Patent ID: 6227787
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B23Q

Abstract:
Device (1) for the automatic handling of delicate workpieces (3), consisting of at least one workpiece pallet (2) for accepting the workpieces (3) in a receiving region (15), the workpiece pallet (2) comprising straight rods (6) disposed in grid-like manner with free spaces (7) between the rods (6), at least one workpiece gripper (10, 11) for depositing the workpieces (3) on a surface, and a pallet gripper (12) for holding the workpiece pallet (2), characterised in thatat least one positioning device (16) with recesses (17) is provided, said recesses being sized relative to the size of said straight rods to receive portions thereof therewithin such that the rods (6) of the workpiece pallet (2) can be lowered into the recesses (17), the positioning device (16) having a positioning surface (9) extending in a plane for supporting the workpieces deposited thereon (3) by means of the workpiece gripper (10, 11), and said workpiece pallet having a peg extending therefrom such that the pallet gripper (12) lowers the empty workpiece pallet (2) by releasably gripping said peg and moving said workpiece pallet from a lowering position (13) lying above the positioning surface (9), through the plane of the positioning surface (9) and onto a receiving position surface (14) lying below the positioning surface (9) and defined by said recesses such that the receiving region (15) of the workpiece pallet (2) is lower than the positioning surface (9), and after depositing the workpieces (3) on the positioning surface with the workpiece pallet (2) lowered below the positioning surface (9), the workpiece pallet (2) is raised off of the receiving position surface by the pallet gripper by engaging with said peg.