CA1150184A - Sheet material inspection apparatus - Google Patents

Sheet material inspection apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA1150184A
CA1150184A CA000366386A CA366386A CA1150184A CA 1150184 A CA1150184 A CA 1150184A CA 000366386 A CA000366386 A CA 000366386A CA 366386 A CA366386 A CA 366386A CA 1150184 A CA1150184 A CA 1150184A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
station
sheet material
reject
inspection
sheet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000366386A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jacques F. Demers
Gilles J. Brown
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cygene Inc
Original Assignee
Cygene Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cygene Inc filed Critical Cygene Inc
Priority to CA000366386A priority Critical patent/CA1150184A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1150184A publication Critical patent/CA1150184A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/02Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by belts or chains, e.g. between belts or chains
    • B65H5/021Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by belts or chains, e.g. between belts or chains by belts
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/08Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/08Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
    • B65H3/0808Suction grippers
    • B65H3/0816Suction grippers separating from the top of pile
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H43/00Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
    • B65H43/04Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable detecting, or responding to, presence of faulty articles
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H7/00Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles
    • B65H7/02Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
    • B65H7/06Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/17Nature of material
    • B65H2701/176Cardboard
    • B65H2701/1762Corrugated

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation, Sorting, Adjustment, Or Bending Of Sheets To Be Conveyed (AREA)

Abstract

28,212 TITLE OF THE INVENTION

SHEET MATERIAL INSPECTION APPARATUS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Apparatus is disclosed whereby sheet material can be inspected and passed or rejected by a mininum number of operators using visual inspection and automatic computer control.

Description

5~4 BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
In the manuEacture of material in sheet form, it has been necessary to visually inspect and reject material man-ually. Such an inspection is generally conducted by two observers who position themselves, one at each end of a stack of sheets. Each sheet is inspected and manually either rej-ected or passed by moving the sheet to one o two alternative stacks. The rejected sheets must then be further inspected so as to separate those sheets which can be further process-ed from those which must be completely discarded. The passed sheets must then be conveyed to a packing area where they are prepared manually for crating and shipping to the consumer.
This continual manual handling of the sheet mater-ial is both time consuming and economically disadvantageous.
The fact that each sheet must be handled at least twice is also conducive to increased rejections because of the damage caused by the manual treatment.
Accordingly, if a device could be constructed which would enable handling of each sheet only once in such a manner as to reduce damage thereto a long felt need would be satisfied.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A novel apparatus has now been devised for the inspection of sheet material. The apparatus enables the number of persons necessary to carry out the inspection to be reduced and results in the handling of each sheet only once ~rom inspection to packaging. The result ls a more complete break-down of damaged goods into classes, a reduction in handling costs and damage and a more economic and precise overall operation.

~5a~

The apparatus oE the instant invention is adapted for the inspection and rejection oE sheet material. Any type or class of sheet materials may be inspected thereon, howeverr the apparatus is especially adapted for the inspection of high or low pressure decorative laminates and preferably for high pressure decorative laminates.
In the manufacture of high pressure decorative laminates which range in thickness from about 1/32 inch to 1/4 inch, a plurality of phenol/formaldehyde resin impregnated sheets of Kraft paper are heat and pressure consolidated in conjunction with a melamine/formaldehyde resin impregnated decorative sheet and, optionally, a melamine/formaldehyde resin impregnated transparent overlay sheet. The laminates range in size from about 3' x 16' to 5' x 16' but smaller siæe laminates are also manufactured. These laminates are generally stacked into corrugated, two-part cartons in face to face and back to back relationship and shipped stacked upon skids all decorative face up. ~s mentioned above, damage thereto by the continual handling of these laminates and the pro-duction of a certain percentage of reject material necessitates a careful inspection before shipping which consumes increasing amounts of time and energy.
The present invention provides an apparatus for the inspection of sheet material which comprises, in sequential relationship, a) a sheet material loading station, b) a sheet material feediny station adjacent said loading station, c) means for transferring sheet material from said loading station onto said feeding station, d) a sheet material inspection station, e) means for transferring sheet material from said feeding station :

to said inspection station, f) first control means adjacent said inspection station, g) at least one reject station downline of said inspection station, h) means positioned within said reject station for rejecting sheet material passing thereover in response to signals from said control meansr i) means for transferring sheet material from said inspection station to said reject station, j) a packing station downline of said reject station, k) means for transferring sheet material from said reject station to said pack-ing station, 1) means positioned within said packing station for removing sheet material therefrom and m) second control means for terminating each and every station of said apparatus~
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
. .
Fiqure 1 is a top view of the complete apparatus.
Figure 2 is a side view of the complete apparatus.
Figure 3 is an enlarged top view of the first half of the apparatus depicting the loading station, feeding station, inspection station and a first reject station.
Figure 4 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an enlarged top view of the second half of the apparatus depicting a second and third reject station and the packing station.
Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus of Figure 5.

-~3 ~ ~ ~ "

~ 5~

Referring to Fi~ure 1, the operation of, the novel apparatus of the instant invention is as follows:
A stack of high pressure decorative laminates is placed in sheet material loading station 1. The height of the laminate stack is maintained at a constant level by a leveling device 2, best sho~ in Figure 2, located below the floor of the building housing the apparatus. The shee-t material is transferred to sheet material feeding station 3 from station 1 by transfer means such as suction cups 4 which drop onto the topmost sheet o~ the stack and by vacuum lift it. Motorized means 5 conveys the sheet along overhead rods 6 to sheet material feeding station 3 where it is deposited by terminating the vacuum in cups 4.
An inspector located at control means 7 then activates transferring means 8 which may be any system for moving the deposited sheet such as a conveyor belt, a chain-driven bar or the like. Synchronization of the transfer means 4 and the transerring means 8 is preferably maintained so that a new sheet is placed on the surface of feeding station 3 from loading station 1 as soon as the last sheet has left the feeding station.
~ Sheet material inspection station 9 then receives the laminate sheet and as it passes by, the inspector visually inspects it for any of a series of causes for rejection.

~5~g 11 1~4 A conveyer belt 10, shown in Figure 4, transfers the sheet to a reject station. In the drawing, three reject stations ll, 12 and 13 are shown although fewer or more stations can be employed. As the sheet passes from inspection station 9 to reject station ll, it breaks electric eye 14~ see Figure 4, which activates the conveyor means of stations ll, 12 and 13, such as belts 15-26, best shown in Figure 4. Within each of said reject stations 11, 12 and 13, are positioned means 27 for rejecting sheet material passing thereover. Any means can be employed for this purpose. In Figure 1, means 27 comprises pneumatic lifters which lift the sheet from the stat;on surface and transport it in either a left or right direction to the appropriate reject area. The means 27 are responsive to signals from the control means 7. The oper-ator~ upon visually inspecting the passing sheet material, classifies it according to its condition. That is to say, if the sheet is in perfect condition, he merely allows it to pass through the reject stations to packing station 28.
If, however, the sheet under inspection is substandard, he activates the appropriate reject station and when the sheet reaches said station it will be automatically rejec-ted. In the case of decorative laminates 7 rejections can be necessary due to a plurality of reasons and with a plurality of consequences. The reject stations of Figure 1 enable the operator to reject a sheet for six different reasons, however, more stations would allow for more causes of rejec-tion as is clearly indicated. For example, when the sheets are to be tested periodically for deviation from a standard at the laboratory, the operator would activate reject station 1 which would reject the sheet into skid 29. Loose sheet storage skid 30 would receive the rejected sheet if no more of a particular class of sheets were required for packing and shipment from station 28. Activation of reject station 12 would be for purpose of additional treatment to the sheet such as buffing onto skid 31 or for the purpose of additional storage at skid 32. Rejection of the sheet at reject station 13 would be for cutting down the sheet into smaller sizes, ...

.

~.5 ~ ~ 4 especially where the damage thereto is minor such as a broken corner etc., at skid 33 and for total scrap at skid 34. Thus it can be seen that the operator1 by one visual observation and from one control area can effectively automatîcally pass or reject sheets for a plurality of defects.
The sheets which are not rejected pass ~hrough the reject stations and are transferred therefrom to pack-ing station 28 via means 35-37 shown as belts in Figure 4.
At packing station 28, a second operator-packer performs a fina~ visual check of the sheets and monitors packaging thereof. Means positioned within station 28 cause the sheet to be removed from the belts 35-37 once the sheet passes electric eye 38. In packaging decorative laminate sheets in particular, it is usually necessary to pack them in back-to-back and face-to-face relationship. Removal means per~orms the function of placing the sheets in their correct relationship by either passing the sheet as received into station 28, i.e. face-up, into packing skid 40 or packing skid 41 or turning it over and passing it to either of said skids facedown. Passage of the sheet in face-up relationship is accomplished by the packer by merely manually moving them onto turning rollers 42 or 43 which force the sheet into the packing skid. Turning the sheet in face- .
down relationship is accomplished by lifters 39 which are pivotly attached to station 28 and possess fingers 44 and 45 located between the belts 35-37 which lift and invert the sheet either from the left or right side of the station.
Depending upon how the operator has set the controls at second control station 46, the removal means passes each sheet in either face-up or Face-down relationship to the packing skids 40 and 41 which are usually rigged with carton guide means and sheet aligner means (not shown) ~or the receipt of knocked down cartons which are periodically added to the pack;ng skid in order to receive more sheet material. Control station 46 also is adapted such as to enable the operator-packer to stop the entire apparatus in ~ sy~

the event that there is a break down, log jam or other malfunction.

Claims (8)

26,212 -8-WE CLAIM:
1. An apparatus for the inspection of sheet material which comprises, in sequential relationship, a) a sheet material loading station, b) a sheet material feeding station adjacent said loading station, c) means for transferring sheet material from said loading station onto said feeding station, d) a sheet material inspection station, e) means for transferring sheet material from said feeding station to said inspection station, f) first control means adjacent said inspection station g) at least one reject station downline of said inspection station, h) means positioned within said reject station for rejecting sheet material passing thereover in response to signals from said control means, i) means for transferring sheet material from said inspection station to said reject station, j) a packing station downline of said reject station, k) means for transferring sheet material from said reject station to said packing station, l) means positioned within said packing station for removing sheet material therefrom and m) second control means for terminating each and every station of said apparatus.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said loading station has means associated therewith for maintain-ing the sheet material in said loading station at a constant height relative to said feeding station.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said (c) comprises overhead suction cup means.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said (h) comprises means for lifting rejected sheet material from the surface of the reject station and depositing said rejected sheet material either left or right of said reject station.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said (i) and said (k) are conveyer belt means.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said (l) comprises means for lifting sheet material and depositing said lifted sheet material either left or right of said packing station and in either a bottom-up or top-up condi-tion.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said (g) comprises a plurality of sequential reject stations.
8. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said reject station (g) is adapted to reject material passing thereover in either a left or right direction.
CA000366386A 1980-12-09 1980-12-09 Sheet material inspection apparatus Expired CA1150184A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000366386A CA1150184A (en) 1980-12-09 1980-12-09 Sheet material inspection apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000366386A CA1150184A (en) 1980-12-09 1980-12-09 Sheet material inspection apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1150184A true CA1150184A (en) 1983-07-19

Family

ID=4118665

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000366386A Expired CA1150184A (en) 1980-12-09 1980-12-09 Sheet material inspection apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1150184A (en)

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