Conveying device, method for painting a motor vehicle body and painting apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to a conveying device for conveying a motor vehicle body (2) along a conveying path (4) during painting in motor vehicle manufacturing. The conveying device includes a chain conveyor (5) having chain strands (6) circulating along the conveying path. Fixed receiving elements (7) and loose receiving elements (8) are arranged at predetermined distances from each other along the entire length of the chain strand and are movable along the conveying path by means of the chain strands. The fixed receiving elements constitute crossbeams detachably connected to the motor vehicle body, and the loose receiving elements have resting areas (12) on which another crossbeam (13) detachably connected to the motor vehicle body can be supported. The crossbeams maintain the same crossbeam distance across the vehicle model, corresponding to the distance between the fixed receiving element and the following loose receiving element. The invention also relates to a method and painting apparatus for painting a motor vehicle body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a conveying device for transporting motor vehicles, particularly for transporting motor vehicles during painting. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method for painting the body of a motor vehicle. Finally, this invention relates to a painting apparatus for painting the body of a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] One of the biggest challenges in painting large workpieces is the transportation of the workpiece itself. Large workpieces can be, in particular, vehicle bodies. Since vehicle bodies typically do not have wheels before final assembly, the vehicle bodies manufactured during the bodywork process need to be transported using body receiving sections, body fixing sections, and / or body retaining sections. Therefore, particularly semi-finished vehicle bodies can be transported through different production stages of vehicle manufacturing, such as through the painting workshop.

[0003] EP0271008B1 illustrates a conveying device for transporting the body of a motor vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The objective of this invention is to provide a conveying device, a painting method, and a painting apparatus by which motor vehicle bodies can be advantageously and particularly painted in mass production at flexible cycle intervals, wherein the painting is particularly carried out in a spray booth.

[0005] The first aspect of the invention relates to a conveying device for conveying motor vehicle bodies, particularly for conveying during or after painting in motor vehicle manufacturing. The conveying device according to the invention is used for conveying along a conveying path without the need for a loading slide and includes at least one chain conveyor comprising at least one chain strand circulating along the conveying path, on which, along the entire length of the chain strand, correspondingly alternating fixed receiving elements and loose receiving elements are arranged at predetermined distances from each other. These fixed and loose receiving elements are capable of moving along the conveying path by means of the chain strand and, in particular, together with the chain strand (i.e., correspondingly fixedly connected to the chain strand and thus having the same speed). According to the invention, a corresponding fixed receiving element is configured to receive and fix a crossbeam detachably connected to the vehicle body, particularly fixing the crossbeam in the transport direction, and a corresponding loose receiving element has a resting area on which another crossbeam detachably connected to the vehicle body can be supported, wherein the same crossbeam distance across the vehicle model is maintained between the crossbeam and the other crossbeam, and the distance between one of the fixed receiving elements and the loose receiving element following the fixed receiving element corresponds to a crossbeam distance of 2000 mm to 3000 mm between the crossbeam and the other crossbeam.

[0006] In other words, on the chain strand, a fixed receiving element is followed by a loose receiving element, and then a fixed receiving element is followed by a loose receiving element. Accordingly, a distance is defined between a fixed receiving element and a loose receiving element following it, wherein the length of the chain strand is, in particular, an even multiple of this distance, such that a fixed receiving element and a loose receiving element are uniformly and alternately arranged along the entire length of the chain strand, and where a "chain end" meets a "chain beginning," a fixed receiving element and a loose receiving element also alternate.

[0007] On the corresponding motor vehicle body, or more specifically on the motor vehicle body, particularly in the front region transverse to the vehicle's longitudinal direction and in the rear region transverse to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, a painted crossbeam, namely the aforementioned crossbeam and the other crossbeam, is respectively provided on the lower structure. These serve as body holding parts for transporting the motor vehicle body by means of a conveying device.

[0008] Here, for example, the corresponding vehicle body, or motor vehicle body, especially during transport by a conveying device, is connected, for example, by thread, to two corresponding crossbeams. The distance between the crossbeams on the motor vehicle body is chosen such that this distance corresponds to the distance between the fixed receiving element and the loose receiving element, such that the first crossbeam of the motor vehicle body is located in one of the fixed receiving elements, and the second crossbeam is located in one of the loose receiving elements. However, here, multiple loose receiving elements and multiple fixed receiving elements can be arranged between the two elements that respectively receive the crossbeams (i.e., one fixed receiving element and one loose receiving element). The corresponding crossbeam, or painting crossbeam, can in particular be configured to have a lateral guide portion in principle for positioning the motor vehicle body perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby enabling the motor vehicle body to be locked on the fixed receiving element and the loose receiving element for particularly advantageous painting.

[0009] Here, the vehicle body is advantageously oriented such that the front crossbeam, or front receiving beam, in the transport direction is positioned in a fixed receiving element, and the rear crossbeam is positioned in a loose receiving element. The transport direction is such that the vehicle body is transported along a transport path.

[0010] The chain strands specifically comprise multiple links, wherein the circulation of the chain strands along a transport segment means, for example, at a corresponding end of the transport segment—that is, at the beginning and end of the transport segment—a gear or sprocket is provided, by which the chain strands can be turned at the corresponding end. Here, for example, the chain strands can be horizontally oriented such that a portion of the chain strands (which is transported along the transport direction as it circulates around the transport segment) extends above a portion of the chain strands (which is transported back against the transport direction). The transport segment can also be a sub-segment of a larger segment; therefore, for example, the larger segment can consist of multiple sequentially arranged chain strands.

[0011] Here, the present invention is based on the understanding that a vehicle body, to be painted as a whole, is fixed on a loading slide (track) for transport during painting. Painting, in particular, is the so-called topcoat process. In contrast, the application of crossbeams and the conveying device of the present invention yields advantages such as the ability to maintain the same distance across the vehicle model between two painting crossbeams on the vehicle body, for example, 2610 mm. Therefore, vehicle bodies of different models can be easily transported by the conveying device of the present invention, despite differences in vehicle length and front and / or rear overhang. Another advantage of the conveying device of the present invention, particularly when used in a paint shop, but also generally, is the saving of cycle time when the cycle distances between individual bodies differ (when the longitudinal conveying speed is the same throughout the system, a larger distance is required between the subsequent body and the preceding body during color changes). The advantage of minimal space requirements is particularly due to the elimination of the return path and storage structure typical of loading slides in conventional topcoat conveying technologies.

[0012] Therefore, eliminating the use of loading slides in the conveying technology yields additional advantages, particularly in terms of lower initial investment due to the elimination of the cost of purchasing multiple loading slides. Furthermore, the cleaning of the loading slides is completely eliminated; this cleaning is not performed on the conveying equipment or in the painting workshop, but typically at a remote location, thus also eliminating the need for transportation for cleaning purposes. Another advantage is the elimination of return routes for empty loading slides, which typically move via roller conveyors. Therefore, significant space savings can be achieved, for example, with chain conveyors. This also results in greater design freedom when planning or arranging manufacturing processes or designing painting workshops in vehicle manufacturing. Furthermore, another advantage is the elimination of, for example, the storage and stacking of loading slides, which would otherwise need to be planned to compensate for process downtime in the return route. This again leads to further space savings. In summary, the conveying equipment of the present invention achieves significant simplification of complexity while maintaining particularly low cost. Moreover, the maintenance costs of the conveying equipment are also lower.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the chain conveyor has at least one chain drive, with a drive wheel positioned at one end of the conveying section and a driven wheel positioned at the other end. In other words, the chain strands are driven by a drive wheel, for example, which can be driven by a motor, and a driven wheel is provided around which the chain strands can rotate to achieve circulation. Here, the drive wheel and / or driven wheel can also be positioned, for example, at the reversing point of the chain strands, particularly when the conveying section consists of multiple chain strands or has multiple sequentially arranged sub-regions of the conveying section. The chain drive provides the advantage that the conveying equipment can operate particularly advantageously.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one lateral guide element is provided along the entire length of the conveying device on at least one of the fixed receiving elements and / or on at least one of the loose receiving elements and / or on at least one link of the chain strand and / or on at least one of the crossbeams. In other words, the lateral guide element, provided on one of the fixed receiving elements, one of the loose receiving elements, and / or on one link and / or on one crossbeam, enables stabilization during conveying that is transverse to the conveying direction and thus advantageously oriented along the vehicle's transverse direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, conveying can be carried out with particular precision and in a particularly advantageous manner, for example, so that, for example, during painting, paint can be applied to the vehicle body with particular precision by means of a spraying robot or painting robot.

[0015] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, fixed supports are provided at the turning points of the chain strands, particularly at one or the other end of the conveying section. Therefore, by means of, for example, a control device for controlling the conveying equipment, particularly the front crossbeam among the crossbeams of the body assembly, can be controlled in sync with the painting cycle, thereby allowing the vehicle body to be advantageously pulled through the painting process. This results in the advantage that, particularly along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, i.e., in the conveying direction, the position of the vehicle body can be defined in a particularly advantageous manner, thus, for example, the taktung (trajectory) of multiple vehicle bodies conveyed by the conveying equipment can be particularly high, while simultaneously preventing over-spraying between vehicle bodies.

[0016] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the drive unit of the chain conveyor is configured as a polygonal compensation drive unit. As a supplement or alternative, this drive unit or another drive unit has a cycloidal drive. In other words, the chain strands are driven by a polygonal compensation drive unit, or a cycloidal drive unit can be provided in the drive unit of the chain strands. The drive unit can particularly be configured as part of the chain drive unit. Here, when the conveying equipment is used for painting, there is a particularly large challenge of errors along the vehicle coordinate system. For example, due to the lack of a load carrier that can be used to specify the error, other alternative technical measures are employed. The error can be affected by the additional cycloidal drive unit, particularly by the braking effect of the cycloidal drive unit, so that, for example, the cycloidal drive unit can be flange-connected to the drive station with the drive unit when needed.

[0017] Another challenge in conveyor systems with chain conveyors is the so-called polygonal effect, which occurs, for example, in the sprocket and can cause fluctuating output speeds at constant drive speeds, particularly because the traction member, i.e., the chain strands, cannot move in and / or out in a circular motion, thus causing unwinding of the traction member. Consequently, the speed of the chain strands varies periodically, especially as the number of teeth on the sprocket decreases, the percentage speed difference increases. This can be smoothed or mitigated, particularly advantageously, by using a polygonal compensation drive.

[0018] In this invention, the distance between one of the fixed receiving elements and the loose receiving element following it corresponds to the beam distance between the crossbeam and the other crossbeam, which is between 2000 and 3000 mm, particularly 2610 mm. In other words, the distance between the fixed receiving element and the loose receiving element following it is essentially an integer fraction of the beam distance. This essentially means that, for example, the gaps and / or manufacturing errors of the individual links are taken into account accordingly, and in particular, the length of the resting area can also be used to compensate for these errors. In other words, the two crossbeams installed on the vehicle body for conveying purposes are spaced apart such that when the vehicle body is introduced or applied to the conveying equipment, the front crossbeam is positioned on a fixed receiving element, while the rear crossbeam can always be positioned on the resting area of ​​a loose receiving element. This results in the advantage that the conveying equipment can be used particularly advantageously for conveying vehicle bodies.

[0019] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a cleaning device is provided that can be passed through by the chain strands in the opposite direction of the conveying process. In other words, the chain strands circulating along the conveying path, particularly on their return journey, i.e., especially on the underside of the conveying path, can be pulled through the cleaning device. Here, for example, the cleaning device is used for automated cleaning of paint residue on the receiving elements (i.e., fixed and loose receiving elements). Here, for example, the cleaning device may have dry ice and / or an ultrasonic water bath and / or a brush and / or a cleaning medium. As a supplement or alternative, high-pressure cleaning by means of water jets and / or the squeezing and / or expulsion of excess paint can be achieved. Therefore, it has the advantage that the conveying equipment can be particularly advantageously applied to the painting of motor vehicle bodies.

[0020] A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for painting a motor vehicle body. In this method, paint is applied to the motor vehicle body in a painting area, for example by means of a spraying robot and / or a painting robot. During painting, the motor vehicle body is conveyed along a conveying path via a conveying device described herein, on which the painting area is specifically located. According to the invention, in the method, the front crossbeam of two crossbeams connected to the motor vehicle body is received by one of the fixed receiving elements, and the rear crossbeam of the two crossbeams is supported on a resting area of ​​one of the loose receiving elements. This means that the second crossbeam, or the other crossbeam, of the two crossbeams connected to the motor vehicle body is located on a resting area of ​​a loose receiving element due to a predetermined distance between the fixed receiving element and the loose receiving element.

[0021] Here, the advantages and benefits of the first aspect of the invention can be regarded as the advantages and benefits of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the vehicle body is introduced into the painting area via a conveying device at a predetermined pace. In other words, the vehicle body is introduced into the painting area, an introduction adapted, for example, by a painting robot according to the application of paint, and thus adapted to the painting duration or pace of the painting process. This allows the paint to be applied to the vehicle body in a particularly advantageous manner, and thus, for example, when changing the color of another vehicle body to be introduced via the painting robot, the mixing of two colors, for example, in the end or beginning areas of the vehicle body, can be avoided, thus achieving color changing.

[0023] A third aspect of the invention relates to a painting apparatus for painting the body of a motor vehicle. Here, the painting apparatus according to the invention is configured to perform the method described herein, or the painting apparatus includes a conveying device with the configuration described herein.

[0024] Therefore, the advantages and benefits of the first and second aspects of the present invention can be regarded as the advantages and benefits of the third aspect of the present invention, and vice versa.

[0025] Other features of the invention are derived from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof. The features and combinations thereof mentioned above in the specification, as well as those mentioned below in the description of the drawings and / or those shown individually in the drawings, may be applied not only in the combinations described herein, but also in other combinations or individually. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments and with the aid of the accompanying drawings. The drawings are as follows:

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic side view partially shows the conveying equipment used to transport the vehicle body;

[0028] Figure 2 To illustrate the perspective view, press Figure 1 The chain links of the chain conveyor device of the conveying equipment;

[0029] Figure 3 Showing a schematic side view Figure 2 The chain link; and

[0030] Figure 4 A portion of the conveyor belt with cleaning equipment is shown in a schematic cross-sectional side view. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Figure 1 A conveying device 1 for conveying a motor vehicle body 2 is shown in a schematic side view. The corresponding motor vehicle body 2 can be conveyed along a conveying direction 3 (which in this embodiment is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle) on a partially shown conveying section 4. For this purpose, the conveying device 1 includes a chain conveyor 5, which includes at least one chain strand 6 circulating on the conveying section 4, on which fixed receiving elements 7 and loose receiving elements 8 are respectively arranged alternately at predetermined intervals along the entire length of the chain strand. The fixed receiving elements 7 and loose receiving elements 8 can move along the conveying section 4 by means of the chain strand 6 and especially together with the chain strand 6 (i.e., at the same speed, for example, because they are fixedly connected to each link 10 of the chain strand 6). The corresponding fixed receiving element 7 constitutes a crossbeam 11 detachably connected to the motor vehicle body 2 for receiving and fixing it, especially along the conveying direction 3. The corresponding loose receiving element 8 has a resting area 12 on which another crossbeam 13 detachably connected to the motor vehicle body 2 can be supported. Each link 10 thus forms a chain 6, or a chain.

[0032] The length of the chain strand 6 is in particular equal to an even multiple of the distance 9, so at the “chain start” or the “chain end” connected to the “chain start”, that is, where the first and last chain links 10 are joined together, a fixed receiving element 7 follows a loose receiving element 8.

[0033] The conveying device 1 may be, for example, a component of a painting apparatus 14, which may include a painting robot 15 with a robotic arm 16 and a spraying tool 17 mounted on the robotic arm. Here, paint can be applied to the vehicle body 2 by means of the spraying tool 17.

[0034] Therefore, the painting apparatus 14 and conveying device 1 shown are particularly advantageously suited for implementing a method for painting a motor vehicle body 2, wherein paint is applied to the motor vehicle body 2 in the painting area where the painting robot 15 is located, while the motor vehicle body 2 is conveyed along the conveying path 4 in the conveying direction 3 by means of the conveying device 1, wherein the front crossbeam 11 of the two crossbeams 11 and 13 connected to the motor vehicle body 2 is received by one of the fixed receiving elements 7.

[0035] By means of the conveying equipment 1 shown, the method described, and the painting device 14, the vehicle body 2 can be painted in a particularly advantageous manner without resorting to, for example, a complex and expensive method of transporting the vehicle body by means of a loading slide.

[0036] The painting device 14 is used in particular for painting the body 2 of a motor vehicle by means of a topcoat.

[0037] A particular challenge, especially for the high cycle times of the vehicle body 2 during painting, is to integrate the conveying technology with the crossbeams 11 and 13, i.e., each painting crossbeam, without sacrificing flexibility, particularly in terms of the output of the painting unit 14 or the conveying equipment 1. To address this challenge, the robotic configuration of the painting robot 15 can advantageously operate on a surface based on so-called line tracking, where continuous conveying operations should be achieved, for example, at approximately 5 meters per minute.

[0038] With conveyor 1, continuous conveying during painting is possible, whereas with conveying via a loading slide, it can only be conveyed in a stop-and-go manner. Therefore, in the case of conveyor 1 and painting apparatus 14 shown, a significant reduction in production line length can be achieved, which can lead to particularly high investment savings, for example, by eliminating the need for a particularly large plant including a painting workshop. Furthermore, in the stop-and-go method, the car body is fixed in one place for the entire cycle time so that it can then be transported to the next production positioning stop as quickly as possible.

[0039] Advantageously, a so-called slipper 19 is provided. Therefore, a fixed support, for example in the form of a prism, is provided at the turning point of the chain strand 6, which is controlled in sync with the preceding crossbeam 11, allowing the vehicle body 2 to be pulled through the painting area. Due to the necessary minimum distance of, for example, 1200 mm between two successive vehicle bodies 2 to avoid overspraying onto subsequent vehicle bodies, a distance of, for example, 6700 mm is generated, consisting of the maximum body length of 5500 mm plus the minimum distance of 1200 mm. Thus, a fixed cycle distance of, for example, 7 meters is generated with a cycle time of approximately 90 seconds. If a color change is now desired, for example, changing from red to blue in the primer, the color change duration at the painting robot 15 is typically 15 seconds. Therefore, it is impossible to schedule painting using a 90-second time window, thus potentially resulting in an increased gap between the two vehicle bodies 2. Consequently, the number of vehicle bodies 2 that can be painted is reduced during color changes, and therefore the painting device 14 cannot operate particularly efficiently.

[0040] This problem can be avoided by using the conveying device 1 shown, because by increasing the number of carrying slippers (hereinafter referred to as "slippers") 19, a particularly high degree of flexibility can be achieved. Here, the slippers 19 are composed of a fixed receiving element 7 and a loose receiving element 8. Figure 2 A segment of chain strand 6 is shown in a schematic perspective view, revealing four links 10, two of which are fitted with slippers 19. For example, a beat distance of 6644 mm can be achieved using multiple slippers 19. Corresponding fixed receiving elements 7 and corresponding loose receiving elements 8 can be connected to the corresponding links via gooseneck 18. The slippers 19 and / or gooseneck 18 can be additionally configured as corresponding lateral guide elements to achieve lateral stabilization of the vehicle body 2 during transport. As a supplement or alternative, lateral guidance of the chain, or chain strand 6, is provided via lateral guide elements 24.

[0041] Preferably, the distance between one of the fixed receiving elements 7 and the loose receiving element 8 that follows the fixed receiving element corresponds to the beam distance between the crossbeam 11 and the other crossbeam 13, which is between 2000 and 3000 mm, especially the aforementioned 2610 mm.

[0042] If the crossbeam spacing is less than 2000 mm, instability increases during vehicle transport, particularly due to overturning moments along the vehicle's longitudinal direction. When the crossbeam spacing is greater than 3000 mm, the body connection points for crossbeams 11 and 13 may be disadvantageously located on the vehicle body 2 due to low bending strength. Advantageously, the slippers 19 are configured onto the transverse guides, i.e., along the vehicle's transverse direction and therefore, substantially perpendicular to the transport direction 3. The interaction between the slipper configuration and the slipper spacing, crossbeam spacing, and the total number of slippers 19 results in a particularly high level of complexity in the construction of the transport equipment 1. In summary, it has proven advantageous to achieve a distance of 478 mm between slippers 19 (four times the length of link 10) when the cycle distance between vehicle bodies 2 is 6674 mm, in order to achieve high productivity, especially during painting.

[0043] For pitch, a value between 200 mm and 4000 mm is advantageous. Pitches smaller than 200 mm are difficult to achieve due to the minimum length of the carrying chain conveyor trolley. In the paint line, the industry-standard body distance during painting is no more than 8 meters; therefore, pitches greater than 4000 mm are also difficult to achieve due to the minimum requirement (half pitch), i.e., half the cycle distance relative to the body distance.

[0044] Figure 3 To illustrate the side view, show the button. Figure 2 As part of the chain strand 6, the link length 25 of the corresponding link 10 is described here, which may be, for example, between 118 and 119 mm. The distance 9 may be, for example, 237 mm. The advantageous dimensions mentioned in this embodiment are not limiting, but are merely examples.

[0045] In addition, Figure 3 In the middle, a part of the chain drive device is shown at the reversing point or turning point 21, which can be configured as a drive wheel 22, wherein an unshown driven wheel of the chain drive device can be provided at the end of the conveying section 4 opposite to the drive wheel 22.

[0046] The challenges of the conveying equipment 1, or the painting device 14, are their cleaning. Therefore, it is preferable to set up automated cleaning, which, for example, can ensure the prevention of contamination and the removal of overspray, so as to maintain a particularly favorable painting quality when the paint is applied by means of the painting robot 15.

[0047] In the painting apparatus 14, the painting area where the painting robot 15 is located is configured, for example, as a clean chamber to achieve particularly high painting quality. Therefore, a problem may arise when re-passing, as individual loose receiving elements 8 and / or fixed receiving elements 7 may become beam receiving points, for example due to different cycle distances, points that were not previously beam receiving points. If there is overspray at these beam receiving points, as excess paint applied, this excess paint is located on the slipper 19, gooseneck 18, or especially on the fixed receiving elements 7 and loose receiving elements 8 and was stored during the previous pass. This excess paint is pushed away and / or released by the press fit of the beams 11 and 13, which can significantly and adversely affect the painting quality. Therefore, cleaning by means of the cleaning device 20 is particularly advantageous.

[0048] Figure 4 This shows a portion of the conveying route 4, in which the cleaning device 20 is located in the lower region, where the chain strand 6 runs back to the starting point in the opposite direction of the conveying direction 3.

[0049] In summary, a requirement particularly advantageously achieved by the conveying device 1 is that a cleaning cycle can be implemented, adapted according to a cycle distance that can be achieved via the chain strand 6. Furthermore, the conductivity of the gooseneck 18 must be guaranteed 100% at all times to enable particularly advantageous paint application. Moreover, the cleaning method must not affect the function of the chain strand 6. Furthermore, the removal of contaminants, such as those caused by overspraying, should be automated. Removing residual contaminants can reduce or eliminate fire hazards. Maintenance and cleaning of the cleaning device 20 preferably need to be performed during normal painting and can therefore be completed, for example, in less than 30 minutes. Furthermore, the cleaning device 20 should be particularly compatible with the paint, especially with the chemicals, dust, and contaminants used.

[0050] For this purpose, the cleaning device 20 can be, for example, a bath. The bath, for instance, is an ultrasonic water bath through which the gooseneck 18 and / or the fixed receiving element 7 and the loose receiving element 8—i.e., the slipper 19—can be advantageously pulled through the water bath for cleaning. As a supplement or alternative, dry ice, brushes, high-pressure cleaning, and / or squeezing or extrusion can be used to clean the chain strands 6 through the cleaning device 20. Advantageously, a combination of mechanical cleaning and the use of a separating agent is employed to achieve effective purification in the sense described above.

[0051] Here, the cleaning device 20 is configured and adapted such that the components being cleaned—link 10, fixed receiving element 7, loose receiving element 8, gooseneck 18, and slipper 19—do not need to have smooth surfaces, but rather, more precisely, they meet the functional requirements of the conveying device 1. One such functional requirement is, for example, to maintain appropriate conductivity, particularly when electrostatically applying paint.

[0052] Advantageously, when installing the chain conveyor 5 of the conveying device 1, the chain strands are first wetted and installed using a separating agent (e.g., grease according to the corresponding specifications). Cleaning is carried out, for example, by a rotating brush system, which can be part of the cleaning device 20, and this brush system alternately peels, scrubs, and / or scrapes the relevant elements. Waste is generated by peeling, which can be discharged, for example, through a dedicated discharge chute 23. Advantageously, a device is provided that can rewet the chain strands 6 in a planar manner by means of airless application. Here, the cleaning device 20 is arranged, in particular, in a modular manner below the conveying section 4, so that the cleaning device can be easily removed, for example, for maintenance and / or repair. Cleaning is performed accordingly, for example, when controlling the conveying device 1 or the painting device 14, by means of intermittent control, for example, by means of intermittent control via a control device.

[0053] By means of the conveying equipment 1, the painting device 14, and the method shown, continuous operation can be maintained during the painting of the vehicle body 2, allowing for minimal external intervention. Thus, a conveying technology is provided that can be applied in a continuous working mode (line tracking) within the process scope of the painting process, particularly in the form of primer and / or clear coat application within the paint shop during vehicle manufacturing. Here, a feature is the operation mode without a loading slide, which has flexible cycle distances and an automated cleaning device 20 in the chain return section of the circulating chain strand 6.

[0054] List of reference numerals

[0055] 1 Conveying equipment

[0056] 2. Motor vehicle body

[0057] 3 Conveying direction

[0058] 4 transport sections

[0059] 5 chain conveyor devices

[0060] 6 Chain Stocks

[0061] 7 Fixed receiving element

[0062] 8 Loose receiving element

[0063] 9 Distance

[0064] 10 links

[0065] 11 crossbeams

[0066] 12 storage areas

[0067] 13 Another crossbeam

[0068] 14 Painting Device

[0069] 15 painting robots

[0070] 16 robotic arms

[0071] 17 Spraying Tools

[0072] 18 goose necks

[0073] 19 Slippers

[0074] 20 cleaning devices

[0075] 21 Turning Points

[0076] 22 drive wheels

[0077] 23 Discharge Tank

[0078] 24 Lateral Guide Elements

[0079] 25 link length

Claims

1. A conveying device (1) for conveying a motor vehicle body (2) along a conveying path (4) during painting in motor vehicle manufacturing without the need for a loading slide, said conveying device comprising a chain conveyor (5) having at least one chain strand (6) circulating along the conveying path (4), on which, along the entire length of the chain strand, correspondingly alternating fixed receiving elements (7) and loose receiving elements (8) are arranged at predetermined distances (9) from each other and are movable along the conveying path (4) by means of the chain strand (6), and the corresponding fixed receiving element (7) constitutes a crossbeam (11) detachably connected to the motor vehicle body (2), and the corresponding loose receiving element (8) has a resting area (12) on which another crossbeam (13) detachably connected to the motor vehicle body (2) can be supported, wherein, The same crossbeam distance across the vehicle model is observed between the crossbeam (11) and the other crossbeam (13), and the distance between one of the fixed receiving elements (7) and the loose receiving element (8) following the fixed receiving element corresponds to the 2000 mm to 3000 mm crossbeam distance between the crossbeam (11) and the other crossbeam (13).

2. The conveying device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chain conveyor (5) includes at least one chain drive device, the drive wheel (22) of which is located at one end of the conveying section (4), and the driven wheel of which is located at the other end of the conveying section (4).

3. The conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, At least one lateral guide element (24) is provided on at least one of the fixed receiving elements (7) and / or on at least one of the loose receiving elements (8) and / or on at least one link (10) of the chain strand (6) and / or on at least one of the crossbeams (11, 13).

4. The conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A fixed support is installed at the turning point of the chain (6).

5. The conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive unit of the chain conveyor (5) is configured as a polygonal compensation drive unit, and / or the drive unit has a cycloidal transmission device.

6. The conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A cleaning device (20) is provided, which can be passed by the chain strand (6) in the opposite direction of conveying (3).

7. A method for painting the body (2) of a motor vehicle, wherein, Paint is applied to the vehicle body (2) in the painting area, while the vehicle body (2) is conveyed along the conveying path (4) by means of the conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the front crossbeam of the two crossbeams (11, 13) connected to the vehicle body (2) is received by one of the fixed receiving elements (7), and the rear crossbeam of the two crossbeams (11, 13) is supported on the resting area of ​​one of the loose receiving elements (8).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vehicle body (2) is introduced into the painting area by the conveying equipment (1) at a predetermined pace.

9. A painting apparatus (14) for painting a motor vehicle body (2), the painting apparatus having a conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and / or the painting apparatus being configured to perform the method according to claim 7 or 8.

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