US 11,897,717 B2
Apparatus and method for pallet transfer
Assaf Barel, Ness Ziona (IL); David Mazar, Ness Ziona (IL); Dudi Gutman, Ness Ziona (IL); and Boaz Eden, Ness Ziona (IL)
Assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/415,285
Filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/043705
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 17, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/021086, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0144575 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 31/3063 (2013.01) [B65H 2301/42256 (2013.01); B65H 2403/41 (2013.01); B65H 2801/21 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
first and second pallet supports to engage pallets in at least first and second pallet locations, wherein:
the first pallet location positions a pallet to receive output from a print press, and the second pallet location is a pre-use pallet holding location; the apparatus further comprising
an actuator to move the first and second pallet supports to transfer a first pallet away from the first pallet location and a second pallet from the second pallet location to the first pallet location,
wherein the actuator comprises a frame and a linearly translating chassis, the chassis supporting the first and second pallet supports,
wherein the actuator translates the first and second pallet supports along a linear path,
wherein the first pallet support and the second pallet support each comprise a pair of support beams, each pair of support beams being spaced apart in a direction transverse to a linear movement direction of the actuator, and
wherein the first pallet support and the second pallet support are at least partially nestable.