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:
Jun. 08, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 30, 2002
Jeffrey Boyd Grimshaw, Montague, MI (US);
Aaron Thomas Russick, Charlotte, NC (US);
Daniel D. Minor, Cadillac, MI (US);
Tom Duane Rabe, Montague, MI (US);
John Richard Snyder, New Era, MI (US);
Larry Richard Erdman, Montague, MI (US);
Steven Mark Sunday, Rothbury, MI (US);
Tracy William Erickson, Muskegon, MI (US);
Steven Ronald Erdman, Montague, MI (US);
Gary David Mason, Whitehall, MI (US);
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc., Northville, MI (US);
Abstract
A flexible manufacturing line and manufacturing process employs an overhead gantry system to transfer fixtured workpieces between machining stations served by the gantry system. The machining stations include CNC machines, turret cells, and/or dedicated machines which receive the fixtured workpieces through top-entry openings. The invention provides flexibility and adaptability to variation, improved maintenance of reference position on the fixture during manufacture, improved accessibility to machining stations during operation, and increased safety.