Modular transfer device for the temporary storage of workpiece carriers in linear transport systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular transfer device for temporarily storing workpiece carriers of a linear transport system, an operating method for the modular transfer device (1), a control unit (30) and a machine-readable program code (31), wherein the transfer device can be arranged between a conversion area (W), in particular a placement and / or extraction area and a processing area (B) of a linear transport system for workpiece carriers (WT1, WT2) transported on a transport surface (N), the transfer device comprises a first carrier unit (2) and a second carrier unit (3) arranged horizontally, the carrier units are arranged vertically stacked and fixedly spaced relative to each other, a guiding device (4, 5) is provided on the carrier unit, the workpiece carrier can be transported along a transport direction (T) by means of the guiding device when interacting with a conveyor belt (21), and the carrier unit can be adjusted together in a vertical direction (V) by means of a lifting device (6, 7) so as to position the guiding device and transport the workpiece carrier on the transport surface by means of the guiding device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a modular switching device for temporarily storing workpiece carriers of a linear transport system. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a switching device, a machine-readable program code and a control unit suitable for implementing the method. Background Art

[0002] Linear transport systems are used in industrial production, for example to transport workpieces along a specific production path. Such linear transport systems usually have a conveyor belt, by means of which workpiece carriers arranged on the conveyor belt can be transported in a desired transport direction. In the context of this application, the height level on which the workpiece carriers are transported or can be transported along the conveyor belt of the linear transport system is referred to as the transport plane.

[0003] In the context of a technological process using such a linear transport system, the workpieces usually pass through a certain number of predefined production steps.

[0004] Such a linear transport system can be used in particular for the production of electrical wires, but it can also be used for any other workpieces.

[0005] Linear transport systems for manufacturing are already known, for example from expired US Pat. No. 6,095,054 A.

[0006] Such linear transport systems usually include transfer areas for workpieces, in which workpieces to be processed or already processed can be transferred. In these transfer areas, for example, workpieces to be processed are placed on workpiece carriers that can be transported on a conveyor belt, or already processed workpieces are removed from workpiece carriers that can be transported on a conveyor belt.

[0007] If the transfer area is used to place or feed the workpiece into the linear transport system, the transfer area can be called the placement area. If the transfer area is used to remove the workpiece from the linear transport system, the transfer area can be called the extraction area.

[0008] After the workpieces are placed, they are transported by a linear transport system from the transfer area to the processing area where they are processed. After processing, the workpieces are transported to the extraction area. In this linear transport system, the placement area and extraction area are spatially separated. The workpieces are usually transported in a specific circular direction.

[0009] Before the workpiece carrier can be reloaded with workpieces, the processed workpieces must be removed from the removal area and transported back to the placement area by a linear transport system.

[0010] Compared to linear transport systems, also known as linear transport systems or linear transfer systems, so-called rotary table systems have the same placement and removal area, i.e. the workpieces are placed and removed at the same place. This offers process advantages. However, such rotary table systems are not suitable for machining just any workpiece, especially large workpieces.

[0011] In linear transport systems, the extraction of workpieces is usually done by operators. The extraction can be done by one operator and the placement by another operator, or the placement by one operator and the extraction by the automation system.

[0012] In a rotary table system, placement and retrieval can be done by one operator.

[0013] In order to provide the highest possible cycle efficiency for production in terms of workpiece placement and removal, fast workpiece placement and fast workpiece removal are key.

[0014] In order to speed up the process of changing workpieces on linear transport systems, it is known that mechanical support can be provided during the extraction. This increases the extraction speed. If necessary, it can even save a second operator in the changeover area.

[0015] Therefore, there is a need to further improve the process of machining workpieces on a linear transport system, in particular to avoid idle time in the machining area of ​​the linear transport system when changing workpieces. Summary of the invention

[0016] The object of the present invention is to provide a solution by which the efficiency of a linear transport system can be increased.

[0017] The present invention includes a modular transfer device for temporarily storing workpiece carriers for a linear transport system, wherein the transfer device can be arranged between a conversion area and a processing area of ​​a linear transport system for transporting workpiece carriers on a transport surface, the conversion area being in particular a placement and / or extraction area, the transfer device comprising a horizontally arranged first carrying unit and a horizontally arranged second carrying unit, wherein the first carrying unit and the second carrying unit are arranged vertically superimposed and fixedly spaced relative to each other, wherein guiding devices are respectively provided on the first carrying unit and the second carrying unit, and the workpiece carrier can be transported along the transport direction by means of the guiding devices when interacting with the conveyor belt, wherein the first carrying unit and the second carrying unit can be adjusted together in the vertical direction by means of a lifting device so that the guiding device arranged on the first carrying unit and the guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit can be positioned, so that the workpiece carrier on the transport surface can be transported by means of the corresponding guiding devices.

[0018] With the aid of such a transfer device, the workpiece carrier with the workpieces can be temporarily stored on a plane offset from the transport plane and, if necessary, returned to the linear transport system or the processing area. This creates a transfer area for the linear transport system that can be used as a placement area and a retrieval area. The advantages of a rotary table system are thus combined with those of a linear transport system. As a result, personnel and therefore costs can be saved without negatively affecting the utilization of the processing area of ​​the linear transport system.

[0019] As soon as the workpieces transported back from the processing area have passed the switching device in the direction of the switching area as the retrieval area, the workpieces temporarily stored by means of the switching device can be placed directly in the processing area. While the previously temporarily stored workpieces are being processed in the processing area, the workpieces can be removed in the switching area, which serves as the retrieval area. If necessary, the workpiece carrier can also be equipped with new workpieces.

[0020] Furthermore, the modularity of the switch means that it can be easily added as an additional module to an existing modular linear transport system. By adjusting the size of the switch to adjust the temporary storage capacity, or by using multiple switch, the solution can be easily expanded for a variety of uses.

[0021] The switching device can advantageously be used in modular linear transport systems. This means that the processing area and the transition area are formed by one or more modules of the linear transport system. Thus, the switching device can be easily inserted or arranged between the first module of the processing area and the last module of the transition area.

[0022] The transport direction is the direction in which the workpiece carrier can be transported. The workpiece carrier can be transported along the conveyor belt of the linear transport system from the transfer area to the processing area and from the processing area to the transfer area. There are therefore two transport directions, namely the direction from the processing area to the transfer area and the direction from the transfer area to the processing area.

[0023] If "in the direction of transport" or "counter to the direction of transport" is used in the description, local relative references to the specific direction of transport are based on and should be made clear in this context.

[0024] Any structure suitable for carrying the guide device arranged thereon, together with the workpiece carrier and the workpiece, can be used as the first and second carrying unit. The first and / or second carrying unit can advantageously include a base plate. It can be provided with grooves for weight reduction. As a result, the weight of the corresponding carrying unit is reduced, whereby the vertical adjustment of the carrying unit requires less force and therefore less energy.

[0025] If the term carrying unit is used below without adding "first" or "second", the statement applies exclusively to the first and second carrying units, without thereby implying that the first and second carrying units are designed to form at least one of the two carrying units or both. In an advantageous embodiment, the first and second carrying plates, together with the components arranged or mounted thereon, have the same structure.

[0026] The first carrying unit and the second carrying unit are both arranged to extend horizontally and to be spaced apart vertically from each other. Furthermore, the two carrying units are arranged one above the other, in particular to completely cover each other in the vertical direction. The first carrying unit and the second carrying unit are arranged at a preset fixed distance relative to each other. This means that the distance between the first carrying unit and the second carrying unit always remains the same, regardless of the absolute vertical position.

[0027] The first carrying unit and the second carrying unit are part of an overall rigid structural unit, which can be adjusted in the vertical direction between two positions by a lifting device, so that the guiding device arranged on the first carrying unit at the first position can be positioned as follows, that is, the workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface with the help of the guiding device arranged on the first carrying unit, and the guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit at the second position can be positioned so that the workpiece carrier can be transported on the same transport surface by the guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit.

[0028] Thus, it is always possible for only the first or only the second carrying unit to be arranged in such a way that the workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport height by means of their respective guides. The integral adjustment does not involve the arrangement of the first and second carrying units at the same time, so that the workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport surface by means of the respective guides of the respective carrying units. In the context of the present application, integrally adjustable therefore means that the first and second carrying units are moved by a rigid coupling of the lifting device. In other words, the movement of the first carrying unit follows the movement of the second carrying unit and vice versa, the position of the first carrying unit relative to the second carrying unit remaining constant during the movement and the adjustable end positions of the carrying units.

[0029] A guide device is provided on each of the first and second carrier units, by which the workpiece carrier can be guided and transported on the transport surface. The guide device arranged on the first carrier unit and the guide device arranged on the second carrier unit can preferably have the same design.

[0030] The workpiece carriers can be driven by the conveyor belt, in particular when the workpiece carriers are arranged on a transport surface. The conveyor belt can be arranged on the first and second carrier units and can be driven when the respective carrier units are arranged such that the workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport surface.

[0031] However, in an advantageous embodiment, the carrying unit has no conveyor belt and the conveyor belt is arranged on a local stationary part of the switching device. This part is preferably arranged in such a way that the foot of the workpiece carrier is then positioned on this part and thus the workpiece carrier can be transported when the workpiece carrier arranged on the first or second carrying unit is arranged on the transport surface.

[0032] Furthermore, the guide device arranged on the first and / or second carrying unit can be arranged and configured so that the workpiece carrier arriving from the processing area can be continuously transferred to the guide device arranged on the first and / or second carrying unit. The guide device arranged on the first and / or second carrying unit can also be arranged and configured so that the workpiece carrier arriving from the conversion area can be continuously transferred to the guide device arranged on the first and / or second carrying unit.

[0033] The transferability of the guides of the workpiece carriers from the machining area and the transfer area to the respective carrying units is designed, in particular, at the carrying unit to which the workpiece carrier is to be transferred, so that it is possible to transport the workpiece carriers on the transport surface.

[0034] Any desired lifting device can be used as a lifting device for the joint vertical adjustment of the first and second carrying units. For example, this can be adjusted vertically with the help of a servo motor, a hydraulic cylinder or in other ways. However, it should be mentioned that the lifting device is designed so that it can reliably realize the joint vertical adjustment of the first and second carrying units with a workpiece carrier equipped with a workpiece, which is arranged on at least one of the carrying units. In addition, the lifting device is designed so that it can arrange the first carrying unit in a first lifting position so that the workpiece carrier that can be arranged on its guide device can be transported on the transport surface. The lifting device is also designed so that it can arrange the second carrying unit in a second lifting position so that the workpiece carrier that can be arranged on its guide device can be transported on the transport surface.

[0035] The lifting device is advantageously controlled by means of a control unit. For this purpose, the vertical position of the first and / or second carrying unit can be detected and fed to the control unit. The control unit can then control the lifting device on this basis so that the first carrying unit or the second carrying unit is arranged such that the workpiece carrier arranged thereon can be transported on the transport surface.

[0036] In one embodiment of the switching device, the first and second support units are arranged on a common wall which can be adjusted in the vertical direction by means of a lifting device. Providing a common vertically adjustable wall for the first and second support units provides a structurally simple possibility of vertically adjusting the first and second support units together at a fixed distance from one another. Therefore, no separate lifting devices are required for the first and second support units.

[0037] The wall can be made in one or more parts. In particular, it can be arranged parallel to the transport direction. Furthermore, the wall can be arranged on the side of the load-bearing unit facing away from the guide device and its normal vector can be oriented in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the transport direction. In this case, the wall can be called a rear wall, while the guide device is arranged in the "front" area of ​​the respective load-bearing unit.

[0038] The first and second carrying units can both be connected to the wall via horizontal rails arranged parallel to the guides arranged on the respective carrying units. This allows the carrying units to be easily and safely arranged on the wall. In addition, the wall can also be non-detachably connected, for example welded, to the first and second carrying units, but the wall can be mounted via a rail rack on the adapter device so that the height can be adjusted.

[0039] In another embodiment of the transfer device, the lifting device is designed as a cylinder having a cylinder base that is stationary relative to the frame and is arranged on the frame and a piston that can be adjusted in a controlled manner. In the vertical direction, the piston, in particular the end of the piston, is arranged at a transverse plate provided at the wall. The frame absorbs the force of the cylinder base, which must be applied to achieve the vertical adjustment of the first and second load-bearing units. In addition, the frame can be mounted with other components of the transfer device. It is advantageous to use a transverse plate arranged on the wall because the force of the piston can be absorbed by the transverse plate in the vertical direction. The transverse plate therefore includes a horizontally arranged portion on which the piston or its end can be located. Then, the force of the piston acts vertically on the transverse plate arranged transversely to the wall. This avoids shear forces, especially between the wall and the piston. The use of a pneumatic cylinder is advantageous because it can be precisely controlled and can be moved relatively quickly in the vertical direction. Thus, a safe vertical adjustment is achieved while the adjustment time of the transfer device between the temporary storage height of the workpiece carrier and the transport surface, which is increased, for example, relative to the transport surface, is short. In addition to the machine frame, a guide frame can also be provided, with which the lifting movement of the lifting device and thus the overall adjustment of the first and second carrying unit can be guided.

[0040] In a further embodiment, the vertical adjustment of the wall is limited by a first and a second buffer, the first buffer being arranged to limit the vertical adjustment when the guide device arranged on the first carrier unit is positioned such that the workpiece carrier arranged thereon can be transported on the transport surface, wherein the second buffer is arranged to limit the vertical adjustment when the guide device arranged on the second carrier unit is positioned such that the workpiece carrier arranged thereon can be transported on the transport surface. In this way, a desired end position of the first and second carrier units, in particular in relation to the transport surface, is provided in a simple manner, wherein the movement of the first and second carrier units is braked in a controlled manner when approaching the respective end position.

[0041] Furthermore, the first and second buffers can be queried by at least one position sensor. The damping state of the individual buffers can be determined from the value of the position transmitter and the control unit can be used to infer whether the individual carrier units have been positioned in the desired final position. The control unit can be used to control the lifting device so that the respective carrier units are positioned so that the workpiece carriers arranged thereon can be transported or arranged on the transport surface. If the first carrier unit is positioned so that the workpiece carriers arranged thereon can be transported or arranged on the transport surface, this preferably corresponds to the final position of the first carrier unit. If the second carrier unit is positioned so that the workpiece carriers arranged thereon can be transported or arranged on the transport surface, this preferably corresponds to the final position of the second carrier unit.

[0042] Preferably, the first buffer and the second buffer cooperate with the frame to limit the vertical adjustment. The first and / or second buffer can be arranged on a component that can move with the lifting device. The buffer can also be arranged on the frame and interact with a part of the switching device that can be adjusted in the vertical direction, such as the first and / or second load-bearing unit, to limit the vertical adjustment.

[0043] In another embodiment of the adapter device, a plurality of sensors for detecting the position of the workpiece carriers are arranged on the first and second carrier units. The sensors are preferably connected to the control unit. Since the position of the individual workpiece carriers can be detected by the respective sensors, the adapter device can be adjusted vertically depending on the position and number of workpiece carriers present on the respective carrier units. For example, an inductive sensor can be used as a sensor, by means of which the presence of a workpiece carrier at a specific position on a carrier unit can be determined.

[0044] In another variant of the switching device, at least one stop device, in particular a stop cylinder, is arranged on the first carrying unit and / or the second carrying unit, by means of which the workpiece carrier stops the workpiece carrier on the corresponding conveyor belt at a preset position. Such a stop device allows the movement of the workpiece carrier to be actively interrupted. The stop device can be designed, for example, as a lifting device, which lifts the workpiece carrier off the conveyor belt to stop its movement. Alternatively, the stop device can also be designed, for example, as a stop block, which stops the movement of the workpiece carrier in the transport direction, wherein the workpiece carrier runs on the stop block.

[0045] At least one stop device is preferably arranged in the first and / or last third, particularly the first or last quarter, of the first and / or second carrying unit in the direction of transport. It may be advantageous to provide a stop device in the first third or quarter and in the last third or quarter, because the switching device can be used to transport workpiece carriers in two directions. If the workpiece carrier, for example, runs to a carrying unit from a conversion area as a placement area, the first workpiece carrier in the direction of transport can stop in the part of the first and / or second carrying unit facing the processing area at the stop device. A preset number of workpiece carriers can be stacked on the first stopped workpiece carrier. If only one of the two carrying units is used for the temporary storage of workpiece carriers, only it can have the first and second stop devices.

[0046] Any existing position sensors can be used to detect the position of the workpiece carriers and their number. If a predetermined number of workpiece carriers are stored on a carrying unit by which the workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport surface, a vertical movement can be achieved by the lifting device. This ends when the other carrying unit is arranged so that it can be used to transport the workpiece carriers on the transport surface. Thus, the stop device can ensure that, for example, the workpiece carrier to be temporarily stored is arranged as centrally as possible in the desired position on the corresponding carrying unit.

[0047] In another embodiment of the switching device, at least one first stop device and a second stop device are arranged on the first carrying unit and / or the second carrying unit, by which the position of the workpiece carrier can be limited to the position between the first stop device and the second stop device on the corresponding guide device. Therefore, it is possible to determine the area in which a workpiece carrier should be arranged, especially when the carrying unit together with the workpiece carrier placed thereon will be moved vertically. The limitation of the stop device is realized in the following way, that is, the workpiece carrier arranged at the outermost side, that is, the workpiece carrier arranged closest to the end of the corresponding carrying unit in the direction of transport and in the direction opposite to the direction of transport is arranged at the position of the first and second stop devices to the greatest extent. Therefore, the workpiece carrier is not arranged closer to the conversion area or the processing area than the first and second stop devices. The remaining workpiece carriers are arranged between the workpiece carriers located at the external position.

[0048] In another variant embodiment of the diverter device, it comprises a first fixing part fixed in position relative to the transport surface and a second fixing part fixed in position relative to the transport surface, wherein the first fixing part is located upstream of the first and second carrying units in the transport direction and the second fixing part is located downstream of the first and second carrying units in the transport direction, wherein the first and / or second fixing part comprises a conveyor belt, by means of which the workpiece carriers arranged on the first and second carrying units can be transported when the corresponding workpiece carriers are arranged on the transport surface. Therefore, the first and second fixing parts are part of the transfer device, cannot be adjusted vertically by the lifting device, and are arranged upstream and downstream of the first and second carrying units in the transport direction. The first and / or second fixing part can include a drive for the conveyor belt, which can be driven by means of the drive.

[0049] In an advantageous embodiment, the first and second fixed parts comprise a common conveyor belt, by means of which the workpiece carriers can be conveyed in the transport direction. Preferably, only the first or only the second fixed part has a drive for driving the common conveyor belt. The common conveyor belt is preferably arranged so that it interacts with the workpiece carriers when they are arranged on the transport surface. For this purpose, the workpiece carriers can have feet, which rest on the conveyor belt when the workpiece carriers are arranged on the transport surface. As a result, the workpiece carriers can be transported in the transport direction as long as they are not stopped by the stop device.

[0050] By arranging the drive and the conveyor belt on one or two fixed fixings, the need for corresponding conveyor belts on the first and second carrying units and possibly even an additional drive can be avoided. In addition, this avoids the need to also adjust the drive vertically when adjusting the first and second carrying units. This would significantly increase the weight to be adjusted and make the switching device more expensive overall.

[0051] Furthermore, the first and second fixing parts may comprise a conveying device, by means of which a workpiece carrier transported from the processing area or from the conversion area can be transferred to the first or second carrying unit. The first and second fixing parts may in particular have a conveyor belt, optionally a common conveyor belt, by means of which the workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface on the first and / or second fixing part. The conveyor belt can also be driven by an existing drive. Thus, an embodiment can be realized in which only one drive and only one conveyor belt are required to transport the workpiece carrier over the entire conversion device.

[0052] In another embodiment, the first fixing part and the second fixing part each include at least one stop device, which is designed to stop the workpiece carrier moved out of the processing area and / or from the conversion area at a preset position, in particular to stop on the fixing part that the workpiece carrier first arrives at, in particular to stop before the workpiece carrier is transferred to the guide device arranged on the first or second carrying unit. With this type of stop device, it can be ensured that: when there is no carrying unit positioned so that the workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface, the transfer of the workpiece carrier will not be realized. Otherwise, the workpiece carrier together with the workpiece stored thereon will fall or slide off the conveyor belt of the fixing part. If the first or second carrying unit is positioned in such a way that the workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface, but the workpiece carrier from the conversion area is being or will be transported, the workpiece carrier transported from the processing area can also be stopped at the correspondingly positioned carrying unit. At least one stop device of the first and second fixing parts can be designed as a stop cylinder.

[0053] The present invention also relates to a method for operating a modular transfer device according to the present invention with the aid of workpiece carriers, wherein a number of first workpiece carriers preset by a control unit are transported from a conversion area of ​​a linear transport system to a first carrying unit and arranged in an area provided for the first workpiece carriers on the first carrying unit, wherein the control unit causes a vertical adjustment of the first carrying unit and a second carrying unit after the preset number of first workpiece carriers are arranged on the first carrying unit, wherein the control unit causes the second carrying unit to be arranged so that the second workpiece carrier can be transported in a guided manner on a transport surface by means of a guiding device installed on the second carrying unit.

[0054] The first and second workpiece carriers may be structurally different or structurally identical. In particular, the choice of workpiece carrier may depend on the workpiece to be processed.

[0055] In this way, a predetermined number of first workpiece carriers can be temporarily stored on the first carrier unit and then quickly transported to the processing area if necessary. In addition, targeted transport of the workpiece carriers can be achieved opposite to the transport direction. This allows a common placement and removal area for linear transport systems or linear transfer systems. Swivel operation of linear transport systems is possible.

[0056] In particular, when the workpiece is a cable or a line, it may be advantageous to use a first and a second workpiece carrier that are structurally different. For example, the first workpiece carrier may have a long extension arm, while the second workpiece carrier may have an extension arm that is shorter than the first workpiece carrier. This may also be arranged in reverse, i.e. the first workpiece carrier may have a short arm, while the second workpiece carrier may have an arm that is longer than the short arm. The first and second workpiece carriers may also differ from each other in structure in other respects.

[0057] In particular when using workpiece carriers of different structures, it should be attempted that the different types of workpiece carriers are not processed simultaneously in the processing area, since otherwise undesired interactions between the different types of workpiece carriers could occur, for example through the workpieces stored thereon.

[0058] The first workpiece carriers of the preset number of assemblies are identical in structure to the second workpiece carrier or are different in structure from the second workpiece carrier, so that they can be arranged on the first carrying unit or on a guide device included in the first carrying unit. Once the arrangement of the first workpiece carrier on the first carrying unit is completed, the first and second carrying units can be moved vertically by the lifting device. The control unit controls the vertical adjustment in such a way that the second carrying unit is arranged so that it can be used to transport the workpiece carrier on the transport surface. The first workpiece carrier is therefore stored on a horizontal surface above the transport surface by the first carrying unit and can be lowered back to the transport surface when necessary.

[0059] In another embodiment of the method, the second workpiece carrier transported from the conversion area to the transfer device is guided by a guide device arranged on the second carrier unit to the processing area, and / or the second workpiece carrier transported from the processing area to the turning area is guided by a guide device arranged on the second carrier unit to the conversion area. The guided transport of the workpiece carrier from the processing area to the conversion area or from the conversion area to the processing area is thus achieved by the guide device arranged on the second carrier unit, while the first workpiece carrier is still arranged or temporarily stored on the first carrier unit. This allows the linear transport system to operate normally without being adversely affected by the temporary storage of the first workpiece carrier.

[0060] In another embodiment of the method, a control device checks whether the first workpiece carrier placed on the first carrying unit is released for transportation to the processing area or the conversion area, wherein, in the case of release, the first carrying unit is lowered so that the first workpiece carrier placed on the first carrying unit can be transported on the transport surface, and the first workpiece carrier is transported towards the processing area or the conversion area according to the release achieved after reaching the transport surface. During the release process, the control unit checks, for example, whether the second workpiece carrier is still arranged in the processing area, and before processing the temporarily stored first workpiece, they will be transferred to the conversion area provided as the extraction area. In addition, the control unit can check whether the second workpiece carrier is to be processed preferentially, that is, whether it should be transferred from the conversion area serving as the placement area to the processing area before the temporarily stored first workpiece carrier is transferred to the processing area. For this purpose, the control unit can be connected to a higher-level production controller, from which the control unit receives appropriate signals.

[0061] If the first workpiece carrier is indeed released, the control unit lowers the first carrier unit so that the first workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface. If the first workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface, they are transported from the first carrier unit to the processing area via the guide device and the conveyor belt and processed there, or the already processed first workpiece carrier is transported to the transfer area.

[0062] Advantageously, during the transport of the first workpiece carrier into the processing area in the conversion area or during the processing of the first workpiece carrier, the second workpiece carrier or at least one workpiece stored on the second workpiece carrier is removed. In this way, the processing of the first workpiece carrier and the removal of the workpiece stored on the second workpiece carrier in the conversion area are carried out in parallel.

[0063] Furthermore, it can be provided that after the workpiece stored on the second workpiece carrier or the second workpiece carrier is removed, at least one first or second workpiece carrier, preferably a plurality of first or second workpiece carriers, is provided in the transfer area and provided to the switching device for temporary storage. The information about the number of workpiece carriers to be temporarily stored and whether these are first workpiece carriers or second workpiece carriers can be specified by the control unit. Advantageously, these first or second workpiece carriers provided subsequently can be transported to the switching device for temporary storage and temporarily stored on the first carrying unit before the first workpiece carrier arrives at the switching device from the processing area.

[0064] It is advantageous for the further processing of the workpiece carrier to ensure that the control unit knows whether the first workpiece carrier or the second workpiece carrier is temporarily stored on the transfer device. Alternatively, the first carrier unit provided for temporary storage can always be used with workpiece carriers of identical structure, i.e., only the first workpiece carrier or only the second workpiece carrier is always used.

[0065] It goes without saying that temporary storage can be performed not only through the first carrying unit but also through the second carrying unit.

[0066] The invention further relates to a control unit for controlling a switching device according to the invention, wherein the control unit has a machine-readable program code comprising control instructions which, when they are executed, cause the control unit to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0067] The invention also relates to a machine-readable program code for a control unit according to the invention, comprising control instructions which, when they are executed, cause the control unit to perform the method according to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings show:

[0069] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view showing the first and second carrying units of the modular switching device,

[0070] Figure 2 A perspective view showing the front of a modular patching device,

[0071] Figure 3 A perspective view showing the rear side of the modular patching device,

[0072] Figure 4 A plan view showing a carrier unit of a switching device,

[0073] Figure 5 a flow chart showing an exemplary processing sequence when using first and second workpiece carriers of identical structure, and

[0074] Figure 6 Flowchart showing an exemplary processing sequence when using first and second workpiece carriers of different configurations.

[0075] The drawings are only schematic and serve only to explain the invention. Elements that are identical or have the same function are provided with the same reference numerals throughout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] Figure 1 A schematic side view of a portion of a switching device 1 is shown. The switching device comprises a first carrying unit 2, which is arranged horizontally, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity. Furthermore, the switching device 1 comprises a second carrying unit 3, which is also arranged horizontally. The first carrying unit 2 and the second carrying unit 3 are superimposed in the vertical direction V (direction of gravity) and are fixedly spaced apart relative to each other. Figure 1 The upper bearing unit is the first bearing unit 2 , and the bearing unit arranged below the first bearing unit 2 is the second bearing unit 3 .

[0077] The guide device 4 is arranged on the first carrier unit 2. The guide device 4 has a longitudinal extension direction perpendicular to the plane of the page. The transport direction is also perpendicular to the plane of the page. If the first carrier unit 2 is arranged on the transport plane, the foot F of the first workpiece carrier WT1 arranged on the guide device 4 or guided by it is in contact with the conveyor belt ( Figure 1 By means of the conveyor belt and the guide device 4, the first workpiece carrier WT1 can be transported in a guided manner on a transport surface.

[0078] The guide device 5 is arranged at the second carrying unit 3, through which the workpiece carrier WT2 arranged thereon can be moved with respect to the second carrying unit 3. Figure 1 The guide device 5 also has a longitudinal extension direction perpendicular to the plane of the page. Similarly, the transport direction is a direction perpendicular to the plane of the page. If the second carrying unit 3 is arranged on the transport plane, the foot F of the second workpiece carrier WT2 guided by the guide device 5 is aligned with the bottom foot F of the second workpiece carrier WT2. Figure 1 By means of the conveyor belt and the guide device 5 , the first workpiece carrier WT1 can be transported in a guided manner on a transport surface.

[0079] The guide device 4 and the guide device 5 can have essentially the same design and can be arranged in the same way relative to their carrying unit 2 or 3 .

[0080] Figure 1 A first workpiece carrier WT1 arranged on or guided by the guide device 4 and a second workpiece carrier WT2 arranged on or guided by the guide device 5 are shown. Figure 1 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the first workpiece carrier WT1 and the second workpiece carrier WT2 are constructed differently. However, these may also be structurally identical.

[0081] exist Figure 1 , for reasons of clarity, the first workpiece carrier WT1 and the second workpiece carrier WT2 are shown unloaded. However, these are usually loaded with workpieces, for example pipes, during operation of the switching device 1 .

[0082] The first carrier unit 2 and the second carrier unit 3 are fixedly supported and arranged at a common wall 10. The wall 10 may include one or more guide rails, through which the wall is mounted. The provision of the guide rails allows the first carrier unit 2 and the second carrier unit 3 to be easily assembled on the wall 10 or the wall to be simply assembled on the switching device 1.

[0083] The transverse plate 11 is arranged on the wall 10, on which the lifting device ( Figure 1). By means of a lifting device, the transverse plate 11 can be moved together with the wall 10 in the vertical direction V, i.e. up and down. The lifting device is preferably arranged at the transverse plate 11 so that no shear forces occur between the transverse plate 11 and the lifting device. The transverse plate comprises a buffer 13 which limits the upward vertical movement of the first load-bearing unit 2 and the second load-bearing unit 3 and blocks them near the lower end position.

[0084] Furthermore, the first carrying unit 2 and the second carrying unit 3 each have at least one sensor 14 , preferably a plurality of sensors 14 , for detecting the presence of a workpiece carrier at a specific position on the first carrying unit 2 or on the second carrying unit 3 .

[0085] At least one stopping device in the form of a stopping cylinder 15 is provided on the first carrying unit 2 and the second carrying unit 3. The stopping cylinder is used to stop the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 transported by means of the guide device 4 or 5. The workpiece carrier can be stopped in different ways. For example, the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 can be separated from the conveyor belt, in particular by lifting. For example, the movement of the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 in the transport direction can also be stopped by the stopping cylinder, for example mechanically. In this case, the foot F still engages with the conveyor belt, but the conveyor belt slides under the foot due to the action of the stopping cylinder.

[0086] Figure 1 The components of the adapter device 1 are shown to be adjustable in the vertical direction V, with the first carrier unit 2 and the second carrier unit 3 both being aligned horizontally and being able to be raised or lowered. The workpiece carriers WT1 , WT2 can be arranged together on corresponding guides 4 or 5 .

[0087] Figure 2 The front of the adapter device 1 is shown in a perspective view. A first carrier unit 2 is shown here, on which a first workpiece carrier WT1 is arranged. A second carrier unit is arranged below, on which a second workpiece carrier WT2 is arranged, which is covered due to the perspective and therefore has no reference numeral. The first carrier unit 2 and the second carrier unit are arranged on a common wall 10 and are spaced apart from one another in a fixed manner, so that an inherently rigid structural unit, i.e. a subassembly that can be adjusted in the vertical direction V, is formed. Figure 1 A portion of the switching device 1 shown. Figure 1 As shown, the wall 10 is substantially aligned in the vertical direction V. The carrying units 2, 3, which are substantially arranged horizontally and parallel to each other, extend from a first side of the wall 10, which first side is Figure 1 The lifting device is engaged on the opposite side of the wall 10, which is located on the left side. Figure 1 to the right of the diagram in the figure.

[0088] In the present case, the second carrying unit is arranged such that it can be used to transport a second workpiece carrier WT2 on the transport surface. Furthermore, two second workpiece carriers WT2 are also arranged on the transport surface on the first fixing section 17 and the second fixing section 18 .

[0089] The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 are parts of the adapter device 1 that cannot be adjusted vertically together with the first carrying unit 2 and the second carrying unit. The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 are arranged before and after the first carrying unit 2 and the second carrying unit during transport and are always configured in such a way that the workpiece carrier WT1, WT2 can be transported on the transport surface during operation of the adapter device 1. The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 each include a guide device for guiding, in particular moving, the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 on the corresponding fixing part 17 or 18.

[0090] Thus, the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 transported from the conversion area or processing area in the direction of the transfer device 1 first enters the transfer device 1 on one of the fixing parts 17 or 18, depending on the arrival direction. The workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 is then transported from the corresponding fixing part 17 or 18 to a carrier unit, the guide device of which is arranged so that the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 can be transported on the transport surface. Depending on the operation of the transfer device, the workpiece carrier WT1 runs from the first fixing part 17 in the direction of the second fixing part 18 or from the second fixing part 18 in the direction of the first fixing part 17.

[0091] The first fixing part 17 and / or the second fixing part 18 include a common circulating conveyor belt 21, which can be passed through Figure 1 The drive may include, for example, two pulleys, at least one of which is driven, for example, by a motor. The conveyor belt 21 interacts with the pulleys so that the workpiece carrier can be moved or transported by the conveyor belt 21.

[0092] The conveyor belt 21 extends as a circulating belt on a pulley from the first fixing part 17 to the second fixing part 18. If the first carrying unit 2 or the second carrying unit is arranged on the transport surface, the workpiece carrier WT1 or WT2 is arranged on the corresponding guide device 4 or 5 which engages with the conveyor belt 21 and can be transported thereby in the transport direction.

[0093] Figure 2The transfer device 1 is shown in a state in which a plurality of first workpiece carriers WT1 are temporarily stored on the first carrier unit 2. The second carrier unit is positioned in such a way that it can be used to transfer the second workpiece carrier WT2 from the first fixing portion 17 in the direction of the processing area to the second carrier unit 2. In addition, the second carrier unit is also positioned so that the workpiece carrier WT2 transferred from the second fixing portion 18 to the second carrier unit can be transferred in the direction of the transfer area.

[0094] In addition, Figure 2 The frame 8 and the guide frame 9 on which the wall 10 is supported can be seen.

[0095] Figure 3 A perspective view of the back of the switching device 1 is shown. Figure 2 Therefore, the switching device 1 is shown in the front perspective view. Figure 3 China-Israel Figure 2 The second carrying unit is furthermore arranged such that workpiece carriers, in particular second workpiece carrier WT2 , can be transported on the transport surface by means of the second carrying unit, while the first storage unit is arranged at a higher level than the transport surface and the first workpiece carrier WT1 is temporarily stored.

[0096] From the rear view, the lifting device 6 designed as a pneumatic cylinder 7 can be seen. The cylinder 7 comprises a cylinder base 71 and a piston 72. The cylinder base 71 is fixedly arranged on the frame 8. The vertical displacement of the wall 10 together with the first and second bearing units arranged thereon is supported by the cylinder base 71 and the frame 8.

[0097] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment, the cylinder base is connected to the frame 8 by a protruding baffle 11'. The end of the movable piston 72, which is also surrounded by the cylinder 7, is placed on the transverse plate 11. By moving the piston 72 up and down relative to the cylinder base 71 or the frame 8, the transverse plate 11 can be moved up and down together with the wall 10.

[0098] Two buffers 12 are arranged in the region of the fixed cylinder base 71. These are referred to as first buffers 12, since they serve to dampen and position movements of the first carrying unit 2, in particular movements that allow the first carrying unit 2 to be used for transporting workpiece carriers WT1 on a transport surface.

[0099] The transport plane corresponds to the height level at which the workpiece carrier can be transferred from the processing region or the transfer region to the switching device 1 or from the switching device 1 to the processing region or the transfer region.

[0100] Furthermore, the transfer device 1 comprises two second buffers 13 arranged at the transverse plate 11. If the cylinder 7 moves the transverse plate 11 upwards together with the wall 10, the second buffers 13 come into contact with the stops arranged at the guide frame 9. As a result, the lifting movement is braked slowly until the second carrier unit is positioned so that the workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport surface by means of the guide device or its guide device. The second buffers 13 thus serve to position the second carrier unit so that these workpiece carriers can be transported on the transport surface.

[0101] The guide frame 9, together with the first and second support units 2 and 2 mounted thereon, supports the wall 10. In particular, the wall 10 is mounted movably in the vertical direction on the guide frame 9. For this purpose, the guide frame can have guide rails to enable guided vertical movement.

[0102] The first carrier unit 2 further comprises a first stop device designed as a stop cylinder 15 and a second stop device designed as a stop cylinder 16. These serve to position the first workpiece carrier WT1 on the first carrier unit 2. Corresponding first stop devices 15 and second stop devices 16 are also used for the second carrier unit for positioning the second workpiece carrier WT2. However, due to Figure 3 From the perspective view of the rear view, these stop devices and the second carrying unit are not visible.

[0103] also, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a control unit 30 is shown, by means of which the lifting device 6 or the cylinder 7 can be moved in a controlled manner. In particular, the conveyor belt 21 and / or its drive 22 can also be controlled by means of this control unit 30. In addition, the control unit 30 receives a plurality of input variables, for example from the position sensor 14 and from the stop devices 15 and 16 on the first carrier unit 2 and the second carrier unit. In addition, the control unit can receive data from the production controller and from the controller for the linear transport system. Based on the recorded data, the carrier unit is then lowered or raised by the lifting device 6 controlled by the control unit 30.

[0104] For this purpose, the control unit 30 has a machine-readable program code 31 which, when executed, controls the lifting device accordingly and, if necessary, the conveyor belt 21 or the drive 22 of the conveyor belt 21. The program code can be stored in the control unit 30 via a memory or can be loaded or accessed from another location for the control unit 30, for example via a network.

[0105] Figure 41 shows a schematic plan view of a transfer device 1. A first carrier unit 2 can be seen, on whose guide device 4 a plurality of first workpiece carriers WT1 are arranged. These are arranged on a transport plane N, i.e. arranged such that the first workpiece carriers WT1 can be transferred from the first carrier unit 2 into a processing region B. It goes without saying that the first carrier unit 2 is therefore also arranged such that the first workpiece carriers WT1 can be transferred from the first carrier unit 2 into a transfer region W.

[0106] exist Figure 4 It can be seen that the first fixing part 17 is arranged upstream of the first carrying unit 2 in the transport direction T, and the second fixing part 18 is arranged downstream of the first carrying unit 2 in the transport direction. The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 cannot be adjusted in height by the lifting device, that is, they are stationary relative to the frame during the lifting process of the first and second carrying units.

[0107] The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 are arranged in such a way that they can be used to transport the workpiece carriers on a transport plane N, in particular a transport plane N of a linear transport system. For this purpose, the first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 also comprise a common conveyor belt.

[0108] The first fixing part 17 and the second fixing part 18 each have a stopping device designed as a stopping cylinder 19 or 20 for stopping a movement of the workpiece carrier WT1 in or against a specific transport direction T on the respective fixing part 17 or 18 .

[0109] If the workpiece carrier WT1 is transferred out of the processing area B, it stops before being transferred to the first carrier unit 2 if it is not intended to be transferred to the first carrier unit 2. For example, if neither the first carrier unit 2 nor the second carrier unit is arranged so that the workpiece carrier WT1 can be transported by them at the transport surface N, the workpiece carrier will also stop. The same applies to the case where the workpiece carrier is transferred from the conversion area W to the transfer device. A corresponding sensor can be arranged in front of or on the corresponding fixing part 17 or 18, by which the presence of the workpiece carrier at the corresponding position or the arrival of the workpiece carrier at the corresponding fixing part 17 or 18 can be detected.

[0110] The stop means 19 or 20 on the respective fixing part 17 or 18 ensure that no workpiece carrier is transferred to a first or second carrying unit which is not provided for this purpose. If the first and second carrying units are arranged in such a way that they cannot be used to transport the workpiece carrier WT1 on the transport surface N, the workpiece carrier WT1 can also be prevented from slipping off the conveyor belt.

[0111] Figure 4Also shown are two stop devices, each designed as a stop cylinder 15 and 16, which are arranged on the first carrying unit 2. The first stop cylinder 16 is arranged in the first quarter or fifth of the first carrying unit 2 in the transport direction T. The second stop cylinder 15 is arranged in the last quarter or fifth of the first carrying unit 2 in the transport direction. This arrangement exists in the same way on the second carrying unit.

[0112] These first and second stop cylinders 15, 16 serve to position the first workpiece carrier WT1 transferred to the first carrier unit 2 in the desired area of ​​the first carrier unit 2 and to fix them between the first and second stop cylinders 15, 16 for vertical movement. This is provided in the same way for the second carrier unit in order to position the workpiece carriers, in particular the second workpiece carrier, on this unit in the desired manner.

[0113] Figure 5 Shown is the operation Figures 1 to 3 Schematic sequential flow chart of an exemplary method of a modular transfer device described in , the first and second workpiece carriers used have the same design. The transfer device is arranged between a processing area and a transfer area, wherein the transfer area is designed as a placement and removal area.

[0114] The method is based on the assumption that the second workpiece carrier has already been machined in the machining region and that the transfer region is free to a certain extent and the first workpiece can be positioned there on the first workpiece carrier.

[0115] Firstly, a workpiece on a first workpiece carrier is positioned or placed in a transfer area on the conveyor belt.

[0116] In method step S1 , a loaded first workpiece carrier is transported from the transfer area to the transfer device. The transport takes place on a transport surface of a linear transport system.

[0117] In method step S2 , the control unit checks whether the first carrier unit, ie the upper carrier unit, is arranged to receive the first workpiece carrier, ie is arranged such that the first workpiece carrier can be transferred to it on the transport surface.

[0118] In a next method step S3, a predetermined number of first workpiece carriers is transferred to the first carrier unit. The predetermined number of first workpiece carriers is stored or can be determined in the control device.

[0119] In method step S4, the first workpiece carrier of the first workpiece carrier is stopped in the transport direction by means of a first locking device in the transport direction. To this end, the locking cylinder is activated and the first workpiece carrier of the first workpiece carrier first moves onto the locking cylinder in the transport direction and is blocked or no longer transported during its movement in the transport direction.

[0120] In the next method step S5, further first workpiece carriers of the preset number of workpiece carriers are arranged end to end at the first stopped workpiece carrier. The stopped workpiece carrier upstream in the transport direction serves as a stop for the subsequent workpiece carriers, since the subsequent workpiece carriers run on it and stop. The preset number of workpiece carriers is determined in such a way that they can be arranged in a specified area of ​​the first carrying unit, in particular end to end.

[0121] In method step S6, the control unit checks the position of the first workpiece carrier on the first carrier unit using a position sensor. The control unit evaluates whether the workpiece carrier is arranged in the expected area, in particular between the first stop cylinder in the first quarter of the carrier unit and the second stop cylinder in the last quarter of the first carrier unit in the transport direction. If this is not the case, the first workpiece carrier is repositioned until it is arranged in the expected area.

[0122] If the first carrying unit is positioned in the predefined area, the control unit activates the lifting device in method step S7 and lifts the first carrying unit and the first workpiece carrier and the second carrying unit arranged thereon. The lifting is performed in such a way that the second carrying unit is positioned so that the workpiece carrier arranged thereon can be transported on the transport surface.

[0123] Then in method step S8, the second workpiece carrier is transported from the processing area to the transfer area by the transfer device. At the same time, the first workpiece carrier is temporarily stored on the upper level. The first workpiece carrier is temporarily stored on the upper level until they are released. This release can be communicated from the production control unit to the control unit for controlling the lifting device.

[0124] In method step S9 , the control unit checks whether a workpiece carrier has been released for transport storage. This occurs when all second workpiece carriers have been transported by the second carrier units from the processing area into the transfer area, which serves as a removal area for the second workpiece carriers.

[0125] If this is the case, in method step S10 the control unit lowers the first carrying unit so that the first workpiece carrier arranged thereon can be transported on the transport surface.

[0126] In method step S11 , the first workpiece carrier is transferred by the first carrying unit to the processing area and processed there. There, a corresponding finished product is produced from the workpiece removed from the first workpiece carrier, for example.

[0127] In method step S12 , the workpiece is removed from the second workpiece carrier and a new workpiece, for example a pipe, is installed.

[0128] Then a new cycle can be started, wherein the first or second workpiece carrier is provided for temporary storage on the switching device, in particular loading the workpiece and transporting it. It goes without saying that the cycle can also be run by the second temporarily stored workpiece carrier instead of the first workpiece carrier.

[0129] This approach enables a transfer area that serves as both a placement area and a pick-up area to be effectively operated by only one operator without adversely affecting the productivity of the linear transport system.

[0130] Figure 6 A variant of the method for differently designed first and second workpiece carriers is shown, for example the first workpiece carrier can have long arms and the second workpiece carrier can have short arms. Designing the different workpiece carriers in this way is particularly advantageous in production lines. Figure 6 In the method, according to Figure 5 The above method steps S1 to S12 are performed accordingly.

[0131] When processing first and second workpiece carriers of different structures, it should be avoided that different types of workpiece carriers are arranged simultaneously in the conversion area or that different types of workpiece carriers meet on the linear transport system. However, in order to operate the linear transport system efficiently, it is further improved according to Figure 5 The described method is advantageous.

[0132] In method step S12 , the workpiece is removed from the second workpiece carrier and a new workpiece, for example a pipe, is installed, while in method step S13 the first workpiece carrier processed in the processing area is transported back in the direction of the changeover area.

[0133] However, since the second workpiece carrier is located in the changeover region, the first workpiece carrier transported from the machining region cannot be transported into the changeover region.

[0134] For this reason, the first workpiece carrier is guided again via the switching device so that the newly equipped second workpiece carrier arranged in the changeover region can pass through without the first and second workpiece carriers meeting each other.

[0135] In method step S14, a preset number of first workpiece carriers arriving from the processing area are arranged on the first carrying unit of the transfer device. For this purpose, it is checked in advance whether the first carrying unit is arranged so that the first workpiece carriers arriving from the processing area can be arranged on its guide device. If this is not the case, the lifting device is controlled accordingly and the first carrying unit is positioned accordingly. However, if the method is carried out according to the above-mentioned method steps S1 to S12, the first carrying unit is in a position suitable for receiving the first workpiece carrier. The first workpiece carrier transported from the processing area passes over the fixing part facing the processing area and runs on the guide device of the first carrying unit.

[0136] In method step S15 , the first workpiece carrier moving in the direction of the changeover region is stopped by a stop device on the guide device of the first carrier unit, which stops are oriented toward the changeover region.

[0137] Then, in method step S16 , a predetermined number of first workpiece carriers are arranged end to end, and in method step S17 , the positions of the first workpiece carriers on the first carrying unit are checked.

[0138] If the first workpiece carrier is arranged such that the first carrying unit can be adjusted vertically, in method step S18 the first and second carrying units are raised until the second carrying unit is arranged such that the workpiece carrier can be transported on the transport surface via its guides.

[0139] If the second carrying unit is arranged accordingly, the second workpiece carrier is transported from the transfer area via the transfer device into the processing area. This takes place in method step S19.

[0140] In a next method step S20 , the control unit checks whether the first workpiece carriers stored on the first carrying unit can be released for further transport into the transfer area, in particular whether all second workpiece carriers from the transfer area have left the transfer device in the direction of the processing area.

[0141] If this is the case, the first carrying unit can be lowered in method step S21 so that the first workpiece carrier is arranged on the transport surface. The first workpiece carrier can then be transported to the transfer area by means of the transfer device.

[0142] In method step S22, in the changeover region, the workpiece processed in the processing region is removed, for example, from the transport surface stored on the first workpiece carrier. The first workpiece carrier arranged in the changeover region can then be equipped with a new workpiece, for example a pipe. The method can then be carried out starting from step S1.

[0143] With the help of Figure 6 The method provides a possibility to operate a linear transport system with two workpiece carriers of different structures, whereby these workpiece carriers are always guided relative to each other in a way that avoids production problems. In addition, the removal and placement of the workpieces can also be carried out here using a single changeover area and by only one person.

[0144] Since the above described devices and methods are embodiments, those skilled in the art can modify them to a great extent in a general manner without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the mechanical arrangement and size ratios of the various elements to each other are only exemplary.

[0145] Reference Numbers List

[0146] 1 Switching equipment

[0147] 2 First load-bearing unit

[0148] 3 Second load-bearing unit

[0149] 4. Guide device arranged on the first carrying unit

[0150] 5. Guide device arranged on the second carrying unit

[0151] 6 Lifting device

[0152] 7 Cylinders

[0153] 71 Cylinder base

[0154] 72 Piston

[0155] 8 racks

[0156] 9 Boot rack

[0157] 10 walls

[0158] 11 Horizontal plate

[0159] 11' Baffle

[0160] 12 First buffer

[0161] 13 Second buffer

[0162] 14 Sensors

[0163] 15 First stop, stop cylinder

[0164] 16 Second stop device, stop cylinder

[0165] 17 First fixing part, upstream of the carrying unit in the transport direction

[0166] 18 Second fixing part, downstream of the carrying unit in the transport direction

[0167] 19 Stop device, first fixed part: stop cylinder

[0168] 20 Stop device, second fixed part: stop cylinder

[0169] 21 Conveyor belt, which is arranged on the transport surface for transport

[0170] 22 Drives for conveyor belts

[0171] 30 Control unit

[0172] 31 Machine-readable program code

[0173] W Transformation Area

[0174] B Processing area

[0175] WT1 First workpiece carrier

[0176] WT2 Second workpiece carrier

[0177] F Workpiece carrier feet

[0178] T Transport direction

[0179] N Transport surface

[0180] V vertical direction

[0181] S1 Transport of the assembled first workpiece carrier from the transfer area to the transfer device

[0182] S2: Checking step: checking whether the first carrying unit is arranged to accommodate the first workpiece carrier

[0183] S3: transporting a preset number of first workpiece carriers to the first carrying unit

[0184] S4 The first workpiece carrier stops in the transport direction

[0185] S5 Arrange the first workpiece carrier end to end

[0186] S6 Check the position of the first workpiece carrier on the first carrying unit

[0187] S7: lift the first carrying unit together with the first workpiece carrier until the second carrying unit

[0188] The element is arranged to receive a second workpiece carrier

[0189] S8 Transport of the second workpiece carrier from the processing area to the transfer area

[0190] S9 Check release of the first workpiece carrier

[0191] S10 Lowering the first carrying unit to transport the workpiece carrier to the processing area

[0192] S11 Transport the first workpiece carrier in the direction of the processing area

[0193] S12 Removal and loading of workpieces stored on the second workpiece carrier in the transfer area

[0194] S13 Transporting the first workpiece carrier from the processing area to the transfer device

[0195] S14: transporting a preset number of first workpiece carriers to the first carrying unit

[0196] S15 Stop of the first workpiece carrier in the transport direction

[0197] S16 Arrange the first workpiece carrier end to end

[0198] S17 Check the position of the first workpiece carrier on the first carrier unit

[0199] S18 Lift the first carrying unit together with the first workpiece carrier until the second carrying unit is configured to receive the second workpiece carrier

[0200] S19 Transporting the second workpiece carrier from the transfer area to the processing area

[0201] S20 Checking the release of the first workpiece carrier

[0202] S21 Lowering the first carrier unit to transport the workpiece carrier to the conversion area

[0203] S22 retrieves and loads the workpiece stored on the first workpiece carrier in the conversion area.

Claims

1. A modular transfer device (1) for temporarily storing workpiece carriers for a linear transport system, wherein: The transfer device (1) can be arranged between a conversion area (W) and a processing area (B) of a linear transport system for a workpiece carrier transported on a transport surface (N), and the transfer device comprises a horizontally arranged first carrying unit (2) and a horizontally arranged second carrying unit (3), wherein the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3) are arranged vertically superimposed and fixedly spaced relative to each other, wherein a guiding device is respectively provided on the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3), and the workpiece carrier can be transported along a transport direction (T) by means of the guiding device when interacting with the conveyor belt (21), wherein the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3) can be jointly adjusted in a vertical direction (V) by means of a lifting device so as to be able to position the guiding device arranged on the first carrying unit (2) and the guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit (3), so as to be able to position the workpiece carrier by means of the corresponding guiding device. The device transports a workpiece carrier on the transport surface (N), wherein the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3) are arranged on a common wall (10), wherein the wall (10) can be adjusted in the vertical direction (V) by means of the lifting device, and the vertical adjustment of the wall (10) is limited by a first buffer (12) and a second buffer (13), wherein the first buffer (12) is configured so that when a guide device arranged on the first carrying unit (2) is positioned so as to be able to transport a workpiece carrier that can be arranged on the guide device on the first carrying unit on the transport surface (N), the first buffer limits the vertical adjustment, wherein the second buffer (13) is configured so that when a guide device arranged on the second carrying unit (3) is positioned so as to be able to transport a workpiece carrier that can be arranged on the guide device on the second carrying unit on the transport surface (N), the second buffer limits the vertical adjustment.

2. The modular switching device according to claim 1, wherein: The conversion area is a placement and / or extraction area.

3. The modular switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The lifting device is designed as a cylinder (7), which has a cylinder base (71) fixed in position relative to a frame (8), the cylinder base is arranged on the frame (8), and the cylinder also has a piston (72) that can be adjusted in a controlled manner in the vertical direction (V), wherein the piston (72) is arranged on a transverse plate (11) arranged on the wall (10).

4. The modular switching device according to claim 3, wherein: The ends of the piston are seated on a transverse plate (11) provided on the wall (10).

5. The modular switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: A plurality of sensors for detecting the position of the workpiece carrier are arranged on the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3).

6. The modular switching device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: At least one stopping device is respectively provided on the first carrying unit (2) and / or the second carrying unit (3), and the movement of the workpiece carrier on the corresponding guide device can be stopped at a preset position by means of the stopping device.

7. The modular switching device according to claim 6, wherein: The stopping device is a stopping cylinder.

8. The modular switching device according to claim 6, wherein: At least one first stop device and at least one second stop device are respectively provided on the first carrying unit (2) and / or the second carrying unit (3), and the position of the workpiece carrier can be limited to a position between the first stop device and the second stop device on the corresponding guide device by means of the first stop device and the second stop device.

9. The modular switching device according to claim 1 or 2, the switching device comprises a first fixing portion (17) fixed relative to the transport surface (N) and a second fixing portion (18) fixed relative to the transport surface (N), the first fixing portion being located upstream of the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3) in the transport direction (T), and the second fixing portion being located downstream of the first carrying unit (2) and the second carrying unit (3) in the transport direction (T), wherein: The first fixing part (17) and / or the second fixing part (18) comprises a conveyor belt (21), wherein, when the workpiece carrier is arranged on the transport surface (N), the workpiece carrier arranged on the first carrying unit (2) or the second carrying unit (3) can be transported by means of the conveyor belt (21).

10. The modular switching device according to claim 9, wherein: The first fixing part (17) and the second fixing part (18) each include at least one stopping device, which is designed to stop the workpiece carrier transported out of the processing area (B) and / or the conversion area (W) at a preset position.

11. The modular switching device according to claim 10, wherein: The first fixing part (17) and the second fixing part (18) each include at least one stopping device, which is designed to stop the workpiece carrier transported out of the processing area (B) and / or the conversion area (W) at the first fixing part (17) or the second fixing part (18).

12. The modular switching device according to claim 10, wherein: The first fixing portion (17) and the second fixing portion (18) each include at least one stopping device, which is designed to stop the workpiece carrier transported out of the processing area (B) and / or the conversion area (W) at a preset position before the workpiece carrier is transferred to a guiding device arranged on the first carrying unit (2) or the second carrying unit (3).

13. A method for operating a modular switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 with the aid of a workpiece carrier, wherein: A number of first workpiece carriers preset by a control unit (30) are transported from a conversion area (W) of a linear transport system to a first carrying unit (2) and arranged in an area provided for the first workpiece carriers on the first carrying unit (2), wherein the control unit (30) causes vertical adjustment of the first carrying unit (2) and a second carrying unit (3) after the preset number of the first workpiece carriers are arranged on the first carrying unit (2), and the control unit configures the second carrying unit (3) to be able to guide and transport the second workpiece carrier on a transport surface (N) by means of a guide device arranged on the second carrying unit (3).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The second workpiece carrier transported from the conversion area (W) toward the transfer device (1) is guided and transferred to the processing area (B) by means of a guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit (3), and / or the second workpiece carrier transported from the processing area (B) toward the transfer device (1) is guided and transferred to the conversion area (W) by means of a guiding device arranged on the second carrying unit (3).

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: With the aid of the control unit (30), it is checked whether the first workpiece carrier mounted on the first carrying unit (2) is to be released for transportation to a processing area (B) or a conversion area (W), wherein, in the case of release, the first carrying unit (2) is lowered so as to be able to transport the first workpiece carrier mounted on the first carrying unit (2) toward the transport surface (N), and after reaching the transport surface (N), the first workpiece carrier is transported toward the processing area (B) or the conversion area (W) according to the achieved release.

16. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein: While the first workpiece carrier is being transported toward the processing area or while the first workpiece carrier is being processed in the processing area (B), at least one second workpiece carrier or a workpiece arranged on a second workpiece carrier is removed in the transfer area (W).

17. A control unit (30) for controlling the switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: The control unit (30) has a machine-readable program code (31) which includes control instructions which, when executed, cause the control unit (30) to carry out the method according to any one of claims 13 to 16.

18. A machine-readable storage medium for a control unit (30) according to claim 17, the storage medium having a program code (31), the program code comprising control instructions, which control instructions cause the control unit (30) to implement a method according to any one of claims 13 to 16 when the control instructions are executed.

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