Packaging machine installation with agvs and method for controlling same

Abstract

For a highly flexible packaging machine installation (1), a transport system consisting of remote-controlled, simple and cheap AGVs for transporting the products (P) or rather the primary packages (1V), both between the individual machine modules (MM1, MM2) which can be freely set up in a hall and between the possibly several work stations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1), is used instead of conveying systems, such as conveyor belts or conveyor modules, which are fixedly linked to said machine modules (MM1, MM2). Even elevated travel routes (22) for the AGVs are – in particular consisting of individual modules – easier to set up and change between newly positioned machine modules (MM1, MM2) than conveyor belts or conveyor modules.

Description

[0001] Packaging machine system with AGVs and method for their control

[0002] Description

[0003] I. Area of ​​application

[0004] The invention relates to a packaging machine system and in particular to the transport system within this system for the products or packaging in which the products are to be used.

[0005] II. Technical background

[0006] The purpose of a typical packaging machine today is often to transfer the products delivered from a production machine on a product belt into packaging, such as cartons, with precise positioning, which is done using so-called robot lines.

[0007] Open primary packaging such as bowl-shaped trays - which, for example, are erected upstream, but already within the packaging machine, from flat cardboard blanks and fixed three-dimensionally - run on a container belt, usually parallel to the product belt in the direction of travel through the packaging machine.

[0008] Usually, several transfer robots are arranged one behind the other as handling units, each picking up one or more products from the product conveyor and transferring them into the primary packaging, such as a tray, on the container conveyor. Further downstream, these primary packages are often transferred in one or more layers into secondary packaging, such as open-top cartons, which is also usually done by transfer robots.

[0009] Further downstream, such secondary packaging is often combined into tertiary packaging, for example stacked on pallets, usually also using robots.

[0010] The necessary handling operations are carried out at the individual work stations - e.g. tray separator, cutting separator, carton erector, carton closer, tray filler, carton filler, palletizer - within the packaging line.

[0011] In addition to the aforementioned product belt and / or container belt, i.e. conveyor belts, which usually extend over sections of the entire length of the packaging line, the transport system for this purpose can also comprise rail-bound carriages, whereby these rails - which can be physically or virtually designed as invisible guidance devices - also usually extend along the entire length of the packaging line.

[0012] Although in the latter solution the carriages can be moved independently of one another along the guide rails, such transport systems are still comparatively inflexible, since these carriages cannot, for example, overtake one another, cannot deviate from the guide rails and are also relatively expensive to purchase, so that the number of carriages used is as limited as possible and the carriages therefore do not offer any significant buffering option for, for example, packaging lying on them.

[0013] Such known transport systems are unsuitable, especially when there is a change in the work order, not only in the form of a change in the product to be processed, but also a fundamental change in the processing or handling tasks with regard to the product and / or the packaging process, as they require a complex conversion of the conveyor belts or guide rails or even a new construction within the packaging machine.

[0014] In addition, these transport systems are not suitable for spontaneously ejecting defective products or outer packaging at different points from the packaging machine, unless they were designed this way from the outset.

[0015] In production plants, however, so-called driverless transport systems are known, in which driverless transport vehicles (FTF) transport products such as components or assemblies from a warehouse to a workstation or between the workstations, often outside the secured machine frames of the workstations.

[0016] Such AGVs are usually large and heavy and can carry loads of 50 kg and more. Above all, they are usually autonomous vehicles equipped with numerous sensors, their own on-board control system, and often even with on-board navigation with positioning based on the surroundings via on-board cameras, as well as collision protection systems. This makes them expensive and heavy, even though a higher-level central control system is present.

[0017] Such AGVs usually determine their spatial position automatically using sensors and reference points and transmit this to the central control system, which usually assigns transport orders with starting point and destination as well as start time and destination time, but often leaves the navigation in between to the onboard control system of the AGV, as well as collision prevention.

[0018] However, such upgraded AGVs are unsuitable for use in large numbers for transporting relatively small and lightweight goods, especially within a packaging machine and / or between individual workstations, for economic reasons alone. III. Description of the Invention a) Technical Problem

[0019] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a packaging machine system with a highly flexible transport system using driverless, non-rail-bound transport vehicles. The AGVs are so small, lightweight, and simple, and thus so cost-effective to manufacture, that they can be used in large numbers instead of the known rail-bound transport systems for the transport of products or outer packaging, at least within the packaging machine. The object also consists in providing a suitable operating method for such a packaging machine and its transport system. b) Solution to the problem

[0020] This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 12. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0021] The statements made below with regard to the packaging machine system also apply mutatis mutandis to the procedure for operating this system and vice versa.

[0022] A generic machine system for filling primary packaging with products or filling secondary packaging with already filled primary packaging comprises at least one, usually several, machine modules, as well as a transport system for transporting at least one transport item, such as a product or packaging, either between the individual machine modules or between the individual workstations, several of which can be located within a machine module. Such a workstation has at least one movable handling unit with a tool with which a product or packaging can be handled or processed.

[0023] For the purposes of the present invention, these handling units are referred to as robots, without limiting the type of handling unit to such an industrial robot.

[0024] The individual machine modules are usually closed on their outside during operation, for example by safety doors, which shut down the workstations located therein as soon as such a safety door is opened, as there is then a risk of a person entering or reaching in and being injured by moving parts of the workstation.

[0025] With regard to the transport system, it is essential that it comprises a large number of remote-controlled, driverless transport vehicles for transporting goods, whereby the driverless transport vehicles - hereinafter referred to as AGVs - can be controlled independently of one another, i.e. they can travel on an approximately horizontal driving surface in any direction and at any time, and can also overtake one another, whereby collisions between the AGVs should of course be avoided.

[0026] The present invention also includes transport systems with FTFs that are hovering or flying instead of movable ones, which is to be subsumed under the term “driving” or “movable”.

[0027] The AGVs are controlled by a central control unit located away from these vehicles, which has a wireless signal connection with the AGVs.

[0028] In order for the central control system to be able to determine the position as well as the rotational position of the AGVs as viewed from above - collectively referred to as the spatial position - at any time, the transport system includes position detectors, usually cameras, which are connected to the central control system and are usually attached to high points of the packaging machine system, and with which the spatial position of the individual AGVs can be determined by the central control system and is thus known to the central control system.

[0029] When the AGV is loaded, the spatial position of the goods being transported, such as a box, which is the decisive factor, and / or the spatial position of the carrying AGV is determined.

[0030] Theoretically, the spatial positions can be determined using a single position detector located centrally above the packaging machine system. However, due to visual obstructions caused by temporary or permanent obstacles, several position detectors are usually used and their results are offset against each other, for example using triangulation methods, in order to be able to determine the position of each AGV and its transported goods at any time.

[0031] According to the invention, the central control is designed in such a way that it is able not only to control the AGVs by transmitting travel commands to them, but also, with knowledge of the spatial positions of the AGVs and the goods carried by them, to control the movements of the handling units, usually robots, in the workstations of the machine modules in a corresponding temporal allocation, i.e. synchronously, for example when an AGV loaded with an empty carton has approached a workstation in the form of a carton filler to fill it with products or primary packaging.

[0032] To control other moving parts of the packaging machine system, such as an entry lock into a machine module for AGVs, the central control system must also know their spatial positions at all times.

[0033] Preferably, the position of the AGVs is determined at very short time intervals, usually less than 1 second, frequently less than 1 / 10 second, which is sufficient at a maximum travel speed of the AGVs of about 1.5 m / s or about 6 m / s to control the entire system without collisions between the AGVs.

[0034] It is obvious that such a packaging machine system, hereinafter referred to as system for short, can be used very flexibly, since the AGVs can approach different machine modules and different work stations within them in any order depending on the work order - because some machine modules contain several work stations such as carton erectors and carton fixators - and can therefore process different work orders.

[0035] As a rule, the driving surface for the AGVs is the floor of the corresponding hall, but driving surfaces higher than the floor are also possible, for example driving surfaces running one above the other on several floors, which, however, increases the construction effort and costs.

[0036] In order for a system with such a transport system to be economically feasible, the costs of the individual AGVs must be kept very low, since AGVs are usually required in large numbers if they are to replace conveyor belts and track-bound vehicles.

[0037] For this purpose, the AGVs are designed to be low-cost and therefore inexpensive.

[0038] They may contain an on-board control system, but a navigation system that can determine the current spatial position of the individual AGV and automatically create the route to a specified destination and a corresponding route command including local and time specifications for the AGV is only available on the central control side, i.e. as a component of the central control system, and not on the individual AGV.

[0039] The on-board control of the AGV, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that it can only control the drive accordingly on the basis of such a route command received from the central control, so that the route specified by the route command is followed in accordance with the route command in terms of time and location.

[0040] It is irrelevant whether the travel path command sent from the central control to the AGV already directly contains the control commands for the individual motors of the travel drive or only the travel path, and the onboard control automatically creates the control commands of the travel drive.

[0041] With regard to the method for operating a packaging machine system and in particular a transport system with central control and driverless, remote-controlled transport vehicles that can be moved freely and independently of one another in all directions for transporting a transport item between individual machine modules or between individual workstations within a machine module, in which the central control comprises position detectors for determining the current spatial position of the individual AGVs, in particular a packaging machine system according to one of the preceding claims, the procedure is such that the spatial positions and in particular also the current movements with regard to direction and speed and / or acceleration of the AGVs and in particular of the transport item lying thereon are monitored centrally and in real time by the central control and the handling units, in particular robots, are synchronized with,i.e. in time coordination, the spatial positions and especially movements of the AGVs are centrally controlled, especially by the central control.

[0042] To control the AGVs, each AGV receives route commands from the central control system, preferably for the entire route from the AGV's current position to the destination specified by the central control system. The route command can directly contain drive commands for the drive system, particularly for each individual drive motor of the AGV. Alternatively or additionally, the drive commands for the drive system can each contain a time-dependent energy supply profile, particularly from the start time, which determines not only the route but also the speed and acceleration of the AGV traveling along this route.

[0043] In order to keep the AGVs reliably on their specified route in terms of time and location, the central control system carries out a target-actual comparison of the spatial position of the AGV at short intervals. If the actual spatial position deviates from the target spatial position, which is on the target route, the central control system sends a corrective travel command to the AGV. With the help of this command, the AGV does not necessarily travel to its current target spatial position, but does travel to the target route, possibly to a point on the target route that is already downstream of the current target spatial position in the direction of the destination.

[0044] If the situation within the system changes, for example due to the movement of non-stationary obstacles such as other AGVs, the central control system can send corrected route commands to the AGV at any time for the remainder of the route not yet covered.

[0045] Of course, disruptions can occur during operation of the transport system:

[0046] If the position sensors, usually cameras, fail, either due to a technical defect or partial shading, the central control system can no longer or temporarily no longer determine the spatial positions of all AGVs.

[0047] In this case, the actual spatial position of the AGV is determined by the on-board control system based on the control commands issued to the drive system by the central control system since the last target / actual spatial position comparison. These commands, when added to the last actual spatial position determined by the central control system, result in the current actual position of the AGV, assuming no distorting factors such as slip of the drive wheels relative to the ground, etc. occur. Instead of the control commands issued to the drive system during this period, the wheel movements of the drive system performed during this period and recorded by the on-board control system can also be used directly, which at least excludes distorting influences between the motor and the wheel.

[0048] If, however, the wireless signal connection between the central control and one or more AGVs fails, and the AGV knows the specified destination but is missing some or all of the necessary route commands to reach the destination from the location at the beginning of the signal connection failure, the onboard control will attempt to reach the destination at least on the straight path or a more precisely known, non-straight path specified by the central control between the current spatial position of the AGV and issue corresponding control commands to the drive.

[0049] Preferably, the on-board control system can comprise an acceleration sensor, also called an inertia sensor, which determines the acceleration in terms of magnitude and direction at least in all directions of the driving surface of the AGV - in the case of a driving surface with several floors, also in the vertical direction - and this can also be stored by the on-board control system.

[0050] If the position sensors fail and thus the central control system is unable to carry out a target-actual comparison and determine the current actual spatial position of an AGV, the on-board control system can determine the current actual position of the AGV very precisely based on the actual spatial position determined during the last target-actual comparison using the acceleration profile recorded since then.

[0051] Furthermore, if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV fails and the destination is known, but the central control lacks complete route commands, the specified route or, alternatively, the straight route from the current actual spatial position of the AGV to the destination can be covered in a controlled manner by the on-board control system issuing corresponding control commands to the drive, but on the way to the destination the actual position of the AGV is determined on the basis of the recorded acceleration profile since the last target-actual comparison, i.e. the last determination of the actual spatial position of the AGV by the central control system, and in the event of a deviation, the AGV is directed to the planned route, in particular the straight route to the destination, by means of corresponding route commands.

[0052] The central controller does not necessarily have to communicate the AGV's destination—for example, a specific position, such as a waiting position within a machine module—to the AGV upfront. Instead, it can divide the planned route into route sections and provide the AGV with route commands only for the next or some of the next route sections. This is based on the consideration that route sections located very far ahead cannot yet be meaningfully planned at the start of the entire route, as the situation in the system may have changed significantly by then.

[0053] For this purpose or in addition, the entire possible driving area for the AGVs can be divided virtually into sectors, in particular by the central control system, for example in a grid-like manner by sectors arranged in columns and rows, which are then usually rectangular, and the driving route commands for the AGVs can be defined sector by sector and transmitted to the AGVs, for example only for one or a few sectors to be traveled through in advance.

[0054] In particular, the transfer of an AGV from one sector to the next can be determined both in terms of location and time and controlled by the central control system using a target-actual comparison.

[0055] Such a division of the driving area into individual sectors facilitates collision avoidance by the central control system. Preferably, the central control system determines the AGV's spatial position as accurately as possible as soon as possible, especially immediately before or during loading. This is preferably not done using position sensors in the form of cameras, but rather, for example, using special positioning devices at the loading point in a workstation. These devices can operate more precisely than the position sensors, which can usually only determine the position of the AGV with an accuracy of + / - 5 cm or the rotational position of the AGV with an accuracy of + / - 3°.

[0056] Preferably, the spatial position of the load on the AGV is also determined immediately after loading, preferably before the AGV has moved between the position determination before and the spatial position determination of the load after loading, so that the spatial position difference between the transported goods and the AGV can be determined by the central control system, for example the offset viewed from above between the center - be it the geometric center or the center of gravity - of the load and the center of the AGV, in particular its storage area.

[0057] This spatial position difference can be used later if, for example, the loaded AGV has to approach an unloading station very precisely, but the exact positioning is only possible with the help of a positioning device at the unloading point, to which the AGV, but not its transported goods, responds, because then this positioning difference must also be taken into account in order to bring the transported goods into the desired actual position there.

[0058] For the described procedure, the system, especially the transport system, must be technically equipped accordingly:

[0059] As mentioned above, the central control and / or the on-board control should therefore be designed to detect the actual position of an AGV using position sensors and, in the event of a deviation from the target position—which should lie on the target travel path—to send a corrective travel command to the AGV as a target-actual comparison. This command allows the AGV to travel to the target travel path. The AGV does not necessarily have to travel directly to the target position that matches the determined actual position; it can be more efficient and save travel to instead travel to a position further away from the target path.

[0060] The central control and / or the on-board control should also be designed in such a way that if the position sensors of the central control fail, the on-board control is able to determine the current actual position of the AGV based on the spatial position of the AGV since the last target / actual comparison by the central control based on the control commands issued by it, the on-board control, to the drive system or the actual wheel movements of the drive system - if these were recorded.

[0061] If the spatial position at the time of the last target / actual comparison is known, the presumed current position of the AGV can be determined from there by adding the actual wheel movements that have taken place or the corresponding control commands to the drive system, whereby, of course, disturbing effects such as slip between the wheels and the ground, etc., are not taken into account in this calculation.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, if the AGV is equipped with an acceleration sensor, the on-board control system can determine the current actual position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with this acceleration sensor.

[0063] The acceleration profile refers to the accelerations that occurred during this period. These must be recorded in terms of magnitude and direction. This allows us to calculate the speed and direction at which the AGV traveled during which periods, which, when added together, yields the distance traveled. Thus, zero acceleration over a certain period means that the vehicle traveled at a constant speed during this period, consistently at the same speed and in the same direction as at the beginning of the period when the acceleration was zero.The central control and / or the on-board control should also be designed in such a way that if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further travel commands to the destination are not complete, the on-board control is able to calculate at least the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and to issue corresponding control commands to the travel drive.

[0064] On the way to the destination, the on-board control system can additionally check the current position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile recorded with an acceleration sensor since the last target / actual comparison. This has the advantage that the calculation based on the acceleration profile reflects the actual movement of the AGV, so slip between the wheels and the ground, for example, is already taken into account.

[0065] In addition to the remote-controlled electric drive, the AGVs should be equipped with an energy storage device and communication means for wireless data connection to the central control system. Supercups, i.e., high-capacity electrical capacitors, are preferred as energy storage devices because they can be recharged in just a few seconds. Additionally, a conventional battery should be kept constantly charged and dimensioned so that its energy content can be used to drive the AGV from any point in the facility to the nearest accessible charging station in the event that the supercups are empty or malfunctioning.

[0066] In terms of sensors, AGVs should have at most one such environmental sensor, especially a camera, for detecting the environment. Its image analysis unit is capable of recognizing a given environmental pattern, such as a barcode or QR code, but not unknown environmental features. Since cameras are now very inexpensive, but the image analysis units can cost several thousand euros if they are required to be capable of analyzing images of unknown environmental patterns, this leads to a drastic reduction in the overall cost of the AGV. The drive system typically includes electric motors.

[0067] The energy supply of the AGVs, both for these electric motors and the other existing electrical equipment such as an electrical or electronic control system or the communication equipment, is preferably carried out by means of electrical so-called super caps, i.e. high-performance capacitors that can be charged within a few seconds. For this purpose, recharging devices are sometimes provided at the waiting positions, i.e. starting positions for the AGVs at the work stations, be they contact or contactless, in particular inductive, recharging devices, so that when an AGV remains at a work station, its super cups are automatically recharged.

[0068] As an emergency power supply, an AGV can also have an emergency battery, which, however, only needs to have a small capacity and thus low weight, and only needs to be sufficient to drive the AGV to the next recharging device when the Super Cups are empty.

[0069] Furthermore, the machine modules, in particular their workstations, should have a preferably at least partially lockable safety lock for the entry of an AGV, which is only opened for the entry of the AGV, otherwise is closed to such an extent that it is not possible for a person to reach into the workstation.

[0070] Preferably, a target marking that can be scanned by the AGV should be present in the entry and / or exit area of ​​the machine modules and / or their workstations. The AGV should have a target sensor, for example a camera, to detect the target marking and, in particular, to determine the AGV's own position relative to the target marking and to report it to the central control system, in particular by locating the target sensor on the underside of the AGV. A camera provided for this purpose can comprise only an image evaluation unit that can detect only a predefined type of target marking, for example a QR code, instead of a complex image evaluation unit. This makes the image evaluation unit much simpler and more cost-effective.

[0071] In particular, each TF can also have such a target marking for scanning by the position sensors of the central control, which facilitates position determination.

[0072] The position detectors of the central control system are located within the system, but preferably outside the machine modules, but can also detect either inside the machine modules or there are additional position detectors located permanently in the machine module.

[0073] Such target markings can also be present at the approach positions, in particular waiting positions for the AGVs at the individual workstations, and can facilitate the exact positioning of the AGV to the workstation, in particular by the central control, using a corresponding target sensor on the AGV side.

[0074] Preferably, the image analysis of the cameras used as position sensors to determine the position of the AGVs as well as to determine the position of - temporary or permanent - obstacles is carried out by the central control using artificial intelligence.

[0075] The driving surfaces for AGVs can be arranged on several floors above each other, whereby the lowest floor can still be the floor of the corresponding hall.

[0076] For moving from one floor to another, a controlled lifting device, such as an elevator, is preferably available, the use of which is planned in terms of location and time in the travel route commands from the central control system. The travel surfaces, especially on the upper floors, are then physically formed tracks consisting of individual, combinable, especially elevated track modules, which can be easily assembled.

[0077] The driving surfaces for the AGVs can also be moving driving surfaces, for example conveyor belts, onto which the AGVs drive and can therefore be moved very quickly over long distances, especially if these moving driving surfaces are sealed off from the surroundings so that people moving around the hall cannot come into contact with an AGV standing on the moving driving surface or an additional AGV moving along it.

[0078] Along the routes for the AGVs, there may be guard rails or rails for the AGVs on one or both sides or on the ground, along which they travel, particularly in contact, in order to facilitate the control of the AGVs along straight, long paths.

[0079] Along the travel paths for the AGVs, there can be driven carriers for the AGVs on the system side, which take the AGVs along a predetermined path, for example by pushing them in front of them, for example in order to save the battery of the AGVs in the case of tall people or to be able to have many AGVs travel one after the other at very short intervals.

[0080] Preferably, the driving areas for AGVs are at least visually separated from the walking areas for people, and in particular also physically separated.

[0081] The drive system of an AGV is preferably designed so that the AGV can turn on the spot and move from a standstill in any direction. So-called all-direction wheels are available for this purpose, which are then preferably installed on an AGV with intersecting axles. Individual AGVs can also be equipped for special tasks:

[0082] Thus, an AGV can have its own handling unit, in particular a robot, for example to be able to load or unload itself, whereby such a robot preferably also receives its movement commands in terms of time and location from the central control system.

[0083] An AGV can also have its own cleaning unit, in particular a suction unit or a brush unit, in order to clean the driving surfaces, whereby such a cleaning unit also receives its movement commands preferably from the central control.

[0084] As a rule, the top of an AGV is used as a storage area for goods to be transported.

[0085] In addition or instead, an AGV can also have a trailer coupling for coupling a trailer or another AGV, in particular automatically, and the top of the trailer can be used as a storage area for transported goods, either as the only storage area or in addition to the AGV.

[0086] Two coupled AGVs can be moved synchronously together to pick up large transport goods.

[0087] A special method for operating such a system involves converting the packaging machine system.

[0088] In contrast to today's workstations, which are linked together via permanently installed conveyor systems, a system according to the invention can have machine modules with their own base frames and safety barriers on the outer circumference for specific work tasks of the one or more workstations contained therein, which are transportable, for example can be easily moved within a hall using a forklift truck and only need to be supplied with the necessary media such as electricity or compressed air - for example from the hall ceiling.

[0089] Even fundamental changes to a work order can then be implemented, for which the desired new work order is entered into the central control system.

[0090] The transportable machine modules - these can be the same machine modules that were previously present in the hall, or newly required machine modules can be added or others removed from the hall - are then set up in the hall, whereby their optimal position, for example in terms of short travel distances for the AGVs, is preferably determined beforehand by the central control system.

[0091] The machine modules only need to be positioned roughly in the hall, in the decimeter or centimeter range, since their exact spatial position is then determined using position sensors in the central control system - in particular, the same position sensors that are used to determine the actual position of the AGVs.

[0092] As soon as these spatial positions are known, the central control system can first determine the actual spatial position of each AGV for the corresponding order and then create the route commands and issue them to the AGV. Preferably, the central control system also automatically determines the number of AGVs required to carry out the work order and releases and activates them.

[0093] If the travel surfaces consist of physical tracks, and these are particularly composed of track modules, the central control system can also determine the positions for the machine modules in such a way that, in particular, the distances between them can be filled exactly by an integer multiple of the length of such track modules. c) Examples of implementation

[0094] Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. They show:

[0095] Figure 1 a: a packaging machine plant in a hall in plan view,

[0096] Figure 1 b: the system of Figure 1 a in a side view from the left,

[0097] Figure 2a, b: two different secondary packagings in side view, cut open, with different primary packagings inside,

[0098] Figure 3a, b: one of the driverless transport vehicles in side view, individually and with a trailer coupled to it,

[0099] Figure 4a: the team according to Figure 3a in top view,

[0100] Figure 4b: two connected AGVs,

[0101] Figures 1 a, b show a packaging machine system 1 which is arranged in a hall 20 and comprises a plurality of machine modules MM1 to MM6 which are distributed throughout the hall 20 and are each surrounded by a safety enclosure 2 with safety doors 2a arranged therein so that people cannot come into contact with the work stations AS1, AS2 arranged therein during operation. If a protective door 2a is opened, the work stations AS1, AS2 located therein are immediately shut down. The purpose of the system 1 is to fill different secondary packaging 2V with primary packaging 1V, which in turn is first filled with different products P1, P2, as well as to close these secondary packaging 2V and transfer them to one of the two discharge conveyors 23.1, 23.2, which transport them away, if necessary out of the hall 20.

[0102] The two different secondary packaging 2V.1, 2V.2 to be handled in this case are transported back and forth within hall 20 between the individual machine modules MM1 to MM6 by driverless transport vehicles - AGVs for short - which are remotely controlled by a central control 1* and can be moved independently of one another on the hall floor, whereby in this case the top of the AGV serves as a storage area 13 on which the transported goods, in this case the secondary packaging, are placed for transport.

[0103] In this case, the two different products P1, P2 are transported - preferably from outside hall 20 - on two different, parallel product belts 51.1, 51.2 and are each picked up by a so-called picker line or robot line 50.1, 50.2, each comprising several transfer robots 53, so-called pickers, one after the other in the running direction of the product belt 51.1, 51.2, and transferred into primary packaging 1V.1 to 1V.4.

[0104] For this purpose, serial F5 robots 53 with upper arm and lower arm are shown, the arm parts of which can be pivoted relative to each other about vertical axes and in which, in addition, as the 4th and 5th degree of freedom, the vertical strut at the free end of the lower arm can be both displaced in height and rotated in a controlled manner about the vertical axis.

[0105] On both sides of each of the two product belts 51.1, 51.2 there is a packaging belt 52.1, 52.2 or 52.3, 52.4, on which - in this case running in the same direction as the product belt - the top-open, tray-shaped primary packaging 1V.1 to 1V.4 run next to the product belt, so that at the end they are completely filled with products from the adjacent product belt.

[0106] In both picking lines 50.1, 50.2, trays, i.e. primary packaging 1V.1, 1V.3, are brought in on one side, each of which can hold four products arranged in a rectangle, and on the other side, trays 1V.2, 1V.4, each of which can hold six products in two rows of three.

[0107] The aim is to place several such filled primary packagings 1V.1, 1V.2 in several levels one above the other in appropriately dimensioned secondary packagings 2V.1 or 2V.2, as shown in Figures 2a, 2b, until the secondary packaging is completely filled.

[0108] Figure 2a shows that in the carton 2V.2, as secondary packaging in the filled state, three layers of filled tray-shaped primary packaging 1V.1, 1V.3, 1V.1 are to be arranged one above the other, i.e. the middle layer is filled with products P1, the bottom and top layers are filled with products P2.

[0109] According to Figure 2b, the cartons 2V.1 should contain four layers of tray-shaped primary packaging stacked on top of each other as secondary packaging. The bottom three of these should each contain one of the six products, 1V.2, 1V.4, and 1V.2, and the top, fourth layer should contain a primary packaging 1V.3 with only four products on it. Here, too, the products should alternate from layer to layer, starting with product P1 in the bottom layer.

[0110] For this purpose, an AGV, for example, vehicle F3, first travels to the machine module MM6, which contains only a single workstation AS6. A robot R6 removes the topmost cardboard blank from a stack of flat cardboard blanks and pushes it through a die 55, thereby erecting it into a top-open carton as secondary packaging 2V.1, with its walls also being glued together. The erected carton 2V.1, with space for four products arranged in a square, is then transferred to the vehicle F3, which is waiting in the machine module MM6, preferably under the die 55, or in front of a lock of its housing 2. This can be performed by the same robot R6, by another robot within the machine module MM6, or by another handling device such as a conveyor belt or chute.

[0111] The vehicle F3 travels with the mounted, still empty secondary packaging 2V.1 - which can be held on it, for example, by means of suction cups - to the primary packaging outlet, in the future referred to as PV outlet, 54.3 of the right-hand picking line 51.2 and there receives the tray-shaped primary packaging 1V.3 filled with products P2 from a robot 56 (shown only in Figure 1 b).

[0112] As such a robot 56 - which is present at the end of each of the two picking lines 50.1, 50.2 - a serial F2 robot with upper arm and lower arm is shown, in which the two parts are pivoted relative to each other and to the robot base about horizontal pivot axes and have only 2 degrees of freedom - horizontally transverse to the pivot axis and vertically.

[0113] Subsequently, this vehicle, e.g. F3, moves to the PV outlet 54.1 , and receives there the next tray 1 V.1 , but filled with products P1 , inserted, and back again at the outlet 54.3 again a tray 1 V.3 filled with the product P2.

[0114] With the secondary packaging 2V.1 now completely filled as shown in Figure 2a, the vehicle F3 drives through a lock 17 into the machine module MM3, in which a work station AS3 is located, which consists of a robot R3, which picks up a separate cardboard lid 2V.1 D and places it on the filled secondary packaging 2V.1 and closes it, while this secondary packaging is on the vehicle F3.Accordingly, the vehicle F3 must be positioned very precisely in MM 3 for this purpose, for which purpose, as shown in Figure 1 b, a target marking 16, for example in the form of a QR code 16, is applied at a defined position on the floor inside the machine module MM 3 - if this has a floor plate, on the top side of the floor plate or, if the frame of the machine module MM3 ends at the bottom with freely extending columns, on the floor of hall 20 - which the AGV camera FTF-K, which is directed towards the floor and is located on the underside of the vehicle F3, can recognize and the onboard control of the vehicle F3 can automatically position exactly above it and in the correct rotational position around the vertical axis and is thus in the exactly correct position for placing the lid 2V.1 D, at least provided that the filled secondary packaging 2V. 1 is in the intended target position on the vehicle F3.

[0115] This, in turn, can be verified by a camera K located above this vehicle position and mounted on a high-flying camera in the machine module MM3. In the event of a deviation, the central control 1* can initiate a corrective movement of the vehicle F3.

[0116] If there is no target marking in the AS3 workstation, the exact positioning of the secondary packaging is carried out exclusively via the high-mounted camera, which is preferably mounted on the frame of the MM 3 machine module.

[0117] Such target markings on the floor are preferably present in or at each of the waiting positions where AGVs wait to handle their load.

[0118] Furthermore, such a target marking 16 can also be present on the, in particular each, machine module, preferably on the top of its frame, whereby the exact position of each of the machine modules in the hall 20 can be determined by means of the cameras of the central control 1 * located above, preferably on the hall ceiling, which can happen automatically, for example, after a conversion of the machine modules to a new packaging machine system.

[0119] The machine modules can be easily moved, for example, using a forklift truck -

[0120] - after loosening their supply lines, which usually extend down from the hall ceiling - for which, for example, transport eyelets 24 are provided on the upper side of the frame of each machine module, so that the floor of the frame - if present at all - can be extremely thin, so that driving an AGV onto the floor of a machine module is possible without any problem.

[0121] However, the frame of a machine module can also end with support columns that extend freely downwards and stand on the hall floor, so that this also forms the driving surface for the AGVs within the machine module.

[0122] Figure 1 b also shows that in the work station AS3 a recharging module 14 is present at such a location that when the vehicle is correctly positioned for placing the cover via the recharging contacts 14* of the AGV, its energy storage device 6 is recharged by the recharging contacts 14* being in contact with the recharging module 14 in particular.

[0123] This can also be present at or in each work station.

[0124] Vehicle F3 then travels with the filled and sealed carton 2V.1 on it to the discharge conveyor 23.1, where the carton 2V.1 is transferred as secondary packaging by any handling device—which can also be part of vehicle F3—to the discharge conveyor 23.1, which then transports it further, for example, to an adjacent hall where the filled and sealed secondary packaging is palletized or combined into other larger containers. Naturally, not just one vehicle F3 is traveling as an AGV on the route described above, but many, at least as many as there are machine modules on the described route.

[0125] Figure 1 a also shows the analogous development of the secondary packaging 2V.2, which is completely filled with primary packaging 1V.2 and 1V.4 as well as 1V.3, which is set up analogously in the machine module MM 5 to form a carton 2V.2 which is open at the top and is handed over to one of the vehicles, e.g. F4, which

[0126] - then takes over three primary packagings 1V.2, 1V.4 and again 1V.2 at the PV outlets 54.2 and 54.4 alternately one after the other, then moves to the PV outlet 54.3 to take over a filled primary packaging 1V.3, from there moves into the machine module MM4 with the completely filled secondary packaging 2V.2, in whose work station AS4 the lid already present in one piece on the open carton 2V.2 is closed by means of a handling unit not shown, again while this secondary packaging 2V.2 is on the vehicle, e.g. F4,- and

[0127] - after closing the secondary packaging, the vehicle F4 either travels to a discharge conveyor 23.2 analogous to the discharge conveyor 23.1 and its load is transferred to this or leaves the hall 20 through a lock 17 in the wall and travels on - in particular a physically designed route 22, which can be closed like a tunnel, for example, as shown in Figure 1 b in addition to Figure 1 a - to an adjacent hall for the purpose of palletizing the filled boxes 2V.2.

[0128] In Figure 1b, the tunnel-like guideway 22 is located at a height above head height, namely just below the height of the hall ceiling. The AGVs traveling on the floor of the hall can be raised from the floor of the hall 20 to the height of the elevated guideway 22 by means of a lift 25, also shown in Figure 1b, which is also controlled by the central control system 1* in synchronization with the movements of the AGVs.

[0129] In this way, AGVs can travel between different halls 20 without disturbing the traffic of pedestrians and low vehicles between the halls.

[0130] To overcome longer distances, these travel paths 22 may not only contain stationary travel surfaces for the AGVs, but also conveyor belts on which the AGVs are either transported stationary or additionally travel on them in the desired transport direction.

[0131] Figures 3a, b and 4a, b show AGVs in side view and in top view of their storage area 13.

[0132] As can be seen, such an AGV in this case has the shape of a non-regular hexagon when viewed from above, on the circumferential direction of which each second, the three shorter, sides is fitted with a wheel 15, the three axes of rotation of which preferably intersect when viewed from above.

[0133] Each wheel 15 is designed as a so-called all-direction wheel 15, in whose circumferential surface spherical, barrel-shaped rollers with barrel rotation axes running tangentially to the wheel 15 are mounted, whereby such an all-direction wheel 15 can travel in all directions without any significant slippage.

[0134] Symbolically represented, such an AGV comprises under its preferably flat upper side as a storage surface 13, which preferably also has no raised edge, so that transport goods can also be placed thereon, which, viewed from above, protrude beyond the storage surface 13, a drive 4 with each wheel 15 its own separately controllable drive motor 4M1 -4M3,

[0135] - an energy storage device 6 for the AGV in the form of a supercup 6a and an electric battery 6b as an emergency battery, - an acceleration sensor 5, which measures the acceleration including its duration of the AGV,

[0136] - means of communication 7, in particular a radio antenna and a radio transmitter,

[0137] - two trailer couplings 8 next to each other in one of the outer sides of the AGV viewed from above,

[0138] - at least one recharging contact 14* for contacting a charging station 14 of the system, in particular at one of the waiting positions W1, W2 for FTFs in or on one of the machine modules.

[0139] - one or more AGV cameras FTF-K, which, however, are only designed to recognize predefined environmental patterns such as a QR code with regard to their image evaluation unit.

[0140] Such an AGV camera FTF-K can be directed towards the ground in order to be able to recognise a target marking, e.g. a QR code, applied there for the exact positioning of the AGV or can also be viewed horizontally from the AGV in order to be able to recognise and approach a target marking attached to a component of the environment, e.g. a workstation, for the purpose of exact positioning of the AGV.

[0141] Figures 3a and 4a show in side view and top view that the AGV can automatically couple and move a trailer 9 by means of its one or preferably both trailer couplings 8, on which, for example, a secondary packaging 2V.5 can be stored.

[0142] Thus, the trailer coupling 8 of the AGV can be lowered and positively connected by lifting a counter element of the trailer 9 from below, thereby lifting this side of the trailer 9 and corresponding adjustable feet under the trailer 9 off the ground, whereupon the trailer 9 can be easily moved by the AGV using the wheels arranged at the end facing away from the coupling. Figure 4b further shows that - particularly using the same trailer coupling - two AGVs can also be connected to one another to form a rigid unit, whereby larger and heavier loads can be transported by such a combination of two AGVs, for which the two coupled AGVs can be controlled synchronously by the central control 1 *.

[0143] LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0144] 1 packaging machine plant, plant

[0145] 1* Central control

[0146] 2 Safety enclosure

[0147] 2a Security door

[0148] 3 Navigation system

[0149] 4 Drive

[0150] 4M1.4M2 engine

[0151] 5 Accelerometer

[0152] 6 energy storage

[0153] 6a Supercup, electrical capacitor

[0154] 6b electric battery

[0155] 7 Means of communication, transmitter / receiver

[0156] 8 Trailer coupling

[0157] 9 followers

[0158] 10 vertical

[0159] 11 1 . horizontal direction

[0160] 12 2. horizontal direction

[0161] 13 storage space

[0162] 14 Reloading device

[0163] 15 All-Direction Wheel

[0164] 16 Target marking

[0165] 17 Lock

[0166] 18 permanent obstacle 19 temporary obstacle

[0167] 20 Hall

[0168] 21 Positioning device

[0169] 22 physical route

[0170] 22.1 , 22.2 Track module

[0171] 23.1 ,23.2 Discharge conveyor

[0172] 24 Transport eyelet

[0173] 25 lifts

[0174] 26

[0175] 50.1 ,50.2 Picker Street, Robot Street

[0176] 51.1 ,51.2 Product band

[0177] 52.1 -.4 Packaging tape

[0178] 53 robots, pickers

[0179] 54.1 - .4 Primary packaging outlet, PV outlet

[0180] 55 matrix

[0181] 56 robots

[0182] AS1, AS2 workstation

[0183] Delta difference

[0184] FF driving surface area, driving surface

[0185] FF1 , FF2 driving surface sector, sector

[0186] F1, F2 vehicle, AGV

[0187] FTF-C FTF onboard control

[0188] FTF-K FTF environmental sensor, FTF camera

[0189] FTF-R AGV handling unit, AGV robot

[0190] FTF-S FTF cleaning unit, FTF vacuum cleaner h Mounting height camera, height

[0191] H Maximum height module

[0192] K Position detector, camera

[0193] MM1, MM2 machine module

[0194] P, P1 , P2 product

[0195] R1 , R2 handling unit, robot QR predefined environment pattern, QR code

[0196] 1V, 1 V.1 , 1V.2 Primary packaging, tray

[0197] 2V, 2V.1 , 2V.2 secondary packaging, carton

[0198] W1, W2 waiting position

Claims

Claims 1. Packaging machine system (1), in particular for filling secondary packaging (2V), in particular cartons (2V), with already primary packaged products (P), with one or more machine modules (MM1), the outer sides of which are closed in particular by safety doors (2), at least one workstation (AS1, AS2) within a machine module with at least one movable handling unit (R1), in particular a robot (R1), with a tool for handling or processing products (P) or packaging (1V, 2V), a transport system with freely and independently remotely controlled, driverless transport vehicles (FTF1, FTF2) for transporting at least one transport item, such as a product (P) or packaging (2V), between the individual workstations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1) and / or between the machine modules (MM1, MM2),a central control unit (1*) arranged away from the AGVs for controlling the AGVs with a wireless signal connection to the AGVs, position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), for determining the current position of the individual AGVs, in particular of the transported goods (P, 2V) located thereon, within the system (1), characterized in that the central control unit (1*) is designed in such a way that it is able to control the movements of the handling units (R1, R2) in a coordinated manner with knowledge of the spatial positions, i.e. the positions and / or rotational positions, of the AGVs, in particular the spatial positions of their load.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the central control (1*) is designed in such a way that it, and in particular only it, comprises a navigation system (3) which can determine the position of the AGVs by means of the position detectors (K) and from this can generate a can determine the route to a destination and send a corresponding route command, in particular including location and time specifications, to the relevant AGV, - an on-board control (FTF*) of the FTF is designed in such a way that, on the basis of the travel path command, it can only control the travel drive (4) in such a way that the specified travel path is traveled in accordance with the travel path command.

3. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central control and the on-board control are designed in such a way that they are capable - to detect the actual position of an AGV by means of the position sensors as a target-actual comparison and, in the event of a deviation from the target position, in particular on the target travel path, to send a corrective travel command to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and / or in the event of failure of the position detectors (K) of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the travel drive (4) since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the travel drive and / or - in the event of a signal connection failure between the central control system and the AGV and the known destination, but no further travel commands are available, the on-board control system is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and to send the corresponding control commands to the travel drive (4).

4. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central control and the on-board control are designed in such a way that they are capable - in case of failure of the position detectors (K) of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position (FTF-Ist) of the FTF based on the acceleration profile of the FTF recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and / or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but no further travel commands are received, the on-board control is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination, to send corresponding control commands to the drive and to check the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination using the acceleration profile recorded with an acceleration sensor (5) since the last target / actual comparison.

5. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the AGVs have a controllable drive, an energy storage device (6) and communication means (7) for the wireless data connection with the central control system, - the AGVs have at most one environmental sensor (FTF-K), in particular a camera (FTF-K), for detecting the environment, the image evaluation unit of which is at most capable of detecting a given environmental pattern (QR), such as a barcode or QR code (QR), but not unknown environmental features.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy storage device comprises super-caps (6a) and an emergency battery (6b), which are dimensioned so that the AGV can reach the next recharging station from any position within the system.

7. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the AGVs have an automatically functioning and / or controllable trailer coupling (8) for automatically coupling or uncoupling a trailer (9) and / or another AGV.

8. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), of the central control within the system (1), preferably outside the machine modules (MM1, MM2) and - in particular are also present within the machine modules (MM1, MM2), in particular at a height (h) above the maximum height (H) of the machine modules (MM1, MM2).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper side of the AGV or the trailer (9) serves as a storage surface (13) for the transported goods, in particular the movable part of the handling unit, in particular the robot arm, is mostly located at a height above the storage surface (13).

10. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the work stations (AS1, AS2) at the waiting positions (W1, W2) of the AGV have a contacting or contactless electrical recharging device (14), and / or - the entire possible driving surface area (FF) of the AGV is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the AGV are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transfer of an AGV from one sector (FF1) to the next (FF2) is determined both spatially and temporally and is controlled as a target-actual comparison by the central control (1 *) and / or the image evaluation of the cameras (K) used as position sensors (K) for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18) is carried out using artificial intelligence (Kl) and / or Driving surfaces (FF) for the AGV are available on several floors above each other, in particular the change from one floor to another is carried out via a lifting device, in particular a lift, which is planned in terms of location and time in the route commands from the central control, preferably not via inclined ramps, and / or - the driving surfaces (FF) for the AGVs are moving driving surfaces and / or there are guard rails for the AGVs on one or both sides of the driving paths for the AGVs and / or there are system-side driven carriers for the AGVs along the driving paths for the AGVs and / or Driving surfaces (FTF) for the FTF are at least visually, in particular physically, separated from walking surfaces for people and / or the drive (4) of an FTF is designed in such a way that it can turn on the spot and travel in any direction from a standstill, in particular by the FTF having all-direction wheels (15) and / or the FTF having its own handling unit (FTF-R), in particular a robot (FTF-R), which is also controlled in particular from the central control system and / or the FTF has its own cleaning unit (FTF-S) for cleaning the travel routes, in particular a brush and / or suction unit (FTF-S), which is also controlled by the central control system and / or - the AGV has a target marking (16) for scanning by the position sensors of the central control (1 *). 11 . System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the work stations, in particular on or in their, preferably lockable, lock (17) for the entry of an AGV, have a target marking (16) which can be scanned by the AGV, in particular which is optically visible.

12. Method for operating a packaging machine system and in particular its transport system, wherein the packaging system comprises several workstations with at least one movable handling unit, in particular a robot, with a tool for handling or processing products or packaging, a transport system with freely and independently movable, driverless, remote-controlled transport vehicles (FTF) for transporting the products or packaging, in short a transported item, between the individual workstations, - a central control system located away from the AGVs to control the AGVs, Position detectors, in particular cameras, for determining the current spatial position of the individual AGVs, in particular of the transported goods located thereon, within the system, in particular a packaging machine system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the spatial positions, i.e. positions and / or rotational positions viewed from above, and in particular the movements of the AGVs, in the case of loaded AGVs in particular of the goods being transported on them, are monitored centrally and in real time, the handling units are controlled centrally in synchronization with the spatial positions and in particular the movements of the AGVs. 13 Method according to claim 12, characterized in that - the AGVs receive route commands from the central control, in particular drive commands for the travel drive, in particular for each individual drive motor (4M1, 4M2), preferably for the entire route to the destination, in particular if the situation changes, corrected route commands for the rest of the route are sent to the AGV from the central control, the drive commands in particular each contain an energy supply profile as a function of time, in particular from the start time.

14. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the actual spatial position of an AGV is determined by means of the position sensors as a target-actual comparison and in the event of a deviation from the target spatial position, in particular on the target travel path, a corrective travel command is sent from the central control to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and / or in the event of failure of the position sensors of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual spatial position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the travel drive since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the travel drive and / or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further route commands are missing, the on-board control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and sends the corresponding control commands to the drive.

15. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that in the event of failure of the position sensors of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and / or in the event of failure of the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and a known destination, but missing further travel path commands, the on-board control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and issues corresponding control commands to the travel drive and checks the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination based on the acceleration profile recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5).

16. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the AGVs are electrically recharged in a contacting or contactless manner at the waiting positions (W1, W2), in particular in the work stations (AS1, AS2), and / or - the entire possible driving area (FF) of the AGV is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the AGV are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transfer of an AGV from one sector to the next is determined both spatially and temporally and is controlled by the central control system as a target-actual comparison and / or the image evaluation of the cameras used as position sensors for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18,19) is carried out using artificial intelligence (Kl).

17. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that shortly before loading an AGV, its spatial position is determined as accurately as possible, in particular by means of a positioning device (21) in a work station, and immediately after loading, the spatial position of the transport goods on the AGV is determined and - the position difference (delta) is saved for controlling the position of the transported goods to and at the destination.

18. Method according to one of the preceding method claims by converting the packaging machine system by entering the desired new work order into the central control, - the transportable machine modules, in particular those transportable by forklift truck, are moved to a new position within the packaging machine system, in particular automatically, - in particular by activating or adding new machine modules or removing or deactivating machine modules that are no longer required, - by means of position sensors, in particular cameras, in particular the same position sensors as those used to determine the position of the AGV, the central control determines the exact position of the machine modules, in particular based on target markings on the modules, the central control automatically determines the required number and controls it accordingly in synchronous interaction with the processing stations. 19 Method according to claim 18, characterized in that - in the case of the presence or need for physical routes (22) for the AGV, these are arranged, in particular between the work stations, in particular are arranged automatically, in particular are automatically assembled from route modules (22.1, 22.2).

Images