Patent Publication Number: US-2013251493-A1

Title: Stacking device and air purification system thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of industrial installations, and in particular to a stacking device and an air purification system thereof. 
     2. The Related Arts 
     A stacking device is a high cleanness installation. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional stacking device  10  comprises a housing  14 , two vertical stacking arms  11  arranged inside the housing  10 , cartridges  13  arranged inside the housing  14 , and a plurality of fan filter devices  12  arranged on a surface of the housing  14 . The two stacking arms  14  are provided with manipulator mechanisms (not shown). 
     Arrows shown in  FIG. 1  indicate the direction of air flow. In a still condition, the operation of the fan filter devices  12  is capable of keeping high cleanness inside the stacking device  10 . However, when the stacking device  10  is put into operation, dusts may be lifted and floating on the bottom of the device and causes contamination of the cartridges  13  that is located inside the housing  14  and products, such as glass, received in the cartridges  13 , thereby affecting the yield rate of product. 
     Thus, it is desired to have a stacking device and an air purification system applicable to the stacking device to handle the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The technical issue to be addressed by the present invention is to provide a stacking device and an air purification system thereof, which reduce lifted dust in the operation of the stacking device and thus improve the yield rate of product. 
     To address the above technical issue, the present invention adopts a technical solution by providing a stacking device. The device comprises: vertically arranged stacking arms and a manipulator mechanism provided on the stacking arms; the stacking arms forming an axially extending duct and comprising first airflow driving devices; the duct forming in a side wall thereof a plurality of vertically distributed air inflow openings that are in communication with an outside space of the stacking arms and an air outflow opening arranged at a lower end of the stacking arms; a first ceiling, which is arranged above the stacking arms and is provided with a plurality of second airflow driving devices, the plurality of second airflow driving devices drawing in and driving airflow into interior space of the stacking device; wherein the first airflow driving devices comprise fan filter devices with one fan filter device installed at each of the air inflow openings for drawing in air of the outside space of the stacking arms through the air inflow openings of the duct and driving air inside the duct to flow downward to be discharged through the air outflow opening of the duct to the lower end of the stacking arms. 
     Wherein, the manipulator mechanism comprises: a first conveyance module, which functions picks up a product and carries out raising and lowering operations and release of the product; the stacking device further comprising: a second conveyance module, which receives the product from the first conveyance module for carrying out loading and unloading of the product; and a machining module, which receives the product from the second conveyance module to carry out machining operation of the product. 
     Wherein, the second conveyance module comprises: a carrier unit, which receive the product from the first conveyance module; a storage unit, which receives the product from the carrier unit; and a transportation unit, which picks up the product from the storage unit and transfers the product to the machining module. 
     Wherein, the transportation unit comprises an industrial robot. 
     Wherein, the second conveyance module and the machining module are arranged at each of two sides of the stacking arms. 
     To address the above technical issue, the present invention adopts another technical solution by providing a stacking device. The device comprises vertically arranged stacking arms and a manipulator mechanism provided on the stacking arms; the stacking arms forming an axially extending duct and comprising first airflow driving devices; the duct forming air inflow openings that are in communication with an outside space of the stacking arms and an air outflow opening arranged at a lower end of the stacking arms; wherein the first airflow driving devices draw in air of the outside space of the stacking arms through the air inflow openings of the duct and drive air inside the duct to flow downward to be discharged through the air outflow opening of the duct to the lower end of the stacking arms. 
     Wherein, the number of the first airflow driving device is plural of which at least some are installed at the air inflow openings of the duct to take a form of air suction for drawing in the air of the outside space of the stacking arms through the air inflow openings of the duct and at least some other are installed at the air outflow opening of the duct to take a form of blowing air for expelling air out of the duct through the air outflow opening. 
     Wherein, the first airflow driving devices comprise fan filter devices, the duct forming in a side wall thereof a plurality of vertically distributed air inflow openings, each of the fan filter devices being set correspond to each of the air inflow openings. 
     Wherein, the stacking device further comprises: a first ceiling, which is arranged above the stacking arms and is provided with a plurality of second airflow driving devices, the plurality of second airflow driving devices drawing in and driving airflow into interior space of the stacking device. 
     Wherein, the manipulator mechanism comprises: a first conveyance module, which functions picks up a product and carries out raising and lowering operations and release of the product; the stacking device further comprising: a second conveyance module, which receives the product from the first conveyance module for carrying out loading and unloading of the product; and a machining module, which receives the product from the second conveyance module to carry out machining operation of the product. 
     Wherein, the second conveyance module comprises: a carrier unit, which receive the product from the first conveyance module; a storage unit, which receives the product from the carrier unit; and a transportation unit, which picks up the product from the storage unit and transfers the product to the machining module. 
     Wherein, the transportation unit comprises an industrial robot. 
     Wherein, the second conveyance module and the machining module are arranged at each of two sides of the stacking arms. 
     To address the above technical issue, the present invention adopts a further technical solution by providing an air purification system for use in a stacking device. The system comprises: an axially extending duct formed along a stacking arm of the stacking device and a first airflow driving device; and the duct forming an air inflow opening communicating with an outside space of the stacking arm and an air outflow opening formed at a lower end of the stacking arm; wherein the first airflow driving device draws in air of the outside space of the stacking arm through the air inflow opening of the duct and drives air inside the duct to flow downward to be discharged through the air outflow opening of the duct to the lower end of the stacking arm. 
     Wherein, the number of the first airflow driving device is plural of which at least some are installed at the air inflow opening of the duct to take a form of air suction for drawing in the air of the outside space of the stacking arm through the air inflow opening of the duct and at least some other are installed at the air outflow opening of the duct to take a form of blowing air for expelling air out of the duct through the air outflow opening. 
     The efficacy of the present invention is that to be distinguished from the state of the art, the present invention forms a duct in a stacking arm and comprises a first airflow driving device so as to use the first airflow driving device to draw lifted and floating dust into a duct and to drive the air contained in the duct to move downward in order to be discharged to a lower end of stacking arm through an air outflow opening of the duct thereby reducing lifting of dust in the movement of the stacking device and improving yield rate of product. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing a known stacking device; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing stacking arms of the stacking device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a stacking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing stacking arms and an air purification system of the stacking device shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are respectively a schematic view showing a stacking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a schematic view showing stacking arms and an air purification system of the stacking device shown in  FIG. 3 , the stacking device  20  according to the first embodiment of the present invention generally comprise two stacking arms  21 , second conveyance modules  22 , machining modules  23 , a first ceiling  24 , second ceilings  25 , side walls  27 , and a chassis  28 . The second conveyance modules  22  and the machining modules  23  are arranged at both sides of the two stacking arms  21 . In other embodiments of the present invention, it is also feasible to only arrange the second conveyance module  22  and the machining module  23  at one side of the two stacking arms  21 . 
     The first ceiling  24  is arranged above the stacking arms  21  and the second ceilings  25  are respectively arranged at opposite sides of the first ceiling  24 . 
     The side walls  27  function to isolate the atmosphere outside the stacking device  20  and the internal air thereof from each other. The chassis  28  functions to carry thereon the stacking device  20 . 
     The two stacking arms  21  are arranged vertically and parallel to each other. Further, the two stacking arms  21  are provided with a manipulator mechanism  210 . The manipulator mechanism  210  is supported and guided by the two stacking arms  21  to vertically move up and down. Further, the manipulator mechanism  210  is movable and rotatable with horizontal displacement and rotation of the stacking arms  21 . When the manipulator mechanism  210  reaches a target position through horizontal displacement, rotation, and vertical movement, an operation of pick up and release a product can be carried out. 
     Specifically, the manipulator mechanism  210  comprises a first conveyance module  211 , which functions to pick up a product and performs raising and lowering operation and release operation on the product. In an operation process, the manipulator mechanism  210  precisely picks up a cartridge  29  fro a storage section of the stacking device  20 . The cartridge  29  contains therein a product (not shown). And, then the cartridge  29  is transferred to the second conveyance module  22  for loading/unloading of the product contained in the cartridge  29  and the product is then transferred to the machining module  23  for machining operation. Or alternatively, the manipulator mechanism  210  picks up the cartridge  29  from the second conveyance module  22  and place the cartridge to the storage section or other sections. 
     The second conveyance module  22  comprises: a carrier unit  221 , a storage unit  222 , and a transportation unit  223 . The carrier unit  221  functions to receive the cartridge  29  transferred from the first conveyance module  211  and unloads the product from the cartridge  29  and then transfers the product, by means of a transferring device (not shown), to the storage unit  222 . The transportation unit  223  picks up the product from the storage unit  222  to transfer to the machining module  23  for carrying out a machining operation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conveyance module  223  comprises an industrial robot. 
     Further, axially extending along one or two stacking arms  21  of the stacking device  20  are a duct  212  and a plurality of first airflow driving devices  213  that constitute an air purification system. The duct  212  comprises an air inflow opening  2121  in communication with an outside space of the stacking arms  21  and an air outflow opening  2122  arranged at a lower end of the stacking arm  21 . The first airflow driving devices  213  function to draw in air of the outside space of the stacking arms  21  through the air inflow opening  2121  of the duct  212  and drive the air inside the duct  212  to flow downward to be discharged to the lower end of the stacking arms  21  through the air outflow opening  2122  of the duct  212  to be further discharged out of the air purification system. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the number of the first airflow driving devices  213  is plural and at least some are installed at the air inflow opening  2121  of the duct  212  for drawing in air of the outside space of the stacking arms  21  through the air inflow opening  2121  of the duct  212  and the remaining ones are installed at the air outflow opening  2122  of the duct  212  to blow and thus discharge air that are inside the duct  212  out through the air outflow opening  2122 . 
     In a practical application, the first airflow driving devices  213  comprise fan filter devices, and the duct  212  forms, in a side wall thereof, vertically distributed air inflow openings  2121  with the first airflow driving devices  213  respectively installed at each of the air inflow openings  2121 . The number of the first airflow driving devices  213  used is determined according to practical needs and other devices that provide the same function as the fan filter device can be used to replace the fan filter device. 
     Apparently, in other practical applications of the present invention, it is possible to install only one first airflow driving device  213 . For example, the single first airflow driving device  213  is installed at a location between the air outflow opening  2122  and the one of the air inflow openings  2121  that is closest to the air outflow opening  2122 . 
     During the movement of the stacking device  20 , dusts are lifted and floating. The first airflow driving device  213  that is installed at the air inflow opening  2121  of the duct  212  takes the form of suction to draw in air of the outside space of the stacking arms  21  that carries dusts through the air inflow opening  2121  of the duct  212  and the first airflow driving device  213  installed at the air outflow opening  2122  of the duct  212  takes the form of blowing to expel air contained in the duct  212  outward through the air outflow opening  2122  to be further discharged through the chassis  28  to the outside space of the stacking device  20  in order to keep high cleanness inside the interior space of the stacking device  20  to thereby improve yield rate of product. 
     Further, the first ceiling  24  and the second ceilings  25  are provided with a plurality of second airflow driving devices  26 . The second airflow driving devices  26  function to draw in clean airflow and drive the airflow into the interior space of the stacking device  20 . In a practical application, the second airflow driving devices  26  comprise fan filter devices. In other applications, other device having the same function as the fan filter devices  26  may be used to substitute the fan filter devices  26 . 
     To be distinguished from the state of the art, the present invention uses a first airflow driving device to drive air contained in a duct to move downward in order to be discharged to a lower end of stacking arms through an air outflow opening of the duct thereby reducing lifting of dust in the movement of the stacking device and improving yield rate of product. 
     Embodiments of the present invention have been described, but not intending to impose any unduly constraint to the appended claims. Any modification of equivalent structure or equivalent process made according to the disclosure and drawings of the present invention, or any application thereof, directly or indirectly, to other related fields of technique, is considered encompassed in the scope of protection defined by the clams of the present invention.