Conveying system for elongated workpieces and method for conveying such workpieces

Abstract

Conveying system (1) for elongated workpieces (2), each having a respective head region (11) which, forming a tapered region (12), merges into a shaft (13), at the end (15) of which shaft is opposite the head region (11), a respective foot region (14) is arranged, which has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region (11), with two mutually parallel and synchronously drivable, endless transport elements (3), on the respective upper strand (19) of which the workpieces (2) can be suspended by their tapered regions (12) and conveyed in suspended contact, wherein the transport elements (3) are each designed as a conveyor belt (3) with a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side (4), on which the workpieces (2) can be supported by their tapered regions (12), and the two conveyor belts (3) each have at least one bevel (28) on their respective outer side (4), which are opposite each other.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a conveying system for elongated workpieces. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for conveying such workpieces.

[0002] During the production, particularly series production, of components for motor vehicles, especially connecting rods for internal combustion engines, or of motor vehicles, conventional conveying systems face a multitude of challenges. For example, connecting rods of different designs (straight-split, diagonally split, connecting rods for gasoline engines, connecting rods for diesel engines) cannot be transported reliably. This is because the various connecting rods can have different masses and geometries. As a result, these different connecting rods cannot be transported using a common conveying system without first adapting it to the respective connecting rod type. Such adaptation of the conveying system requires a particularly long, non-value-adding setup time, especially during production.

[0003] Such a conveying system is disclosed, for example, in DE 92 18 231 U1 or EP 0 480 099 A1. The respective transport device for elongated workpieces (connecting rods) uses a horizontal transport bar that engages a respective connecting rod base to carry the connecting rod bases. These always remain behind the respective connecting rod heads in the transport direction, i.e., they are arranged diagonally in the transport device, with the transport bar performing an alternating, translational movement along the transport direction. The connecting rod heads are supported on two symmetrical halves of a support bar. The connecting rods can therefore be advanced in the transport direction by means of these two transport devices.

[0004] Furthermore, DE 10 2005 026 351 A1 also discloses a transport device for connecting rods, the respective connecting rod heads of which are supported on a stationary support bar. As with the previously described transport devices, the respective connecting rod heads are supported on a transport element, so that the connecting rod heads always lag behind the connecting rod heads in the transport direction. In this case, the transport element is a conveyor belt with at least one carrier element for carrying and laterally guiding the respective connecting rod heads.

[0005] What these three conventional conveying systems or transport devices have in common is that the connecting rods are pushed in an inclined position in the transport direction. At the latest at one end of the respective conventional transport device, where the connecting rods transition from their inclined position to a position freely suspended on the respective support rails, directly adjacent connecting rods rub against each other, leading to undesirable material abrasion. On the one hand, the material abrasion contaminates the respective transport device, requiring cleaning of the respective conventional transport device at particularly short intervals.Furthermore, material wear builds up on the connecting rods, which is also undesirable, as the connecting rods must be installed in the respective internal combustion engine in an extremely clean condition to prevent future engine damage and to minimize wear on the internal combustion engine. This material wear occurs not only between the directly adjacent connecting rods, but also between the respective connecting rod and the respective conveyor bar or conveyor belt, which may each be made of metal for durability reasons.

[0006] Furthermore, with these conventional transport devices, it's particularly common for the connecting rods to fall over during transport and / or become jammed, resulting in damage. In addition to slowing down or even interrupting production, this also leads to a particularly high material scrap rate.

[0007] To overcome these problems, the connecting rods can be conveyed in a freely suspended manner. For example, DE 10 2004 002 117 A1 discloses a conveying system for elongated workpieces, each having a head region that transitions into a shaft, forming a tapered region. At the end of the shaft opposite the head region, a respective foot region is arranged, which has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region. This conveying system has two parallel, synchronously driven, endless transport elements, on whose respective upper strands the workpieces can be suspended by their tapered regions and conveyed in suspended contact.

[0008] In the conventional conveying system disclosed in this document, the transport elements, each configured as a cable, each have at least one locking element, by means of which the suspended workpieces are locked relative to the transport elements. In other words, a positive connection is formed between the workpieces to be transported and the cables along a transport direction. As a result, the workpieces cannot be lined up directly one behind the other.

[0009] Furthermore, DE 10 2004 002 117 A1 describes a method and a device for conveying workpieces in the area of processing machines. US 2008 / 0 142 339 A1 shows a conveying device for containers. US 6 109 426 A and DE 35 15 353 A1 each show a device for conveying bottles.

[0010] It is the object of the present invention to further develop a conveying system and a method of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that elongated workpieces to be transported, in particular connecting rods for internal combustion engines, can be transported in a particularly reliable and gentle manner and can be lined up directly one behind the other.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by a conveying system having the features of patent claim 1 and by a method having the features of patent claim 8. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims and the description. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the conveying system according to the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0012] In order to be able to transport the elongated workpieces or connecting rods in a particularly reliable and gentle manner, particularly during manufacture or series production of the same or of motor vehicles, and / or to line them up directly behind one another or next to one another, the invention provides that the transport elements are each designed as a conveyor belt with a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side, on which the workpieces can be supported with their tapered areas. In particular, the transport elements or conveyor belts each have a cross-section that is different from an oval. This means that the respective cross-section of the transport element or conveyor belt can have a rectangular and / or trapezoidal cross-section, for example. Due to their respective dead weight and center of gravity, the workpieces orConnecting rods that are to be transported by means of the conveying system move freely between the two conveying elements, with particular attention being paid to ensuring that the respective foot area and the conveying system do not come into direct contact with one another. The workpieces or connecting rods can be transported or moved in a conveying direction by means of the conveying system by driving the conveyor belts synchronously, for example by means of a drive device. A force or frictional connection is formed between a respective workpiece suspended in the conveying system and the conveying elements, so that the respective workpiece is held in a fixed position on the conveying elements due to the frictional connection. This means that when the workpiece is transported in the conveying direction, it has a conveying speed that at least essentially corresponds to a rotational speed of the conveyor belts.

[0013] This creates a conveying system that allows elongated workpieces to be transported with particularly reliable and gentle processing. This is because even when multiple workpieces or connecting rods are being transported simultaneously and are in direct contact with one another, relative movement between the directly touching workpieces is prevented. This means that there is no material abrasion between the individual workpieces, so they remain particularly clean during transport. Furthermore, the conveying system remains free of material abrasion from the connecting rods, so that cleaning of the conveying system is unnecessary for a particularly long time. Furthermore, the parallel and synchronously driven transport elements or conveyor belts ensure that the workpieces do not fall over or fall out of the conveying system during transport, which prevents, or in particular completely avoids, scrap due to damaged workpieces.

[0014] By equipping the transport elements or conveyor belts with an at least substantially smooth outer surface, the workpieces to be transported can be hooked into and / or unhooked from the conveyor system particularly easily. This is because the workpieces can be hooked into and / or unhooked from the conveyor belts in any position, as there is no need to worry about establishing and / or breaking a positive connection between the workpieces and the conveyor belts.

[0015] According to the invention, the two conveyor belts each have at least one bevel on their respective outer sides, which are opposite one another. In particular, the respective conveyor belt can have a first bevel that faces the corresponding other conveyor belt. This means that the respective first bevel faces the transported workpieces. This alone or in addition to the inclined position of the two conveyor belts relative to one another makes it possible for the respective contact surface between the connecting rods and the conveyor belts, and consequently the frictional engagement between the conveyor belts and the connecting rods, to be designed particularly advantageously, in particular reliably.

[0016] To make assembly or reassembly of the conveyor system particularly simple and / or cost-effective, for example, during service work, the respective conveyor belt can alternatively or additionally have a second bevel opposite the first bevel, which points away from the other conveyor belt. This means that a cross-section of the respective conveyor belt is advantageously mirrored to a vertical axis of the respective conveyor belt, so that the two conveyor belts are interchangeable and / or the conveyor system is protected against incorrect installation of the respective conveyor belt.

[0017] Furthermore, relative movement and consequently material abrasion between the connecting rods is eliminated even if the transported connecting rods encounter an obstacle. This is because it is particularly provided that the two conveyor belts can slide along the connecting rods via their respective outer sides, eliminating the frictional connection between the connecting rods and the conveyor belts, as soon as or if the connecting rods come into contact with an obstacle in the transport direction. Accordingly, the conveying system can comprise a stop up to which the workpieces can be transported and lined up one behind the other there, and the two conveyor belts can slide along workpieces lined up at the stop via their respective outer sides. The stop can in particular be arranged at a front end of the conveying system in the transport direction, where it is provided that a plurality of workpieces are lined up to be held there.Subsequently, it can be provided that a human worker and / or a removal unit, for example a handling robot, etc., removes the workpieces stored there from the conveying system and feeds them to a further production step, in particular series production.

[0018] In order to establish a particularly reliable frictional connection between the conveying system and the workpieces to be transported, it can be provided that the respective outer sides of the conveyor belts are inclined towards one another, at least in one transport region, along a running direction of the conveyor belts, in particular along the transport direction. In other words, the two conveyor belts can enclose an angle of 0 degrees to 180 degrees with one another in the transport region. By inclining the two conveyor belts towards one another, the respective conveyor belt is inclined towards the respective workpiece, in particular towards its respective tapered region, such that a particularly large contact area is formed between the respective conveyor belt and the respective workpiece, which promotes the frictional connection.Since the respective workpieces, with their respective mass, are fully supported on the conveyor belts, it is particularly advantageous if the conveying system has a support device with two sliding support rails, each assigned to one of the two conveyor belts, on which the upper run of the respective conveyor belt can be supported and slid. In this way, the respective conveyor belt is effectively prevented from being deflected along the transport direction, in particular along a vertical direction, due to the mass of the respective workpieces exerted on it. In this way, it is particularly effectively prevented that the workpieces to be transported work against one another during transport, for example, rub against one another, so that the material abrasion described above along a transport path defined by the conveying system is avoided.For this purpose, a respective material, in particular surface material, of the respective sliding support rail and / or a respective material, in particular surface material of the respective conveyor belt is / are selected such that the conveyor belt can slide particularly easily on the respectively assigned sliding support rail, in particular at least substantially abrasion-free.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, the conveying system can be equipped with a guide device comprising at least two guide elements, each assigned to one of the two conveyor belts, along which the respective conveyor belt can be laterally guided. This ensures that the conveyor belts loaded with the connecting rods do not diverge from one another or from the workpiece to be transported with respect to a longitudinal axis of the conveying system or with respect to the transport direction, particularly in the transport area. Accordingly, the guide device can, for example, comprise a web that protrudes from the sliding support rail, in particular perpendicularly.The guide device can further comprise a groove formed in the corresponding conveyor belt and corresponding to the web, wherein the web engages in the groove, whereby a respective lateral guidance force is transmitted to the corresponding conveyor belt along the transport direction via the web engaging in the groove. However, in order to make frictional resistance between the guide device and the conveyor belts particularly low, it is particularly preferred that the guide device comprise an L-shaped lateral guidance portion. For example, the web can protrude vertically from the corresponding sliding support rail at a longitudinal edge of the corresponding sliding support rail remote from the workpiece to be transported.In this way, the respective conveyor belt can be supported vertically against the respective associated sliding support rail and vertically against the respective outer web, so that the respective conveyor belt can be guided particularly reliably along and across the transport direction.

[0020] In order to minimize, or ideally completely prevent, metallic abrasion between the connecting rods and the conveyor belts, especially when the connecting rods are lined up against an obstacle and the conveyor belts slide off the connecting rods, it is particularly advantageous if the conveyor belts are each made at least partially from a material containing a plastic. This means that the respective conveyor belt can be made entirely or partially from a polyurethane, for example. In particular, it is provided that the outer side of the respective conveyor belt, on which the workpiece to be transported is supported, is made from the material containing the plastic.Accordingly, when transporting the connecting rods, metal-to-metal contact is avoided at the contact area between the connecting rods and the conveyor belts, so that material removal from the connecting rod and, as a result, contamination of the connecting rod and / or the conveying system is completely prevented.

[0021] Furthermore, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if a respective inner part and a respective outer part of the respective conveyor belt are designed separately from one another and are connected to one another. In this case, the inner part of the respective conveyor belt faces the respective deflection rollers or deflection wheels, wherein the outer part of the respective conveyor belt faces away from the respective deflection rollers or deflection wheels. This means that the inner part and the outer part form the respective conveyor belt. It can be provided that the inner part is equipped with a toothed structure, so that the inner part or the conveyor belt is a toothed belt. In this context, it is particularly advantageous if at least one driven deflection roller or the deflection rollers are each designed as a gear and / or wedge wheel, wherein a respective tooth structure of the wedge wheel orThe gear meshes with the respective conveyor belt via the inner part equipped with the tooth structure. This allows the respective conveyor belt to be driven particularly reliably, i.e., with particularly low slippage.

[0022] By designing the inner and outer parts of each conveyor belt separately, it is conceivable to use different materials for each conveyor belt, with the respective materials of the inner part having at least one characteristic. For example, a particularly flexible material can be used for the inner part so that the conveyor belt can be driven and / or deflected particularly efficiently. Furthermore, a particularly hard and / or rough material can be selected for the outer part, on which the outer side supporting the workpieces is arranged, so that on the one hand the conveyor belt is particularly resistant to wear and on the other hand it is designed to support the desired frictional connection.

[0023] Accordingly, it can be provided that the inner part and the outer part of the respective conveyor belt are non-positively, positively and / or materially connected, for example, glued, welded, etc. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the inner part and the outer part are formed integrally with one another, for example, co-extruded.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for conveying elongated workpieces by means of a conveying system. The elongated workpieces each have a head region that transitions into a shaft, forming a tapered region. At the end of the shaft opposite the head region, a foot region is arranged, which has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region. In the method, the workpieces are suspended with their tapered regions on a respective upper run of two parallel, synchronously driven, endless transport elements of the conveying system and conveyed in suspended contact.

[0025] In order to be able to transport the elongated workpieces to be transported in a particularly process-safe and gentle manner and / or to line them up directly behind one another or next to one another, the invention provides that the workpieces are conveyed via their tapered areas by means of a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side of the transport elements designed as a respective conveyor belt.

[0026] The conveying system associated with the method can, in particular, be the conveying system described above, and the elongated workpieces associated with the method can be the workpieces described above, in particular connecting rods for an internal combustion engine. Accordingly, the method according to the invention provides at least the advantages described in connection with the conveying system according to the invention.

[0027] The method can further provide for the workpieces to be transported to a stop of the conveyor system, at which the workpieces are lined up one after the other, and for the two conveyor belts to slide over their respective outer sides over the workpieces lined up at the stop. The stop can, for example, be arranged at one end of the conveyor system, where the lined-up workpieces are held ready for removal from the conveyor system by a human worker and / or by a removal unit, for example, a handling robot, etc.

[0028] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own.

[0029] The invention will now be explained in more detail using a preferred embodiment and with reference to the drawings. It shows: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a conveying system for elongated workpieces; Fig. 2 a perspective view of a selection of workpieces; Fig. 3 in a side view the transport system; Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the transport system; Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of the transport system; Fig. 6 shows a perspective and schematic representation of the conveying system with a stop; and Fig. 7 shows a front view of the transport system.

[0030] Identical and functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

[0031] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a conveying system 1 for elongated workpieces 2. The conveying system 1 has two parallel, endless conveying elements 3, which are each designed as a conveyor belt with a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side 4 in order to be able to transport the workpieces 2 in a particularly reliable and gentle manner. The two conveying elements or conveyor belts 3 can be driven synchronously by means of a drive device 5. The conveyor belts 3 are each assigned two deflection rollers 6, which tension the respective conveyor belt 3 along a transport direction 7, in that the deflection rollers assigned to the respective conveyor belt 3 are spaced apart from one another by a distance.At least one of the deflection rollers 6 is connected to an output shaft 8 of the drive device 5, so that the conveyor belt 3 connected to the corresponding deflection roller 6 can be driven via the deflection roller 6 connected to the output shaft 8.

[0032] It can be provided, as in the present example, that two opposing deflection rollers 6 are connected coaxially and rotationally fixedly to the output shaft 8 of the drive device 5, so that the two opposing and parallel conveyor belts 3 can be driven synchronously via these two opposing deflection rollers 6. However, it is equally conceivable that at a first end 9 of the conveying system 1, only one of the two deflection rollers 6 arranged there can be driven via the drive device 5, and that at a second end 10 of the conveying system 1 opposite the first end 9, the two opposing deflection rollers 6 are arranged coaxially to one another and rotationally fixedly to one another. In this way, the two conveyor belts 3 can be driven synchronously, even though the output shaft 8 at the first end 9 does not extend through both deflection rollers 6 arranged there.However, it can equally well be provided that the two conveyor belts or transport elements 3 are each driven synchronously with each other by a separate drive device 5, in which case the two drive devices 5 used there are synchronized or synchronizable with each other, for example, electronically. In any case, the conveying system 1 is provided with the two deflection rollers 6 arranged at at least one of the ends 9, 10 being arranged loosely from each other.

[0033] To ensure particularly low-slip driving of the two conveyor belts 3, one or more of the deflection rollers 6 has a toothed structure on its outer circumferential surface, with the respective conveyor belt 3 having a toothed structure that meshes with the corresponding deflection roller 6. This means that the respective conveyor belt can have a toothed belt and / or be at least partially designed as a toothed belt.

[0034] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a selection of workpieces 2. Each workpiece 2 has a head region 11, to which a tapered region 12 is directly connected. A shaft 13, in turn, is directly connected to the tapered region 12, so that the shaft 13 is connected to the head region 11 via the tapered region 12. A foot region 14 is directly connected to the shaft 13 and forms a foot-side end 15 of the workpiece 2 and is opposite and / or opposite a head-side end 16 of the workpiece 2. A through-opening 17 penetrating the workpiece 2 transversely to its longitudinal extent can be formed in the head region 11 and / or in the foot region 14 of the workpiece 2, wherein the head-side through-opening 17 is larger than the foot-side through-opening 17. This is because the foot region 14 has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region 11.In other words, the head area 11 is larger than the foot area 14.

[0035] In the present example, these workpieces 2 are each designed as a connecting rod, as is well known from the prior art, particularly for use in an internal combustion engine. Accordingly, the respective through-holes 17 are respective eyes, which are spaced apart from each other by a pitch. Furthermore, the respective tapered region 12 has two opposing shoulders 18, and the shaft forms a connecting rod.

[0036] In Fig. 2 shows exemplary workpieces 2 and connecting rods 2, which differ from each other at least in their respective geometry. However, it should be understood that these three connecting rods 2 depicted here by no means represent a complete list of the workpieces 2 that can be transported by the conveying system 1.

[0037] In order to be able to transport the differently shaped workpieces or connecting rods 2 in a particularly advantageous manner in a particularly reliable and / or gentle manner by means of the conveying system 1, it is provided that the respective connecting rod 2 can be suspended on a respective upper run 19 of the conveyor belts 3 with the respective tapered area 12, i.e. with the two shoulders 18, of the corresponding connecting rod 2. In other words, the connecting rods to be transported can be brought into suspended contact with the respective outer side 4 of the two conveyor belts 3 via their respective tapered area 12 or via their respective shoulders 18. In other words, the respective connecting rod 2 to be transported can be suspended in the conveying system 1 by suspending the corresponding connecting rod 2 between and / or onto the two conveyor belts 3.

[0038] As a result, the workpieces 2 are movable along the transport direction 7 (depending on the direction of rotation of the deflection roller 6 or deflection rollers 6 driving the conveyor belts) by driving the conveyor belts 3. The transport direction 7 is shown only as an example in Fig. 1, wherein the connecting rods 2 are movable or transportable starting from the first end 9 of the conveying system 1 in the transport direction 7 towards the second end 10 of the conveying system 1. Due to the hanging or during the hanging of the connecting rods 2 to be transported into the conveying system 1, a frictional connection can be established or is established between the respective outer side 4 of the conveyor belts 3 and the respective shoulder 18 of the connecting rod 2. Due to this frictional connection, the suspended connecting rod 2 is stationary relative to the conveyor belts 3, whereby the connecting rod 2 can be moved along with the conveyor belts 3. With the synchronous drive of the conveyor belts 3, this means that the connecting rod 2 to be transported has a transport speed which, in direction and magnitude, at least substantially corresponds to a rotational speed of the respective upper run 19 of the two conveyor belts 3.

[0039] In order to avoid a relative movement between several directly adjacent connecting rods 2 during transport of the same, it is very important for the invention that a longitudinal axis 20 of the respective workpieces 2 is arranged at least substantially perpendicular to the transport direction 7 and remains so during transport.

[0040] Fig. 3 or Fig. 4 shows a side view and a top view of the transport system 1, wherein in Fig. 3, the respective upper run 19 and a respective lower run 21 of the respective conveyor belt 3 can be seen particularly well. The conveying system 1 further comprises a support device 22 which comprises two sliding support rails 23. The respective sliding support rails 23 are each assigned to one of the two conveyor belts 3, wherein the respective upper run 19 can be supported or is supported on the sliding support rails, so that the respective upper run 19 is effectively prevented from being bent in the vertical direction, i.e. towards the respective lower run 21, in particular when transporting at least one workpiece 2. In this case, it is provided in particular that a longitudinal extent of the support device 22, i.e. of the sliding support rails 23, corresponds at least substantially to a longitudinal extent of the respective associated upper run 19. It follows that the two sliding support rails 23, as well as the two conveyor belts 3, are arranged parallel to one another.

[0041] Fig. Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the conveyor system 1, with the section plane AA in the Fig. 3 or the Fig. 4. Two support elements 24 arranged parallel to each other can be seen, which are also shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Furthermore, it can be seen that the respective conveyor belt 3 has the outer side 4, which comprises an at least substantially smooth surface 25. Furthermore, in Fig. 5 it is particularly easy to see how one of the workpieces 2 to be transported is supported between the conveyor belts 3 via the tapered area 12 or via the shoulders 18. In order to achieve a particularly reliable frictional connection between the connecting rods 2 and the conveyor belts 3, it can be provided in particular that the respective surface 25 of the conveyor belts 3 is at least in one transport area 26 (see Fig. 4) are inclined toward each other along the transport direction 7. The transport area 26 is defined at least substantially by a longitudinal extension of the upper debris 19, more precisely by a respective center-to-center distance of the respective deflection rollers 6 of a common conveyor belt 3.

[0042] The surfaces 25 of the respective conveyor belts 3 can be inclined, in particular in certain regions, towards one another or towards the workpiece 2 being transported or to be transported, in that the respective surface 25 of the two conveyor belts 3 are each rotated in opposite directions to one another about a respective longitudinal axis of the corresponding conveyor belt 3. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the respective surface 25 to have a surface portion 27 which runs at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 20 and to which, on the inside, i.e. on an edge facing the corresponding other conveyor belt 3, a surface portion 28 which is inclined along the transport direction 7 adjoins. In this case, an angle of inclination between the inclined surface portion 28 and the longitudinal axis 20 and / or between the surface portion 27 rotated towards the workpiece 2 and the longitudinal axis 20 can be formed orbe selected so that the angle of inclination is particularly suitable for many different tapered areas 12 of the respective workpieces 2 to be transported (cf. Fig. 2) at least substantially corresponds. This ensures that the respective connecting rod 2 is supported between and / or on the two conveyor belts 3, forming a particularly large contact area 29 that advantageously supports the frictional engagement.

[0043] In order to form the inclined surface portion 28 with particularly little effort, it can be provided that it is designed as a chamfer of the respective outer side 4. In this case, the two chamfers 28 or inclined surface portions 28 face each other and each face the workpiece 2 to be transported or the transported workpiece 2. To ensure that the two conveyor belts 3 are interchangeable and can therefore be used independently of either side in the conveying system 1, it is particularly advantageous if two chamfers 28 or inclined surface portions 28 running parallel to each other are arranged on the respective outer side 4 in a mirror image with respect to a longitudinal and / or transverse axis 30 of the respective conveyor belt 3.

[0044] It is essential to the invention that the outer side 4 or the surface 25 of the respective conveyor belt 3 is designed to be so smooth or so rough with regard to surface roughness that the two conveyor belts 3 are able to slide over or along their respective outer side 25 on and / or past the connecting rod 2 or the connecting rods 2 as soon as a sufficiently high braking force is applied or acts on the transported connecting rod 2 or the connecting rods 2 opposite to the transport direction 7. This can be the case in particular if the transported workpieces 2 encounter an obstacle which, in the transport area 26, prevents the connecting rods 2 suspended in the conveying system 1 from advancing or moving further.In this case, particular attention was paid in the invention to ensuring that when the conveyor belts 3 slide along the workpieces 2, only very little, in particular no, material abrasion occurs on the connecting rods 2 and / or on the conveyor belts 3. To this end, it is particularly advantageous if the two conveyor belts 3 are made entirely or partially from a material other than metal. In particular, the present example provides for the conveyor belts 3 to each be made at least partially from a material comprising a plastic. In particular, the material of the two conveyor belts 3 can comprise polyurethane, which has particularly advantageous properties with regard to the sliding properties between the conveyor belts 3 and the workpieces 2, in particular enabling a particularly smooth surface 25.

[0045] Fig. 5 also shows the sliding support rails 23, which are fixedly connected to the support elements 24 in a positionally fixed manner. For example, each support element 24 can have a holding device 31, via which the respective sliding support rail 23 is fixedly positioned to the corresponding support element 24. However, it is also conceivable for the support elements 24 to be formed integrally with the respective sliding support rails 23. Alternatively or additionally, the respective sliding support rails 23 and the respective support elements 24 can be connected to one another in a force-fitting, form-fitting, and / or material-fitting manner.

[0046] While the support device 22 or the sliding support rails 23 secures the respective upper run 19 along the longitudinal axis 20 against bending, a guide device 32 is provided which is designed and intended to apply a lateral guidance force to the respective conveyor belts 3 along the transport direction 7, so that the conveyor belts 3 are effectively prevented from deflecting laterally, i.e. away from the connecting rod 2, in particular due to the connecting rod(s) 2 loaded thereon. For this purpose, the guide device 32 in the present example has a respective guide element 34 on a respective outer edge 33 of the respective sliding support rail 23, which guide element is designed as a web that protrudes vertically from a support surface 35 of the respective sliding support rail 23.In other words, it can be provided that the respective edge 33 of the respective sliding support rail 23 facing away from the connecting rod 2 is at least partially formed by the web 34 projecting perpendicularly from the sliding surface 35. In this case, the web 34 and the sliding support rail 23 can be formed integrally with one another, or the web 34 and the sliding support rail 23 can be connected to one another in a force-fitting, form-fitting, and / or material-fitting manner. In order to ensure the lateral guidance force along the transport area 26, the web 34 extends over at least a large part of the transport area 26 parallel to the respective sliding support rails 23.

[0047] Fig. 6 shows a perspective and schematic representation of the conveying system 1 with a stop 36, which in the present example has two stop elements 37 arranged in a mirror image to one another, which are each suitable for preventing further movement of the connecting rods conveyed by means of the conveying system 1 as soon as the connecting rods 2 conveyed or moved by means of the conveying system 1 run onto the stop 36 and / or onto connecting rods 2 held by the stop 36. In this case, it is provided that the conveyor belts 3 can continue to be driven or driven synchronously, since, as already described, the respective conveyor belt 3, in particular its respective outer side 4, is designed to slide past and / or underneath the corresponding connecting rod 2, while eliminating the frictional connection between the outer side 4 and the latter. In this way, further connecting rods orTo feed workpieces 2 to the second end 10, if the stop 37 is arranged there, wherein a plurality of connecting rods 2 can be lined up one behind the other on the stop, directly adjacent to one another, counter to the transport direction 7. In particular, the connecting rods 2 can be lined up directly one behind the other without any relative movement to one another, whereby metallic abrasion from the connecting rods 2 during lined-up is ideally completely avoided.

[0048] It is also in Fig. 6 that an inner part 38 and an outer part 39 of the respective conveyor belt 3 are formed separately from one another and connected to one another. The inner part 38 can have a toothed structure which corresponds to and / or meshes with a toothed structure of the respective deflection roller 6. This means that the respective conveyor belt 3 can have a toothed belt portion and / or can be formed at least partially as a toothed belt. The inner part 38 and the outer part 39 of a respective conveyor belt 3 are stationary connected to one another or fixed to one another, for example by the inner part 38 and the outer part 39 being connected to one another by means of a thermal joining process, for example welding, as in the present example.

[0049] Fig. 7 shows a front view of the second end 9 of the conveyor system 1. It can be seen that the two conveyor belts 3 can be driven synchronously with each other by being connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the common output shaft 8 of the drive device 5. It is furthermore shown in Fig. 7 that the drive device 5 can have a gear unit 40 which connects the output shaft 8 to a drive unit 41, for example a motor.

[0050] An essential idea of the invention is to be able to suspend the respective workpieces 2 particularly easily between and / or onto the two conveyor belts 3 and / or to suspend them from the conveyor belts 3 or from the conveying system 1.

[0051] In this case, particular consideration is given to the idea that the insertion and / or removal of the workpieces 2 can take place at least substantially along the transport direction 7, without the workpieces 2 having to be moved significantly along their longitudinal axis 20. Accordingly, as already described, it is provided that, in particular, the deflection rollers 6 arranged at the end 10 intended for removal do not share a common axis of rotation. In this way, only the stop 37 needs to be lifted over, whereby the respective center point position or rotation axis position of the two deflection rollers 6 arranged there is irrelevant.

[0052] However, it is also conceivable that a diameter or radius of the respective deflection rollers 6 is designed and / or selected such that a vertical distance between the surface 25 of the respective conveyor belt 3 and a surface 41 of a shaft connecting the two deflection rollers 6, for example the output shaft 8, is or becomes so large that the connecting rod 2 supported on the two conveyor belts 3 does not run the risk of touching the outer circumferential surface 41 when it is hooked in and / or unhooked. This means that a free distance between the outer circumferential surface 41 in the radial direction of the corresponding deflection roller 6 is at least equal to, ideally greater than, a length of a portion of the connecting rod 2 arranged between the support elements, for example longer than the pitch.

[0053] Furthermore, a method for conveying the connecting rods 2 is the subject of the invention, in which the workpieces or connecting rods 2 are suspended with their tapered regions 12 on the respective upper run 19 of the two mutually parallel and synchronously drivable, endless transport elements 3 of the conveying system 1 and are conveyed or transported in suspended contact. It is provided that the workpieces or connecting rods 2 are conveyed over their tapered regions 12 by means of the respective at least substantially smooth outer side 4 of the transport elements 3 designed as the respective conveyor belt 3.

[0054] In other words, the method for conveying or transporting the workpieces 2 by means of the conveying system 1 comprises, for example, a first step in which the workpieces or connecting rods 2 are suspended in the conveying system 1 by bringing the connecting rods 2 with their tapered regions 12 or with their shoulders 12 into suspended contact with the two conveying elements or conveyor belts 3. In a second step, the two conveyor belts 3 are driven synchronously, in particular by means of the drive device 5, so that a transport speed of the transported workpiece 2 or the transported workpieces 2 corresponds in direction and amount to a movement speed of the respective upper run 19 of the conveyor belts 3. When the workpieces 2 are suspended in the conveying system 1, a frictional connection is generated between the workpieces 2 and the conveyor belts 3.

[0055] In the method, it can be provided in particular that the connecting rods 2 are transported up to the stop 36 of the conveying system 1, at which the connecting rods 2 are lined up one behind the other, and then the two conveyor belts 3 slide over their respective outer sides 4 on workpieces 2 lined up at the stop 36.

[0056] Overall, the invention shows how, by means of the conveying system 1 according to the invention and / or by means of the method according to the invention, the elongated workpieces 2 to be transported, which can in particular each be designed as a connecting rod 2 for an internal combustion engine, can be transported in a particularly reliable and / or gentle manner and can be lined up directly one behind the other or next to one another. A particular advantage of the conveying system 1 is that its operation does not need to be interrupted if unloading of connecting rods 2 from the conveying system 1 should be interrupted. In this case, the connecting rods 2 are lined up one behind the other as intended, whereby relative movement between two directly adjacent connecting rods 2 is effectively avoided due to their respective vertical transport positions.

[0057] By means of the conveying system 1 or by means of the method for conveying the connecting rods 2, it is further ensured that the connecting rods 2, particularly when they are provided to the conveying system 1 from a washing process, these connecting rods 2, which are process-safe due to their respective cleanliness, are not contaminated by material abrasion during transport or during transport due to rubbing against each other. Process reliability would then be interrupted or no longer ensured. This would mean that if the connecting rods were transferred that were not transported in a process-safe manner, they would have to be subjected to another washing / cleaning process, which is extremely uneconomical.

[0058] Furthermore, the risk of the connecting rods 2 falling over during transport, falling out of a conventional conveying device, and / or falling against each other, becoming wedged, and consequently damaging each other is counteracted. Furthermore, the conveying system 1 according to the invention can avoid particularly complex setup and the associated, particularly inefficient downtime of the conveying system 1, since connecting rods 2 with different connecting rod lengths, pitches, and / or shaft positions, etc., can be advantageously transported by means of the conveying system 1.

Claims

[1] Conveying system (1) for elongated workpieces (2), each having a respective head region (11) which merges into a shaft (13) to form a tapered region (12), at the end (15) of which shaft is opposite the head region (11) a respective foot region (14) is arranged, which has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region (11), with two mutually parallel and synchronously drivable, endless transport elements (3), on the respective upper run (19) of which the workpieces (2) can be suspended with their tapered regions (12) and can be conveyed in a suspended contact, wherein the transport elements (3) are each designed as a conveyor belt (3) with a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side (4), on which the workpieces (2) can be supported with their tapered regions (12), and the two conveyor belts (3) each have at least one chamfer on their respective outer side (4). (28) which are opposite each other. [2] Transport system (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that a stop (36) is provided up to which the workpieces (2) can be transported and lined up one behind the other there, and the two conveyor belts (3) can be slid over their respective outer sides (4) onto workpieces (2) lined up on the stop (36). [3] Transport system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the respective outer sides (4) of the conveyor belts (3) are inclined towards one another along a transport direction (7) at least in one transport region (26). [4] Transport system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a support device (22) with two sliding support rails (23), each assigned to one of the two conveyor belts (3), on which the upper run (19) of the respective conveyor belt (3) can be supported and slid. [5] Transport system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bya guide device (32) with at least two guide elements (34), each assigned to one of the two conveyor belts (3), on which the respective conveyor belt (3) can be guided laterally. [6] Transport system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the conveyor belts (3) are each made at least partially from a material comprising a plastic. [7] Transport system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that an inner part (38) and an outer part (39) of the respective conveyor belt (3) are formed separately from one another and connected to one another. [8] A method for conveying elongated workpieces (2) which have a respective head region (11) which merges into a shaft (13) to form a tapered region (12), at the end (15) of which shaft is opposite the head region (11) a respective foot region (14) is arranged which has a reduced cross-section compared to the head region (11), in which the workpieces (2) are suspended with their tapered regions (12) on a respective upper run (19) of two mutually parallel and synchronously drivable, endless transport elements (3) of a transport system (1) and are conveyed in suspended contact, wherein the workpieces (2) are conveyed over their tapered regions (12) by means of a respective, at least substantially smooth outer side (4) of the transport elements (3) designed as a respective conveyor belt (3), and the two conveyor belts (3) each have at least one chamfer (28) on their respective outer side (4),which are opposite each other., [9] Method according to claim 8, characterized by that the workpieces (2) are transported up to a stop (36) of the conveying system (1), at which the workpieces (2) are lined up one behind the other, and the two conveyor belts (3) slide over their respective outer sides (4) on workpieces (2) lined up at the stop (36).

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