Method for operating a manufacturing plant with a transport system

Abstract

Method for operating a manufacturing plant with a Transport system for transporting a container, wherein the transport system comprises a vehicle and a transport vehicle, on the frame of which two spaced-apart wheel drives, each comprising a wheel, are arranged, wherein a first and a second heel part are arranged and / or formed on the frame, wherein the first heel part is spaced apart from the second heel part, wherein a space is arranged between the wheel drives and between the heel parts, into which the vehicle with the container it carries can be driven and from which the vehicle with the container can be driven out, wherein the container has a width which is greater than the distance between the heel parts, wherein the vehicle has a lifting device and the vehicle can be moved into the space both with the lifting device retracted and with it extended, the container can be positioned above the heel parts on the vehicle when the lifting device is extended, the container can be arranged on the heel sections when the lifting device is retracted, characterized by the fact that In a first process step, the transport vehicle autonomously drives past a sensor of the production plant into a transfer zone. where the sensor transmits information about the goods contained in a container to a central computer of the production plant, in a subsequent process step the transport vehicle drives autonomously to an assembly cell, wherein the vehicle removes at least one container from the transport vehicle and transports it to one of the workstations of the assembly cell and places the container there, where, for the production of a product, a particular item is taken from the container at the respective workstation.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a production plant with a transport system.

[0002] It is generally known that a transport system can be provided for transporting a container. For example, conveyor belts are well known for this purpose.

[0003] The closest prior art is a picking system known from WO 2016 / 026910 A1.

[0004] A track-guided transport system with transport vehicles is known from DE 196 26 966 A1.

[0005] A transport vehicle is known from JP S64- 13 514 U.

[0006] DE 34 13 255 A1 discloses a method for a modular, flexible assembly system.

[0007] WO 2013 / 135 227 A1 discloses a method for effectively assembling commission pallets.

[0008] FR 2 996 788 A1 discloses a method for handling and a logistics center. The invention is therefore based on the object of further developing a transport system for logistical transport.

[0009] According to the invention, the object is achieved by the method according to the features specified in claim 1.

[0010] Important features of the invention in the transport system for transporting a container are that the transport system comprises a vehicle and a transport vehicle, on the frame of which two spaced-apart wheel drives, each having a wheel, are arranged, in particular wherein the two wheels are arranged in contact with a ground to generate traction force for the transport vehicle, in particular wherein the wheel axles of the two wheels are aligned parallel to each other, wherein a first and a second heel part are arranged and / or formed on the frame, wherein the first heel part is spaced from the second heel part, wherein a space area is arranged between the wheel drives and between the heel parts, into which the vehicle can be driven with the container accommodated by it and from which the vehicle can be driven with the container, wherein the container has a width which is greater than the distance, in particular the smallest distance, between the heel parts, wherein the vehicle has a lifting device and the vehicle can be driven into the space when the lifting device is retracted and also when it is extended, the container can be arranged above the heel parts on the vehicle when the lifting device is extended, whereby the container can be arranged on the heel parts when the lifting device is retracted.

[0011] The advantage here is that the vehicle can be driven into the space in the transport vehicle when the lifting device is extended, with the container being arranged above the landing sections, i.e. at a greater distance from the ground than the landing sections. When the lifting device is retracted and the container is thus lowered, the container is placed on the landing sections due to its sufficiently large width. The width of the container refers to the extension of the container in the direction of the shortest connecting line between the two landing sections. The vehicle with its lifting device is sufficiently narrow to allow the lifting device to be extended or retracted in the spacing area between the landing sections. In this way, a container that is picked up on a lifting device of the vehicle can be transferred to the transport vehicle, which has a protective frame with a housing.The housing of the transport vehicle surrounds the container not only on the sides but also from above, thus creating a roof-like structure. This protects the container from precipitation. After the vehicle has been removed from the storage area, the transport vehicle can be moved freely along the ground. This means that it can also be driven into a truck or freight train car, for example.

[0012] This means that the vehicle can be used for transport within a building and the transport vehicle can be used for transport outside the building.

[0013] The container can accommodate transported goods.

[0014] According to the invention, a logistical transport can be divided into an intralogistic transport, i.e. a transport carried out within a building, and an external transport in the surrounding area.

[0015] Intralogistics transport can be carried out using a simple, cost-effective vehicle equipped with a lifting device. External transport can be carried out using a transport vehicle that offers protection against environmental influences. For this purpose, the transport vehicle has a protective housing, in particular with an activatable cover, such as a roller shutter or door or the like.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the first and second heel parts are formed as two parallel rails, In particular, the rail direction is parallel to the direction of travel of the transport vehicle when entering or exiting the vehicle. This allows for stable storage of the container.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the room area can be closed with a cover,

[0018] In particular, the stored containers are protected from ambient precipitation. An advantage here is that the container can be transported outside. The cover can be designed as a roller shutter, a door, or similar. The cover must be deactivatable so that the space is freely accessible to the vehicle. Only by activating the cover can the space be closed off.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the two heel parts, in particular the contact surfaces of the container with the heel parts, are each at the same distance from the floor. This is advantageous in that the container can be placed on the heel parts without tilting if the container has a flat support surface on its underside, with the support surface being able to be placed on the heel parts.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the platform parts can be driven under by the vehicle, especially when the lifting device is retracted. This is advantageous because driving under them can be carried out without contact. Thus, after retraction, the lifting device can be extended, and the container can then be lifted.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the wheel drives are mounted on the frame of the transport vehicle for linear movement, in particular with sliding or spring-mounted mountings. This is advantageous because not the entire weight of the transport vehicle is transferred via the wheels, but only the weight of the wheel drives.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the transport vehicle has casters for dissipating the weight of the transport vehicle, reduced by the weight of the wheel drives, in particular with the space between the casters. The advantage here is that the casters can be designed in a cost-effective and stable manner, so that the majority of the weight is transferred to the ground via the casters.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment, the wheel drives each have an electric motor, with the electric motors being powered by an energy storage device fed from a secondary winding. This advantageously allows for inductive transmission of electrical energy from the ground to the transport vehicle.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the secondary winding can be inductively coupled to a primary conductor arranged on the ground. This allows for a contactless inductive power supply.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, a capacitor is connected in series or parallel to the secondary winding,

[0026] The resonant frequency of the resulting oscillating circuit corresponds to the frequency of the alternating current impressed into the primary conductor. The advantage of this is that a high degree of efficiency can be achieved in the inductive transmission of electrical energy.

[0027] In an advantageous embodiment, the transport vehicle has a controller connected to a position detection system of the transport vehicle and / or distance sensors of the transport vehicle. This is advantageous in that navigation is enabled in a simple manner.

[0028] Important features of the method for operating a production plant with a transport system are that in a first method step, the transport vehicle, which is in particular transported by an infrastructure vehicle, drives autonomously past a sensor of the production plant, in particular through an entrance gate of the production plant, into a transfer zone, in particular wherein the sensor comprises an RFID reader, whereby information about the goods contained in a container, in particular transport goods, is transmitted to a central computer of the production plant by means of the sensor, in particular, wherein energy is supplied to the transport vehicle in the transfer zone, in particular inductively supplied to charge its energy storage device, In a subsequent process step, the transport vehicle travels autonomously to an assembly cell, wherein the vehicle removes at least one container from the transport vehicle and transports it to one of the workstations of the assembly cell and places the container there, in particular on a storage block of the respective workstation, whereby, in order to manufacture a product at the respective workstation, a respective product, in particular transport goods, is removed from the container.

[0029] The advantage here is that no warehouse is required for the containers transported by the transport vehicle; instead, the transport vehicle itself, particularly in the transfer zone, can be used as a storage location. Thus, according to the invention, a high-bay warehouse can be eliminated or at least made smaller if conventional logistical process steps are also applied in parallel with the transport vehicle described in the invention and its use.

[0030] In an advantageous embodiment, after the container has been emptied, it is picked up by the vehicle and stored in a transport vehicle, which then autonomously exits the production facility, particularly via the transfer zone past the sensor, particularly to another infrastructure vehicle. The advantage here is that an empties cycle can be easily set up, allowing the transport vehicles to be used not only for transporting goods but also for removing empty containers.

[0031] Further advantages emerge from the dependent claims. The invention is not limited to the combination of features in the claims. Further possible combinations of claims and / or individual claim features and / or features of the description and / or the figures will become apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly from the problem and / or the problem posed by comparison with the prior art.

[0032] The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of illustrations: In the Fig. 1 shows a first state of an intralogistics system which has a transport vehicle 4 and a vehicle 3 transporting containers 2. In the Fig. 2 shows a second state of the system, wherein the containers 2 are placed on a step 8 of the transport vehicle 4 and the vehicle 3 moves out of the transport vehicle 4. In the Fig. 3 shows the transport vehicle 4 with the containers stored in it on the landing 8 in an oblique view. In the Fig. 4 shows a lorry 41, i.e. truck, into which transport vehicles have been driven and thus accommodated. In the Fig. Figure 5 shows the use of the intralogistics system for a manufacturing facility.

[0033] As shown in the figures, the intralogistics system according to the invention comprises a vehicle 3 which can be moved on the floor and has a lifting or lowering support, in particular a plate.

[0034] Thus, a container 2, i.e., a bin, stored on storage pedestals 1 can be driven under and picked up by extending the liftable support. This is because the container 2 is only placed on the storage pedestals 1 from above and can thus be removed from the storage pedestals by lifting it using the support of the vehicle 3.

[0035] As in Fig. 1, the vehicle 3 then drives with the containers 2 thus picked up into a transport vehicle 4, which is designed like a capsule. The transport vehicle 4 itself has castors 7, so that the weight of the transport vehicle is essentially carried by the castors 7. The castors are rotatably mounted, so that the transport vehicle 4 can be moved on the ground. The castors 7 are connected to the frame of the transport vehicle 4 via an axle and thus always rotate in the direction of travel. The transport vehicle 4 also has a control system that activates the drives 5, which drive wheels. These wheels provide traction. Steering, i.e., a change in the direction of traction, is possible by changing the speed of rotation of the arranged wheels.

[0036] The wheels are pressed against the ground only to the extent that sufficient static friction is present to provide propulsion. For example, the drive is mounted on the frame of the transport vehicle in a sliding or spring-loaded manner, so that only the weight of the drive is transferred to the ground via the wheels.

[0037] At least one drive with at least one wheel is arranged on both sides of the spatial area into which the vehicle 3 enters to load or unload the containers 2 into the transport container 4. As long as the vehicle 3 is in the transport vehicle 4, the transport vehicle 4 does not move or only moves parallel to the vehicle 3.

[0038] The transport vehicle 4 has a housing part connected to the frame of the transport vehicle 4, which housing part at least partially surrounds the stored containers 2.

[0039] On the inside of the housing part or frame of the transport vehicle 4, a shoulder 8 is formed on both sides, in particular a cantilevered section. Thus, when the liftable support is lowered, the containers projecting on both sides of the vehicle 3 are deposited on the shoulder 8 arranged on both sides, which is preferably designed in two parts. Thus, the transport vehicle 4 transports the containers 2 after the vehicle 3 has been moved out of the transport vehicle 4.

[0040] The shoulder 8 is spaced from the ground in such a way that the vehicle 3 can drive underneath the containers 2. The vehicle 3 can thus drive underneath the containers 2 stored in the transport vehicle 4 with the lifting axle retracted and pick them up by extending the lifting axle. The housing part of the transport vehicle 4 covers the containers 2 stored in it, as shown in Fig. 3. The entry area provided for the vehicle 3 can be closed by means of a cover 40, in particular a roller door, i.e., a roller shutter, so that the containers 2 in the transport vehicle 4 are protected from precipitation or environmental dirt when the cover 40 is activated. To enable the vehicles 3 to enter the transport vehicle 4, the cover 40 is deactivated, thus making the entry area accessible to the vehicle 3.

[0041] What is essential about the transport vehicle 4 is that two driven wheels, including their drives 6, are arranged on the frame of the transport vehicle in such a way that a vehicle 3, including containers 2, can be driven into the transport vehicle 4, whereby the lifting axle must be extended and thus the containers 2 are arranged above the shoulder 8. Furthermore, the vehicle 3 is arranged between the two wheels, so that the connecting line, in particular each line, between the two wheels intersects the vehicle 3.

[0042] The minimum distance between the two shoulder parts 8 is smaller than the width of the containers 2.

[0043] The floor is preferably flat. Thus, it provides a travel plane for transport vehicle 4 and vehicle 3.

[0044] As in Fig. 4, transport vehicles 4 of the Fig. 1 to 4, the transport vehicles 4 independently, i.e., autonomously, control their entry into the truck 41 and park there in a row. Thus, a high density of transport vehicles 4 can be achieved.

[0045] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the intralogistics system can be advantageously used in a production plant, since a warehouse, such as a high-bay warehouse, can be dispensed with or at least made smaller.

[0046] This is because the transport vehicles 4 are delivered by means of an infrastructure vehicle, such as the truck 41 and / or the rail vehicle. These drive autonomously out of the delivering infrastructure vehicle and then move through an entrance gate of the production facility. A sensor 50 is arranged at this entrance gate, which detects the transport vehicle 4 as it passes through the entrance gate and detects the goods contained in the containers 2 transported by the transport vehicle 4. This is done, for example, using RFID tags, which are read by a reader equipped with the sensor 50. Alternatively, each container 2 can also be equipped with an RFID tag, which contains information about the goods contained in the container, with a reader equipped with the sensor 50 reading the RFID tags.

[0047] Thus, the central control of the production plant is informed which goods are contained in the respective transport vehicle 4.

[0048] The transport vehicle 4 then travels to a transfer zone 51, where it parks at a respective charging station and can be supplied with energy. For this purpose, primary conductors carrying alternating current are laid in the ground so that a secondary winding arranged on the underside of the respective transport vehicle 4 can be inductively supplied from the respective primary conductor, thus supplying an energy storage device of the transport vehicle.

[0049] A product is manufactured in an assembly cell 52 of the production plant with several workstations arranged serially in a U-shape, with each workstation carrying out a respective manufacturing step.

[0050] At each workstation of the assembly cell, at least one respective container 2 is stored, which was removed from the transport vehicle 4 by means of the vehicle 3 and transported to the respective workstation of the assembly cell 52. During the respective manufacturing step at the respective workstation, a product required for the manufacturing step is then removed from the respective container 2 stored at the workstation and used to manufacture the product.

[0051] Empty containers 2 are picked up by vehicle 3 and stored in a transport vehicle 4, which then leaves the production facility via the transfer zone 51 and is transported to another infrastructure vehicle. Instead of the U-shaped arrangement, a different serial arrangement of the workstations is also possible in other embodiments of the invention. List of reference symbols 1 bearing block 2 containers 3 vehicles 4 Transport vehicle 5 Secondary winding 6 Drive with drive wheels 7 swivel castors 8 Paragraph, in particular projecting section of the housing part of the transport vehicle 4 40 Cover 41 trucks (lorries) 50 sensors 51 Transfer zone 52 assembly cells with several U-shaped serially arranged workstations

Claims

[1] Method for operating a production plant with a Transport system for transporting a container, wherein the transport system comprises a vehicle and a transport vehicle, on the frame of which two spaced-apart wheel drives, each having a wheel, are arranged, wherein a first and a second heel part are arranged and / or formed on the frame, wherein the first heel part is spaced from the second heel part, wherein a space area is arranged between the wheel drives and between the heel parts, into which the vehicle can be driven with the container it holds and from which the vehicle can be driven out with the container, wherein the container has a width which is greater than the distance between the heel parts, wherein the vehicle has a lifting device and the vehicle can be driven into the space when the lifting device is retracted and also when it is extended, the container can be arranged above the heel parts on the vehicle when the lifting device is extended, whereby the container can be placed on the heel parts when the lifting device is retracted, characterized by , that In a first process step, the transport vehicle drives autonomously past a sensor of the production plant into a transfer zone, whereby information about the goods contained in a container is transmitted to a central computer of the production plant by means of the sensor, In a subsequent process step, the transport vehicle travels autonomously to an assembly cell, wherein the vehicle removes at least one container from the transport vehicle and transports it to one of the workstations of the assembly cell and deposits the container there, whereby to manufacture a product at the respective workstation, a respective product is removed from the container. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the first and second heel parts are formed as two parallel rails. [3] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the room area can be closed with a cover. [4] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the two heel parts are each the same distance from the ground. [5] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the heel parts can be driven under by the vehicle. [6] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the wheel drives are arranged on the frame of the transport vehicle so that they can move linearly. [7] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the transport vehicle has castors to dissipate the weight of the transport vehicle reduced by the weight of the wheel drives. [8] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the wheel drives each have an electric motor, wherein the electric motors can be supplied from an energy storage device which can be fed from a secondary winding. [9] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the secondary winding can be inductively coupled to a primary conductor arranged on the ground. [10] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a capacitance is connected in series or parallel to the secondary winding, where the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit thus formed corresponds to the frequency of the alternating current impressed into the primary conductor. [11] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the transport vehicle has a controller which is connected to a position detection system of the transport vehicle and / or distance sensors of the transport vehicle. [12] Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that after the container has been emptied, it is picked up by the vehicle and stored in a transport vehicle, which drives autonomously past the sensor out of the production facility.

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