Workpiece enclosure and processing system
US6621091B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Sep 16, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 26, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P90/02
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A workpiece enclosure system of the present invention includes a workpiece loading section, a laser workstation cell, and a workpiece unloading section. The workpiece loading section includes a materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from an input conveyor to a light-tight pass-through enclosure in communication with the laser workstation cell. The laser workstation cell includes an additional materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the pass-through enclosure to one of two dual headstock/tailstock positioners for laser operations. Preferably, two sets of laser-cutting robots are arranged to perform laser-cutting operations on workpieces held by the headstock/tailstock positioners. The materials handling robot is further arranged to move workpieces from the headstock/tailstock positioners to an additional pass-through enclosure in communication with the workpiece unloading section. The workpiece unloading section includes a final materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the additional pass-through enclosure to an output conveyor. It is contemplated that the materials handling robots may be eliminated if a user desires to manually load …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.