Patent ID: 7329083

Claim:
A loader for picking up workpieces and delivering the workpieces to a workstation downstream of the loader, the loader comprising: a first stacker configured to hold containers which are stacked, each container holding ones of the workpieces in one plane; a second stacker configured to hold the containers after the containers have been emptied; a container moving mechanism moving above the first and the second stackers, the container moving mechanism configured to move the containers between the first stacker and the second stacker along a first direction, said container moving mechanism including a carriage capable of traveling in said first direction along guides; a first container-transfer mechanism including a first vertical actuator and first suction cups and configured to pick up a respective one of the containers stacked on the first stacker, the container moving mechanism moving under the first vertical actuator such that the respective one of the containers is vertically set down on the container moving mechanism to be moved by the workpiece transfer mechanism; and a second container-transfer mechanism including a second vertical actuator and second suction cups and configured to pick up the respective one of the containers from the container moving mechanism moving under the second container moving mechanism such that the respective one of the containers is vertically set down on the second stacker; a workpiece transfer mechanism including a fixed rail that is fixed in a position which extends along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and which is positioned above an intermediate location between the first stacker and the second stacker, the workpiece transfer mechanism configured to pick up respective workpieces from one of the containers, held by the container moving mechanism, then limited by the fixed rail to moving the workpiece in a plane orthogonal to the first direction, and delivering the respective workpieces to the workstation downstream of the workpiece transfer mechanism, the downstream direction corresponding to the second direction; and a controller for calculating a plurality of delivery positions of at least one of the containers for positioning the workpieces held therein for pickup by the workpiece transfer mechanism and for controlling the container moving mechanism to move the at least one of the containers to the plurality of delivery positions according to the calculated delivery positions.