Abstract:
An inline feeder for delivering oriented parts, said inline feeder including a hopper section including a vibratory hopper for storing parts and transporting parts to an elevator section including an inclined elevator for receiving parts from said vibratory hopper and depositing said parts onto a linear feeder. Said inline feeder further including a part sensor for sensing flow of parts along said linear feeder, said sensor sensing flow and orientation of said parts on said linear feeder; and a an air fitting/valve for applying a burst of compressed gas against a part for rejecting and removing said part from said linear feeder, wherein said air valve operably in communication with said part sensor means for triggering a part rejection due to misorientation or jammed parts from said linear feeder and allowing properly oriented parts to be delivered.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to the field of article feed mechanisms and sorters and more particularly to inline vibratory parts feeders.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Vibratory parts feeders are commonly known apparati for providing oriented parts from a mass of disoriented parts or for transporting parts along a processing path. In providing oriented parts, vibratory parts feeders typically include a vibratory bowl which is driven by a vibratory drive unit. The bowl is intregally configured typically with a helicon oriented path to transport the parts under vibratory action to a bowl exit location near the top of the bowl.  
           [0003]    There are a number of problems with this conventional technology including limitation to the parts per minute that can be delivered by vibratory bowl apparati, part jams which often need to be cleared manually by an operator and typically high operating and installation costs of vibratory bowl feeders.  
         PRIOR ART  
         [0004]    A number of prior patents have been issued by the United States Patent Office in regard to vibratory parts feeder, a good example of this is U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,497 by Graham patented May 20, 1997 entitled Vibratory Parts Feeder with Pivotal Top Confinement. This patent reviews the state of the art of vibratory bowl feeders and the problems encountered with them.  
           [0005]    Due to the high capital cost required for the manufacture and purchase of vibratory bowl feeders, inherent jamming problems and requirement of constant supervision by an operator to clear jams as they occur and their low output or productivity despite the high cost of producing the machinery.  
           [0006]    Therefore, this is a need for a new and improved method of providing oriented parts from a mass of disoriented parts which provides for a reliable low cost method for delivering oriented parts for subsequent operations.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention an inline feeder for delivering oriented parts comprises:  
           [0008]    a) a means for storing and transporting and also a means for presenting parts onto a vibratory linear feeder;  
           [0009]    b) a means for sensing flow and orientation of said parts on said linear feeder; and  
           [0010]    c) a means for rejecting misoriented or jammed parts from said linear feeder and allowing properly oriented parts to be delivered.  
           [0011]    Preferably wherein said rejecting means includes a tooling plate having a part profile allowing only substantially correctly oriented parts to pass there through.  
           [0012]    Preferably wherein said sensing means includes a second part sensor for sensing flow of parts along said linear feeder, said flow sensor operable and communicating with said rejecting means such that when flow is not satisfactory parts are rejected.  
           [0013]    Preferably wherein said rejected parts are returned to said storing and transporting means.  
           [0014]    Preferably wherein said sensing means includes a third part sensor for sensing proximity of parts passing through said tooling plate operably communicating with said second flow sensor for monitoring flow of parts through said tooling plate and further communicating with said rejecting means such that when flow is not satisfactory parts are rejected  
           [0015]    Preferably wherein said sensing means includes a first part sensor for sensing the load of parts moving along said linear feeder, said first part sensor operatively communicating with said transporting means for increasing or decreasing part loading on said linear feeder as required to maintain a predetermined load.  
           [0016]    Preferably wherein said second part sensor being disposed proximate a clearing station located just prior to parts entering the tooling plate.  
           [0017]    Preferably wherein the rejecting means includes an air fitting/valve for applying a burst of compressed gas against a part for removing said part from said linear feeder, wherein said air valve operably in communication with said sensing means for triggering a part rejection.  
           [0018]    Preferably wherein said transporting means includes a hopper section including a vibratory hopper for storing parts and transporting parts to said presenting means.  
           [0019]    Preferably wherein said presenting means includes an elevator section including an inclined elevator for receiving parts from said vibratory hopper and depositing said parts onto said linear feeder.  
           [0020]    Preferably wherein said sensing means includes a first part sensor for sensing the load of parts moving along said linear feeder, said first part sensor operatively communicating with said inclined elevator for increasing or decreasing part loading on said linear feeder by increasing or decreasing the number of parts delivered by said inclined elevator.  
           [0021]    Preferably wherein the vibratory hopper and the linear feeder, urge or transport parts in opposing directions.  
           [0022]    Preferably wherein said inline feeder further includes a means for clearing jams in said tooling plate operably in communication with said sensing means for.  
           [0023]    Preferably wherein said clearing means includes a pneumatic slide for opening said tooling plate for clearing jams.  
           [0024]    Preferably wherein said tooling plate includes an upper plate position above and adjacent to a lower plate wherein said upper and lower plate define a part profile wherein said tooling plate can be opened by separating said upper plate from said lower plate.  
           [0025]    The present invention is also a method of operating an inline feeder used for delivering oriented parts comprising the steps of:  
           [0026]    (a) storing parts in vibratory hopper;  
           [0027]    (b) delivering said parts to an inclined elevator;  
           [0028]    (c) elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
           [0029]    (d) sensing excessive part load on linear feeder;  
           [0030]    (e) reducing part loading by reducing elevator stroke or frequency; and  
           [0031]    (f) feeding parts through an intelligent tooling plate which allows only substantially correctly oriented parts to pass there through  
           [0032]    Preferably a method of operating an inline feeder used for delivering oriented parts comprising the steps of:  
           [0033]    (a) storing parts in a hopper;  
           [0034]    (b) delivering said parts to an elevator;  
           [0035]    (c) elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
           [0036]    (d) sensing and clearing misoriented or jammed parts from a linear feeder prior to entering tooling plate;  
           [0037]    (e) feeding said parts through an intelligent tooling plate.  
           [0038]    Preferably a method of operating an inline feeder used for delivering oriented parts comprising the steps of:  
           [0039]    (a) storing parts in a hopper;  
           [0040]    (b) delivering said parts to an elevator;  
           [0041]    (c) elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
           [0042]    (d) sensing excessive part load on linear feeder;  
           [0043]    (e) reducing part load by reducing elevator stroke or frequency;  
           [0044]    (f) sensing misoriented parts at clearing station;  
           [0045]    (g) clearing misoriented or jammed parts using compressed air from linear feeder at clearing station;  
           [0046]    (h) feeding correctly oriented parts through an intelligent tooling plate. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0047]    [0047]FIG. 1 is a schematic front perspective view of the current invention an Inline Feeder;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 2 is a schematic back perspective view of the current invention the Inline Feeder;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tooling plate of the Inline Feeder;  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the method of operating the Inline Feeder;  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the method of operating the Inline Feeder;  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the method of operation of the Inline Feeder;  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing the method of operating the Inline Feeder;  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0054]    The present invention an Inline Feeder shown generally as  30  is comprised of the following major components, namely hopper section shown generally as  31 , elevator section shown generally as  35  and inline vibratory feeder section shown generally as  33 . These sections are all mounted onto base  50  as shown.  
         [0055]    Hopper Section  
         [0056]    Hopper section shown generally as  31  includes a vibratory hopper  32  which is a rectangularly box shaped receptacle for receiving parts  40  therein. Vibratory hopper  32  is mounted onto a hopper vibratory drive  34  which in turn is mounted onto base  50 . Hopper vibratory drive  34  is the type known in the industry which operates at a frequency of approximately 3,600 (three thousand, six hundred) vibrations per minute and vibratory hopper  32  is arranged in such a manner that parts  40  flow normally in direction  36  as shown in FIG. 1. Vibratory hopper  32  is charged with parts  40  via traditional charging methods and also receives rejected parts  42  which slide down ramp  44 . Parts  40  make their way to elevator accumulator  48  waiting to be moved by elevator section shown generally as  35 .  
         [0057]    Elevator Section  
         [0058]    Elevator Section  35  includes an inclined elevator which has a more or less rectangular cross section and is mounted slidably onto elevator guides  54  which are mounted on an inclined angle  60  relative to base  50 . Elevator pneumatic piston  56  operates functionally to move inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  upwardly and downwardly in elevator direction shown as  58 . Parts  40  in elevator accumulator  48  are raised by inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  moving in an upward direction  58  until parts  40  slide off of the top surface of inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  and onto part receiving platform  64 . The stroke of incline pneumatic slide elevator  52  can be functionally controlled by first part sensor  66  which determines the load of parts  40  on linear feeder  70 . When first part sensor  66  detects a shortage of parts on linear feeder  70  as well on part receiving platform  64 , the stroke or frequency of incline pneumatic slide elevator  52  is increased to discharge more parts onto part receiving platform  64 . Conversely if too many parts are detected on part receiving platform  64  and linear feeder  70 , the stroke or frequency of incline pneumatic slide elevator  52  is decreased thereby depositing fewer parts onto part receiving platform  64 . Fist part sensor is preferably a background suppression type sensor available from Baumer Inc.  
         [0059]    Parts  40  are continually being vibratorily fed by vibratory hopper  32  onto elevator accumulator portion  48  such that parts  40  are continuously available at elevator accumulator  48  for transport of parts  40  to part receiving platform  64 . First part sensor  66  control the stroke or frequency of incline pneumatic slide elevator  52  thereby controlling the number of parts on part receiving platform  64  and linear feeder  70 .  
         [0060]    Inline Vibratory Feeder Section  
         [0061]    Inline vibratory feeder section shown generally as  33  is comprised of a linear feeder  70  which is mounted onto an inline feeder vibratory drive  72  which in turn is mounted onto a base  50 . Inline feeder vibratory drive  72  is the type generally known in the industry which operate at approximately 3,600 (three thousand six hundred) vibrations per minute. These type of inline vibratory drives allow one to adjust the speed of parts moving along the inline feeder by for example adjusting the amplitude of the inline feeder. Parts  40  moving along linear feeder  70  come to clearing station  80  just prior to entering tooling plate  82 . At clearing station  80 , a second part sensor  84  senses the flow of parts at the clearing station including the dwell time of a part at the clearing station. Second part sensor  84  preferably is a flow sensor mounted adjacent or just above clearing station  80 . Flow sensor  84  can be of the background suppression type currently available through Baumer Inc., or any other sensor that may be suitable. Depending upon whether there is jam at clearing station  80  or there are too many parts, or parts are not travelling through the tooling plate  82 , second part sensor  84  may trigger air fitting/valve  86  which rejects parts and clears them from clearing station  80 . Rejected parts  42  under air pressure are pushed down ramp  44  and into vibratory hopper  32  to once again be fed through the cycle. Parts  40  oriented the right way will enter through tooling plate  82 . Only correctly oriented parts enter tooling plate  82  successfully. Should a part be misoriented or should double parts be present or should there be jams or misorientations of any kind, tooling plate  82  will not allow the parts to pass there through. In addition, a third part sensor behind tooling plate  82  determines the time a part  40  has taken to travel from clearing station  80  to third part sensor  90 . When a preset dwell time is exceeded, tooling plate  82  is completely opened up by a pneumatic cylinder thereby clearing any jams within tooling plate  82 . Parts that are correctly oriented and move through tooling plate  82  in a predetermined amount of time are discharged at part discharge  46  and moved onto subsequent assembly operations not included in this patent.  
         [0062]    Tooling Plate  
         [0063]    Referring now to FIG. 3 showing generally in cross sectional view a tooling plate as  82 . Tooling plate  82  includes upper plate  92 , lower plate  94 , a part profile  96  and a part  40  passing there through. By way of example only the part shown is coined shaped having bevelled edges. Therefore should the part lay on one side, the bevelled edges will conform to the part profile  96  and the part will pass through tooling plate  82 . On the other hand, if part  40  is reversely oriented (upside down), the bevelled edges will not register with part profile  96  thereby preventing parts  40  from passing through tooling plate  82 . In this manner misoriented parts are prevented from passing through tooling plate  82 . Only parts which pass through tooling plate  82  eventually become usable parts and are discharged at part discharge  46  and on the further assembly operations. Upper plate  92  can be pivotally moved away from lower plate  94  through pneumatic cylinders not shown. Pivoting upper plate  92  or opening tooling plate  82  may be necessary to clear jams. It is understood that part profile  96  is just one example of a myriad of part shapes that can be accommodated.  
         [0064]    In addition to second part sensor  84  a third part sensor  90  which preferably is a proximity sensor is mounted adjacent or just above tooling plate  82 . Preferably third part sensor  90  sees through an aperture (not shown) in upper plate  92  in order to “see” or sense parts travelling through tooling plate  82 . Second part sensor  84  and third part sensor  90  communicate logically with each other to determine if any jam condition exists. In addition should a jam occur within tooling plate  82  itself for example if two parts are nested together and manage to enter into tooling plate  82  then second part sensor  84  together with third part sensor  90  will recognize this condition and open up tooling plate  82  by lifting off upper plate  92  from lower plate  94 . The second part sensor  84  together with the third part sensor  90  provide an intelligent clearing system which automatically clears almost all jams that could occur.  
         [0065]    In Use  
         [0066]    In use inline feeder  30  operates as follows:  
         [0067]    Vibratory hopper  32  is charged with parts  40 , either from an external source not shown by means conventionally such as chutes, part hoppers, conveyor belts etc. Vibratory hopper  32  also receives parts that have been rejected from the linear feeder  70  section thereby finding there way back into vibratory hopper  32 . Vibratory hopper  32  is mounted onto hopper vibratory drive  34  which in turn is mounted to base  50 . Vibratory hopper  32  via vibratory drive  34  urges parts  40  along direction  36  until elevator accumulator  48  is filled with parts  40 . The size and shape of vibratory hopper  32  is can be altered to accommodate parts of different sizes and shapes. Normally speaking the larger the parts the larger the hopper required and in turn the entire unit would be scaled larger to accommodate a larger part. Parts  40  shown in the drawings are by way of example only. Parts  40  shown are a coined shaped part being relatively flat and having bevelled and/or chamfered ends.  
         [0068]    Once parts  40  are delivered to elevator accumulator  48 , incline pneumatic slide elevator  52  is moved upwardly shown as direction  58  along elevator guides  54  thereby elevating parts up to part receiving platform  64 . Once inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  has reached a high enough position, parts  40  will slide and/or tumble onto part receiving platform  64  under gravity. A first part sensor  66  senses the load on part receiving platform as well as linear feeder  70  and controls the frequency as well as the stroke of the inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52 . Inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  is preferably operated by an elevator pneumatic piston  56  and is inclined at an angle of around 60 degrees shown as angle theta  60  in the diagram. When first part sensor  66  determines that more parts are required, it sends a single to increase the stroke or increase the frequency of inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  such that more parts are delivered onto part receiving platform  64 . Should fewer parts be required such as when first part sensor  66  determines an overload of part receiving platform  64  the stroke and/or the frequency of inclined pneumatic slide elevator  52  is reduced thereby delivering fewer parts to part receiving platform  64 . Linear feeder  70  is mounted onto a separate inline feeder vibratory drive  72  which is mounted onto base  50 . Inline feeder vibratory drive  72  moves parts  40  along inline feeder in a linear fashion until they arrive at clearing station  80 . At clearing station  80 , second part sensor  84  determines the dwell time of part  40  at clearing station  80 , and also determines whether or not there is a build up or a jam of parts at clearing station  80 . Should parts  40  not be moving past clearing station  80  at a predetermined pass time, second parts sensor  84  will send a signal to air fitting/valve  86  thereby forcibly with air pressure rejecting parts  42  which are fed down ramp  44  and back into vibratory hopper  32 . Parts  40  which are properly oriented enter tooling plate  82  and are monitored by a third part sensor  90  which is logically interfaced with second parts sensor  84  to determine the rate at which parts move from clearing station  80  through tooling plate  82 .  
         [0069]    By way of example only, if parts  40  are not passing through tooling plate  82  at a fast enough rate as measured by second part sensor  84  and third part sensor  90 , a signal is sent to open up tooling plate  82  which is done by a pneumatic slide not shown wherein upper plate  92  is pivoted away from lower plate  94  thereby clearing parts  40  out of tooling plate  82 .  
         [0070]    Those skilled in the art will see that the linear feeder  70  section is totally automated and intelligent in that part loading is monitored, misoriented parts and/or jams are automatically cleared at clearing station  80 , and should some parts become jammed within tooling plate  82  itself, a third sensor is in place to detect that condition and clearing of tooling plate  82  will automatically take place normally by pivoting open upper plate  92  from lower plate  94 .  
         [0071]    Correctly oriented parts arriving at clearing station  80  move easily and quickly through tooling plate  82  and outward through part discharge  46  where correctly oriented parts are then subsequently fed to other assembly operations.  
         [0072]    A minimal amount of operator assistance is required with this set up in that, first part sensor  66 , second part sensor  84  and third part sensor  90  provide an intelligent clearing system which is able to detect almost all jams or misorientation of parts and automatically clear these misorientations and/or jams without operator interference.  
         [0073]    Method of Operation  
         [0074]    The inline feeder apparatus shown generally as  30  operates as follows:  
         [0075]    (a) storing parts in hopper  32 ; delivering said parts to an elevator  52 ;  
         [0076]    elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder  70 ;  
         [0077]    sensing excessive part load on linear feeder;  
         [0078]    reducing part loading by reducing elevator  52  stroke or frequency;  
         [0079]    feeding parts through an intelligent tooling plate having second part sensor  84  and third part sensor  90 .  
         [0080]    Alternate Method of Operation  
         [0081]    (b) storing parts in a hopper;  
         [0082]    delivering said parts to an elevator;  
         [0083]    elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
         [0084]    sensing and clearing misoriented or jammed parts from a linear feeder prior to entering tooling plate;  
         [0085]    feeding said parts through an intelligent tooling plate.  
         [0086]    An Alternate Method of Operating Inline Feeder  
         [0087]    (c) storing parts in a hopper;  
         [0088]    delivering said parts to an elevator;  
         [0089]    elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
         [0090]    sensing excessive part load on linear feeder;  
         [0091]    reducing part load by reducing elevator stroke or frequency;  
         [0092]    sensing misoriented parts at clearing station;  
         [0093]    clearing misoriented or jammed parts using compressed air from linear feeder at clearing station;  
         [0094]    feeding correctly oriented parts through an intelligent tooling plate.  
         [0095]    An Alternate Method of Operating Inline Feeder  
         [0096]    (d) storing parts in the hopper;  
         [0097]    delivering said parts to an elevator;  
         [0098]    elevating and delivering said parts to a linear feeder;  
         [0099]    clearing misoriented or jammed parts from linear feeder;  
         [0100]    feeding said parts to intelligent tooling plate;  
         [0101]    sensing through put and jams through said tooling plate;  
         [0102]    clearing tooling plate of jams.  
         [0103]    Additionally the above described inline feeder provides a counter flow or opposing flow of parts namely parts flow in direction  36  along vibratory hopper  32  and flow in the opposite direction along linear feeder  70 .  
         [0104]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.