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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. A picker for grippng and moving an article, comprising a mounting unit;
a carrier carried by said mounting unit for movement along a first
predetermined path; a first fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said
mounting unit and said carrier for moving said carrier in opposite
directions along said first predetermined path; carriage means slidably
mounted on said carrier for movement along a second predetermined path
perpendicular to said first predetermined path; a second fluid actuated
cylinder coupled between said carrier and said carriage means for moving
said carriage in opposite directions along said second predetermined path;
gripping means mounted on said carriage means for movement along a third
predetermined path perpendicular to said first and second predetermined
paths; a third fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carriage and
said gripping means for moving said gripping means in opposite directions
along said third predetermined path; said gripping means including a pair
of gripping elements for gripping said article, said gripping elements
having open and closed positions, operating means for moving said gripping
elements between said open and closed positions, and a fourth fluid
actuated cylinder for moving said gripping elements along a fourth
predetermined path; and logic circuit means for controlling the operation
of said first, second, third and fourth cylinders and said operating
means, and rotating means coupled to said carriage means for rotating said
gripping means about said third predetermined path.
2. A picker accordng to claim 1, wherein upon actuation, said logic circuit
means controls the movement of said carrier, carriage means, and gripping
means in a predetermined sequence, wherein said sequence is the movement
of said carriage means in a first direction along said second
predetermined path and simultaneously said gripping elements in a first
direction along said fourth predetermined path, the closing of said
gripping elements, the movement of said gripping means in a first
direction along said third predetermined path, the movement of said
carriage means in an opposite direction along said second predetermined
path and simultaneously the movement of said gripping elements in the
opposite direction along said fourth predetermined path, the rotation of
said gripping means in a first direction about said third predetermined
path, the movement of said carrier in a first direction along said first
predetermined path, the movement of said gripping elements in said first
direction along said fourth predetermined path, the opening of said
gripping elements, the movement of said gripping elements in said opposite
direction along said fourth predetermined path, and the simultaneous
movement of said gripping means in the opposite direction along said third
predetermined path, the movement of said carrier in the opposite direction
along said first predetermined path and the rotation of said gripping
means in an opposite direction about said third predetermined path.
3. A picker according to claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a
fifth fluid actuated cylinder responsive to said logic circuit means for
moving said gripping elements between said open and closed positions.
4. A picker according to claim 1, wherein said carrier is comprised of an
elongated open frame housing having a pair of guide rods extending between
its opposite ends, said carriage being carried by said guide rods for
slidable movement therealong.
5. A picker according to claim 4, wherein said carriage means comprises a
carriage member; a bar extending therefrom; a first plate member coupled
to said bar; a second plate member; at least two laterally spaced first
guide rods extending between said first and second members; and at least
one second guide bar extending from said second plate member; wherein said
third cylinder is coupled between said first and second plate members and
said gripping means is coupled to said second guide rod and wherein
rotating means rotates said bar, thereby rotating said gripping means.
6. An apparatus for retrieving an article from between the mold platens of
a molding machine, one of which platens is movable comprising a mounting
unit on said molding machine; a carrier carried by said mounting unit for
movement along a first predetermined path perpendicular to the direction
of movement of said movable platen; a first fluid actuated cylinder
coupled between said mounting unit and said carrier for moving said
carrier in opposite directions along said first predetermined path;
carriage means slidably mounted on said carrier for movement along a
second predetermined path perpendicular to said first predetermined path;
a second fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carrier and said
carriage means for moving said carriage in opposite directions along said
second predetermined path; gripping means mounted on said carriage means
for movement along a third predetermined path perpendicular to said first
and second predetermined paths; a third fluid actuated cylinder coupled
between said carriage and said gripping means for moving said gripping
means in opposite directions along said third predetermined path; said
gripping means including a pair of gripping elements for gripping said
article, said gripping elements having open and closed positions,
operating means for moving said gripping elements between said open and
closed positions, and a fourth fluid actuated cylinder for moving said
gripping elements along a fourth predetermined path; logic circuit means
for controlling the operation of said first, second, third and fourth
cylinders and said operating means and actuator means positioned with
respect to said movable platen for actuating said logic circuit means when
said movable platen is in an open position.
7. An apparatus accordng to claim 6, wherein when said movable platen is in
an open position, thereby initiating operation of said logic circuit
means, said logic circuit means controls the movement of said carrier,
carriage means, and gripping means in a predetermined sequence, wherein
said sequence is the movement of said carriage means in a first direction
along said second predetermined path and simultaneously said gripping
elements in a first direction along said fourth predetermined path, the
opening of said gripping elements, the movement of said gripping means in
a first direction along said third predetermined path, the movement of
said carriage means in an opposite direction along said second
predetermined path and simultaneously the movement of said gripping
elements in the opposite direction along said fourth predetermined path,
the movement of said carrier in a first direction along said first
predetermined path, the movement of said gripping elements in said first
direction along said fourth predetermined path, the opening of said
gripping elements, the movement of said gripping elements in said opposite
direction along said fourth predetermined path, and the simultaneous
movement of said gripping means in the opposite direction along said third
predetermined path and said carrier in the opposite direction along said
first predetermined path.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, further including rotating means
coupled to said carriage means for rotating said gripping means about said
third predetermined path.
9. A picker according to claim 8, wherein upon actuation by said actuating
means, said logic circuit means controls the movement of said carrier,
carriage means, and gripping means in a predetermined sequence, wherein
said sequence is the movement of said carriage means in a first direction
along said second predetermined path and simultaneously said gripping
elements in a first direction along said fourth predetermined path, the
closing of said gripping elements, the movement of said gripping means in
a first direction along said third predetermined path, the movement of
said carriage means in an opposite direction along said second
predetermined path and simultaneously the movement of said gripping
elements in the opposite direction along said fourth predetermined path,
the rotation of said gripping means in a first direction about said third
predetermined path, the movement of said carrier in a first direction
along said first predetermined path, the movement of said gripping
elements in said first direction along said fourth predetermined path, the
opening of said gripping elements, the movement of said gripping elements
in said opposite direction along said fourth predetermined path, and the
simultaneous movement of said gripping means in the opposite direction
along said third predetermined path, the movement of said carrier in the
opposite direction along said first predetermined path and the rotation of
said gripping means in an opposite direction about said third
predetermined path. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for retrieving articles from
remote locations and more particularly relates to a picker for moving
between the open mold platens in a molding machine and grasping articles,
for example sprue runners, from between such mold platens.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As will be appreciated, articles, i.e. sprue runners, are very often
located between the open mold platens in a molding machine. Sprue runners,
particularly, can cause substantial damage to the molding machine if left
between the platens. These articles can be removed manually. However, such
attempts at manual removal are wrought with danger. For example, there is
a very great danger of getting limbs caught between mold platens.
Prior mechanical apparatus for automatically retrieving articles from
between mold platens have been proposed and constructed in the past. Many
such units are complex, require a large amount of space for their
operation, are time consuming and require combinations of various types of
power inputs, for example, electrohydraulic operation. Other types provide
only for movement in one linear direction and have various ancillary
problems in their construction, including a lack of capability for
adaptation to a variety of different sized molding machines, a tendency to
wear, which in turn deleteriously affects the repeatability of such
machines, and generally complicated movements and operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a picker for removing articles from between
the mold platens of molding machines, which minimizes or eliminates the
problems associated with the aforementioned and other types of article
retrieval apparatus for use with molding machines and provides a novel and
improved picker for use in retrieving articles from between mold platens
having various advantages in construction, mode of operation and use in
comparison with such prior retrieval apparatus. The present invention,
thus solves many of the problems and shortcomings associated with prior
retrieval-type apparatus for this purpose and particularly comprises a
picker, which can be utilized automatically, and therefore, without the
danger involved in manually retrieving articles from between mold platens.
Furthermore, the present picker has definite repeatability in operation,
is capable of moving its operating jaws in the X, Y and Z directions, is
reliable since it utilizes fluid drive systems which are simple in
constructions and readily controlled, and is easily adapted for use with
molding machines of various sizes. More particularly, the picker hereof
comprises a carrier, which is mounted to the movable platen of the molding
machine for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction of
movement of the movable mold platen, i.e., in the Y-axis direction. The
carrier is initially mounted such that the operating jaws carried thereby
are within a predetermined distance in the Y-direction from the articles
to be picked from between the mold platens. A first air cylinder is
provided between the mount and the carrier for moving the carrier in the
Y-direction. The carrier includes an open frame housing slidably mounted
on a pair of rods, a carriage for movement in a direction normal to the
direction of movement of the carrier, i.e. in the X-axis direction. A
second air cylinder controls the movement of the carriage. Depending from
the carriage is a gripping unit, which includes a picker arm. The carriage
includes a third cylinder for moving the gripping unit in a direction
perpendicular to the X and Y directions, i.e., the Z direction, and the
carriage also includes a mechanism for rotating the picker arm about the
Z-axis. The picker arm is under the control of a fourth air cylinder for
movement in the X-direction. At the distal end of the picker arm there is
provided a pair of pivoted jaws, which open and close under the control of
a fifth cylinder. With the foregoing described arrangement, the jaws are
movable in the X-direction under control of the second and fourth
cylinders, movable with the carrier in the Y-direction under control of
the first cylinder and movable in the Z-direction under control of the
third cylinder. An air logic circuit is provided for controlling the
actuation of the various cylinders in a manner set forth below.
In utilizing the picker hereof, a limit switch is secured to the molding
machine adjacent the full open position of the movable platen for
actuation in response to the platen, obtaining its full open position. The
limit switch actuates a solenoid valve, which opens to allow fluid to be
supplied to the control input of a logic element in the logic circuit.
This initiates the logic sequence, which automatically controls the
operation of the fluid cylinders, thereby moving the picker into position
where it can engage and hold the article in the molding machine, remove
the article, release the article at a predetermined position and then
return the cylinders to their initial positions.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a
novel and improved picker for removing articles from between the mold
platens of molding machines.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and
improved picker for removing articles from between the mold platens of
molding machines, and wherein such picker provides picker jaws movable
along the X, Y and Z axes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and
improved picker for removing articles from between the mold platens of
molding machines, wherein the picker is reliable and repeatable in
operation, adapted for use with molding machines of various sizes, readily
and easily constructed, and more reliable in operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and
improved picker for removing articles from between the mold platens of
molding machines and which picker can be operated automatically without
the need for any intervening human element.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel
and improved picker for retrieving articles from between the mold platens
of a molding machine and which is readily adaptable for use with machines
of various sizes, due to the simplicity of its construction and operation.
It is also a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and
improved picker for removing articles between the mold platens of a
molding machine in which the operation of the picker is automatically
controlled by a logic circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reference to the following specification,
appended claims and drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a picker constructed in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a logic circuit for controlling the
picker in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a picker constructed in
accordance with the present invention and generally designated 10
comprising a carrier generally designated 12 secured for linear sliding
movement in opposite directions on a picker mounting unit generally
designated 14, the carrier 12 being movable generally in opposite
directions along a path parallel to the Y-axis designated by the arrows in
FIG. 1. Carrier 12, in turn, mounts a carriage generally designated 16 for
linear sliding movement in opposite directions along a path parallel to
the X-axis also indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1. Carriage 16, in turn,
mounts a gripping unit generally designated 18 for movement in the
Z-direction as well as for movement with the carriage 16 and carrier 12.
Mounting unit 14 includes a mounting block 20, which when the picker 10
hereof is utilized in conjunction with a molding machine, is secured
preferably on top of the movable mold platen 26 of such machine. Block 20
carries a pair of vertically spaced guide rods 24, which when picker 10 is
secured to the molding machine, extend perpendicular to the direction of
movement of the movable mold platen 26, it being appreciated from a review
of FIG. 1 that the movable mold platen 26 of the molding machine moves
linearly in opposite directions along a path parallel to the Z-axis.
Accordingly, picker 10 is preferably mounted on top of the molding machine
with the gripping unit 18 carried for movement along paths parallel to the
X, Y and Z axes, whereby the gripping unit 18 is receivable between mold
platens 22 and 26 when the mold platens are open and retractable therefrom
when closed in the manner described below. The mounting block 20 also
carries a fluid, preferably pneumatically, actuated cylinder 28, the
piston rod 30 of cylinder 28 being secured to an end plate 32 of the
carrier unit 12. Carrier unit 12 is supported by end plate 32, which in
turn is bored to receive guide rods 24, whereby carrier unit 12 is
slidably mounted for movement in the Y-direction along and supported from
guide rods 24. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that extension and
retraction of piston 30 of cylinder 28 linearly slidably moves carrier 12
along guide rods 24 in opposite directions along a path parallel to the
Y-axis.
Carrier 12 is comprised of an elongated open frame housing having plates 32
and 34 at opposite ends with support bars or stringers 36 extending
longitudinally in the X-direction between the end plates. Also extending
between end plates 32 and 34 are a pair of longitudinally spaced guide
rods 38. Carriage 16 includes an upper generally inverted T-shaped
mounting element 40, which is suitably bored along its lower flanges to
receive guide rods 38, whereby carriage 16 is mounted for linear sliding
movement in the X-direction relative to carrier 12. Also secured to end
plate 34 is a fluid, preferably pneumatically, actuated cylinder 35 whose
piston rod 37 is secured to element 40. Accordingly, extension and
retraction of piston rod 37 from cylinder 35 displaces element 40 and the
gripping unit 18 carried thereby in a manner described below linearly
along guide rods 38 in the X-direction.
Depending from element 40 is a bar 41, which has a member 43 fixed thereto.
Vertically extending from member 43 are laterally spaced guide rods 45,
the rods 45 extending below carrier 12 between the lower pair of stringers
36. Cylinder 47 and guide rods 45 connect member 49 to member 43. A
mounting block 44 for gripping unit 18 is received on the depending guide
rods 42 and can be raised and lowered in the Z-direction by operation of
cylinder 47. Carriage 16 also includes a ROTAC 51 mounted on element 40
for rotating as a unit elements 41, 43, 45, 47, 49 and 42 about the
Z-axis, thereby providing for the rotation of gripper 18 about the Z-axis.
The maximum rotation of gripper 18 is 90.degree.. Block 44 carries a
fluid, preferably pneumatic, actuated cylinder 48, the piston rod 50 of
which is secured to gripping unit 18. With the arrangement previously
described, it will be appreciated that actuation of cylinder 48 to extend
or retract piston rod 50 extends and retracts the gripping unit 18 in the
X-direction respectively between the open mold faces 22 and 26 and to one
side thereof.
The gripping unit 18 includes a housing 52 having a side plate 54 to which
piston rod 50 is coupled and a pair of upper and lower bars 56 defining a
recess in which a fluid, preferably pneumatically, actuated cylinder 58
and gripping fingers 60 of gripping unit 18 are disposed. The piston rod
of cylinder 58 carries a wedge 62. The fingers 60 are pivoted intermediate
their ends, about axes 64 and have cam surfaces 66 inwardly of their
pivotal axes 64 which bear against the respective opposite sides of wedge
62. A spring, not shown, normally biases the fingers in the normally open
position shown in FIG. 1. When the cam surfaces 66 are engaged by wedge
62, the fingers are pivoted about axes 64, resulting in the closing of the
fingers. The inner faces of fingers 60 adjacent their outer ends are
serrated to provide a gripping surface. It will be appreciated that
extension and retraction of the piston rod of cylinder 58 causes fingers
60 to respectively move from their normally open position to a closed
position and from the closed position to their normally opened position
under the bias of the spring.
A fluid logic circuit control system is provided for coordinating the
various movements afforded by the cylinders in a manner such that gripping
unit 18 can move to a location between the mold platens when the mold
platens are opened, grip the article to be moved, and withdraw with the
article from between the mold platens and deposit the article at a
designated location.
FIG. 3 illustrates the logic circuit for controlling the cylinders, which
operate the gripper. Fluid supply 70 provides the fluid for operating the
logic elements, as well as the cylinders 35, 58, 41, 28 and 48 and ROTAC
51. Operation of the logic circuit is initiated by the actuation of switch
72, which occurs when movable platen 26 is in the open position. The
operation of switch 72 actuates solenoid valve 74, shifting it in the
direction of arrow A. This completes the fluid circuit, thereby applying a
logic 1 to the set input of flip-flop 76. Flip-flop 76, as well as the
other flip-flops used in the logic circuit of the present invention, may
be an ARO No. 59180 flip-flop. A logic 1 at the set input of flip-flop 76
produces a logic 1 at the set output. This causes fluid to flow from the
supply into the flip-flop through the set output to the left hand side of
cylinder 35, thereby shifting its piston in the direction indicated by
arrow 1, which moves the carriage 16 to the left in FIG. 1. The movement
of the piston of cylinder 35 actuates switch 78, which causes the
activation of a pressure switch 80. The actuation of pressure switch 80
disables the molding machine, thereby preventing its operation during the
removal of an article between the platens. The logic 1 output from
flip-flop 76 is also applied to an input of OR element 81. The OR element
81 could, for example, be an ARO No. 59010 OR element. This produces a
logic 1 at the output thereof causing the piston of cylinder 48 to move in
the direction of arrow 1 which moves the gripper unit 18 to the left in
FIG. 1. The logic 1 set output from flip-flop 76 is further applied to
time delay circuit 83. The timed delay circuit 83 could, for example, be
an ARO No. 59121 time delay circuit. After the expiration of a
predetermined time period of the time delay, a logic 1 output is produced,
and this is applied to the reset input of flip-flop 82. This produces a
logic 1 output at the reset output, which allows the fluid from the supply
to flow into the left hand side of cylinder 58, thereby shifting the
piston in the direction of arrow 2, which opens the gripping elements 60.
The switching of flip-flop 82 causes a logic 0 output to appear at the set
output of flip-flop 82, which is applied to the control input of inhibitor
84. Inhibitor 84, as well as the other inhibitors used in the logic
circuit, can for example, be ARO No. 59800 inhibitors. A logic 0 input at
the control of the inhibitor causes a logic 1 output to appear at the
output terminal, this being applied to the set input of flip-flop 86. This
causes a logic 1 at the set output of flip-flop 86, which allows fluid
from the supply to flow to the left hand side of cylinder 41, thereby
shifting its piston in the direction of arrow 3, which moves gripper 18
down in FIG. 1. The switching of flip-flop 86 to produce a logic 1 at the
set output also produces a logic 0 at the reset output. This is applied to
the control input of inhibitor 88, which produces a logic 1 at the output
thereof. This logic 1 is supplied to the reset input of flip-flop 76,
causing it to switch and thereby producing a logic 1 at the reset output
thereof. This causes the shifting of the piston of cylinder 35 in
direction of arrow 4, which moves carriage 18 to the right in FIG. 1. When
flip-flop 76 switches, a logic 0 is produced at the set output thereof.
This is applied to the control input of NOT element 102, which produces a
logic 1 at the output thereof. The NOT element may be, for example, an ARO
No. 59112 NOT element. The logic 1 at the output of the NOT element shifts
the piston of cylinder 48 in the direction of arrow 4, thereby moving the
gripper 18 to the right in FIG. 1. The logic 1 still appearing at the
output of inhibitor 84 is applied to switch 80 to disable the molding
mechanism. Also, it is applied to the set input of flip-flop 90, causing a
logic 1 at the set output thereof, which produces a rotation of the ROTAC
51, as indicated by the arrow 5, which corresponds to rotation about the
axis of cylinder 41. The switching of flip-flop 90 to produce a logic 1 at
the set output also causes a logic 0 at the reset output thereof. This is
applied to the control input of inhibitor 92, which produces a logic 1 at
its output. This logic 1 is applied to the set input of flip-flop 94,
which produces a logic 1 at the set output, thereby causing the piston of
cylinder 28 in the direction of arrow 6, which moves the carrier 12 to the
right in FIG. 1. The switching of flip-flop 94 causes a logic 0 at the
reset output thereof, which is applied to the input of inhibitor 96. This
produces a logic 1 at the output thereof, which is applied to the set
input of flip-flop 98. This causes a logic 1 at the set output thereof,
which is applied to one of the inputs of OR element 81. A logic 1 at the
input of the OR gate produces a logic 1 at its output, which is applied to
the left hand side of cylinder 48, moving its piston in direction of arrow
7, which moves gripper 18 to the left in FIG. 1. The switching of
flip-flop 98 causes a logic 0 at the reset output thereof, which is
applied to the supply input of NOT element 102. This produces a logic 0 at
the output thereof, which is applied to the control input of inhibitor
104, which in turn causes a logic 1 at the output thereof. This produces a
logic 1 at the set input of flip-flop 82, which produces a logic 1 at its
output. This causes the shift of the piston of cylinder 58 in the
direction of arrow 8, which opens the gripping elements 60. The logic 1 at
the output of flip-flop 82 is also applied to the input of inhibitor 84,
producing a logic 0 at its output. This is applied to the input of
inhibitor 106, producing a logic 1 at its output, which is applied to the
reset input of flip-flop 98. This switches flip-flop 98, causing a logic 1
at the reset output thereof. This supplies fluid to NOT element 102, which
causes the piston of cylinder 48 to shift in the direction of arrow 9,
which moves the gripping unit 18 to the right in FIG. 1. The switching of
flip-flop 98 also causes a logic 0 at the set output thereof, which is
applied to the input of inhibitor 108. This produces a logic 1 at the
inputs of flip-flops 94, 90 and 86 respectively, causing a logic 1 at the
reset output of each of these flip-flops. This causes a shift of the
pistons of cylinders 41 and 28 and the rotation of the ROTAC 51, in the
directions indicated by the arrows 10. This causes respectively the
movement of gripping unit 18 up, carrier 12 to the left and the rotation
of the gripping unit 18 about the axis of cylinder 41.
From the above described operation, it is apparent that once the logic
circuit is actuated by switch 72 which causes the movement of solenoid
valve 74, the sequence of movement of the various components of the picker
is controlled by the logic circuit. Thus, the movement is completely
automatic.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present
embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative
and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are,
therefore, intended to be embraced therein.
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