Airframe device

Abstract

Airframe device (1), comprising a drive carriage (2) and a control unit carriage (12), which are arranged one behind the other and connected to one another by means of a mechanical coupling arrangement (18), wherein the drive carriage (2) has a drive carriage housing (3) on which an electric drive motor (4), a gear (5) coupled to the electric drive motor (4), an electric braking device (6) coupled to the gear (5), lateral rail rollers (7), and a drive gear (8) coupled to an output of the gear (5) are arranged, wherein the drive gear (8) is designed for meshing engagement with a toothed rail (11) of a rail arrangement (10), and wherein the control unit carriage (12) has lateral rail rollers (7) and a control unit (13) which is coupled to the electric drive motor (4) and the electric braking device (6) for controlling them,wherein the control unit (13) is arranged on a control unit carriage housing (14).,

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an airframe device.

[0002] An airframe is generally known from the state of the art in the field of stage technology / event technology. An airframe is a conveyor device in a venue, for example in a theater or in an event hall or on an event site, which is used for the horizontal movement of people (airframe movement) or objects during an event, in particular during a stage event on a stage of the venue. For this purpose, the airframe comprises a rail arrangement that is positioned horizontally at a distance from the ground, and a carriage that moves along the rail arrangement. The person or object is suspended from the carriage and is thus moved along the rail arrangement by means of the carriage, suspended below the rail arrangement and the carriage.

[0003] The invention is based on the object of providing an airframe device which is improved compared to the prior art.

[0004] The object is achieved according to the invention by an airframe device having the features of claim 1.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0006] An airframe device according to the invention comprises a drive carriage and a control unit carriage, which are arranged one behind the other and connected to each other by means of a mechanical coupling arrangement. The drive carriage has a drive carriage housing on which an electric drive motor, a transmission coupled to the electric drive motor, an electric braking device coupled to the transmission, lateral track rollers, and a drive gear coupled to an output of the transmission are arranged.

[0007] The lateral rail rollers are designed to roll along rails of a rail assembly, which advantageously is also a component of the airframe device. The rail assembly comprises, in particular, two laterally spaced-apart rails that are connected to one another.

[0008] The rail arrangement also includes, in particular, a toothed rail. The drive gear of the drive carriage, which is coupled to the electric drive motor and the electric braking device via the gearing, meshes with this toothed rail. This enables movement of the drive carriage and the control unit carriage coupled to it along the rail arrangement, for example, driven by the electric drive motor, whose drive force is transmitted to the toothed rail via the gearing and the drive gear, or braked by the electric braking device, whose braking force is transmitted to the toothed rail via the gearing and the drive gear.

[0009] For example, the transmission has a transmission input shaft projecting through the transmission, one end of the transmission input shaft being coupled to an output of the electric drive motor and the other end of the transmission input shaft being coupled to an output of the electric braking device.

[0010] The transmission is designed, in particular, as a bevel gear. It is provided, in particular, that a bevel gear is arranged on the transmission input shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission input shaft. This bevel gear is connected directly or, to enable a different gear ratio, via further gears, in particular bevel gears, to a gear, in particular a bevel gear, arranged on a transmission output shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission output shaft. When directly connected, the gear is in meshing engagement with the gear. The drive gear, which is in meshing engagement with the toothed rail, is arranged on this transmission output shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission output shaft.

[0011] The flying mechanism is a conveyor system, particularly for a venue, such as a theater, an event hall, or an event site, which can be used for the horizontal movement of people (flying people) or objects during an event, particularly during a stage performance on a stage of the venue. For this purpose, a person or object can be suspended from the drive carriage and, suspended below the rail arrangement and the drive carriage, moved by the drive carriage along the horizontal rail arrangement arranged at a distance from the ground.

[0012] The control unit carriage has lateral rail rollers and a control unit coupled to the electric drive motor and the electric braking device for controlling them. The control unit is thus particularly designed and configured to control the electric drive motor and the electric braking device. The control unit particularly comprises a frequency converter. The control unit particularly has a control voltage of 120 V, particularly for controlling the electric drive motor and the electric braking device.

[0013] The control unit is mounted on a control unit carriage housing. The control unit carriage housing is designed, for example, as a base plate or has such a base plate. The control unit is mounted, for example, on the underside of this base plate. The control unit enables, in particular, very precise, particularly stepless, control of the electric drive motor and, advantageously, also of the electric braking device. This ensures, in particular, compliance with relevant safety regulations in the field of event technology.

[0014] With the described solution, the control unit, which is designed to control the electric drive motor and the electric braking device, is securely connected both mechanically and electrically to the electric drive motor and the electric braking device, with the mechanical connection being realized via the control unit carriage housing, the mechanical coupling arrangement, and the drive carriage housing. As a result, the control unit is securely moved along the rail arrangement together with the drive carriage, pulled behind the drive carriage in one direction, and pushed in front of the drive carriage in the other direction.

[0015] This secure mechanical connection ensures that the distances between the control unit on the one hand and the electric drive motor and the electric braking device on the other hand always remain the same, so that mechanical stress on the electrical connections between the control unit on the one hand and the electric drive motor and the electric braking device on the other hand, which could lead to connection interruptions, are avoided.

[0016] To ensure safe guidance of the drive carriage along the rail arrangement, the drive carriage has, for example, two upper rail rollers and one lower rail roller on each side, spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, i.e., in the direction of the rails or in the direction of movement of the drive carriage. The respective upper rail rollers are designed to roll on an upper side of the respective lateral rail of the rail arrangement, and the respective lower rail roller is provided as a safety device on an underside of the respective lateral rail to prevent the drive carriage from lifting upwards off the rail arrangement.

[0017] The drive carriage, in particular its drive carriage housing, has at least one cross bolt. Advantageously, it has several such cross bolts arranged at a distance from one another. These cross bolts are provided in particular for fastening a respective load to be moved by means of the airframe device, i.e., for example, a person or an object.

[0018] This cross bolt, or one of these cross bolts, is advantageously used for the mechanical coupling of the drive carriage to the control unit carriage. For this purpose, it is particularly provided that the mechanical coupling arrangement comprises a clamp attached to the cross bolt and a connecting element arranged on the clamp, which is attached to the control unit carriage housing.

[0019] The connecting element is, for example, an angle element, which is attached to the clamp at one end or is formed integrally and / or in one piece with it, and is attached to the control unit carriage housing at the other end, for example, by means of a screw. This screw connection is designed in such a way that a pivoting movement of the connecting element relative to the control unit carriage housing is possible in order to enable corresponding cornering when the rail arrangement is curved. This ensures a secure mechanical coupling of the drive carriage and the control unit carriage.

[0020] The control unit carriage has, for example, two roller units spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the control unit carriage, ie in the direction of the rail run or in the direction of movement of the control unit carriage, in particular a front roller unit and a rear roller unit, which are each connected to the control unit carriage housing, for example fastened to an upper side of the base plate, and on which the lateral rail rollers of the control unit carriage are arranged.

[0021] To ensure safe guidance of the control unit carriage along the rail arrangement, the respective roller unit has, for example, two upper rail rollers and one lower rail roller on each side, spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, i.e., in the direction of the rail run or in the direction of movement of the control unit carriage. The respective upper rail rollers are designed to roll on an upper side of the respective lateral rail of the rail arrangement, and the respective lower rail roller is provided as a safety device on an underside of the respective lateral rail to prevent the control unit carriage from lifting upwards off the rail arrangement.

[0022] The electric braking device is designed, in particular, as an electric double brake. This meets high safety requirements. The electric braking device has a nominal voltage of 120 V, in particular DC voltage.

[0023] The electric drive motor is designed in particular as a three-phase motor, in particular with a nominal voltage of 400 V.

[0024] In particular, it is provided that the drive carriage and the control unit carriage each have an operating limit switch designed to detect when a respective end stop of the rail arrangement has been reached. These operating limit switches are advantageously connected to the control unit, so that upon reaching the respective end stop, detected by the respective operating limit switch, the control unit accordingly controls the electric drive motor and the electric braking device, i.e., in particular, deactivates the electric drive motor and activates the electric braking device.

[0025] The drive carriage has, in particular, an absolute encoder for detecting a respective movement position of the drive carriage along the rail arrangement. The absolute encoder detects, in particular, revolutions of the electric drive motor and / or transmission, in particular of the transmission input shaft and / or the transmission output shaft, whereby a respective movement path traveled along the rail arrangement can be determined or is determined. This absolute encoder is advantageously connected to the control unit so that the control unit always knows the respective position of the drive carriage along the rail arrangement.

[0026] The airframe device advantageously further comprises an operating unit that is coupled or can be coupled to the control unit, in particular via a cable connection. Operating commands for moving the drive carriage and the control unit carriage coupled thereto along the rail arrangement can thus be entered by an operator at the operating unit and transmitted from the operating unit to the control unit. Furthermore, electrical power is advantageously supplied to the control unit and thus to the electric drive motor and the electric braking device via this cable connection between the operating unit and the control unit.

[0027] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0028] Showing: Fig. 1 schematically shows a drive carriage of an airframe device in a plan view from above, Fig. 2 schematically shows the drive carriage and a control unit carriage of the airframe device coupled thereto in a plan view from above, Fig. 3 schematically shows the drive carriage and the control unit carriage in a side view, Fig. 4 schematically shows a perspective view of the drive carriage and the control unit carriage in a rail arrangement of the airframe device, Fig. 5 schematically shows a side view of the rail arrangement with drive carriage and control unit carriage, Fig. 6 schematically shows a sectional view of the rail arrangement with drive carriage and control unit carriage, and Fig. 7 schematically shows a top view of the rail arrangement with drive carriage and control unit carriage.

[0029] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0030] Based on the Fig. 1 to 7, an airframe device 1 is described below. This airframe device 1 has a Fig. 1 alone and in the further Fig. 2 to 7 together with other components of the airframe device 1.

[0031] The drive carriage 2 has a drive carriage housing 3 on which an electric drive motor 4, a gear 5 coupled to the electric drive motor 4, an electric braking device 6 coupled to the gear 5, lateral rail rollers 7 and a drive gear 8 coupled to an output of the gear 5 are arranged.

[0032] The lateral rail rollers 7 are provided for rolling on rails 9 of a rail arrangement 10, which is also a component of the airframe device 1. The rail arrangement 10 has two laterally spaced rails 9, which in the example shown are connected to one another via a supporting structure of the rail arrangement 10.

[0033] For safe guidance of the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10, the drive carriage 2 has two upper rail rollers 7 and one lower rail roller 7 on each side, arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction. The respective upper rail rollers 7 are provided for rolling on an upper side of the respective lateral rail 9 of the rail arrangement 10, and the respective lower rail roller 7 is provided as a safety device on an underside of the respective lateral rail 9 to prevent the drive carriage 2 from lifting upwards from the rail arrangement 10.

[0034] In the example shown, the rails 9 are U-shaped, in particular as a U rotated laterally by 90°, wherein the opening of the U of the respective rail 9 points inwards, ie in the direction of the respective other rail 9, as in particular in Fig. 6 can be seen. In the example shown, the lower leg of this U, which is rotated laterally by 90°, forms the part of the rail 9 against which the rail rollers 7 rest. The respective upper rail rollers 7 roll on the upper side of the lower leg of the respective lateral rail 9, and the respective lower rail roller 7 rolls along the underside of the lower leg of the respective lateral rail 9 as a safety device in order to prevent the drive carriage 2 from lifting upwards off the rail arrangement 10.

[0035] The rail arrangement 10 also has in particular a toothed rail 11, as shown in particular in Fig. 6 can be seen. In the example shown, this toothed rail 11 is arranged on one of the two lateral rails 9, more precisely on the upper side of the lower leg of this lateral rail 9. It is arranged offset outwards in the direction of the connecting section of the lower leg with the upper leg of this lateral rail 9 and is therefore arranged laterally spaced outwards from a movement path of the upper rollers 7 on the upper side of the lower leg of this lateral rail 9.

[0036] The drive gear 8 of the drive carriage 2, which is coupled via the gear 5 to the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, is in meshing engagement with this toothed rail 11. It is arranged laterally offset outwards on the drive carriage 2 relative to the rollers 7 of this side in order to enable its meshing engagement with the toothed rail 11.

[0037] This meshing engagement of the drive gear 8 in the toothed rail 11 enables movement of the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10, for example driven by means of the electric drive motor 4, the drive force of which is transmitted via the gear 5 and the drive gear 8 to the toothed rail 11 to enable drive, or braked by means of the electric braking device 6, the braking force of which is transmitted via the gear 5 and the drive gear 8 to the toothed rail 11 to enable braking, ie a negative drive.

[0038] For example, the transmission 5 has a transmission input shaft projecting through the transmission 5, wherein one end of the transmission input shaft is coupled to an output of the electric drive motor 4 and the other end of the transmission input shaft is coupled to an output of the electric braking device 6. The transmission 5 is thus, as shown in particular in the Fig. 1 to 5 and 7, arranged between the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6.

[0039] The transmission 5 is designed, in particular, as a bevel gear. It is provided, in particular, that a bevel gear is arranged on the transmission input shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission input shaft. This bevel gear is connected directly or, to enable a different gear ratio, via further gears, in particular bevel gears, to a gear, in particular a bevel gear, arranged on a transmission output shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission output shaft, and, when directly connected, is in meshing engagement with said gear. The drive gear 8, which is in meshing engagement with the toothed rail 11, is arranged on this transmission output shaft in a manner fixed against rotation relative to the transmission output shaft.

[0040] The electric braking device 6 is designed in particular as an electric double brake, in particular with a nominal voltage of 120 V, in particular direct voltage.

[0041] The electric drive motor 4 is designed in particular as a three-phase motor, in particular with a nominal voltage of 400 V.

[0042] The airframe device 1 further comprises a control unit carriage 12, wherein the drive carriage 2 and the control unit carriage 12 are arranged one behind the other, as shown in the Fig. 2 to 7. Drive carriage 2 and control unit carriage 12 are connected to one another by means of a mechanical coupling arrangement 18, so that when the drive carriage 2 is moved in the manner described above, the control unit carriage 12 is moved together with the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10.

[0043] The control unit carriage 12 has lateral rail rollers 7 and a control unit 13, which is coupled to the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6 for controlling them. The control unit 13, in particular, has a frequency converter.

[0044] The control unit 13 is arranged on a control unit carriage housing 14, which in the illustrated example is merely designed as a base plate. The control unit 13 is arranged on the underside of this base plate. The control unit 13 enables, in particular, very precise, particularly stepless, control of the electric drive motor 4 and advantageously also of the electric braking device 6.

[0045] The control unit carriage 12 has a front roller unit 15 and a rear roller unit 15, which are each connected to the control unit carriage housing 14, in the example shown are fastened to an upper side of the base plate, and on which the lateral rail rollers 7 of the control unit carriage 12 are arranged.

[0046] In the example shown, the respective roller unit 15 has two side parts 16, on which the respective lateral rollers 7 are arranged and which are connected to one another by cross struts 17, in the example shown three cross struts 17. The respective cross strut 17 is screwed to the respective side part 16, for example.

[0047] For secure guidance of the control unit carriage 12 along the rail arrangement 10, the respective roller unit 15 has two upper rail rollers 7 and one lower rail roller 7 on each side, arranged at a longitudinal distance from one another. In the same way as with the drive carriage 2, the respective upper rail rollers 7 are provided for rolling on the upper side of the respective lateral rail 9 of the rail arrangement 10, and the respective lower rail roller 7 is provided as a safety device on the underside of the respective lateral rail 9 to prevent the control unit carriage 12 from lifting upwards off the rail arrangement 10.

[0048] For the control unit carriage 12, the lower leg of the U, which is laterally rotated by 90°, also forms the part of the rail 9 against which the rail rollers 7 rest. The respective upper rail rollers 7 roll on the upper side of the lower leg of the respective lateral rail 9, and the respective lower rail roller 7 rolls along the underside of the lower leg of the respective lateral rail 9 as a safety device to prevent the control unit carriage 12 from lifting upwards from the rail arrangement 10.

[0049] The flying mechanism device 1 is a conveyor system, particularly for a venue, such as a theater or an event hall or an event site, which can be used for the horizontal movement of people (flying people) or objects during an event, particularly during a stage performance on a stage of the venue. For this purpose, a person or an object can be suspended from the drive carriage 2 and, suspended below the rail arrangement 10 and the drive carriage 2, moved by the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10, which is arranged horizontally and spaced from the ground.

[0050] By means of the described solution, the control unit 13, which is designed to control the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, is securely connected both mechanically and electrically to the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, the mechanical connection being realized via the control unit carriage housing 14, the mechanical coupling arrangement 18 and the drive carriage housing 3.

[0051] As a result, the control unit 13 is safely moved along the rail arrangement 10 together with the drive carriage 2, pulled in one direction behind the drive carriage 2, and pushed in the other direction in front of the drive carriage 2. This secure mechanical connection ensures that the distances between the control unit 13, on the one hand, and the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, on the other hand, always remain constant, thus avoiding mechanical stress on the electrical connections between the control unit 13, on the one hand, and the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, on the other hand, which could lead to connection interruptions.

[0052] In the example shown, the drive carriage 2, in particular its drive carriage housing 3, has a plurality of transverse bolts 19 arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction. These transverse bolts 19 are provided in particular for fastening a respective load to be moved by means of the airframe device 1, e.g., a person or an object.

[0053] One of these cross bolts 19 is used for the mechanical coupling of the drive carriage 2 to the control unit carriage 12. For this purpose, the mechanical coupling arrangement 18 has a clamp 20 attached to this cross bolt 19 and a connecting element 21 arranged on the clamp 20, which is attached to the control unit carriage housing 14.

[0054] The clamp 20, for example a 50 mm clamp or another clamp 20 adapted to a diameter of the cross bolt 19, is clamped to the cross bolt 19 by means of a wing nut or wing screw in the example shown. The connecting element 21 in the example shown is an angle element, which is attached to the clamp 20 at one end or is formed integrally and / or in one piece with it, and is attached to the control unit carriage housing 14 at the other end, for example, by means of a screw element. For example, this screw connection is designed such that a pivoting movement of the connecting element 21 relative to the control unit carriage housing 14 is possible in order to enable corresponding cornering when the rail arrangement 10 has a curved course. This achieves a secure mechanical coupling of the drive carriage 2 and the control unit carriage 12.

[0055] The drive carriage 2 and the control unit carriage 12 each have an operating limit switch 22, which is designed to detect when a respective end stop of the rail arrangement 10 is reached. These operating limit switches 22 are advantageously connected to the control unit 13, so that when the respective end stop is reached, detected by the respective operating limit switch 22, the control unit 13 accordingly controls the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6, i.e., in particular, deactivates the electric drive motor 4 and activates the electric braking device 6.

[0056] The drive carriage 2 has, in particular, an absolute encoder 23 for detecting a respective movement position of the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10. The absolute encoder 23 detects, in particular, revolutions of the electric drive motor 4 and / or transmission 5, in particular of the transmission input shaft and / or the transmission output shaft, whereby a movement path traveled along the rail arrangement 10 can be determined or is determined. This absolute encoder 23 is advantageously connected to the control unit 13, so that the control unit 13 always knows the respective position of the drive carriage 2 along the rail arrangement 10.

[0057] The airframe device 1 advantageously further comprises an operating unit (not shown in the figures) that is coupled or can be coupled to the control unit 13, in particular via a cable connection. Operating commands for moving the drive carriage 2 and the control unit carriage 12 coupled thereto along the rail arrangement 10 can thereby be input by an operator into the operating unit and transmitted from the operating unit to the control unit 13. Furthermore, electrical power is advantageously supplied to the control unit 13 and thus to the electric drive motor 4 and the electric braking device 6 via this cable connection between the operating unit and the control unit 13. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 airframe device 2 drive cars 3 drive carriage housing 4 drive motor 5 gearboxes 6 Braking device 7 Rail roller 8 drive gear 9 Rail 10 Rail arrangement 11 Dental splint 12 control unit trolleys 13 Control unit 14 Control unit trolley housing 15 Roller unit 16 side panel 17 Cross brace 18 Coupling arrangement 19 cross bolts 20 clamps 21 Connecting element 22 operating limit switches 23 absolute encoders

Claims

[1] Airframe device (1), comprising a drive carriage (2) and a control unit carriage (12), which are arranged one behind the other and connected to one another by means of a mechanical coupling arrangement (18), wherein the drive carriage (2) has a drive carriage housing (3) on which an electric drive motor (4), a gear (5) coupled to the electric drive motor (4), an electric braking device (6) coupled to the gear (5), lateral rail rollers (7), and a drive gear (8) coupled to an output of the gear (5) are arranged, wherein the drive gear (8) is designed for meshing engagement with a toothed rail (11) of a rail arrangement (10), and wherein the control unit carriage (12) has lateral rail rollers (7) and a control unit (13) which is coupled to the electric drive motor (4) and the electric braking device (6) for controlling them,wherein the control unit (13) is arranged on a control unit carriage housing (14)., [2] Airframe device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the drive carriage (2) has at least one cross bolt (19) and the mechanical coupling arrangement (18) has a clamp (20) fastened to the cross bolt (19) and a connecting element (21) arranged on the clamp (20) which is fastened to the control unit carriage housing (14). [3] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit carriage (12) has a front roller unit (15) and a rear roller unit (15), each of which is connected to the control unit carriage housing (14) and on which the lateral rail rollers (7) of the control unit carriage (12) are arranged. [4] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric braking device (6) is designed as an electric double brake with a nominal voltage of 120 V. [5] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric drive motor (4) is designed as a three-phase motor with a nominal voltage of 400 V. [6] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gear (5) is designed as a bevel gear. [7] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive carriage (2) and the control unit carriage (12) each have an operating limit switch (22) which is designed to detect reaching of a respective end stop of the rail arrangement (10). [8] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive carriage (2) has an absolute value encoder (23) for detecting a respective movement position of the drive carriage (2). [9] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the rail arrangement (10). [10] Airframe device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an operating unit coupled or coupleable to the control unit (13).

Images