Modulares Mobile Lift System

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular mobile lift system which is designed for high load capacities and specifically for use in clean rooms. The modular mobile lift system comprises a chassis, a lifting unit which is arranged on the chassis, and a carrier which is arranged on the lifting unit and is configured to carry a load to be moved with the modular mobile lift system. The lifting unit comprises a first lifting column and a first guide carriage, wherein the first guide carriage is movable along the first lifting column with the aid of a first belt. The lifting unit further comprises a second lifting column and a second guide carriage, wherein the second guide carriage is movable along the second lifting column with the aid of a second belt. The carrier is attached to the two guide carriages and is movable with them.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular mobile lift system which is designed for high load capacities and especially for use in clean rooms.

[0002] In recent years, the demands placed on industrial trucks have steadily increased. Loads of varying weights, dimensions, and shapes must be transported as quickly and efficiently as possible, while also being as precise and gentle as possible. In addition, there are additional requirements dictated by the specific operating environment, such as ambient temperature, humidity, and cleanliness of the work area.

[0003] The manufacturing of many products now places extreme demands on the production environment, as many of the (intermediate) products are highly sensitive to harmful or foreign substances in their environment during production (e.g., in the fields of semiconductor technology, microsystems technology, optics, laser technology, battery technology, aerospace technology, medical technology, the pharmaceutical industry, food technology, etc.). Therefore, in an increasing number of industrial sectors, the manufacture of such products is increasingly taking place in state-of-the-art cleanroom environments and under increasingly strict regulations.

[0004] At the same time, in addition to the continuously increasing cleanroom requirements, the demands of the products manufactured and moved in cleanrooms are also steadily increasing. In particular, there is a trend toward moving ever larger loads with consistent and even greater precision. In semiconductor technology, for example, ever larger lenses / optics are being used to expose ever larger wafers. Similarly, in the field of battery technology, ever larger and more complex battery systems are being used to increase storage capacities.

[0005] The combination of these requirements poses new challenges for the transport and handling of heavy loads, especially in the range between approximately 50 kg and 500 kg, especially in a cleanroom environment. Conventional lift systems are not designed to meet these special requirements.

[0006] Examples of known lift systems are shown in EP 2 969 890 B1, DE 17 81 070 A, CN 1 15 196 468 B and US 11 046 514 B2.

[0007] EP 2 969 890 B1 discloses a lifting frame for an industrial truck, in particular for a reach truck. The lifting frame disclosed therein is equipped with a load-bearing means, three mast frames, and a lifting device. Each of the mast frames has two profile rails connected to one another via at least two crossbeams. The lifting device can raise the three mast frames and the load-bearing means relative to one another. The three mast frames are partially arranged within one another, so that they are designed as an inner mast, a center mast, and an outer mast, of which the inner mast is supported by the center mast, and the center mast by the outer mast.

[0008] From DE 17 81 070 A, a lifting mast construction with several components for two-, three- or multi-stage extension is known, wherein the components to be referred to as main components and a hydraulically operated lifting device can be operated in different ways, but in such a way that the installation, alignment and replacement of the guide rollers after the complete assembly of the lifting mast and without the otherwise necessary considerable effort in the form of the use of a crane or similar means for separating the components from one another is possible.

[0009] From CN 1 15 196 468 B, a lifting device with a long guide rail is also known, which comprises a transport rail, a lifting unit and a transport unit.

[0010] Finally, from US 11,046,514 B2 a carriage lifting arrangement is known which has a mast element, an upper bearing arrangement, a lower bearing arrangement, one or more belt elements, one or more belt tensioner arrangements and one or more carriage arrangements.

[0011] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution that overcomes these disadvantages. Specifically, one object of the present invention is to provide a modular mobile lift system designed for transporting and manipulating a wide range of loads, particularly in a cleanroom environment.

[0012] This object is achieved by the device according to claim 1. Advantageous further developments are specified in the subclaims.

[0013] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a modular mobile lift system for use in a clean room environment. The modular mobile lift system comprises a chassis, a lifting unit arranged on the chassis, and a carrier arranged on the lifting unit and configured to carry a load to be moved with the modular mobile lift system. The lifting unit comprises a first lifting column and a first guide carriage, wherein the first guide carriage is movable along the first lifting column with the aid of a first belt. The lifting unit further comprises a second lifting column and a second guide carriage, wherein the second guide carriage is movable along the second lifting column with the aid of a second belt. The carrier is attached to the two guide carriages and is movable with them.

[0014] With the modular mobile lift system according to the invention, a load, either directly via the support or via a modular component holder attached to the support, can be moved in a horizontal (x / y) plane on which the modular mobile lift system is deployed using the chassis. Likewise, the load can be raised or lowered using the lifting unit and thus moved in a vertical (z) direction, perpendicular to the plane.

[0015] Surprisingly, clear advantages emerged from implementing the movement along the lifting axis using a belt tension system. Using a belt tension system enables precise and repeatable lifting and lowering, thus enabling exact positioning of the load to be carried. Furthermore, the inventive use of a belt tension system significantly reduces lubricant consumption and the associated risk of particles being released into the environment during use compared to known mobile lift systems, making it possible to use the modular mobile lift system even in a cleanroom environment. Specifically, the inventive modular mobile lift system can be designed for use in a cleanroom environment according to one of the classes ISO 1 to ISO 9 according to ISO 14644-1, which is part of the ISO 14644 / DIN EN ISO 14644 standard.

[0016] The two lifting columns of the lifting unit can be arranged parallel and spaced apart on the chassis. Preferably, the two lifting columns are located in a plane perpendicular to the floor on which the chassis runs during operation.

[0017] To further reduce the release of particles into the environment during operation of the modular mobile lift system, the two belt straps can be made of an abrasion-resistant material, preferably a cleanroom-certified material. Particularly preferably, the belt straps are made of a material designed for use in a cleanroom environment according to one of the classes ISO 1 to ISO 9 according to ISO 14644-1, which is part of the ISO 14644 / DIN EN ISO 14644 standard (e.g., ISO 9).

[0018] The two straps can be made of a stretch-resistant material. Using a stretch-resistant material enables precise movement and exact positioning of the load to be carried, even after repeated use of the modular mobile lift system over an extended period.

[0019] Preferably, the two straps are made of a stretch-resistant and abrasion-resistant material, which is particularly preferably also cleanroom-certified as defined above. The material of the two straps can have a breaking strength of at least 1000 daN and / or an elongation of a maximum of 5%. Preferably, the material has a breaking strength of at least 2200 daN and / or an elongation of a maximum of 3% (DIN EN 12195-2). If the straps are made of a stretch-resistant and abrasion-resistant (or even cleanroom-certified) material, both advantages are realized.

[0020] The two straps are preferably made of the same material.

[0021] The modular mobile lift system may comprise a drive, wherein the drive is configured to drive the first belt and the second belt in a synchronized manner.

[0022] Preferably, the drive is configured to drive the first belt and the second belt in a mechanically synchronized manner. Alternatively or in addition to mechanical synchronization, the drive can be configured to drive the first belt and the second belt in an electrically or electronically synchronized manner. Particularly preferably, the drive is configured to drive the first belt and the second belt in a mechanically and electronically synchronized manner. Synchronizing the two belts ensures even more precise and reproducible lifting and lowering of the load to be carried. In each individual case, a decision must be made as to which of the aforementioned types of synchronization is necessary or sufficient based on the requirements to be met.

[0023] Each of the two guide carriages of the modular mobile lift system can be equipped with longitudinal rollers designed to provide mobility along the respective lifting column, specifically along the longitudinal axis of the respective lifting column. Combined with the belt drive, the efficient rolling motion of the longitudinal rollers further reduces the release of particles into the environment during use, especially when lifting and lowering the load.

[0024] The longitudinal rollers of each guide carriage preferably have the same diameter or substantially the same diameter. Particularly preferably, the longitudinal rollers of each guide carriage are arranged in pairs on the guide carriage such that the two longitudinal rollers of each pair are offset relative to each other in at least two, and preferably two or three mutually orthogonal spatial directions. In particular, one of the two rollers of each pair can be offset relative to the other roller of the pair perpendicular to the plane defined by the longitudinal and transverse directions of the guide carriage. This allows tilting moments caused by the load to be carried to be implemented and absorbed particularly well. In other words, this supports the maintenance of the parallelism of the longitudinal axes of the lifting columns with the longitudinal axes of the guide carriages, even with heavy loads of up to 500 kg.At the very least, the deviation from parallelism is reduced, allowing precise and repeatable movement / positioning of the load to be carried.

[0025] Each of the guide carriages of a modular mobile lift system according to the invention can have lateral guide rollers. The lateral guide rollers serve to limit the mobility of the guide carriage transversely to its longitudinal axis and thus transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lifting column.

[0026] In a particularly preferred embodiment, each of the two lifting columns has a structural profile designed to accommodate the longitudinal rollers, the lateral guide rollers, or both the longitudinal rollers and the lateral guide rollers of the guide carriage assigned to the respective lifting column. As a result, the movement of the guide carriage mediated by the respective belt is guided along the (longitudinal axis of the) respective lifting column. Specifically, the structural profile can have a chamber designed to accommodate the part of the guide carriage in which the longitudinal rollers and / or lateral guide rollers are arranged, such that the longitudinal rollers and / or lateral guide rollers run on an inner surface of the structural profile and are thus guided.

[0027] The chassis of a modular mobile lift system according to the invention can further comprise wheel assemblies, wherein the running surface of each of the wheel assemblies consists of rollers and the rotation axes of the rollers are at right angles to the rotation axis of the respective wheel assemblies. This arrangement allows the modular mobile lift system to be moved efficiently and precisely in all directions of the (x / y) plane, thus positioning the load to be carried accordingly. The efficient rolling motion also further reduces the risk of particles being released into the environment. Specifically, both the wheel assemblies and the rollers can have suitable bearings (e.g., plain or ball bearings) to further reduce particle release, which are preferably encapsulated and / or coated with a special cleanroom grease.

[0028] Preferably, each of the wheel devices has at least two and particularly preferably (at least) three wheels of the same diameter, wherein the wheels are arranged next to one another on the axis of rotation of the wheel device. For each of the wheels, several of the rollers (for example three, four, five, six, seven or eight rollers) are distributed over the circumference of the respective wheel in such a way that the rollers of adjacent wheels are offset from one another in the circumferential direction. Preferably, wheel devices with three wheels and three, four or five rollers per wheel are used. This measure results in an overlap of the rollers with respect to the wheel contact point, which on the one hand leads to an improved distribution of the load and thus load-bearing capacity and on the other hand to increased smoothness of running.

[0029] Preferably, the rollers on each wheel are distributed equally spaced from one another around the circumference of the respective wheel. Preferably, all wheels of a wheel device have the same number of rollers (e.g., three, four, five, six, seven, or eight rollers). Particularly preferably, all wheel devices have the same number of wheels (e.g., two, three, or four wheels), with the wheels each having the same number of rollers (e.g., three, four, five, six, seven, or eight rollers).

[0030] Particularly preferably, the number of wheels and rollers per wheel device is selected such that at least two rollers per wheel device are in contact with the ground at all times. Wheel devices with (at least) four wheels and (at least) five rollers per wheel can be used for this purpose.

[0031] Preferably, at least two first wheel assemblies are arranged at a first end of the chassis, and at least two, and preferably four, second wheel assemblies are arranged at the opposite second end of the chassis. The (parallel) axes of rotation of the first wheel assemblies and the (parallel) axes of rotation of the second wheel assemblies are arranged at a right angle or at a substantially right angle relative to each other. Typically, the lifting columns of the lifting system are arranged closer to the first (operator) end than to the second (load) end of the chassis of the modular mobile lift system.

[0032] Particularly preferably, the running surface of each of the first and second wheel devices consists of rollers, wherein the rotational axes of the rollers are at right angles to the rotational axis of the respective wheel device. Likewise, for example, only the second wheel devices can have a running surface consisting of rollers, wherein the rotational axes of the rollers are at right angles to the rotational axis of the respective wheel device. The first wheel devices can not have such rollers in this embodiment.

[0033] In a further preferred embodiment, the first wheel devices can have a common drive. Particularly preferably, each of the first wheel devices can have its own drive. The respective drive can be provided, for example, by a respective (electric) motor, by means of which the rotation of the respective wheel device about its axis of rotation can be driven and controlled.

[0034] Furthermore, each of the second wheel units can have its own braking system. This allows the rotation of the respective wheel unit around its axis of rotation to be braked in a controlled manner. In conjunction with the drive of the first wheel units described above, the braking systems of the two second wheel units can be used to precisely and repeatably control the movement of the modular mobile lift system while ensuring extremely smooth operation. In particular, this interaction allows for precise cornering and precise turning / reversing of the modular mobile lift system.

[0035] The first belt can run over a first deflection pulley at the upper end of the first lifting column furthest from the chassis, and the second belt can run over a second deflection pulley at the upper end of the second lifting column furthest from the chassis. The guide carriages (and thus the beam and the load to be carried) are essentially suspended from the belts running over the deflection pulleys at the upper end of the lifting columns, so that the system pre-tensions itself. Preferably, the belts first run over respective lower deflection pulleys at the opposite end of the lifting columns, i.e. at the end of the lifting columns closest to the chassis. This measure allows the belts to initially run between the respective lower and upper deflection pulleys and thus virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lifting column, before being deflected by the upper deflection pulley to the respective guide carriage. This allows the belt tensioning system to be integrated compactly and space-savingly.The design profile of the lifting columns mentioned above can be adapted accordingly.

[0036] Preferably, the modular mobile lift system according to the invention further comprises a drive for the belt straps.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the drive for the belts comprises a motor that drives two winding drums on a common drive shaft, the first of the two winding drums being connected to the first belt, and the second of the two winding drums being connected to the second belt. In an alternative embodiment, the drive comprises two motors, the first of the two motors driving a first winding drum connected to the first belt, and the second of the two motors driving a second winding drum connected to the second belt.

[0038] The winding drums serve to wind and unwind the respective belt, which is transferred into a corresponding lifting or lowering movement of the guide carriage connected to the belt.

[0039] The modular mobile lift system according to the invention is preferably designed for load capacities of at least 50 kg. More preferably, the modular mobile lift system is designed for load capacities of up to 200 kg. In a preferred embodiment, the modular mobile lift system is designed for load capacities of up to 500 kg. The modular mobile lift system is particularly preferably designed for load capacities between 50 kg and 500 kg.

[0040] A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a modular mobile lift system according to the first aspect in a cleanroom environment, especially in a cleanroom environment according to one of the classes ISO 1 to ISO 9 according to ISO 14644-1, which is part of the standard ISO 14644 / DIN EN ISO 14644.

[0041] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the schematic drawings and are described in more detail below, from which further features and advantages of the invention emerge. Fig. 1 shows an overall view of a modular mobile lift system according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a front view of a modular mobile lift system according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a view of a modular mobile lift system according to the invention from below; and Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show two detailed views of a component of the Fig. 1 to 3 shown modular mobile lift system according to the invention.

[0042] The following is an explanation of the invention based on the exemplary drawings according to the structure and mode of operation of the invention.

[0043] The Fig. 1 and Fig. The modular mobile lift system 10 shown in Figure 2 comprises a chassis 12 and a lifting unit 14. The lifting unit 14 is arranged on and secured to the chassis 12. The chassis 12 ensures the mobility of the modular mobile lift system 10, and specifically of the lifting unit 14, in all directions of the horizontal (x / y) plane on which the modular mobile lift system 10 operates. During operation, the lifting unit 14 provides the lifting movement in the vertical (z) direction relative to the plane.

[0044] To provide the lifting movement of a load, the lifting unit 14 comprises a support 16 and two lifting columns 18. The two lifting columns 18 have an elongated shape, wherein the longitudinal axes of the two lifting columns 18 are arranged parallel and spaced from each other on the chassis 12. As shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the two lifting columns 18 protrude from the chassis 12 and are arranged essentially perpendicularly on the chassis 12. The lifting columns 18 point in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the chassis 12. This arrangement of the lifting columns 18 minimizes the operator's accessibility and visibility to the work area, and specifically to the load to be moved on the support 16.

[0045] The two lifting columns 18 exhibit high torsional and flexural rigidity to be suitable for high loads and tipping moments. In the embodiment shown, the lifting columns are manufactured, for example, in the form of a structural profile, preferably made of aluminum. Additional stiffening of the lifting columns 18 is achieved by side plates 20, which also serve as the basic framework for the chassis 12. The (aluminum) profile of the lifting columns 18 also serves, as will be explained below, as a guide for the lifting movement and can, for this purpose, have one or more (for example, two) chambers extending in the longitudinal direction of the lifting column. In addition, part of the system's electronics can be installed in the profile.

[0046] The carrier 16 is designed to carry a load (not shown) to be moved with the modular mobile lift system 10. Depending on the type and nature of the load, the carrier 16 can be designed in the form of a modular component holder (fork, gripper, turning unit, etc.) and in particular in the form of a rotation and lateral adjustment unit, as shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This provides not only the lifting function but also a rotation function and the option of lateral adjustment of the forks, as explained in more detail below.

[0047] The support 16 is mounted on the two lifting columns 18 by means of two guide carriages 22, allowing linear movement such that the support 16 (and thus any load) can be moved along the parallel longitudinal axes of the two lifting columns 18 and thus in the vertical (z-) direction. For this purpose, the support 16 is rigidly connected to the two guide carriages 22.

[0048] If the wearer is 16, as in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, is designed as a modular rotary and lateral adjustment unit, making it possible to rotate the load to be transported and to position it as precisely as possible by moving it laterally. A base plate 23 of the support 16, designed as a rotary and lateral adjustment unit, which is firmly screwed to the guide carriage 22 of the lifting system, serves as a mount and support plate for a precision gear (not shown). This measure not only increases the torque but also supports the tipping moment. A pre-stage transmission allows the drive torque to be reduced, and the associated DC motor can be selected to be correspondingly small. This reduces the maximum rotational speed, which facilitates precise handling of the transported goods.

[0049] The base plate 23 is bolted to the front of the aforementioned precision gear unit and serves to attach the linear guides and the spindle drives for the lateral adjustment. To support the weight of the load to be carried even during rotation by means of the precision gear unit, a 45 mm wide lateral adjustment with high adjustment carriages 24 is used. This ensures the required load capacity of the carriage pair 24 when the fork bridge is arranged horizontally and parallel.

[0050] To precisely adjust the spacing of the adjustment carriages 24 and thus the fork width, the adjustment carriages 24 are moved via trapezoidal spindles driven by two DC motors with worm gears (not shown). This allows the weight to be supported via the spindle bearings when arranged horizontally in parallel, allowing the load support to rotate in any loading condition.

[0051] For the electrical connection of the DC motors for lateral adjustment, a rotary union with sliding contacts is used, which is routed centrally through the rotary gear. This allows the system to rotate continuously in both directions without damaging the cable connection.

[0052] Due to the lubricants used to operate the linear guides, the entire lateral adjustment system had to be enclosed. A sheet metal cover was initially used to counteract drag and ensure the necessary safety against pinching. For this purpose, the cover was also supplemented with a metal strip cover, which is attached to the cover sheet via a corresponding deflection on the inside. The adjustment carriages 24 raise them during movement and then return them to the sheet in a controlled manner.

[0053] The Fig. 1 and Fig. The modular mobile lift system 10 according to the invention shown as an example in Figure 2 is 1500 mm long, 540 mm wide, and 2000 mm high, although the system is not limited to these dimensions. The modular mobile lift system 10 shown is suitable for loads of more than 200 kg and preferably up to 500 kg with a 1000 mm boom.

[0054] In the rear part 25 of the modular mobile lift system 10 there is an externally accessible control unit 26 and a drive unit (not shown).

[0055] The control unit 26 can be used to control both the movement of the load relative to the modular mobile lift system 10 and the movement of the modular mobile lift system 10 itself. This can be done directly by an operator on site or by remote control via a data connection, for example, via a radio network (e.g., based on WLAN, Bluetooth, 3G / 4G / 5G, etc.). The control unit 26 can have a display and input unit, for example, comprising a touch-sensitive screen, as shown in Fig. 1. Operating parameters, such as the battery charge level, can be accessed and displayed on the screen. Operating parameters can also be set, such as the travel speed, which can be adjusted between 1 and 70 mm / s for highly sensitive transport loads. Likewise, suitable approach ramps for the lifting and / or travel movement can be set via the control unit 26, for example, to ensure smooth, jerk-free movement of the load to be transported.

[0056] The drive unit in the rear part 25 of the modular mobile lift system 10 comprises a drive for the movement of the guide carriages 22 and thus for the vertical lifting movement. The drive for the guide carriages 22 comprises a motor (not shown), for example a brushless 24-volt DC motor, in combination with a gear (also not shown), for example a bevel-helical gear, which drives a drive shaft. The drive shaft is provided on both sides with a respective winding drum 28, as shown in the bottom view of the chassis 12 in Fig. 3. In this exemplary embodiment, the transmission has a high gear ratio (e.g., 1:178.96). This allows for a high degree of variability in the lifting speed and a configurable starting ramp, since the electric motor can be operated within a favorable speed range. Alternatively, the two winding drums 28 can also be driven separately via their own motors.

[0057] The power flow between the drive unit and the guide carriage 22 is implemented by a belt tension system comprising belts 30. In the embodiment shown, each of the two belts 30 originates from its winding drum 28 and is guided via an associated lower deflection roller 32 (in Fig. 3) into the interior of the respective profiled lifting column 18. There, the respective belt 30 runs over an associated upper deflection roller (not shown), which is arranged at the end of the lifting column 18 remote from the chassis 12 inside the lifting column 18, to the associated guide carriage 22. Thus, each of the two guide carriages 22 "hangs" on its upper deflection roller, whereby the system is pre-tensioned due to the dead weight of the guide carriage 22. In this way, the guide carriages 22 can be moved precisely and repeatably linearly along the lifting columns 18 via the belts 30, which will be explained below using the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shown structure of the guide carriage 22 is explained in more detail.

[0058] Due to the winding drums 28 located on both sides of the drive shaft and the belts 30 driven by them, the movement of the two guide carriages 22 is mechanically synchronized with each other. Electronic synchronization can also be provided, but additional electronic synchronization is not absolutely necessary. In an alternative embodiment, the two winding drums 28 can also be driven separately by a respective motor, as also mentioned above. The common drive shaft is therefore omitted in this alternative embodiment. In this case, electronic synchronization of the two motors and thus of the winding drums 28 is provided.

[0059] The two belts 30 are made of a particularly strong, abrasion-resistant, and stretch-resistant material and are also cleanroom-certified (e.g., according to ISO 14644). The two belts are made of a suitable material (e.g., Dyneema) that is stretch-resistant and generates little abrasion during operation, thus releasing few contaminants into the environment. The drive system described thus aims to significantly reduce particle formation during continuous operation in order to meet the strict requirements for use in a cleanroom environment.

[0060] To further reduce the contamination of the (clean room) environment with pollutants and particles, an extraction device can be arranged, for example on the guide carriages, on / in the lifting columns or at another suitable location, to remove any remaining abrasion particles from the ambient air.

[0061] In the two Fig. Furthermore, a measuring axis (not shown) is installed in each of the lower deflection pulleys 32 shown in Figure 3. The measuring axis serves to measure the weight of the load to be lifted. At the same time, the measuring axis also serves as programmable overload protection, allowing the lifting movement to be stopped if the permissible payload is exceeded. Furthermore, this can prevent uncontrolled unwinding of the webbing (slack rope detection) when the fork is resting. Alternatively or additionally, the measuring axis(es) can also be installed in the aforementioned upper deflection pulleys. Instead of measuring axis(es), the weight of the payload can also be determined using other measuring methods or sensors.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, a measuring system can be used that measures the weight of the load to be lifted on or in the guide carriage 22, thereby providing a more reliable measured value for further processing by the control system. This allows the required functions to be implemented, and the use of multiple measuring sensors also ensures reliability through appropriate redundancy. However, measuring directly on the guide carriage 22 requires that the electrical signals from the force measuring sensors be routed to the control system via a correspondingly flexible cable guide. This can be achieved, for example, using a spiral cable or a compact, cleanroom-certified cable guide. Alternatively, the measuring signals can also be transmitted via a suitable radio connection.

[0063] The landing gear 12 is characterized by both excellent maneuverability and high sensitivity in handling. This is ensured in particular by individually driven, three-row wheel assemblies 34 on the underside of the landing gear 12, as shown in Fig. 3. In the embodiment shown, six of these wheel devices 34 are installed. Of these six wheel devices 34, four are arranged at the end of the chassis 12 remote from the rear part 25 of the modular mobile lift system 10 such that the respective axes of rotation point in the main rolling direction and thus parallel to the longitudinal direction of the chassis 12. The other two of the six wheel devices 34 are arranged with their axes rotated by 90 degrees at the end of the chassis 12 near the rear part 25, as also shown in Fig. 3. Each of the latter two wheel assemblies 34 is driven by its own motor (not shown). If the two motors, and thus the two wheel assemblies 34 in the rear section 25, are driven essentially equally, the modular mobile lift system 10 travels "straight" in the longitudinal direction. If the two motors are driven differently, a corresponding curve travel occurs.

[0064] The wheel assemblies 34 at the end of the chassis 12 remote from the rear part 25 of the modular mobile lift system 10 are each equipped with a respective braking system. The braking system serves to control the rotational movement around the rotational axis of the wheel assemblies 34. This enables maneuvering with a guiding characteristic when the brake is engaged. When the brake is released, the guiding characteristic is eliminated, which also enables transverse travel. This also reduces the turning circle. The brakes can also be used to assist cornering, in particular to provide smooth and jerk-free cornering of the chassis 12. The wheel assemblies 34 at the end of the chassis 12 remote from the rear part 25 of the modular mobile lift system 10 can also be equipped with a drive.

[0065] The respective running surface of the wheel devices 34 consists, as shown, of separately mounted rollers 36 whose axes of rotation are at right angles to the axis of rotation of the wheel device 34. As shown, the wheel devices 34 each consist of three wheels 35 of the same diameter arranged side by side on the axis of rotation of the wheel device 34. For each of the wheels 35, several of the rollers 36 (for example, three, four, or five per wheel) are distributed around the circumference of the wheel 35, preferably at equal spacing. The three wheels 35 of each wheel device 34, which are essentially identical in design, are, as can also be seen, arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction or around the axis of rotation of the wheel device 34 such that, during operation of the modular mobile lift system 10, at least one of the rollers 36 of each wheel device 34 is in contact with a level floor at all times.In addition, the rollers 36 on each wheel assembly 34 are arranged so that the contact transfer during movement is as smooth and overlapping as possible, thereby ensuring the smoothest running of the entire chassis 12. In general, this arrangement allows, in addition to the normal movement during rolling of the entire wheel 35, a direction of travel offset by 90 degrees. To ensure smooth running and meet the load-bearing requirements, each of the rollers 36 has at least two, preferably four, and particularly preferably six ball bearings.

[0066] This arrangement allows the carriage 12 to move in any direction of the (x / y) plane and optimizes the rolling motion. Centering of the modular mobile lift system 10 is possible in combination with an insertion aid and with the brake open.

[0067] For this purpose, each wheel device 34 preferably comprises a three-row arrangement of three wheels, each with three rollers 36 per wheel 35, i.e. a total of nine rollers 36. For this purpose, each wheel device 34 particularly preferably comprises a three-row arrangement of three wheels, each with four rollers 36 per wheel 35, i.e. a total of twelve rollers 36. Each roller 36 preferably has four ball bearings and particularly preferably even six ball bearings.

[0068] Alternatively, however, a four-row arrangement of four wheels 35, each with five rollers 36 per wheel, i.e. a total of twenty rollers 36, or even a five-row arrangement of five wheels 35, each with seven rollers 36 per wheel, i.e. a total of thirty-five rollers 36, can be used, which further improves the load distribution and the concentricity, but at the same time with greater complexity and in particular a larger number of ball bearings.

[0069] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. As already indicated above, Figure 5 shows an exemplary guide carriage 22 provided as part of a modular mobile lift system 10 according to the invention. The guide carriage 22 shown has an elongated shape with a first end and a second end, wherein the longitudinal axis of the guide carriage 22 defined thereby is aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the associated lifting column 18 in the assembled state and thus during operation of the modular mobile lift system 10.

[0070] To provide the mobility of the guide carriage 22 along the lifting column 18, the guide carriage 22 has two types of rollers 38, 40, namely longitudinal rollers 38 and lateral guide rollers 40. By using rollers 38, 40, the use of lubricants can be largely dispensed with and the associated risk of contamination of the environment can be counteracted.

[0071] In the embodiment shown, the longitudinal rollers 38 and the lateral guide rollers 40 of the guide carriage 22 are designed to cooperate with the lifting column 18 and in particular the already mentioned construction profile of the lifting column 18 to provide an efficient, guided movement.

[0072] Specifically, the longitudinal rollers 38 of the guide carriage 22 serve to provide a guided, precisely fitting movement along the longitudinal axis of the respective lifting column 18 and thus an efficient lifting movement. The longitudinal rollers 38 are arranged in pairs of offset longitudinal rollers 38 and, in conjunction with a guide provided by the profile of the lifting column 18, ensure that tilting moments caused by the load to be carried are specifically directed into the lifting column 18. This prevents or counteracts an inclination of the longitudinal axis of the guide carriage 22 relative to the longitudinal axis of the lifting column 18, since, as already mentioned above, such an inclination of the longitudinal axis of the guide carriage is avoided specifically by the precise fit of the longitudinal rollers 38 in the lifting column 18.

[0073] In the embodiment shown, the guide carriage 22 has eight longitudinal rollers 38. The eight longitudinal rollers 38, which all have (i) the same diameter and (ii) axes of rotation arranged in the transverse direction, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide carriage 22, are arranged in a type of box construction, with two of the longitudinal rollers 38 forming a pair in which the two longitudinal rollers 38 are arranged offset from one another in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of the guide carriage 22. In the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, four such pairs are provided on the guide carriage 22, two at the first end of the guide carriage 22 and two at the opposite, second end. One pair is arranged at each end on each side in the transverse direction of the guide carriage 22, thereby ensuring a uniform distribution of the rolling movement and the load and tilting moments to be absorbed.

[0074] The two longitudinal rollers 38 of each pair can also be arranged offset from each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the longitudinal and transverse directions of the guide carriage 22, whereby this offset is significantly smaller compared to the previously described offset in the longitudinal or transverse directions (which is why this relatively small offset is not clearly visible in the figures). Fig. 4, the lower roller 38 of the upper pair of rollers, which is offset inwards in the transverse direction, is slightly offset in this way (in the Fig. 4, i.e., slightly to the left, essentially "toward the load"). This ensures that tilting is counteracted when picking up and carrying the load and the resulting torque, and that both longitudinal rollers 38 of each pair remain in contact with the guide. This ensures a particularly even distribution of the rolling movement and the load and tilting moments to be absorbed.

[0075] The lateral guide rollers 40 are designed to limit the mobility of the guide carriage 22 transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lifting column 18 by interacting with a suitably designed (inner) profile of the lifting column 18.

[0076] The longitudinal rollers 38 and lateral guide rollers 40 of the guide carriage 22 thus enable precise positioning and movement of the load to be carried along the lifting columns 18. Furthermore, the rolling motion and the associated low rolling friction ensure efficient movement and low abrasion, thus minimizing the release of particles into the environment during operation.

[0077] As already mentioned, the guide carriage 22 is configured via the longitudinal rollers 38 and the lateral guide rollers 40 to use the interior of the profile of the lifting column 18 as a guide and, for this purpose, is inserted into the profile of the lifting column 18 with the part comprising the longitudinal rollers 38 and lateral guide rollers 40. Specifically, the longitudinal rollers 38 and the lateral guide rollers 40 ensure that the guide carriage 22, inserted in this way into a suitably shaped profile of the lifting column 18, is guided stably and tightly both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction of the lifting column 18. This counteracts any deviation of the longitudinal axis of the guide carriage 22 from the longitudinal axis of the lifting column 18 during operation. In other words, the guide carriage 22 utilizes the chamber structure of the profile and relies on a nested roller guide, which in particular implements the high tilting moments of the load to be carried.By using roller guides, lubricants can be largely eliminated, thus counteracting the risk of entrainment. The roller guide is also characterized by a minimal stick-slip effect.

[0078] In the example shown, the rollers 38, 40 are made of a suitable plastic designed for low abrasion. For example, PEEK (polyetheretherketone) can be used due to its high mechanical strength and wear resistance; in less demanding environments, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is also conceivable. Other suitable thermoplastics and other materials can also be used. The ball bearings of the longitudinal rollers 38 are coated with a special cleanroom grease and are encapsulated. The lateral guide rollers 40 are equipped with plain bearings.

[0079] As in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the guide carriage 22 shown further comprises two belt rollers 42 which are used to deflect a Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 on the lifting columns 18. The cover strips 44 provide both encapsulation of the lifting system (thereby counteracting the carryover of grease, for example) and anti-pinch protection.

[0080] With the help of the guide carriages 22 driven by the belts 28, the support 16 and, above it, a load suspended from the support 16 can be moved or positioned efficiently and precisely. For this purpose, the respective belt 28 is connected to a belt receptacle 46 of the associated guide carriage 22. The aforementioned measuring system, for example in the form of a force sensor, can also be installed in the belt receptacle 46, whereby the weight of the load to be lifted can be tapped on the guide carriage 22. For this purpose, the electrical control lines of the force sensor can be routed transversely through the guide carriage to the outside and through an additional ribbon cable guide to the control system. Alternatively, wireless transmission of the sensor signals using suitable transmission standards is also possible here (see above).

[0081] Due to the measures and properties described above, the modular mobile lift system 10 can therefore be used specifically in a clean room environment.

[0082] The modular mobile lift system 10 can be equipped with a suitable power source, for example, a lead-gel battery or, preferably, a lithium-ion battery, which can optionally be replaced via a quick-change system. Due to the typically mobile use of the cleanroom lift, a DC system with an operating voltage of 24V is preferred. Additionally or alternatively, the modular mobile lift system 10 can also be equipped with a mains connection.

[0083] The modular component support (fork, gripper, turning unit, etc.) can be designed, in particular, in the form of a modular quick-change system for the load handling equipment. Finally, the number of lifting columns is not limited to two, but can also be one or three, and generally more than two.

Claims

[1] Modular mobile lift system (10) for use in a clean room environment, comprising a chassis (12); a lifting unit (14) arranged on the chassis (12); and a support (16) arranged on the lifting unit (14) and adapted to carry a load to be moved by the modular mobile lift system; wherein the lifting unit (14) comprises a first lifting column (18) and a first guide carriage (22), wherein the first guide carriage (22) is movable along the first lifting column (18) by means of a first belt (30); and wherein the lifting unit (14) further comprises a second lifting column (18) and a second guide carriage (22), wherein the second guide carriage (22) is movable along the second lifting column (18) by means of a second belt (30); and wherein the carrier (16) is attached to the two guide carriages (22) and is movable with them. [2] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first belt (30) and the second belt (30) each consist of a stretch-resistant and / or abrasion-resistant material. [3] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a drive, wherein the drive is configured to drive the first belt (30) and the second belt (30) in a synchronized manner. [4] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 3, wherein the drive is configured to drive the first belt (30) and the second belt (30) in a mechanically and / or electronically synchronized manner. [5] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the guide carriages (22) has longitudinal rollers (38) which are arranged to provide the mobility of the guide carriage (22) along the respective lifting column (18). [6] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal rollers (38) of each guide carriage (22) have substantially the same diameter and are arranged in pairs on the guide carriage (22) such that the two longitudinal rollers (38) of each pair are offset relative to each other in at least two mutually orthogonal spatial directions. [7] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the guide carriages (22) has lateral guide rollers (40) which are arranged to limit the mobility of the guide carriage (22) transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lifting column (18). [8] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the two lifting columns (18) has a construction profile which is designed to receive the longitudinal rollers (38) and / or lateral guide rollers (40) of the guide carriage (22) assigned to the respective lifting column (18) in such a way that the movement of the guide carriage (22) mediated by the respective belt (30) is guided along the respective lifting column (18). [9] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the chassis (12) for maneuvering the modular mobile lift system (10) has wheel devices (34) and the running surface of each of the wheel devices (34) consists of rollers (36), the axes of rotation of the rollers (36) being at right angles to the axis of rotation of the respective wheel device (34). [10] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 9, wherein each of the wheel devices (34) has at least three wheels (35) of the same diameter and the wheels (35) are arranged next to one another on the axis of rotation of the wheel device (34), wherein for each of the wheels (35) a plurality of the rollers (36) are arranged distributed over the circumference of the respective wheel (35) in such a way that the rollers (36) of adjacent wheels (35) are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction. [11] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein two first wheel devices (34) are arranged at a first end of the chassis (12) and two second wheel devices (34) are arranged at the opposite second end of the chassis (12), wherein the axes of rotation of the first wheel devices (34) and the second wheel devices (34) are arranged at a substantially right angle to each other. [12] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 11, wherein each of the first wheel devices (34) has its own drive. [13] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to claim 12, wherein each of the second wheel devices (34) has its own braking system. [14] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first belt (30) runs over a first deflection roller at the end of the first lifting column (18) remote from the chassis (12) and the second belt (30) runs over a second deflection roller at the end of the second lifting column (18) remote from the chassis (12). [15] Modular mobile lift system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a drive, wherein the drive comprises a motor which drives two winding drums (28) on a common drive shaft, the first of the two winding drums (28) being connected to the first belt (30) and the second of the two winding drums (28) being connected to the second belt (30); or wherein the drive comprises two motors, wherein the first of the two motors drives a first winding drum (28) connected to the first belt (30) and the second of the two motors drives a second winding drum (28) connected to the second belt (30).

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