B65H5/08

Fabric positioning apparatus

A positional adjustment apparatus for an attractor includes a positioning plate disposable at least adjacent to a surface of a mold, at least one drive operatively connected to the positioning plate to move the positioning plate and alter at least one of a first height, a first angle of tilt, a first lateral position, and a rotational position of the positioning plate with respect to the surface of the mold, at least one positioner disposed in an opening through the positing plate, the positioner hanging from and being moveable independently of the positioning plate, at least one attractor connected to the at least one positioner, and a joint disposed between the positioner and the positioning plate, the joint permitting the at least one positioner to change at least one of a second height, a second angle of tilt, and a second lateral position with respect to the positioning plate.

Separator and stacker for textile articles
10407822 · 2019-09-10 ·

In laundry processing, a conveyor rotates a textile article in a first stage. The article is held while part of the article rests on the conveyor. By conveying while held, the textile article rotates, positioning an edge of the article. In a second stage, the conveyor conveys the article to a clamp. This clamp holds the article while the conveyor reverses direction and a blower attempts to flatten the article if folded. The textile article rotates, positioning the edge of the article to be more parallel with the direction of conveyance. In a third stage, the article is dragged by the edge over a gap where gravity and blowing attempt to flatten the article. In a fourth stage, the flattened article is positioned over a stack. A blower directs air at a center of the article to blow out the corners and assist in maintaining position.

Separator and stacker for textile articles
10407822 · 2019-09-10 ·

In laundry processing, a conveyor rotates a textile article in a first stage. The article is held while part of the article rests on the conveyor. By conveying while held, the textile article rotates, positioning an edge of the article. In a second stage, the conveyor conveys the article to a clamp. This clamp holds the article while the conveyor reverses direction and a blower attempts to flatten the article if folded. The textile article rotates, positioning the edge of the article to be more parallel with the direction of conveyance. In a third stage, the article is dragged by the edge over a gap where gravity and blowing attempt to flatten the article. In a fourth stage, the flattened article is positioned over a stack. A blower directs air at a center of the article to blow out the corners and assist in maintaining position.

SEPARATOR SUCTION DEVICE WITH ROTARY ACTUATOR
20190248603 · 2019-08-15 · ·

A separator suction device that corrects warpage without damaging stacked separators is provided. The separator suction device is capable of suctioning and conveying a separator stored in a state where a plurality of the separators are stacked. The separator suction device includes a first arm that includes a first suction portion capable of suctioning the separator by a negative pressure, a second arm that includes a second suction portion capable of suctioning the separator by a negative pressure, and a turning mechanism that moves the first arm and the second arm to selectively arrange the first arm and the second arm at any one of a follow-up position to follow a warped shape of the separator or a correction position to correct the warpage of the separator.

Method of conveying product, product conveyance apparatus, method of producing optical element, optical element production apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
10370279 · 2019-08-06 · ·

A product conveyance apparatus includes an actuator, a movement portion, a first position detection portion, a second position detection portion, and a controller. The controller performs a process of causing the actuator not holding a product to move to a predetermined position, detecting the position of the actuator and storing the position as a first position, a process of causing the actuator to move on a basis of a movement instruction value and hold the product, causing the actuator holding the product to move to the predetermined position, detecting the position of the product held by the actuator, and storing the position as a second position, and a process of correcting and updating the movement instruction value on a basis of difference between the first position and the second position.

Method of conveying product, product conveyance apparatus, method of producing optical element, optical element production apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
10370279 · 2019-08-06 · ·

A product conveyance apparatus includes an actuator, a movement portion, a first position detection portion, a second position detection portion, and a controller. The controller performs a process of causing the actuator not holding a product to move to a predetermined position, detecting the position of the actuator and storing the position as a first position, a process of causing the actuator to move on a basis of a movement instruction value and hold the product, causing the actuator holding the product to move to the predetermined position, detecting the position of the product held by the actuator, and storing the position as a second position, and a process of correcting and updating the movement instruction value on a basis of difference between the first position and the second position.

APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR GRIPPING FLEXIBLE MATERIALS

A ceramic fiber processing apparatus and method for processing ceramic fibers for the manufacture of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) is provided. The apparatus includes a frame including a plurality of unidirectional ceramic fibers wound thereabout and extending across a void therein the frame to define a first planar array of ceramic fibers and a second planar array of ceramic fibers. During use, the frame is disposed in the ceramic fiber processing apparatus in a manner to enable gripping of the first planar array of ceramic fibers with a first gripper assembly and gripping of the second planar array of ceramic fibers with a second gripper assembly. A cutting mechanism provides cutting of the plurality of unidirectional ceramic fibers to separate the first planar array of ceramic fibers and the second planar array of ceramic fibers from one another.

CLAMPS
20190202196 · 2019-07-04 ·

In an example, a clamp may include a chassis, a swingarm disposed on the chassis, a clamp wheel disposed on a first end of the swingarm to engage with a drag portion of the chassis, and an auxiliary bias member to exert a force against the clamp wheel to resist a rotation of the clamp wheel. The force may periodically increase in magnitude.

A REGISTER, A PROCESSING MACHINE AND A METHOD FOR PLACING PLATE-LIKE ELEMENTS
20190144224 · 2019-05-16 ·

A register (20; 60) for a processing machine (1) for processing plate-like elements (10) includes a gripping element (21; 22) for placing the plate-like elements (10) in a gripper bar (31) of a conveyor (30) of a processing machine (1) conveying the plate-like elements (10) in a longitudinal direction, an actuator module (201, 202) to drive the gripping element (21; 22), at least one front correction sensor module (7) configured to measure the front position of register marks (12a) printed on a front section of the plate-like element (10) grasped by the gripping element (21; 22). The register (20; 60) includes at least one front pre-correction sensor module (80), placed upstream of the front correction sensor module (7) in the longitudinal direction, the front pre-correction sensor module (80) is configured: to detect the passage of a front transversel edge of the plate-like element (10) in at least two longitudinally spaced lateral axis of detection (P1, P2), one located in front of the other, and to provide measurements to a computation and control unit (40) of the processing machine (1) that is configured: to control the actuator module (201, 202) in order to move the gripping element (21; 22) toward the gripper bar (31) and to activate the gripping element (21; 22) in order to grasp a plate-like element (10). Also a processing machine for processing plate-like elements includes the register. A method for placing plate-like elements within a processing machine is disclosed.

RECORDING MEDIUM CONVEYANCE DEVICE AND INKJET RECORDING DEVICE
20190135565 · 2019-05-09 ·

A recording medium conveyance device of an inkjet recording device includes a belt-form member, two conveyance rollers, a driver, a supporting board, a suction unit, and a guide roller. The recording medium is placed on the outer circumferential surface of the belt-form member. The belt-form member is pulled over the two conveyance rollers which cause the belt-form member to circulate. The driver causes at least one of the two conveyance rollers to rotate. The supporting board supports the inner circumferential surface of the belt-form member on a plane. The suction unit pulls the recording medium placed on the belt-form member to the outer circumferential surface of the belt-form member. The guide roller is arranged between at least one of the two conveyance rollers and the supporting board and supports the inner circumferential surface of the belt-form member.