moving said support means within a given plane and rotating said support means about an axis generally perpendicular to said plane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3523783A
Cited
US3670153A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-05-18 | 1990-11-17 | 1991-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-05-18 | 1994-11-17 | 1995-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-18 | 1998-11-17 | 1999-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |