Patent US5283934A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5283934A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated part storage and machnining system
Assignee: Kearney and Trecker Corp
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Filing: 1986-12-05
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Granted: 1994-02-08
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Expires: 2006-12-05
Abstract
Abstract A machining system is provided which includes a selected number of machining centers for selectively cutting or machining metallic parts, the system further including a rack structure for providing inventory storage for parts which are to be machined by the centers. There is further provided a part transport device for moving a given one of the parts in a first part flow loop when the given part is in a condition which enables the part to be readily moved around a plant or other manufacturing establishment or to be shipped in commerce. The part transport device also moves the given part through a second part flow loop when the part is in a condition which enables the part to be machined by one of the machining centers. The first part flow loop comprises the movement of the given part from the inventory storage to a part preparation station and from the part preparation station to a finished part destination, the second part flow loop comprising movement of the part between the part preparation station and one of the machining centers. The system also includes a part monitoring system which keeps track of the location and machined status of every part contained in the machining system.
Inventors
- 👤 John J. Zimpel
- 👤 David R. Koplin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:10
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G37/00; B65G37/02; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/14; B23Q7/1426; B65G7/00; B65G7/02; B65G7/06; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/51; Y10T29/5124; Y10T29/5196; Y10T483/00; Y10T483/16; Y10T483/165
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
463 words
A machine system comprising: a vertically oriented rack structure having a first side and a second side and provided with number of discrete addressable bins, each of said bins forming a part storage location; a number of machining centers proximate to said rack structure for selectively machining parts received from said bins; a part preparation station located on the first side of said rack structure to facilitate preparation of a part received from one of said part storage locations for processing by one of said machining centers; a stacker crane provided with forks for selectively engaging a storage pallet and a machine pallet and for controllably withdrawing a pallet from a selected bin and for sequentially moving such pallet from said selected bin to said part preparation station, from said part preparation station to ne of said work units, from one of said work units to said part preparation station and from said part preparation station to a final destination; said stacker crane being constrained to move along the second side of said rack structure; an air table having a flat surface in said part preparation station that has a first end at an operator position and a second end that is accessible to said stacker crane; a first pallet support platform on said air table for moving a pallet along said air table between said stacker crane and the operator position in said part preparation station; a first array of air bags on the underside of said first pallet support platform for maintaining a cushion of air to prevent contact between said first pallet support platform and said air table; a second pallet support platform mounted n a pallet support platform for receiving a pallet with a workpiece mounted thereon; pivot for mounting said second pallet support platform upon said first pallet platform so that said second pallet support platform is rotatable relative to said first pallet support platform; a second array of air bags positioned on the underside of said second pallet support platform for maintaining a cushion of air to prevent contact between said first and second pallet support platforms when said second pallet support platform is rotated relative to said first pallet support platform; guide means for guiding said stacker crane for movement along a rectilinear path from said machining centers and along said rack structure and part preparation station to the final destination and return; and control means connected to regulate the operation of said stacker crane to withdraw a pallet from a selected bin, to deposit said withdrawn pallet on said second pallet support platform, to move a pallet from said second pallet support platform to one of said machining centers, and to move a pallet to the final destination after the part thereon has been machined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
463 words
A machine system comprising: a vertically oriented rack structure having a first side and a second side and provided with number of discrete addressable bins, each of said bins forming a part storage location; a number of machining centers proximate to said rack structure for selectively machining parts received from said bins; a part preparation station located on the first side of said rack structure to facilitate preparation of a part received from one of said part storage locations for processing by one of said machining centers; a stacker crane provided with forks for selectively engaging a storage pallet and a machine pallet and for controllably withdrawing a pallet from a selected bin and for sequentially moving such pallet from said selected bin to said part preparation station, from said part preparation station to ne of said work units, from one of said work units to said part preparation station and from said part preparation station to a final destination; said stacker crane being constrained to move along the second side of said rack structure; an air table having a flat surface in said part preparation station that has a first end at an operator position and a second end that is accessible to said stacker crane; a first pallet support platform on said air table for moving a pallet along said air table between said stacker crane and the operator position in said part preparation station; a first array of air bags on the underside of said first pallet support platform for maintaining a cushion of air to prevent contact between said first pallet support platform and said air table; a second pallet support platform mounted n a pallet support platform for receiving a pallet with a workpiece mounted thereon; pivot for mounting said second pallet support platform upon said first pallet platform so that said second pallet support platform is rotatable relative to said first pallet support platform; a second array of air bags positioned on the underside of said second pallet support platform for maintaining a cushion of air to prevent contact between said first and second pallet support platforms when said second pallet support platform is rotated relative to said first pallet support platform; guide means for guiding said stacker crane for movement along a rectilinear path from said machining centers and along said rack structure and part preparation station to the final destination and return; and control means connected to regulate the operation of said stacker crane to withdraw a pallet from a selected bin, to deposit said withdrawn pallet on said second pallet support platform, to move a pallet from said second pallet support platform to one of said machining centers, and to move a pallet to the final destination after the part thereon has been machined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
238 words
A machining system comprising: a plurality of work stations for performing work operations on workpieces; a workpiece storage for the storage of workpieces; a transporter adapted to transport workpieces between said workpiece storage and said work stations; means on said transporter for loading and unloading workpieces to and from said workpiece storage and said work stations; a control for regulating the operation of said transporter; data means for supplying data to said control designating the workpiece to be transferred from said workpiece storage and the work station to which such workpiece is to be transferred; power means responsive to said control for actuating said transporter to remove the workpiece designated by said data from said workpiece storage and transfer it to the work station designated by said data; the workpieces being mounted on storage pallets as well as on machine pallets for securement in a work station while a work operation is being performed on the workpiece carried by the machine pallet; a part preparation station at which a workpiece is removed from a storage pallet and is set up on a machine pallet for the performance of a work operation and removed therefrom after the work operation is completed; and shuttle means movable about said part preparation station for moving either a storage pallet with the part thereon or a machine pallet with a part thereon to place the pallet in a convenient position for the operator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
238 words
A machining system comprising: a plurality of work stations for performing work operations on workpieces; a workpiece storage for the storage of workpieces; a transporter adapted to transport workpieces between said workpiece storage and said work stations; means on said transporter for loading and unloading workpieces to and from said workpiece storage and said work stations; a control for regulating the operation of said transporter; data means for supplying data to said control designating the workpiece to be transferred from said workpiece storage and the work station to which such workpiece is to be transferred; power means responsive to said control for actuating said transporter to remove the workpiece designated by said data from said workpiece storage and transfer it to the work station designated by said data; the workpieces being mounted on storage pallets as well as on machine pallets for securement in a work station while a work operation is being performed on the workpiece carried by the machine pallet; a part preparation station at which a workpiece is removed from a storage pallet and is set up on a machine pallet for the performance of a work operation and removed therefrom after the work operation is completed; and shuttle means movable about said part preparation station for moving either a storage pallet with the part thereon or a machine pallet with a part thereon to place the pallet in a convenient position for the operator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
A machining system according to claim 2 wherein said shuttle means comprises; an air pallet adapted to receive either a machine pallet or a storage pallet with parts thereon and an air table for receiving said air pallet and including means for establishing a cushion of air between said air pallet and said air table to facilitate movement of said air pallet along said air table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A machining system according to claim 2 wherein said shuttle means is positionable to render it accessible to said transporter for receiving a pallet from said transporter or to enable said transporter to remove a pallet from said shuttle means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A machining system according to claim 2 wherein said part preparation station includes a conveyor having communication with said air table for receiving a pallet from said air pallet on said air table; and power means connected to actuate said conveyor to facilitate movement of pallets about the part preparation station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A machining system according to claim 3 wherein said part preparation system includes a plurality of air tables and a portion of said air tables are provided with air pallets especially adapted to carry storage pallets while the other air tables are provided with air pallets especially adapted to carry machine pallets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
127 words
A machining system comprising: a storage structure for providing a number of discrete part storage locations; a number of work units proximate to said storage structure for selectively machining workpieces received from said part storage locations; a part preparation station proximate to said storage structure for enabling a system operator to prepare a workpiece received from one of said part storage locations for processing by one of said work units; and a transport device adapted to receive a selected workpiece from one of said storage locations and transport it to said part preparation station, and then move said workpiece from said part preparation station to one of said work units, and then remove said workpiece from the work unit and transport it to a selected final destination.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
127 words
A machining system comprising: a storage structure for providing a number of discrete part storage locations; a number of work units proximate to said storage structure for selectively machining workpieces received from said part storage locations; a part preparation station proximate to said storage structure for enabling a system operator to prepare a workpiece received from one of said part storage locations for processing by one of said work units; and a transport device adapted to receive a selected workpiece from one of said storage locations and transport it to said part preparation station, and then move said workpiece from said part preparation station to one of said work units, and then remove said workpiece from the work unit and transport it to a selected final destination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A machining system according to claim 7 characterized by a computer connected to regulate the operation of said transport device for locating and transferring parts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
A machining system according to claim 8, characterized by means connecting said computer to said work units and including a memory for storing work programs that are transmitted selectively for regulating the operation of said work units to perform the required work operation for the selected workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
103 words
A machining system according to claim 7 including a control for regulating the operation of said transporter, data means for supplying data to said control designating the workpiece to be transferred from said workpiece storage or said part preparation station and designating the work station to which such workpiece is to be transferred, and power means responsive to said control for actuating said transporter to remove the workpiece designated by said data from said workpiece storage and transfer it to said part preparation station and to remove the designated workpiece from said part preparation station and transfer it to the designated work station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A machining system according to claim 10 wherein said data means also supplies data to said control for regulating the work station for performing the designated work operation on the workpiece and means connected for controlling the operations of the selected work station in accordance with said data to perform the required work operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
67 words
A machining system according to claim 11 wherein said workpiece storage comprises, a plurality of discrete locations with each location adapted to store one pallet and the part carried by the pallet; and said data means supplies information designating the location that contains a pallet with the selected workpiece and said control regulates the operation of said transporter for removing the pallet contained at the designated location.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4237598A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-02-07 | 1997-08-09 | 1998-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-02-07 | 2001-08-09 | 2002-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-02-07 | 2005-08-09 | 2006-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |