Conveyor system for horizontal transport of sheet metal panels

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a conveyor system for horizontal transport of sheet metal panels according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In the production of metal packaging, i.e., in metal packaging printing, metal sheets are printed and / or painted industrially in mass production at a production speed of several thousand metal sheets per hour, e.g., at least 6,000 metal sheets per hour. The conveying volume of a conveyor system transporting the metal sheets between various processing stations in a production facility must be designed accordingly. In practice, it has been shown that a conveyor system designed as a chain conveyor or a conveyor system with roller conveyors is not suitable for the conveying volume required in the production of metal packaging, since conveyor systems designed as chains and rollers cause the metal sheets to "jump" and thus lead to unstable sheet transport.

[0003] DE 10 2019 118 647 B3 discloses a production line for processing metal sheets having a plurality of different machine units, wherein a transport path of the metal sheets through this production line is linear, wherein a metal printing press and / or a painting machine and / or a loading station and / or a dryer and / or an unloading station are provided successively as machine units in the transport direction of the metal sheets to be processed, wherein at least two machine units each have at least one transport device for transporting at least one metal sheet lying individually on a transport plane.

[0004] DE 10 2021 129 341 B3 discloses a production line for processing metal sheets, comprising a metal printing machine and / or a painting machine, wherein the metal sheets are transported along a linear transport path by means of transport devices having transport belts.

[0005] DE 37 11 584 A1 discloses a device for transversely conveying stacks of sheet material, in particular paper stacks, which are fed from a feed conveyor and transferred to a discharge conveyor running substantially at a right angle to the feed conveyor, wherein a discontinuously drivable transfer conveyor is provided which receives the paper stacks from the feed conveyor on the one hand and transfers them to the discharge conveyor on the other hand, which is equipped with blowing air means which act on the support surface of the paper stacks during a standstill phase.

[0006] US 4,324,522 A discloses a machine for handling metal sheets, characterized by a belt feed conveyor with a belt tensioning arrangement and a support, wherein the support allows the belt elements to be easily removed laterally from the machine for replacement, wherein front end sections in their operating position are allowed to pivot between two different levels, wherein the normal raised position allows the sheets to be fed via a pivoting gate to a horizontal transfer conveyor, wherein the transfer conveyor conveys the sheets via a reject stacking area for deposit in one or more forwardly spaced stacking areas, and wherein the lowered position of an end section of the conveyor allows sheets to be transported to a downwardly and forwardly inclined conveyor leading to a reject stacking area,wherein the pivoting gate, in the lowered position, serves to bridge the gap between the outlet end of the feed conveyor and the inlet end of the transfer conveyor, and wherein the gate, in the raised position, opens the gap and allows access to the inclined reject conveyor when the end section of the feed conveyor is pivoted to the lowered position.

[0007] EP 3 889 087 A1 discloses a collecting and conveying device for collecting and conveying sheet-shaped printed products, preferably unstitched stacks of sheet-shaped printed products, such as paper, in particular flat sheets, cardboard or the like, to a downstream conveying path and / or to a device downstream which further processes the printed products, comprising a housing and feed means for feeding the printed products into the collecting and conveying device and conveying means for conveying them further, wherein the conveying direction of the conveying means is directed transversely to the conveying direction of the feed means for the printed products to be collected and conveyed.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of creating a conveyor system for the horizontal transport of metal sheets, with which metal sheets to be transported between different processing stations of a production plant can be transported smoothly and without disruption, even with a conveying volume of several thousand metal sheets per hour.

[0009] The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments and / or further developments of the solution found.

[0010] The advantages achieved with the invention are, in particular, that sheet metal panels to be transported between different processing stations of a production plant can be transported smoothly and without disruption, even at a conveying volume of several thousand sheets per hour. Further advantages will become apparent from the following description.

[0011] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described in more detail below.

[0012] They show: Fig. 1a conveyor system for sheet metal panels with two transport lines arranged at right angles to each other; Fig. 2a section of the Fig. 1 shown conveyor system; Fig. 3 the conveyor system of the Fig. 1 with a pivoting device for adjusting the height of at least one of the transport belts of the second transport path relative to the first transport path; Fig. 4 shows the first transport path in a first operating position; Fig. 5 shows the first transport path in a second operating position in which the height is changed from the first operating position.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows, in a top view, an example of a conveyor system for horizontal transport of preferably rectangular metal sheets 01, wherein this conveyor system has a first linear transport path 02 and at least one second linear transport path 03 in a preferably horizontal transport plane, wherein the at least one second linear transport path 03 is arranged in the transport plane at right angles to the first linear transport path 02. In a preferred embodiment of this conveyor system, several, e.g. three, second linear transport paths 03 are provided, which are arranged parallel to one another and at right angles to the first linear transport path 02. The second linear transport path 03 can therefore - as in the Fig. 1 shown - be multi-track, in particular three-track. A metal sheet 01 transported lying on the respective second transport path 03 is fed to the first transport path 02 in the transport plane without rotation, i.e., without performing a rotational movement in the transport plane. The proposed conveyor system is preferably used in an industrial process in a production line for processing metal sheets 01 in mass production with a production speed of several thousand metal sheets 01 per hour.

[0014] The first linear transport path 02 is designed as a through-transport path. Each of the second linear transport paths 03 forms a feed transport path and is arranged in the conveyor system in such a way that it feeds a metal sheet 01 coming from a first processing station 04 to the first linear transport path 02 in a linear movement and thus removes metal sheets 01 coming from the first processing station 04. Each metal sheet 01 fed from one of the second linear transport paths 03 to the first linear transport path 02 is transported further on the first linear transport path 02 in a linear movement orthogonal to the second transport path 03, while maintaining its respective orientation in the transport plane, and is fed, for example, to a second processing station 06. At the end of the first linear transport path 02 opposite the second processing station 06, for example,a third processing station 07 is arranged so that metal sheets 01 can be fed from the third processing station 07 to the second processing station 06 in a straight line on the first linear transport path 02, which is designed as a through-transport path, without a change in direction of movement. In the preferred use of the proposed conveyor system, the first processing station 04 is designed, for example, as a sheet metal printing machine, in particular as a printing machine printing using an inkjet printing process, from which printed metal sheets 01 can be transported away, in particular in multiple tracks. The second processing station 06 is designed, for example, as a sheet metal coating machine, in which metal sheets 01 can be coated over their entire surface or at least part of their surface. The third processing station 07 is designed, for example, as a feeder, from which, for example,Metal sheets 01, in particular unprinted ones, held in a stack, can be or are fed via the first linear transport path 02 to the second processing station 06, which is designed, for example, as a sheet metal painting machine. The respective direction of movement of the metal sheets 01 in question is shown in the . Fig. 1 each indicated by a directional arrow pointing in the transport direction T of the sheet metal panels 01.

[0015] The preferably rectangular metal sheets 01 to be conveyed by the proposed conveyor system have a format determined by their respective edge dimensions, e.g., between 500 mm x 650 mm and 950 mm x 1,900 mm, so that these edge dimensions define a minimum and a maximum format for the metal sheets 01 to be transported by the proposed conveyor system. Fig. 1 the respective outer contours of the minimum format and the maximum format are indicated, for example for sheet metal panels 01 removed from the first processing station 04. The sheet metal panels 01 to be transported each have a sheet thickness of, for example, between 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm, preferably between 0.14 mm and 0.5 mm. Each individual sheet metal panel 01 can, depending on its format and material, i.e. depending on whether it is made of, for example, tinned sheet steel or tin-free sheet steel or aluminum, have a mass of, for example, a few hundred grams up to a few kilograms, for example from at least 300 grams up to five kilograms or more.

[0016] The first linear transport path 02 is designed as a table-shaped transport device and has, in its central region M extending longitudinally to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01, at least one continuously or intermittently rotating transport belt 08 driven by an electric first drive 19. Preferably, in this central region M - as shown in the Fig. 2 shown - two parallel conveyor belts 08 are provided, which rotate continuously or in synchronized motion, driven by the electric first drive 19. The conveyor belt(s) 08 is / are each designed, for example, as a flat belt made in particular of a flexible material in the form of an endless loop. The flat belts, which are, for example, between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably approximately 2 mm thick, have a width, for example, between 30 mm and 250 mm, preferably approximately 40 mm or 80 mm. The first conveyor section 02, designed as a table-shaped conveyor device, has at least one flat, solid plate 09, which is preferably arranged in a stationary manner in the conveyor plane of the metal sheets 01, the width B09 of which plate, extending transversely to the conveyor direction T of the metal sheets 01, being at least as large as the width of the maximum format of the metal sheets 01 to be transported.The strip-shaped central region M of the first transport path 02, which extends longitudinally to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01, extends with its narrow side, for example, over a maximum of 40% of the width B09 of the respective plate 09 of this transport device forming the first transport path 02, in particular over only 10% to 20% of the width B09 of this plate 09.

[0017] The holding force required to hold a metal sheet 01 resting on the respective conveyor belt 08 is preferably provided by suction, wherein the required suction is generated, for example, by a suction box arranged below the plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 in conjunction with a suction pump connected to it. This suction acts only through a perforation in the respective conveyor belt 08 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 and is thus locally limited. The suction pump connected to the suction box is preferably switched on and / or off, or at least switchable and / or switchable, as needed by a control unit 17.Alternatively or additionally, electromagnetic holding means can also be provided for the force-fitting holding of a metal sheet 01 resting on the respective conveyor belt 08, which holding means can preferably also be switched by the control unit 17. If only electromagnetic holding means are used, a perforation in the respective conveyor belt 08 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 is not required. The control unit 17 is implemented, for example, by a machine control system of the conveyor system. The control unit 17 is a component of the conveyor system and controls several processes of this conveyor system, in particular various movement sequences within this conveyor system.

[0018] The at least one plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 has a belt-free edge region R1; R2 on both sides of its respective central region M, wherein these edge regions R1; R2 have a preferably equal width extending transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01 and are preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal extent of the respective transport device. At least in the belt-free edge regions R1; R2, but also e.g. additionally in the central region M of the respective transport device, at least one nozzle array 11, each with a plurality of nozzles 12, is formed.The nozzles 12 arranged there in the plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 are operated in such a way that, in order to form an air cushion, blown air is blown continuously or in a controlled manner in a cycle against the underside of a metal sheet 01 lying on the at least one transport belt 08 of the transport device in question and held on the relevant transport belt(s) 08. In this way, the transport of a metal sheet 01 lying on the relevant transport belt 08 takes place in the transport plane, i.e. in particular with reference to the plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02, in each case largely suspended on an air cushion and is therefore almost friction-free, or at least extremely low-friction and practically slip-free, because the respective metal sheets 01 are only in contact with the comparatively narrow transport belts 08.In order to generate the blowing air flowing out of the respective nozzles 12, at least one blowing air box connected to a compressed air source is arranged at least in the area of ​​the respective nozzle field 11 below the respective plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment of the first transport section 02, at least some of the nozzles 12 of the nozzle fields 11 are each designed, for example, as Venturi nozzles. In the respective nozzle fields 11, for example, a first subset of individual nozzles 12 and / or a second subset of individual nozzles 12 are each arranged in such a way that the first subset of nozzles 12 continuously direct the blowing air obliquely outwards at an acute angle in the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01, i.e. in the direction of the nearest edge of the respective transport device extending longitudinally to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01, and / or the second subset of nozzles 12 blow the blowing air continuously or in a controlled cycle vertically upwards against the underside of a metal sheet 01 lying on the at least one transport belt 08 of the respective transport device and held on the respective transport belt(s) 08.

[0020] Fig. 2 shows an excerpt from the Fig. 1 illustrated plan view of the proposed conveyor system. In this exemplary embodiment of the conveyor system, three preferably essentially identical second transport sections 03 are arranged parallel to one another. They are each positioned directly on a long side of the first transport section 02 designed as a table-shaped transport device. Each of these second transport sections 03 has at least one, preferably several, e.g. three, circulating transport belts 13 arranged parallel to one another, wherein these transport belts 13 of the respective second transport section 03, as well as the transport belts 08 of the transport device forming the first transport section 02, each e.g.are designed as a flat belt, in particular made of a flexible material, and in their preferred embodiment each have a perforation, through which perforation a suction is exerted on the underside of a metal sheet 01 resting on the respective transport belt 13, in order to hold the metal sheet 01 resting on the respective transport belt 13 in a force-fitting manner. To generate the suction effect, at least one suction box is arranged below the transport belt(s) 13 of the respective second transport section 03, wherein the respective suction box is connected to a suction pump. This suction acts in a narrowly limited local area only in the area of ​​the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport section 03 and - as in the case of the transport belts 08 of the transport device forming the first transport section 02 - is preferably switched on and / or off as required, or at least can be switched on and / or off, by the control unit 17.The conveyor belts 13 of the respective second transport line 03 are deflected at their respective ends on deflection pulleys to complete their respective rotation and are driven by an electric second drive 21, wherein this second drive 21 is designed, for example, as a servomotor. The conveyor belts 13 of the respective second transport line 03 rotate continuously or intermittently. If a second transport line 03 has several conveyor belts 13 arranged parallel to one another, these conveyor belts 13 rotate synchronously.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the conveyor system, as in the Fig. 2 shown as an example on one of the second transport routes 03 - it is provided that the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport route 03 are arranged only in the area of ​​the minimum format of the metal sheet 01 to be transported.In order to ensure reliable transport of metal sheets 01 up to the maximum format along the second transport route 03, it is provided that in an area extending beyond the minimum format of the metal sheet 01 to be transported, along the length of the area projecting beyond the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport route 03, up to the size of the maximum format, as in the case of the transport device forming the first transport route 02, at least one plate 14 is arranged with a nozzle field 23 formed therein to generate an air cushion, so that a metal sheet 01 which is larger than its minimum format is held in a force-fitting manner on the one hand by the suction exerted on the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport route 03 and on the other hand is transported suspended above the at least one plate 14 due to the air cushion generated.When transporting a metal sheet 01 in its minimum format, the blowing effect from the nozzle field 23 formed in the plate 14 is switched off.

[0022] It is now provided that the relevant plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02 has, in the edge region R1 facing the respective second transport path 03, at least one recess 16 extending transversely to the transport direction T of the metal sheets 01 in a straight line, preferably as far as the nearest transport belt 08 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02, wherein each of these preferably slot-shaped recesses 16 is aligned with one of the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport path 03, i.e. along a straight line, wherein each transport belt 13 of the respective second transport path 03 aligned with the relevant recess 16 is arranged extending into the relevant recess 16.

[0023] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the proposed conveyor system, as in the Fig. 3 indicated - at least one pivoting device 18 controlled by the control unit 17 is provided, wherein the respective pivoting device 18 is designed to pivot at least one of the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport route 03 extending into the respective recess 16 in such a way that the respective transport belt 13 is lowered below a surface of the plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02 when transporting a metal sheet 01 along the first transport route 02 or when using the first transport route 02 as a through-transport route. A pivoting movement of the transport belt 13 of the respective second transport route 03 extending into the respective recess 16 is e.g.realized in that a deflection roller 24, which deflects the respective transport belt 13 at its end projecting into the respective recess 16, is arranged on a pivoting lever, wherein this pivoting lever can be adjusted in its respective position by an actuator 22 controlled by the control unit 17. In the operating case that metal sheets 01 are fed from a third processing station 07, e.g. designed as a feeder, via the first transport path 02 directly to a second processing station 06, e.g. designed as a sheet metal painting machine, the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport path 03 extending into the respective recess 16 do not form an obstacle for the metal sheets 01 to be transported, because these transport belts 13, due to their pivoting movement controlled by the control unit 17, ieLowering, then below the surface of the plate 09 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02.

[0024] In order to prevent a metal sheet 01 fed from the respective second transport route 03 to the first transport route 02 from getting caught, for example, on the transport belt(s) 08 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02, it is preferably provided that the pivoting device 18 pivoting at least one of the transport belts 13 of the respective second transport route 03 is controlled by the control unit 17 in such a way that it lifts the respective transport belt 13 during the transport of a metal sheet 01 in the direction of the first transport route 02 above a surface of the transport belt(s) 08 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02 by a distance of a few millimeters, e.g. by 1 mm to 5 mm. The lifting of a metal sheet 01 to be fed to the first transport route 02 can be carried out using a pivoting device 18 or in support of the respective pivoting device 18, for example.can also be carried out by a plurality of nozzles 12, each designed as blowing nozzles, arranged in the edge region R1 facing the respective second transport path 03, wherein these blowing nozzles are preferably designed to blow air against the underside of the metal sheet 01 fed from the respective second transport path 03 in a controlled manner in a cycle.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the conveyor system, the control unit 17 controls the transport belt(s) 08 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02 in such a way that the transport belt(s) 08 are / are stationary while a metal sheet 01 is being taken over from the respective second transport route 03. After a metal sheet 01 fed from the respective second transport route 03 has been taken over by the transport device forming the first transport route 02, the holding means, e.g. the suction acting through the perforation in the respective transport belt 08 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02 or an electromagnetic holding means, is switched on by the control unit 17 and the circulation of the transport belt(s) 08 of the transport device forming the first transport route 02 is continued.In the event of a lifting of the respective transport belt 13 by the pivoting device 18 during the transfer of a metal sheet 01 from the respective second transport path 03 to the transport device forming the first transport path 02, this lifting is reset again under the control of the control unit 17 after the metal sheet 01 supplied from the respective second transport path 03 has been taken over by the transport device forming the first transport path 02.

[0026] The Figuren 4 and 5 show an example of an alternative embodiment of the first transport path 02 to the swivel device 18, in which the first transport path 02 designed as a table-shaped transport device, starting from a first operating position ( Fig. 4 ) by an actuating movement of a lifting device controlled by the control unit 17 into a second operating position ( Fig. 5 ). The height-variable adjustment of the first transport path 02, which is designed as a table-shaped transport device, is carried out, for example, by actuators 22 of the lifting device, wherein the actuators 22 each act on at least one of the respective plates 09 of the transport device forming the first transport path 02.

[0027] An advantage of the solution found is that the first transport route 02 and the at least one second transport route 03 are designed in such a way that metal sheets 01 of different formats in the range from a minimum format to a maximum format can be transported on them without any conversion. This is achieved in particular by nozzle fields 11; 23 arranged to the side of the respective transport belts 08; 13, each generating an air cushion. In addition, metal sheets 01 can be transferred from a second transport route 03 to a transport device forming the first transport route 02 with great positional accuracy, i.e. while maintaining their respective position in the transport plane, even with a conveying volume of several thousand metal sheets 01 per hour. Maintaining the position of the metal sheets 01 to be transported leads, for example, toFurther processing carried out in a sheet metal painting machine leads to better quality results and greater operational reliability when transporting these sheet metal panels 01 through the conveyor system. List of reference symbols

[0028] 01 Sheet metal 02 First linear transport section 03 Second linear transport section 04 First processing station 05- 06 Second processing station 07 Third processing station 08 Transport belt 09 Plate 10- 11 Nozzle array 12 Nozzles 13 Transport belt 14 Plate 15- 16 Recess 17 Control unit 18 Swivel device 19 First drive 20- 21 Second drive 22 Actuator 23 Nozzle array 24 Deflection pulley B09 Width M Center area R1; R2 Edge area T Transport direction

Claims

1. Conveyor system for horizontal transport of metal sheets (01), comprising a control unit (17), said conveyor system having in a transport plane a first linear transport section (02) and at least one second linear transport section (03), each of the second transport sections (03) having at least one transport belt (13) for transporting the metal sheets (01), the first transport section (02) being designed as a table-like transport device and having a flat tabletop (09) in the transport plane of the metal sheets (01), said tabletop (09) having at least one transport belt (08) in a strip-like middle region (M) that extends longitudinally to the transport direction (T) of the metal sheets (01) and having a belt-free edge region (R1; R2) on each side of said middle region (M), the at least one second transport section (03) being arranged in the transport plane at a right angle to the first transport section (02), characterized in that the tabletop (09) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) has, in the edge region (R1) that faces the respective second transport section (03), at least one cutout (16) that extends in a straight line transversely to the transport direction (T) of the metal sheets (01), each of said cutouts (16) being arranged in line with one of the transport belts (13) of the respective second transport section (03), each transport belt (13) of the respective second transport section (03) that is in line with the respective recess (16) being arranged so as to extend into the respective recess (16).

2. Conveyor system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one pivoting device (18) controlled by the control unit (17) is provided, the respective pivoting device (18) being designed to pivot at least one of the transport belts (13) of the respective second transport section (03) that extend into the respective recess (16) such that the respective transport belt (13) is lowered below a surface of the tabletop (09) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) while a metal sheet (01) is being transported along the first transport section (02).

3. Conveyor system according to claim 2, characterized in that the pivoting device (18) that pivots at least one of the transport belts (13) of the respective second transport section (03) is controlled by the control unit (17) such that it raises the respective transport belt (13) by a distance of up to 5 mm above a surface of the transport belt(s) (08) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) while a metal sheet (01) is being transported in the direction of the first transport section (02).

4. Conveyor system according to claim 1, characterized in that a lifting device is provided, the lifting device having at least one actuator (22) controlled by the control unit (17), the first transport section (02) designed as a table-like transport device being able to be brought, by an actuating movement of the at least one actuator (22), from a first operating position into a second operating position that has a changed height relative to the respective transport belts (13) of the respective second transport section (03).

5. Conveyor system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, characterized in that nozzles (12) are arranged in the edge region (R1) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02), which edge region faces the respective second transport section (03), said nozzles (12) being designed to blow blown air continuously or in a controlled cycle against the underside of the respective metal sheet (01) supplied by the respective second transport section (03).

6. Conveyor system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, characterized in that the respective second transport section (03) is arranged so as to lead away metal sheets (01) coming from a first processing station (04), and / or in that the first transport section (02) is arranged so as to supply metal sheets (01) to a second processing station (06).

7. Conveyor system according to claim 6, characterized in that a third processing station (07) is arranged at the opposite end of the first transport section (02) than the second processing station (06).

8. Conveyor system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7, characterized in that the control unit (17) controls the transport belt(s) (08) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) such that the transport belt(s) (08) is / are at a standstill while a metal sheet (01) is being accepted by the respective second transport section (03).

9. Conveyor system according to claim 8, characterized in that the control unit (17) is designed such that it switches on a holding means for holding a metal sheet (01) on the transport belt(s) (08) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) and continues a circulation of the transport belt(s) (08) of the transport device forming the first transport section (02) and / or lowers a raised transport belt (13) of the respective second transport section (03) again once the respective metal sheet (01) supplied by the respective second transport section (03) has been accepted by the transport device forming the first transport section (02).

10. Conveyor system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9, characterized in that the first transport section (02) and the at least one second transport section (03) each have, to the side of their respective transport belts (08; 13), at least one nozzle array (11; 23) that generates an air cushion such that metal sheets (01) of different formats in the range from a minimum format to a maximum format can be transported on said transport sections (02; 03) without the need for any modification.