The present invention pertains to lifting assemblies, specifically lifting assemblies used in manufacturing and material handling. While transporting large objects a lifting assembly may be desired. In the prior art, several references disclose apparatuses and methods for handling objects of varying size and weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,691, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a self-contained power-operated manipulator for piping and the like and is capable of coordinated movements which approximate those of the human arm and hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,861, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a split rail gripper for robotic apparatus and including a pair of rails which are driven in mutually opposite directions by a rack and pinion gear mechanism. Each rail includes a set of rack gear teeth which engage respective pinion gears and where the top rail engaging one of the pinion gears is driven by a harmonic gear reduction drive and motor unit coupled to a drive screw. The other pinion gear is driven by the top pinion gear engaging a set of rack gear teeth included in the bottom rail. As the top rail is driven in or out, the upper pinion gear is rotated, causing the other pinion gear, in turn, to rotate in the opposite direction. This causes the bottom rail to move in an opposite linear direction relative to the top rail. An outwardly extending gripper finger assembly is attached to respective ends of the rails, with each gripper finger including an arrangement of vertically and horizontally mounted roller members which operate to automatically center and engage an H-plate type interface secured to the object being grasped. The gripper assembly also includes a base plate attached to an interface plate of a robotic tool changer mechanism. A retractable rotary tool driver and tool is also centrally mounted on the base plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,849, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a clamping device including a fixed jaw attached to one end of a threaded shaft and an adjustable jaw which is movably mounted on the threaded shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,724, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses an automated apparatus for handling elongated well elements such as pipes. An automatic tong is provided for screwing and unscrewing pipes from a string of elongated well elements. A manipulator grips and delivers a pipe to an operation position in axial alignment with the well bore. A control system includes position sensors for sensing the position of a well pipe. The control unit also includes a programmed logical control unit through which the sensors are connected to a drive system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,875, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that is contains, discloses an automated pipe handling system for providing increased safety and to minimize the number of workmen required in the coupling and uncoupling of pipe stands. The system includes a programmable controller for monitoring and/or controlling devices which remove and add pipe stands to a drill column. A number of transducers are operatively connected to the controlled devices for communication with the programmable controller for use in verifying that the controlled devices have properly performed their programmed tasks. The controlled devices include upper and lower arm assemblies for use in engaging and moving the uncoupled pipe stands to a storage position. The controlled devices further include a finger board assembly and a set-back assembly. The finger board assembly moves and retains the upper portions of the pipe stands while a drill rig floor of a derrick supports their lower portions. The set-back assembly is used to hold the lower portions of the pipe stands and to move the pipe stands to the predetermined storage positions on the drill rig floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,331, which is herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a gripper device comprising at least two portions which are coupled together and which may be moved towards one another to effect a gripping action and away from one another to effect a release action. An electrical motor is arranged to effect such movement, and a battery is connected to supply electrical current to the motor. A capacitor device is also connected to be capable of supplying electrical current to the electrical motor. A control device is arranged to cause the capacitor device to supply electrical current to the electrical motor after supply of electrical current to the electrical motor by the battery, to increase the strength of the gripping action.
In one aspect of the present invention a lifting assembly has a frame structure with a translatable support element. The support element has a load-bearing surface and a screw-form. The screw-form is threadedly connected to a gear which is in mechanical communication with a power source. The gear may be in mechanical communication with the power source via secondary gears, belts, bands, wheels, pulleys, chains, ropes, rods, shafts or combinations thereof. In some aspects of the invention, the power source may be fixed to the frame and may be a motor or hydraulics. The load-bearing surface is fixed to a shaft of the translatable support element and at least a portion of the load-bearing surface is angularly oriented with respect to a shaft of the support element. A guide with at least one end fixed to the frame structure is adapted to adjust the rotational orientation of the load-bearing surface. In some embodiments of the invention, the frame structure may have a stabilizing element fixed to its underside.
In some embodiments, of the invention, the guide may be a recess formed in a sleeve disposed around the shaft of the translatable support element and may be adapted to receive a guide pin fixed to the shaft. The guide may be adapted to rotate the shaft a full turn, a half turn, a quarter turn, a fractional turn, or combinations thereof.
In other embodiments, the load-bearing surface may be supported by a pivot, and a guide pin positioned within the guide may be adapted to move the load-bearing surface.
The lifting assembly may have at least one clamping assembly also attached to the frame structure which may have opposed jaws with a ball and socket apparatus intermediate a clamp end and a pivot end attached to a frame structure. The ball and socket apparatuses may be connected by a gear assembly which has a primary gear in mechanical communication with a second power source, wherein the jaws are actuated in accordance with the rotation of the primary gear.
The lifting assembly may have at least one sensor attached to the frame structure adjacent to the support element and adapted to determine a characteristic of the support element. The sensor may be a pressure sensor, a position sensor, a torque sensor or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the at least one sensor may be part of a closed loop system.
The load-bearing surface may be angularly fixed to the shaft of the translatable support element at 5 to 145 degrees. The translatable support element may be adapted to translate along an axis offset from the axial length of the frame structure by 45 to 135 degrees. The offset axis may be normal to the axial length. The load-bearing surface may have a gripping surface selected from the group consisting of elastomer coated surfaces, grooved surfaces, curved surfaces, and rough surfaces.
In another aspect of the invention, the lifting assembly may have a frame structure with opposing translatable support elements, each with a load-bearing surface and a screw-form, the screw-form being threadedly connected to a gear in mechanical communication with a power source. Each load bearing surface is fixed and angularly oriented with respect to a shaft of each translatable support element. A guide with at least one end fixed to the frame structure may be adapted to adjust the rotational orientation of each load-bearing surface. Each guide may be a recess formed in a sleeve disposed around the shaft of the translatable support element and may be adapted to receive a guide pin fixed to the shaft.
Referring to
In
The power sources 108 used to move the support element may be controlled by electronic equipment disposed within and/or fixed to the frame structure 101 of the lifting assembly 100. The electronic equipment may comprise sensors adapted to receive data regarding position or other characteristics of the support elements 102 or the object 104 being gripped. The sensors may be selected from the group consisting of torque sensors, pressure sensors, position sensors, strain sensors, optical sensors, sonic sensors, seismic sensors, acoustic sensors, inductive sensors, capacitive sensors, magnetic sensors, temperature sensors, vibrations sensors, sway sensors, smart sensors, and weight sensors.
In this embodiment, the support element 102 moves up or down in accordance with the rotation of the gear 103. A sensor 303 may be fixed to the frame structure 101 which may determine the position of the screw-form 106 of the support element 102 in relation to the frame structure. The sensor 303 may be a barrel proximity sensor. The electronic equipment may turn the power source on or off, or adjust the speed of the power source 108 depending on the position of the screw-form.
The threaded connection between the gear 103 and the screw-form 106 may be advantageous as the threaded connection may provide adequate support for an object being carried by the lifting assembly 100 under static loads, which makes the support element 102 a good safety feature. In this embodiment, if the power supply 108 were to fail, the threaded connected between the gear and support element would be able to hold the weight of the object 104.
In some embodiments, the guide 400 may have gradual transitions between the angled portions 500, 501 and the vertical portions such that the guide pin 403 doesn't gall the guide wall or damage the guide pin. Although
After the object 104 has been firmly gripped by the clamping assembly 110, electronic equipment receiving output from the sensors may turn on the power source 108 actuating the movement of the support element 102. The load-bearing surface 105 may move into a position underneath the object, thereby providing extra support for the object.
In
The control unit 1201 may receive operating instructions from an input device selected from the group consisting of controllers, remote controls, radio controls, sensors, memory, and computers. The operating instructions may be converted into signals to turn on and off the power sources 108 of the lifting assembly 100.
The lifting assembly 100 may comprise memory 1204. The memory may store operating instructions for routine tasks. Indicators 1202, 1203 may be used to indicate a good or bad grip or warn an operator or others nearby of danger such as a power failure or slippage of the object. The indicators may be an optical or acoustic source. This may allow an operator, such as an IntelliLift™ operator, to control numerous lifting assemblies 100 over a network from a single location. This may be advantageous because of the reduction of man hours required to operate the lifting assembly. Further, having a remote operator may reduce the need for men to handle hazardous materials such as corrosive or hot material.
The translatable support elements 102 may also be used as a primary means of gripping an object, as in
A guide 4001 may be pivotally fixed to the frame structure with a portion of the guide also pivotally connected to the shaft 107 of the support element. The guide may 15 be a track inside a hydraulic mechanism with a shaft 1502 inside the track, the shaft 1502 of the guide being the portion pivotally connected to the shaft 107 of the support element. In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of guides.
The support element 102 may be translated vertically with the movement of the screw-form along the threaded bar. As the screw-form 106 moves up and down along the threaded bar 1500, the guide 400 may adjust to allow the support element to move up and down without any azimuthal rotation.
The support element may also rotate about a pivot point 1501 created by the connection between the support element 102 and the guide 400. As the screw-form 106 moves down along the threaded bar 1500, the shaft 1502 of the guide extends outward to allow the pivot point to move, causing the load-bearing surface 105 to rotate away from the frame structure 101. The load-bearing surface may also rotate toward the frame structure as the guide retracts inward and the screw-form moves up along the threaded bar.
Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20080006806 A1 | Jan 2008 | US |