IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0038240
(2008-02-27)
|
등록번호 |
US-7731013
(2010-06-29)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Milner, John D.
- Heinemeier, Thomas E.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
A mechanical skillet lift and conveyor system including a workstation having a lift element securely positioned at a first location and a skillet including a lift device and a vertically translatable table drivenly coupled to the device, wherein the skillet device is configured to automatically caus
A mechanical skillet lift and conveyor system including a workstation having a lift element securely positioned at a first location and a skillet including a lift device and a vertically translatable table drivenly coupled to the device, wherein the skillet device is configured to automatically cause a predetermined change in table elevation, when the skillet is translated through the workstation such that the device engages the element.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An autonomous skillet lift adapted for use with a workstation, and with a skillet having a frame and a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein the skillet is translatable through the workstation so as to define a translation, said lift comprising: at leas
What is claimed is: 1. An autonomous skillet lift adapted for use with a workstation, and with a skillet having a frame and a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein the skillet is translatable through the workstation so as to define a translation, said lift comprising: at least one elevation adjustment element securely positioned at a first location within the workstation; and an elevation adjustment device fixedly connected to the skillet, drivenly coupled to the table, and configured to engage the element for an engagement period during the translation, said element and device being cooperatively configured to mechanically convert the translation of the skillet into a predetermined change in table elevation during the engagement period, wherein the element includes an adjustable longitudinal length and the change in table elevation is controlled by adjusting the longitudinal length of the element. 2. The lift as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element and device are cooperatively configured to provide mechanical advantage during conversion. 3. The lift as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element and device cooperatively present a textured surface and a friction wheel that engages and is caused to be rotated by the surface, and the translation is mechanically converted into the change in elevation due to the rotation of the wheel. 4. The lift as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element comprises a plurality of removably interconnected segments, and said segments are removable so as to change the longitudinal length of the element. 5. The lift as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element is presented by one side of a polygon having sides of differing lengths, and the polygon is repositionable such that another of said sides presents the element. 6. The lift as claimed in claim 1, wherein element and device cooperatively present a rack and a pinion that engages and is caused to be rotated by the rack, and the translation is mechanically converted into the change in elevation due to the rotation of the pinion. 7. The lift as claimed in claim 6, wherein the device includes a companion gear, the element includes a roller chain oriented and configured to engage the companion gear during the translation, and the companion gear and chain are cooperatively configured to align the pinion and rack. 8. The lift as claimed in claim 6, wherein the skillet includes a collapsible scissor apparatus securely coupled to the table and including a first pair of legs presenting a first end vertically fixed by and longitudinally translatable relative to the frame, the pinion is drivenly coupled to and operable to cause the first end of the legs to translate relative to the frame, and the change in elevation is caused by the translation of the legs. 9. The lift as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pinion is drivenly coupled to the legs by a first lateral axle connected to the pinion, a longitudinal shaft, and a first gear box configured and operable to receive rotational input from the first lateral axle and produce a selected direction of rotation in the longitudinal shaft. 10. The lift as claimed in claim 9, wherein an irreversible lock engages the longitudinal shaft, and is operable to prevent the longitudinal shaft from rotating in the non-selected direction. 11. The lift as claimed in claim 9, wherein a slip clutch comprises the longitudinal shaft, and is operable to prevent the longitudinal shaft from transmitting a load greater than a maximum threshold. 12. The lift as claimed in claim 9, wherein the legs are spaced and interconnected by a cross-bar defining pinion and rearward faces, the pinion is drivenly coupled to the legs by a second lateral axle, a second gear box configured to receive input from the longitudinal shaft and produce a selected direction of rotation in the second axle, and a first belt having a first end coupled to the skillet and a second end spaced from the first end by a belt length and coupled to the second axle so as to be wound or unwound thereby, said belt adjacently engaging a portion of the rearward face of the cross-bar, such that when the belt length is reduced the belt imparts a translation force to the cross-bar. 13. The lift as claimed in claim 12, wherein the table bears a maximum load upon the scissor apparatus, the first belt presents a tensile strength greater than the maximum load, and the pinion is further drivenly coupled to the legs by a second redundant belt also presenting a tensile strength greater than the load. 14. The lift as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second gear box receives an input of force and includes a step down in rotational displacement, so as to produce an output of force greater than the input. 15. The lift as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device includes a ball screw configured to convert the rotational motion of the longitudinal shaft into the linear translation of the table. 16. An autonomous skillet lift adapted for use with a workstation and a skillet having a frame and a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein the skillet is translatable through the workstation so as to define a through-station translation, said lift comprising: first and second elevation adjustment elements securely positioned at first and second respective locations within the workstation; an elevation adjustment device fixedly connected to the skillet, drivenly coupled to the table, and configured to asynchronously engage each element during the translation, said elements and device being cooperatively configured to mechanically convert the translation of the skillet into predetermined first and second changes in table elevation during engagement; said device including a first pinion and a second pinion, each rotatable in response to the longitudinal translation of the device relative to the element, wherein the device further includes a longitudinal shaft intermediate and drivenly coupled with the first and second pinions, the shaft being caused to rotate in a selected clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending upon which pinion is engaged, wherein the first change in table elevation achieves a desired table elevation position, and the second change in table elevation returns the table to a home position. 17. The lift as claimed in claim 16, wherein the elements present first and second racks, whereby the first and second pinions engage and are caused to be rotated by the racks, and the translation is mechanically converted into the first and second changes in elevation due to the rotation of the pinions. 18. A multi-elevation conveyor assembly system comprising: a plurality of workstations each presenting a desired work elevations, at least a portion of said plurality of workstations including at least one elevation adjustment element securely positioned at a first location within the workstation; a plurality of skillets each including a frame, a portion of said skillets further including a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein said table is translatable between each of the work elevations and a fully recessed position, and a device configured to engage the element of the respective station for an engagement period, during the translation; and a translation drive operable to cause a translation of each skillet through a respective workstation, said pluralities of workstations and skillets being cooperatively configured such that said each of at least a portion of the skillets concurrently engage the respective stations, each of said element and device being cooperatively configured to mechanically convert the translation of the skillet into a predetermined change in table elevation equal to the desired work elevation, during the engagement period; wherein each of the at least one elevation adjustment element includes an adjustable longitudinal length, with the change in table elevation controlled by adjusting the longitudinal length of the at least one elevation adjustment element; and the device including a first pinion and a second pinion, each rotatable in response to the longitudinal translation of the device relative to the at least one elevation adjustment element, wherein the device further includes a longitudinal shaft intermediate and drivenly coupled with the first and second pinions, the shaft being caused to rotate in a selected clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending upon which pinion is engaged to raise or lower the skillet respectively.
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