Equipment for a workplace

Abstract

Equipment for a workplace consisting of a conveyor belt or similar work device, characterized in that a walking path with an elastic 3D knitted fabric (1) runs along the work device, wherein the 3D knitted fabric (1) is made of polyester or similar plastic, so that the walking path at the point of contact—with a thickness of 12.5 mm—allows a compression of at least 1 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, and more preferably at least 3 mm, and returns to its original shape when the pressure is released—whereby the lifting of a foot at the point of contact is supported by a restoring force.

Description

The invention relates to equipment for a workplace, in particular for a workplace on the conveyor line or similar manufacturing facilities for products which pass through different manufacturing stations in the conveying direction. Assembly lines are manufacturing facilities that have gained convenience in the manufacture of automobiles. In the various successive manufacturing stations, the cars are assembled one by one. The conveyor line technique has later found application to many other products composed of individual pieces.The core of conveyor line technology was previously a moving belt on which the products were / were assembled. Present day manufacturing facilities in this art use a suspended track type conveyor.Both on the manufacturing facility in the original conveyor design and on the manufacturing facilities in the suspension line design, assembly persons are working, which move from and to the conveyor line / suspension line and along the conveyor line / suspension line. The assembly persons are often on the legs during the entire layer. This results in more or less significant fatigue. Usually, the travel paths for the assembly persons and other personnel are clearly delimited from the travel paths for fork lift trucks and similar machines with which material is provided for assembly.The invention has for its object to reduce fatigue. The invention is based on the recognition that all plants with such manufacturing facilities maintain extreme cleanliness and ordering. This includes a load-bearing concrete floor and sealing the surface with a dirt / dust repellent material. The cleanliness facilitates maintenance of necessary work safety. Cleanness ensures that the assembly persons can move as far as possible free of accidents. Unfortunately, such industrial floors are very rigid.Fatigue is substantially reduced according to the invention with the features of the main claim. The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments.An essential element of the invention is the use of a 3D knit. A 3D knit fabric is a spacer textile in which a top layer and a bottom layer are spaced apart from each other and both yarns are connected to each other by so-called pile yarns and are held at a distance. The spacer knits are commercially available textiles. They are produced on so-called double raschel machines (warp knitting machines). The difference from weaving is that only one warp yarn system is used, while during weaving a weft yarn is still required.For the use according to the invention of the 3D knit fabrics, those knit fabrics are used whose pile yarns run inclined and which are knit crosswise.An angle of inclination of the pile threads of about 45 degrees of the pile threads which connect the spaced layers to one another is favorable. Threads running vertically or with a greater / lesser inclination to the layers can likewise be produced. The inclination of the threads leads to a strong resistance to displacement.Advantageously, the operators feel much less tired after laying the 3D knitted fabric on the running paths. This is attributed to the invention that the 3D knit, when made of polyester or the like, yields elastically on the one hand when it appears and supports the movement by a restoring force on the other hand.The flexibility of the 3D knit is, with a corresponding design, preferably at least 1 mm, even more preferably at least 2 mm, most preferably at least 3 mm. To provide the desired compliance, the total thickness of the fabric is greater than the desired compliance. In the case of the knits, thicknesses of between 1 and 12.5 mm are commercially available.The resiliency of the 3D knit fabric causes a person's foot to sink when appearing on the 3D knit fabric. The elasticity of the 3D knit fabric causes the 3D knit fabric to be restored as the assembler advances. Preferably, the restoring action is assisted by the restoring force of the 3D knitted fabric. The restoring force is dependent on the compression of the 3D knitted fabric. If the compression takes place until a certain resistance value / pressure value is reached, this pressure value is at the same time the restoring force.As the resistance increases from zero to a maximum value as the amount of compression increases, the restoring force decreases as the amount of recovery increases from a maximum to zero.With the same travel path / travel path, different maximum resistance values / restoring forces will regularly result for different persons due to different compressions of the 3D knits. This is harmless, however, because a small degree of compression is always also associated with a lower impact load when the assembly persons occur on the running path next to the conveyor belt.Also, a greater degree of compression is harmless as long as the compression is in the elastic region of the 3D knit.Specifications for the maximum restoring force can be implemented by selecting the 3D knit and its dimensions. The maximum restoring force of the knitted fabric is preferably at least 10 kg, even more preferably at least 20 kg, based on a footprint of an occurring foot of 25 square centimeters. Preferably, the maximum restoring force is at most 50 kg, even more preferably at most 40 kg, based on a footprint of an occurring foot of 25 square centimeters.The adjustment of the restoring force can be effected in various ways, for example bychanging the pile yarns,Selection of Pile Yarn Condition in Terms of Material and DimensionsChange of the number of pile threads per unit areaChange in the inclination of the pile yarns between the spaced surfaces.The knitted spacer fabric is preferably embedded in the path of travel of the assembly person, so that the knitted spacer fabric closes off in height with the surrounding industrial floor.It is advantageous if the 3D knit is provided with a border on the edge.Moreover, the 3D knit can be provided on the top side (contact side for the assembly persons) with a protective layer which counteracts soiling of the 3D knit. The protective layer can be provided with a non-slip surface at the same time. The non-slip surface can be formed from a material which is non-slip without profiling or with profiling.The anti-skid property also contributes to the protection against work.A non-slip layer can also be provided under the 3D knit. The non-slip layer prevents the 3D knit from collapsing if the knit does not have sufficient inherent stability.Alternatively, the 3D knit can also be held in a frame which prevents the 3D knit from slipping. At least one surround of the 3D knitted fabric is provided. The enclosure may also be a textile. A skirt also helps to reinforce the knit.The 3D knitted fabric can also be adhesively bonded in the depression of the industrial floor. Adhesives which can be removed again without residue are advantageous in this case. Such adhesives are commercially available.The drawing shows a 3D knit for a travel path on a conveyor belt.Reference numeral 1 denotes a blank for a running path on a conveyor belt. The blank 1 consists of a 3D knitted fabric with a thickness of 3 mm. By walking on, the blank 1 can be compressed to 2 mm.The 3D knit fabric is selected such that it is elastically and partially compressed when walked on by a person with a weight of 50 kg and the progress is assisted by a restoring force of the blank 1. The restoring force is dependent on the compression and is at least 10 kg.For the blank 1, a depression is provided in a concrete layer 2. The edge of the depression is reinforced with a frame structure 3 made of an L-profile.On the top side of the blank 1 a non-slip layer 4 is provided. The surrounding industrial floor is provided with a coating 5.

Claims

Equipment for a workplace consisting of a conveyor belt or similar working device, characterised in that a running path with an elastic 3D knitted fabric (1) runs along the working device, the 3D knitted fabric (1) being made of polyester or similar plastic, so that the running path allows at least one compression of 1 mm at the tread point--at a thickness of 12.5 mm--preferably allows at least one compression of 2 mm--even more preferably allows at least one compression of 3 mm--and is formed back when it is released--the lifting of a foot at the tread point being assisted by a restoring force.Equipment according to claim 1, characterised in that the 3D knit (1) exhibits a resistance during compression which increases from zero to maximum compression and forms the restoring force during raising of the foot at the tread.Equipment according to claim 2, characterised in that the restoring force after maximum compression is at least 10 kg, preferably 20 kg, with respect to a tread surface of 25 square centimeters at the tread.Equipment according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the restoring force after maximum compression is at most 50 kg, preferably at most 40 kg, with respect to a tread surface of 25 square centimeters at the tread point.Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the 3D knit (1) is embedded in the ground.Equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the 3D knit (1) has a border.Equipment according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the 3D knitted fabric (1) is provided at the top with a non-slip layer (4) and / or at the bottom with a non-slip layer.Equipment according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the 3D knit (1) is provided with a skirt and / or is provided with a frame (3) as reinforcement and / or is glued to the bottom.

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