FACILITY FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system with a transport carriage for transporting workpieces, which can be moved in a transport direction on a support rail.

[0002] In such systems, the transport carriages must be supplied with power. For this purpose, in conventional systems, conductor rails are laid along the support rail, from which a transport carriage can receive power via appropriately adapted current collectors. This can be done via conductor rails or contactless.

[0003] However, such a power supply is structurally quite complex, requires intensive maintenance, and is vulnerable. Furthermore, downtimes often occur when there are power supply problems, as the rail system is usually also affected.

[0004] The publication DE 10 2010 041 894 A1 describes an electric monorail system with a support structure designed as a rail. A transport carriage runs on the support structure, comprising a load-handling unit and a drive unit. The drive unit has front and rear trolleys that support drive rollers driven by electric motors. A power supply module for powering the electric motors is attached to the trolleys. The drive unit is coupled to the load-handling unit by means of a controllable push-pull coupling. The load-handling unit, in turn, has front and rear trolleys that are connected to each other by a beam. The material to be conveyed is suspended from the beam by means of a holding device. An independent power supply is possible via a corresponding additional carriage that carries an energy storage unit.

[0005] Publication WO 2009 / 059 362 A1 describes a load-carrying trolley for transporting workpieces, which can be moved in one transport direction along a load and guide rail. A support roller runs along the supporting surface of the rail. A workpiece or a hanger with multiple workpieces can be attached to a connecting piece of the load-carrying trolley. An independent power supply is not described.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a transport trolley and a system of the type mentioned above which enable efficient, maintenance-friendly and safe operation.

[0007] This object is achieved with a system according to independent claim 1.

[0008] This eliminates the need for a power supply installation along the support rail. A power supply failure of a transport carriage is then always limited to the transport carriage itself, allowing a defective transport carriage to be replaced without requiring any work on the rail system.

[0009] Accumulators or capacitors are particularly suitable for rechargeable energy storage.

[0010] The transport trolley chassis comprises a leading unit and a trailing unit, which are coupled to the fastening device. The system can be designed to accommodate curves if the coupling points are designed with appropriate rotary couplings.

[0011] With regard to the drive, it is according to the invention that a) the precursor unit carries a drive roller and a drive motor; and / or b) the follower unit carries a drive roller and a drive motor; wherein c) the precursor unit and / or the follower unit carries at least one rechargeable energy storage device.

[0012] Thus, only the leading unit, only the trailing unit, or both units can be powered. The powered unit does not always have to carry an energy storage device.

[0013] As an effective drive concept, the transport carriage can be designed as a transport assembly, in which the transport carriage chassis comprises a drive unit and one or more passive transport units that are detachably coupled to one another, with at least the transport units each comprising a fastening device. This allows for savings on drive components.

[0014] It may be advantageous if the transport carriage chassis comprises a drivable transport unit with a chassis that carries at least one drive roller and a fastening device for at least one workpiece. In this case, the drive unit is used to transport workpieces.

[0015] Alternatively, it may be advantageous if the transport vehicle chassis comprises a towing vehicle without a load-bearing function as a drive unit, with a chassis unit that carries at least one drive roller. In this case, a kind of locomotive principle is realized.

[0016] In both concepts, it is advantageous if the drive unit carries the self-contained power supply unit. This eliminates the need for long connections from the power source to the drive motor or power couplings between individual chassis sections.

[0017] This conveyor and energy supply concept can be implemented particularly effectively if the support rail is ground-based.

[0018] In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a system for transporting workpieces, showing a section of a support rail of a rail system with a transport carriage movable thereon; Figure 2 is a side view of the section of Figure 1 , in which a vehicle body carried by the transport carriage is additionally shown; Figure 3 shows a straight gradient section of the rail system of the installation according to the Figures 1 and 2 with a transport carriage according to a second embodiment; Figure 4 shows a section perpendicular to the support rail along the section line IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 5a shorter gradient section of the rail system of the plant with the transport carriage according to the Figures 1 and 2 ; Figure 6 shows a section of the support rail with a transport carriage according to a third embodiment; Figure 7 shows a section of the support rail with a transport carriage according to a fourth embodiment; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the section of the support rail with the transport carriage according to Figure 7 without vehicle bodies; Figure 9 shows a schematic layout view of a rail system of a system for transporting workpieces.

[0019] First, the Figures 1 and 2Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a system for transporting workpieces 12 is designated overall by 10. The workpieces 12 are transported on transport carriages 14 that travel on a rail system 16. Four exemplary embodiments are explained below, in which the transport carriages are designated 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 and 14.4. Vehicle bodies 18 serve as an example of workpieces 12 to be transported; however, the workpieces 12 can also be other workpieces and in particular add-on or structural parts of vehicle bodies 18 such as bumpers, side mirrors or the like. Smaller workpieces 12 can, if necessary, be arranged on a workpiece carrier (not specifically shown), which is then transported by the transport carriage 14.

[0020] Of the rail system 16 of the system 10, in the Figures 1 and 2Only a horizontally extending section 20 of a support rail 22 is shown, on which the transport carriage 14.1 travels and which is designed as an I-profile in a conventional manner and anchored to the floor. The support rail 22, which is thus fixed to the floor, is single-track. Alternatively, a multi-track, in particular a two-track, rail system 16 can also be provided. Likewise, the conveyor system 10 can also be an overhead conveyor system, as is known in principle.

[0021] The transport carriage 14.1 comprises a fastening device 24 to which a vehicle body 18 or a corresponding workpiece carrier for workpieces 12 can be fastened. In the present exemplary embodiment, the fastening device 24 is designed to accommodate vehicle bodies 18. For this purpose, the fastening device 24 comprises a support profile 26 with bearing bolts 28, only one of which bears a reference number and which cooperate with counter-elements on the vehicle body 18 in a manner known per se, so that the vehicle body 18 can be fixed to the fastening device 24. The fastening device 24 can also have several sets of such bearing bolts 28, which are adapted to different vehicle bodies 18 with different dimensions and designs, so that the fastening device 28 can be used flexibly for different vehicle body types.The fastening device 24 thus directly accommodates a vehicle body 18. In another conveyor concept, the vehicle body 18 is fastened in a conventional manner to a so-called skid, which is then attached to the fastening device 24 together with the vehicle body 18.

[0022] The transport carriage 14.1 comprises a transport carriage chassis 30, which runs on the support rail 22 and supports the fastening device 24. In the present embodiment, the transport carriage chassis 30 comprises a leading unit 34 in the transport direction 32 and a trailing unit 36 ​​in the transport direction 32. The transport direction 32 is only in Figure 2 indicated by an arrow and should be in the Figures 1 to 3 and 5 to 8 always point to the right.

[0023] The front-runner unit 34 and the rear-runner unit 36 ​​are each coupled to the fastening device 24 via a coupling joint 38 and 40 respectively and support the latter between them, so that the transport carriage 14.1 is also able to travel through curved sections of the support rail 22.

[0024] The front-end unit 34 and the rear-end unit 36 ​​are largely identical in construction, with individual parts and components positioned mirrored on a straight section of the support rail 22 relative to a plane perpendicular to the transport direction 32. Corresponding parts and components of the front-end unit 34 and the rear-end unit 36 ​​bear the same reference numerals with the indices ".1" and ".2," respectively. The front-end unit 34 forms a chassis unit 42.1, and the rear-end unit 36 ​​forms a chassis unit 42.2 of the transport carriage chassis 30 of the transport carriage 14.1.

[0025] The preceding unit 34 will now be explained; the above statements apply analogously to the following unit 36. The preceding unit 34 supports a drive roller 44.1, which rolls on a drive surface 46 of the support rail 22 and is driven by a drive motor 48.1, which is carried by the preceding unit 34. In the present embodiment, the drive surface 46 of the support rail 22 is the surface on the upper side of the I-profile and accordingly also runs horizontally in horizontal sections of the support rail 22. In modifications not specifically shown, the drive surface 46 can also run vertically, for example; in this case, the drive roller 40.1 presses laterally against the support rail 22 as a friction wheel.

[0026] In order to prevent the precursor unit 34 from tilting in the transport direction 32, i.e., about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the transport direction 32, the chassis unit 42.1 of the precursor unit 34 supports a passive support roller 50.1 at a distance from the drive roller 40.1, which also rolls on the drive running surface 46 of the support rail 22. In addition, the chassis unit 42.1 of the precursor unit 34 supports several lateral guide rollers 52.1, only two of which bear a reference number and which rest on the support rail 22 from both sides, thus preventing the precursor unit 34 from tilting to the side in a manner known per se.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the precursor unit 34 comprises a drive frame 54.1, which supports the drive roller 40.1 with the drive motor 48.1 and four guide rollers 52.1 on each side of the support rail 22. The drive frame 54.1 is articulated via a support cross member 56.1 to a support frame 58.1, which in turn supports the support roller 50.1 and four guide rollers 52.1 on each side of the support rail 22. The articulated connection of the drive frame 54.1 to the support frame 58.1 is again achieved via coupling joints, which allow passage through curved sections of the support rail 22 and correspond to the coupling joints 38, 40, but are not specifically provided with a reference numeral.

[0028] In the present embodiment, both the front-end unit 34 and the rear-end unit 36 ​​each support a drive roller 44.1 and 44.2, respectively, as well as the associated drive motor 48.1, 48.2. In a modification not specifically shown, it may be sufficient if only the front-end unit 34 has a drive roller 44.1 with a drive motor 48.1. In any case, the transport carriage chassis 30 of the transport carriage 14.1 supports at least one drive roller and carries its drive motor.

[0029] To supply power to the drive motors 48.1 and 48.2 of the front-end unit 34 and the rear-end unit 36, the transport carriage 14.1 carries a self-contained power supply device 60. This is understood to be a power supply device that ensures the power supply to the drive motors 48.1, 48.2 during travel operation, i.e., during the movement of the transport carriage 14.1, independently of external energy sources.

[0030] In the present exemplary embodiment, the energy supply device 60 is designed with rechargeable energy storage devices 62 with at least one energy storage unit 64. An energy storage unit 64 for the respective drive motor 48.1, 48.2 is provided on each chassis unit 42.1, 42.2. A rechargeable energy storage unit 64 for electrical energy can be provided in the form of an accumulator or a capacitor. In a modification not specifically shown, only a single energy storage unit can be provided for both drive motors 48.1, 48.2. Alternatively, compressed gas storage devices can also be provided as an energy source for compressed gas drives.

[0031] The trailer unit 36 ​​also carries a control device 66, by means of which the drive motors 48.1, 48.2 are controlled and synchronized. The control device 66 communicates with a central control unit of the system 10 (not shown separately).

[0032] As mentioned above, the transport carriage 14.1 is capable of negotiating curves thanks to the articulated connection of the fastening device 24 to the front-runner unit 34 and the rear-runner unit 36. In some systems, the transport carriage 14.1 must also negotiate inclined sections, i.e., uphill or downhill sections, of the support rail 22. Difficulties can arise in such inclined sections if the contact pressure of the drive rollers 48.1, 48.2 on the drive running surface 46 of the support rail 22 is insufficient to prevent the drive rollers 48.1, 48.2 from spinning on uphill sections or the transport carriage 14.1 from slipping on downhill sections. Therefore, a modified transport carriage 14.2 comprises an additional inclination drive 68, which is only used in inclined sections of the support rail 22.

[0033] Figure 3shows, as an example of an inclined section of the support rail 22, a slope section 70 in which this transport carriage 14.2 is located. As shown there and with reference to Figure 4 As can be seen, the tilt drive 68 for each drive roller 44.1, 44.2 comprises a gear 72, which is coaxially and rotationally fixedly coupled to the respective drive roller 44.1 or 44.2 by means of a shaft 74 and thus rotates when the drive roller 44.1, 44.2 rotates. In the section in Figure 4 the support frame 58 with its components is not shown and not all components are provided with reference numerals.

[0034] In addition to the support rail 22, a rack 76 extends along the inclined section 70, into which the gear 72 engages when the transport carriage 14.2 reaches the inclined section 70. The same applies to a downward section of the support rail 22, not specifically shown here.

[0035] In this case, the arrangement of the rack 76 is such that the load is transferred via the drive rollers 44.1, 44.2, and the propulsion and braking forces are absorbed via the rack 76. Instead of the rack 76, a chain can also be provided, into which the gear 72 can engage.

[0036] In order for the transport carriage 14.2 to be able to pass the transition between a horizontal section 20 and a gradient section 70 of the support rail 22, the coupling joints 38, 40 between the fastening device 24 and the front-runner unit 34 or the rear-runner unit 36 ​​must also allow pivoting of the interconnected components about a horizontal pivot axis which runs perpendicular to the transport direction 32.

[0037] This is especially true in Figure 5can be seen, in which a gradient section 78 of the support rail 22 is illustrated, which is so short that the leading unit 34 or the trailing unit 36 ​​is always located on one of two horizontal sections 20, which run at different height levels and are connected to one another via the gradient section 78.

[0038] In such a case, the tilt drive 70 may be dispensed with, since the safe propulsion of the transport carriage is always ensured by the carriage unit 42.1, 42.2, which is located in one of the horizontal sections 20 of the support rail 22; therefore, Figure 5 The transport trolley 14.1 is shown again.

[0039] In Figure 5 and in the following Figures 6 to 8 For the sake of clarity, not all components are provided with reference symbols. Components not specifically explained or marked correspond to the components of the trolley 14.1 according to the Figures 1 , 2 and 5 or the transport trolley 14.2 according to the Figures 3 and 4 .

[0040] In Figure 6 a modified transport carriage 14.3 is shown with a transport carriage chassis 80, which comprises a drivable transport unit 84 as the drive unit 82 and also several passive transport units 86, which are detachably coupled via articulated couplings 88, so that the transport carriage 14.3 is designed as a transport assembly 90. The drivable transport unit 84 and the passive transport units 86 each carry a fastening device 24. The drivable transport unit 84 comprises the chassis units 42.1, 42.2 with drive rollers 44.1, 44.2 and drive motors 48.1, 48.2 and thus corresponds to the transport carriage chassis 30 of the transport carriages 14.1, 14.2 according to the Figures 1 to 5 ; the drivable transport unit 84 consequently also carries the energy supply device 60 with it.

[0041] In the transport direction 32, behind the drivable transport unit 84, follow the passive transport units 86, which are towed by the drivable transport unit 84. The passive transport units 86 also correspond to the transport carriage chassis 30 of the transport carriages 14.1, 14.2 according to the Figures 1 to 5 with the difference that instead of the drive rollers 44.1, 44.2 only passive rollers 92.1, 92.2 are present and accordingly no drive motors 48.1, 48.2 and no energy supply device 60 are provided.

[0042] In the Figures 7 and 8a further modified transport carriage 14.4 is shown with a transport carriage chassis 94, which again has a drive unit 82 and several passive transport units 86. Unlike the transport carriage chassis 80, however, the drive unit 82 is not a transport unit with a fastening device, but rather a towing carriage 96 without a carrying function with its own chassis unit 98. This is constructed similarly to the predecessor unit 34, but there two drive frames 54.1, 54.2 with the respective associated drive rollers 44.1 and 44.2 as well as the necessary drive motors 48.1 and 48.2 are connected to one another. The chassis unit 94 carries a power supply device 60 for its power supply. The towing carriage 96 therefore does not comprise a fastening device 24 and cannot accommodate a workpiece 12.

[0043] In modifications not specifically shown, the rechargeable energy storage units 62 may also be carried not by the drive unit 82, but by one of the passive transport units 86. Alternatively, there may also be a separate energy supply vehicle that carries only the rechargeable energy storage units 62 and is arranged, for example, in the transport assembly 94 between the drive unit 82 and the following transport unit 86.

[0044] Figure 9 now shows a schematic layout of a system 10 with various conveying zones and treatment zones in which the above-described transport carriages 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 and 14.4 can be used.

[0045] There, 100 and 102 each designate a buffer zone, 104 a dryer, and 106 a section with inclined areas that follow one another as an uphill and downhill gradient in both possible transport directions. 108a to 108g are shifting points, and 110 is a turntable for bridging a track crossing. If the turntable 110 is large enough for a transport wagon 14.1, 14.2, or even a combined transport wagon 14.3, 14.4, it can also be used, for example, to change direction at the track crossing.

[0046] The transport cars 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, and 14.4 enter buffer zone 100 with a buffer rail line 112, one after the other, via the switches 108 located there. In contrast, only the transport cars 14.1 and 14.2 can enter buffer zone 102, since there is a kind of inclined position of the transport cars 14.1 and 14.2 on two parallel rail lines 114 and 116. This is achieved in that the front-runner unit 34 first passes, for example, the switch 108f and enters the rail track 114, the switch 108f is then switched so that the rear-runner unit 36 ​​reaches the rail track 116 and the transport carriage 14.1, 14.2 can position itself transversely due to the existing rotary couplings 38, 40, as indicated by the position of the vehicle bodies 18 in the buffer zone 102.

[0047] In particular, the carrier carriages 14.3 and 14.4 can be used in the dryer 104. This way, only a few drive components are exposed to the hot dryer atmosphere. With the transport carriage 14.4, it is also possible for the towing carriage 96 there to transfer the passive transport units 86 to an alternative conveyor system, such as a conveyor chain or the like, by means of which the passive transport units 86 are then conveyed through the dryer 104. The towing carriage 96 can then be guided past the dryer 104 on a rail track 118 and receive the passive transport units 96, which leave the dryer 104, again at the dryer exit.

[0048] The reference 120 designates, for example, a charging station into which the bogies of transport cars 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4, equipped with rechargeable energy storage units 62, can be driven and charged. In practice, such charging stations 120 are located on a siding, which can also be accessed via switches.

[0049] Such charging stations 120 can be specifically approached for a charging process when the charge level of the energy storage devices 62 of the transport trolleys 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 reaches a lower threshold. Charging stations 120 can also be located at loading or unloading stations where the transport trolleys 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 are loaded or unloaded. Thus, the downtime of the transport trolleys 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 can be used for a charging process.

[0050] If the energy storage units 62 have a sufficiently large capacity and the transport vehicles 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 therefore have a long range, the system 10 can operate with relatively few charging stations 120. This can be easily implemented with accumulators as the energy storage units 62.

[0051] In another concept, the capacities of the energy storage devices 62 and the distances between two charging stations 120 can be coordinated such that the charged energy storage devices 62 can only absorb enough energy to allow the transport trolleys 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 to bridge the distance between two charging stations 120. In such a case, capacitors are particularly suitable as energy storage devices 62.

[0052] Alternatively or in addition to such charging stations 120, the support rail 22 may comprise charging sections 122, which are equipped with a conductor rail from which energy can be received from the transport carriages 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 via a contact shoe or contactlessly. For this purpose, the transport carriages 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 carry corresponding current collectors. Figure 9 The section between switches 108a and 108g is designated as loading section 122. When transport cars 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, or 14.4 pass through such loading sections 122, the existing energy storage device(s) 62 are charged.

Claims

1. A system for transporting workpieces comprising a) a rail system (20) comprising at least a carrier rail (22); b) at least one transport carriage for transporting workpieces (12) movable in a transport direction (32) on a carrier rail (22), comprising ba) a transport carriage chassis (30; 80; 94), which bears at least a drive roller (44.1, 44.2), which is rollable on a drive running surface (46) of the carrier rail (22) and is drivable by means of a drive motor (48.1, 48.2) which is carried along by the transport carriage chassis (30; 80; 94); bb) at least one fastening device (24) for at least one workpiece (12), wherein bc) the transport carriage (14.1; 14,2; 14.3; 14.4) carries along an autonomous power supply device (60) by means of which the drive motor (48.1, 48.2) can be supplied with energy and which comprises the at least one rechargeable energy storage (62); bd) the transport carriage chassis (30; 80; 94) comprises a leading unit (34), which runs ahead in the transport direction (32) and a trailing unit (36) which runs behind in the transport direction (32), which bear the fastening device (24) and are coupled to the fastening device (24), wherein be) the leading unit (34) bears a drive roller (44.1) and a drive motor (48.1); and / or bf) the trailing unit (36) bears a drive roller (44.1) and a drive motor (48.2) and wherein bg) the leading unit (34) and / or the trailing unit (36) bears the at least one rechargeable energy storage (62), characterized in that c) an installation for energy supply of the transport carriage (14.1; 14,2; 14.3; 14.4) along the carrier rail (22) is waived and d) the system comprises a charging station which are entered by the transport carriage chassis equipped with the rechargeable energy storages (62) and where they can be recharged.

2. The system according to patent claim 1, characterized in that the transport carriage (14.3; 14.4) is formed as a transport train (90), in which the transport carriage chassis (80, 94) comprises a drive unit (82) and one or more passive transport units (86), which are releasably coupled with one another, wherein at least the transport units (86) each comprise a fastening device (24).

3. The system according to patent claim 2 characterized in that the transport carriage chassis (80) comprises as a drive unit (82) a drivable transport unit (84), having a chassis (30), which carries the at least one drive roller (44.1, 44.2) along with it, and a fastening device (24) for at least one workpiece (12).

4. The system according to patent claim 2, characterized in that the transport carriage chassis (30; 80; 94) comprises as a drive unit (82) a towing carriage (96) without carrying function and having a chassis unit (96) which carries along with it the at least one drive roller (44.1, 44.2).

5. The system according to patent claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the drive unit (82) carries along with it the autonomous power supply device (60).

6. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier rail (22) is ground based.