The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 1996
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1994
Kazuhiro Nishida, Shizuoka, JP;
Hirokazu Saito, Shizuoka, JP;
Kunihiko Fukawa, Shizuoka, JP;
Kiyokazu Fujiwara, Shizuoka, JP;
Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, JP;
Abstract
In an automatic pipeline switching device, first connecting joints of a plurality of material receiving pipes are arranged in one line in an X-axis direction, and second connecting joints of a plurality of material feeding pipes are held at a standby region such that they are arranged in one line in a Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction. The feeding pipes include rigid pipes extending in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Z-axis directions, first flexible hoses extending in the Z-axis direction, and second flexible hoses extending in the X-axis direction. The rigid pipes, first flexible hoses and second flexible hoses are connected, in the stated order, to the second connecting joints, respectively. The rigid pipes are arranged in the standby region, and made larger in length with increasing distance from an origin of the X-axis, the Y-axis and Z-axis to prevent interference of the flexible hoses with each other. A device is provided for moving the holder, in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, to the standby region, where the holder picks up a selected one of the second connecting joints, and moves it to a selected one of the first connecting joints to be connected therewith.