POSITIONING TABLE

摘要

A material handling system includes an array of independently controlled positioning devices, a positioning table which support and manipulate workpiece attributes such as position, orientation, velocity and/or acceleration of workpieces on the table. The positioning devices are arrayed such that no single positioning device supports more than one workpiece at a time, thereby allowing for simultaneous and independent control of each workpiece.

主权项

1. A workpiece positioning device comprising:
an independently actuable first motor mounted on a swivelling support, said swivelling support rotatably mounted on a base for rotation of said swivelling support relative to said base about a substantially vertical first axis of rotation, a workpiece driver rotatably mounted on said swivelling support and cooperating with said first motor for rotation of said workpiece driver by said first motor about a second axis of rotation lying substantially in a horizontal plane, said workpiece driver having a continuous and continuously rotatable workpiece engaging surface, said workpiece engaging surface adapted to frictionally engage a workpiece when thereon as said workpiece driver is selectively rotated by said first motor about said second axis of rotation, an independently actuable second motor selectively rotating said swivelling support about said first axis of rotation, wherein said first and second motors are actuable independently of each other.