Conveyor

Abstract

To provide a conveyor with greater flexibility and versatility in operation. [Solution] The conveyor comprises one or more conveyor tracks 105, 130, each having at least one guide rail 200 extending along a predetermined path, and a plurality of carriages 110 that are connectable to the guide rails 200 and configured to travel continuously along the path defined by the guide rails, each carriage 110 being equipped with an electric motor 305, the electric motor being configured to drive the carriage 110 along the guide rails 200 independently of the movement of other carriages 110, and a wireless communication module 345 being configured to wirelessly connect the electric motor 305 to a remote electronic control unit configured to control the operation of the electric motor 305.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of industrial automation, and more specifically, to a conveyor, that is, a device configured to transport an object along a predetermined path, for example, but not necessarily, a device configured to transfer an object between two or more work stations in production, packaging, and other processes.

Background Art

[0002] As is known, in the field of industrial automation, there are many types of conveyors. A typical example of a conveyor is a so-called conveyor belt that is provided with a belt wound around a plurality of return rollers and is configured to travel along a loop path having at least one upper working portion and a lower return portion.

[0003] Therefore, by placing an object on the upper working portion of the belt, it is advantageously possible to move the object, for example, from an inlet position to an outlet position. Other conveyors that utilize basically the same principle often use a device for towing an object carrier fixed to a belt or a chain, and are used to move in a closed loop and transport or move an object, such as a belt or chain conveyor.

[0004] The drawback of all these conveyors is that the flexibility of use is low due to the fact that the objects being transported can only either move forward or stop all at once. For example, when these conveyors transport an object between two or more work stations, if one of these stations stops or decelerates, all the other work stations will inevitably have to stop or decelerate as well, and compensation is impossible, even temporarily.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor having more flexible and versatile operability compared to the prior art. Another objective is to achieve the aforementioned objectives in terms of rational and low-cost solutions.

[0006] These and other objectives are achieved by the features of the invention described in independent claim 1. Dependent claims outline preferred and / or particularly advantageous embodiments that are not strictly necessary for carrying out the invention.

[0007] In particular, embodiments of the present invention are - One or more conveyor tracks, each having at least one guide rail extending along a predetermined path, - comprising a plurality of carriages that can be connected to the guide rail and are configured to travel continuously along a path defined by the guide rail, The present invention provides a conveyor in which each carriage is equipped with an electric motor, for example, an AC electric motor (e.g., an asynchronous electric motor, preferably three-phase) or a DC electric motor (e.g., a brushless motor), and the electric motors are configured to drive the carriage along the guide rails independently of the movement of other carriages, and a wireless communication module is configured to wirelessly connect the electric motors to a remote electronic control unit (e.g., a PLC) configured to control the operation of the electric motors.

[0008] This solution allows the conveyor to effectively transport any type of object along a path defined by guide rails, using a carriage. Each carriage is driven by an individual electric motor, so their movements are completely independent of each other, making transportation extremely versatile and flexible. For example, within a certain range, it is possible to stop, accelerate, decelerate, or even reverse the direction of travel of each carriage relative to one or more other carriages.

[0009] This makes it possible, for example, to form cluster zones where carriages are close together along the path, and to compensate for fluctuations in efficiency (e.g., production speed) over various time periods between two work stations arranged consecutively along the path.

[0010] Furthermore, the pitch (i.e., distance) between each pair of consecutive carriages along the path can be changed, and the synchronization / asynchronous movement of the carriages can be controlled; that is, all carriages can be moved simultaneously, or only some can be moved while others remain stationary.

[0011] Wireless connectivity with a remote electronic control unit allows for efficient control of the carriage's operation without the need for wired solutions, which require the introduction of extremely complex and expensive technical equipment and are generally unsuitable for ensuring sufficient data transmission volume and speed to efficiently and simultaneously manage multiple electric motors mounted on a mobile carriage.

[0012] In this regard, it should be noted that the wireless communication modules installed in each carriage are wireless modules configured to connect to the remote electronic control unit via computer networks such as WLAN (Wireless LAN), WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), and BWA (Broadband Wireless Access), using appropriate communication standards such as IEEE802.11, IEEE802.15, IEEE802.16, IEEE802.20, IEEE802.22, ZigBee, M-Bus wireless, LoRa, and Bluetooth, and may also be wireless modules configured to connect to the remote electronic control unit.

[0013] The remote electronic control unit can be configured, for example, to set one or more of the following parameters based on appropriate programming: the start time for each electric motor, the stop time for each electric motor, the rotation direction of each electric motor (i.e., the rotation direction of the rotor relative to the stator), the rotational speed of each electric motor (i.e., the rotational speed of the rotor), the absolute or relative position that each electric motor should assume (e.g., expressed in the form of an angle, rotational speed, or other form relative to a preset reference position), and the mechanical torque supplied by each electric motor.

[0014] The remote control unit can be configured to ultimately provide each electric motor with setting parameters, that is, to operate the electric motors in a manner that conforms to the set values ​​of the parameters, via a wireless communication module.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each wireless communication module can be incorporated into its respective electric motor. In other words, the wireless communication module, when combined with an electric motor, can form a single object (standalone) that is detachable but can be moved and operated as a whole or as individual components. For example, a wireless communication module can generally be housed and / or fixed within the casing (or body) of an electric motor, which also houses the rotor and stator.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, each conveyor track may include at least one rack extending parallel to each guide rail, and each electric motor may be mounted on its respective carriage and configured to rotate a pinion configured to mesh with the rack. This solution allows for very precise and uniform movement of each carriage.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention provides that each conveyor track comprises two or more conductive strips extending parallel to each guide rail, each electric motor is electrically drivable via two or more sliding contacts (brushes), and each sliding contact is mounted on each carriage and configured to contact any of the conductive strips. This makes it advantageous to transmit the power necessary to operate an electric motor mounted on a mobile carriage without using wiring, which can be quite difficult in certain applications.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, each carriage may also be equipped with an energy storage device, preferably a rechargeable one, such as a battery and / or capacitor (e.g., a supercapacitor), configured to store electrical energy and transmit the electrical energy to the corresponding electric motor.

[0019] This energy storage device may be connected to a sliding contact and store electrical energy from a conductive strip when the sliding contact is in contact with it, and may also be connected to an electric motor and configured to transfer the stored electrical energy to the electric motor when, for example, the sliding contact loses contact with the strip.

[0020] However, in other embodiments, it cannot be denied that the energy storage device may completely replace the power supply provided by the sliding contacts and conductive strips. In such cases, the conveyor may preferably be equipped with a wireless (e.g., capacitive or inductive) charging system configured to charge the energy storage device when its charge level falls below a predetermined threshold.

[0021] Another aspect of the invention provides that each conveyor track, i.e., each guide rail, or each assembly formed by a guide rail and optionally a corresponding rack and / or each conductive strip, can be installed within a protective casing, and the protective casing can be provided with slots that extend parallel to the corresponding guide rails and through which a part of each carriage can protrude externally (e.g., in a substantially cantilevered manner).

[0022] Thereby, the protruding part of the carriage can be advantageously utilized for transporting the objects to be handled by the conveyor, while the main movable mechanical parts of the carriage, such as the conveyor track and the electric motor and / or the pinion driven thereby, are housed within the protective casing, improving safety.

[0023] The accommodation of the conveyor track and the main movable mechanical parts of the carriage within the protective casing also contributes to improving the cleanliness of the conveyor. In fact, on the one hand, the conveyor track and the mechanical parts are protected from dust and other external contaminants that can cause dirt and malfunction during long-term use and require frequent maintenance.

[0024] On the other hand, the dust generated by the operation of the conveyor, for example, due to wear of the rails, sliding contact parts or other mechanical parts, is confined within the protective casing, making it suitable for use in a clean room or other environments where it is necessary to maintain a high level of hygiene.

[0025] In this regard, the slots through which the, e.g., cantilevered, protruding part of each carriage protrudes are desirably very narrow and / or provided in a substantially vertical wall of the casing to further impede the ingress and egress of contaminants.

[0026] Furthermore, it is desirable that the conveyor does not have any members configured to come into contact with the carriage's protrusions outside the protective casing (e.g., guide rails or other support members), and these members can only be supported (in a cantilevered manner) by the guide rails and other members located within the protective casing.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor may further include one or more transfer devices for individually transferring each carriage from a first conveyor track to a second conveyor track and / or vice versa. By switching the carriage from one conveyor track to another, the length of the path the carriage can travel can be advantageously extended.

[0028] In particular, the transfer device may include a first transfer device that transfers each carriage from a first conveyor track to a second conveyor track, and a second transfer device that transfers each carriage from a second conveyor track to a first conveyor track. This allows the carriage to be advantageously engaged to travel along a closed-loop path.

[0029] In this and other situations, the first and second conveyor tracks can be installed within a single protective casing having two slots, each slot extending parallel to the guide rails of the first and second conveyor tracks, and a portion of each carriage can project outward from the single protective casing through the slots (in a substantially cantilevered manner). Each of these two slots and the carriage protrusions may naturally possess the characteristics described above.

[0030] Returning to the transfer device, each transfer device may comprise at least a first conveyor track portion, i.e., a first portion of a guide rail, and a support that optionally supports a corresponding rack and / or one or more corresponding conductive strips, the support being movable between a first position in which the first conveyor track portion aligns with the first conveyor track and a second position in which the first conveyor track portion aligns with the second conveyor track. This configuration allows one or more carriages to climb onto the support when it is in the first or second position, and then, through subsequent rotation, move from the first conveyor track to the second conveyor track, or vice versa.

[0031] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the support for each transfer device may also support a second conveyor track section, i.e., a second guide rail section, and optionally a corresponding rack and / or one or more corresponding conductive strips. When the support is in the first position, the second conveyor track portion is aligned with the second conveyor track, and when the support is in the second position, the second conveyor track portion is instead aligned with the first conveyor track. As a result, each time the support is moved, the first and second conveyor track sections swap positions, increasing the conveyor speed.

[0032] According to one aspect of the present invention, each transport device comprises a protective casing integrated with a support, the first and second conveyor track sections being installed inside the protective casing, the protective casing being provided with two slots, each slot extending parallel to the corresponding guide rails of the first and second conveyor track sections, and a portion of each carriage being able to protrude (substantially in a cantilevered manner) through each slot to the outside of the protective casing. This protects the carriage's main moving parts while they are inside the transport device. Naturally, these two slots and the carriage protrusions may have the same characteristics as described above.

[0033] Another aspect of the present invention is that the support body of each transfer device is movable between the first position and the second position by rotating around a predetermined axis of rotation. This solution allows for relatively easy and rapid transfer of the carriage between the first and second conveyor tracks, and / or vice versa.

[0034] In particular, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system in which the guide rails of the first and second conveyor tracks are linear, horizontal, and parallel to each other, for example, overlapping each other in a vertical direction, and the rotation axis of the support of each transfer device is set parallel to the guide rails of the first and second conveyor tracks. This results in a highly reliable, compact, and relatively simple conveyor system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the following description, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the drawings shown in the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a conveyor according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a side view of the conveyor. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the lower-level mechanical components with some protective panels removed from the conveyor. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the lower mechanical components with some protective panels removed from the conveyor. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of the cross-section VV in Figure 2. [Figure 6] This is a detailed enlarged view of Figure 3. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is a purely illustrative schematic diagram showing the type of electric motor installed on the conveyor carriage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] Referring to the drawings, a conveyor 100 that can be used to transport all kinds of objects between two or more locations, for example in the field of industrial automation, is described, for example, for transporting between two or more work stations in production, packaging, or other processes, although this is not always necessary.

[0037] Generally, the conveyor 100 comprises at least one conveyor track 105 (circumstantially shown by dashed lines in Figures 1 to 4) and a plurality of carriages 110 configured to move continuously along the conveyor track 105, that is, along a path defined by the conveyor track 105 (for example, not necessarily a straight path).

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the conveyor track 105 does not necessarily have to be straight, for example, but may include at least one (preferably only one) guide rail 200 that extends along (and thus define) the path defined by the conveyor track 105.

[0039] The carriage 110 is slidably connected to the guide rail 200 and is configured to travel continuously along it (in a line) and move along a path defined by the guide rail 200.

[0040] For example, each carriage 110 may be provided with a runner block 300 that is adapted to form a shape engagement with the guide rail 200, allowing it to travel along the guide rail 200 while preventing it from moving in other directions, for example.

[0041] In particular, the carriage 110 is suspended from the guide rail 200, meaning the guide rail 200 is configured to support the weight of the carriage 110 from above. The shape engagement between the runner block 300 and the guide rail 200 can prevent it from falling out in the vertical direction.

[0042] Since they travel along the guide rail 200, each carriage 110 can also be equipped with a drive system that allows it to travel independently of all other carriages 110. This drive system, mounted on the corresponding carriage 110, can be equipped with an electric motor 305.

[0043] The electric motor 305 may be an AC electric motor, for example, a three-phase asynchronous electric motor, or a DC electric motor, for example, a brushless electric motor. In either case, as schematically shown in Figure 7, the electric motor 305 comprises an outer casing 310 (also called a motor casing), a substantially annular stator 315 housed and fixed within the outer casing 310, and a rotor 320 rotatably supported within the stator 315 so as to be rotatable around a preset axis of rotation X, thereby converting the electrical energy supplied to the electric motor into mechanical energy. To make this mechanical energy available, the electric motor 305 may be provided with a drive shaft 325 that is rotated by the rotor 320 and can protrude outwards from the casing 310.

[0044] In some embodiments schematically shown in Figure 7, the drive shaft 325 can be keyed coaxially and directly to the rotor 320.

[0045] In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the drive shaft 325 is kinematically connected to the rotor 320 via a transmission member 330 (e.g., a gearbox, a screw-nut system, etc.). These transmission members 330 may also be configured to tilt the rotation axis Y of the drive shaft 325 with respect to the rotation axis X of the rotor 320.

[0046] These transmission members 330 are integrated into the electric motor 305, for example, housed within an outer casing 310 or attached to a casing externally fixed to it, forming a single self-supporting object (e.g., a gear motor). If the electric motor 305 is a brushless type, permanent magnets can be installed on the rotor 320, and electric windings that generate a magnetic field when current is applied can be placed on the stator 315.

[0047] To rotate the rotor 320 of a brushless motor, it is necessary to periodically reverse the direction of the current flowing through the stator windings, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the magnetic field induced by it. For this reason, the electric motor 305 may be connected to an electronic control device 335, which consists of a microcontroller mounted on a dedicated circuit board, for example, and is configured to perform the aforementioned reversal by switching an appropriate electrical switch.

[0048] In some embodiments, the electronic control unit 335 is integrated (configured) with the electric motor 305 and fixed, for example, inside or outside the housing 310, forming a single, independent device. In relation to the electronic control unit 335, the electric motor 305 may include, for example, a heat sink (not shown) made of a conductive material that is exposed to the external environment and has a heat exchange relationship with the electronic control unit 335, the function of which is to improve the dissipation of heat generated by the electronic control unit 335 itself.

[0049] In order to correctly reverse the current in the stator windings, the electronic control unit 335 may need to know the position of the rotor 320 relative to the stator 315. Therefore, an encoder 340, such as an SSI absolute magnetic encoder, which is connected to the electronic control unit 335 and used to monitor the position of the rotor 320 relative to the stator 315, may be connected to the electric motor 305.

[0050] The encoder 340 can also be integrated into the electric motor 305, for example, by being fixed within the casing 310 to form a single, independent device.

[0051] In addition to the electric motor 305, the drive system of each carriage 110 may include a wireless communication (i.e., data exchange) module 345 adapted to establish a wireless communication channel between the electric motor 305, for example, its electronic control unit 335, and a remote electronic control unit 500. For example, the wireless communication module 345 is configured to connect to a remote electronic control unit via a computer network such as WLAN (Wireless LAN), WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), or BWA (Broadband Wireless Access) using appropriate communication standards such as IEEE802.11, IEEE802.15, IEEE802.16, IEEE802.20, IEEE802.22, ZigBee, Wireless M-Bus, LoRa, and Bluetooth.

[0052] In any case, the communication network is exclusive; that is, each carriage 110's wireless communication module 345 can only be connected to the electronic control unit 500 and cannot be connected to, for example, the wireless communication module 345 of another carriage 110.

[0053] As schematically shown in Figure 7, it is desirable that the wireless communication module 345 of each carriage 110 be integrated with the corresponding electric motor 305 to form a single independent device. For example, the wireless communication module 345 can be securely fixed inside and / or outside the casing 310.

[0054] The remote electronic control unit 500 may include or consist of any electronic device, preferably a programmable device, that is configured / programmed to control the operation of the conveyor 100 or the operation of the electric motors 305 of each carriage 110, preferably independently of other carriages. For example, the remote electronic control unit 500 is a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or may include one.

[0055] As a non-limiting example, for each carriage 110, the remote electronic control unit 500 may be configured to set one or more (or all) of the following parameters based on the function to be performed by the conveyor 100, for example. When the electric motor 305 is started (i.e., the time when the rotor 320 starts rotating), When the electric motor 305 stops (i.e., when the rotor 320 stops), The rotation direction of the electric motor 305 (i.e., the rotation direction of the rotor 320 relative to the stator 315), The rotational speed of the electric motor 305 (i.e., the rotational speed of the rotor 320), The absolute or relative position of the electric motor 305 (i.e., the absolute or relative position of the rotor 320 relative to the stator 315: expressed, for example, as an angle, rotational speed, or in other ways relative to a predetermined reference position), and, This is the mechanical torque supplied by the electric motor 305 (i.e., the torque acting on the rotor 320 due to the electromagnetic field generated by the stator 315).

[0056] The remote electronic control unit 500 may be configured to transmit the parameters to the electric motor 305 of the corresponding carriage 110 (e.g., an electronic control unit 335 or other motor controller) via the wireless communication module 345, thereby forcing the electric motor 305 to operate according to the received parameters. For example, in the case of a brushless motor, the remote electronic control unit 500 may be configured to transmit the parameters to the electronic control unit 335, and the electronic control unit 335 may be configured to operate the electric motor 305 according to the received parameters.

[0057] Similarly, the remote electronic control unit 500 can also be configured to reset the reference position, i.e., to set the relative reference position between the rotor 320 and the stator 315 of each electric motor 305. For example, if the rotor 320 is in a predetermined position relative to the stator 315, the remote electronic control unit 500 can set that position as the reference position.

[0058] To perform these and other functions, the remote electronic control unit 500 can also be configured to receive one or more measurements of the following parameters from each electric motor 305 via their respective wireless communication modules 345. These include the instantaneous motor (i.e., rotor 320) speed, the instantaneous absolute or relative motor (i.e., rotor 320) position, the motor's current consumption, the motor's supply voltage, the motor's status and associated alarms, and the operating mode.

[0059] Ultimately, thanks to the wireless communication module 345, all digital communication between the electric motor 305 of the carriage 110 and the remote electronic control unit 500 necessary for the exchange of commands and / or information can be advantageously carried out wirelessly, i.e., without requiring physical wiring between the aforementioned components.

[0060] A control electronic device (not shown) configured to control the wireless network can be functionally interposed between the remote electronic control unit 500 and the wireless communication modules 345 of one or more (or all) carriages 110. In particular, in some embodiments, the adjustment device, which is directly integrated into the remote electronic control unit 500, may be configured to simultaneously control multiple electric motors 305 of multiple carriages 110.

[0061] The initial setup of the electric motor 305 (e.g., network configuration and electric motor association) can be implemented from a dedicated web server on the gateway itself to expedite development and eliminate the need for the remote electronic control unit 500.

[0062] Returning to the operating system of each carriage 110, it further includes a traction member that is kinematically connected to the corresponding electric motor 305 (e.g., its drive shaft 325) and configured to convert the mechanical energy generated by the electric motor 305 into the movement of the carriage 110 along the guide rail 200.

[0063] In the embodiment shown here (see Figure 5), the traction member is a toothed pinion (or toothed wheel) 350. Therefore, in addition to the guide rail 200, the conveyor track 105 may include a rack 205 that runs parallel to the guide rail 200, preferably along the guide rail, and / or preferably along its entire length (i.e., its entire length).

[0064] Each carriage 110 has a toothed pinion 350 configured to mesh with (or maintain meshing with) a rack 205 fixed to the guide rail 200, and the rotation of the toothed pinion 350, driven by a corresponding electric motor 305, moves the carriage 110 along the guide rail 200.

[0065] In addition to the guide rails 200 and racks 205, the conveyor track 105 may further include, optionally, at least one pair (but at least three) of conductive strips 210. Each conductive strip 210 extends parallel to the guide rails 200, preferably in parallel with the guide rails 200, and / or preferably along the entire length of the guide rails 200.

[0066] These conductive strips 210, fixed to the guide rail 200, can each reference a different potential from the other conductive strips 210. For example, one conductive strip 210 may refer to a reference potential (e.g., ground potential), while another conductive strip 210 may refer to a higher potential.

[0067] This potential difference (i.e., voltage) is obtained by connecting to a generator or power grid and can be advantageously used to supply the electrical energy necessary for the operation of carriage 110.

[0068] In fact, each carriage 110 is equipped with two or more electro-sliding contacts (brushes) 355, each designed to contact a corresponding conductive strip 210. These electrical sliding contacts 355 are connected to an electric motor 305 mounted on the carriage 110, so that the voltage difference applied across the conductive strip 210 can generate a current useful for supplying at least to the electric motor 305.

[0069] The sliding contact 355 can be made of an alloy of carbon, copper, and / or tin, such as a carbon-bronze alloy, to be wear-resistant and to allow for higher current (amperes) to flow. The potential difference applied between the conductive strips 210 via the sliding contact 355 can also power one or more (or all) other electrical / electronic loads mounted on the corresponding carriage 110, such as the wireless communication module 345 and / or the electronic control unit 335 and / or encoder 340.

[0070] Furthermore, it is preferable that the supply voltage of the carriage 110, i.e., the potential difference applied between the conductive strips 20, be a low voltage. For example, the supply voltage of carriage 110 is 90V (volts) or less, preferably 60V or less and / or between 12V and 60V, for example, equal to 24V or 48V. As a result, the conveyor 100 is electrically safe and therefore does not need to comply with the stringent regulations often applied to high-voltage equipment.

[0071] To supply power to the electric motor 305 and other electrical loads mentioned above, each carriage 110 may also be equipped with an energy storage device 360, preferably of a rechargeable type, such as an electric battery and / or capacitor (e.g., a supercapacitor), designed to store electrical energy and then supply power to the respective electrical loads.

[0072] In particular, the energy storage device 360 ​​(e.g., a supercapacitor) may be connected to the sliding contact 355 so as to receive and store electrical energy from the sliding contact 355 when the sliding contact 355 is in contact with the conductive strip 210. For example, it may be connected to the electric motor 305 and other electrical loads of the carriage 110 so as to transfer the stored electrical energy to them when the sliding contact 355 loses contact with the conductive strip 210.

[0073] However, in other embodiments, it cannot be ruled out that the energy storage device 360 ​​may completely replace the sliding contacts 355 and the conductive strip 210 (in which case these may not be present) and become the sole power source for the electric motor 305 and other electrical loads on the carriage 110.

[0074] In such cases, the conveyor 100 may preferably be equipped with a wireless (e.g., capacitive or inductive) charging system, which is adapted to charge the energy storage device 360 ​​when the charge level of the energy storage device 360 ​​falls below a predetermined threshold. This charging system may be positioned at specific locations along a path defined by a conveyor track 105, allowing each carriage 110 to periodically stop and charge its respective energy storage device 360.

[0075] To summarize and generalize the above, the conveyor track 105 may comprise at least one guide rail 200, or an assembly comprising at least one guide rail 200 and at least one rack 205 and / or at least one set of conductive strips 210 (as described and detailed above).

[0076] The conveyor track 105, as understood in this way, may preferably be installed within a protective casing 120 that includes an internal reinforcement / strengthening frame and removable or openable panels for inspection and / or maintenance. The protective casing 120 is substantially tubular, for example, having a rectangular cross-section, and can extend parallel to the conveyor track 105 (i.e., rail 200).

[0077] The protective casing 120 may generally be provided with slots 215 that extend parallel to each guide rail 200 of the conveyor track 105, and through which a portion of each carriage 110, which is slidably coupled to the guide rail 200, can protrude to the outside of the protective casing 120.

[0078] In practice, each carriage 110 connected (preferably suspended) to the guide rail 200 may have an inner portion that remains housed within the protective casing 120, a connecting portion that passes through the slot 215, and an outer or protruding (e.g., cantilevered) portion located outside the protective casing 120 and connected to the inner portion by a connecting portion. Preferably, the slot 215 is very narrow (for example, 20 cm or less in width, or 15 cm or less).

[0079] The slots 215 are preferably formed on the substantially vertical wall surface of the protective casing 120 such that the outer portion of each carriage 110 protrudes substantially cantilevered relative to the protective casing 120. Furthermore, outside the protective casing 120, it is preferable that the conveyor 100 has no members (e.g., guides or other support elements) adapted to contact the outer portion of the carriage 110, which is supported (preferably suspended) only by the guide rails 200 and other elements positioned inside.

[0080] The electric motor 305, toothed pinion 350 (or other traction device), sliding contact 355, wireless communication module 345, and other components of the drive system (e.g., all other) can be installed inside each carriage 110. Alternatively, the outer or protruding (e.g., cantilevered) portion of each carriage 110 may be configured or equipped to accommodate and / or transport objects to be transported by the conveyor 100.

[0081] For example, the outer portion of each carriage 110 may be equipped with a platform 365, for example, positioned on the vertical surface of a guide rail 200 and adapted to support (directly or indirectly) an object to be transported in a stationary state.

[0082] Furthermore, the exterior or protruding portion of each carriage 110, such as the platform 365, may be equipped with tools or other devices (not shown) adapted to perform special operations, such as operations on the transported goods. These tools and / or devices may be driven by electric motors, which may be driven by the same system that drives the electric motor 305 of the corresponding carriage 110.

[0083] Therefore, the conveyor track 105 and / or protective casing 120 are permanently fixed to the ground, for example, to a suitable support structure 125 that is either directly on the floor or suspended above the floor.

[0084] The conveyor track 105, that is, the path defined by each guide rail 200, represents the route or section on which the carriage 110 travels on the conveyor 100. This route may be open, but it is more preferable to have a closed route so that the carriage 110 can repeatedly pass the same location without reversing its direction of travel.

[0085] Preferably, but not necessarily, the path is defined by multiple conveyor tracks, which have similar characteristics to the conveyor track 105 described above, for example, adapted to allow carriage 110 to travel continuously (or sequentially or one after the other). Therefore, each of these conveyor tracks may comprise at least one guide rail 200, optionally at least one rack 205, and / or at least one set (or optionally at least three sets) of conductive strips 210.

[0086] Furthermore, it is desirable that the guide rails 200 of each conveyor track, and the racks 205 if present, as well as the pairs (or sets of three) of conductive strips 210 if present, be equivalent to those of all other conveyor tracks of the conveyor 100. Being equivalent means, for example, that the guide rails 200, racks 205 (if present), and conductive strips 210 (if present) of each conveyor track are identical to the guide rails 200, racks 205 (if present), and conductive strips 210 (if present) of all other conveyor tracks, excluding their longitudinal extensions, i.e., length and / or the shape of the paths defined by them (which may change).

[0087] In particular, the aforementioned multiple conveyor tracks may include at least two conveyor tracks, namely, conveyor track 105 and at least a second conveyor track 130. Preferably, though not necessarily, both the conveyor track 105 and the second conveyor track 130 (i.e., their guide rails 200) are straight and / or horizontal.

[0088] In particular, the conveyor track 105 and the second conveyor track 130 (i.e., their guide rails 200) are arranged parallel to each other (and spaced apart), and may, for example, overlap each other in the vertical direction. As a result, the carriage 110 is slidably suspended on the guide rail 200 of the first (upper) conveyor track 105, and at the same time slidably supported on the guide rail 200 of the second (lower) conveyor track 130.

[0089] The conveyor track 105 and the second conveyor track 130 can therefore also be installed within the same protective casing 120, which may also include a second slot 220 through which a portion of each carriage 110, slidably coupled to the guide rail 200 of the second conveyor track 130, can protrude. Of course, the second slot 220 and the carriage protrusion may have the same characteristics as described above.

[0090] To transport each carriage 110 from one conveyor track to another along the path, for example from conveyor track 105 to a second conveyor track 130, the conveyor 100 may be further equipped with at least one transfer device 135. In particular, the transfer device 135 can be positioned at the end of the conveyor track 105, adapted to transfer, for example, one or more carriages 110 from the conveyor track 105 to the second conveyor track 130, for example, to the starting end of the second conveyor track 130, and / or in the reverse direction.

[0091] In particular, this transfer device 135 may include a support 400 on which at least one conveyor track section 405 is installed. The term "conveyor track section" refers only to the conveyor track as described above.

[0092] Therefore, the “conveyor track section” is formed by an assembly comprising at least one guide rail 200, or at least one guide rail 200 and at least one corresponding rack 205, and / or at least one pair (or three sets) of conductive strips 210 parallel to the guide rail 200.

[0093] The phrase "conveyor track section" is used solely to linguistically distinguish the conveyor track installed on the support 400 of the transfer device 135 from the other conveyor tracks of the conveyor 100. A possible but not essential difference between a "conveyor track section" and a "conveyor track" is that the longitudinal extension of a "conveyor track," for example, conveyor track 105 and / or a second conveyor track 130 (i.e., each guide rail 200), is usually long enough to accommodate multiple carriages 110 simultaneously, whereas a "conveyor track section," for example, conveyor track section 405 (i.e., its guide rail 200), may be shorter and, for example, long enough to accommodate only one carriage 110 at a time.

[0094] Although not strictly necessary, it is preferable that the conveyor track section 405 (i.e., its guide rails 200) be straight, for example, parallel to the conveyor track 105 and the second conveyor track 130 (i.e., their guide rails 200).

[0095] The support 400 of the transfer device 135 is roughly movable between a first position in which the conveyor track portion 405 is aligned with the conveyor track 105 (as shown) and a second position in which the conveyor track portion 405 is aligned with the second conveyor track 130 (not shown).

[0096] Here, "alignment" means that the guide rails 200 of the conveyor track section 405, the racks 205 if present, and / or a pair (or set of three) of conductive strips 210 are aligned with the guide rails 200 of the conveyor track 105, the racks 205 if present, and / or a pair (or set of three) of conductive strips 210, respectively, so that the carriage 110 can pass from one to the other and / or vice versa.

[0097] As a result, for example, when the support 400 is in the first position (illustrated), the carriage 110 can travel along the conveyor track 105 until it is on the conveyor track portion 405 of the transfer device 135. After that, the support 400 moves to and reaches the second position, where the same carriage 110, which is on the conveyor track portion 405 of the transfer device 135, can travel to and board the second conveyor track 130. Transfer in the reverse direction can be carried out using the same method.

[0098] However, in order to increase the speed and efficiency of the conveyor 100, it is desirable that the transfer device 135 also be equipped with a second conveyor track section 410. While not strictly necessary, it is preferable that the second conveyor track section 410 (i.e., its guide rail 200) be linear with respect to, for example, the conveyor track section 405 (i.e., its guide rail 200).

[0099] When the support 400 is in the first position (as shown in the figure), the second conveyor track portion 410 can be aligned with the second conveyor track 130, while when the support 400 is in the second position, the second conveyor track portion 410 can be aligned with the conveyor track 105.

[0100] In practice, the conveyor track section 405 and the second conveyor track section 410 are swapped in position by moving the support 400 from the first position to the second position, or vice versa. This allows, for example, carriage 110 to board a transfer device coming from conveyor track 105 while other carriages 110 simultaneously disembark from a transfer device 135 heading towards the second conveyor track 130, or vice versa.

[0101] In either case, in order to move from the first position to the second position, the support 400 of the transfer device 135 can be adapted to rotate around a preset fixed rotation axis A, which can be positioned parallel (and spaced) to the conveyor track 105 (i.e., its guide rail 200) and, if present, also parallel (and spaced) to the second conveyor track 130 (i.e., its guide rail 200). The movement (e.g., rotation) of the support body 400 between the first and second positions is driven by a motor 415, such as an electric motor.

[0102] The transfer device 135 may further include a protective casing 420 integrated with the support 400, which preferably has removable or openable panels for inspection and / or maintenance, and which houses the conveyor track section 405 and, if present, the second conveyor track section 410. Therefore, the protective casing 420 can be provided with slots 425 that extend parallel to the guide rails 200 of the conveyor track section 405 and allow a portion of each carriage 110, which is slidably coupled to the guide rails 200, to protrude outwards from the protective casing 420.

[0103] If a second conveyor track section 410 is present, the protective casing 420 may include a second slot 430 that extends parallel to the guide rail 200 of the second conveyor track section 410, allowing a portion of each carriage 110, which is slidably coupled to the guide rail 200, to protrude outward from the protective casing 420. Naturally, these slots 425 and / or slot 430 and the protrusions of the carriage 110 may have the same characteristics as outlined above.

[0104] The conveyor 100 may further include at least a second transfer device 140 configured to transfer the carriage 110 between the conveyor track 105 and the second conveyor track 130. This second transfer device 140 has the same characteristics as the transfer device 135 described above; please refer to the description of the transfer device 135 for details.

[0105] The second transfer device 140 may be located, for example, at one end of the second conveyor track 130 opposite to the starting end where the transfer device 135 is located. Therefore, the second transfer device 140 can be adapted to transfer one or more carriages 110 from the second conveyor track 130 to the conveyor track 105 at the starting end of the conveyor track 105, on the opposite side from the end where the transfer device 135 is located. This allows the two conveyor tracks 105, 130 and the two transfer devices 135, 140 to efficiently engage with the carriage 110 in a closed path.

[0106] From the above explanation and illustrations, the operation of conveyor 100 is clear. In short, the remote electronic control unit 500 may be configured to move the carriage 110 along a (preferably closed) path defined by conveyor tracks, for example, conveyor tracks 105, 130 and transfer devices, for example, transfer devices 135, 140.

[0107] In particular, the remote electronic control unit 500 can be configured to make the carriages 110 move independently of each other, thereby changing the pitch (i.e., distance) between each pair of consecutive carriages 110 and controlling the synchronous or asynchronous movement of the carriages 110. That is, it is possible to make all carriages 110 move simultaneously, or to make only some carriages move while keeping the others stationary.

[0108] Along at least the path section defined by the conveyor track 105 (i.e., along the path), the carriage 110 can receive and transport objects, for example, via the platform 365 that remains outside the protective casing 120.

[0109] For example, each carriage 110 can receive one or more objects at the starting end and transport them toward the end, where these objects can be removed. Subsequently, the carriage 110 is transferred to the second conveyor track 130 via the transfer device 135.

[0110] By moving backward along the second conveyor track 130 (in the opposite direction to the forward direction on the conveyor track 105), the carriage 110 can reach the second transfer device 140, where the carriage returns to the conveyor track 105, and the cycle is repeated. Naturally, those skilled in the art can make various technical application modifications to the described content without departing from the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. One or more conveyor tracks (105, 130), each having at least one guide rail (200) extending along a predetermined path, The system comprises a plurality of carriages (110) that are connectable to the guide rail (200) and adapted to travel continuously along a path defined by the guide rail, A conveyor (100) is equipped with an electric motor (305) configured to drive the carriage (110) along a guide rail (200) independently of the movement of other carriages (110), and a wireless communication module (345) configured to wirelessly connect the electric motor (305) to a remote electronic control unit (500) configured to control the operation of the electric motor (305).

2. The conveyor (100) according to claim 1, wherein each wireless communication module (345) is incorporated into each of the electric motors (305).

3. The conveyor (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each conveyor track (105, 130) comprises at least one rack (205) extending parallel to each of the guide rails (200), and each of the electric motors (305) is adapted to rotate a pinion (350) mounted on each of the carriages (110) and configured to mesh with the racks (205).

4. A conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each conveyor track (105, 130) comprises two or more conductive strips (210) extending parallel to each of the guide rails (200), and each of the electric motors (305) is mounted on a corresponding carriage (110) and receives power via two or more sliding contacts (355) configured to contact any one of the conductive strips (210).

5. The conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each carriage (110) is equipped with a power storage device (360) that stores electrical energy and supplies the electrical energy to each of the electric motors (305).

6. The conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the conveyor tracks (105, 130) is installed within a protective casing (120), and the protective casing is provided with slots (215, 220) that extend parallel to each of the guide rails (200) and allow a portion of each of the carriages (110) to protrude outside the protective casing (120).

7. A conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising one or more transfer devices (135, 140) configured to transfer each carriage (110) from a first conveyor track (105) to a second conveyor track (130) and / or in the reverse direction.

8. The conveyor (100) according to claim 7, wherein the transfer devices (135, 140) comprises a first transfer device (135) configured to transfer each carriage (110) from the first conveyor track (105) to the second conveyor track (130), and a second transfer device (140) configured to transfer each carriage from the second conveyor track (130) to the first conveyor track (105).

9. The conveyor (100) according to claim 8, wherein the first and second conveyor tracks (105, 130) are housed within a single protective casing (120) having two slots (215, 220), each of which extends parallel to the guide rails (200) of the first and second conveyor tracks (105, 130), and a portion of each carriage (110) is capable of protruding outside the single protective casing (120) through the slots.

10. The conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein each of the transfer devices (135, 140) comprises a support (400) that supports at least a first conveyor track portion (405), and the support (400) is movable between a first position in which the first conveyor track portion (405) is aligned with the first conveyor track (105) and a second position in which the first conveyor track portion (405) is aligned with the second conveyor track (130).

11. The conveyor (100) according to claim 10, wherein the support (400) of each of the transfer devices (135, 140) also supports the second conveyor track portion (410), and when the support (400) is in the first position, the second conveyor track portion (410) is aligned with the second conveyor track (130), and when the support (400) is in the second position, the second conveyor track portion (410) is aligned with the first conveyor track (105).

12. The conveyor (100) according to claim 11, wherein each of the transfer devices (135, 140) comprises a protective casing (420) integrated with the support (400), the first and second conveyor track portions (405, 410) are installed within the protective casing (420), and the protective casing (420) is provided with two slots (425, 430) that extend parallel to the guide rails (200) of the corresponding first and second conveyor track portions (405, 410) and allow a portion of each carriage (110) to protrude outside the protective casing (420).

13. The conveyor (100) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the support (400) is movable between the first position and the second position by rotating around a predetermined axis of rotation.

14. The conveyor (100) according to claim 13, wherein the guide rails (200) of the first and second conveyor tracks (105, 130) are linear, horizontal, and parallel to each other, and the axis of rotation of the support (400) is parallel to the guide rails (200) of the first and second conveyor tracks (105, 130).

15. The conveyor (100) according to claim 14, wherein the guide rails (200) of the first and second conveyor tracks (105, 130) overlap each other in the vertical direction.

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