Workcell door and wall assembly

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6282847
  • Patent Number
    6,282,847
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, May 27, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 4, 2001
    22 years ago
Abstract
An improved workcell is provided with a door hinged at a midpoint between the opposite sides and maintained in a parallel relationship to the workcell access opening, thereby minimizing the clearance space required to open and close the door. The workcell is formed of a plurality of posts and wall panels which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, such that the workcell is portable. The wall panels are pinned to the posts and include hollow ribs to receive cabling, wiring, and tubing for work functions within the workcell.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Industrial workcells or work stations are well known for housing and isolating manufacturing work, particularly automated work such as that performed by robotics. Such workcells include an access opening to permit an operator to enter the interior work area for various purposes, such as positioning a work piece, checking progress of the work, etc. Often times a door is provided for the access opening, with the door normally being closed while work is performed within the workcell. In the prior art, such door typically have been hinged along one side to the workcell, thereby requiring a clearance space to open the door, with the depth of the space being at least as great as the width of the door so as to permit the door to fully open. Problems arise with work area entry and exit of people and work pieces in such side-mounted doors when there is insufficient space to permit full opening of the door. Thus, it is desirable to have a workcell that occupies minimal floor space while permitting full opening of the workcell door.




The prior art workcells also are typically fixed in location within a manufacturing facility. The walls of the workcell are usually made of steel or other heavy weight, high strength material. However, as work projects within a manufacturing facility change, it may be desirable to modify the layout of one or more workcells. Thus, a portable workcell is desirable.




Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is a provision of an improved workcell for the manufacturing industry.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a workcell that requires minimal floor space.




A further objective of the present invention is the provision of workcell with an improved door that is moveable between open and closed positions with a minimum of space requirements.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a workcell door that is pneumatically or hydraulically controlled for movement between open and closed positions.




Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a portable workcell with wall panels that can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.




A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a portable workcell constructed of lightweight, high strength, durable wall panels.




These and other objectives become apparent from the following description of the invention.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The improved workcell of the present invention includes a door which is pivotally mounted to the door frame adjacent the access opening in the workcell, such that the door is maintained in a plane parallel to the opening as the door moves between open and closed positions. The door hinges are pivotally connected at opposite ends to the workcell frame and to the midpoint of the door, thereby minimizing the clearance distance required to open and close the door. The swinging movement of door between the open and closed positions is controlled by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder.




The improved workcell of the present invention is also portable, being comprised of a plurality of wall panels, which are quickly and easily assembled on support posts with the use of elongated pins. Each post includes upper and lower tabs, and each side of the wall panel has a collar adapted to be positioned between and aligned with the tabs, such that the pins are extendable through the aligned upper tab, collar, and lower tab. Removal of one pin allows the panel to be used as a conventional style door which pivots about the remaining pin. The panels are made from lightweight, high strength HDPE and have a unitary construction.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the improved portable workcell of the present invention with the minimum clearance door and portable wall panel construction.





FIG. 2

is an enlarged perspective partial view showing the workcell door in an open position.





FIG. 3

is a sectional view taken along lines


3





3


of

FIG. 2

, with the door in an open position.





FIG. 4

is a view similar to

FIG. 3

showing the door in a closed position.





FIG. 5

is a view similar to

FIGS. 3 and 4

and shows the door in a maximum clearance position between the open and closed positions, which are drawn in broken lines.





FIG. 6

is a front elevation view of a wall panel for the improved workcell of the present invention.





FIG. 7

is a perspective view showing a section of the workcell with multiple wall panels.





FIG. 8

is a sectional view taken along lines


8





8


of FIG.


6


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The improved workcell or work station of the present invention is generally designated in the drawings by the reference numeral


10


. The workcell


10


includes a perimeter wall


12


, which can have any desired configuration. An access opening


14


is provided in the wall to allow an operator to enter the workcell


10


. A work table


16


is provided within the workcell


10


for holding an object or piece


18


to be worked. Any type of work may be performed in the workcell


10


. For example, a robotic arm operatively connected to a control system (not shown) may perform work on the piece


18


in the workcell


10


.




A workcell frame


22


is provided on at least one side of the access opening


14


. As best seen in

FIG. 2

, in the preferred embodiment, the workcell frame


22


includes exterior and interior posts


24


,


26


, respectively, with upper and lower cross bars


28


,


30


, respectively, extending between the posts


24


,


26


. The posts


24


,


26


are fixed upon floor members


32


,


34


so as to be in an upright position. An opposite side of the workcell frame


22


includes another upright post


36


extending upwardly from a floor member


38


. Floor members


32


and


38


are hollow and preferably spaced at a distance so as to be adapted to receive the tines of a forklift for movement of the workcell frame


22


.




A door


40


is provided on the workcell


10


for movement between open and closed positions relative to the access opening


14


. The door


40


includes a door panel


42


mounted upon a perimeter frame


44


. Preferably, the door panel


42


is made of a unitary construction from light weight, high strength material, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is particularly desirable for workcells housing a welding process, since HDPE is resistant to the ultraviolet rays and indirect flame from welding. The frame


44


may be made of metal or other suitable material.




A hinge assembly


46


mounts the door


40


to the workcell frame


22


. The hinge assembly


46


includes an upper hinge


48


and a lower hinge


50


. Each of the hinges


48


,


50


includes an outer end


52


which is pivotally connected to a tab


54


extending rearwardly from the perimeter door frame


44


. The inner ends


56


of the hinges


48


,


50


are pivotally connected to the workcell frame


22


. More particularly, the frame


22


includes tabs


58


extending from the upper and lower cross bars


28


,


30


. The inner ends


56


of the hinges


48


,


50


are welded or otherwise secured to a tube


60


which is journaled between the tabs


58


on the upper and lower cross bars


28


,


30


. Stub shaft


62


extends from the tabs


58


into the tube


60


to rotatably support the tub


60


.




A secondary stabilizer arm


64


is provided at door


40


. The arm


64


has an outer end


66


pivotally connected to the perimeter doorframe


44


and an inner end


68


pivotally connected to a tab


70


extending from the lower cross bar


30


.




The hinges


48


,


50


and the secondary arms


64


are curved or bent, as seen in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. A pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder


72


is provided for moving the door


40


between the open and closed positions relative to the workcell access opening


14


. The cylinder is mounted on a bar


74


of the workcell frame


22


, with the piston arm


76


of the cylinder


72


being pivotally connected to the lower hinge


50


, as shown in

FIGS. 2-4

. Air or fluid lines


78


are operatively connected to the cylinder


72


. The cylinder


72


is preferably low pressure (30-40 pounds) so as to prevent injury or damage if there is an obstruction blocking the opening or closing of the door


40


, and so as to eliminate the need for a sensor to sense an obstruction.




Preferably, the cylinder


72


is actuated by the operator pushing a button or switch operatively connected to a solenoid (not shown) so as to extend the piston arm


76


to open the door


40


, as shown in

FIG. 3

, or retract the piston arm


76


to close the door


40


, as shown in FIG.


4


. The pivot axes


80


,


82


at the ends of the hinges


48


,


50


and the pivot axes


84


,


86


at the ends of the secondary arm


64


cause the door to be maintained in a plane parallel to the access opening


14


throughout movement between the open and closed positions. Thus, the angle of the plane defined by the door


40


remains constant.




The location of the door tabs


54


at the approximate midpoint between the opposite edges of the door


40


, in conjunction with the swinging motion of the door, minimizes the space required to open and close the door. More particularly, the location of the pivot axes


80


near the center of the door produces a clearance distance substantially less than the width of the door, as is necessary in a conventional door hinged along one edge. The maximum clearance distance is shown in FIG.


5


.




The workcell


10


of the present invention is also designed to be portable, with quick and easy assembly of the walls


12


and door


40


. The workcell


10


generally includes a plurality of upright posts


88


to which wall panels


90


are attached. Each wall panel


90


has the same basic construction as the door panel


42


.




As shown in

FIGS. 6-8

, the posts


88


include a base


92


which allows the posts to be free standing. Alternatively, the base


92


may be anchored to the floor. The posts include oppositely extending upper and lower tabs


94


,


96


. Central posts tabs


98


may also be provided depending on the height of the posts.




The wall panels


90


include opposite sides with a collar


100


extending along each side. The collar


100


is hollow and may be sectionalized, as shown in the drawings, or may be continuous. The collar


100


on each side of a wall panel


90


is adapted to be received between the upper and lower post tabs


94


,


96


, as best seen in

FIG. 7. A

slot


102


is provided in each edge of the wall panels


90


for receiving the central post tab


98


, as seen in FIG.


6


. An elongated rod or pin


104


is adapted to extend through the upper post tab


94


, the collar


100


, the central post tab


98


, and the lower post tab


96


so as to pivotally secure the respective side of the wall panel


90


to the respective post


88


.




Thus, multiple wall panels


90


can be assembled together to form the workcell walls


12


. The pin


104


provides a pivotal connection between the wall panel


90


and the respective post


88


, such that each panel can be set in an angular relationship with respect to the adjacent panel, as shown by dotted lines in FIG.


7


.




The wall panels


90


are preferably made of HDPE material so as to be lightweight for easy assembly and disassembly of the workcell


10


, yet high strength such that the workcell is durable. The panels


90


also include reinforcing ribs


106


, which are preferably hollow to allow work lines, such as cabling, wiring, and tubing, to be extended therethrough as needed for the work operations within the workcell


10


. A window


108


may be provided in the wall panels


90


and the door panel


42


so as to allow observation of the work piece and process by an operator.




The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been set forth in the drawings and specification, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic or descriptive sense only and are not used for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. An improved workcell having an interior work area and a planar opening providing access to the work area, the improvement comprising:a frame extending along at least a portion of the workcell opening; a door adapted to move between open and closed positions relative to the workcell opening; and a first hinge having a first end pivotally connected to the door and a second end pivotally connected to the frame so as to mount the door to the frame and so as to maintain the door in a plane parallel to the opening as the door moves between the open and closed positions; a stabilizer arm having a first end pivotally connected to the door and a second end pivotally connected to the frame to facilitate movement of the door between the open and closed positions; and whereby the ends of the hinge and stabilizer arm are free from the workcell opening when the door is opened.
  • 2. The improved workcell of claim 1 further comprising a power cylinder for moving the door between the open and closed positions.
  • 3. The improved workcell of claim 2 wherein the power cylinder has a first end operatively connected to the frame and a second end connected to the first hinge.
  • 4. The improved workcell of claim 1 further comprising a second hinge spaced from the first hinge and having first and second ends connected to the door and to the frame, respectively.
  • 5. The improved workcell of claim 4 wherein the first and second hinges are interconnected.
  • 6. The improved workcell of claim 1 wherein the first hinge is curved.
  • 7. The improved workcell of claim 1 wherein the door has opposite side edges, and the first hinge is connected to the door approximately midway between the side edges.
  • 8. An improved workcell having an interior work area and a planar opening providing access to the work area, the improvement comprising:a frame; a door having opposite side edges defining a door width; hinges to pivotally mount the door to the frame, the hinges being connected to the door at a location between the opposite edges of the door such that the door swings between open and closed positions in a space less than the door width; a stabilizer arm having a first end pivotally connected to the door and a second end pivotally connected to the frame to facilitate movement of the door between the open and closed positions; and whereby the stabilizer arm is out of the workcell opening when the door is opened.
  • 9. The workcell of claim 8 wherein the hinges are connected to the frame at a location inwardly of the opening.
  • 10. The workcell of claim 8 wherein the hinges have opposite ends with pivot about spaced apart axes such that the door remains parallel to the opening during movement between the open and closed positions.
  • 11. The workcell of claim 8 wherein the hinges include a first end connected to the door at a location substantially midway between the opposite edges of the door such that the swinging movement of the door between open and closed positions defines a clearance distance substantially less than the width of the door.
  • 12. The workcell of claim 8 further comprising a power cylinder to move the door between the open and closed positions.
  • 13. A method of moving a workcell door between open and closed positions relative to an access opening in the workcell, the door having opposite side edges and the door being mounted on a frame in the workcell, the method comprising;pivoting the door about a first pivot access located substantially midway between the opposite sides of the door; maintaining the door in a plain parallel to the access opening throughout movement between the open and closed positions; and maintaining the access opening substantially free of door mounting hardware when the door is in the open position.
  • 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising moving the door with a power cylinder.
  • 15. The method of claim 13 further comprising moving the door through a clearance zone extending from the opening, the zone having a depth which is less than the width of the door.
  • 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising pivoting the door about a second pivot axes located inwardly from the access opening.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Number Name Date Kind
3051999 Schimek Sep 1962
4268996 Allen May 1981
4393623 Munz Jul 1983
4611434 Britzke et al. Sep 1986
4917446 Mariani Apr 1990
5321579 Brown et al. Jun 1994
5394658 Schreiner et al. Mar 1995
5675946 Verbeek et al. Oct 1997
5787648 O'Malley Aug 1998
5873205 Hanlon et al. Feb 1999
6030024 Schmidhuber et al. Feb 2000
6094866 Busnelli Aug 2000
6141908 Bowen Nov 2000