Transport vehicle, preferably a rack trolley, with a rack for storing and transporting plate-shaped elements, as well as a rack loading and / or unloading device.

Abstract

Transport vehicle (1), preferably a rack trolley (44), for storing and transporting plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels (5), wherein the transport vehicle (1) has a base vehicle (2) for moving the rack trolley (1) and a rack frame (3) arranged on the base vehicle (2), wherein the rack frame (3) has several compartments (22) adjacent to and parallel to each other in a vehicle width direction (1b) of the transport vehicle (1) for receiving at least one plate-shaped element each, wherein the rack frame (3) preferably has several first elongated compartment divider elements (21), preferably compartment divider rods and / or compartment divider cables, for subdividing the compartments (22), which are adjacent to and spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction (1b) and in a vehicle longitudinal direction (1a) of the transport vehicle (1), characterized in thatthat the fan rack (3) is fixed in a basic position on the undercarriage (2) by means of releasable fixing means (13), wherein the fan rack (3), when the fixing is released, is mounted on the undercarriage (2) so as to be movable back and forth parallel to a, preferably horizontal, direction of travel (46), preferably parallel to the longitudinal direction (1a) or the width direction (1b) of the vehicle, and can be lowered from the undercarriage (2) parallel to the direction of travel (46).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport vehicle, preferably a rack trolley, with a rack for storing and transporting plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels, for example insulating glass panels, tempered safety glass panels, or laminated glass panels. The invention also relates to a rack loading and / or unloading device.

[0002] Flat glass refers to any glass in the form of glass sheets, regardless of the manufacturing process used.

[0003] Laminated glass panels consist of a laminate made of at least two individual glass panes, each bonded together by means of an adhesive intermediate layer of plastic, in particular a highly tear-resistant, tough-elastic, thermoplastic film.

[0004] Tempered safety glass (ESG) consists of a single, specially heat-treated pane of glass. The glass pane is heated to temperatures above its transformation temperature and then rapidly cooled, creating a prestress within the glass. Due to this prestressing, tempered safety glass has increased impact and shock resistance compared to standard float glass.

[0005] Insulating glass units, also known as double-glazed units or insulating glass panels, consist of at least two parallel and spaced-apart panes of glass, with a gas- and moisture-tight cavity of defined width between them. To ensure this predefined cavity remains permanently sealed, a perimeter spacer frame connects the two panes at their outer edges.

[0006] Conventional glass panes are typically 3 to 19 mm thick. To reduce their carbon footprint, thin glass panes are increasingly being used in this field, for example, as the middle pane in triple-glazed insulating glass units. Thin glass panes are also used as display glass for mobile phones and tablets, as well as for laptops and monitors. Thin glass panes have a thickness of 0.03 to 1.9 mm. Therefore, they are significantly more difficult to handle than conventional glass panes of the same dimensions, and the risk of breakage is particularly high.

[0007] For their subsequent use, the glass sheets generally need to be cut to size. This involves, in particular, cutting raw glass sheets into individual glass sheet blanks. This is done using cutting machines known per se. After cutting, the glass sheet blanks or the cut glass sheets are preferably further processed in a downstream processing plant, for example, a laminated glass line, an insulating glass line, or a tempering unit for the production of tempered safety glass sheets.

[0008] Throughout the entire manufacturing process, particularly before and / or after cutting, the glass sheets are sorted and temporarily stored in a manner known per se. This temporary storage takes place in appropriate storage devices. A distinction is generally made between vertical and horizontal storage devices. In horizontal storage devices, the glass sheets are stored lying down or horizontally. In vertical storage devices, the glass sheets are stored upright, that is, vertically or at a slight inclination to the vertical.

[0009] The storage facilities can be, for example, stationary or fixed storage facilities or mobile storage facilities, in particular mobile rack trolleys.

[0010] A storage device in the form of a generic, movable rack trolley is known, for example, from DE 10 2018 207 812 A1. The rack trolley has a loading compartment and a base frame with several rack frames arranged one behind the other, which divide the loading compartment into individual, adjacent and parallel compartments for holding one glass panel each. The rack frames each have several first elongated, essentially vertical, divider elements for dividing the compartments. According to DE 10 2018 207 812 A1, the rack trolley also has several second elongated divider elements that, in addition to the first divider elements, laterally delimit the compartments. The second divider elements each extend between two first divider elements of two rack frames arranged one behind the other.

[0011] Furthermore, the rack trolley has, preferably four, wheels for moving it on the ground. The wheels are attached to the underside of the base frame. According to DE 10 2018 207 812 A1, the storage device can also be a rack without wheels, which is moved by means of an automated guided vehicle (AGV). Such a rack has leveling feet for positioning it on the ground.

[0012] Furthermore, the rack trolley described in DE 10 2018 207 812 A1 features a roller conveyor with several cylindrical, elongated, rotatable transport rollers arranged one behind the other in a loading direction. The transport rollers extend across the entire width of the rack trolley. The glass sheets are transported into and out of the rack trolley on these rollers. For this purpose, the glass sheets rest on the transport rollers with their edges. Even after being loaded into the rack trolley and during transport, the glass sheets remain in contact with the rollers with their edges. According to DE 10 2018 207 812 A1, other conveying devices, such as conveyor belts, may be used instead of the roller conveyor.

[0013] To insert and remove glass sheets into and from the tray trolleys, shuttles that move back and forth on a fixed track are known to be used, among other methods. Such shuttles have one or more trays, each capable of holding a single glass sheet or several glass sheets arranged one behind the other or in alignment with each other. These shuttles also have, for example, one or more grippers with which the glass sheets can be transferred, for example, from a tray trolley onto the shuttle and off the shuttle, for example, into another tray trolley. Alternatively, a shuttle can also use rollers or belts to transport the glass sheets.

[0014] For example, DE 10 2018 206 974 A1 discloses a sorting device for sorting plate-shaped elements, preferably glass sheet blanks. The sorting device comprises a receiving station with several racks, preferably arranged side-by-side in a row, and a separate sorting station downstream of the receiving station in a processing sequence, also comprising several racks, preferably arranged side-by-side in a row. Both the sorting station and the receiving station each have a shuttle that can be moved back and forth along a fixed travel path parallel to the respective rack.

[0015] To precisely position the racks for each shuttle, it is known that the rack carriages are moved into individual boxes. Each box has, in particular, hydraulic and / or mechanical positioning devices for the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal positioning of the rack carriages.

[0016] The object of the present invention is to provide a transport vehicle, preferably a rack trolley, with a rack for vertical storage and transport of plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels, which ensures quick and gentle loading and unloading of the plate-shaped elements into and out of the rack of the transport vehicle.

[0017] A further object of the invention is to provide a rack loading and / or unloading device for loading and / or unloading racks, which also ensures quick and gentle storage and removal of the plate-shaped elements into and out of the racks.

[0018] These tasks are accomplished by a transport vehicle, preferably a rack trolley, according to claim 1, and a rack loading and / or unloading device according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the respective dependent claims.

[0019] The invention will now be explained in more detail with the aid of an example drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1: A perspective view of a fan rack of the fan trolley according to the invention without compartment divider elements Fig. 2: A side view of the fan carriage according to the invention Fig. 3: A simplified, perspective view of the rack loading and / or unloading device according to the invention Fig. 4: Another simplified, perspective view of the rack loading and / or unloading device according to the invention Fig. 5: A simplified top view of the rack loading and / or unloading device according to the invention Fig. 6: A side view of the fan carriage and shuttle according to the invention. Fig. 7: A side view of the fan carriage according to the invention and a shuttle during the lowering of the fan frame from a chassis of the fan carriage Fig. 8: A side view of the fan carriage and a shuttle with the fan rack completely lowered from the undercarriage Fig. 9: A perspective view of an area of ​​the rack during the insertion or removal of glass panels into or out of a compartment of the rack. Fig. 10: An enlarged section of the perspective view according to Fig. 9

[0020] The transport vehicle 1 according to the invention ( Fig. 2-8) has a sub-vehicle 2 and a fan rack 3 arranged on it.

[0021] The transport vehicle 1 is also a forklift truck. Forklift trucks are known to be conveying devices used at ground level for the horizontal transport of goods. The transport vehicle 1 can be trackless, rail-bound, or guided by a track. Preferably, the transport vehicle 1 is a compartment wagon 44.

[0022] Furthermore, the transport vehicle 1 has a first horizontal vehicle direction 1a, preferably vehicle longitudinal direction or vehicle loading and / or unloading direction 1a, a horizontal vehicle direction 1b perpendicular to it, preferably vehicle width direction 1b and a vehicle height direction 1c perpendicular to the first and second vehicle directions 1a;1b.

[0023] Furthermore, the transport vehicle 1 has a first, preferably front, vehicle end 4a, or a vehicle loading and unloading side, and a second, preferably rear, vehicle end 4b, or a vehicle rear, opposite this in the longitudinal direction 1a. Glass panels 5 are inserted into the transport vehicle 1 from the vehicle loading and unloading end 4a in the vehicle loading and unloading direction 1a if loading and unloading takes place when the rack 3 is arranged on the undercarriage 2.

[0024] Consequently, the vehicle's longitudinal direction 1a corresponds to the direction in which loading and unloading take place, if loading and unloading occur when the rack 3 is arranged on the undercarriage 2. This direction also generally corresponds to the direction in which the transport vehicle 1 preferably travels.

[0025] The undercarriage 2 has a front undercarriage end 6a and a rear undercarriage end 6b opposite this in the longitudinal direction of the fan carriage 1a.

[0026] Furthermore, the undercarriage 2 has an undercarriage frame 7. If the transport vehicle 1 is a fan wagon 44, then the undercarriage is a chassis 45 which has several, preferably four, wheels 8 for moving the fan wagon 44 on the respective surface.

[0027] The undercarriage 7 preferably has two undercarriage longitudinal beams 9 extending parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a of the fan carriage and at least one, preferably several, undercarriage crossbeams 10.

[0028] Preferably, the undercarriage 2 also has two beams 11 projecting upwards from the undercarriage frame 7 with handles 12 for gripping and pushing the transport vehicle 1, preferably the fan trolley 44, by an operator 41 ( Fig. 4) The transport vehicle 1, preferably the compartment trolley 44, can therefore be moved manually by an operator 41.

[0029] The undercarriage 2 can also be designed as an automated guided vehicle (AGV). An automated guided vehicle is, as is known, a floor-bound vehicle with its own drive system, which is automatically controlled and guided without physical contact. Preferably, the automated guided vehicle 2 or the automated transport vehicle 1 is track-bound or rail-bound.

[0030] According to the invention, the fan rack 3 is mounted on the undercarriage 2 in an unlocked or unfixed position parallel to a horizontal direction of travel 46, preferably parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a or the width direction 1b of the vehicle, and is thus movable back and forth from the undercarriage 2. The fan rack 3 is therefore detachably connected to the undercarriage 2.

[0031] The fan frame 3 has a horizontal fan frame longitudinal direction 3a parallel to the vehicle longitudinal direction 1a, a horizontal fan frame width direction 3b perpendicular to it and parallel to the vehicle width direction 1b, and a fan frame height direction 3c perpendicular to the fan frame longitudinal direction 3a and to the fan frame width direction 3b, and parallel to the vehicle height direction 1c.

[0032] For the detachable connection of the fan rack 3 to the undercarriage 2, the undercarriage 2 has corresponding means for the movable mounting of the fan rack 3. Preferably, the undercarriage 2 has two transport roller conveyors 14 for this purpose ( Fig. 5) The two transport roller tracks 14 are arranged opposite each other in the vehicle width direction 1b and each has several transport rollers 15 arranged one behind the other in the vehicle length direction 1a. The transport rollers 15 are each rotatably mounted on one of the undercarriage longitudinal beams 9 about roller pivot axes parallel to the vehicle width direction 1b. Preferably, the transport rollers 15 are freely rotatable about the roller pivot axes. However, they can also be driven to rotate.

[0033] If the transport rollers 15 are rotatable by means of appropriate drive means, they consequently serve to drive the rack 3 relative to the undercarriage 2 in the direction of travel 46. If the transport rollers 15 are freely rotatable, the rack 3 is freely movable and is moved manually in this case.

[0034] Furthermore, the transport rollers 15 are preferably arranged on the inside of the respective undercarriage longitudinal beam 9. "Inside" means on the side facing the other undercarriage longitudinal beam 9. According to one embodiment of the invention, the two undercarriage longitudinal beams 9 have an L-shaped cross-section and comprise a first, plate-shaped, vertically extending L-leg 16a and a second, perpendicular, plate-shaped L-leg 16b. The transport rollers 15 are preferably mounted on the inside of the first L-leg 16a.

[0035] The preferably cuboid-shaped fan frame 3 of the transport vehicle 1 according to the invention has two lower fan frame longitudinal beams 17a, extending in particular parallel to the longitudinal direction 3a of the fan frame; two upper fan frame longitudinal beams 17b, extending in particular parallel to the longitudinal direction 3a of the fan frame; several lower fan frame cross beams 18a, extending in particular parallel to the width direction 3b of the fan frame; several upper fan frame cross beams 18b, extending in particular parallel to the width direction 3b of the fan frame; and several connecting struts 19, extending in particular parallel to the height direction 3c of the fan frame. The lower fan frame cross beams 18a extend from one to the other of the two lower fan frame longitudinal beams 17a and are rigidly connected to them.The upper fan-frame crossbeams 18b extend from one to the other of the two upper fan-frame longitudinal beams 17b and are rigidly connected to them. The connecting struts 19 each extend from one of the two lower fan-frame longitudinal beams 17a to one of the two upper fan-frame longitudinal beams 17b and are rigidly connected to them.

[0036] Furthermore, the rack 3 preferably has several upper and lower mounting strips 20a;b for attaching first compartment divider elements 21, preferably compartment divider rods and / or compartment divider cables. The mounting strips 20a;b preferably extend parallel to the width direction 3b of the rack and are attached to the lower and upper rack crossbeams 18a;b, respectively.

[0037] The first compartment divider elements 21 serve to divide the compartment frame 3 into individual compartments 22 adjacent to each other in the compartment frame width direction 3b ( Fig. 10). The compartments 22, which are adjacent to each other and parallel to each other, are open towards the front end of the compartment carriage 4a and preferably also towards the rear end of the compartment carriage 4b.

[0038] Consequently, the horizontal vehicle width direction 1b or the horizontal rack width direction 3b corresponds to the direction in which the compartments 22 are arranged side by side, and the horizontal vehicle length direction 1a or the horizontal rack length direction 3a is perpendicular to it. The transport vehicle 1 may have a smaller extent in vehicle length direction 1a than in vehicle width direction 1b, and the rack 3 may have a smaller extent in rack length direction 3a than in rack width direction 3b.

[0039] The first compartment divider elements 21 are upright, i.e., vertical or substantially vertical. Substantially vertical means that the first compartment divider elements 21 are slightly inclined to the vertical or to the vertical direction 3c of the compartment frame; preferably, they are inclined towards or away from the rear end of the compartment carriage 4b. They can also be inclined additionally towards one side of the compartment frame 3. The inclination can also be variable. All of this is known per se.

[0040] The first compartment divider elements 21 are arranged in such a way that they are aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction 3a of the compartment frame, such that they laterally delimit the individual compartments 22, i.e., in the width direction 3b of the compartment frame. Furthermore, the first compartment divider elements 21 of the individual compartments 22 are arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction 3b of the compartment frame.

[0041] Preferably, the fan rack 3 also has several second compartment divider elements 23 ( Fig. 9), preferably compartment divider rods or bars. The second compartment divider elements 23 each extend between the first compartment divider elements 21 arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction 3a of the compartment frame.

[0042] For the sake of clarity, the first and second partition elements 21;23 are partially or not at all shown in the figures.

[0043] Preferably the first and second compartment divider elements 21;23 are designed and arranged as described in DE 10 2018 207 812 A1.

[0044] Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible that the compartments 22 of the compartment racks 3 are divided by components other than the described compartment divider elements 21; 23, even though these are preferred. The compartment racks 3 are therefore generally storage devices with several compartments 22 arranged side by side for holding at least one upright glass panel 5. Thus, several glass panels 5 can also be arranged one behind the other in a compartment 22.

[0045] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the lower frame crossbeams 18a serve to support the glass panels 5 during their storage in the frame 3. For this purpose, the lower frame crossbeams 18a have a, preferably horizontal, upper surface 24. In particular, the lower frame crossbeams 18a have a cuboid cross-section. Advantageously, they are also tubular in shape.

[0046] The advantage is that the glass panels 5, with their edges, rest along a line of contact with a uniform distributed load on the flat, horizontal surface of the crossbeam 24, and not only at a single point as on the transport rollers of the previously known rack carriage with a maximum force above the roller axis. This reduces the load on the glass panel edges and significantly decreases damage to the glass panel edges and glass breakage. This is particularly advantageous for thin glass panels, as these are less stable than conventional glass panels.

[0047] To further protect the glass panel edges, a protective pad 25 made of a soft material is preferably provided on the upper surfaces 24 of the crossbeams. The glass panel edges then do not rest directly on the upper surfaces of the crossbeams, but indirectly, namely directly on the protective pads 25, but also along a line of contact. Preferably, the protective pads 25 are made of felt and / or plastic, more preferably of rubber.

[0048] Furthermore, the rack 3 can also have a safety fence 26, which is arranged at the rear end of the rack carriage 4b. The safety fence 26 serves, in a manner known per se, to prevent injury to the operator from the often sharp-edged glass panels.

[0049] The two lower longitudinal beams 17a of the rack preferably have a section with a U-shaped cross-section, which serves as a guide rail 27 for the transport rollers 15 of the undercarriage 2. The two guide rails 27 thus serve to guide and receive the transport rollers 15. For this purpose, the guide rails 27 are open to the outside. The transport rollers 15 are arranged in the guide rails 27 and can roll within them. This allows the rack 3 to be moved back and forth parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a of the vehicle with respect to the undercarriage 2. Alternatively, the rack 3 is mounted on the undercarriage 2 so that it can be moved back and forth parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a of the vehicle and, according to the invention, can be moved off and onto the undercarriage in a rack loading and / or unloading device 28, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0050] Preferably, the fan carriage 1 also has fixing or locking means 13 for fixing or locking the fan frame 3 on the undercarriage 2 during the movement of the fan carriage 1 on the ground. This corresponds to the home position of the fan carriage 3. After the fixing or locking is released, the fan frame 3 is connected to the undercarriage 2 in a way that allows it to move back and forth parallel to the direction of travel 46, preferably parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a of the vehicle. Alternatively, the fan frame 3 is movable relative to the undercarriage 2 parallel to the direction of travel 46, preferably parallel to the longitudinal direction 1a of the vehicle. Preferably, the fixing means are hooks or latches. Alternatively, they can also be braking means for braking the transport rollers 15.If the transport rollers 15 are braked, they can no longer rotate and can no longer roll in the guide rail 27, and this also ensures that the rack 3 is sufficiently fixed or locked on the undercarriage 2 for transport due to the frictional engagement.

[0051] The invention naturally also encompasses other fixing means 13. The essential point is that the fan rack 3 is sufficiently fixed to the undercarriage 2 during transport by means of the fixing means 13, taking into account the actual forces occurring or acting upon it, in particular the actual acceleration forces, deceleration forces, and / or gravitational forces when the transport route is inclined. This can be achieved in various ways. For example, hydraulic or electromagnetic fixing means 13 may be used. And / or the fixing can be effected, for example, by positive locking and / or frictional locking (=force locking).

[0052] The inventive rack loading and / or unloading device 28 ( Fig. 3-5) has at least one access point 29, preferably several access points 29, a loading and / or unloading lane 30 and preferably several safety gates 31.

[0053] The access positions 29 are designed to accommodate one transport vehicle 1 each, preferably a fan wagon 44. They are arranged side by side in a row along the loading and / or unloading track 30 or viewed in a track longitudinal direction 30a.

[0054] Furthermore, the access points 29 each preferably have at least one positioning rail 32 for positioning the respective transport vehicle 1, preferably the respective rack trolley 44. For this purpose, the positioning rails 32 each have two spaced-apart rail sections 32a. The positioning rails 32 are also mounted on the floor. For positioning, a front and a rear wheel 8 of the rack trolley 44 to be positioned are inserted into the space between the two rail sections 32a, thereby aligning the rack trolley 44 with the respective safety gate 31 and the loading and / or unloading lane 30. The rack trolleys 44 are positioned or aligned such that the front end 4a of each vehicle points towards the loading and / or unloading lane 30.

[0055] Each access point 29 preferably has a safety gate 31. The safety gate 31 is arranged between the access point 29 and the loading and / or unloading lane 30 and serves to prevent the loading and / or unloading lane 30 from being freely accessible when no transport vehicle 1 is located at the respective access point 29. This is known per se. Preferably, the safety gates 31 are designed as roller gates.

[0056] The loading and / or unloading lane 30 has at least one movable, floor-mounted shuttle 33. The shuttle 33 is movable back and forth along a fixed travel path 34, preferably on rails, parallel to the row of access points or in the longitudinal direction 30a of the lane, preferably automatically.

[0057] Furthermore, the shuttle 33 has a shuttle longitudinal direction 33a, in particular horizontal and perpendicular to the track longitudinal direction 30a, a shuttle width direction 33b perpendicular to it, in particular horizontal, and a shuttle height direction 33c, in particular vertical. The shuttle 33 can travel parallel to the shuttle width direction 33b along the travel track 34.

[0058] Furthermore, the shuttle 33 has a chassis 35 and a shuttle superstructure 36 mounted thereon. The shuttle superstructure 36 has several shuttle transport rollers 37 arranged adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction 33a of the shuttle for transporting the glass panels 5. The shuttle transport rollers 37 are rotatable about roller pivot axes parallel to the shuttle width direction 33b, preferably by means of a drive mechanism. For this purpose, the shuttle 33 has corresponding drive means with which the shuttle transport rollers 37 are rotatably connected about the roller pivot axes. In addition, the shuttle transport rollers 37 are movable back and forth or up and down in the vertical shuttle height direction 33c. The shuttle 33 also has corresponding drive means for this purpose, with which the shuttle transport rollers 37 are rotatably connected.

[0059] The loading and / or unloading track 30 also has several transport bridges 38 that span the travel track 34 like bridges. The shuttles 33 can pass under the transport bridges 38. The transport bridges 38 serve to transport the fan rack 3, which will be discussed in more detail below. For this purpose, the transport bridges 38 have several bridge transport rollers 39 arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction 33a of the shuttles. The bridge transport rollers 39 are rotatable about roller pivot axes parallel to the longitudinal direction 30a of the track, preferably freely rotatable. However, they can also be driven, at least partially. The bridge transport rollers 39 form a bridge transport roller track 40.

[0060] In the Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows only one bridge transport roller 39 for illustration purposes, without the transport bridge 38.

[0061] The rack loading and / or unloading device 28 according to the invention serves, as already explained, for loading the racks 3 with glass panels 5 and / or unloading the glass panels 5 from the racks 3.

[0062] For this purpose, the transport vehicles 1 loaded with the glass panels 5, preferably the loaded rack trolleys 44, are driven to one of the access positions 29. This is done either manually by an operator 41 or automatically if the undercarriage 2 is an AGV. In this process, one front wheel 8 and the rear wheel 8 behind it of the respective rack trolley 1 are inserted into the positioning rail 32 of the respective access position 29. This positions and aligns the rack trolley 1 in the access position 29. The front end 4a of the vehicle faces the loading and / or unloading lane 30. Furthermore, the transport roller tracks 14 of the undercarriage 2 are aligned in the longitudinal direction 1a of the rack trolley and at the same height as one of the transport roller tracks 40 of the transport bridges 38. The safety gate 31 is still closed.

[0063] After the transport vehicle 1 has been properly positioned, the safety gate 31 is opened. The fan frame 3 is then lowered from the undercarriage 2 and moved onto the transport bridges 38. This can be done manually or automatically. First, the transport rollers 15 of the undercarriage 2 are positioned in the two guide rails 27 of the fan frame 3. As the fan frame 3 moves relative to or on the undercarriage 2, the transport rollers 15 of the undercarriage 2 roll in the guide rails 27. Since each of the transport roller tracks 40 of the transport bridges 38 connects to one of the transport roller tracks 14 of the undercarriage 2, the bridge transport rollers 39 of the transport bridges 38 are successively inserted into the guide rails 27 of the fan frame 3 and roll in them until the fan frame 3 has been completely lowered from the undercarriage 2 and positioned on the transport bridges 38.

[0064] The shuttle 33 now moves under the respective compartment 22 of the rack 3 that is to be unloaded. The shuttle transport rollers 37 of the shuttle 33 extend upwards so that they rest against the edge of the glass panel 5 to be unloaded and lift it from the upper surfaces 24 of the lower rack crossbeams 18. The shuttle transport rollers 37 of the shuttle 33 pass between each pair of lower rack crossbeams 18. The shuttle transport rollers 37 are then driven in such a way that they convey the glass panel 5 out of the respective compartment 22 and out of the rack 3 in the shuttle's longitudinal direction 33a and into its next station or destination 42. The next destination 42 is therefore located opposite the transport vehicle 1 in the shuttle's longitudinal direction 33a.

[0065] For example, destination 42 is a fixed storage unit or another rack.

[0066] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the destination 42 is a further shuttle 43 ( Fig. 5), which is located next to the loading and / or unloading lane 30, opposite the access points 29, and is movable back and forth on a fixed track in the longitudinal direction 30a of the lane. The further shuttle 43 has, in a manner known per se, an upright shuttle wall for positioning the glass panels 5. From the further shuttle 43, the glass panels 5 are then conveyed preferably to a further processing system, for example, an insulating glass line, an edge processing device, a drilling system, a washing system, or a laser system.

[0067] The other shuttle 43 preferably does not have grippers for gripping the glass panels 5.

[0068] Furthermore, the two shuttles 33;43 can also be mechanically coupled to each other in such a way that they can be moved back and forth together or synchronously in the longitudinal direction 30a. Thus, only one drive means is required for both shuttles 33;43. In addition, in this case, the transport bridges 38 preferably have no support at their end facing the other shuttle, but are designed as cantilevers.

[0069] The loading of the fan trolley 1 is carried out in reverse order.

[0070] An advantage of the two-part transport vehicle 1 according to the invention, preferably the rack trolley 44, and the rack loading and / or unloading device 28 according to the invention, is that the loading and unloading of the glass sheets 5 into and out of the rack 3 by means of the shuttle 3 is very fast, which reduces cycle times. In particular, loading and unloading is faster than with a shuttle equipped with a gripper. The glass sheets 5 are also conveyed by the shuttle 33 without a gripper onto the further shuttle 43.

[0071] Furthermore, loading and unloading without grippers is gentler. This results in significantly less glass breakage, especially with thin glass.

[0072] Furthermore, the Shuttle 33 can also arrange several glass panels 5, for example two, one behind the other in a compartment 22 and transport them in and out simultaneously or sequentially. This multiple occupancy of a compartment 22 leads to a significantly higher utilization of the transport vehicles 1. The number of compartment racks 3 can thus be significantly reduced.

[0073] Because the shuttle 33 can pass underneath the transport bridges 38 and the fan racks 3 arranged on them, the operation of the shuttle 3 is not restricted during the movement of the fan racks 3 onto and off the transport bridges 38.

[0074] Furthermore, the positioning of the fan carriage 44 according to the invention relative to the shuttle 33 is very simple. The complex boxes are no longer necessary for this purpose. In particular, a complex mechanism for precise positioning in all three spatial directions is eliminated.

[0075] The positioning rails 32 can even be omitted entirely, particularly when using driverless undercarriages 2. These vehicles can position themselves precisely. Furthermore, the positioning of the racks 3 is achieved via the transport bridges 38, and the positioning accuracy can be lower due to the absence of grippers on the shuttle 33. The rack loading and / or unloading device 28 according to the invention therefore allows for less precise positioning and is consequently significantly less prone to errors and requires less maintenance.

[0076] As already explained, it is also advantageous that the glass panels 5, with their glass panel edges, rest along a line of contact with a uniform distributed load on the horizontal, upper surface 24 of the lower vehicle crossbeams 18a, and not only at specific points as on the transport rollers of the previously known rack trolley. This reduces the load on the glass panel edges and significantly decreases damage to the glass panel edges and glass breakage. Therefore, even thin glass panels can be easily stored in the transport vehicle 1 and transported in it with less sensitivity to impact.

[0077] Furthermore, due to the even distribution of the load during transport, the glass panels 5 are significantly more stable; in particular, they are less prone to twisting and fluttering. This also reduces the stress on the glass panels 5. This is further improved by the protective supports 25, as the edges of the glass panels 5 dig into or press into the protective supports 25. As a result, the number of compartment dividers 21;23 and vehicle crossbeams 18a can even be reduced, saving weight and costs.

[0078] Furthermore, handling the material using the shuttle transport rollers 37 is gentler, especially for thin glass sheets, compared to handling with grippers. In particular, the risk of breakage and scratches is reduced.

[0079] Loading and unloading using the shuttle transport rollers 37 is made possible primarily by the two-part design of the transport vehicle 1. This allows the rack 3 to be positioned above the shuttle 33, and the shuttle transport rollers 37 to reach through the spaces between the lower crossbeams 18a of the rack carriage. This is also possible if the vehicle crossbeams 18a have a different design, for example, with cylindrical, elongated transport rollers, as described above. However, the design with the flat, horizontal crossbeam surface 24 is preferred.

[0080] In the case of the cylindrical transport rollers, it is also possible that the shuttle 33 has a circumferential shuttle transport belt instead of the shuttle transport rollers 37 (not shown). The shuttle transport belt is also movable up and down, so that it can be brought into contact with the elongated transport rollers and thereby drive them.

[0081] A further advantage of the two-part transport vehicle 1 according to the invention is its simple and cost-effective design. In particular, a separate undercarriage 2 is not required for each rack 3. While the rack 3 is arranged on the transport platforms 38, the undercarriage 2 can be used for a different rack 3. This saves material and costs and is particularly advantageous for automated storage and retrieval using driverless undercarriages 2.

[0082] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the shuttle 33 is also arranged recessed into the ground. This allows the transport vehicles 1, in particular the rack trolleys 44 together with their undercarriage 2, to be positioned directly on the loading and / or unloading track 30 above the shuttle 33 for loading and unloading. In this case, the transport vehicles 1 do not need to be designed in two parts. Alternatively, the rack frames 3 can be positioned directly on the loading and / or unloading track 30 above the shuttle 33 for loading and unloading without the undercarriage 2. The transport bridges 38 are then no longer necessary. The rack frames 3 may or may not have support feet for this purpose.

[0083] The undercarriages 2 can also be arranged to be movable on rails 47 instead of being freely movable (in Fig. (5 are the rails 47 shown schematically). They are then rail-bound. This has already been explained.

[0084] In this case, they do not need to be designed as undercarriages 2a with wheels 8, but can, for example, have guide rails which are guided on the rails.

[0085] In particular, the undercarriages 2 can be moved on rails 47 that extend parallel to the loading and / or unloading track 30 and are located adjacent to it. The transport vehicles 1 are then moved on the rails 47 to the access point 29 and automatically positioned correctly. In this case, a single access point 29 is sufficient and the positioning rails 32 are no longer necessary.

[0086] The rack units 3 can also be transported by forklifts or other industrial trucks instead of by the described undercarriages 2.

[0087] As already explained, the fan racks 3 can also have support legs, even if they are detachably connected to the undercarriage 2. The support legs can be foldable.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the fan racks 3 are permanently connected to the undercarriage and have, for example, wheels for movement on the ground and additionally foldable support legs. The support legs are extended when the fan racks 3 are placed on the ground. To move the fan racks 3, they rest on the undercarriage 2 in such a way that the wheels of the fan racks 3 remain on the ground. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2018 207 812 A1 [0010, 0011, 0012, 0043] DE 10 2018 206 974 A1

[0014]

Claims

[1] Transport vehicle (1), preferably a rack trolley (44), for storing and transporting plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels (5), wherein the transport vehicle (1) has an undercarriage (2) for moving the rack trolley (1) and a rack frame (3) arranged on the undercarriage (2), wherein the rack frame (3) has several compartments (22) adjacent to and parallel to each other in a vehicle width direction (1b) of the transport vehicle (1) for receiving at least one plate-shaped element each, wherein the rack frame (3) preferably has several first elongated compartment divider elements (21), preferably compartment divider rods and / or compartment divider cables, for subdividing the compartments (22), which are adjacent to and spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction (1b) and in a vehicle longitudinal direction (1a) of the transport vehicle (1), characterized by, that the fan frame (3) is fixed in a basic position on the undercarriage (2) by means of releasable fixing means (13), wherein the fan frame (3), when the fixing is released, is mounted on the undercarriage (2) parallel to a, preferably horizontal, direction of travel (46), preferably parallel to the longitudinal direction (1a) or the width direction (1b) of the vehicle, and can be moved back and forth from the undercarriage (2) parallel to the direction of travel (46). [2] Transport vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the fan frame (3) has several lower fan frame crossbeams (18a) extending parallel to the vehicle width direction (1b) and arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction (1a) for supporting edges of the plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panel edges of the glass panels (5). [3] Transport vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized by, that the lower fan frame crossbeams (18a) have a flat, preferably horizontal, crossbeam top surface (24) for supporting the edges of the plate-shaped elements, preferably the glass panel edges of the glass panels (5). [4] Transport vehicle (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that a protective pad (25) made of a soft material is provided on the upper surfaces (24) of the crossbeams, wherein the protective pads (25) are preferably made of felt and / or plastic, preferably of rubber. [5] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the undercarriage (2) for the storage of the fan rack (3) has two transport roller tracks (14) with several transport rollers (15) arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel (46), wherein the transport rollers (15) are each rotatable about horizontal roller rotation axes perpendicular to the direction of travel (46), wherein the transport rollers (15) are preferably freely or driven rotatable. [6] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a) the fixing means (13) effect a fixing of the fan rack (3) on the undercarriage (2) by positive locking and / or frictional locking, and / or b) the fixing devices (13) are hydraulic and / or electromagnetic fixing devices. [7] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the fixing means (13) are hooks or latches. [8] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the fixing means (13) are braking means, preferably braking means for braking the transport rollers (15), so that the transport rollers (15) can no longer rotate about the roller pivot axes. [9] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the transport vehicle (1) is a forklift truck, wherein the transport vehicle (1) is preferably able to travel without rails, on rails or on tracks. [10] Transport vehicle (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the transport vehicle (1) is manually movable or that the transport vehicle (1) is designed as an automated guided vehicle (AGV). [11] Transport vehicle (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the transport vehicle (1) is a fan trolley (44) and the undercarriage (2) is a chassis (45), wherein the chassis (45) has several, preferably four, wheels (8) attached to it for moving the fan trolley (1) on the respective surface. [12] Transport vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the fan rack (3) is freely or drivenly movable relative to the undercarriage (2) parallel to the direction of travel (46) when the fixing is released. [13] Rack loading and / or unloading device (28) for loading and unloading plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels (5), into and out of racks (3), wherein a rack (3) has several compartments (22) adjacent to and parallel to each other in a rack width direction (3b) of the rack (1) for receiving at least one plate-shaped element, preferably a glass panel (5), preferably for loading and unloading plate-shaped elements, preferably glass panels (5), into and out of racks (3) of transport vehicles (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a) a loading and / or unloading lane (30) with a lane longitudinal direction (30a), wherein the loading and / or unloading lane (30) has at least one shuttle (33) that can be moved back and forth along a fixedly defined travel track (34) in the lane longitudinal direction (30a), preferably automatically, b) at least one access point (29) arranged adjacent to the loading and / or unloading lane (30) for an interchangeable rack (3), c) Means for positioning the racks (3) above the travel track (34), wherein the at least one shuttle (33) is passable under the racks (3) positioned above the travel track (34) and has means for transporting at least one plate-shaped element, preferably a glass panel (5), out of a compartment (22) of a rack (3) positioned above the travel track (34) and / or for transporting at least one plate-shaped element, preferably a glass panel (5), into a compartment (22) of a rack (3) positioned above the travel track (34). [14] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to claim 13, characterized by, that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) for each access point (29) has at least two transport bridges (38) spanning the travel track (34) and assigned to the access point (29) for receiving the rack (3) lowered from the undercarriage (2) and for positioning the rack (3) above the travel track (34), wherein at least one shuttle (33) can pass under the transport bridges (28). [15] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized by , that the shuttle (33) has a chassis (35) and a shuttle superstructure (36) arranged thereon, wherein the shuttle superstructure (36) preferably has several shuttle transport rollers (37) arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction (33a) of the shuttle for transporting the plate-shaped elements, preferably the glass panels (5). [16] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to claim 15, characterized by, that the shuttle transport rollers (37) are rotatable about horizontal roller rotation axes, preferably driven rotatable. [17] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to claim 15 or 16, characterized by that the shuttle transport rollers (37) can be moved up and down in a vertical direction. [18] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to one of claims 13 to 17, characterized by , that an access point (29) has at least one positioning rail (32) arranged on the ground with two spaced-apart rail sections (32a) for receiving one front and one rear wheel (8) of the fan carriage (44) to be positioned between the rail sections (32a) for positioning the fan carriage (44). [19] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to one of claims 13 to 18, characterized by, that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) has a further shuttle (43) which is located next to the loading and / or unloading track (30) opposite the at least one access point (29) in the longitudinal direction (30a) of the track and can be moved back and forth on a fixed track, wherein the further shuttle (43) has an upright shuttle wall for placing the plate-shaped elements, preferably the glass panels (5). [20] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to one of claims 13 to 19, characterized by , that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) has rails (47) extending parallel to the loading and / or unloading track (30) on which at least one transport vehicle (1) can travel. [21] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to one of claims 13 to 20, characterized by , that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) has: a) Means for positioning a rack (3) on an access point (29), b) the means for positioning the fan rack (3) above the travel track (34), c) the shuttle (33) for transporting at least one plate-shaped element, preferably a glass panel (5), out of a compartment (22) of the rack (3) positioned above the travel track (34), d) Means for returning the rack (3) to the access point (29) and for removing the rack (3) from the access point (29). [22] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to any one of claims 13 to 21, characterized by , that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) has means for conveying the plate-shaped element, preferably the glass panel (5), from the shuttle (33) into a stationary storage or another, interchangeable rack (3) or the further shuttle (43). [23] Tray rack loading and / or unloading device (28) according to one of claims 13 to 22, characterized by , that the rack loading and / or unloading device (28) has: a) Means for positioning a transport vehicle (1) with a rack (3) on an access point (29), b) Means for lowering the fan rack (3) from the undercarriage (2) and means for positioning the fan rack (3) above the travel track (34), c) the shuttle (33) for transporting at least one plate-shaped element, preferably at least one glass panel (5), out of a compartment (22) of the rack (3) positioned above the travel track (34), d) Means for raising the fan rack (3) onto the undercarriage (2) and removing the transport vehicle (1) from the access point (29).

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