Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5316125?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-03-11 14:17:27
Document Index: 257827824

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'arts 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 1']

Patent US5316125 - Assembly line structure - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn assembly line for assembling a product by a series of operations comprises a conveyer body assembly which includes a plurality of conveyer body units. Each unit has an assembly area for carrying out a predetermined process for producing a product to be assembled and forms a minimal unit which takes...http://www.google.com/patents/US5316125?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5316125 - Assembly line structureAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5316125 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/862,576PCT numberPCT/JP1991/001470Publication dateMay 31, 1994Filing dateOct 29, 1991Priority dateNov 6, 1990Fee statusLapsedAlso published asWO1992007683A1Publication number07862576, 862576, PCT/1991/1470, PCT/JP/1991/001470, PCT/JP/1991/01470, PCT/JP/91/001470, PCT/JP/91/01470, PCT/JP1991/001470, PCT/JP1991/01470, PCT/JP1991001470, PCT/JP199101470, PCT/JP91/001470, PCT/JP91/01470, PCT/JP91001470, PCT/JP9101470, US 5316125 A, US 5316125A, US-A-5316125, US5316125 A, US5316125AInventorsShizuo Ishijima, Hidetoshi Matsushima, Yoshinori NoguchiOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (13), Referenced by (4), Classifications (8), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetAssembly line structureUS 5316125 AAbstract An assembly line for assembling a product by a series of operations comprises a conveyer body assembly which includes a plurality of conveyer body units. Each unit has an assembly area for carrying out a predetermined process for producing a product to be assembled and forms a minimal unit which takes charge of a part of the series of operations. The conveyer body assembly is formed by connecting an arbitrary number of conveyer body units greater than or equal to two, which makes it possible to cope with any change in the production plan or the like with a high flexibility.
An assembly line structure 10 is formed by arranging in line and connecting a plurality of conveyer body units 12-1 through 12-n in an arbitrary number greater than or equal to two depending on the number of operation processes for assembling the product, and by respectively connecting the starting end traverse unit 13 and the finishing end traverse unit 14 at the starting end and the finishing end of the arbitrary number of conveyer body units which are connected. FIG. 2 shows a case where two conveyer body units 12-1 and 12-2 are connected to form a conveyer body assembly 15, and the conveyer body assembly 15 in this case has a length L.sub.2. However, the length of the conveyer body assembly 15 may be changed freely depending on the number of conveyer body units used.
A description will be given of an example of a case where the length L.sub.2 of the conveyer body assembly 15 is changed to L.sub.3, by referring to FIG. 3. The finishing end traverse unit 14 is removed, and one conveyer body unit 12-3 is connected to one conveyer body unit 12-2 at the finishing end of the existing conveyer body assembly 15, in line with the conveyer body assembly 15, so as to form a conveyer body assembly 15A which has the length L.sub.3 which is increased by the length of one conveyer body unit 12-3. Thereafter, as shown in (C) of FIG. 3, the finishing end traverse unit 14 is set up and connected to the finishing end of the conveyer body assembly 15A, so as to form an assembly line structure 10A.
In this embodiment, a plurality of conveyer body assemblies 15.sub.1 through 15.sub.n are arranged approximately in parallel to each other and connected to the traverse units 13 and 14. The assembly line structure can be modified similarly as in the case of the above described embodiment, by inserting or removing the same number of conveyer body units in each of the conveyer body assemblies 15.sub.1 through 15.sub.n.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional line. In FIG. 1, an assembly line 1 includes a conveyer body part 1a having a total length L.sub.1 which is set to a length corresponding to the operation order which is initially planned for the product to be assembled, and traverse parts 1b and 1c which are integrally formed on a starting end and a finishing end of this conveyer body part 1a. An assembly area part 1a-1 and a pallet return conveyer part 1a-2 are arranged in parallel in the conveyer body part 1a. 2-1 through 2-n denote operators, and a pallet 3 which is an assembly jig is transported as indicated by an arrow 4.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4359149 *Aug 4, 1980Nov 16, 1982Polaroid CorporationAccumulator for use with modular production line unitsUS4515264 *Feb 22, 1983May 7, 1985Stiwa-Fertigungstechnik Sticht Gesellschaft M.B.H.Assembly lineUS4762218 *Nov 5, 1987Aug 9, 1988Walter StichtProduction plant with several single stationsUS4783904 *Nov 20, 1987Nov 15, 1988Sony CorporationAutomatic assembly apparatusUS4787496 *Aug 4, 1987Nov 29, 1988Maurice ProdelApparatus for the assembly and/or machining of circulating and immobilizable parts carried by palletsUS5012917 *Jun 23, 1989May 7, 1991Mannesmann AktiengesellschaftTransport apparatus for an assembly lineUS5103964 *Mar 8, 1990Apr 14, 1992Walter StichtHousing part for a work station of an assembly lineUS5205026 *Apr 4, 1990Apr 27, 1993Walter StichtProduction installationGB2118127A * Title not availableJPS5049778A * Title not availableJPS6384842A * Title not availableJPS58160032A * Title not availableJPS59201773A * Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5379878 *Dec 30, 1993Jan 10, 1995Rohde; Jason A.Two-way gathererUS5871085 *Jul 30, 1996Feb 16, 1999Sanki Engineering Co., Ltd.Driving apparatus for a compact belt conveyerUS7059464 *Jun 24, 2004Jun 13, 2006Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Manufacturing systemCN1326756C *Jan 6, 2004Jul 18, 2007三星电子株式会社制造系统* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification198/465.2, 198/583International ClassificationB65G37/02, B23P21/00Cooperative ClassificationB23P21/004, B65G37/02European ClassificationB65G37/02, B23P21/00BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 22, 1998FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 19980531May 31, 1998LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJun 24, 1992ASAssignmentOwner name: FUJITSU LIMITED, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:MATSUSHIMA, HIDETOSHI;NOGUCHI, YOSHINORI;ISHIJIMA, SHIZUO;REEL/FRAME:006356/0846Effective date: 19920616RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google