Guide profile and conveying system

Abstract

A guide profile and a conveying system implemented with such a guide profile are disclosed, wherein the sliding slats of the guide profile are provided with articulation legs, thereby enabling replacement of the sliding slats at a conveying system that has already been assembled.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide profile for a conveying system according to claim 1, and a conveying system with such a guide profile according to claim 8. Background Technology

[0002] Conveying systems, also known as transfer systems, are known from existing technology, such as DE 10 2005 046 302 A2. The principle structure of such systems consists of a profile body in which a chain is guided. The chain can be a known flat chain or a baffle roller chain. To better guide the chain along the profile body, sliding slats are provided, for example, inserted into recesses in the profile body, and the chain is guided at or on these slats. Here, the chain is spaced from the profile body by the sliding slats, thus eliminating direct contact between the chain and the profile body. The sliding slats are held in the recesses of the profile body by means of spring clips (Klipsen).

[0003] The drawback of existing solutions is that the sliding strip can only be pushed into the profile body from the end side. This means that replacing the sliding strip in a manufactured, assembled, and operational conveyor system is cumbersome, as the replacement strip must also be pulled out of the profile body from the end side. Furthermore, additional retaining devices are required to hold the sliding strip in its final position. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention now aims to provide a guide profile for a conveying system, which, while possessing at least equivalent functional characteristics, allows for significantly easier assembly and disassembly. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a conveying system having such a sliding slat, or for accommodating such a sliding slat.

[0005] The task is accomplished by a guide profile having the features of claim 1, or a conveying system having the features of claim 8.

[0006] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, a guide profile for a conveying system has a profile body into which a sliding slat is inserted. The sliding slat is constructed such that it can bear or support the weight of a chain, which serves as a drive mechanism for the conveying system. The sliding slat rests against an aluminum profile of the conveying system. The weight of the chain is supported at the profile body of the conveying system via the sliding slat. The sliding slat is at least partially in contact with the profile body. According to the invention, the sliding slat has a hinged leg designed to be inserted into a recess in the profile body by swinging. Compared to the prior art mentioned at the outset, the advantage of this solution is that the installation and removal of the sliding slat in the conveying system is significantly simplified in the solution according to the invention.

[0008] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the articulated leg is configured as a swing leg, wherein the arcuate portion of the sliding strip swings into a correspondingly arcuate recess in the profile body, thereby causing the articulated leg to be shaped-fitted into the recess along the transport direction.

[0009] In the preferred solution, the articulated legs are constructed in the corner regions of the sliding slats. Advantageously, the arrangement of the articulated legs in the corner regions ensures a sufficiently large surface area on the underside of the sliding slats to support the weight of the sliding slats and the chain. Consequently, the surface pressure is reduced.

[0010] The arrangement of the articulated leg at the sliding slat according to the invention allows the sliding slat to be inserted into the profile body from above, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction. This installation and removal is particularly advantageous because, unlike solutions known from the prior art, the sliding slat can be easily replaced. This eliminates the need to disassemble the closing plate, drive mechanism, deflector, etc., to remove the sliding slat from the profile body at the end. Instead, the sliding slat or a portion thereof can be moved upwards from its inserted position. Conversely, it can be reinstalled in a similarly user-friendly manner.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding strip is held in its final position by a lateral recess at the joint leg in a form-fitting-fixed manner.

[0012] A particular advantage is that the sliding slat is constructed such that it remains in its final position without a locking mechanism. Therefore, the sliding slat is constructed such that the shape of the joint leg and the recess is selected, for example, by a side recess, to prevent undesirable slippage of the sliding slat from the profile body. During operation of the conveyor system, the loading position and weight of the chain also contribute to holding the sliding slat in its final position.

[0013] To prevent the sliding strip from slipping or tilting during the transfer of the guide profile, it is advantageous to provide a transfer fixing device. In a particularly simple and preferred embodiment, the transfer fixing device is implemented by means of adhesive tape, which is installed at two opposite ends of the profile body such that the sliding strip and the profile body are in contact with the adhesive surface of the tape, thereby keeping the sliding strip in its final position in an anti-slip manner.

[0014] The conveying system according to the invention is implemented using a sliding strip according to the invention. According to the invention, the chain is supported on the profile body via the sliding strip. The weight of the chain and the insertion position of the sliding strip hold the sliding strip in its final position. No locking mechanism is provided for the sliding strip in its final position.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the conveying system according to the invention, the chain is implemented as a baffle roller chain or as a flat chain.

[0016] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be further explained below with the aid of schematic diagrams. Attached Figure Description

[0017] in:

[0018] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view shows a partial cutting diagram of the profile body used in a conveyor system with a flat chain.

[0019] Figure 2 A section view shows a portion of the profile body used in a conveyor system employing a baffle roller chain;

[0020] Figure 3 A separate illustration of the sliding slats is shown;

[0021] Figure 4 The profile body for use in a conveyor system with a baffle roller chain is shown in cross section.

[0022] Figure 5 It shows according to Figure 4 Detailed images;

[0023] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view shows a partial cutting diagram of the profile body used in a conveyor system employing a flat chain;

[0024] Figure 7 It shows according to Figure 6 Detailed images; and

[0025] Figure 8 A strongly simplified three-dimensional view of the profile body with assembled sliding strips and a transmission fixing device is shown.

[0026] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0027] 1. Conveying System

[0028] 2. Flat chain

[0029] 4. Profile Body

[0030] 6. Loading direction

[0031] 8. Disassembly direction

[0032] 10 Sliding strips

[0033] 12 jointed legs

[0034] 14. Dent

[0035] 16-corner area

[0036] 18 Stop surface

[0037] 20 Support surface

[0038] 22 Matrix

[0039] 24. Lower side

[0040] 26. Upper side

[0041] 28. Staurarollenkette (baffle roller chain)

[0042] 30 Extension

[0043] 31. Protrusion

[0044] 32 Support Area

[0045] 34 Support surface

[0046] 36 Tape

[0047] 38 end side

[0048] 40 end side

[0049] h exceeds the height. Detailed Implementation

[0050] exist Figure 1A portion of a conveyor system 1 with a flat chain 2 is shown, guided by a profile body 4. The conveying direction of the conveyor system 1 extends perpendicularly to the plane of the illustration in this embodiment. The flat chain 2 is guided along a sliding strip 10 in a manner known per se, which is alternatively held at the profile body 4. To illustrate the insertion and removal directions 6, 8 of the sliding strip 10, the right-hand sliding strip 10 in the insertion position is shown in this illustration. "Installation position" signifies the first installation step, in which the sliding strip 10 is placed in the recess 14 using the end portion of a joint leg 12. The sliding strip 10 in its final position is shown on both sides.

[0051] The sliding slat 10 is equipped with an arc-shaped articulated leg 12 at the corner region 16. This articulated leg is recessed into the recess 14 of the profile body 4 until the end portion of the articulated leg 12 abuts against the stop surface 18 of the recess 14. This is in Figure 3 More details are shown in the middle.

[0052] The articulated leg 12 is inserted into the recess 14 via a sliding / pressing fit. This ensures that the sliding strip 10 can be inserted from above, i.e., perpendicular to the conveying direction. The sliding strip 10 is held in its final position by the weight of the flat chain 2. The flat chain 2 is thus supported on the profile body 4 via the sliding strip 10. If the sliding strip 10 needs to be replaced, it is only necessary to move the flat chain 2 away from the corresponding sliding strip 10 by a certain distance, so that the sliding strip can be easily removed upwards and replaced with a new sliding strip 10.

[0053] exist Figure 2 A partial cutting view of a modified conveying system 1 with profile body 4 is shown. Figure 2 The conveyor system 1 shown is designed to use a stauroller chain. A sliding strip 10 is also shown, inserted into or placed into a recess 14 of the profile body 4. On the left side of the profile body 4 in this figure, the sliding strip 10 is placed in the recess 14, and is also in the inserted position. An adjacent arrow indicates the insertion direction 4 of the sliding strip 10 into the recess 14. Thus, the sliding strip 10 is guided into the recess 14 with an arcuate motion. At the end of the insertion process, the sliding strip 10 is in its final position. This final position can be seen here on the right side, where another arrow is shown next to the sliding strip 10, indicating the removal direction 8 of the sliding strip 10. Thus, the sliding strip 10 is guided upward from the recess 14 with an arcuate motion ("rotated out"), and can then be removed upward. Further embodiments with staurollers are shown in... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the conveying direction extends perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing. The baffle roller chain is supported on the profile body 4 via a sliding strip 10 in its installed state. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the weight of the chain also serves to hold the sliding strip 10 in place. Figure 2 In the final position shown on the right. To replace the sliding strip 10 in the conveying system 1, it is sufficient to lift the chain from the sliding strip 10 a certain distance so that the sliding strip can be removed from the recess 14 of the profile body 4 in the removal direction 8 as described above. The insertion of a new sliding strip 10 can be achieved just as easily in the reverse order. In solutions known from the prior art, chains 2, 28 are pulled out of the profile body, i.e., almost completely removed, in which case the drive device, deflection device, and other components must be disassembled.

[0054] Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shows the results based on Figure 1 or Figure 2 A detailed view of the sliding slat 10, which is inserted into a recess 14 in the profile body 4. A rectangular base 22 of the sliding slat 10 rests on a support surface 20 of the profile body 4. The support surface 20 is sized such that it can withstand the load of the chain (not shown) introduced by the sliding slat 10. The distance between the sliding slat 10 and the support surface 20 is shown in the selected illustration; this distance is only used to better distinguish the two components. The recess 14 has a stop surface 18 at its deepest point, i.e., the rear portion. Preferably, the approximately rectangular base 22 forms an extension h relative to the profile body 4, so that the chain is guided only on the sliding slat 10 and does not come into direct contact with the profile body 4. Articulated legs 12 extend from the base 22.

[0055] Jointed leg 12 in accordance with Figure 3 In the illustration, the joint leg is positioned as close as possible to the shape of the recess 14, so that its end portion rests against the stop surface 18. The spacing is shown here only to better distinguish the components. The recess 14 is constructed to correspond to the shape of the joint leg 12, allowing the joint leg to fit precisely into the curved recess 14. The lower side 24 adjacent to the corner region 16 allows the sliding strip 10 to rest on the support surface 20 of the profile body 4. The upper side 26, opposite the lower side 24 of the base 22, supports the chain.

[0056] With the help of Figure 4Another embodiment of the conveying system 1 is shown. The conveying system 1 is also designed to use the baffle roller chain 28. In this embodiment, the articulated leg 12 of the sliding slat 10 does not extend from the corner region 16 of the sliding slat 10. Instead, it extends from the side of the sliding slat 10 opposite to the baffle roller chain 28 into the corner region 16 as an extension 30 perpendicular to the base 22, at which the arcuate articulated leg 12 is arranged.

[0057] exist Figure 5 The image shows an enlarged partial view of the upper portion of this embodiment. The curved joint leg 12 of the sliding strip 10 is again constructed such that the joint leg is inserted into the recess 14 of the profile body 4. In the baffle roller chain 28, in Figure 5 In the load-bearing area shown in the detailed diagram, the sliding slat 10 can be replaced in a simple form and manner as described above, thus perpendicular to the conveying plane. This replacement is performed here in a comparable form and manner as in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0058] Figure 5 It shows according to Figure 4 A detailed view of the area above the guide profile. With the sliding strip 10 installed, i.e., in its final position, the joint leg 12 sinks into the recess 14, the extension 30 abuts against the protrusion 31 of the profile body 4, and the load-bearing sliding area of ​​the sliding strip 10, arranged between the profile body 4 and the baffle roller chain 28, is positioned above the profile body 4 in this figure, so that the lower side 24 of the base 22 abuts against the support surface 20 of the profile body 4. The protrusion 31 is thus surrounded by the sliding strip 10.

[0059] Figure 6 Another embodiment of the conveyor system 1 is shown, which is configured to use a flat chain 2. (Compared to...) Figures 1 to 5 Compared to the embodiment described herein, the sliding strip 10 has an additional support region 32 that extends from the upper side 26 of the sliding strip 10 toward the outer side of the profile body 4. This detail is in... Figure 7 It is shown in the middle, Figure 7 It shows according to Figure 6 A detailed view of the sliding strip 10. The principle structure of the sliding strip 10, the profile body 4, and the recess 14 corresponds to... Figure 3 The embodiment shown. Support region 32 is in accordance with Figure 7 In the illustration, the base 22 extends beyond the recess 14 and is supported on another support surface 34. In this embodiment, the protrusion 31 is therefore also surrounded by the base 22, the support area 32, and the articulated leg 12.

[0060] All the foregoing embodiments imply that the sliding strip can be replaced at the assembled conveyor system 1. Sliding strips 10 that are undesirably prone to bending, or those with deviations in straightness due to the manufacturing process, can still be used in the conveyor system 1 according to the invention via side recesses (Hinterschnitt). No interference profile is generated relative to the chains 2, 28. This is particularly relevant when using flat chains 2 equipped with plastic, as these chains are typically prone to immediate damage. Another common feature is that separate clamping devices for holding the sliding strip 10 in the desired position are not necessary. This is achieved simply by the weight of the chains 2, 28 used respectively.

[0061] Figure 8 A simplified three-dimensional view of the upper portion of an embodiment of the guide profile according to the present invention is shown. The sliding strip 10 is positioned into the recess 14 and is in its final position. To prevent slippage and / or tilting of the sliding strip 10 during transport, a transport fixing device is provided. In this embodiment, the transport fixing device is implemented as adhesive tape 36, which is adhered / positioned on the end sides of the profile body 4 and the sliding strip 10, respectively. Figure 8 In the middle, adhesive tape 36 is exemplary provided on the left rear side and right front side respectively. This adhesive tape extends from its respective end sides 38 and 40 across the respective end portions of the profile body 4 and the sliding strip 10 into the internal region of the profile body 4, and is fastened to the aforementioned components with the adhesive-coated side. Other transmission fixing devices are of course also conceivable. Transport deckels placed on the end sides of the profile body are also conceivable, such as clamping systems that hold the sliding strip 10 in its final position.

[0062] A guide profile and a conveying system implemented using such a guide profile are disclosed, wherein the sliding strip of the guide profile is provided with articulated legs, thereby enabling the sliding strip to be replaced at a conveying system that has been assembled.

Claims

1. A guide profile for a conveying system (1), the guide profile having a profile body (4) into which a sliding strip (10) is inserted, the sliding strip being designed such that the weight of the chains (2, 28) of the conveying system (1) is supported at the profile body (4), wherein, The sliding strip (10) is at least partially abutted against the profile body (4), characterized in that the sliding strip (10) has articulated legs (12) designed to be inserted into recesses (14) of the profile body (4) by swinging or bending in a manner generally perpendicular to the conveying direction. The joint leg (12) is constructed as an arc-shaped swing leg, and the recess (14) is constructed in a shape corresponding to the joint leg (12), so that the joint leg (12) can be shaped and precisely positioned into the arc-shaped recess (14).

2. The guide profile according to claim 1, characterized in that, The articulated leg (12) is constructed in the corner region (16) of the sliding strip (10).

3. The guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sliding strip (10) can be inserted into the profile body (4) approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction.

4. The guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sliding strip (10) is positioned by means of a lateral recess at the joint leg (12) that fits in the shape of the conveying direction.

5. The guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The sliding strip (10) is held in its final position without a locking mechanism.

6. The guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, the guide profile having at least one transmission fixing device that holds the sliding strip (10) in the final position of the sliding strip at two opposite end faces (38, 40) of the profile body (4).

7. The guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The joint leg (12) of the sliding strip (10) is constructed at the extension (30).

8. The guide profile according to claim 7, characterized in that, The extension (30) is attached to the protrusion (31) of the profile body (4).

9. A conveying system having a guide profile according to any one of the preceding claims, the conveying system having chains (2, 28) supported at the profile body (4) via the sliding strip (10), wherein, The weight of the chains (2, 28) holds the sliding strip (10) in its final position.

10. The conveying system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The chains (2, 28) are baffle roller chains (28) or flat chains (2).

Images