Automated Gas Filling and Patching of Insulating Glass Panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

The glass panel fabrication industry faces challenges in achieving greater production efficiency, reducing costs and material waste, and improving product quality and worker safety.

Innovation Solution

An automated system and method for gas filling and patching of glass panels, including an industrial robot system, a rack indexer assembly with a pop-up roller assembly, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the glass panel fabricating system and movement of the roller unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual labor is used for glass panel fabrication, then operational flexibility is maintained, but productivity is low and labor costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction speedVSAvoidmanual labor requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated self-service through the rack indexer assembly that automatically positions racks, extends panels, and coordinates gas filling and patching operations without manual intervention, thereby increasing productivity while reducing manual labor requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical operations are replaced with an automated control system that coordinates the rack indexer, panel extension mechanisms, gas filling stations, and patching equipment through electronic control, substituting human labor with automated mechanical and electronic systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If multiple glass panels are processed simultaneously, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimultaneous processing capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the processing function into multiple independent gas filling stations and patching stations, each capable of operating on individual panels while working simultaneously on different racks, allowing increased throughput without proportionally increasing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The rack indexer assembly and panel extension mechanisms serve multiple functions: they position racks for processing, extend panels to processing stations, and coordinate operations across multiple stations simultaneously, reducing the need for separate dedicated mechanisms for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If automated rack indexing is implemented, then production efficiency increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidrack indexing mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rack indexer assembly incorporates movable rollers that can dynamically adjust their position and configuration to accommodate different rack types and panel sizes, providing automated indexing functionality while maintaining adaptability and reducing the need for multiple fixed mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250137317A1Automated system and method for gas filling and patching of glass panels

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 INTEGRATED AUTOMATION SYSTEMS LLC

AI summary

Automated production systems and associated methods for automated gas filling and patching of glass panels (e.g., insulating glass units). The system includes a rack for transporting a plurality of glass panels, a rack indexer assembly for moving the rack along a travel path, and a glass panel fabricating system having an industrial robot with end-of-arm tools for gas filling and patching of glass panels.