SHEET HANDLING PROCESS AND APPARATUS

Abstract

A process and apparatus for handling a rigid sheet is disclosed. The process comprises engaging opposing faces of a sheet at its periphery with engagement means providing a second engagement means, movable relative to the first and engaging the sheet with the second engagement means. The sheet is then moved relative to the second engagement means whilst the sheet is engaged with the first engagement means and is then clamped. The sheet is then moved to a desired orientation or location whilst maintaining the first and second engagement means in fixed relative position. The process is useful in handling glass sheeting and in the production of multiple glazed units and on an insulating glass production line.

Claims

1. A multiple-sheet product comprising a first rigid sheet and a further rigid sheet in a parallel relationship wherein the edges of the first rigid sheet and the further rigid sheet are sealed to enclose a volume between the said sheets, the multiple-sheet product being produced by a process in which the first rigid sheet is moved from a first location to a second location by a process comprising: i) providing first engagement means configured to engage the first rigid sheet on a peripheral area of the said sheet and providing second engagement means, the first and second engagement means being adapted so as to enable relative longitudinal movement between the first and second engagement means configured to carry the weight of the first rigid sheet; ii) locating the first engagement means adjacent to the first rigid sheet and engaging the first rigid sheet on the said peripheral area; iii) locating the second engagement means adjacent to the first rigid sheet; iv) optionally effecting relative longitudinal movement between the first rigid sheet and the second engagement means whilst the first rigid sheet is engaged by the first engagement means; v) engaging the first rigid sheet with the second engagement means so the said sheet is held and its weight borne by the first and second engagement means; vi) retaining the first and second engagement means engaged with the said sheet in fixed relation and moving the said first and second engagement means and sheet to the said second location; vii) aligning the first rigid sheet with the further rigid sheet in a parallel relationship; and viii) sealing the edges of the first rigid sheet and the said further rigid sheet to enclose a volume between the sheets to provide a multi-sheet product.

2. The multiple-sheet product of claim 1 wherein the first rigid sheet is made of glass.

3. The multiple-sheet product of claim 1 wherein the first rigid sheet and the further rigid sheet are made of glass.

4. The multiple-sheet product of claim 1 wherein the first and the further rigid sheets each have beading in the respective peripheral area of each sheet and spacers located between the beading on the first rigid sheet and the beading on the further rigid sheet.

5. A process for the production of a multiple-sheet product comprising two or more parallel sheets comprising: i) providing a first rigid sheet in a remote first location and a second rigid sheet in a second location; ii) moving the said first rigid sheet to the said second location; iii) aligning the first rigid sheet with the second rigid sheet in a parallel relationship; and iv) sealing edges of the first rigid sheet and the said further rigid sheet to enclose a volume between the sheets to provide a multi-sheet product; wherein the first rigid sheet is moved to the second location by: providing a first engagement means configured to engage the first rigid sheet on a peripheral area of the said first rigid sheet and providing a second engagement means, the first and second engagement means being adapted so as to enable relative longitudinal movement between the first and second engagement means and being configured to carry the weight of the first rigid sheet; locating the first engagement means adjacent to the first rigid sheet and engaging the first rigid sheet on the said peripheral area; locating the second engagement means adjacent to the first rigid sheet; optionally effecting relative longitudinal movement between the first rigid sheet and the second engagement means whilst the first rigid sheet is engaged by the first engagement means; engaging the first rigid sheet with the second engagement means so the said sheet is held and its weight borne by the first and second engagement means; and retaining the first and second engagement means engaged with the said sheet in fixed relation and moving the said first and second engagement means and sheet to the said second location.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the first rigid sheet is arranged in an array with other rigid sheets at the first location and faces of the first rigid sheet are accessible such that the first and second engagement means may engage the peripheral area of the first rigid sheet to remove the said sheet from the array to the second location.

7. The process of claim 5 wherein the second sheet is located on an insulated glass processing line.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the second sheet is at an angle of 4 to 10 from the vertical.

9. The process of claim 5 in which the said first rigid sheet is not contacted on either face by anything other than in the peripheral area.

10. The process of claim 6 wherein the first and second engagement means are controlled by a control system which has or is provided with information relating to the location of the first rigid sheet relative to other rigid sheets within the array at the first location.

11. The process of claim 5 comprising applying beading to the first rigid sheet and to the further rigid sheet in their respective peripheral areas and locating spacers between the beading on the first rigid sheet and the beading on the further rigid sheet prior to sealing the edges of the first rigid sheet and the said further rigid sheet.

12. The process of claim 5 comprising evacuating the volume between the sealed first and the further rigid sheet or inserting a gas in the volume.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] The present invention is further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a process according to the invention;

[0067] FIG. 2 shows a sheet to be transported by apparatus of the invention and according to the process of the invention;

[0068] FIGS. 3A to 3E show a schematic perspective view and end view (FIG. 3E) of a sheet being selected and transported from a storage array to an IG line;

[0069] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of apparatus according to the invention;

[0070] FIGS. 5 to 10 show a series of perspective views of apparatus according to the invention operating a process according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0071] FIG. 1 sets out in a flow chart the process steps of the invention for selecting a sheet from an array, for example a glass sheet from a harp cart in which multiple sheets of glass are stored substantially vertically with gaps between adjacent sheets such that the first and second engagement means of the apparatus may be inserted into the gap ready to engage, preferably by clamping with the sheet about its peripheral area. The apparatus is brought into proximal relation with the edge of the sheet, selected suitably according to information contained in a control system in communication with the apparatus, and the first and second engagement means may then be brought into engaging contact and clamp the selected sheet. The sheet is then withdrawn from the array and orientated into a desired position, placed on a processing line, for example an IG production line and released. A second sheet is then selected from the array, clamped, withdrawn and orientated in a similar manner and placed on the production line. The two sheets upon being placed in a pre-determined relationship, for example in register, with spacers between the sheets, may then be processed by sealing around the periphery of the sheets and evacuation of the space between the sheets so as to form a double or multiple glazed unit.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a glass sheet (1) with a peripheral area comprising a boundary area (2a, 2b) around the outside of the sheet which is suitable for the engagement means to engage the sheet. The inner area (3) will be visible once the sheet is in use, for example as a double glazing unit, and the process avoids all contact with this area, thereby avoiding undesirable marking of the sheet.

[0073] FIG. 3A shows an array of sheets (1), for example on a harp cart, and apparatus according to the invention having first and second engagement means (4, 5), mounted on a support (6) in the form of a rail. The support (6) may be a single support or each engagement means may have its own support. The at least the second engagement means (5) is mounted for movement along the rail (6). The rail and engagement means may be moved in any direction by support arm (7), for example a robotic arm or arms, and is suitably powered and controlled by mechanism (8). FIG. 3B shows the apparatus engaged with sheet (1) with engagement means (4, 5) clamping the sheet in the peripheral area (2b) so as to enable the weight of the sheet to be supported and withdrawing it from the array in the direction of arrow A. While the engagement means (4, 5) are engaged with or gripping the sheet, the support (6) or supports are movable both in and out of the plane of the rigid sheet such that the sheet may be moved from a first place to a second place. The sheet may be moved within the plane of the sheet as shown in FIG. 3C in a direction that is parallel, perpendicular, as shown by Arrow A or orthogonal relative to the edge of the sheet or a line between the first and second engagement means. The support (7) may be moved in a direction which is out of the plane of the sheet, for example rotation as shown by Arrow B in FIG. 3D.

[0074] FIG. 3D shows the withdrawn sheet having been rotated about a vertical axis in direction B after withdrawal from the array such that the sheet is orientated into a desired position. The sheet is then placed on the production line of an IG process, shown end-on in FIG. 3E with the sheet being supported by base (10) and leaning against wall (11), generally vertical but at an angle a, typically between 5 and 10 to the vertical.

[0075] The sheet is conveyed from its storage location into a production line for further processing without contact being made with the inner area of the sheet.

[0076] FIG. 4 shows support (6) having first and second engagement means (4, 5) which are movable in direction C, that is longitudinally along support (6).

[0077] FIG. 5 shows a robotic arm (7) which carries the support (6) as is universally movable. The whole arm itself may move towards or away from the harp cart (12) which carries multiple rigid glass sheets (1). The arm (7) moves the support (6) carrying the engagement means (4, 5) towards the selected sheet (1) in direction A. FIG. 6 shows the apparatus in position by the far-most sheet with the engagement means having been moved in direction C and gripping the selected sheet (1). The apparatus is guided to the appropriate location for the engagement means to grip the selected sheet using any suitable means including detectable locators or trackers or markers.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the sheets (1) are carried on a harp cart (12), which comprises a plurality of guide means (13) to hold a plurality of sheets (1) in a parallel configuration with each sheet being separate from the other sheets, thereby to facilitate access of the engagement means (4, 5) to grip the selected sheet.

[0079] The position of each sheet (1) in the harp cart is suitably pre-determined such that the robotic arm may precisely locate the support (6) such that the engagement means (4, 5) are readily able to engage with the selected sheet (1). The apparatus is suitably controlled by a control system. Information relating to each sheet (1), for example its size, location, orientation, intended product or unit, customer information and the like is suitably included in or usable by the control system whereby knowledge of the location of the control system and the harp crt and/or the selected sheet may be used as an initial reference point from which the apparatus and sheet may be brought together and the sheet engaged by the engagement means.

[0080] Suitably, the arm (7) is computer-controlled and automated. Control of the arm is suitably carried out by the control system and in accordance with an algorithm and information relating to the sheet to be selected is provided such that the arm automatically moves to a precise location to then enable secure engagement with the selected sheet.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 7, once the sheet is gripped, it is then withdrawn from the harp cart (12) in direction A, which is in the plane of the sheet and perpendicular to the line between the engagement means (4, 5). Once the far edge (1a) of the sheet is clear of the harp cart (12), the arm rotates the support (6) in direction B about axis F, as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 9, the support (6) has been rotated such that the far edge (1a) of the sheet is below the support (6) and positioned to be located on base (10). Upon locating the sheet on base (10) and against wall (11), the sheet is released by the engagement means (4, 5) and the support (6) moves away from the released sheet to complete the operation of transferring the sheet as shown in FIG. 10. The apparatus may return to the position as shown in FIG. 1, ready to repeat the process with another sheet.