Pipe conveying device and method for transporting one or more pipes along a conveying path

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable conveying device (1) for transporting one or more cables (L) along a conveying path (F) from a receiving area (11) to a discharging area (12) of the cable conveying device (1), comprising a conveyor belt (2) and a drive (3) for driving the conveyor belt (2), wherein the conveyor belt (2) is supported at least along the conveying section (F) of the line conveying device (1) by at least one bearing means (5) such that a conveying surface (21) of the conveyor belt (2) encloses a line (L) to be transported, in particular completely. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for transporting one or more lines (L) with the line conveying device (1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cable conveyor device for transporting one or more cables along a conveyor path from a receiving area to a removal area of ​​the cable conveyor device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for transporting one or more cables using the cable conveyor device.

[0002] In the current state of the art, wires, for example, for a motor vehicle wiring harness, are cut individually in cutting machines and then bundled and removed in a bundle of approximately 100 wires. The cut wires are then stored on a shelf until they are transported to a (production) line for further processing and / or use. There, the wires are removed individually and laid, for example, on a cable forming board.

[0003] The disadvantage is that numerous intermediate steps are necessary before a cut cable moves from a cutting machine to a subsequent processing station. This involves considerable logistical effort.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cable conveying device for cables which reduces the logistical effort for the cables between successive processing stations of a production line, in which the transport can be automated and which can be integrated into an automated production line.

[0005] This problem is solved by the combination of features according to patent claim 1.

[0006] The basic idea of ​​the invention is that the cables do not fall into a cable collecting tray after a processing station as previously, but directly onto a driven belt conveyor, which encloses the cables, particularly completely, and guides them via a hose or pipe system to a downstream processing station. The cable remains encased within the belt conveyor until it reaches the desired system. Only at the subsequent processing station does the encasement open again, allowing the cable to be removed or transferred to a subsequent system. This encasement, particularly complete encasement, is advantageous because it prevents damage to sensitive contact parts, while still allowing the belt conveyor to move freely within the system.

[0007] According to the invention, a cable conveyor device for transporting one or more cables along a conveyor path from a receiving area to at least one removal area of ​​the cable conveyor device is proposed, comprising at least one conveyor belt, in particular a belt conveyor, and a drive for driving the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is supported by at least one bearing means, at least along the conveyor path of the cable conveyor device, such that a conveying surface of the conveyor belt completely surrounds a cable to be transported.

[0008] It is also advantageous that, due to the, in particular complete, enclosing of the lines, a flexible conveying direction can be realized without damaging the lines or contact parts of the lines. Furthermore, the line conveying device is generally designed for transporting flexible components. Furthermore, a guide device for the conveyor belt can be arranged, in particular, on the conveyor belt, preferably on an underside of the conveyor belt. In this way, the conveyor belt is held or guided in or along its predetermined trajectory, thereby preventing, for example, twisting or catching of the conveyor belt. Furthermore, several removal areas arranged one behind the other along the conveyor line are also conceivable.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor belt is mounted in the receiving area and / or the removal area by one of the at least one bearing means such that the conveying surface of the conveyor belt, in particular in a channel shape, is curved toward a receiving side of the conveyor belt, preferably with a maximum semicircular and / or semitubular curvature. This improves the picking and unpicking in the receiving area and the removal area, respectively.

[0010] In one embodiment of the invention, the one bearing means in the receiving area and / or removal area is at least one pair of conveyor rollers arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the cable conveyor device, in particular several pairs of conveyor rollers arranged at a predetermined interval along the receiving area in the conveying direction. This is advantageous in that the arrangement and orientation of the conveying surface of the conveyor belt can be precisely adapted to a specific application by means of the conveyor rollers.

[0011] Preferably, the cable conveying device is designed such that the conveyor belt is mounted in a transition region between the receiving region and the conveying path and / or between the conveying path and the removal region by one of the at least one mounting means such that a transition of the conveying surface from the bent state to the enveloping state and / or from the enveloping state to the bent state is formed. Alternatively, an arrangement of the at least one mounting means is also conceivable in the removal region such that the conveyor belt or the conveying surface has such an inclination and / or is bent in an opposite direction that the cable to be transported falls off the conveyor belt.

[0012] Furthermore, an embodiment is favorable in which the one bearing means in the transition region are at least two, three or four conveyor rollers arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the line conveying device, in particular a plurality of units of at least four conveyor rollers arranged spaced apart in the conveying direction at a predetermined interval along the receiving region, in particular such that the conveying surface is curved at least semicircularly and / or semitubularly, in particular in a trough-shaped manner, in the direction of the receiving side of the conveyor belt.

[0013] In a further advantageous variant, the invention provides that the storage means along and / or in the region of the conveying path is a hose or a pipe. This is advantageous in that a conveyor belt guided through the hose or pipe encloses the line to be transported, particularly completely, in and / or due to the hose or pipe. In this way, the line to be transported is protected from damage.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cable conveyor device according to the invention is designed such that the drive is arranged in a drive section of the cable conveyor device. The drive has a force-locking power transmission, in particular by means of several preferably smooth drive rollers, and / or a form-locking power transmission, in particular by means of toothed drive rollers, to the conveyor belt.

[0015] Accordingly, the conveyor belt or cable conveying device is divided into two sections: the section where the cable is wrapped and transported, and the section through which the conveyor belt is driven.

[0016] It is further advantageous if the conveyor belt can be driven continuously or discontinuously by the drive. Preferably, the cable conveying device is designed such that the conveyor belt can be driven continuously and can therefore convey continuously without needing to be stopped.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present cable conveying device, it is further provided that the receiving area and / or the removal area has a coupling element as an interface for a preceding and / or subsequent processing station of a, in particular automated, production line and / or for at least one further cable conveying device following the cable conveying device. A preceding processing station is, for example, a cutting device, and a subsequent processing station is, for example, an assembly and / or laying device. Switches and / or branches in the conveying path can be realized, for example, by means of a further cable conveying device following the cable conveying device.For this purpose, the interface has in particular a corresponding distribution device for distributing the corresponding lines to the corresponding at least one further line conveying device connected to the line conveying device.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment, the coupling element is a handling device arranged in the receiving area and / or the removal area for receiving and / or removing one or more lines, in particular a robot, and / or a funnel with an orientation means for the lines and / or a collecting trough with a further orientation means for the lines.

[0019] According to the invention, a method is further proposed for transporting one or more cables using a cable conveying device according to the above disclosure along a conveying path from a receiving area to a removal area of ​​the cable conveying device. In the method, a conveyor belt of the cable conveying device is driven continuously or discontinuously by means of a drive for driving the conveyor belt. Furthermore, the cable to be transported is received in the receiving area by means of the conveyor belt of the cable conveying device. Furthermore, the cable is transported from the receiving area to the removal area by means of the conveyor belt of the cable conveying device. In this case, the conveyor belt is mounted at least along the conveying path of the cable conveying device by at least one bearing means such that a conveying surface of the conveyor belt encloses a cable to be transported, in particular completely.

[0020] If several lines are to be conveyed simultaneously, a dosing device must be provided in particular, which is designed such that the corresponding lines are received one after the other in the receiving area, so that the lines are not arranged next to one another and / or at the same height on the conveyor belt.

[0021] The features disclosed above can be combined as desired, as long as this is technically possible and they do not contradict each other.

[0022] Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are presented in more detail below, together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a cable conveying device; Fig. 2 a sectional view of the cable conveying device in a conveying line; Fig. 3 a sectional view of the cable conveying device in a receiving area and / or removal area and Fig. 4 a sectional view of the cable conveying device in a transition area between a conveying section and a receiving area and / or removal area.

[0023] The figures are schematic examples. Identical reference numerals in the figures indicate identical functional and / or structural features.

[0024] In Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a cable conveyor device 1 for transporting one or more cables L along a conveyor path F from a receiving area 11 to a removal area 12 of the cable conveyor device 1. The cable conveyor device 1 comprises a conveyor belt 2 and a drive 3 for driving the conveyor belt 2. The drive 3 is arranged in a drive section A of the cable conveyor device 1. Furthermore, the drive 3 has a non-positive power transmission by means of several preferably smooth drive rollers and / or a positive power transmission by means of toothed drive rollers to the conveyor belt 2. Furthermore, the conveyor belt can be driven continuously or discontinuously by means of the drive 3.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the cable conveying device 1 in the conveying path F. The conveyor belt 2 is supported along the conveying path F of the cable conveying device 1 by a bearing means 5 such that a conveying surface 21 of the conveyor belt 2 completely surrounds a cable L to be transported. In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing means 5 along and / or in the region of the conveying path F is a hose or a pipe 52.

[0026] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the cable conveying device 1 in a receiving area 11 and / or removal area 12. The conveyor belt 2 in the receiving area 11 and / or the removal area 12 is mounted by one of the at least one bearing means 5 such that the conveying surface 21 of the conveyor belt 2 is curved in a groove-like manner towards a receiving side of the conveyor belt 2. The one bearing means 5 in the receiving area 11 and / or removal area 12 is at least one pair of conveyor rollers 51 arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the cable conveying device 1. In this case, a plurality of pairs of conveyor rollers 51 are provided, spaced apart in the conveying direction at a predetermined interval along the receiving area 11.

[0027] In addition, the Fig. The receiving area 11 shown in Figure 3 and / or the removal area 12 has a coupling element 6 as an interface for a preceding and / or subsequent processing station of an automated production line. The coupling element 6 is a handling device for receiving and / or removing one or more lines L.

[0028] Fig.4 shows a sectional view of the cable conveyor device 1 in a transition region 13 between the conveying path F and a receiving region 11 and / or removal region 12. The conveyor belt 2 is supported in the transition region 13 between the receiving region 11 and the conveying path F and / or between the conveying path F and the removal region 12 by one of the at least one bearing means 5 such that a transition of the conveying surface 21 from the bent state to the enveloping state and / or from the enveloping state to the bent state is formed. The one bearing means 5 in the transition region 13 are four conveyor rollers 51 arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the cable conveyor device 1.In the transition region 13, there are several units of at least four conveyor rollers 51 arranged spaced apart in the conveying direction at a predetermined interval along the receiving region 11, such that the conveying surface 21 is curved at least semicircularly and / or in a groove-like manner in the direction of the receiving side of the conveyor belt 2.

[0029] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable that utilize the presented solution even in fundamentally different embodiments.

Claims

[1] Cable conveying device (1) for transporting one or more cables (L) along a conveying path (F) from a receiving area (11) to at least one removal area (12) of the cable conveying device (1), with at least one conveyor belt (2) and a drive (3) for driving the conveyor belt (2), wherein the conveyor belt (2) is mounted at least along the conveying path (F) of the cable conveying device (1) by at least one bearing means (5) in such a way that a conveying surface (21) of the conveyor belt (2) encloses, in particular completely, a cable (L) to be transported. [2] Cable conveying device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt (2) is mounted in the receiving area (11) and / or the removal area (12) by one of the at least one bearing means (5) such that the conveying surface (21) of the conveyor belt (2), in particular in a groove shape, is bent in the direction of a receiving side of the conveyor belt (2). [3] Cable conveying device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the one storage means (5) in the receiving area (11) and / or removal area (12) is at least one pair of conveyor rollers (51) arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the cable conveying device (1), in particular a plurality of pairs of conveyor rollers (51) arranged spaced apart in the conveying direction at a predetermined interval along the receiving area (11). [4] Cable conveying device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the conveyor belt (2) is mounted in a transition region (13) between the receiving region (11) and the conveying path (F) and / or between the conveying path (F) and the removal region (12) by one of the at least one bearing means (5) in such a way that a transition of the conveying surface (21) from the bent state to the enveloping state and / or from the enveloping state to the bent state is formed. [5] Cable conveyor device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the one bearing means (5) in the transition region (13) are at least four conveyor rollers (51) arranged at a predetermined position in the conveying direction of the cable conveyor device (1), in particular a plurality of units of at least four conveyor rollers (51) arranged spaced apart in the conveying direction at a predetermined interval along the receiving region (11), in particular such that the conveying surface (21) is bent at least semicircularly, in particular in a groove-like manner, in the direction of the receiving side of the conveyor belt (2). [6] Line conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing means (5) along and / or in the region of the conveying path (F) is a hose or a pipe (52). [7] Cable conveyor device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive (3) is arranged in a drive section (A) of the cable conveyor device (1), wherein the drive (3) has a force-locking power transmission, in particular by means of several preferably smooth drive rollers, and / or a form-locking power transmission, in particular by means of toothed drive rollers, to the conveyor belt (2). [8] Cable conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor belt can be driven continuously or discontinuously by means of the drive (3). [9] Cable conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving area (11) and / or the removal area (12) has a coupling element (6) as an interface for a preceding and / or subsequent processing station of a, in particular automated, production line and / or for at least one further cable conveying device (1') adjoining the cable conveying device (1). [10] Cable conveying device (1) according to claim 9, wherein the coupling element (6) is a handling device arranged in the receiving area (11) and / or the removal area (12) for receiving and / or removing one or more cables (L) and / or a funnel with an orientation means for the cables (L) and / or a collecting trough with a further orientation means for the cables (L). [11] Method for transporting one or more cables (L) with a cable conveying device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, along a conveying path (F) from a receiving area (11) to a removal area (12) of the cable conveying device (1), which comprises the steps: a. Continuous or discontinuous driving of a conveyor belt (2) of the line conveying device (1) by means of a drive (3) for driving the conveyor belt (2); b. Receiving the cable (L) to be transported in the receiving area (11) by means of the conveyor belt (2) of the cable conveying device (1), c. Transporting the line (L) from the receiving area (11) to the removal area (12) by means of the conveyor belt (2) of the line conveying device (1); wherein the conveyor belt (2) is supported at least along the conveying path (F) of the line conveying device (1) by at least one bearing means (5) such that a conveying surface (21) of the conveyor belt (2) surrounds, in particular completely, a line (L) to be transported.

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