Packaging machine system with AGVs and methods for their control

Abstract

For a highly flexible packaging machine system (1), a transport system consisting of remotely controlled, simple, and inexpensive AGVs is used to transport the products (P) or, more precisely, the primary packaging (1V), both between the individual machine modules (MM1, MM2) that can be freely positioned in a hall and between the potentially multiple workstations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1), instead of conveyor systems such as belt conveyors or transmodules that are permanently linked to this machine module (MM1, MM2). Even elevated travel paths (22) for the AGVs—especially those made up of individual modules—are easier to set up and reconfigure between newly positioned machine modules (MM1, MM2) than belt conveyors or transmodules.

Claims

[1] Packaging machine system (1), in particular for filling secondary packaging (2V), in particular cartons (2V), with products (P) already packaged in primary packaging, with - one or more machine modules (MM1), the outer sides of which are closed in particular by safety doors (2), - at least one work station (AS1, AS2) within a machine module with at least one movable handling unit (R1), in particular a robot (R1), with a tool for handling or processing products (P) or packaging (1V, 2V), - a transport system with freely and independently remote-controlled, driverless transport vehicles (FTF1, FTF2) for transporting at least one transport item, such as a product (P) or packaging (2V), between the individual work stations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1) and / or between the machine modules (MM1, MM2), - a central control unit (1*) located away from the AGVs to control the AGVs with a wireless signal connection to the AGVs, - Position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), for determining the current position of the individual AGVs, in particular of the transport goods (P, 2V) located thereon, within the system (1), characterized by , that - the central control (1*) is designed in such a way that it is able to control the movements of the handling units (R1, R2) in a coordinated manner based on knowledge of the spatial positions, i.e. the positions and rotational positions, of the AGVs, in particular the spatial positions of their load. [2] Plant according to claim 1, characterized by , that - the central control (1*) is designed in such a way that it, and in particular only it, comprises a navigation system (3) which can determine the position of the AGVs by means of the position detectors (K) and can determine a route to a destination therefrom and can send a corresponding route command, in particular including local and time specifications, to the AGV in question, - an on-board control (FTF*) of the FTF is designed in such a way that, on the basis of the travel path command, it can only control the travel drive (4) in such a way that the specified travel path is traveled in accordance with the travel path command. [3] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the central control and the onboard control are designed in such a way that they are able - to detect the actual position of an AGV using the position sensors as a target-actual comparison and, in the event of a deviation from the target position, in particular on the target travel path, to send a correction travel command to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and / or - in case of failure of the position detectors (K) of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the drive (4) since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the drive and / or - in the event of a signal connection failure between the central control system and the AGV and the known destination, but no further travel commands are available, the on-board control system is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and to send the corresponding control commands to the travel drive (4). [4] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the central control and the onboard control are designed in such a way that they are able - in case of failure of the position detectors (K) of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position (FTF-Ist) of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and / or - in the event of a signal connection failure between the central control system and the AGV and a known destination, but no further travel commands are available, the on-board control system is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination, to issue corresponding control commands to the travel drive and to check the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination using the acceleration profile recorded with an acceleration sensor (5) since the last target / actual comparison. [5] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the AGVs have a controllable drive, an energy storage device (6) and communication means (7) for the wireless data connection with the central control system, - the AGVs have at most one environmental sensor (FTF-K), in particular a camera (FTF-K), for detecting the environment, the image evaluation unit of which is at most capable of detecting a given environmental pattern (QR), such as a barcode or QR code (QR), but not unknown environmental features. [6] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the energy storage comprises supercups (6a) and an emergency battery (6b), which are dimensioned so that the AGV can reach the next recharging station from any position within the system. [7] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the AGVs have an automatically functioning and / or controllable trailer coupling (8) for automatically coupling or uncoupling a trailer (9) and / or another AGV. [8] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), of the central control within the system (1), preferably outside the machine modules (MM1, MM2) and - especially within the machine modules (MM1, MM2), - in particular at a height (h) above the maximum height (H) of the machine modules (MM1, MM2). [9] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the top of the AGV or trailer (9) serves as a storage area (13) for the transported goods, - in particular the movable part of the handling unit, in particular the robot arm, is mostly located at a height above the storage surface (13). [10] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the work stations (AS1, AS2) at the waiting positions (W1, W2) of the AGV have a contacting or contactless electrical recharging device (14), and / or - the entire possible driving surface area (FF) of the AGV is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the AGV are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transfer of an AGV from one sector (FF1) to the next (FF2) is fixed both in terms of location and time and is controlled as a target-actual comparison by the central control (1*) and / or - the image evaluation of the cameras (K) used as position sensors (K) for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18) is carried out using artificial intelligence (AI) and / or - Driving surfaces (FF) for the AGVs are available on several floors above each other, - in particular, the change from one floor to another is not carried out via inclined ramps, but in particular via a lifting device, in particular a lift, which is planned in terms of location and time in the route commands from the central control system and / or - the running surfaces (FF) for the AGV are moving running surfaces and / or - there are guard rails for the AGVs on one or both sides of the driveways for the AGVs and / or - along the travel paths for the AGVs, there are system-side driven carriers for the AGVs and / or - Driving areas (AGV) for the AGV are separated from walking areas for people, at least visually, and especially physically, and / or - the drive (4) of an AGV is designed in such a way that it can turn on the spot and travel in any direction from a standstill, in particular by the AGV having all-direction wheels (15) and / or - the AGV has its own handling unit (AGV-R), in particular a robot (AGV-R), which is also controlled by the central control system and / or - the AGV has its own cleaning unit (FTF-S) for cleaning the travel routes, in particular a brush and / or suction unit (FTF-S), which is also controlled by the central control system and / or - the AGV has a target marking (16) for scanning by the position sensors of the central control (1*). [11] Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the work stations, in particular on or in their, preferably lockable, lock (17) for the entry of an AGV, have a target marking (16) which can be scanned by the AGV, in particular which is optically visible. [12] Method for operating a packaging machine system and in particular its transport system, wherein the packaging system comprises - several work stations, each with at least one movable handling unit, in particular a robot, with a tool for handling or processing products or packaging, - a transport system with freely and independently movable, driverless, remote-controlled transport vehicles (FTF) for transporting the products or packaging, in short a transported good, between the individual work stations, - a central control system located away from the AGVs to control the AGVs, - Position detectors, in particular cameras, for determining the current spatial position of the individual AGVs, in particular of the transported goods on them, within the system, - in particular a packaging machine system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that - the spatial positions, i.e. positions and rotational positions viewed from above, and in particular the movements of the AGVs, in the case of loaded AGVs in particular the transport goods lying on them, are monitored centrally and in real time, - the handling units are centrally controlled in synchronization with the spatial positions and in particular the movements of the AGVs. [13] Method according to claim 12, characterized by , that - the AGVs receive route commands from the central control system, in particular drive commands for the drive, in particular for each individual drive motor (4M1, 4M2), preferably for the entire route to the destination, - especially when the situation changes, corrected route commands from the central control system are sent to the AGV for the rest of the route - the drive commands in particular each contain an energy supply profile as a function of time, in particular from the start time. [14] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized by , that - as a target-actual comparison, the actual spatial position of an AGV is determined by means of the position sensors and in the event of a deviation from the target spatial position, in particular on the target travel path, a corrective travel command is sent from the central control to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and / or - in case of failure of the position sensors of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual spatial position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the drive since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the drive and / or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further route commands are missing, the on-board control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and sends the corresponding control commands to the drive. [15] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized by , that - if the position sensors of the central control system fail, the on-board control system determines the actual position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and / or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but no further travel path commands are available, the on-board control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and issues corresponding control commands to the travel drive and checks the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination using the acceleration profile recorded with an acceleration sensor (5) since the last target / actual comparison. [16] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized by , that - the AGVs are electrically recharged at the waiting positions (W1, W2), in particular in the work stations (AS1, AS2), either contact-based or contactless, and / or - the entire possible driving area (FF) of the AGV is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the AGV are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transfer of an AGV from one sector to the next is determined both locally and temporally and is controlled by the central control system as a target-actual comparison and / or - the image analysis of the cameras used as position sensors for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18,19) is carried out using artificial intelligence (AI). [17] Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized by , that - shortly before loading an AGV, its spatial position is determined as accurately as possible, in particular by means of a positioning device (21) in a work station, and - the spatial position of the transported goods on the AGV is determined immediately after loading and - the position difference (delta) is saved for controlling the position of the transported goods to and at the destination. [18] Method according to one of the preceding method claims by converting the packaging machine system by - the desired new work order is entered into the central control system, - the transportable machine modules, in particular those transportable by forklift truck, are moved to a new position within the packaging machine system, in particular automatically, - in particular by activating or adding new machine modules or removing or deactivating machine modules that are no longer required, - by means of position sensors, in particular cameras, in particular the same position sensors as those used to determine the position of the AGV, the central control determines the exact position of the machine modules, in particular based on target markings on the modules, - the central control automatically determines the required number and controls it accordingly in synchronous interaction with the processing stations. [19] Method according to claim 18, characterized by , that - in the case of the presence or need for physical routes (22) for the AGV, these are arranged, in particular between the work stations, in particular are arranged automatically, in particular are automatically assembled from route modules (22.1, 22.2).

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