Suspension railway system and procedures for operating a suspension railway system

Abstract

The invention relates to a monorail system (2) for transporting workpieces (W) with a track arrangement (4) comprising at least two parallel spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c) and a transverse platform (8) movable transversely to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), on which a transport track (10) is held parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c) and which can be positioned coaxially with respect to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), with at least one workpiece carrier (12) comprising a roller assembly (14) movable along the track arrangement (4) and a fastening device (16) held on the roller assembly (14) for suspending the workpieces (W), and with a motorized displacement arrangement (18) for automatically displacing the workpiece carrier (W) along the track arrangement (4).The transfer arrangement (18) is provided to have a telescopic device (20) held on the transverse platform (8) and extendable parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), and a connecting device (22) that can be moved along the telescopic device (20) parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), wherein a tensile and shear-resistant connection between the transverse platform (8) and the goods carrier (12) can be established via the telescopic device (20) and the connecting device (22).

Description

The invention relates to an overhead conveyor system for transporting workpieces, in particular an overhead conveyor system for providing and transporting workpieces within a coating and / or drying plant, according to the preamble of claim 1, and a method for operating such an overhead conveyor system. This system comprises a track arrangement comprising at least two parallel branch tracks and a transverse platform movable across the branch tracks. A transport track parallel to the branch tracks is held on the transverse platform and can be aligned coaxially with the branch tracks by transverse displacement. Furthermore, the overhead conveyor system comprises at least one workpiece carrier, which has a roller assembly movable along the track arrangement and a fastening device held on the roller assembly for suspending the workpieces.Furthermore, a motor-operated relocation arrangement is provided for the automatic relocation of the goods carrier along the track arrangement. From DE 20 2020 107 545 U1, a monorail system is known in which a drive is provided on each of the roller devices of the goods carrier. In this way, each goods carrier can be moved automatically along the track arrangement, for example to a transverse platform or to another area of ​​the monorail system. A disadvantage of the well-known monorail system is that the goods carriers are relatively expensive to manufacture and maintain due to the drive systems required for each one. Furthermore, the control system of the well-known monorail system is relatively complex due to the large number of drives, resulting in high setup costs. The object of the invention is to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages in a generic overhead conveyor system and to enable simple and cost-effective automatic relocation of the goods carriers. This problem is solved by a monorail system with the features of claim 1. The transfer arrangement comprises a telescopic device held on the transverse platform and extendable by motor along the spur tracks, as well as a connecting device that can be moved by motor along the telescopic device parallel to the spur tracks, wherein a tensile and shear-resistant connection between the transverse platform and the goods carrier can be established via the telescopic device and the connecting device. This allows a goods carrier positioned on a spur track to be connected to the transfer arrangement of the transverse platform and moved by it, in particular to move it from the respective spur track to the transversely movable transport track or vice versa.This means that the drive components required for the automatic transfer of the goods carriers are located solely on the transverse platform itself and can be positioned at the respective goods carrier to be moved as needed. In this way, the motorized transfer mechanism does not need to be located at each goods carrier or branch line, but is integrated only at the transverse platform. This significantly reduces the effort required for the manufacture, installation, and maintenance of the monorail system and the motorized transfer mechanism required for it. Furthermore, this design enables convenient and simple control of the motorized transfer mechanism and the monorail system as a whole. It also facilitates the implementation of partial or full automation of the intended transport processes. It is particularly preferred if the connecting device includes positive locking means by which the transfer arrangement can be positively connected to a connection area of ​​the workpiece carrier in a connection position. This allows for a particularly stable tensile and shear-resistant connection between the workpiece carrier and the transfer arrangement, which in turn ensures stable transfer of the workpiece carrier relative to the transverse platform. Alternatively to the positive locking connection, however, all other known and suitable connection types can also be provided, such as friction-fit or magnetic connections. Advantageously, the positive locking elements are formed by a gripping mechanism that is adjustable between an open position, in which it can be moved parallel to the workpiece carrier and past it, and a gripping position, in which it grips the workpiece carrier's connection area in the locking position. This allows the positive locking elements to be integrated into the overhead conveyor system in a particularly space-saving manner. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the transverse platform has a fixing device by means of which the workpiece carrier can be fixed in a transverse transport position in which it is completely supported or held on the transport track. This allows a workpiece carrier to be fixed in a positionally stable manner on the transverse platform, independent of the transfer arrangement, in order to ensure trouble-free and safe transverse transfer. In a preferred embodiment of the monorail system, the transfer arrangement can be moved at least semi-automatically by means of a control device in order to enable particularly simple and convenient operation of the monorail system. It is advantageous if the control unit regulates the transfer arrangement based on position sensors that can detect the connection position, the transverse transport position, and / or an end position of the workpiece carrier. This enables particularly precise and trouble-free, at least semi-automated, execution of predefined transfer or transport processes. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the semi-automated relocation of the relocation mechanism can be generated by the control unit based on the activation of a push button, particularly in the form of a dead man's switch. This ensures that a relocation or transport process only takes place when an operator is present or under their supervision and is immediately aborted when the push button is released. This guarantees safe, and especially semi-automated, operation of the monorail system. In a preferred embodiment, the displacement arrangement can be moved by means of a servomotor, enabling the motor to be operated in a closed control loop and the rotational speed and angular position to be precisely controlled. This allows for particularly accurate and automated positioning of the displacement arrangement. The servomotor can be either a synchronous or an asynchronous motor. Furthermore, the above-mentioned problem is solved by a method for operating a monorail system in one of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein in a pick-up operation the transport track is aligned coaxially with a first spur track and a goods carrier held on this first spur track is moved into the transverse transport position on the transport track by means of the transfer arrangement, in a transverse transfer operation the transport track is aligned coaxially with a second spur track by transverse transfer of the transverse platform and in a delivery operation the goods carrier is moved from the transport track to the second spur track by means of the transfer arrangement.In this way, for the complete transport of a workpiece carrier from a first spur track, which serves, for example, to the transverse platform, and from there onto a second spur track, which is located, for example, within a processing area such as a coating and / or drying area, only the transfer mechanism is required as the sole drive element. This enables simple control and at least partial automation of the intended transport processes. Preferably, the control device synchronizes the adjustment of the telescopic device and the relocation of the connecting device during the pickup and delivery processes to enable particularly fast and precise relocation of the connecting device or of a goods carrier connected to it. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the retrieval process is initiated by pressing a retrieval button and the control unit, depending on the button's activation and using position sensors, moves the transfer mechanism into the connection position, establishes the connection between the transfer mechanism and the workpiece carrier, and then moves the workpiece carrier into the transverse transport position. This dependence on the activation of the retrieval button and the position determination by the position sensors ensures a particularly safe and precise semi-automated retrieval process. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the delivery process is initiated by pressing a delivery button and the control unit moves the transfer arrangement into the respective connection position based on the button's activation and using position sensors, establishes the connection between the transfer arrangement and the workpiece carrier, and then moves the workpiece carrier to a final position on one of the spur tracks. This dependence on the delivery button's activation and the position determination by the position sensors also ensures a particularly safe and precise semi-automated delivery process. Advantageously, at the end of the retrieval process, the goods carrier is also fixed in the transverse transport position to the transverse platform using the fixing device, and then the connection to the transfer arrangement is released. In this way, the goods carrier to be transferred can be fixed in a positionally stable manner relative to the transverse platform, independent of the transfer arrangement. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the control device moves the transfer arrangement to a neutral starting position on the transverse platform after the goods carrier has been moved into the transverse transport position and / or into the end position, in order to enable the transfer arrangement to be positioned as compactly as possible and to allow for trouble-free transverse movement of the transverse platform. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the operating method, the picking process, the lateral transfer process and the delivery process are fully automatically controlled by the control device and by means of the position sensors, so that the transfer of the relevant goods carrier can take place even without operating personnel present within a system or can be fully machine-controlled. It should be noted that all the features of the object according to the invention described above are interchangeable or combinable with each other, provided that such an exchange or combination is not excluded for technical reasons. The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention. They show: Fig. 1 a side view of a monorail system with a motor-driven transfer arrangement in a starting position, Fig. 2 a bottom view of the monorail system in direction II from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a view of a connecting device of the transfer arrangement with a gripping mechanism in an open position, Fig. 4 a view of the connecting device according to Fig. 3 in a gripping position of the gripping mechanism, Fig. 5 a side view of the monorail system according to Fig. 1 during a retrieval operation, Fig. 6 a bottom view of the monorail system in direction VI from Fig. 5, Fig. 7 a side view of the monorail system according to Fig. 1 in a transverse transport position of a goods carrier, and Fig. 8 a bottom view of the monorail system in direction VIII from Fig. 7. Figures 1 and 2 show a monorail system 2 for transporting workpieces W. The monorail system 2 is integrated into a system used, for example, for processing or machining the workpieces W, such as coating or painting and / or heating workpieces made of metal or other materials. The monorail system 2 comprises a track assembly 4 suspended from a system ceiling D, which includes at least two parallel branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c and a transverse platform 8 movable across these tracks, on which a transport track 10 is mounted. The transport track 10 is aligned parallel to the branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c and can be positioned coaxially and adjacent to each end section of the branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c by appropriate positioning of the transverse platform 8, in order to form a substantially continuous track section with them, as shown in Figure 1.2 shown for the branch line 6a. A workpiece carrier 12 is held on at least one of the spur tracks 6a, 6b, 6c. The workpiece carrier 12 has a roller assembly 14 and a fastening device 16. The workpiece carrier 12 can be moved along the track arrangement 4 via the roller assembly 14. The respective workpiece W can be suspended from the workpiece carrier 12 by means of the fastening device 16 and also moved along the track arrangement 4 via the roller assembly 14. To enable the workpieces W to be moved automatically and, in particular, to allow for the convenient handling of heavy workpieces W, the monorail system 2 has a motorized transfer assembly 18. The motorized transfer assembly 18 is mounted on the transverse platform 8 and comprises a motor-adjustable telescopic device 20 and a motor-movable connecting device 22. The telescopic device 20 can be positioned parallel to and adjacent to each of the branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c by means of the transverse platform 8 and can then be extended and retracted in this adjacent position. Furthermore, the connecting device 22 can be moved along the telescopic device 20 and thus also parallel to the branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c.Furthermore, a tensile and shear-resistant connection can be established with one of the provided goods carriers 12 by means of the connecting device 22, so that when the connecting device 22 is moved and / or the telescopic device 20 is adjusted, the connected goods carrier W is also moved relative to the transverse platform 8. To establish the connection with the provided workpiece carrier 12, the illustrated connecting device 22 according to Figs. 3 and 4 has positive locking means 24 which, in a connection position relative to the workpiece carrier 12, can be positively connected to it by a suitable connecting area 26. Alternatively, the connecting device 22 can also have any other known and suitable connecting means, such as frictional locking means and / or magnetic connecting means (not shown). The positive locking means 24 can be formed by a gripping mechanism 28, as exemplified in Figs. 3 and 4. In an open position, as shown in Fig. 3, the gripping mechanism 28 can be moved past the workpiece carrier 12, which is held on the adjacent spur track 6a. In a connecting position, as shown in Fig. 4, in which the connecting device 22 is located exactly at the level of the connecting area 26 of the workpiece carrier 12, the gripping mechanism 28 can be moved from the open position to a gripping position, as shown, in which it grips the connecting area 26. In this gripping position, the goods carrier 12 according to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 is thus connected to the transverse platform 8 in a tensile and shear-resistant manner and can therefore be pulled, for example, from the spur track 6a by means of the telescopic device 20 and the connecting device 22 in the direction of the transport track 10, as shown by the arrow of movement Z. This allows the workpiece carrier 12 to be moved into the transverse transport position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which it, or rather its roller assembly 14, is fully engaged with the transport track 10. In this transverse transport position, the workpiece carrier 12 can be fixed in a positionally stable manner to the transverse platform 8, or rather its transport track 10, by means of a fixing device 30, independently of the relocation arrangement 18, so that the connection with the connecting device 22 can be released and the latter, together with the telescopic device 20, can be moved into a starting position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the transverse transport position, the workpiece carrier 12, together with the transverse transport platform 8, can now be moved in the transverse direction Q, perpendicular to the branch tracks 6a, 6b, 6c, to a new position in which the transport track 10 is, for example, coaxial with and adjacent to another branch track 6c. By again moving the connecting device 22 into the connecting position relative to the connecting area 26 of the workpiece carrier 12 and by moving the gripping mechanism 28 into the gripping position, a tensile and shear-resistant connection can be re-established. Subsequently, the workpiece carrier 12 can be moved from the transport track 10 to the branch track 6c by adjusting the telescopic device 20 and moving the connecting device 22, as shown by the movement arrow S in Fig. 8. While the branch lines 6a and 6b serve as examples for the mere intermediate storage or provision of goods carriers 12, the branch line 6c extends, by way of example, into a treatment area B represented by dashed lines, in which the workpiece W in question can be treated or processed, such as by coating and / or applying heat. As shown by dashed lines in Fig. 2, a second motorized transfer arrangement 18 and a second transport track 10 can also be provided on the transverse platform 8. As shown, this makes it possible to arrange the transverse platform 8 coaxially with two branch tracks 6a, 6c via the transport tracks 10. In this way, for example, a first goods carrier 12 can be transferred from branch track 6a to one transport track 10 and simultaneously a second goods carrier (not shown) from the other transport track 10 to branch track 6c, or vice versa. To adjust the telescopic device 20 and / or to relocate the connecting device 22, the relocation arrangement 18 in any case, according to Fig. 1, has a motorized drive device 32 with at least one motor, such as in particular a servo motor, which can be a synchronous motor or alternatively an asynchronous motor. The transfer arrangement 18 and its drive unit 32 are connected to a control unit 34 shown in Fig. 1, which controls the transfer arrangement 18 and the drive unit 32 at least semi-automatically. For this purpose, the control unit 34 is connected to a position sensor 36 according to Fig. 3, by means of which the possible connection positions relative to the workpiece carrier 12 and / or the transverse transport position relative to the transverse transport platform 8 and / or a desired end position of the workpiece carrier 12 can be detected. Furthermore, the control unit 34, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected via cable or wirelessly to an operating unit 38, which, for example, has an input interface 40, such as a keyboard or a touchscreen, by means of which one of the available spur tracks 6a, 6b, 6c can be selected for picking up and / or feeding a goods carrier. The operating unit 38 also has a pick-up button 42 for activating a pick-up process and a delivery button 44 for activating a delivery process. After activation of one of these loading processes, the respective button 42, 44 preferably also functions as a dead man's switch to immediately abort the respective process if no further action is taken. The operation of the monorail system proceeds as follows: The operator selects, for example, the branch line 6a via the input interface 40 in order to pick up the goods carrier 12 provided therein according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. When the pick-up button 42 is pressed, the control device 34, if necessary, first starts a lateral displacement process in which the transverse platform 8 is first displaced laterally in such a way that the transport track 10 is arranged coaxially and adjacent to the branch track 6a. The control unit 34 then starts the actual retrieval process, in which the telescopic unit 20 of the transfer arrangement 18 is automatically extended parallel to the spur track 6a by means of the control unit 34, and the connecting unit 22 is moved to the workpiece carrier 12. The movement of the telescopic unit 20 and the connecting unit 22 is preferably synchronized. By means of a corresponding signal from the position sensor 36 to the control unit 34, the transfer arrangement 18 is stopped as soon as the connecting unit 22 is in the connecting position at the level of the connecting area 26 of the workpiece carrier 12. Assuming that the pick-up button 42 is pressed further, in this connection position the tensile and shear-resistant connection between the product carrier 12 and the transfer arrangement 18 is established, as exemplified by adjusting the gripping mechanism 28 from the open position according to Fig. 3 to the gripping position according to Fig. 4 . Subsequently, the workpiece carrier 12, as indicated by the movement arrow Z in Figures 5 and 6, is moved into the transverse transport position shown in Figures 7 and 8 by synchronously retracting the telescopic extension 20 and shifting the connecting device 22 along the telescopic extension 20. In this position, the workpiece carrier, or rather its roller assembly 14, is fully engaged with the transport track 10. The exact transverse transport position can be signaled to the control unit 34 by means of the position sensor 36. In this transverse transport position, the control unit 34 activates the fixing device 30 to positionally stabilize the workpiece carrier 12 on the transverse platform 8 or its transport track 10, independent of the relocation arrangement 18.The control device 34 then disconnects the goods carrier 12 from the connecting device 22 and moves it, together with the telescopic device 20, into a starting position as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This completes the retrieval process. In addition to or as an alternative to the pickup process, the operator can now select, for example, the branch line 6c via the input interface 40, to which a goods carrier 12 picked up at the transverse platform 8 is to be delivered. When the delivery button 44 is activated, the control device 34 now starts, if necessary, a transverse displacement process in which the transverse platform 8 is displaced transversely in such a way that the transport track 10 is arranged coaxially and adjacent to the desired branch track 6c. The control unit 34 then starts the actual delivery process, in which the telescopic device 20 of the transfer arrangement 18 is automatically extended parallel to the spur track 6c by means of the control unit 34, and the connecting device 22 is moved back to the workpiece carrier 12. The control unit 34 stops the transfer arrangement 18 by means of a corresponding signal from the position sensor 36 as soon as the connecting device 22 is again in the connection position at the level of the connection area 26 of the selected workpiece carrier 12. Here, the control unit 34 re-establishes the tensile and shear-resistant connection between the workpiece carrier 12 and the transfer arrangement 18 and deactivates the fixing device 30. Subsequently, the telescopic mechanism 20 of the transfer arrangement 18 is automatically extended parallel to the spur track 6c by means of the control device 34, and the connecting device 22, together with the workpiece carrier 12 connected to it, is transferred according to the direction of movement S in Figures 7 and 8. The movement of the telescopic mechanism 20 and the connecting device 22 is preferably synchronized. By means of a corresponding signal from the position sensor 36 to the control device 34, the transfer arrangement 18 is stopped in a predetermined end position, for example, as soon as the workpiece carrier 12 is completely within the treatment area B according to Figures 1 and 2, in which treatment or processing of the workpiece W can take place. The control device 34 then disconnects the product carrier 12 from the connecting device 22 and moves it, together with the telescopic device 20, back to a starting position as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This also completes the delivery process. Regardless of whether the monorail system 2 is in the picking, delivery, or lateral transfer process, the control device 34 immediately stops the respective movement of the lateral platform 8 and / or the transfer arrangement 18, acting like a dead man's switch, as soon as the corresponding button 42, 44 on the control unit 38 is no longer pressed. This ensures that the monorail system 2 is operated exclusively under the supervision of operating personnel. Alternatively, the monorail system 2 can also be operated fully automatically by means of the control unit 34, so that no personnel are required in the respective system. For this purpose, the picking process, the delivery process and / or the lateral transfer process are carried out sequentially or in a predefined order by means of the control unit 34, depending on the position sensors 36. It should be noted that all the elements and features described above of the various embodiments of the object according to the invention are interchangeable or combinable with each other, provided that such an exchange or combination is not excluded for technical reasons.

Claims

Overhead conveyor system (2) for transporting workpieces (W) with a track arrangement (4) comprising at least two parallel spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c) and a transverse platform (8) movable transversely to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), on which a transport track (10) is held parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c) and which can be positioned coaxially with respect to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), with at least one workpiece carrier (12) comprising a roller assembly (14) movable along the track arrangement (4) and a fastening device (16) held on the roller assembly (14) for suspending the workpieces (W), and with a motorized displacement arrangement (18) for automatically displacing the workpiece carrier (W) along the track arrangement (4), characterized in that the displacement arrangement (18) comprises a roller assembly (14) held on the transverse platform (8) and parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c). to the branch lines (6a, 6b,6c) extendable telescopic device (20) and a connecting device (22) that can be moved along the telescopic device (20) parallel to the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c), wherein a tensile and shear-resistant connection between the transverse platform (8) and the load carrier (12) can be established via the telescopic device (20) and the connecting device (22). Suspension system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting device (22) has positive locking means (24) by means of which the displacement arrangement (18) can be positively connected in a connecting position to a connecting area (26) of the product carrier (12). Overhead conveyor system according to claim 2, characterized in that the positive locking means (24) are formed by a gripping mechanism (28) which is adjustable between an open position in which it can be moved parallel to the product carrier (12) and a gripping position in which it grips the connecting area (26) of the product carrier (12) in the connecting position. Suspension system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transverse platform (8) has a fixing device (30) by means of which the goods carrier (12) can be fixed in a transverse transport position in which it is received on the transport track (10). Suspension system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transfer arrangement (18) can be transferred at least semi-automatically by means of a control device (34). Overhead conveyor system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control device (34) controls the transfer arrangement (18) depending on a position sensor (36) by means of which the connection position, the transverse transport position and / or an end position of the goods carrier (12) can be detected. Suspension system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the semi-automated relocation of the relocation arrangement (18) can be generated by means of the control device (34) depending on the actuation of a button (42, 44). Suspension system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the displacement arrangement (18) has a servo motor. Method for operating a monorail system according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in a pick-up operation the transport track (10) is aligned coaxially with a first spur track (6a, 6b, 6c) and a goods carrier (12) held on this first spur track (6a, 6b, 6c) is moved into the transverse transport position on the transport track (10) by means of the transfer arrangement (18), in a transverse transfer operation the transport track (10) is aligned coaxially with a second spur track (6b, 6c, 6a) by transverse transfer of the transverse platform (8) and in a delivery operation the goods carrier (12) is moved from the transport track (10) to the second spur track (6b, 6c, 6a) by means of the transfer arrangement (18). Operating method according to claim 9, characterized in that the control device (34) synchronously controls the adjustment of the telescopic device (20) and the displacement of the connecting device (22) of the displacement arrangement (18) during the pickup and delivery processes. Operating method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the pickup process is started by actuating a pickup button (42) and the control device (34) moves the transfer arrangement (18) into the connection position depending on the actuation of the pickup button (42) and by means of the position sensors (36), establishes the connection between the transfer arrangement (18) and the goods carrier (12) and then moves the goods carrier (12) into the transverse transport position. Operating method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the delivery process is started by actuating a delivery button (44) and the control device (34) moves the transfer arrangement (18) into the respective connection position depending on the actuation of the delivery button (44) and by means of the position sensor (36), establishes the connection between the transfer arrangement (18) and the goods carrier (12) and then moves the goods carrier (12) into an end position on one of the spur tracks (6a, 6b, 6c). Operating method according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the goods carrier (12) is fixed to the transverse transport position at the end of the collection process by means of the fixing device (30) on the transverse transport platform (8) and subsequently the connection with the transfer arrangement (18) is released. Operating method according to claim 13, characterized in that the control device (34) moves the transfer arrangement (18) to a neutral starting position on the transverse transport platform (8) after the goods carrier (12) has been moved into the transverse transport position and / or into the end position. Operating method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the pickup process, the lateral transfer process and the delivery process are fully automatically controlled by the control device (34) and by means of the position sensors (36).

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