US 12,440,934 B2
Positioning apparatus and system
Stig Olov Persson, Västerås (SE)
Assigned to ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Appl. No. 18/245,424
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
PCT Filed Sep. 23, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/076499
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 15, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/063394, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 31, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0347460 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B23Q 1/66 (2006.01); B23Q 1/01 (2006.01); B23Q 1/54 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC B23Q 1/66 (2013.01) [B23Q 1/015 (2013.01); B23Q 1/5475 (2013.01); B25J 9/0096 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A system comprising at least one industrial robot and a positioning apparatus including:
a stationary base structure having a support surface for supporting one or more of the at least one industrial robot and a base surface for mounting to an installation surface;
a first workpiece support for supporting a first workpiece;
a second workpiece support for supporting a second workpiece;
a support member supporting the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support, the support member being arranged to move between a first position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on a processing side of the base structure and the second workpiece support is positioned on an opposite loading side of the base structure, and a second position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on the loading side and the second workpiece support is positioned on the processing side; and
a motor arranged to drive the support member between the first position and the second position, wherein the support surface is arranged between the motor and the base surface; and
wherein the support member is asymmetric about a plane that is perpendicular to a separating direction between the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support and that is centered between the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support.