Conveyor device for conveying objects

Abstract

Conveyor device (1) for conveying objects, comprising at least one conveyor belt (2), in particular a indexing belt, with several parallel individual belts (3) and an adjusting device (4) designed to change a relative position of the individual belts (3), in particular transverse to the conveying direction, wherein the individual belts (3) are coupled to an adjusting element (6) rotatable by means of an adjusting drive (9) of the adjusting device (4), wherein the adjusting drive (9) is arranged at a distance from an axis of movement, in particular a rotational axis, of the adjusting element (6).

Description

The invention relates to a conveying device for conveying objects, comprising at least one conveyor belt, in particular a timing belt, having a plurality of individual belts guided parallel to one another and an adjusting device which is designed to change a relative position of the individual belts, in particular transversely to the conveying direction.Conveying devices for conveying objects, which have at least one conveyor belt, in particular a timing belt, which has a plurality of individual belts guided parallel to one another, are fundamentally known from the prior art. Such individual belts are provided, for example, for moving objects between two work stations of a production plant, in particular for feeding blanks to a pressing station. In order to be able to transport different objects, in particular objects with different dimensions, using the same conveying device, for example a comparatively large object or alternatively two comparatively smaller objects in parallel, the conveying device has an adjusting device which is designed to change the relative position of the individual belts of the conveyor belt transversely to the conveying direction. In other words, the individual belts can be positioned closer to one another transversely to the conveying direction or further away from one another in order to thus adapt the width of the entire conveyor belt.For this purpose, the adjusting device usually has a drive or a motor, which is arranged below the individual belts. It has been found here that if the motor has to be serviced, the accessibility of the motor is determined via the relative position of the individual belts. In the worst case, the individual belts are currently brought to a maximum close proximity to one another in the event of a failure of the motor, so that the motor is no longer accessible through the intermediate spaces of the individual belts. Since the motor used for the adjusting device has failed, however, an adjustment of the relative position of the individual belts is also no longer possible in such a situation. In such a case, usually only the damage or destruction of at least one of the individual tapes remains as the only access possibility in order to be able to service or replace the motor.The invention is based on the object of specifying a conveying device, improved in comparison therewith, for conveying objects, in which maintenance of the adjusting device is improved.The object is achieved by a conveying device according to claim 1. The claims dependent thereon relate to possible embodiments.As described, the invention relates to a conveying device for conveying objects, comprising at least one conveyor belt, in particular a timing belt, having a plurality of individual belts guided parallel to one another and an adjusting device which is designed to change a relative position of the individual belts, in particular transversely to the conveying direction. The position of the individual belts is thus adjusted via the adjusting device such that their relative position transversely to the conveying direction corresponds to the objects to be conveyed. In other words, depending on the objects to be transported or a transport strategy, a relative position of the individual belts can be set such that the conveying of the objects can be carried out. The adjusting device described herein is configured in particular for a so-called "fan adjustment", so that the adjusting device described herein can also be referred to as a "fan adjustment device".The invention is based on the finding that the individual belts are coupled to an adjusting element that can be rotated by means of an adjusting drive of the adjusting device, wherein the adjusting drive is arranged at a distance from a movement axis, in particular an axis of rotation, of the adjusting element. Thus, in comparison with the previously described prior art, it is proposed by the invention that the adjustment drive is not arranged on or on the adjustment element, for example by means of a hollow shaft, but the adjustment drive is arranged explicitly spaced apart from the movement axis of the adjustment element. This enables the adjustment drive itself to be separated from the remaining adjustment device, so that its accessibility is possible in an improved manner in the event of maintenance.Instead of arranging the adjustment drive on the same movement axis as the adjustment element, the adjustment drive is thus arranged at a distance from the adjustment element, so that the adjustment element, for example a spindle, which adjusts the position of the individual bands, and the adjustment drive are located on different axes.In this case, the axis of rotation of the adjusting element and the axis of rotation of an output shaft of the adjusting drive can be considered, which usually lie on the same axis or are arranged coaxially on the adjusting element in an arrangement of the adjusting drive by means of a hollow shaft and have movement axes spaced apart from one another in the proposed embodiment. Advantageously, damage or destruction of one of the individual belts is thus not necessary in a maintenance case, since the adjustment drive is arranged at a distance from the remaining adjustment device and is thus accessible in an improved manner. Even in a state of the conveying device in which the individual belts are positioned at maximum close to one another, the adjustment drive can be accessible since it is arranged away from the remaining adjustment device.According to one embodiment of the conveying device, it can be provided that the adjusting drive is coupled to the adjusting element by means of at least one drive means, in particular a link chain or a belt. As described, the axes of movement of the adjusting drive and of the adjusting element are spaced apart from one another, so that they do not coincide. The movement which is generated by the adjustment drive can therefore be transmitted to the adjustment element by means of the drive means. For example, a belt, in particular a toothed belt, or a link chain can be used as the drive means. The rotational movement of the adjustment drive can thus be transmitted to the adjustment element via the drive means, so that the individual belts can be adjusted accordingly by means of the adjustment device and can be set into the desired individual positions or relative positions with respect to one another.In a development of the conveying device, it can be provided that a first gearwheel arranged on a drive shaft of the adjusting drive is coupled by means of the drive means to a second gearwheel arranged on the adjusting element. As described, a spindle can be used as adjusting element, which spindle is coupled to the individual tapes in such a way that during the rotational movement of the adjusting element the relative position of the individual tapes to one another is changed, and these can be arranged in particular "fanned out", i.e. optionally closer to one another or spaced further apart from one another. The terms "first gearwheel" and "second gearwheel" are arbitrarily interchangeable or changeable. By selecting the drive means or by designing the drive means, it is ultimately possible to arrange the adjustment drive as desired relative to the remaining adjustment device, so that the adjustment drive can be shifted in particular into a region which is accessible in an improved manner for maintenance. By suitable selection of the gear wheels, it is also possible to adapt the transmission ratio between the adjusting drive and the adjusting element or ultimately a movement of the individual belts by means of the adjusting device.Furthermore, it can be provided in the conveying device that the adjusting element is coupled to guide elements guiding the individual bands, wherein the guide elements can be positioned along the axis of rotation of the adjusting element by a rotational movement of the adjusting element. As described, the adjusting element can be understood as a spindle which is rotatable about its axis of rotation. The rotational movement of the adjustment drive is thus transmitted via the drive means to the adjustment element, which adjustment element rotates about its axis of rotation. The rotational movement of the adjusting element generates a relative movement of the guide elements on the adjusting element transversely to the conveying direction, so that the relative positions of the individual belts can be adjusted.As described, the spaced arrangement of the adjustment drive away from the adjustment element improves accessibility of the adjustment drive. In particular, structures of the conveying device are arranged below the adjusting device, i.e. on the side of the adjusting device opposite the individual belts, in particular of the adjusting element, which structures prevent the adjusting drive from being accessed "from below". In one embodiment of the conveying device, it can be provided that the adjusting drive is accessible independently of a positioning of the individual belts, in particular from below the individual belts. The adjustment drive is thus displaced into a region in which accessibility of the adjustment drive is possible regardless of how the individual tapes are currently set. This is achieved in particular in that the adjustment drive is accessible not only from the side of the individual belts, but from the opposite side, i.e. from below in the vertical direction, i.e. from that side of the adjustment drive which is remote from the individual belts.As already described, it is possible that the adjusting device is arranged in principle in a region of the conveying device which is not accessible from below the conveying device. In particular, a base frame of the conveying device can be arranged in the region of the adjusting device or the adjusting device, in particular the adjusting element, can be arranged within a base frame, i.e. within a region spanned by a base frame of the conveying device. By spacing the adjustment drive relative to the adjustment element, it can be provided that the adjustment drive is arranged outside a base frame of the conveying device. This enables the restrictions of the base frame with respect to accessibility not to apply to the arrangement of the adjusting drive. The adjustment drive, which is arranged outside the base frame of the conveying device, is accessible in an improved manner compared to the remaining adjustment device, so that maintenance of the adjustment drive is possible in an improved manner. Since the remaining parts of the adjusting device are accessible via the individual belts or their intermediate spaces when the adjusting drive is functioning, further displacement of the remaining components of the adjusting device is not necessary, so that it can always be ensured via the accessibility of the adjusting drive that the adjusting device can be set in a position of the individual belts suitable for maintenance for maintenance for maintenance of the remaining components of the adjusting device.According to a further embodiment, the conveying device can be assigned a clamping device which is designed to clamp and / or unclamp a drive means of the conveying device. By means of the described clamping device, it is therefore possible to clamp or to tension the drive means of the conveying device in a targeted manner. As described, a belt or link chain, for example, can be used as the driving means. If the adjustment drive is to be maintained, the tension of the drive means is initially reduced by releasing the drive means by means of the tensioning device. The adjustment drive can then be serviced. After the completion of the maintenance, the adjustment drive can be coupled again to the drive means and the drive means can be tensioned via the tensioning device, so that the adjustment device is ready for use again. The clamping device is designed to interact with the drive means in such a way that a clamping force on the drive means can be set in a targeted manner.In addition to the conveying device, the invention relates to an adjusting device for a previously described conveying device, which adjusting device is designed to change a relative position of individual belts of the conveying device, in particular transversely to the conveying direction, wherein the individual belts are coupled to an adjusting element rotatable by means of an adjusting drive of the adjusting device, wherein the adjusting drive can be arranged or is arranged spaced apart from a movement axis, in particular an axis of rotation, of the adjusting element.The invention further relates to a method for servicing a previously described conveying device, wherein a drive means which couples the adjustment drive of the adjustment device to the adjustment element is relaxed and the adjustment drive is serviced and / or disassembled independently of a relative position of the individual belts. As described, the conveying device described above, in particular its adjusting device, makes it possible to carry out maintenance of the adjusting drive independently of the current position of the individual belts. In the method, it can thus in particular also be provided that maintenance of the adjusting drive can be carried out in a position below a minimum distance of the individual belts relative to one another. In particular, the maintenance can also be carried out in a position of the individual strips at a maximum close distance to one another. The maintenance of the conveying device, in particular of the adjusting drive, can be carried out non-destructively or without damage with respect to the individual belts. The maintenance of the adjustment drive can be carried out in particular from the underside of the adjustment drive.All advantages, details, embodiments and / or features described with reference to the conveying device can be completely transferred to the adjusting device and the method.The invention is explained on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. The figures are schematic representations and show: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a conveying device according to an exemplary embodiment in a lateral illustration; and FIG. 2 shows the conveying device of FIG. 1 in a plan view.FIG. 1 shows a conveying device 1 for conveying objects, which comprises a conveyor belt 2, which can be embodied in particular as a so-called "timing belt". The conveyor belt 2 has a plurality of individual belts 3 guided parallel to one another (cf. FIG. 2 ), which can be adjusted transversely to a conveying direction indicated by an arrow 5 by means of an adjusting device 4. The conveying direction is to be understood here merely as an example and can likewise also be oriented in the opposite direction.The adjusting device 4 is designed to change the relative positions of the individual belts 3 of the conveyor belt 2 or to adjust the intermediate spaces between the individual belts 3. In the embodiment shown, in particular in FIG. 2, it is shown that the distances between the individual belts 3 are adjusted by a rotational movement of an adjusting element 6 of the adjusting device 4. In other words, the individual strips 3 can be moved closer together or spaced further apart from one another. The adjustment device 4 is thus designed in particular for a so-called "fan adjustment". The fan adjustment is illustrated in FIG. 2 by way of example by arrows 7 which indicate that each individual belt 3, together with all other individual belts 3, can be positioned transversely with respect to the conveying direction.For this purpose, each individual strip 3 is coupled to the adjusting element 6 by a guide element 8. The adjusting element 6 can be designed, for example, as a rotatable spindle, so that a positioning of the guide elements 8 transversely to the conveying direction takes place by a rotation of the adjusting element 6. The movement of the adjusting element 6 is effected by an adjusting drive 9 of the adjusting device 4. The adjustment drive 9 is arranged at a distance from the adjustment element 6, i.e. a distance 10 is formed between an axis of movement of the adjustment element 6 and an axis of movement of a drive shaft of the adjustment drive 9. In particular, the axes of rotation of the adjusting element 6 and the adjusting drive 9 do not coincide, but rather diverge.As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, the adjusting element 6 and the adjusting drive 9 are coupled to one another via a drive means 11, for example a belt or a link chain. For this purpose, the adjusting drive 9 has on its drive shaft a first gearwheel 12 which is coupled via the drive means 11 to a second gearwheel 13 which is arranged on the adjusting element 6. In other words, the rotational movement which is generated by the adjustment drive 9 can thus be introduced into the drive means 11 and can thus be transmitted to the adjustment element 6. It is thus possible to see that the adjusting drive 9 can be spaced apart from the remaining adjusting device 4 by the distance 10 by the drive means 11. The adjustment drive 9 can be arranged in particular outside a base frame 14 of the conveying device 1, so that its accessibility can be improved.As can be seen from FIG. 1, for example, the adjustment drive 9 is accessible "from below", i.e. from a side of the adjustment drive 9 which is remote from the individual belts 3. This enables the adjustment drive 9 to be always accessible independently of an adjustment of the individual belts 3 or of the adjustment device 4 and, in particular, maintenance of the adjustment drive 9 can also be carried out in states of the individual belts 3 in which they are brought close to one another at the maximum. The described adjusting drive 9 or its arrangement outside the base frame 14 enables in particular maintenance of the adjusting drive 9 in a non-destructive or damage-free manner with respect to the individual belts 3.In order to service the adjusting drive 9, it is possible to expand the drive means 11 with a clamping device, not shown in detail, and thus to decouple the adjusting drive 9 from the remaining adjusting device 4. After maintenance or repair or replacement of the adjusting drive 9, the described clamping device can be used to clamp the drive means 11 and thus restore the coupling between the adjusting drive 9 and the adjusting element 6.The advantages, details and features shown in the figures and described with reference to the exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another as desired, interchanged with one another and transferred to one another. The method described herein for servicing a conveying device can be carried out with the conveying device 1.List of reference characters1 Conveying device 2 Conveyor belt 3 Individual belt 4 Adjusting device 5 Arrow 6 Adjusting element 7 Arrow 8 Guide element 9 Adjusting drive 10 Distance 11 Drive means 12 First gearwheel 13 Second gearwheel 14 Base frame

Claims

Conveying device (1) for conveying objects, comprising at least one conveyor belt (2), in particular a timing belt, having a plurality of individual belts (3) guided parallel to one another and an adjusting device (4) which is designed to change a relative position of the individual belts (3), in particular transversely to the conveying direction, characterized in that the individual belts (3) are coupled to an adjusting element (6) which can be rotated by means of an adjusting drive (9) of the adjusting device (4), wherein the adjusting drive (9) is arranged at a distance from an axis of movement, in particular an axis of rotation, of the adjusting element (6).Conveying device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjusting drive (9) is coupled to the adjusting element (6) by means of at least one drive means (11), in particular a link chain or a belt.Conveying device (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that a first gearwheel (12) arranged on a drive shaft of the adjusting drive (9) is coupled by means of the drive means (11) to a second gearwheel (13) arranged on the adjusting element (6).Conveying device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the adjusting element (6) is coupled to guide elements (8) guiding the individual belts (3), wherein the guide elements (8) can be positioned along the axis of rotation of the adjusting element (6) by a rotational movement of the adjusting element (6).Conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting drive (9) is accessible independently of a positioning of the individual belts (3), in particular from below the individual belts (3).Conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjusting drive (9) is arranged outside a base frame (14) of the conveying device (1).Conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bya clamping device which is designed to clamp and / or unclamp a drive means (11) of the conveying device (1).Adjusting device (4) for a conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which adjusting device (4) is designed to change a relative position of individual belts (3) of the conveying device (1), in particular transversely to the conveying direction, characterized in that the individual belts (3) are coupled to an adjusting element (6) which can be rotated by means of an adjusting drive (9) of the adjusting device (4), wherein the adjusting drive (9) can be arranged or is arranged at a distance from a movement axis, in particular an axis of rotation, of the adjusting element (6).Method for servicing a conveying device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a drive means which couples the adjusting drive (9) of the adjusting device (4) to the adjusting element (6) is relaxed and the adjusting drive (9) is serviced and / or disassembled independently of a relative position of the individual belts (3).

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