IP Library Granted Patent US 9,126,350
Granted Patent B2
US 9,126,350 · App. 13/643,519 · Granted Sep 8, 2015

Method and apparatus for manufacturing a wooden construction made of rod-like members

Inventor: Matti Turulin (Maksniemi, FI)
Assignee: Autoprod Oy
B27F7/155E04C3/17Y10T29/49625Y10T29/49627Y10T29/5397Y10T29/53961
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,126,350
App. No.
13/643,519
Granted
Sep 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

In the method, grippers ( 110, 140 ) are placed on a stationary assembly table ( 100 ) and rod-like members forming a wooden construction are laid on the support of said grippers. The wooden construction can be for example a roof truss or a wall frame. The assembly table comprises a vertical fastening plane ( 104 ) to which the grippers are fastened. The fastening plane can be made of ferrous material and the grippers can be fastened to the fastening plane magnetically or by means of a suction pad gripper. The fastening of the grippers to the fastening plane, the fastening of the rod-like members to the grippers and the joint connecting the rod-like members are conducted by means of an assembly robot ( 200 ). The joint may be a nail plate joint, a nail, screw or staple joint or a glued joint. From the CAD file of the wooden construction a list of commands controlling the operation of the assembly robot is generated by means of a decompression program. The grippers belonging to the apparatus comprise first grippers ( 110 ) and second grippers ( 140 ). The first grippers comprise a frame to be fastened to the fastening plane and a supporting part fastened to the frame. The supporting part comprises a face supporting surface to be positioned against the face of the rod-like member, an edge supporting surface to be positioned against the edge surface and a pivot plate for pressing the rod-like member against the face supporting surface. The second grippers comprise a frame to be fastened to the fastening plane and a gripping bracket. The gripping bracket comprises a grip surface to be positioned against the face of the rod-like member, a lip to be positioned against the edge surface, as well as a gripping member, such as a suction pad, for adhering to the surface of the rod-like member.

Claims (10)

1. A method for manufacturing a wooden truss structure made of rod-like members, the method comprising: placing grippers on a stationary assembly table, on the support of which grippers the rod-like members of the wooden truss structure are laid, and forming a joint connecting the rod-like members at a connecting point of the rod-like members, wherein the assembly table comprises a substantially vertical fastening plane and the grippers are fastened to said vertical fastening plane, and the rod-like members are laid on support of the grippers leaving a gap for a press tool between the fastening plane and the rod-like members.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening plane is made of ferrous material and comprising fastening the grippers to the fastening plane magnetically.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising fastening the grippers to the fastening plane by means of a suction pad gripper.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising fastening the grippers to the fastening plane, fastening the rod-like members to the grippers and forming the joint connecting the rod-like members by means of an automatic assembly robot.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wooden truss structure is a roof truss and wherein the rod-like members are chord or web members of the roof truss.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wooden truss structure comprises a wall frame and frame posts and wherein the rod-like members are upper and lower crossbars of the wall frame and frame posts.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the joint connecting the rod-like members is a nail plate joint, which is formed by fastening at least one nail plate to the connecting point by pressing.

8. The method according, to claim 1 , wherein the joint connecting the rod-like members is a screw, nail or staple joint, which is formed by arranging to the connecting point at least one screw, nail or staple extending from the first rod-like member to the second rod-like member.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the joint connecting the rod-like members is a glued joint, which is formed by dispensing, adhesive on at least one of a surface placed against each other in the joint and pressing the surfaces connecting in the joint against each other.

10. The method according to claim 4 , comprising generating production instructions of the wooden truss structure from the CAD file of the wooden construction by means of a decompression program and compiling a list of commands controlling the operation of an assembly robot on the basis of the production instructions.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2019
From: TRUSSMATIC OY
To: MENARD, INC.
Reel/Frame 050597/0701 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2019
From: TRUSSMATIC OY
To: MENARD, INC.
Reel/Frame 049321/0616 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2016
From: AUTOPROD OY
To: TRUSSMATIC OY
Reel/Frame 039875/0112 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2012
From: TURULIN, MATTI
To: AUTOPROD OY
Reel/Frame 029488/0748 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130042480A1 · Feb 21, 2013