Gripper for gripping a spacer, handling assembly comprising said gripper, method for transferring a spacer from a first station to a second station and spacer positioning unit
Disclosed is a gripper for gripping a spacer, preferably a spacer for storing a bead-apex, from a spacer stack having one or more of said spacers, wherein the gripper includes a gripper head extending in an axial direction along a central axis and a plurality of spacer lifting elements protruding from the gripper head for lifting the spacer, wherein the lifting elements are movable with respect to the gripper head for engaging the spacer, wherein the gripper further includes a confining member for confining at least a part of the spacer in the axial direction between said confining member and the lifting elements.
1 . A set of a spacer stack, comprising at least two spacers for storing a bead-apex, and a gripper for retaining a sub-stack of two or more of said spacers simultaneously,
wherein each spacer comprises a spacer body extending circumferentially about a spacer axis and a central aperture that extends through the spacer body along said spacer axis, wherein each spacer further comprises an inner rim that extends circumferentially about the spacer axis and limits the central aperture radially,
wherein the gripper comprises a gripper head extending in an axial direction parallel to a central axis and a plurality of spacer lifting elements supported by said gripper head for lifting the spacer,
wherein the lifting elements are movable with respect to the gripper head for contacting the spacer,
wherein the gripper further comprises a confining member for confining at least a part of the sub-stack of spacers in the axial direction between said confining member and the elements, wherein the confining member comprises a confining body extending in a radial plane perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein the confining member comprises one or more cams protruding from the confining body at a position spaced apart from the central axis, wherein the spacers comprise one or more notches corresponding to the cams of the confining member, wherein said one or more cams are arranged to be each inserted into a corresponding one of the one or more notches in the spacer.
2 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the confining member and the lifting elements are movable relative to one another in the axial direction.
3 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 2 , wherein the gripper comprises a gripper drive for driving a relative movement between the lifting elements and the confining member.
4 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper is arranged for confining a sub-stack of at least three or at least four of the spacers simultaneously in the axial direction between the confining member and the lifting elements.
5 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the confining body is a clamp ring.
6 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more cams protrude from the confining body in the axial direction.
7 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more cams is tapered.
8 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more cams are evenly distributed in a circumferential direction about the central axis.
9 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper head is arranged to reach into the central apertures formed by inner rims of the spacers of the sub-stack and wherein the lifting elements are movable with at least a vector component in the radial direction to engage the inner rim of the lowermost spacer of the sub-stack.
10 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper head is tapered towards a terminal end thereof for self-centering the gripper head with respect to a central aperture of the spacer.
11 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper further comprises a detector for detecting the presence of a bead-apex on the spacer.
12 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 11 , wherein the detector comprises an optical sensor for detecting the presence of a bead-apex on the spacer.
13 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 11 , wherein the detector comprises a contact sensor for detecting the presence of a bead-apex on the spacer.
14 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 13 , wherein the detector further comprises a probe which is arranged to be insertable in a radial aperture in a support surface of the spacer.
15 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 14 , wherein the probe is movable relative to the gripper head.
16 . The set of the spacer stack and the gripper according to claim 15 , wherein the gripper comprises a detector drive for driving the movement of the probe relative to the gripper head.
17 . A handling assembly for handling spacers, wherein the handling assembly comprises a first station with a first spacer stack comprising a plurality of spacers and a second station for receiving a plurality of spacers to form a second spacer stack,
wherein each spacer comprises a spacer body extending circumferentially about a spacer axis and a central aperture that extends through the spacer body along said spacer axis, wherein each spacer further comprises an inner rim that extends circumferentially about the spacer axis and limits the central aperture radially,
wherein the handling assembly further comprises using a gripper for simultaneously transferring a sub-stack of two or more spacers from the first spacer stack at the first station to the second station, wherein the gripper comprises a gripper head extending in an axial direction parallel to a central axis and a plurality of spacer lifting elements supported by said gripper head for lifting the spacer,
wherein the lifting elements are movable with respect to the gripper head for contacting the spacer,
wherein the gripper further comprises a confining member for confining at least a part of the sub-stack of spacers in the axial direction between said confining member and the elements, wherein the confining member comprises a confining body extending in a radial plane perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein the confining member comprises one or more cams protruding from the confining body at a position spaced apart from the central axis, wherein said one or more cams are arranged to be each inserted into a corresponding notch in the spacer.
18 . A method for transferring a sub-stack of two or more spacers for storing a bead-apex, from a first station to a second station, wherein, at said first station, a first spacer stack is provided comprising a plurality of spacers, wherein the method comprises the step of using a gripper to simultaneously transfer the sub-stack of spacers from the top of the first spacer stack to the second station, wherein the gripper comprises a gripper head extending in an axial direction parallel to a central axis and a plurality of spacer lifting elements supported by said gripper head for lifting the spacer, the spacers comprising one or more notches,
wherein the lifting elements are movable with respect to the gripper head to engage the one or more notches,
wherein the gripper further comprises a confining member for confining at least a part of the sub-stack of spacers in the axial direction between said confining member and the elements, and wherein the method comprises clamping the sub-stack between the lifting elements and the confining member during the transfer between two respective stations.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method comprises the step of using the gripper to simultaneously transfer a sub-stack of at least three or at least four spacers from the top of the first spacer stack to the second station.
20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the first spacer stack is provided at the first station on a carrier, and wherein the method comprises the step of using the gripper to transfer the carrier together with the first spacer stack to the second station.
21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the first spacer stack comprises at least two spacers, and wherein the transfer of the carrier together with the first spacer stack comprises the steps of:
a) gripping the carrier together with the first spacer stack at the first station using the gripper;
b) depositing the carrier at the second station; and
c) subsequently depositing the at least two spacers of the first spacer stack one by one on the carrier to form a second spacer stack at the second station.
22 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises the step of placing a bead-apex on the top most spacer or removing a bead-apex from said top most spacer at the first station or the second station.
23 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the gripper further comprises a detector for detecting the presence of a bead-apex on the spacer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
a) detecting the presence or absence of a bead-apex on the spacer;
b) selecting the second station based on the presence or absence of a bead-apex on the spacer; and
c) transferring the sub-stack of spacers from the first station to the selected second station.
24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein the presence or absence of the bead-apex on the spacer is detected using the detector of the gripper.
25 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
a) centering the spacer with respect to the central axis;
b) rotating the spacer about said central axis into a predetermined rotational position.
26 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the spacer comprises a profile and wherein the gripper comprises a complementary profile, wherein step b) comprises interlocking the profile of the spacer with the complementary profile of the gripper.
27 . A set of a spacer stack comprising at least two spacers for storing a bead-apex, and a gripper for retaining a sub-stack of two or more of said spacers simultaneously,
wherein each spacer comprises a spacer body extending circumferentially about a spacer axis and a central aperture that extends through the spacer body along said spacer axis, wherein each spacer further comprises an inner rim that extends circumferentially about the spacer axis and limits the central aperture radially,
wherein the gripper comprises a gripper head extending in an axial direction parallel to a central axis and a plurality of spacer lifting elements supported by said gripper head for lifting the spacer,
wherein the lifting elements are movable with respect to the gripper head for contacting the spacer,
wherein the gripper further comprises a confining member for confining at least a part of the sub-stack of spacers in the axial direction between said confining member and the elements, wherein the confining member comprises a confining body extending in a radial plane perpendicular to the central axis, and wherein the confining member comprises one or more notches or recesses formed in the confining body at a position spaced apart from the central axis, wherein the spacers comprise one or more cams that protrude from the spacer and correspond to the notches of the confining member, wherein said one or more notches or recesses are arranged for receiving a corresponding one of the one or more cams protruding from the spacer.