MAINTENANCE SHUTTLE FOR AN ELECTRIC SUSPENSION CABLE CAR

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a modular maintenance shuttle for an electric monorail system with a rail system. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] Overhead conveyor systems have long been known in the art and are often used to transport workpieces such as wheels, body parts, or similar items in production halls. The associated rail system of such an electric overhead conveyor can reach considerable lengths—for example, several kilometers—and may sometimes be located in areas that can only be reached via the electric overhead conveyor itself. In order to perform maintenance on these areas of the rail system, it is necessary to transport an operator and maintenance person to the appropriate locations.

[0003] The document US 2012 / 0240812 A1 describes a maintenance vehicle for a cable car system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a possibility for transporting an operator or maintenance person for hard-to-reach areas of a rail system of an electric monorail system, which is particularly easy to handle.

[0005] The object is achieved according to the invention by a maintenance shuttle according to claim 1.

[0006] The inventive maintenance shuttle for an electric monorail system with a rail system has a modular design and comprises a chassis module and a maintenance cage module. The chassis module and the maintenance cage module are designed such that the chassis module can be suspended from the rail system of the electric monorail system, the maintenance cage module can be coupled to and decoupled from the chassis module and, when coupled, offers protection against falling for an operator, and the chassis module and the maintenance cage module can be assembled and disassembled at the site by a single operator using manually lockable and releaseable bolts. According to the invention, it is therefore possible to separate the maintenance shuttle into at least two parts – a chassis module and a maintenance cage module – and to assemble them from these parts. The separation and assembly as well as the suspension of the chassis module in the rail system can be carried out by a single operator.This means that the transport and maintenance can be carried out by a single operator using the modular maintenance shuttle.

[0007] In addition, a ladder can be attached to the maintenance shuttle.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the chassis module has at least two rollers and at least two guide rollers for each roller. For installation of the maintenance shuttle on the rail system, one of the two guide rollers is designed to be unlocked and swung out, or one to be swung in and locked. Unlocking or swung out increases the distance between the two guide rollers, and the roller can be attached to the rail system. Swung in or locking ensures that the respective roller does not become detached from the rail system. Preferably, the maintenance cage module can be coupled to the chassis module in such a way that an installation height of the maintenance cage module relative to the chassis module can be achieved, depending on the height of the operator. The maintenance shuttle can thus be adapted to the height of different operators without the need for a separate device.

[0009] It is preferred if the maintenance shuttle has a locking pin / split pin combination for the coupling points between the landing gear module and the maintenance cage module. This provides a simple and secure way to connect the two modules.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the rollers can be manually driven by a crank drive. In this context, it is particularly preferred if the manual crank drive can be replaced or supported by a battery-powered electric screwdriver. This allows the operator to suspend the maintenance shuttle at a specific location in the rail system of the electric monorail system and then approach the point of the rail system to be serviced by manually operating the crank drive, preferably with the assistance of the battery-powered electric screwdriver. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a front view and Figure 2 shows a rear view of an embodiment of a maintenance shuttle according to the invention for an electric overhead conveyor; Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the Figures 1 and 2 ; Figures 4 and 5Detail views of the suspension of the maintenance shuttle of the Figures 1 and 2 regarding an open or closed position of the guide rollers; Figure 6 a detailed view of the Figure 1 regarding the drive of the maintenance shuttle. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The Figures 1 and 2 show in perspective front and rear views and the Figure 3in a schematic sectional view, a first embodiment of a modular maintenance shuttle 100 for an electric overhead conveyor 10 with a rail system 12.

[0013] The rail system 12 has in the Figures 1 and 2 The embodiment shown has support struts 14 that hold a support rail 16 at a specific height above the floor. The support rails 16 can be attached by means of support struts 14, for example, directly to the hall ceiling or to a steel structure. Powered vehicles run or hang on the support rail 16, and the corresponding supply and information lines are attached.

[0014] The maintenance shuttle 100 is modular in design and has a landing gear module 110 comprising two landing gear units 112, 114. Furthermore, the maintenance shuttle 100 includes a maintenance cage module 116 and a ladder 118.

[0015] The maintenance cage module 116 has a platform 120 designed for an operator to stand on. Two posts 122, 124 extend upward from this platform, each of which can be coupled to a chassis unit 112, 114 at its end facing away from the platform 120. A railing 126, attached to the posts 122, 124 and connected to the platform 120, surrounds the maintenance cage module 116 and horizontally delimits the space above the platform 120 in which an operator can stand. The railing 126 has an entry / exit in the form of a recess 128. The ladder 118 can be suspended in this area. It is also provided to secure the entry / exit by means of a door 130.

[0016] The posts 122, 124 project beyond the railing 126 by a coupling length 132 and have a series of holes 134 in this coupling area. This is shown in detail in Figure 7The holes 134 correspond to holes in the chassis units 112, 114. The chassis units 112, 114 are described below with reference to the Figures 4 and 5 described.

[0017] The Figures 4 and 5 are perspective detailed views of the design of the Figures 1 to 3 and each show an enlarged section of the chassis unit 112 and 114, respectively. For the sake of simplicity, the same reference numerals are used for the details of the chassis units 112, 114. The chassis unit 112, like the chassis unit 114, has a support roller 140 and four guide rollers, two of which are guide rollers 142, 144 in the Figures 4 and 5The support roller 140 runs on the upper side of the upper flange 18 of the support rail 16 and transfers part of the load of the maintenance shuttle 100 to the support rail 116. The upper guide roller 142, which can be seen, is stationary and corresponds to a second guide roller 142, which is Figures 4 and 5 not visible guide roller 143. The upper guide rollers 142, 143 run on the lateral outer surfaces of the flange 18.

[0018] The lower guide roller 144 shown also corresponds to a guide roller 145 located on the back of the support rail 16 (in the Figures 4 and 5 not shown) and, unlike the upper guide roller 142, is pivotable. Both lower guide rollers 144, 145 run on the lateral outer surfaces of the lower leg or flange 20 of the support rail.

[0019] The axes of the upper guide rollers 142, 143 are oriented perpendicular to the guide roller 140 and are aligned vertically during operation, while the longitudinal axis of the roller 140 is aligned horizontally during operation.

[0020] The pivotable guide roller 144 is attached to one end of a pivot arm 146. The other end of the pivot arm 146 is hinged to a joint 148 on a support 150 connecting the upper guide roller 143 and the lower guide roller 145. The guide roller 144 can thus be moved between a position (closed position) in which it rests against the lower flange 20 (see Figure 3 and Figure 5 ) and a position (open position) in which only the lower guide roller 145 rests against the lower flange 20 and the side opposite the lower guide roller 145 is released (see Figure 4). In this open or assembly position, it is possible to place the carriage unit 112 onto the support rail 16. By pivoting the pivot arm 146 into the closed position, the guide roller 144 comes into contact with the lower flange 20. In this position, the pivot arm 146 can be locked with a locking pin 150.

[0021] The underside of the chassis units 112, 114 has a coupling point 152 at their respective lower ends. Holes 154 are provided at the coupling point 152, which are horizontal during operation. These holes correspond to the holes 134 of the coupling projection 132 of the posts 122, 124 of the maintenance cage module 116. As shown in Figure 7 As shown, a locking pin 160 can be guided through the holes 154, 134, which can be secured against withdrawal with a locking pin 162. See Figure 7 .

[0022] Figure 6 shows a detailed view of the Figure 1The roller 140 of the chassis unit 112, visible there, is freely movable and can be operated manually. For this purpose, a coupling pin 172 is provided on the axle 170 of the upper roller 140. Either a hand crank (not shown) or, for example, a battery-operated electric screwdriver 180 can be connected to the coupling pin 172, thus rotating the axle 170. In this way, the entire maintenance shuttle 100 can be moved along the support rail 16.

Claims

1. A maintenance shuttle of modular design (100) for an electric overhead conveyor (10) with a rail system (12), comprising a) a running gear module (110) as well as a maintenance basket module (116), wherein the running gear module (110) and the maintenance basket module (116) are designed in such a way that b) the running gear module (110) can be mounted into the rail system (12) of the electric overhead conveyor (10), wherein c) the maintenance basket module (116) can be coupled to and decoupled from the running gear module (110), and in the coupled state provides protection against falling for an operator, characterized in that d) the running gear module (110) and the maintenance basket module (116) can be assembled and disassembled at the operating site by a single operator by means of manually lockable and releasable bolts (160).

2. The maintenance shuttle according to patent claim 1, wherein the running gear module (110) comprises at least two rollers (140) and two guide rollers (142, 144) for each roller (140), wherein, for the installation of the maintenance shuttle (100) on the rail system (12), one of the guide rollers (144) each is designed in such a manner that it can be unlocked and swiveled out and / or swiveled in and locked.

3. The maintenance shuttle according to any one of the preceding patent claims, wherein the maintenance basket module (116) can be coupled to the running gear module (110) in such a way that a mounting height, which is depending on the size of the operator, can be achieved.

4. The maintenance shuttle according to any one of the preceding patent claims, having a locking pin / cotter pin combination (160, 162) for coupling points (132, 152) between the running gear module (110) and the maintenance basket module (116).

5. The maintenance shuttle according to any one of patent claims 2 to 4, wherein one of the rollers (140) can be driven manually by means of a crankshaft drive mechanism.

6. The maintenance shuttle according to patent claim 5, wherein the manual crankshaft drive mechanism can be replaced or assisted by a battery operated electric screwdriver (180).