Conveyor systems with center guide assemblies

A conveyor system includes a conveyor surface formed of a plurality of rollers in a single file arrangement. A center guide assembly has a guide configuration where a center guide member extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers and beyond the conveyor surface and a recessed configuration where the center guide member is recessed from the conveyor surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present specification generally relates to conveyor systems and methods of conveying and guide assemblies therefor.

BACKGROUND

Articles are frequently transported using conveyor systems. For relatively heavy articles, such as a cylinder block for a vehicle, a guide rail may be used to maintain alignment of the cylinder block as the cylinder block travels along the conveyor system. The guide rail may be bolted to a frame member of the conveyor to prevent movement of the guide rail and to maintain the position of the guide rail as the cylinder block travels along the length of the guide rail.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a conveyor system includes a conveyor surface formed of a plurality of rollers in a single file arrangement. A center guide assembly has a guide configuration where a center guide member extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers and beyond the conveyor surface and a recessed configuration where the center guide member is recessed from the conveyor surface.

In another embodiment, a conveyor system includes a conveyor surface formed of a plurality of rollers. A center guide assembly includes multiple center guide members, each guide member being located between adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers. The center guide assembly has a guide configuration where the multiple center guide members extend between the adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers and beyond the conveyor surface. The center guide assembly has a recessed configuration where the multiple center guide members are recessed from the conveyor surface.

In another embodiment, a method of conveying an article comprises: providing a conveying surface comprising a plurality of rollers; providing a center guide assembly comprising multiple center guide members, each guide member being located between adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers; placing the center guide assembly in a guide configuration where the multiple center guide members extend between the adjacent ones of the plurality of rollers and beyond the conveyor surface; and placing the center guide assembly in a recessed configuration where the multiple center guide members are recessed from the conveyor surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein generally relate to conveyor systems that include positionable guide systems that can be moved into and out of a conveyor path provided by the conveyor systems. In particular, the guide systems may include a center guide assembly that, in a guide configuration, is located in the conveyor path to guide an article as the article is conveyed along the conveyor path. The center guide assembly may also include a recessed configuration where the center guide assembly is removed from the conveyor path such that the center guide is no longer used to guide the article. Such a recessed configuration can facilitate removal of the article from the conveyor path, for example, in a direction transverse to the conveying direction by an operator manually and/or by an automated system such as an actuator or robot.

Conveyor systems described herein may be used to convey any number of articles. The conveyor systems may be particularly suitable for relatively heavy articles, such as cylinder blocks for vehicle engines. The cylinder blocks may be cast as a metal block with ports and channels defined therein, such as cylinder chambers, oil and air ducts, and a crank shaft cavity. Such cylinder blocks may be conveyed on conveyor systems having no outer guide rails so that side surfaces of the cylinder block do not slide along such outer guide rails for at least a portion of the conveyor path. In some embodiments, the conveyor systems may include outer guide rails, which may be used in conjunction with the center guide assemblies described herein. As used herein, the term “center guide” refers to a guide that may be located in the conveyor path. In some embodiments, an article, such as a cylinder block may be conveyed along opposite sides of the center guide assembly while being guided by the center guide assembly. Various embodiments and configurations of the center guide assemblies will be described in greater detail below.

Referring toFIG. 1, a conveyor system10generally includes a conveyor11including an inspection station12(Zone1), a removal station14(Zone2) and a continuing assembly section16(Zone3). At Zone1, an operator18may inspect a cylinder block20to determine whether or not the cylinder block20meets predetermined requirements, such as size, shape and other manufacturing parameters. In some embodiments, the operator18may use sensors or other devices at Zone1for determining cylinder block compliance with the predetermined parameters.

After inspection, the cylinder block20may move to Zone2. The cylinder block20may be guided through Zone2using the center guide assembly22. The center guide assembly22may include one or more center guide members24,26,28and30that are each located between adjacent conveyor rollers32and34,34and36,36and38,38and40(e.g., low torque motorized rollers) arranged in a single file fashion. While the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40are illustrated in a substantially straight line, they may form a bend or curve. The center guide members24,26,28and30may each be received within the crank shaft cavity48(FIG. 3) of the cylinder block20. As will be described in detail below, the center guide assembly22has a guide configuration where the center guide members24,26,28and30are in a raised position so that they are located in the conveyor path of the cylinder block20. Such a guide configuration allows the center guide members24,26,28and30to guide the cylinder block20as the cylinder block20moves within Zone2from Zone1and, in many instances, into Zone3. The center guide assembly22also includes a recessed configuration where the center guide members24,26,28and30are in a lowered position so that they are removed or recessed out of the conveyor path of the cylinder block20. Such a recessed configuration allows the operator18to push or otherwise move the cylinder block20in a horizontal direction, transverse to the conveyor path to a removal station48(e.g., due to a failed inspection) without the center guide members24,26,28and30interfering with the transverse movement of the cylinder block20.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, Zone2is illustrated in isolation and includes the center guide assembly22with the center guide members24,26,28and30. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, each center guide member24,26,28and30is mounted upon a horizontal support member50. The center guide members24,26,28and30extend upwardly from the support member50and are each spaced-apart from each other in the conveying direction a distance to allow conveyor rollers34,36and38to fit therebetween. The support member50is, in turn, connected to an actuator52(e.g., a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder) that raises and lowers the support member50and the center guide members24,26,28and30fixedly mounted thereto. As can be seen byFIG. 2, the center guide members24,26,28and30each have a height that allows a top surface54of each center guide member24,26,28and30to extend upwardly beyond a top conveying surface that is formed by the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38,40. In other words, the center guide members24,26,28and30, in the guide configuration, extend into the conveyor path of the cylinder block20. As used herein, the term “conveyor path”, in the context of a cylinder block, refers to the volume occupied by the cylinder block20at the cylinder block travels along the conveying surface and includes the crank shaft cavity48(FIG. 3).

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate the center guide assembly22in the guide configuration with the center guide members24,26,28and30in the conveyor path. Referring toFIG. 4, the center guide assembly22is illustrated in the recessed configuration with the center guide members24,26,28and30lowered out of the conveyor path and below the conveying surface formed by the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40. In this configuration, the actuator52lowers the support member50and the center guide members24,26,28and30fixedly mounted thereto. The top surfaces54are located below the conveying surface formed by the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40.

Referring toFIG. 5, the center guide members24,26,28and30are illustrated with each center guide member24,26,28and30located between an adjacent conveyor roller32and34,34and36,36and38,38and40. In some embodiments, at least a portion of one or more of the center guide members24,26,28and30has a taper contour to facilitate alignment of the cylinder block20as the cylinder block20engages the center guide assembly22. For example, the center guide member24may have a width W1at the trailing edge of the top surface54that is less than a width W2than a width at the leading edge of the top surface54. Similarly, the center guide26may have a width W3at the trailing edge of the top surface54that is less than a width W4than a width at the leading edge of the top surface54. Likewise, the center guide28may have a width W5at the trailing edge of the top surface54that is less than a width W6than a width at the leading edge of the top surface54. In some embodiments, W1may be less than W3, which may be less than W5. Additionally, W2may be less than W4, which may be less than W6. Such an increasing width from center guide member to center guide member and along an individual center guide member in the conveying direction can allow the cylinder block20to align itself as the cylinder block20travels. Center guide member30may have about the same width W7along its length. In some embodiments, W7may be greater than any of the widths W1through W6. In some embodiments, the center guide members24,26,28and30may have a chamfered or otherwise angled (e.g., 45 degrees to vertical) surfaces from the top surfaces54to each side surface58, which can further facilitate alignment of the cylinder block20.

FIG. 6illustrates the conveyor system10schematically. A controller60may be used to control actuation of the actuator52and the conveyor11, for example, based on a user input device62and/or signals from sensors64and66. In some embodiments, the sensors64and66are proximity sensors that detect presence (or absence) of the cylinder block20. In some embodiments, another sensor68may detect position of the actuator52(and/or the center guide assembly22) to determine what configuration the center guide assembly22is in. In another embodiment, the controller60may include logic that tracks whether the center guide assembly22is in the guide configuration or the recessed configuration.

Referring toFIG. 7, operation of the conveyor system10includes inspecting the cylinder block20at step70. Once the inspection is complete, the controller may poll sensor68thereby determining the configuration of the center guide assembly22at step72. If the center guide assembly22is in the raised, guide configuration, the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40may be activated at step74. The controller60may then detect the presence of the cylinder block20using the sensor64at step76. At step78, the cylinder block20engages the center guide members24,26,28and30, one after another, as the cylinder block20is conveyed through Zone2. If the controller60determines at step72that the center guide assembly22is in the lowered, recessed configuration, the controller60may prevent activation of the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40. This prevents movement of the cylinder block20into and through Zone2.

Referring toFIG. 8, once the cylinder block20is located in Zone2(e.g., between sensors64and66), the operator may determine whether to allow the cylinder block to move through Zone2at step78. If the inspection determines an out of parameter condition for the cylinder block20, the controller60and/or the operator using user input device62may actuate the actuator52and lower the center guide assembly22into its recessed configuration at step80. At step82, the controller60may detect the center guide assembly22in the recessed configuration and stop rotation of the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and40. At step84, the controller60may also poll the sensors64and66to determine that the cylinder block20is squarely within Zone2. Once the center guide assembly22is in the lowered, recessed configuration, the operator may push the cylinder block20off of the conveyor in a direction transverse to the conveying direction.FIG. 9illustrates the cylinder block20being removed from the conveyor. As can also be seen byFIG. 9, the conveyor rollers32,34,36,38and,40extend continuously over the entire width of the conveyor path, thereby providing a continuous surface along which the cylinder block20may be removed from the conveyor.

The center guide members24,26,28and30may be formed of any suitable material and using any suitable process. As one example, the center guide members24,26,28and30may be formed of mild, chrome-plated steel and may be formed by casting, machining, etc. While four center guide members24,26,28and30are illustrated, more or less than four center guide members24,26,28and30may be used.

The above-described conveyor systems10can be used to transport relatively heavy articles, such as cylinder blocks, using a center guide assembly22that can be raised into and lowered out of the conveyor path without use of any tools. The center guide assembly22includes center guide members24,26,28and30that are each located between adjacent conveyor rollers with the conveyor rollers located on upstream and downstream sides of the center guide members24,26,28and30. Additionally, the conveyor rollers extend across the entire conveyor path in a single file alignment. Such a continuous roller arrangement can provide a continuous support surface that facilitates removal of the cylinder blocks from the conveyor path.