Guiding device for guiding at least one cable located in protective hose, and retrofit kit and method for monitoring movement of such protective hose

Abstract

The invention relates to a guide device (20) for guiding at least one cable (14) located in a protective hose (16), in particular of an articulated arm robot (2), having a guide unit (28) with a fastening element (34) for fastening the protective hose (16) and a fastening support (24), the fastening element (34) being displaceable along the support (24), in this way, the protective hose (16) and the at least one cable (14) guided therein can be moved in a compensated manner. Furthermore, a sensor device (26) is arranged for measuring a movement of the protective hose (16) and obtaining movement data (M) of the protective hose (16) therefrom. In this way, the normal operation of the guiding device (20), in particular the damage condition of the protective hose (16), is monitored.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a guide device for guiding at least one cable in a protective hose, as well as a retrofit kit and a method for monitoring the movement of such a protective hose. Background Art

[0002] Guide devices are particularly used for guiding so-called dresspacks in multi-axis articulated-arm robots, especially multi-axis industrial robots. In current multi-axis industrial robots, several individual cables are typically routed to the frontmost articulated arm, also known as the robot hand, for supplying tools mounted on the robot hand, such as welding tools. These cables include, for example, power supply cables, electrical control cables, data cables, and media lines for gases or liquids. These cables are combined in so-called dresspacks and are typically loosely guided in protective hoses. These dresspacks are subject to high loads, both due to the relative movement of the articulated arms and, in particular, due to the often harsh environmental conditions (high temperatures, aggressive media such as weld spatter). The protective hose is particularly exposed to high stresses. So-called bellows are often used as protective hoses.

[0003] To achieve reliable guidance of the dresspack, a guide device with a return mechanism is usually used. This guide device is designed to enable compensating movements of the dresspack during the relative movement between the two articulated arms. Such a guide device in an industrial robot can be found, for example, in EP 2 956 277 A1.

[0004] High stress on the protective hose can lead to damage, thus compromising its protective effect. If a damaged protective hose is not promptly replaced or repaired, this can lead to failure of the cables routed within it, potentially causing malfunctions and downtime. In highly automated production facilities and industrial environments, damaged protective hoses often cannot be detected in a timely manner because access for, for example, visual inspection is either non-existent or only conditional. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to ensure reliable operation of such a guide device and, in particular, to enable early detection of defects in the protective hose.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a guide device having the features of claim 1, a conversion kit for forming such a guide device, and a method having the features of claim 17. The advantages and preferred embodiments listed with respect to the guide device can be incorporated into the conversion kit and the method in their entirety, and vice versa.

[0007] A guide device typically serves to guide at least one cable located in a protective hose, in particular the cables of a multi-axis articulated arm robot, more specifically a multi-axis industrial robot, and is fastened to the robot during operation. Typically, when installed, the guide device is secured to a processing device having at least two machine parts that are movable relative to one another. The at least one cable, preferably multiple cables, and the protective hose form a dress pack. The cables and protective hose are not required, but are preferably part of the guide device. In the installed state and during operation, the protective hose is attached to the guide device and, at least in this case, forms part of the guide device.

[0008] The guide device has a guide unit extending in the longitudinal direction, which includes a fastening element to which the protective hose is fixed during operation. In addition, the guide unit includes a fixing support, which is preferably fixed immovably to the articulated arm robot in the installed state. The guide unit is, in particular, an independent, compact construction unit, which itself can be mounted on a machine, in particular on an articulated arm robot, by means of the support. For example, the support is a base plate of the housing of the guide unit. Basically, the support itself can also be part of the machine. The guide unit is, for example, a known guide unit, such as those described in the above-mentioned EP 2 956 277 A1.

[0009] During operation, the protective hose fixed to the fastening element moves relative to the support along the support. In particular, the fastening element is movably, in particular linearly, mounted on the support to achieve compensating movements of the protective hose and at least one cable guided therein during operation.

[0010] Furthermore, the guide device has a sensor device that is designed to at least indirectly measure the movement of the protective hose and, therefore, to record movement data, in particular the movement pattern, of the protective hose when the protective hose is installed. Thus, the movement of the protective hose, in particular the fastening element, is typically recorded over time, in particular within the scope of a working cycle in which a defined movement from a starting position via at least one processing position and back to the starting position is performed by the guide device.

[0011] In particular, the actual movement of the protective hose and in particular the movement relative to the support is measured and made available for evaluation. Therefore, the movement of the protective hose relative to a reference point of the support is preferably measured.

[0012] The term "at least indirectly measuring the movement of the protective hose" is understood to mean that the actual movement of the protective hose is measured either directly via a measuring reference on the protective hose or indirectly via a measuring reference on a separate component. This separate component is firmly connected to the protective hose during operation. A measuring reference is understood to be a reference point or reference element, whose movement is measured.

[0013] The separate component is in particular a fastening element or a part thereof. A particular advantage is that this is a rigid component with a defined motion sequence, which is particularly suitable as a measuring reference and thus for measurement.

[0014] Based on the recorded motion data, in particular the recorded motion patterns of the protective hose and, in particular, the fastening elements, within a working cycle, the correct functioning of the guide device and, therefore, the articulated-arm robot, is checked during operation. During operation, the robot and, therefore, the dresspack, typically executes a particularly cyclically recurring working process specified by the robot or system controller. Within such a working cycle, the protective hose executes a defined motion pattern. In particular, within such a working cycle, the deflection occurs from a starting position to an end position and back again. Preferably, one or more intermediate positions are used, at which the deflection is stopped for a period of time, for example, and / or at which processing operations (e.g., welding, tightening, gripping, or other processing) are performed. After processing is completed, the robot moves to another intermediate or end position and performs another processing operation there.

[0015] The retrofit kit according to the invention has a sensor device which is intended for installation on an (existing) guide unit. Thus, existing systems can also be retrofitted in a simple manner by means of the retrofit kit.

[0016] In particular, the conversion kit is a construction unit that can be mounted on the guide unit and / or the articulated arm robot. To this end, the construction unit has mounting elements for fastening. These mounting elements are, in particular, screws, clamps, etc. In a preferred embodiment, these mounting elements are those that allow tool-free fastening. In particular, these elements are magnets, so that the sensor device is fastened to the articulated arm robot and, in particular, to the guide unit, in particular, solely via magnets.

[0017] This evaluation of the motion data is preferably performed with the aid of an evaluation unit. Such a unit is, for example, part of the guidance device. Alternatively, the unit is located on the articulated arm robot or is part of the articulated arm robot. According to a further alternative, the evaluation unit is located remotely from the articulated arm robot and, for example, is integrated into the system controller or into a remote data center, such as a cloud-based solution. Typically, and especially in the case of such a remote arrangement of the evaluation unit, the sensor device, and therefore preferably also the conversion kit, has, in particular, a communication interface for transmitting the motion data or, if applicable, the processed motion data to the evaluation unit.

[0018] This design is fundamentally based on the understanding that during operation, the protective hose executes a defined, predetermined movement pattern during various operating processes. A movement pattern generally refers to the temporal course of the protective hose's movement, i.e., the change in its position over time, particularly within the aforementioned operating cycle. During normal operation, a characteristic course of movement data (position data, velocity data, or even acceleration data) is generated, particularly a characteristic course of the movement pattern within the operating cycle. By measuring the actual movement of the protective hose relative to the support, movement data of the protective hose are provided, which are then checked for deviations from the expected movement pattern. If a deviation occurs, a fault is inferred, depending on the type of deviation.

[0019] Therefore, the movement pattern during the working cycle is preferably recorded and compared with a reference pattern. The reference pattern is provided, for example, by the manufacturer of the guidance device or is measured and stored during commissioning of the guidance device.

[0020] In particular, the motion pattern and the reference pattern are based on the same duty cycle, which is usually specified by the robot or system controller. Therefore, the complete motion process is compared with the expected motion process under the same control.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, information is provided about deviations of movement data recorded during the measurement, in particular a movement pattern recorded, from reference data, in particular from the mentioned reference pattern.

[0022] Based on such a comparison, deviations from the expected target course can be identified and, in particular, statements can be made regarding the correct operation of the guide device, in particular also of the articulated-arm robot.

[0023] In particular, the recorded movement data is evaluated for damage to the protective hose. Damage to the protective hose, especially a rupture, often results in a deviation in the movement pattern. For example, with a ruptured protective hose, the required deflection of the protective hose to achieve the desired movement is smaller than with an intact protective hose. This manifests as a characteristic change in the movement pattern. A damaged protective hose can be easily identified by comparing the expected (maximum) deflection with the measured (maximum) deflection.

[0024] In particular, the measured deviations at the end positions and / or intermediate positions in the movement pattern are compared with the expected deviations at these positions in the reference pattern.

[0025] As an alternative or in addition to the offset, for example, the rising gradient (speed, acceleration) in the individual sections of the movement pattern, ie between the individual positions (starting position, intermediate position and end position) within the working cycle, is evaluated and observed.

[0026] As an alternative or in addition to these measured motion data (e.g., deflection, velocity, acceleration, etc.), in particular in the case of repeated measurements of motion patterns within the same working cycle, statistical characteristic values ​​are determined and evaluated as motion data. These statistical characteristic values ​​include, for example, minimum / maximum values ​​and / or standard deviation / variance of the measured motion data (e.g., deflection, velocity, acceleration, etc.).

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of different types of motion data and characteristics are recorded or determined and evaluated. Different types of motion data are understood to be different characteristic values, in particular different physical quantities such as velocity, acceleration, etc., or mathematical or statistical characteristic values ​​derived therefrom. In particular, minimum and maximum values ​​of the deviation and / or preferably also statistical quantities such as mean, variance, and / or cycle time are recorded and evaluated.

[0028] By recording / determining a plurality of characteristic values, the accuracy of identifying possible damage situations and / or the accuracy of differentiating between different events or damage situations is increased.

[0029] Overall, damage, such as a rupture of the protective hose, can and will be detected early and reliably in this way, especially without visual inspection, and the protective hose can be replaced or repaired promptly, especially before components in the protective hose are damaged. Overall, this thus makes possible a simple method for monitoring the movement of the protective hose, which allows for early identification of damage to the protective hose.

[0030] Furthermore, the measurement of the movement of the protective hose, in particular the evaluation of the movement data, allows further clarification of the operation of the guide device, in particular also with regard to the operation of the articulated arm robot as a whole.

[0031] Therefore, in a preferred further embodiment, the movement data are additionally or alternatively used to assess malfunctions of the guiding device and / or the machine.

[0032] For example, there is a risk that the dress pack or simply the cables extending from the protective hose could get caught on interfering contours during various movements, resulting in the intended movement of a machine component (e.g., a robot arm) not being carried out or not being carried out completely. For example, a protective hose is often fitted with annular protectors that surround the protective hose, forming a friction shield. These protectors or other parts of the protective hose could get caught on protruding (interfering) contours. If this happens, it could also indicate, for example, a control error in the articulated arm robot and thus a program error in the articulated arm robot. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the recorded movement data is also checked for such interferences and / or program errors in the actual movement process.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, a change in the motion pattern is detected based on the motion data. This motion pattern can be based on, for example, a modified program, through which, for example, a change in deflection, speed, acceleration, and / or cycle time can be determined. In this case, when a change in the motion pattern (based on the modified program) is detected, a warning message is preferably issued.

[0034] This is, for example, an optical warning message via a light-emitting element (LED) on the guidance device. Preferably, this is an electronic warning message, which is sent to a remote communication unit and / or is stored locally in a memory. Such a communication unit is, for example, a user interface, such as a user dashboard. Alternatively, such an electronic warning message can be sent to a mobile device (smartphone), for example as a push message / SMS message etc. According to a preferred embodiment, the warning information is transmitted, for example, from the evaluation unit to a user system or a device control device of the user, which user system operates the articulated arm robot and from which the articulated arm robot is in particular also controlled.

[0035] Depending on the detected changes, different warning messages are preferably issued. For example, the warning message ranges from merely noting a possible program change to a suggestion for action in the event of a detected rupture.

[0036] To measure movement, the sensor device preferably comprises two sensor components, one of which is fixedly arranged and the other of which is at least indirectly connected to the protective hose, in particular to a fastening element, so that during operation the two sensor components execute a relative movement that corresponds in particular to the relative movement between the support to be measured and the protective hose. The fixed sensor component is preferably firmly connected to the support. Alternatively, it can also be fixed to a section of the guide unit housing or to the articulated arm robot.

[0037] These two sensor components are also typically part of a retrofit kit. The aforementioned mounting elements are designed so that one movable sensor component can be mounted at least indirectly on the protective hose, while the other, stationary sensor component can be mounted on a bracket, housing, or articulated-arm robot. This is achieved, for example, in each case by means of a magnetic fastening.

[0038] The movable sensor part is preferably firmly connected to the fastening element in the installed state, for example via a connecting element. Since the protective tube is fixed to the fastening element, the movable sensor part directly follows the movement of the protective tube.

[0039] As an alternative to fastening to a fastening element, the movable sensor part can also be fixed to the protective hose itself, for example, using a clamp. However, fastening to the fastening element is preferred, as this is a rigid element with a defined motion. Preferably, the fastening element only performs linear motion.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, one of the two sensor components is a reflector, on which the sensor signal to be measured is reflected. Depending on the sensor signal (measurement signal), the reflector is designed appropriately.

[0041] The sensor device typically preferably includes a transmitter for the sensor signal and a receiver. The sensor signal is actively transmitted by the transmitter and received by the receiver. The received sensor signal is suitably evaluated, for example with respect to its transmission time, in order to assess the desired motion data, such as position change, velocity, acceleration, etc.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged in a common construction unit or at least in the same (starting) position. In this embodiment, the aforementioned reflector is additionally provided to reflect the sensor signal back to the starting position.

[0043] Alternatively, the sensor and receiver are positioned spaced apart from each other, with one sensor part being fixed and the other sensor part being movable. With this embodiment, the reflector can be omitted.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, both sensor components—a fixed sensor component and a movable sensor component—are mounted within a sensor housing. These components are preferably housed completely or at least partially within the sensor housing. This ensures that the sensor system as a whole is protected from environmental influences. Furthermore, false reflections caused by objects in the detection area, such as in the case of untargeted sensor signals, are avoided. This ensures overall reliable and accurate measurements.

[0045] The sensor housing is preferably also part of the conversion kit. The conversion kit thus comprises a sensor housing with a fixed sensor component arranged therein on one side and a movable sensor component arranged therein on the other side. The movable sensor component is thus also arranged to be movable relative to the sensor housing. To this end, the sensor housing preferably comprises a (linear) guide along which the movable sensor component can be moved within the sensor housing. This guide can be, for example, a guide groove in a side wall of the sensor housing, the sensor housing, and / or a separate guide element within the side wall of the sensor housing.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the movable sensor part is connected to the protective hose at least indirectly via a fastening element via a connecting element extending from the sensor housing. The connecting element is, for example, the aforementioned mounting element of the conversion kit or is connected to such a mounting element.

[0047] The sensor housing is preferably a separate housing which, in the installed state, is in particular arranged laterally beside the guide unit. Preferably, the sensor housing is mounted on the support via corresponding mounting elements, which are in particular part of the conversion kit.

[0048] As an alternative to arranging the sensor device, or at least the sensor component, in a separate sensor housing, the sensor component is arranged on the guide unit and, in particular, within the guide unit. In this case, the guide unit preferably itself has the aforementioned housing with an interior space, in which the sensor component is arranged and thus protected from environmental influences.

[0049] Basically, different measuring principles can be used to detect movements, in particular relative movements between the support and the protective hose.

[0050] According to an advantageous embodiment, the sensor device is designed for ultrasonic measurement and one sensor component is an ultrasonic transmitter. The other sensor component is an ultrasonic receiver. Preferably, the movable sensor component is a reflector for the ultrasonic signal (sensor signal).

[0051] Alternatively, the sensor device is designed for optical measurement, with one sensor component being an optical transmitter and the other being an optical receiver. These are typically semiconductor components, in particular an LED as transmitter and a photodiode as receiver. In a preferred embodiment, a reflector is also provided as a movable sensor component.

[0052] According to a further preferred embodiment, the sensor device is designed for electrical or electromagnetic measurement, in particular for capacitive or inductive measurement. This enables fundamentally different embodiments. For capacitive or inductive measurement, for example, one or more electrical components, such as electrodes, electromagnetic coils, (permanent) magnets, etc., are distributed along the movement path of the protective hose / fastening element on a support or on another fixed component of the guide unit, for example, on a housing cover that serves as a housing cover. Complementarily, a second electrical or electromagnetic component, such as an electrode, electromagnetic coil or (permanent) magnet, etc., is arranged on the protective hose and in particular on the fastening element. Those components arranged along the movement path, for example, each generate a counting pulse, and based on these counting pulses, the movement can be inferred. As an alternative to arranging discrete individual electrical / electromagnetic components, continuous components with varying characteristics can also be arranged along the movement path. For example, a continuous electrode is formed, the width of which changes continuously, so that when a counter electrode arranged on a fastening element is moved, for example, the capacitance measured between the two electrodes changes continuously, and a specific position can therefore be inferred from the capacitance value captured each time, and thus the movement process over time can be derived.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment, the sensor device has a mechanical auxiliary element, in particular a rope, which is at least indirectly connected to the protective hose, for example to the fastening elements and can move together with them. In a preferred embodiment, the rope is fixed to the protective hose by a clamp.

[0054] Furthermore, sensor devices are designed to measure the movement of mechanical auxiliary elements. A rope is generally understood here to mean a flexible, strand-like element. This can be a rope in the narrow sense, a belt, a chain, a belt, etc. The rope can also be guided over a guide pulley or wound up by a winding mechanism. In particular, rope sensors are used to detect the mechanical movement of the rope. For example, the winding and unwinding movements in the winding mechanism are evaluated.

[0055] As an alternative to a rope, a rigid mechanical element, such as a rod, can also be provided, which moves together with the protective hose or the fastening element and whose movement is detected.

[0056] The guide unit typically has a return mechanism that is used to automatically, in particular spring-actuatedly, return the protective hose to its starting position. The spring-actuated return mechanism applies a preload force to the protective hose, in particular via a fastening element. The deflection of the dresspack from the starting position is caused by forced movements of the processing device, in particular an articulated arm robot, e.g., by forced controlled movements of a robot arm to which at least one cable is attached.

[0057] The resetting mechanism is in particular fixed to the support.

[0058] The fastening element further comprises a sliding element on which the restoring mechanism exerts a restoring force. The sliding element is in particular a sliding block which is guided along a guide, in particular a linear guide.

[0059] The resetting mechanism is preferably arranged in the housing of the guide unit. This housing has at least one slot, preferably two opposing longitudinal slots. A sliding element located within the housing is connected to a fastening clamp for securing the protective hose via the at least one slot. The sliding element and the fastening clamp form the fastening element, or at least form part of the fastening element. Preferably, the fastening element generally includes such a fastening clamp for clamping the protective hose.

[0060] The fastening element has, in particular, a bracket which surrounds the housing cover and whose edge-side bracket arms extend into the housing interior via the two aforementioned lateral longitudinal grooves and are connected there to the restoring mechanism, in particular to the sliding element.

[0061] The aforementioned movable sensor part is preferably firmly connected to the bow.

[0062] In a further preferred embodiment, the guide device has at least one sensor element and preferably a plurality of sensor elements and the one or the evaluation unit. The sensor element is designed to capture sensor data relating to the state of the protective hose, which also indicate the current state of the protective hose.

[0063] The sensor data are preferably at least partially movement data of the protective hose. The sensor element is therefore in particular at least partially a sensor component as described above.

[0064] Alternatively and in particular supplementarily, further sensor data are used, such as temperature data and / or humidity data, which are captured by suitable (further) sensor elements, such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, etc. The temperature is in particular the ambient temperature and / or the temperature of the protective hose.

[0065] The evaluation unit is connected to the sensor element and is arranged to repeatedly capture sensor data during operation and evaluate it with respect to the current wear state of the protective hose. If a critical wear state is inferred from this evaluation, a warning message is issued or at least stored in a memory.

[0066] Repeated capture is understood here to mean that data is captured regularly at specific points in time during operation, for example, periodically after specific time intervals, in order to obtain information about the current wear state each time. The time intervals for the periodic capture of sensor data are, for example, in the range of seconds or even milliseconds, in particular in the range of 10 to 20 milliseconds. The time intervals for the periodic evaluation of sensor data are, for example, in the range of minutes, preferably 1 to 20 minutes, in particular 1 to 10 minutes, and particularly in the range of 1 to 3 minutes.

[0067] This measure enables, in particular, continuous monitoring of the wear state of the protective hose. Overall, this creates an early warning system. This measure offers the advantage of early identification of critical wear states, allowing for timely repair or replacement. This prevents damage and / or downtime caused by protective hose failure.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, one or both of the following steps are performed during the evaluation:

[0069] a) Processing the sensor data with the aid of a filtering algorithm, in particular filtering out noise components, interference signals and / or irrelevant signal components irrelevant to the evaluation of the wear state of the protective hose, and obtaining filtered sensor data.

[0070] b) Extracting specified characteristic values ​​(parameters) from the sensor data, in particular from the filtered sensor data, by means of an extraction algorithm.

[0071] Based on these extracted characteristic values, the current wear condition of the protective hose is preferably deduced.

[0072] By means of these steps, a precise assessment of the current wear state of the protective hose is reliably determined, in particular also with a low computational effort.

[0073] The specified characteristic value may in particular be one or both of the following characteristic values:

[0074] a) From the time course of the sensor data, the minimum or maximum value in the time course is used as a feature value,

[0075] b) Statistically evaluating the sensor data and using statistical characteristic values, in particular the variance or standard deviation of a certain measurement parameter, the value of which is provided by the sensor data, as characteristic values.

[0076] Preferably, additional characteristic values ​​can also be captured and / or extracted and evaluated in the above method. Preferably, up to 15, in particular up to 35, in particular up to 50 characteristic values ​​can be captured and / or extracted and evaluated.

[0077] In a further preferred embodiment, the evaluated sensor data are compared with reference data and the wear state is inferred based on this comparison. In this way, a simple and fast evaluation is achieved.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, the reference data is determined from sensor data obtained during a learning phase after the guidance device is installed. The learning phase may be, for example, one or more years (e.g., 1 to 3 years), preferably several months (e.g., 1 to 6 months), several weeks (e.g., 1 to 4 weeks), or several days (e.g., 1 to 14 days).

[0079] The wear state is assessed in a monitoring phase following the learning phase. The monitoring phase can also serve as a learning phase during the ongoing operation of the control system to filter out interference factors that occur during long-term operation, thereby improving detection and monitoring accuracy.

[0080] For the evaluation of the sensor data with regard to the wear state assessment, preferably a self-learning algorithm is used, in particular an algorithm based on AI (artificial intelligence). This applies in particular to the learning phase and / or also to the monitoring phase.

[0081] The sensor data are evaluated locally on site, for example, by an evaluation unit which is part of the guidance device and / or part of a controller of the articulated arm robot on which the guidance device is mounted.

[0082] Alternatively, the evaluation takes place remotely, in particular in a cloud system. This means, in particular, that a communication interface is configured, via which the sensor data or values ​​derived therefrom are transmitted, in particular via the Internet, to a cloud system and are evaluated there in a suitable manner. The cloud system may be, for example, a remotely accessible storage space provided by the manufacturer of the control device.

[0083] Preferably, the evaluation unit or an (additional) evaluation unit for performing the sensor data evaluation is integrated in the cloud system.

[0084] The reference data is advantageously obtained from sensor data of a plurality of control devices, in particular those arranged at different locations, wherein their sensor data are jointly captured and evaluated in the aforementioned remote storage, in particular in a cloud system. The reference data is then determined from this data, for example by taking an average value from the plurality of control devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0085] Embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings show in partially simplified representations:

[0086] Figure 1 is a simplified side view of an industrial robot with a guidance device,

[0087] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the guide device with the first sensor device without the dress pack,

[0088] Figure 3 is based on Figure 2 A top view of the guiding device of FIG. 1 , but it has a variety of other sensing devices, which are only used as an illustration in FIG. Figure 3 Shown together,

[0089] Figure 4 is a simplified representation of the motion pattern, where the position is plotted against time, for the case of an undamaged protective hose and for the case of a damaged protective hose, and

[0090] Figure 5 It is a simplified block diagram representation of a monitoring and early warning system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0091] exist Figure 1 In the figure, an articulated arm robot 2 is shown as a processing device, in particular as an embodiment of a multi-axis, in particular six-axis industrial robot. It generally has a base 4 and a first section, also referred to as a swing arm 6, which is connected to the base 4 via a first joint connection R1. Around this first joint connection R1, the swing arm 6 can pivot about a horizontal axis. In addition, the swing arm 6 is generally pivotable relative to the base 4 about a vertical axis. The swing arm 6 extends generally upward in the vertical direction. At a second joint connection R2, a second section, generally referred to as the robot arm 8, is pivotally connected to the swing arm 6 about a so-called "axis 3". In addition, as a third section, a robot hand 10 is connected to the robot arm 8 via a third joint connection R3. Finally, a processing tool 12, such as a welding clamp, is attached to the robot hand 10. Such industrial robots generally have more than four or more than five, for example six, different degrees of freedom of movement.

[0092] To supply the processing tool 12 with power and / or fluids and / or data signals, the articulated-arm robot 2 has a supply cable pack that is guided along the robot arm 8 and thereby connected, for example, to the base 4. The supply cable pack has at least one cable 14, and preferably a plurality of cables 14, which are guided in a protective hose 16 at least in the area of ​​the robot arm 8. Hereinafter, the cables 14 and the protective hose 16 are also collectively referred to as a dress pack 18. Typically, a disconnection point for the supply cable pack is arranged in the area of ​​the second articulation R2, and the dress pack 18 is guided to this disconnection point as a replaceable wear unit.

[0093] During operation, for example during a rotational movement about the third joint axis R3, relative movements occur between the individual segments of the articulated arm robot 2 and a pulling movement is exerted on the tube pack 18. During the reverse movement back to the starting position, the tube pack 18 needs to be pulled back again.

[0094] In order to guide the dress pack and, in particular, to perform this return movement, a guide device 20 is fastened in the region of the second articulation R2 on the robot arm 2. This guide device 20 includes a fastening fixture 22 in which the dress pack 18 is held, in particular in a form-fitting manner, so that the return force exerted by the guide device 20 is transmitted to the dress pack 18.

[0095] The guide device 20 has a support 24, via which it is fastened to the articulated-arm robot 2, in particular in the region of the second joint R2. During the movement of the dress pack 18, the dress pack 18 and, consequently, the fastening fixture 22, perform a relative movement, in particular linear, relative to the support 24. A restoring mechanism 25 is attached to the support, which exerts an elastic restoring force on the fastening fixture 22. To this end, the fastening fixture 22 is connected, in particular, to a sliding element (not shown in greater detail) that is attached to the support 24 in a linearly slidable manner.

[0096] The protective hose 16 is typically a so-called corrugated tube, in which the plurality of cables 14 are typically loosely guided. The dress pack 18, and in particular the protective hose 16, are wear parts. If damage, such as a rupture in the protective hose 16, is not detected early, this can, in some cases, lead to damage to the internal cables 14 and, potentially, to an unexpected failure of the entire articulated arm robot 2 and, for example, to the failure of an entire assembly line in an industrial manufacturing process.

[0097] In order to detect damage to the protective hose 16 at an early stage, the guide device 20 is now equipped with a sensor device 26, as described below with reference to Figures 2 to 4 Explained in more detail.

[0098] The illustrated guide device 20 first comprises a guide unit 28. The guide unit 28 comprises a housing 30, which has a support 24 on its bottom side, to which a housing cover 32 is attached. A return mechanism (not shown in detail here) is formed in the free interior space. This return mechanism comprises an elastic return element, in particular a spring element, which exerts an elastic return force on a sliding element (not shown). The guide unit 28 comprises a fastening element 34 connected to the sliding element and capable of linear sliding along the support 24. In the exemplary embodiment, the fastening element 34 comprises a bracket 36, which surrounds the housing cover 32 and engages into the interior space via lateral longitudinal grooves, where it is connected to the sliding element. The aforementioned fastening clamp 22 is fastened to the bracket 36, into which the protective hose 16 is fastened in the installed state. In the illustrated example, the guide unit 28 comprises a sliding guide at its front end, which is fixedly connected to the support 24 and by which the dress pack 18 is slidably guided.

[0099] During operation, the protective hose 16, along with the fastening fixture 22 and the entire fastening element 34, moves linearly back and forth along the guide unit 28 to achieve the compensating motion. The articulated arm robot 2 is typically programmed for cyclically repetitive workflows, for example, to perform multiple individual welding processes on a component within a single work cycle. The same work cycle is repeated for the next component. During this work cycle, the protective hose 16, and therefore the fastening element 34, executes a defined motion pattern. The motion pattern can be used to determine whether the guide device 20 and / or the articulated arm robot 20 is executing the correct motion sequence according to the target requirements.

[0100] The movement process of the dress pack 18 , in particular the relative movement of the protective hose 16 relative to the support 24 , is measured by means of the sensor device 26 , and the movement data recorded in this process are evaluated.

[0101] There are basically several possibilities for this purpose, which will be discussed below. Figure 2 or Figure 3 The relevant content is explained in more detail.

[0102] All exemplary embodiments have in common that they capture and evaluate the (linear) movement of the fastening element 34, in particular the movement of the bracket 36 relative to the support 24. Thus, the actual movement of the fastening element 34 and thus the actual movement of the protective hose 16 is directly measured.

[0103] For this purpose, the sensor device 26 comprises a first movable sensor part 38A and a second fixed sensor part 38B. The movable sensor part 38A is fixed to the fastening element 34, while the fixed sensor part 38B is fixed to the support 24. The relative movement of the movable sensor part 38A with respect to the fixed sensor part 38B is measured by means of the sensor device 26.

[0104] In the various embodiments described below, the movable sensor assembly component 38A is designed as a reflector, and the fixed sensor component has a transmitter and, preferably, a receiver. A suitable sensor signal S is emitted by the transmitter, which is reflected by the reflector and returned to the fixed sensor component 38B, where it is captured by the receiver. The current position of the movable sensor component 38A is determined, for example, by evaluating the transmission time of the sensor signal S. This basic principle is usually combined with Figure 2 The sensor signal S is preferably an ultrasonic signal. Alternatively, an optical signal can also be used.

[0105] Figure 3 , a top view of the guiding device 20 is shown, with a plurality of different sensor device 26 concepts being shown exemplarily alongside one another. Typically, only one of these concepts is used.

[0106] According to a first preferred embodiment, the sensor device 26 comprises a sensor housing 40, which is arranged beside the guide unit 28 and, in particular, is fixed to the guide unit 28. Two sensor components 38A, 38B are arranged within the sensor housing 40. The sensor housing 40, and in particular the entire sensor device 26, is fixed to the guide unit 28 via a mounting element 42. Alternatively, fixing to a component of the articulated arm robot 2, for example, to the robot arm 8, is also possible.

[0107] The sensor housing 40 is preferably designed as a housing that is at least as closed as possible so that the components contained therein are protected from environmental influences. The sensor housing 40 is provided with a reversibly closable opening, for example, for maintenance purposes.

[0108] It should be emphasized that the movable sensor component 38 arranged in the sensor housing 40 is connected to the fastening element 34 and, in particular, to the bracket 36 via a connecting element 43 protruding from the sensor housing 40. The connecting element 43 therefore performs a relative movement with respect to the sensor housing 40 during operation. For this purpose, the sensor housing 40 preferably has a longitudinal slot in the side wall, along which the connecting element 43 can be moved.

[0109] The use of a sensor housing 40 is particularly advantageous in embodiments with ultrasonic signals as sensor signal S, since unwanted (erroneous) reflections caused by the contours of the guide unit 28 and / or the articulated arm robot 2 or other components in the environment are avoided. Even for optical sensor signals S, the closed sensor housing 40 creates defined measurement conditions, thereby ensuring reliable capture and measurement of the motion.

[0110] exist Figure 3 The middle image area of ​​the is a sensor device 26 based on an electrical detection principle, specifically capacitance measurement. In this embodiment, a fixed electrode 44 is used, paired with a movable counter-electrode (not shown in detail here), which is in particular connected to the fastening element 34. In the embodiment, the electrode 44 is designed to be located on the upper side of the housing cover 32. The counter-electrode is located, for example, on the lower side of the bracket 36. In the embodiment, it is also provided that the geometry of the electrode 44 changes continuously in the longitudinal direction of the guide unit 28 and, therefore, in the direction of movement of the fastening element 34. In the embodiment, it is particularly designed as a continuously tapering electrode 44. This results in a specific capacitance being formed depending on the current position of the fastening element 34, which capacitance therefore varies with position. This capacitance is captured in a suitable manner using measurement technology, and the current position can therefore be inferred. As an alternative to the continuous electrode 44 shown, separate discrete electrodes can also be provided. As an alternative to the capacitive measurement principle, an inductive measurement principle can be used.

[0111] Finally, in Figure 3 The upper area of ​​the diagram shows another embodiment using a mechanical measuring principle: in this embodiment, a mechanical auxiliary device, in particular a cable 46, is connected to the fastening element 34. A fixed cable unit 48 is connected to the support 24. This unit has, in particular, an integrated cable sensor (not shown in detail here), which detects changes in the deflection of the cable 46 and, therefore, the relative movement of the fastening element 34. In particular, a winding mechanism for the cable 46, which is, for example, spring-loaded, is integrated into the cable unit 48 for this purpose.

[0112] The movement data captured by the sensor device 26 are transmitted to an evaluation unit 48. The evaluation unit 48 is preferably a part of the sensor device 26 fixed to the guide unit 28. Preferably, the evaluation unit 48 is mounted on or in the sensor housing 40, e.g. Figure 3 Typically, the evaluation unit 48 is fastened to the guide unit 28 , for example at least indirectly.

[0113] As follows, especially in conjunction with Figure 4To be explained in detail, the motion data can alternatively be evaluated in a remote evaluation unit, which is, for example, integrated into the system controller of the articulated arm robot 2 or is part of a cloud-based solution. Such a remote evaluation unit is also part of the sensor device 26, which in this case has a plurality of structural or functional units arranged in a distributed manner. In this case, at least the part of the sensor device 26 that is attached to the guide unit 28 is designed to output suitable communication signals for transmitting the possibly processed measurement data to the remote evaluation unit.

[0114] Figure 4 An exemplary progression of the deflection x of the protective hose 16 over time t is shown. During a working cycle, the protective hose 16 and, consequently, the fastening element 34, execute a defined motion pattern. Starting from a starting position at time t0, a deflection occurs until reaching a first intermediate position x1 at time t1. Here, for example, a first processing operation (welding) takes place, which takes a certain amount of time. After this processing operation is completed at time t2, another deflection occurs until reaching another intermediate position x2, for example, the maximum deflection, where another processing operation is performed. From there, after another processing operation at intermediate position x3, the dress pack 18 is guided back to the original starting position x0, but at the end of the working cycle (cycle time T).

[0115] The upper curve defines the target or reference pattern, which is formed by the reference data R (a plurality of individual position-time pairs (xi, tj)).

[0116] During normal operation, the measured motion pattern formed from the measured motion data B corresponds—within the permitted tolerances—to a reference pattern. However, in the event of a disturbance, the measured motion pattern deviates from the reference pattern, so that the type of disturbance can and is inferred from the deviation. This is done in evaluation unit 48.

[0117] This is explained using the example of a rupture in the protective tube 16. In such a rupture, the actual deflection of the protective tube 16 is often smaller than the expected target deflection. This results in the position values ​​reached in each intermediate position being below the target value. In this case, the measured movement pattern is therefore shifted downward, for example, in the negative x-direction.

[0118] Depending on use and damage, a rupture may also result in greater deflection or similar deflection but with different other motion characteristics.

[0119] In this context, a large number of different characteristic values ​​are therefore determined, including, for example, derived characteristic values, such as, in particular, the variance of the offset, thereby ensuring a reliable and accurate evaluation and determination of the current movement situation.

[0120] Basically, other disturbances or errors can also be identified based on the evaluation of the movement pattern and can be evaluated accordingly. If the evaluation unit 28 identifies such a disturbance, a warning signal is issued in particular.

[0121] With the aid of the guide device 20 described here and the sensor device 26 mounted thereon, damage to the protective hose 16 and / or other disturbances can therefore be detected particularly early and appropriate countermeasures can be taken, for example issuing a maintenance message.

[0122] The sensor device 26 is designed, in particular, for retrofitting existing guide units 28. For this purpose, a retrofit kit 50 is generally provided that can be subsequently retrofitted onto existing guide units 28. The retrofit kit 50 comprises, in particular, two sensor components 38A, 38B, preferably an evaluation unit 48, and / or at least one communication unit for transmitting data signals to a remote evaluation unit. Furthermore, the mounting element 42 is preferably part of the retrofit kit 50. In an embodiment having a sensor housing 40, the sensor housing is part of the retrofit kit. The retrofit kit 50 preferably comprises a common mounting unit formed by these components, or is such a mounting unit. It comprises, in particular, the sensor housing 40 and the mounting element 42, wherein the sensor components 38A, 38B are already preassembled within the sensor housing 40. In one embodiment, the evaluation unit 48 is also part of this mounting unit. In this case, it only needs to be reinstalled on the guide unit 28.

[0123] Combine Figure 5 In the following, a monitoring system and an early warning system are described, which serve to continuously and regularly check the condition of the protective hose 16 .

[0124] The protective hose 16 in this guide device 20 is often subject to wear during operation. Frequent high stresses can also damage the protective hose 16. Both wear and damage impair the protective effectiveness of the protective hose 16. If such a damaged or worn protective hose is not promptly replaced or repaired, it can lead to failure of the cables 14 guided within the protective hose, potentially causing system failure and downtime. In automated production facilities using articulated arm robots 2 with this type of guide device 20, particularly in industrial environments, visual inspection, for example, is often not available or only conditionally available for safety reasons.

[0125] Now, in order to be able to check the wear state of the protective hose 16, a method is provided according to Figure 5 The monitoring system or early warning system shown:

[0126] The system has at least one sensor element 60 and in particular a plurality of, including different, sensor elements 60 which, during the operation of the control device 20, acquire sensor data D and transmit them to the evaluation unit 48. Figure 5 In the embodiment of FIG, this is, for example, the aforementioned evaluation unit 48 of the guiding device 20. Alternatively, an additional evaluation unit can be part of the guiding device 20.

[0127] In a preferred alternative, the evaluation unit 48 ′ is arranged remotely from the guide device 20 , in particular also remotely from the articulated arm robot 2 . In this case, the individual sensor data D can already be processed before being transmitted to the remote evaluation unit 48 ′. This can be part of a cloud system 62 , for example.

[0128] In principle, in the evaluation unit 48 , 48 ′ the sensor data D are evaluated with regard to the current wear state, as explained in the general description.

[0129] The sensor data D are at least partially or also exclusively sensor data D of the aforementioned sensor device 26 , ie in particular movement data M of the protective hose 16 .

[0130] Preferably, further different sensor data D are also acquired in a supplementary manner and taken into account in the evaluation. These are, for example, temperature data of the environment and / or of the protective hose 16 .

[0131] For the evaluation, the sensor data D or variables derived therefrom are preferably compared with reference data, in particular the aforementioned reference data R.

[0132] The acquisition of the sensor data D and its evaluation takes place continuously during the operation of the control device 20 , ie in particular at periodically repeating time intervals.

[0133] The reference data R are stored, for example, in the evaluation unit 48 , 48 ′.

[0134] Reference data R are preferably derived from the acquired sensor data D during a learning phase. The learning phase is typically a defined period of time, for example, days, weeks, or years after the commissioning of a (new) guide hose 16. Preferably, the learning phase is repeated each time the guide hose 16 is replaced. In this way, sensor data D are captured within a defined period of time in a new state or from the start of operation and subsequently used as reference data R—i.e., during a monitoring phase following the learning phase. Directly determined sensor data D (raw data) or data derived therefrom or determined during further operation can be used as reference data.

[0135] Alternatively or additionally, in the remote evaluation unit 48 ′, sensor data D from different control devices 20 are collected to obtain as broad a data base as possible. Universal reference data R are then derived from these sensor data D, for example.

[0136] When compared with reference data, violations of limit values ​​(minimum / maximum) are checked according to a scheme.

[0137] Alternatively, an evaluation algorithm is used in which the normal is learned as reference data, for example by machine learning, in particular using AI (artificial intelligence), and taking into account previous (historical) sensor data. In this way, faults in the protective hose can be detected with high precision.

[0138] After detecting the failure of the protective hose 16, a warning message will be issued and, for example, a responsible person will be notified immediately. The warning is preferably transmitted automatically, for example, via common communication channels such as e-mail, SMS, etc.

[0139] By automatically detecting and notifying, the protective hose can be repaired in time and damage to the internal cables can be prevented. Preferably, the warning already contains information related to the repair or replacement of the protective hose 16, such as the part number. This can reduce maintenance time.

[0140] In a preferred further embodiment, a status image of the respective system (eg the guiding device 20 or the entire articulated arm robot 20 ) is created and preferably also displayed graphically, eg as a visualization interface, so that the current status of the entire system can be seen.

[0141] Reference Signs List

[0142] 2-jointed arm robot

[0143] 4 base

[0144] 6 Swing arm

[0145] 8 Robotic Arm

[0146] 10. Robotic Hand

[0147] 12 Processing Tools

[0148] 14 cables

[0149] 16 Protective hose

[0150] 18 Dress Pack

[0151] 20 Guidance Device

[0152] 22 Fastening fixture

[0153] 24 supports

[0154] 25 reset mechanism

[0155] 26 Sensors

[0156] 28 guide units

[0157] 30 Shell

[0158] 32 Housing cover

[0159] 34 Fastening elements

[0160] 36 Bow Stand

[0161] 38A movable sensor unit

[0162] 38B Fixed sensor assembly

[0163] 40 sensor housing

[0164] 42 Mounting components

[0165] 43 Connecting elements

[0166] 44 electrodes

[0167] 46 Rope

[0168] 48 evaluation units

[0169] 50 Conversion Kit

[0170] 60 sensor elements

[0171] R1 first joint connection

[0172] R2 Second joint connection

[0173] R3 third joint connection

[0174] S sensor signal

[0175] R reference data

[0176] M measured motion data

[0177] D Sensor data

Claims

1. A guide device (20) for guiding at least one cable (14) located in a protective hose (16), in particular of an articulated arm robot (2), the guide device (20) having a guide unit (28), wherein: The guide unit (28) has a fixed support (24) and a fastening element (34) for fixing the protective hose (16), wherein the fastening element (34) can be moved along the support (24) to achieve a compensating movement of the protective hose (16) and at least one cable (14) guided therein, and is characterized in that the guide device (20) includes a sensor device (26) for at least indirectly measuring the movement of the protective hose (16) when the protective hose (16) is installed and thereby obtaining movement data (M) of the protective hose (16).

2. The guide device (20) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The guiding device (20) has an evaluation unit (48) which is designed to evaluate the movement data (M) captured during the measurement as a function of their deviation from reference data (R).

3. The guide device (20) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The evaluation unit (48) is designed such that the acquired movement data (M) are evaluated with regard to detecting disturbances in the movement of the guide unit (28) and / or changes in the movement pattern of the guide unit (28).

4. The guide device (20) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The evaluation unit (48) is designed to determine a movement pattern of the guide unit (28) within a working cycle and to compare it with a reference pattern, wherein within the scope of the working cycle the guide unit (28) and therefore the protective hose (16) execute a defined movement pattern and in particular move from a starting position via preferably at least one intermediate position, at which a machining operation is performed, to an end position and from the end position back to the starting position.

5. The guide device (20) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The reference pattern and the movement pattern are based on the same, in particular periodically repeating, duty cycle.

6. The guiding device (20) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that The evaluation unit (48) is designed such that the acquired movement data (M) are evaluated with respect to damage to the protective hose (16), in particular with respect to the occurrence of a rupture.

7. The guide device (20) according to the preceding claim and according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that The evaluation unit (48) is designed to infer damage to the protective hose (16) based on a comparison of the reference pattern and the deviations of the measured movement pattern at intermediate positions or end positions.

8. The guide device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The sensor device (26) has two sensor components (38A, 38B) for measuring movement, one sensor component (38A) being at least indirectly connected to the protective hose (16) and the other sensor component (38B) being arranged in a fixed manner so that the two sensor components (38A, 38B) perform a relative movement during operation.

9. The guiding device (20) according to the preceding claim, wherein The one sensor component (38A) is connected to the fastening element (34).

10. The guide device (20) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein The one sensor component (38A) is a reflector for the sensor signal (S) to be measured.

11. The guiding device (20) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The two sensor components (38A, 38B) are at least partially enclosed in a sensor housing.

12. The guiding device (20) according to the preceding claim, wherein The sensor housing (40) is arranged laterally beside the guide unit (28).

13. The guide device (20) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein The sensor housing (40) is fixed to the support (24).

14. The guide device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The sensing device (26) may optionally: - is designed for ultrasonic measurement, and said one sensor component (38B) has an ultrasonic transmitter; - is designed for optical measurement, and said one sensor component (38B) has an optical emitter; - are designed for electrical or electromagnetic measurements, in particular for capacitance measurements.

15. The guide device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The sensor device (26) has a mechanical auxiliary element, in particular a rope (46), which is at least indirectly connected to the protective hose (16) and in particular to the fastening element (34), and the sensor device (26) is also designed to measure the movement of the mechanical auxiliary element.

16. A guiding device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The guide unit (28) has an integrated return mechanism (25) which is designed to automatically, in particular spring-actuatedly, return the protective hose (16) to a starting position, wherein the return mechanism (25) is in particular attached to the support (24).

17. The guiding device (20) according to the preceding claim, wherein The fastening element (34) has a bracket (36) which surrounds a housing cover (32) of the guide unit (28).

18. The guide device (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The sensor device (26) has at least one sensor element (60) for capturing sensor data (D) relating to the condition of the protective hose, and an evaluation unit (48) for evaluating the sensor data (D), wherein the evaluation unit (48) is configured to repeatedly capture the sensor data during operation and to evaluate the sensor data with respect to the current wear condition of the protective hose.

19. A conversion kit (50) for forming a guide device (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein The conversion kit has a sensor device (26) which can be mounted on a guide unit (28) and is designed to measure a movement of a protective hose (16) of the guide unit (28).

20. A method for monitoring the movement of a protective hose (16) of a guiding device (20) for guiding at least one cable (14) located in the protective hose (16), wherein: The guiding device (20) comprises a guiding unit (28) having a fastening element (34) for fastening the protective hose (16) and a fixing support (24), wherein the fastening element (34) is movable along the support (24) to achieve a compensating movement of the protective hose (16) and at least one cable (14) guided therein, wherein the method comprises measuring a movement of the protective hose (16) relative to the support (24) and capturing movement data (M).

21. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein The movement pattern of the protective hose (16) is measured and compared with a reference pattern.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protective hose (16) is checked for damage based on measured movement data (M).

23. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein By means of at least one sensor element (60), sensor data (D) are repeatedly captured and evaluated with regard to the wear condition of the protective hose (16), wherein a warning message is issued in the event of a critical wear condition, wherein the sensor data (D) preferably at least partially relate to movement data (M) of the protective hose (16).

24. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein During said evaluation at least one or at least two of the following steps are performed: a) processing the sensor data by means of a filtering algorithm so that noise components, interference signals and / or irrelevant signal components are filtered out, and obtaining filtered sensor data, b) Extracting specified characteristic values ​​from the sensor data, in particular from the filtered sensor data, by means of an extraction algorithm, wherein the current wear condition is preferably deduced based on the extracted characteristic values.

25. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein The specified characteristic value is at least one or at least two of the following characteristic values, including: a) Find the minimum or maximum value in the time process of the sensor data as the characteristic value, b) Statistically evaluating the sensor data and using statistical characteristic values, in particular the variance or standard deviation of the captured sensor data, as characteristic values.

26. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein The evaluated sensor data are compared with reference data, and the wear condition is inferred based on the comparison.

27. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein The reference data are derived from sensor data determined during operation during a learning phase after installation of the guide device, and an evaluation with regard to the wear state is also performed during a monitoring phase following the learning phase.

28. The method according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein: The reference data is derived from sensor data obtained from a plurality of guidance devices.

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