Self-driving vehicle for transporting a receiving container for a sliver, and can device comprising a receiving container

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-driving vehicle (3) for transporting a receiving container (2; 102; 202) for a sliver between sliver-delivering and sliver-supplied textile machines over an underlying surface (4). The vehicle (3) has a chassis (24) with multiple wheels (6, 7, 8, 9), a vehicle body (25) which is supported by the chassis (24), a transport surface (26) which is arranged on the vehicle body (25) and which can be mounted on the receiving container (2; 102; 202), securing elements (11.2) for securing the receiving container (2; 102; 202) to the vehicle body (25), and an onboard electrical system (23) which is arranged on the vehicle body (25) and which comprises an electric energy storage device (28), an electric drive unit (32), and a control unit (42). The invention is characterized in that the vehicle (3) is dimensioned such that in an installed state, in which the receiving container (2; 102; 202) is mounted on the transport surface (26) and secured to the vehicle body (25), the base (13) of the receiving container (2) completely covers the chassis (24), the vehicle body (25), the electric drive unit (32), and the electric energy storage device (28). The invention additionally relates to a can device (1; 100; 200) comprising the self-driving vehicle (3) and the receiving container (2; 102; 202).

Description

[0001] Title: Self-propelled vehicle for transporting a receiving container for a fiber band and

[0002] Can device with a receiving container

[0003] Description

[0004] The present invention relates to a self-propelled vehicle for transporting or carrying a receiving container for a fiber sliver between fiber sliver-delivering and fiber sliver-fed textile machines over a subsurface. The vehicle comprises a chassis with a plurality of running wheels, a vehicle body supported by the chassis and having a transport surface for the receiving container, fastening means for fastening the receiving container to the vehicle body, and an on-board power system arranged on the vehicle body with an electrical energy storage device, an electric drive unit, and a control unit. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a can device comprising a receiving container for a fiber sliver and a self-propelled vehicle.

[0005] Typically, a spinning mill uses several hundred sliver cans, also called sliver cans or cans for short. These cans are still largely moved by hand between the textile machines. This requires a high level of labor. To reduce this labor, efforts have been underway for several decades to automate the transport of the cans.

[0006] DE 35 32 172 A1 discloses a transport system for spinning cans with transport carriages that follow induction loops embedded in the spinning mill floor.

[0007] CN 212685777 U describes a self-propelled vehicle, a so-called Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV), that automatically carries and transports spinning cans. The vehicle features an adjustable clamping device that can adapt to different can sizes. The can is placed on top of the vehicle by a transfer device and secured by the clamping device attached to the can from the outside. After the vehicle has transported and unloaded the can, it is ready to transport the next can.

[0008] DE 36 21 370 A1 discloses an automatically controlled transport carriage comprising a chassis with an electric motor for the drive and four wheels mounted on two steered axles. The transport carriage has a loading and unloading device for the sliver can in the form of a gripper mounted on the chassis. This gripper has two horizontal telescopic cylinders that can be moved beyond the transport carriage to grip the can to be transported and pull it onto a transport surface of the transport carriage equipped with a roller conveyor. Furthermore, the gripper has a pressure cylinder for gripping the can from the outside, with the clamping pieces of the gripper being bent in the opposite direction to the round surface of the can. During transport, the can is accommodated between the wheels.

[0009] Another self-propelled vehicle for transporting sliver cans is known from CN 113668102 A. The vehicle has a base mounted on a chassis equipped with stepper motors. The base is equipped with a rotating drum placement area on which a sliver can be placed and rotated around the can axis as needed. The drum placement area is enclosed by an annular edge of the base, from which a support structure protrudes vertically. At the upper end of the support structure is a robot arm with a left and a right side arm. The two side arms form a bracket-like structure for holding and picking up the sliver can. The left and right side arms are each provided with a control circuit, and both control circuits are connected to a controller that controls the picking up and setting down of the sliver can by the robot arm.Furthermore, the robot arm is to be designed with six degrees of freedom, consisting of an arm, an elbow, and a handpiece connected in series, and which can be flexibly adjusted to pick up and place the sliver can as required. A disadvantage is that with the known systems, the sliver cans must be elevated in order to be able to load them onto the transport trolley and unload them again. In addition, such a transport trolley requires actuators and various individual components for loading and unloading as well as for securing the can on the transport trolley, which increases manufacturing costs. To reduce costs, automated transport trolleys are known that can transport several cans simultaneously, as shown in EP 0 877 107 B2.However, such transport systems are only suitable for applications in which the textile machines have a large number of similar work stations, as is the case with flyers or open-end spinning machines.

[0010] Another AGV is known from US 2020 / 0306905 A1, in which the can to be transported is to be moved on its own rollers. To do this, the AGV is moved up to the can standing on the ground, clamps it in place, and drags the can along with it. The AGV thus runs alongside the can, like a human operator.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled vehicle that can be better integrated into the ongoing operations of a spinning mill and is more cost-effective to manufacture. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a canning device that can be better integrated into the ongoing operations of a spinning mill and is more cost-effective to manufacture.

[0012] The object is achieved by a self-propelled vehicle of the type mentioned above in that the vehicle is dimensioned such that, in an assembled state in which the receiving container is connected to the transport surface and is fastened to the vehicle, the receiving container completely covers the chassis, the vehicle body and the electric drive unit.

[0013] In other words, the vehicle is dimensioned relative to the receiving container or is provided with an extension perpendicular to the vertical axis of the vehicle such that the space required or the functional area of ​​the vehicle during operation is at least substantially limited to the size of the storage or cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving container. The storage area of ​​the receiving container, independent of the vehicle, is understood to be the floor area of ​​the ground required for the receiving container in its erected state, regardless of whether the container touches the ground or not. An interior space enclosed by the receiving container to be transported preferably has an inner diameter of at least 350 millimeters and a maximum of 1200 millimeters. The functional area of ​​the vehicle is the floor area of ​​the ground covered by the vehicle during operation.The size of the vehicle is such that the vehicle at least essentially fits underneath the receiving container when the latter is fastened or mounted to the transport surface in the system and on the vehicle using the fastening elements (= assembled state). This should at least essentially mean that in the assembled state the vehicle is arranged almost entirely underneath the receiving container, with only individual components, in particular from the on-board power supply, being able to protrude laterally beyond the receiving container if this is technically necessary. In principle, however, it is also possible for the entire vehicle to be completely covered by the receiving container. The chassis, the electric drive unit and the transport surface are therefore located underneath the receiving container in the assembled state and are therefore concealed by the receiving container when viewed from above.The vehicle is therefore designed to transport just a single receiving container. One advantage is that the vehicle is largely protected by the receiving container when assembled. The small space requirement also results in the advantage that the vehicle, when assembled, takes up the same space and preferably also the same height as a standard can that can be moved by hand. This has the advantage that the use of the vehicle can be used to provide self-propelled spinning cans that can be used in the spinning mill without any structural modifications to the existing textile machines. When assembled, the vehicle can drive into work areas of the textile machines, such as a filling station on a can changer or the like, like a conventional spinning can, i.e. one that is pushed by hand, and can therefore also be used to carry out movements in the work areas.For example, the vehicle can be rotated on a can turntable of the textile machine or the vehicle can rotate itself under a storage plate of the textile machine due to its driven chassis.

[0014] Spatial terms such as "top," "bottom," "above," and "below," if used, are intended solely to describe the relative arrangement of the relevant components. These terms refer to the vehicle when its running wheels are resting on the ground. The vehicle's vertical axis rests perpendicular to the ground. The ground can be a hall floor in the spinning mill on which the textile machines can be installed, a stationary ramp for bridging height differences, a corridor floor of a can changer of the textile machine, or the like. The textile machines that deliver or feed fiber slivers can be, for example, spinning preparation machines such as draw frames, cards, combing machines, sliver winding machines, and the like, and / or spinning machines such as rotor spinning machines, air-jet spinning machines, roving frames, and the like. According to one embodiment, the transport surface can define a support plane.Preferably, the vehicle does not have any components outside the transport surface that protrude beyond the support plane. The transport surface preferably lies in the support plane, which can be aligned parallel to the ground. In other words, the vehicle does not have any parts, components or the like that come from below, i.e. from the chassis, laterally past the transport surface and upwards through the support plane or that protrude beyond the support plane. In this way, there are no obstructive components to the sides of or outside the transport surface, such as edges, brackets, rods, loading and unloading devices or the like, which makes it easy to achieve the assembled state. In particular, to the sides of the transport surface is to be understood as radially outside the transport surface with respect to the vehicle's vertical axis.Within the transport surface, i.e. the surface which, in the assembled state, is in contact with the receiving container, fastening elements can be provided which can, in principle, also protrude beyond the support plane, for example bolts, screws or the like.

[0015] Furthermore, the transport surface can be formed on an upper side of the vehicle body facing away from the ground. Furthermore, the transport surface can be arranged above the wheels in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In particular, the vehicle is flush with the transport surface at the top. The transport surface can therefore be the surface of the vehicle on which the receptacle is parked in the assembled state. The transport surface of the vehicle is smaller than or at most the same size as the storage area of ​​the receptacle. In the case of a receptacle designed as a “round can”, the storage area can be circular, and in the case of a “rectangular can”, it can be correspondingly rectangular. The shape of the transport surface can correspond to the shape of the storage area, although in principle another shape is also possible and sometimes even preferred.The transport surface can, for example, be designed in the shape of a polygon with three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more than eight corners, in the shape of a star or the like, or even circular, ring-shaped, rectangular, or the like. This allows the weight of the vehicle to be reduced. The transport surface can be a continuous, i.e., connected surface, or it can be formed from several individual surfaces spaced apart from one another.

[0016] The vehicle body can have a base plate, wherein an upper side of the base plate facing away from the chassis can encompass the transport surface. In particular, the transport surface extends to the outer edge of the base plate and can extend over the entire upper side of the base plate. The base plate belonging to the vehicle body is thus also completely covered by the receiving container when mounted. The base plate is preferably a rigid plate and can be a continuously closed plate or can also have bores, cutouts, recesses or the like. In particular, the base plate is molded onto the vehicle body or detachably fastened. Due to the detachable design, the base plate can be easily exchanged for a base plate of different sizes in order to prepare the vehicle for the transport of larger or smaller receiving containers.In particular, the vehicle-side fastening elements are formed on the base plate.

[0017] The fastening elements are preferably designed to firmly connect the vehicle to a defined receiving container. A change during operation is therefore not provided for. In other words, the receiving container remains connected to the vehicle, regardless of whether the receiving container is filled with fiber sliver or empty. As a result, the vehicle does not require a device for loading and unloading the receiving containers. As a result, the vehicle has few components and is overall cost-effective and easy to maintain. Preferably, separation is only necessary in the event of a vehicle defect or for maintenance purposes in order to equip the receiving container with another vehicle if necessary, and vice versa. In particular, the vehicle-side fastening elements can interact with container-side fastening elements when installed. Manually detachable fastening devices, such as screw connections, are particularly suitable for this.

[0018] According to a first embodiment, the fastening elements can be arranged on the vehicle body and preferably on the base plate in such a way that they are covered by the receiving container when mounted. In this way, a blind fastening can be provided. The vehicle-side fastening elements can, for example, be bores formed on the vehicle body, in particular the base plate, which interact with the container-side fastening elements, for example threaded bolts and nuts. The bores can be aligned parallel to the vertical axis in order to be able to easily place the receiving container from above onto the vehicle and fasten it to the vehicle body. The nuts can be screwed from below onto the threaded bolts protruding through the bores. The vehicle-side fastening elements can be arranged in the support plane spanned by the transport surface or further back.Likewise, the vehicle-mounted fastening elements can be threaded bolts that protrude upwards from the vehicle body, in particular the base plate, above the transport surface. The threaded bolts can be aligned parallel to the vertical axis to allow the receptacle to be easily placed on top of the vehicle and secured to the vehicle body. For this purpose, the receptacle can be provided with holes aligned with the threaded bolts, for example, to clamp the receptacle placed on the transport surface against the base plate using nuts. Conventional spinning cans can also be converted in this way by subsequently drilling holes in the can base for the vehicle-mounted fastening elements.

[0019] According to a second embodiment, which can be provided as an alternative to the first embodiment, the vehicle-side fastening elements can protrude laterally from the vehicle body or be aligned radially to the vertical axis. For example, these can be molded-on webs, in particular with a threaded section, or bolts, in particular threaded bolts, inserted after the receptacle has been placed in place, which can interact with container-side fastening elements, for example recesses formed in a side wall of the receptacle, such as round bores or elongated holes, or slots open downwards. The receptacle can thus be easily placed on the vehicle from above and fastened to the vehicle by means of nuts screwed onto the threaded bolts. The nuts can be screwed from the outside onto the threaded bolts protruding through the recesses.

[0020] The vehicle-side fastening elements can enable centering of the receiving container on the vehicle so that a container axis of the receiving container to be transported or carried and a vehicle-fixed vertical axis or yaw axis of the vehicle can coincide. In particular, the yaw axis runs through a center point or centroid of the base plate. Furthermore, the base plate has a circumferential surface surrounding the yaw axis, which is designed to be radially exposed to the outside. In this way, the base plate does not project radially beyond the receiving container in the assembled state, but is completely covered by the receiving container. The base plate can therefore be dimensioned such that the circumferential surface is flush with the side wall of the receiving container in the assembled state or is radially recessed relative to the side wall of the receiving container.In the latter case, the receptacle can be virtually slipped onto the vehicle from above when installed. According to one embodiment, the vehicle-side fastening elements comprise through-holes formed in the base plate that run parallel to the vertical axis. Nuts screwed onto the threaded bolts can then be used to clamp the receptacle and the vehicle body, in particular the base plate, against each other. According to a further embodiment, the vehicle-side fastening elements can be arranged on a circumferential surface of the base plate that runs around the vertical axis of the vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, it can be provided that at least two of the road wheels are designed as rigid wheels which are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and have axes of rotation that are fixed in relation to the vehicle body. The rigid wheels are therefore not steerable, but are fixed in the longitudinal direction. The rigid wheels are preferably arranged unsprung on the vehicle body. The axes of rotation of the two rigid wheels can lie on an imaginary straight line. The imaginary straight line divides the vehicle body in the longitudinal direction into a front section and a rear section, which can in principle be at least approximately the same size. The yaw axis can be perpendicular to the imaginary straight line. The yaw axis is the vertical axis around which the vehicle rotates when maneuvering on the ground. If the yaw axis is perpendicular to the imaginary straight line, it intersects the imaginary straight line at a right angle.The two axes of rotation can be arranged such that the imaginary straight line lies on the diagonal of the receiving container, if the receiving container has a cylindrical cross-section. The imaginary straight line can thus lie in a central plane to which the longitudinal direction is perpendicular. As a result, the vehicle can rotate in place or around its yaw axis.

[0022] Furthermore, at least one of the running wheels can be designed as a support wheel that is pivotable about a pivot axis. Preferably, the at least one support wheel is freely rotatable about its pivot axis, which can be aligned parallel to the vertical axis of the vehicle. To prevent the risk of the vehicle tipping over, the at least one support wheel can be arranged transversely between the two rigid wheels. In particular, the at least one support wheel is supported on the front section or rear section of the vehicle body at a distance in the longitudinal direction from the transverse axes of the rigid wheels.

[0023] Preferably, when configured with multiple support wheels, these are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle such that a free strip extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed between the support wheels, which strip is free of support wheels. This strip can be used as a functional section on which components of the vehicle electrical system can be arranged. In particular, the functional section extends over the entire longitudinal extent of the base plate and / or the vehicle body.

[0024] The running wheels can in particular be arranged directly on the vehicle body. Preferably, all running wheels are in contact with the ground when the vehicle travels over the ground. In principle, a three-point support with three running wheels, in particular two rigid wheels and one support wheel, is advantageous with regard to the stability of the vehicle on the ground. However, it has been shown that due to the space available and the large number of cans in the spinning mill, it can be advantageous if the vehicle can turn on the spot. This is possible thanks to the proposed central arrangement of the rigid wheels and the two support wheels in relation to the longitudinal direction. The chassis is preferably designed with four wheels. The first support wheel can be arranged on the front section and the second support wheel can be arranged on the rear section.A further advantage is that the vehicle can negotiate not only flat surfaces but also sloped surfaces such as ramps or similar surfaces particularly well and without tipping over. Conveniently, at least one of the two support wheels is suspended from the vehicle body. In particular, only the trailing support wheel, or the second support wheel located in the rear section, is suspended. This prevents the vehicle from rocking when driving on sloped surfaces, over uneven ground, and during acceleration and deceleration.

[0025] Furthermore, it can be provided that the drive unit is drive-connected to at least one of the running wheels. The at least one support wheel or wheels can be driveless and freely rotatable about the respective pivot axis. Other drive concepts are equally conceivable and possible. For example, in the case of a four-wheeled chassis, the two rigid wheels and one of the two support wheels can be driveless and the other support wheel, in particular the leading support wheel, can be driven. In the case of a three-wheeled chassis, the two rigid wheels can be driveless and the only support wheel can be driven, or vice versa. The two rigid wheels can be arranged off-center on the vehicle body in relation to the longitudinal direction, i.e. further forward or further back. The only support wheel can be arranged leading or trailing accordingly, i.e. in front of or behind the rigid wheels in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] The drive unit can have an electric motor for each driven wheel. In particular, the electric motors can be wheel hub motors. These are characterized by their small size and offer sufficient drive power and load capacity for use in the vehicle. The wheel hub motors can each be equipped with a single- or two-stage gearbox. In particular, each wheel hub motor has a housing in which the motor and other optional components, such as the gearbox and an output shaft including bearings, can be arranged. The wheel hub motors can be integrated into the rigid wheels. The wheel hub motors can be supported on the vehicle body. The advantage is that the vehicle does not require any additional gearboxes, making it more cost-effective and easier to maintain. Furthermore, the space saved between the rigid wheels can be used as a functional section in which components of the on-board electrical system can be arranged.Instead of the advantageous design with two electric motors, the drive unit can also have an electric motor with a gearbox to drive the rigid wheels.

[0027] The vehicle can be steered by changing the speed ratio between the two electric motors and / or their direction of rotation (same or opposite rotation). To easily propel and steer the vehicle, the drive unit can be connected to the two rigid wheels. The steering movements can be specified by changing the rotational speed of the rigid wheels. Preferably, the two electric motors are each connected to a servo converter, which supplies the respective electric motor with the power required for movement. With opposite control, the vehicle can turn on the spot. In particular, instead of individual servo converters, a double converter can be provided for two driven road wheels, or a multiple converter for three driven road wheels.Instead of the servo converter, a frequency converter or other means can be used to achieve the specified speed, as long as each electric motor receives an individual speed setting and speed control.

[0028] Preferably, the on-board electrical system can have a reading unit configured to detect guide elements arranged on the ground. By means of the guide elements, travel paths between the textile machines can be predetermined. The reading unit can be arranged on the functional section of the vehicle body which is formed in the transverse direction of the vehicle between two of the running wheels spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction, in particular the two rigid wheels. This largely prevents at least a subset of the running wheels, in particular the rigid wheels, from rolling over the guide elements arranged on the ground, thereby protecting them from excessive wear. Preferably, the at least one support wheel or all of the support wheels are arranged outside the functional section. The functional section is thus designed to be completely free of running wheels.By coupling the reading unit with the control unit, the vehicle has cost-effective yet sufficient on-board intelligence for automated operation or control. The information captured by the reading unit can be transmitted to the control unit to move the vehicle along the stationary guide elements by controlling the drive unit. This allows the vehicle to follow the specified routes in a cost-effective and fail-safe manner. These routes may be defined between the textile machines and beyond, for example, to parking areas, charging stations for recharging the energy storage system, etc.

[0029] The reading unit preferably comprises a magnetic tape reading device which is configured, in particular, for contactless detection of the path of guidance elements designed as magnetic tapes. This allows the vehicle to be guided in a simple and cost-effective manner. It is also fundamentally conceivable and possible for the magnetic tape reading device, which can also be referred to as a magnetic scanner, to be configured to detect individual magnetic points which are arranged, for example, in a grid pattern or in the form of a dotted line at a specific distance on the ground. Compared to the induction loops known from the prior art, magnetic guidance elements offer the advantage that they do not require a power source. Furthermore, it has been shown that the vehicle can also be guided over a metallic surface, such as a ramp with metal rails, using magnetic tapes.Alternatively, optical solutions, in which the reading unit incorporates an optical scanner, are also conceivable, but these are susceptible to contamination and, due to the dust levels in a spinning mill, are of limited use for guiding the vehicle. Other common sensors, such as infrared or ultrasonic sensors, are conceivable and possible, but are sometimes too costly and complex to implement.

[0030] The magnetic tape reading device, which can also be configured for magnetic grid points, is preferably arranged at a front end of the vehicle body in the main direction of travel over the ground (forward travel). In particular, the magnetic tape reading device is arranged at an end of the front section facing away from the rear section. The magnetic tape reading device can have a width, or extension, in the transverse direction of the vehicle that can preferably be between 50 millimeters and 200 millimeters. The magnetic tape reading device can thus have a plurality of sensors arranged side by side, in particular in the transverse direction, whereby the vehicle can precisely follow even curved magnetic tapes. A detection range of sensors of the magnetic tape reading device can be directed towards the ground.The detection range of the magnetic tape reader can widen out in a funnel shape towards the ground, so that the area that can be detected on the ground can be larger than the extension of the magnetic tape reader. The distance between the magnetic tape reader and the ground, or a wheel contact plane spanned by the rigid wheels, can be between 20 millimeters and 50 millimeters. This ensures sufficient ground clearance for the vehicle to drive safely and smoothly over the ground, and enables precise guidance of the vehicle along the magnetic tapes. The magnetic tape reader can be provided as a device with an analog output signal or as a device with a digital output signal. The digital version is less expensive than the analog version, and it has been shown that a deviation of the magnetic tape reader orAlthough the sensors' distance from the center of the magnetic tape (so-called "center deviation") is only provided in discrete-digital steps, this is sufficient to guide the self-driving vehicle. In the analog version, the output voltage would be proportional to the center deviation.

[0031] Furthermore, the reading unit can comprise an RFID tag reading device which is configured to read information from guidance elements designed as RFID tags. This allows the vehicle to be guided in a simple and cost-effective manner. Radio Frequency Identification technology - RFID for short - allows the contactless transmission of data stored on the RFID tags or transponders. Using the RFID tag reading device, which can also be referred to as an RFID reader, address information, for example, can be read from the RFID tags and transmitted to the control unit. The RFID tag reading device can be arranged on an underside of the vehicle body in order to keep it as close to the ground as possible. Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the RFID tag reading device can be arranged at least approximately centrally between the front end and the rear end of the vehicle body and more preferably in the area of ​​the orbe arranged around the yaw axis. This allows the vehicle to rotate on or above the RFID tag without the RFID tag reader losing contact with the tag.

[0032] The reading unit preferably comprises the magnetic tape reading device and the RFID tag reading device. For example, the RFID tags can be arranged at intersections where several of the magnetic tapes intersect. This allows the control unit to detect an intersection in a cost-effective manner. This allows the vehicle to turn or drive straight ahead at the intersection, for example. RFID tags can also be provided as waypoints between the intersections to detect the reaching or crossing of defined intermediate points. RFID tags can also be provided at the ends of magnetic tapes, for example to mark a parking area, a charging station, etc.

[0033] In an advantageous embodiment, the control unit comprises a storage medium on which an application program or the like can be stored. This allows control commands to be stored that the vehicle executes upon detecting the guide elements. This allows the vehicle, for example, to travel along preprogrammed paths along the guide elements to transport the receiving container from a sliver-delivering textile machine to the sliver-fed textile machine, and vice versa.

[0034] The vehicle can also be equipped with a receiving unit to receive control commands from a higher-level control system. The control system can take over vehicle control for a large number of vehicles within the spinning mill. Such a control system can also be linked to the textile machines to enable the vehicles to be deployed as needed. For example, the control system can instruct the vehicle to turn, drive straight ahead, or reverse at the intersections that the vehicle detects by reading the RFID tags. The vehicle can also be equipped with a transmitting unit to transmit information to the higher-level control system. The information can include, for example, the vehicle's position data. The position data does not have to be real-time data.Rather, for a cost-effective implementation, it may be sufficient if the read address data is transmitted to the master control system when the RFID tag is passed over. Further information can include the driving speed, the status of the energy storage device, the departure from the magnetic strip, the registration of excess temperature, errors in the individual control and drive elements, the current consumption of the electric motors and the torque required to detect a slipping blockage, the established connection to the charging contacts, etc. To monitor the status of the energy storage device, the on-board electrical system can include a battery management system, so that information about the charge status or the progress of charging the energy storage device, the integrity status, the battery temperature, the current discharge power, the current charging power, errors, etc. can be available.Preferably, the vehicle comprises a radio module, in particular a WLAN device, in which the receiving unit and the transmitting unit can be combined or at least a radio antenna therefor.

[0035] Advantageously, the on-board electrical system is also covered by the receptacle when installed, although, depending on technical specifications, individual components can also be located outside the area covered by the receptacle. For example, such a component could be the radio module to improve the quality of the radio connection to the higher-level control system. Furthermore, such a component can be a charging interface for charging the energy storage device, which must be accessible from the outside to simplify automatic docking of the vehicle to an external charging station. However, the charging interface could also be located in the area covered by the receptacle, and in particular on the underside of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle could "drive over" the connection contacts of the charging interface to charge. Inductive charging of the energy storage device can also be provided.Furthermore, the vehicle electrical system can incorporate a safety device for impact detection, with individual components located outside the covered area to detect collisions with obstacles. For example, a touch sensor system can be integrated into a bumper located on the receiving container or on the vehicle and connected to the control unit. This allows the control unit to stop the vehicle upon detection of an impact and, if necessary, report the activation of the safety device to the higher-level control system.

[0036] To protect the on-board electrical system from external influences, it can be arranged on the underside of the vehicle body, facing away from the transport surface. Furthermore, the vehicle components covered by the receptacle when assembled can be arranged on the underside of the base plate. Furthermore, an underbody panel arranged on the vehicle body can protect the on-board electrical system from below. Preferably, those components which, when assembled, lie outside the receptacle or protrude laterally beyond it, are arranged in and / or on an electrical housing carried by the chassis. The charging interface can be arranged in the electrical housing so that it is accessible from the outside. Furthermore, an on / off switch can be provided on the electrical housing, which is thus accessible from the outside in order to be able to manually interrupt the electrical power supply to the on-board electrical system.

[0037] A further solution to the above-mentioned problem consists in a can device with a receiving container for a fiber sliver and the above-described self-propelled vehicle for transporting or carrying the receiving container over the ground between fiber sliver-delivering and fiber sliver-fed textile machines. The can device can also be referred to as a "self-propelled can." The receiving container is in contact with the transport surface of the self-propelled vehicle and is fastened to the vehicle body, wherein the receiving container completely covers the chassis, the vehicle body, the electric drive unit, and the energy storage device. The can device according to the invention results in the same advantages as those described in connection with the vehicle according to the invention, so that reference is made here for short to the above description.It goes without saying that all the above-mentioned vehicle configurations can be transferred to the can device and vice versa.

[0038] The can device has a modular design and comprises the self-driving vehicle and the receiving container as modules. The modular design allows manufacturing costs to be reduced, as the vehicle and the receiving container can be manufactured separately and even by different manufacturers. The vehicle is "married" to one of the receiving containers and remains permanently connected to it (= assembled state). Separation is preferably only necessary in the event of a vehicle defect or for maintenance purposes. The purpose of this permanent connection is to eliminate the disadvantageous loading and unloading of the receiving container from the vehicle. Securing the receiving container to the vehicle is an assembly step that is preferably carried out manually, but can in principle also be performed by an industrial robot.

[0039] The footprint of the receiving container can be predetermined by the side wall extending circumferentially around the container axis. The footprint can correspond to the cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving container. Because the space required by the vehicle is at least essentially limited to the size of the footprint of the receiving container, the can device can externally largely correspond to a conventional spinning can with rollers attached to its underside (also called a "standard can"). Preferably, the can device has the dimensions of the standard can to be replaced. The can device can thus, like a standard can, move into the work areas of the textile machines, such as filling stations on a can changer or the like, and can therefore also be used to perform movements in the work areas.Adjustments to the textile machines by changing from the standard can to the self-propelled can device are therefore not necessary.

[0040] The receiving container is in contact with the transport surface of the vehicle, which is at most the same size as or preferably smaller than the footprint of the receiving container. Preferably, the vehicle carries the receiving container, which is correspondingly spaced from the stationary ground. The transport surface can be perpendicular to the vertical axis, radial to the vertical axis and / or inclined or conical. Preferably, the receiving container has a stationary support structure which is in contact with the transport surface. The support structure can be internal, i.e. within the interior space enclosed by the side wall of the receiving container, and can be set back from a lower edge of the receiving container, i.e. towards an upper filling opening of the receiving container.The support structure can comprise a stationary container base that divides the interior of the receiving container into a filling chamber that is open at the top for receiving the fiber sliver, and a technical chamber that is open at the bottom, in which the vehicle is inserted. This allows the receiving container to be placed onto the vehicle from above. A spring-loaded plate, in particular, can be arranged in the filling chamber in a manner known per se, which plate can sink towards the container base due to the weight of the fiber sliver column that grows during deposition. The underside of the container base can, in particular, be in direct contact with the transport surface in the can device. In particular, the receiving container can be supported on the transport surface via the container base. The support structure can also have one or more struts, supports, an edge, or the like, and can form a beam-, net-, or ring-shaped support surface.Particularly in the case of a transport surface aligned radially to the vertical axis, the base of the receiving container can be in contact with the transport surface and can be clamped against the transport surface by means of the fastening means, so that no additional support structure is required. However, the support structure can, for example, comprise an annular web inside the receiving container that is supported on a horizontal section of the transport surface in order to better absorb weight forces. The support structure therefore does not have to provide a dust-tight separation between the filling space and the technical space. Rather, it can be advantageous if smaller pieces of belt residue or other dirt that accumulate in the filling space can fall down through the technical space and trickle onto the ground.If the support structure comprises the container base, which can basically be formed as a disc, the container base can have at least one hole and more preferably several off-center holes. The holes in the container base or recesses in the support structure can be positioned such that the dirt falls out in the radially outer edge area of ​​the vehicle and preferably outside the functional section and in particular past the vehicle electrical system. For example, the dirt can be guided out in the pivoting area of ​​the support wheels. In principle, however, it is also conceivable to separate the filling space from the technical space as dust-tight as possible in order to keep the vehicle as free as possible from fiber sliver residue. Instead of the stationary container base, which is usually used for round cans, the receiving container can also have a height-adjustable filling base, which is often used for rectangular cans, and the support structure.The base plate can be adapted to the cross-section of the interior of the rectangular can. If the receptacle is shaped like a "rectangular can," a device can be provided to drain the dirt falling out of the filling chamber. This device is located below the movable base and guides the dirt laterally to the outer edge area, from where it can then trickle down onto the ground.

[0041] In particular, the receiving container and the vehicle can be connected to one another by means of fastening means, wherein the fastening means comprise the vehicle-side fastening elements and the container-side fastening elements. According to a first embodiment, the fastening means can be completely covered by the receiving container. Thus, they are not accessible from the outside during operation of the self-propelled can device, as with a blind fastening, unless the can device is turned upside down. The container-side fastening elements can be arranged entirely in the technical space and can protrude into the technical space parallel to the container axis of the receiving container. The container-side fastening elements, for example bolts, threaded pins or the like, can be arranged on the underside of the support structure, in particular can be integrally formed thereon.These can be inserted into the vehicle-side fastening elements, for example through-holes, and then secured. Nuts are preferably provided which are screwed onto the container-side fastening elements in order to brace the support structure and the vehicle body, for example its base plate, against one another. Furthermore, the vehicle-side fastening elements can comprise, for example, bolts, threaded pins or the like which protrude upwards on the vehicle body, in particular on the base plate, beyond the transport surface and engage in or pass through corresponding holes in the receiving container. In this way, a blind fastening is also provided. According to a second embodiment, which can apply in addition to or as an alternative to the first embodiment, the vehicle-side fastening means on the vehicle body can protrude radially to the vertical axis.These can be, for example, webs, bolts, threaded pins, or the like, which protrude through recesses in the side wall of the receiving container. The side wall and the transport surface can be clamped together using nuts. The same applies to the designs: when assembled, the axis of the receiving container can coincide with the vertical axis or yaw axis of the vehicle.

[0042] Preferably, the vehicle is at least substantially housed in the technical compartment. This should at least substantially include, on the one hand, as described above, individual components being able to protrude laterally beyond the receiving container, and on the other hand, the wheels protruding from the underside of the receiving container to ensure sufficient ground clearance. The vehicle can have an overall height of at least 50 millimeters and a maximum of 260 millimeters. The overall height can be determined by the distance between the wheel contact plane and the support plane spanned by the transport surface. When assembled, the vehicle can protrude at least 10 millimeters and a maximum of 40 millimeters above the underside of the receiving container. The technical compartment can have a depth, or extension in the vertical direction, of at least 60 millimeters and a maximum of 220 millimeters.This means that the technical compartment is deep enough to accommodate the vehicle. On the other hand, the filling volume of the receiving container is only slightly reduced. The height of the self-propelled canning device can therefore correspond to the height of a standard can, meaning that the canning device can be used without any operational adjustments to the textile machines. Alternatively, the support structure, in particular the container base, can be flush with the underside of the receiving container, like a sleeve. This makes the receiving container more cost-effective to manufacture. Since the container then has no technical compartment, a circumferential collar can be arranged on the side of the vehicle body to protect the vehicle. When installed, this collar can be flush with the side wall of the receiving container.

[0043] Preferred embodiments are explained below with reference to the drawing figures. Herein:

[0044] Figure 1 is a front view of a can device according to a first embodiment of the present invention placed on a ground, wherein the can device is of modular construction and comprises a receiving container according to the invention and a vehicle according to the invention for transporting the receiving container over the ground;

[0045] Figure 2 is a rear view of the can device of Figure 1;

[0046] Figure 3 is a simplified sectional view of the can device of Figure 1;

[0047] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the receiving container from Figure 1; Figure 5 is a bottom view of the receiving container from Figure 1;

[0048] Figure 6 is a plan view of the vehicle from Figure 1, with a bottom of the receiving container shown in dotted lines merely to clarify the proportions;

[0049] Figure 7 is a bottom view of the vehicle from Figure 1, with a bottom of the receiving container shown in dotted lines merely to clarify the proportions;

[0050] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle of Figure 1, showing the vehicle on the ground;

[0051] Figure 9 is a schematic representation of an on-board network of the vehicle from Figure 1;

[0052] Figure 10 shows the can device from Figure 1 in a bottom view, which is located on a straight track section shown with dashed lines;

[0053] Figure 11 shows the can device from Figure 10, which is located on the straight track section shortly before a curved track section;

[0054] Figure 12 shows the can device from Figure 11, which is located on the curved track section;

[0055] Figure 13 shows the can device from Figure 1 in a bottom view, which is located on a straight section of the track shortly before a junction of the track, which is shown with dashed lines;

[0056] Figure 14 shows the can device from Figure 13, which is located above the node in a right-hand rotation;

[0057] Figure 15 shows the can device from Figure 14 after the 90 degree right turn above the node point;

[0058] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a can device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the can device is of modular construction and comprises a further receiving container according to the invention and a further vehicle according to the invention for transporting the receiving container over the ground;

[0059] Figure 17 is a sectional view of the receiving container of Figure 16;

[0060] Figure 18 is a bottom view of the receiving container from Figure 16;

[0061] Figure 19 is a simplified sectional view of a can device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein the can device is of modular construction and comprises a still further receiving container according to the invention and a still further vehicle according to the invention for transporting the receiving container over the ground; and

[0062] Figure 20 is a simplified sectional view of a can device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a canning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The canning device 1, which can also be referred to as a self-propelled can, is modular in design and comprises, as a first module, a receiving container 2 according to the invention for a fiber sliver and, as a second module, a self-propelled vehicle 3 according to the invention for transporting the receiving container 2 over a surface 4.

[0064] During operation, the can device 1 travels back and forth between textile machines (not shown) on the base 4 in order to transport fiber slivers from fiber sliver-delivering textile machines to fiber sliver-fed textile machines. For this purpose, the vehicle 3 can follow guide elements 5 arranged on the base 4, which define travel paths in the spinning mill. The guide elements 5 can, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, be applied to the surface of the base 4, in particular glued or embedded in the base 4. For example, slots and / or other-shaped recesses can be formed in the base 4, into which the guide elements 5 can be inserted and subsequently cast with epoxy resin or the like.

[0065] To illustrate the spatial orientation of the canning device 1, Figures 1 to 3 show a longitudinal direction X, a transverse direction Y, and a vertical direction Z, which are defined in terms of a Cartesian coordinate system assigned to the canning device 1 and indicated by corresponding arrows. The vertical direction Z can be normal to a floor plane spanned by the base 4 when the canning device 1 is standing or moving on the base 4. Terms such as "below," "below," "above," or "above" represent spatial information related to the canning device 1 positioned on the base 4.

[0066] The vehicle 3 is inserted into the receiving container 2 from below, with its wheels 6, 7, 8, 9 protruding from a bottom side 10 of the receiving container 2. To ensure sufficient ground clearance, a distance S2 of the receiving container 2 from the ground 4 is between 10 millimeters and 50 millimeters, with particularly good results being achieved with a distance S2 of approximately 20 millimeters.

[0067] The receptacle 2 is essentially detachable, but permanently connected to the vehicle 3. This state is also referred to as the "mounted state" and is shown in Figures 1 to 3. Specifically, fastening means 11 are provided that are not accessible from the outside unless the can device 1 is turned upside down. In this respect, the fastening means 11 can also be referred to as internal fastening means, which provide a blind fastening.

[0068] Figures 4 and 5 show the receptacle 2 according to the invention in detail. It has a cylindrical side wall 12 that extends concentrically around a container axis A2 that runs parallel to the vertical axis Z. An inner diameter D2 of the interior enclosed by the side wall 12 is at least 350 millimeters and at most 1200 millimeters and, here as an example, has 500 millimeters. Furthermore, the receptacle 2 has a support structure 13, which here is designed as a stationary container base in the form of a circular disk whose outer diameter at least substantially corresponds to the inner diameter D2. The support structure 13, which is also referred to below as the container base, is recessed and firmly connected to the side wall 12.Set back here means that the container bottom 13 is offset from the container bottom 10 towards an upper side of the receiving container 2, which is provided with a filling opening 14. The container bottom 13 thus divides the interior into a filling chamber 15 that is open at the top and a technical chamber 16 that is open at the bottom. The fiber sliver can be filled into the filling chamber 15 and removed from it again via the filling opening 14 in a manner known per se. In the filling chamber, for example, a plate (not shown) that is known per se can be arranged. This plate can be spring-loaded, for example, and can sink towards the container bottom 13 due to the weight of the fiber sliver column that grows during deposit. A container opening 17 is formed on the container bottom 10, which can be aligned parallel to the filling opening 14 and through which the vehicle 3 can be inserted into the technical chamber 16 from below.An inner diameter of the container opening 17 can correspond to the inner diameter D2 of the interior, although this can in principle also be smaller, provided that the vehicle 3 can still be inserted into the technical room 16.

[0069] The technical compartment 16 has an extension H16 in the vertical direction Z of, for example, at least 50 millimeters and a maximum of 260 millimeters, and, in this example, has a length of 110 millimeters. The filling compartment 15 has an extension H15 in the vertical direction Z of, for example, at least 400 millimeters and a maximum of 1500 millimeters, and, in this example, has a length of 1200 millimeters. The filling volume of the filling compartment 15 is thus approximately 339 liters.

[0070] In the assembled state, the receiving container 2 rests on the vehicle 3 with its container base 13. For fastening the receiving container 2 to the vehicle 3, the fastening means 11 comprise container-side fastening elements 11.1, which, for example, have threaded bolts 11.1 aligned parallel to the container axis A2, onto which nuts 11.3 can be screwed. The threaded bolts 11.1, four of which are shown here as an example, can be formed, in particular welded, onto an underside 18 of the container base 13 facing the technical compartment 16, as can be seen in the bottom view according to Figure 5.

[0071] Furthermore, a bumper 19 is arranged on the receiving container 2. This is arranged in the circumferential direction around the container axis A2 on the outside of the side wall 12. Figure 5 further shows that the bumper 19 has a C-shaped, open ring with two ring ends 20. A wall opening 21 is formed in the side wall 12 between the two ring ends 20, which opening is located on the rear of the receiving container 2. Figure 2 shows the rear view of the can device 1, from which it can be seen that an electrical housing 22 of the vehicle 3 extends through the wall opening 21 and projects laterally beyond the bumper 19. Alternatively, the bumper 19 can also be arranged on the vehicle 3 if the receiving container 2 is designed in the form of a sleeve, in which the container bottom 10 of the receiving container 2 is flush with the container bottom 13. The alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 19, which will be discussed in more detail later.

[0072] Figures 6 to 8 show the vehicle 3 according to the invention in detail, with the circular contour of the container base 13 being drawn in dashed lines in Figures 6 and 7, merely to illustrate that, in the assembled state, the vehicle 3 is essentially covered by the receiving container 2, or rather, the container base 13. It can be seen that only the electrical housing 22 and some components of an on-board electrical system 23 of the vehicle 3 arranged in or on the electrical housing 22 lie outside the covered area or protrude beyond it.

[0073] Specifically, the vehicle 3 has a chassis 24 with the four road wheels 6, 7, 8, 9, a vehicle body 25 supported by the chassis 24, a transport surface 26 with which the container bottom 13 of the receiving container 2 can be brought into contact, and the on-board power supply 23 arranged on the vehicle body 25. Furthermore, the vehicle body 25 has a rigid base plate 27, the upper side of which, facing away from the chassis 24, comprises the transport surface 26. The base plate 27 has a circumferential surface 56 encircling the yaw axis A3, which is designed to be radially exposed to the outside and delimits an outer edge 43 of the base plate 27. The transport surface 26 extends to the outer edge 43 of the base plate 27. The transport surface 26 lies in a support plane E26, which is parallel to the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y and to which a yaw axis A3 of the vehicle 3 is perpendicular. The yaw axis A3 corresponds to the vehicle's vertical axis.It is advantageous if the yaw axis A3 passes through the center or center of gravity of the vehicle 3. The on-board electrical system 23 is arranged entirely below the support plane E26.

[0074] For fastening the receiving container 2 to the vehicle 3, the fastening means 11 further comprise vehicle-side fastening elements 11.2, which interact with the container-side fastening elements 11.1 or are aligned relative to one another such that, in the assembled state, a container axis A2 of the receiving container 2 and the vehicle-fixed yaw axis A3 of the vehicle 3 coincide. The vehicle-side fastening elements 11.2 can comprise through-holes formed in the base plate 27 and in particular in the region of the transport surface 26, into which the container-side threaded bolts 11.1 can be inserted. In the assembled state, the threaded bolts 11.1 are inserted into the through-holes 11.2 and the nuts 11.3 are screwed onto the threaded bolts 11.1 from below in order to clamp the container base 13 and the base plate 27 against one another.

[0075] The on-board electrical system 23 is shown schematically in Figure 9. It has an electrical energy storage device 28, in particular a battery, permanently installed in the vehicle 3 and a charging interface 29 for charging the energy storage device 28 at an external charging station. It goes without saying that the energy storage device 28 can be replaced in the event of a defect. The charging interface 29 can be arranged in the electrical housing 22 and is accessible from the outside. The electrical housing 22 is held on the vehicle body 25 and can be made of a dimensionally stable plastic. The electrical housing 22 preferably has a concavely shaped end face 30. The curvature of the end face 30 is shaped at least approximately opposite to the curvature of the side wall 12. This is advantageous when the can device 1 comes into contact with another can device 1 or a standard can, since the other can can rest against the curved end face 30.This can be the case, for example, in a can changer when the can device 1 is moved toward another can ("can against can" principle). Furthermore, an externally accessible on / off switch 31 can be arranged on the electrical housing 22 in order to manually interrupt the power supply between the energy storage device 28 and the other components of the on-board electrical system 23.

[0076] Furthermore, the on-board electrical system 23 comprises an electrically operated drive unit 32, which, here by way of example, is drive-connected to the running wheels 6, 7. The two running wheels 6, 7 are designed as rigid wheels that are aligned in the longitudinal direction X and spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction Y. They have axes of rotation 33, 34 that are fixed relative to the vehicle body 25 and lie on an imaginary straight line to which the yaw axis A3 of the chassis 3 is perpendicular. Figures 6 and 7 show that the imaginary straight line and the diagonal D2 of the container base 13, indicated by a dashed line, are parallel to one another and lie in a common plane. The imaginary straight line divides the vehicle body 25 in the longitudinal direction X into a front section 35 and a rear section 36.The two sections 35, 36 can be of equal size, so that the imaginary straight line lies in a center plane E3 spanned by the vehicle's transverse axis Y and the yaw axis A3. The vehicle body 25 can be designed symmetrically to the center plane E3. The electrical housing 22 is mounted on the rear section 36 and projects beyond a rear edge 37 of the vehicle body 25.

[0077] The drive unit 32 comprises an electric motor 38, 39, in particular a wheel hub motor, for each rigid wheel 6, 7. The electric motors 38, 39, designed as wheel hub motors, can be integrated into the rigid wheels 6, 7. The electric motors 38, 39 are arranged on housing struts 40 of the vehicle body 25 that protrude from the base plate 27, so that the rigid wheels 6, 7 remain behind the support plane E26. Furthermore, the drive unit 32 has a servo converter for each electric motor 38, 39, here as an example, which are structurally combined in a double converter 41. Instead of servo converters, frequency converters or other means for achieving the specified speed of the electric motors 38, 39 could also be used. The double converter 41 is connected to the two electric motors 38, 39 and the electrical energy storage device 28.By means of the dual inverter 41, the two electric motors 38, 39 can be operated in parallel or in opposite directions and at equal or different rotational speeds. This allows the vehicle 3 to be steered and, with opposite control, also rotated in place or around the yaw axis A3. To control the electric motors 38, 39, the dual inverter 41 is connected to a control unit 42 of the vehicle electrical system 23.

[0078] The control unit 42, which is a programmable logic controller with a programmable storage medium, is configured to control the vehicle 3. It is designed, here as an example, as a standalone device and housed in a control housing. The control housing is attached to the vehicle body 25, in particular to the underside of the base plate 27. To monitor the energy storage device 28, the on-board electrical system 23 can have a battery management system. For this purpose, the control unit 42 can be connected to the energy storage device 28. For communication with a higher-level control system, a textile machine, or a mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc.), the control unit 42 can be connected to a radio module 44, which can be housed in the electrical housing 22.

[0079] Furthermore, the on-board electrical system 23 has a reading unit 45 configured to detect the guide elements 5 arranged on the ground. The reading unit 45 is preferably arranged exclusively on a functional section 46 of the vehicle body 25, which is formed in the transverse direction Y between the two rigid wheels 6, 7. The functional section 46 has a width B46, or extension in the transverse direction Y, of at least 250 millimeters and a maximum of 1200 millimeters and extends in the longitudinal direction X over the front section 35 and the rear section 36. The vehicle 3 is thus dimensioned for the transport of the receiving container 2, which is designed here as a "round can." In order to be mountable on a receiving container 2 designed as a "rectangular can," the vehicle 3 must be dimensioned accordingly smaller. The functional section 46 can then also have a width of at least 150 millimeters and a maximum of 1200 millimeters.

[0080] The reading unit 45 comprises a magnetic tape reading device 47 configured for contactless detection of the path of guide elements 5 designed as magnetic tapes 5.1. The magnetic tape reading device 47, which can also be referred to as a magnetic scanner, is arranged at a front end of the vehicle body 25 in the main direction of travel (forward travel) or in the longitudinal direction X. The magnetic tape reading device 47 has a sensor housing in which several, for example eight, sensors are arranged spaced from one another in the transverse direction Y. The sensor housing can have a width, or extension in the transverse direction Y, of between 50 millimeters and 200 millimeters. The distance of the sensors from the ground, or from a wheel contact plane E24 spanned by the running wheels 6, 7, which coincides with the ground plane when traveling over the ground 4, can be between 20 millimeters and 50 millimeters.The width of the magnetic strips can be between 6 and 50 millimeters.

[0081] Furthermore, the reading unit 45 has an RFID tag reading device 48, which is configured to read information from guide elements 5 designed as RFID tags 5.2. The RFID tag reading device 48 can also be referred to as an RFID reader. The RFID tag reading device 48 is arranged below the base plate 27 on a frame 49 fastened to the base plate 27 in order to hold the RFID tag reading device 48 close to the ground 4, in particular the guide elements 5.2, during operation of the vehicle 3. The frame 49 encompasses, here, the energy storage device 28, which is thus arranged in the vertical direction Z between the base plate 27 and the RFID tag reading device 48. By means of the RFID tag reading device 48, for example, address information can be read from the RFID tags 5.2 and transmitted to the control unit 42. RFID tags 5.2 typically have a diameter of less than 50 millimeters.To protect the vehicle electrical system 23, an underbody panel 50 is arranged on the vehicle body 25 from below, which may have a recess 51 in the area of ​​the RFID tag reading device 48.

[0082] In Figure 7 it can be seen that the running wheels 8, 9 designed as support wheels are arranged in the transverse direction Y between the two rigid wheels 6, 7 and off-center, or are supported on the vehicle body 25. Their transverse distance from the vehicle's longitudinal axis L is, here as an example, approximately 90 millimeters in each case, so that the two support wheels 8, 9 are spaced apart by approximately 180 millimeters in the transverse direction Y. The functional section 46 is formed between the support wheels 8, 9 and is thus free of the running wheels 6, 7, 8, 9 in order to protect the guide elements 5 during operation of the can device 1. In principle, however, it is also possible for the support wheels 8, 9 to be arranged centrally, i.e. on the vehicle's longitudinal axis L. The support wheels 8, 9 are each pivotably mounted on the vehicle body 25 about their own pivot axis A8, A9, which is aligned parallel to the vertical axis Z.The support wheels 8, 9 can pivot freely about the pivot axes A8, A9, so that they can pivot by 360 degrees and more. The support wheel 8, which can also be referred to as the leading support wheel, is supported on the front section 35 and the support wheel 9, which can also be referred to as the trailing support wheel, is supported on the rear section 36. The leading support wheel 8 is unsprung and the trailing support wheel 9 is sprung and supported on the vehicle body 25. To improve the stability of the vehicle 3, the support wheels 8, 9 can be arranged as far outwards as possible on the vehicle body 25 and can lie on an imaginary circular line, as shown in Figure 3 with the dotted line 57 merely as an example. In principle, however, it is also possible for the support wheels 8, 9 to be arranged at different distances from the center plane E3, in which the two axes of rotation 33, 34 lie.It is advantageous if the center of gravity of vehicle 3 lies in the center plane E3, in which the vehicle's transverse axis Q also runs.

[0083] Vehicle 3 has an overall height H3 of, as an example, 140 millimeters. The transport surface 26 completes the top of vehicle 3. Thus, the overall height H3 is determined by the distance of the transport surface 26 from the ground 4 or the wheel contact plane E24.

[0084] The vehicle 3 thus has such a compact design that, in the assembled state, it at least essentially disappears beneath the receiving container 2 or its container base 13. Only individual components, in particular from the on-board electrical system 23, can protrude laterally beyond the container base 13, as this is technically necessary. These can be, for example, the charging interface 29, the on / off switch 31 and the radio module 44, which are arranged in or on the electrical housing 22. In the assembled state, the chassis 24, the electric drive unit 32, the electrical energy storage device and the transport surface 26 are thus completely covered. Furthermore, the receiving container 2 or its container base 13 can, as can be seen in Figures 1 to 8, also completely cover the base plate 27 and the fastening elements 11 and at least essentially cover the on-board electrical system 23.In particular, the control unit 42 and the reading unit 45 can be covered by the on-board network 23.

[0085] Furthermore, the vehicle electrical system 23 can have a safety device 52 for impact detection. This can have components located outside the area covered by the receiving container 2 in order to detect a collision with an obstacle as early as possible. For example, a touch sensor 53 can be integrated into the bumper 19 and connected to the control unit 42 to stop the vehicle 3 upon detection of an impact. The bumper 19 is, here, C-shaped, and the electrical housing 22 protrudes radially outward between the two ring ends 20. This allows the end face 30 of the electrical housing 22 to be used to push another can against its side wall to move it ("can against can" principle). The safety device 52 can include a safety relay 54 to monitor the existence of the connection between the touch sensor 53 and the control unit 42.As a result, the touch sensor 53 can, for example, be a normally open contact (NO contact) that closes upon impact. For this purpose, the bumper 19 can preferably be made of a flexible material, so that the normally open contact is closed when the bumper is compressed, particularly elastically. For example, the touch sensor 53 has two wires, one of which is connected to the negative pole and the other to the positive pole of the energy storage device 28. However, it is also fundamentally possible to use a normally closed contact instead of the cost-effective normally open contact.

[0086] For safety reasons, the drive unit 32 can be designed to drive the vehicle 3 over the ground 4 at a maximum speed of 0.5 meters per second, and more preferably a maximum of 0.3 meters per second. Furthermore, the drive unit 32 can be designed to enable the maximum speed up to a total weight of a maximum of 200 kilograms. Figures 6 and 7 show that the area of ​​the base plate 27 is smaller than that of the container bottom 13. The base plate 27 can have the shape of a polygon in plan view and is designed here, purely as an example, as an octagon, i.e., with eight corners and eight sides.In the four corner areas opposite the round container bottom 13, in which the container bottom 13 projects beyond the base plate 13, holes (not shown) can be formed in the container bottom 13 through which smaller pieces of tape residue or other dirt accumulating in the filling space 15 can fall downwards through the technical space 16 and trickle onto the base 4. The holes are preferably formed between the respective rigid wheel 6, 7 and the functional section 14.

[0087] Figures 10 to 15 show various situations that can arise during operation of the canning device 1 or the vehicle 3 when driving over the ground 4 along the guide elements 5. To better illustrate the driving behavior of the vehicle 3, the underside of the vehicle 3 is shown viewed from below through the ground 4, which is shown transparently for the sake of clarity. The guide elements 5 arranged on the ground 4 are shown with dashed lines.

[0088] When traveling in the main direction of travel (forward travel), indicated by arrow F in Figure 10, vehicle 3 follows magnetic tape 5.1. To this end, control unit 42 controls electric motors 38, 39 based on the signals received from the magnetic tape reading device 47, located at the front in the main direction of travel F, to keep magnetic tape 5.1 centered between the two rigid wheels 6, 7. When traveling straight ahead, the two electric motors 38, 39 are operated in synchronization and at the same speed. Support wheels 8, 9 are also aligned in the main direction of travel F.

[0089] In Figure 11, vehicle 3 approaches a right-hand bend defined by magnetic tape 5.1, while still traveling straight ahead. As soon as magnetic tape 5.1 moves out of the center of the sensor field of magnetic tape reading device 47 (center deviation), the sensor occupancy pattern changes. Figure 12 shows that magnetic tape 5.1 now moves into the detection range of the sensors of magnetic tape reading device 47 arranged towards the inside of the bend. Based on the sensor occupancy pattern changing during travel, control unit 41 can determine how much adjustment is required to keep vehicle 3 as centered as possible over the magnetic tape. This is achieved by adjusting the speeds of electric motors 38, 39 relative to one another. The further magnetic tape 5.1 moves out of the center, the greater the speed difference must be. The freely pivoting support wheels 8, 9 follow the direction of travel.The steering of the vehicle 3 is therefore only carried out by changing the speed of the electric motors 38, 39.

[0090] In Figure 13, vehicle 3 approaches a junction 55 where, as an example, four paths meet, defined by four magnetic strips 5.1 a, b, c, d. An RFID tag 5.2 is located in the center of junction 55, spaced apart from the magnetic strips 5.1. Address information that makes junction 55 uniquely identifiable is stored in the RFID tag 5.2. Vehicle 3 will continue to travel straight ahead until the RFID tag reader 48 detects the RFID tag 5.2. In order to prevent the control unit 42 from searching for the magnetic tape strip 5.1 by steering movements due to the distance of the magnetic tape strip 5.1 a from the RFID tag 5.2, a delay can be stored in the control unit 42 which is sufficiently long (e.g. 1-2 seconds) so that the vehicle 3 continues to drive straight ahead until the RFID tag reading device 48 detects the RFID tag 5.2.The read RFID data is transmitted to the control unit 42. A fixed route can be stored there. Likewise, the control unit 42 can also communicate with a higher-level control system and receive current driving instructions so that the vehicle 3 can be controlled as needed. In the situation shown in Figure 14, the control unit 42 has specified a left turn to turn at the intersection 55. The control unit 42 turns the vehicle 3 at the intersection 55 by controlling the electric motors 38, 39 in opposite directions. The left electric motor 38 rotates the left rigid wheel 6 backward, and the right electric motor 39 rotates the right rigid wheel 7 forward. The vehicle 3 turns on the spot around its yaw axis A3 and thus remains above the center of the intersection point 55. The RFID tag reading device 48 keeps the RFID tag 5.2 in the detection range, or rather below it, during the entire turning process.

[0091] After completing the 90-degree turn, vehicle 3 follows the magnetic tape strip 5.1 d in the main direction of travel F until another RFID tag is encountered. Instead of the 90-degree turn shown here, any other angle of rotation is also possible. At the end of a travel path, there may be a textile machine, a loading station, a can magazine, or similar equipment, which can be identified by RFID tags.

[0092] The above-described layout of the magnetic tape strips 5.1a...5.1d, which are spaced apart at junction 55, has the advantage that the paths defined by the guide elements 5 can be traveled in both directions. If this is not desired, for example, because a defined direction of travel is to be specified to avoid collisions, as in a one-way street, a continuous magnetic tape strip can also be provided at junction 55, extending uninterruptedly across, for example, the magnetic tape strips 5.1a and 5.1c. The RFID tag 5.2 can then be applied to the magnetic tape strips 5.1a, 5.1c.

[0093] Figure 16 shows a can device 100 according to a second embodiment, which largely corresponds to that of Figures 1 to 15, so that with regard to the similarities, reference is made to the above description. Identical or modified details are provided with the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 15. The difference lies in the attachment of the receptacle 102, which here is exemplary and has a rectangular cross-section, to the vehicle 3. Figure 16 shows the assembled state. Figures 17 and 18 show further details of the receptacle 102 according to the invention of the can device 100.

[0094] The receiving container 102, like a conventional "rectangular can", has a filling base 101 which is guided vertically displaceably along the side wall 12 and on which the fiber sliver can be deposited. Figure 17 shows that the receiving container 102 comprises container-side fastening elements 111.1 which, here because of the bumper 19, are designed as closed bores, in particular round bores, in the side wall 12 thereof. Figure 18 also shows that the internal support structure 13 of the receiving container 102 comprises, here by way of example, support struts 13.1, 13.2 which divide the interior into the filling chamber 15 which is open at the top and the technical chamber 16 which is open at the bottom. In the assembled state, the support structure 13 rests against the transport surface 26 on the upper side of the base plate 27 of the vehicle 3.In addition to the horizontal transport surface 26, the receiving container 102 is provided with a collar 103 aligned parallel to the yaw axis A3, which is integrally formed on the base plate 27 and projects downwards therefrom, as shown in Figure 16. Vehicle-side fastening elements 111.2 are formed in the collar 103 in the form of through-holes, which, when mounted, are aligned with the container-side holes 111.1. Bolts are provided to clamp the side wall 12 against the collar 103; these bolts engage through the holes 111.1, 111.2, and nuts 111.3, 111.4 can be screwed onto the bolts on both sides. Alternatively, the bolts can be screwed into the collar 103, for example.

[0095] Figure 19 shows a can device 200 according to a third embodiment, which largely corresponds to that of Figures 1 to 15 or that of Figures 16 to 18, so that reference is made to the above description with regard to the similarities. Identical or modified details are provided with the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 15 or 16 to 18. The difference lies in the design of the receiving container 202, which, here by way of example, has a round cross-section. Figure 19 shows the assembled state.

[0096] The receiving container 202 has a sleeve-shaped basic shape, in which the container base 13 is flush with the underside of the receiving container 202. Thus, the receiving container 202 does not have a technical compartment in which the vehicle 3 can be used. Rather, the receiving container 202 is placed flat on the base plate 27 of the vehicle 3. The fastening means 11 are concealed by the receiving container 2, as shown in Figure 3 for the first embodiment. The container-side fastening elements 11.1 are, here by way of example, also designed as threaded bolts, which are aligned parallel to the container axis A2 and engage through vehicle-side fastening elements in the form of through-holes formed in the base plate 27 and in particular in the area of ​​the transport surface 26. On the underside of the base plate 27, nuts 11.3 are screwed onto the threaded bolts 11.1 in order to clamp the container base 13 against the base plate 27.

[0097] Furthermore, Figure 19 shows that the bumper 19 can be arranged on the vehicle 3. For this purpose, the vehicle 3 can have a collar 103 aligned parallel to the yaw axis A3, which can be integrally formed on the base plate 27 and can protrude downward therefrom. The bumper 19 can be attached to the collar 103 from the outside. A touch sensor system 53 coupled to the control unit 42 for impact detection can also be integrated into the bumper 19.

[0098] Figure 20 shows a can device 200 according to a fourth embodiment, which largely corresponds to those in Figures 1 to 19, so that reference is made to the above description regarding the similarities. Identical or modified details are provided with the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 15 or 16 to 18 or 19. The difference lies in the design of the fastening means 11.

[0099] The fastening means 11 are concealed by the receiving container 2, so that a blind fastening is also provided here. The vehicle-side fastening elements 11.2 are, here as an example, also designed as threaded bolts, which are aligned parallel to the container axis A2 and engage through container-side fastening elements 11.1 in the form of through-holes formed in the support structure 13, here the container bottom. In the filling chamber 15 of the receiving container 202, a filling base 101, also called a plate, is arranged in a conventional manner and can be displaced along the container axis A2. This plate is supported on an upper side of the support structure 13 by means of a spring 104. When a fiber sliver is deposited in the receiving container 2, the filling plate 101 sinks towards the support structure 13 as the fiber sliver column grows, tensioning the spring 104.When the spring 104 is tensioned, a space remains between the support structure 13 and the filling base 101 for the compressed spring 104, which space can also be used to fasten the receiving container 2 to the vehicle 3. For this purpose, nuts 11.3 can be screwed onto the protruding vehicle-side fastening means 11.1, here the threaded bolts, in order to clamp the support structure 13 against the base plate 27. Reference numeral.

[0100] 1 , 100, 200 can device 37 rear edge

[0101] 2, 102, 202 Receptacle 38 Electric motor

[0102] 3 Vehicle 39 Electric Motor

[0103] 4 Substrate 40 Housing strut

[0104] 5 Guide element 41 Double converter

[0105] 6 Impeller or rigid wheel 42 Control unit

[0106] 7 Impeller or rigid wheel 43 Outer rim

[0107] 8 Running wheel or support wheel 44 Radio module

[0108] 9 Running wheel or support wheel 45 Reading unit

[0109] 10 Container bottom 46 Functional section

[0110] 11 , 111 Fasteners 47 Magnetic tape reader

[0111] 12 Side wall 48 RFID tag reader

[0112] 13 Support structure 49 Frame

[0113] 14 Filling opening 50 Underbody paneling

[0114] 15 Filling chamber 51 Recess

[0115] 16 Technical room 52 Safety device

[0116] 17 Container opening 53 Touch sensor

[0117] 18 Bottom side 54 Safety relay

[0118] 19 bumper 55 intersection

[0119] 20 ring ends 56 orbital area

[0120] 21 Wall opening 57 Circular line

[0121] 22 Electrical enclosure 101 Filling floor

[0122] 23 On-board network 103 Collar

[0123] 24 chassis 104 spring

[0124] 25 Vehicle body A axle

[0125] 26 Transport area B Extension in transverse direction or width

[0126] 27 Base plate D diameter or diagonal

[0127] 28 Energy storage E level

[0128] 29 Charging interface F Main direction of travel

[0129] 30 Front side H Extension in vertical direction or height

[0130] 31 On / Off switch L vehicle longitudinal axis

[0131] 32 Drive unit S distance

[0132] 33 Rotation axis Q Vehicle transverse axis

[0133] 34 Rotation axis X Longitudinal direction

[0134] 35 Front section Y transverse direction

[0135] 36 Rear section Z vertical direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Self-propelled vehicle (3) for transporting a receiving container (2; 102; 202) for a fiber ribbon between fiber ribbon supplying and fiber ribbon-fed textile machines over a surface (4), wherein the vehicle (3) comprises a chassis (24) with several running wheels (6, 7, 8, 9), a vehicle body (25) supported by the chassis (24) with a transport surface (26) for the receiving container (2; 102; 202), fastening elements (11.2) for attaching the receiving container (2; 102; 202) to the vehicle body (25) and has an on-board network (23) arranged on the vehicle body (25) with an electrical energy storage device (28), an electric drive unit (32) and a control unit (42), characterized in that the vehicle (3) is dimensioned such that in an assembled state in which the receiving container (2; 102; 202) is in contact with and attached to the transport surface (26) on the vehicle body (25), the receiving container (2) completely covers the chassis (24), the vehicle body (25), the electric drive unit (32) and the electric energy storage device (28).

2. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the transport area (26) defines a support plane (E26) wherein the vehicle (3) outside the transport area (26) has no components that project beyond the support plane (E26).

3. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle (3) terminates at the top with the transport surface (26).

4. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fastening elements (11.2) are arranged on the vehicle body (25) such that the fastening elements (11.2) are covered by the receiving container (2) in the assembled state.

5. Self-propelled vehicle (3) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the vehicle body (25) has a base plate (27) on which the fastening elements (11.2) are arranged, wherein an upper surface of the base plate (27) facing away from the chassis (24) comprises the transport surface (26).

6. Self-propelled vehicle (3) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two of the multiple running wheels (6, 7) are designed as rigid wheels which are aligned in the longitudinal direction (X) of the vehicle (3) and have pivot axes (33, 34) which are fixed with respect to the vehicle body (25), and at least one of the multiple running wheels (8, 9) is designed as a support wheel which is designed to pivot about a pivot axis (A8, A9).

7. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 6, characterized in that the axes of rotation (33, 34) lie on an imaginary straight line to which a yaw axis (A3) of the vehicle (3) is normal.

8. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the drive unit (32) is connected to the two rigid wheels (6, 7) and has an electric motor (38, 39), in particular a wheel hub motor, for each rigid wheel (6, 7).

9. Self-driving vehicle (3) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the on-board network (23) has a reading unit (45) configured to detect guide elements (5) arranged on the ground (4), wherein the reading unit (45) is arranged on a functional section (46) of the vehicle body (25), wherein the functional section (46) is formed in a transverse direction (Y) of the chassis (24) between two running wheels (6, 7) spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction (Y). A self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that the reading unit (45) comprises a magnetic tape reader (47) configured to detect the path of guide elements (5) designed as magnetic tape (5.1), and an RFID tag reader (48) configured to read information from guide elements (5) designed as RFID tags (5.2). A self-driving vehicle (3) according to claim 10, characterized in that the magnetic tape reader (47) is located at a longitudinally (X) forward end of the vehicle body (25) and the RFID tag reader (48) is arranged centrally between the longitudinally (X) forward end and a longitudinally (X) rearward end of the vehicle body (25).A self-driving vehicle (3) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that a charging interface (29) for charging the energy storage device (28) is arranged on the functional section (46), wherein the charging interface (29) is arranged outside the receiving container (2; 102; 202) in the assembled state or projects laterally beyond it. A self-driving vehicle (3) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the at least one support wheel (8, 9) is arranged outside the functional section (46). A self-driving vehicle (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the on-board electrical system (23) is arranged on an underside of the vehicle body (25) facing away from the transport surface (26).Can device (1; 100; 200) with a receiving container (2; 102; 202) for a fiber ribbon and a self-propelled vehicle (3) for transporting the receiving container (2) between fiber ribbon supplying and fiber ribbon-fed textile machines over a surface (4), characterized in that the self-propelled vehicle (3) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 14, and that the receiving container (2; 102; 202) is in contact with and attached to the vehicle body (25) with the transport surface (26) of the vehicle (3), wherein the receiving container (2; 102; 202) completely covers the chassis (24), the vehicle body (25), the electric drive unit (32) and the electric energy storage device (28).Can device (1 ; 100) according to claim 15, characterized in that the receiving container (2; 102) has a recessed support structure (13) which is in contact with the transport surface (26), wherein the support structure (13) divides an interior of the receiving container (2; 102) into an upwardly open filling chamber (15) for receiving the fiber tape and into a downwardly open technical chamber (16) in which the vehicle (3) is inserted. Can device (1 ; 100; 200) according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the receiving container (2; 102; 202) and the vehicle (3) are clamped against each other by means of fastening means (11 ), wherein the fastening means (11 ) are completely covered by the receiving container (2; 202) or vehicle-side fastening elements (111.2) are connected by container-side fastening elements (111.2) formed in a side wall (12) of the receiving container (102) that delimits the filling space (15).1) protrude outwards beyond the receiving container (102).

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