Transfer device, processing equipment, method for transferring and / or processing an object.

Abstract

The invention relates in particular to a vehicle used for transporting objects, in particular workpieces, where one or more sensor devices are preferably provided, by means of which in particular the area around the vehicle can be detected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle, which can be used in a processing facility, particularly as a component of a transfer device. The present invention further relates to a method for transferring and / or processing an object.

Background Art

[0002] In a processing facility, such as a painting facility, a roller conveyor, a chain conveyor or an overhead conveyor can be used to transfer a workpiece to be painted. In relation to the present invention, Patent Documents 1 to 3 are known. Patent Document 1 discloses an industrial floor conveyor, Patent Document 2 discloses a chassis, and Patent Document 3 discloses a transport vehicle that carries a vehicle body until final assembly. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The problem of the present invention is to provide a vehicle and / or a transfer device capable of simply and flexibly transferring an object to be transferred.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0005] The present invention is preferably suitable for transferring an object, particularly a vehicle body.

[0006] Preferably, the vehicle: has a base body; Having a chassis on which the base body is mounted and / or capable of moving; Having a drive system for propelling the vehicle; The device has a housing mechanism, and the housing mechanism has one housing member, two housing members, or more than two housing members to house at least one object.

[0007] A mobile base is, in particular, a floor, such as a fixed floor, especially a hall floor.

[0008] The drivable base is formed from concrete, asphalt, or metal, or has concrete, asphalt, and / or metal.

[0009] The vehicles are designed to be self-driving and / or autonomous.

[0010] Preferably, the vehicle is floor-mounted.

[0011] The vehicle is preferably automatically controllable and / or guided or guided without contact.

[0012] The storage device may have exactly two storage members.

[0013] The two housing members can preferably accommodate exactly one object, and more preferably exactly one vehicle body.

[0014] Multiple housing members, and in particular all housing members, preferably extend within a common plane, which in particular extends perpendicular and / or parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle.

[0015] Multiple housing members, and in particular all housing members, preferably extend within the vertical longitudinal center plane of the vehicle.

[0016] In particular, the central axis and / or the longitudinal axis of each individual receiving member extends in a common plane, in particular in a vertical longitudinal central plane.

[0017] The longitudinal axes or central axes of the plurality of receiving members, in particular of all receiving members, are preferably oriented parallel to one another and / or, at least when the vehicle is arranged on a substantially horizontal driving surface, are oriented parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0018] It can be effective if the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle is one of the main driving directions of the vehicle or defines two main driving directions of the vehicle.

[0019] One or more receiving members, in particular all receiving members, are preferably the only members projecting upwards from the base body of the vehicle.

[0020] Preferably, one or more receiving members, in particular all receiving members, project beyond the base body as the only component of the vehicle, by more than about 5% or more than about 10% of the height of the base body.

[0021] One receiving member, two receiving members or more than two receiving members are arranged movably on the base body.

[0022] In particular, one receiving member, two receiving members or more than two receiving members are arranged movably on the base body parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0023] In this description, the direction of gravity is generally the height direction oriented substantially perpendicular to the drivable surface on which the vehicle can drive.

[0024] Instead or in addition thereto, one receiving member, two receiving members or more than two receiving members can be connected to the base body so as not to be movable.

[0025] Furthermore, all housing components can be positioned on the base body in a movable manner. Alternatively, all housing components can be positioned on the base body in a non-movable manner.

[0026] The vehicle preferably has a lift drive device that allows one storage member, two storage members, or more than two storage members to be lifted and / or lowered relative to the base body.

[0027] In particular, one, two, or more storage members can be moved out of and / or into the base body by a lift drive device.

[0028] In that case, exit and entry do not necessarily mean complete exit or complete descent. Rather, it is possible to extend or shorten the section of the housing member that extends from the base body.

[0029] It may be effective if the vehicle has a scraping device that can be used to scrape off dirt adhering to one or more housing members as one or more housing members enter or descend. This can preferably avoid, or at least reduce, undesirable contamination of the base body interior space.

[0030] It may be preferable if there are multiple housing members, particularly if all housing members are connected to each other and / or always movable together with respect to the base body.

[0031] In particular, multiple storage members, especially all storage members, can be lifted and / or lowered absolutely simultaneously.

[0032] A vehicle's lift drive system may have a lift drive member, in which case the lift drive member preferably connects a lift drive motor with two or more housing members, so that two or more housing members can be moved in common by the lift drive motor.

[0033] The lift drive member is, in particular, a lift drive belt or a lift drive chain.

[0034] The lift drive member allows two or more housing members to be commonly lifted and / or lowered relative to the base body.

[0035] It may be effective if the lift drive member extends through the drive shaft of the drive unit for driving the vehicle.

[0036] Alternatively, or in addition to that, the lift drive member may extend below the drive shaft of the drive unit for driving the vehicle.

[0037] Two or more drive members are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the drive shaft of the drive unit.

[0038] In embodiments of the housing member, for example, a lubrication device, particularly an integrated lubrication device, can be provided.

[0039] The lubrication device is preferably integrated within the housing member, particularly within the shaft section and / or housing section of the housing member, and is, for example, entirely located inside the shaft section and / or housing section.

[0040] The lubrication device preferably includes a reservoir for containing a lubricant and a dispensing member for supplying the lubricant from the reservoir to the object to be lubricated in an open-loop and / or closed-loop control manner.

[0041] The object to be lubricated is a part of a lifting device that lifts and / or lowers a housing member relative to a base body, the housing member being positioned on or within the base body and particularly slidably supported.

[0042] For example, the housing member can be slidably positioned in the foundation body using a spindle member, and is particularly capable of exiting and / or entering the foundation body.

[0043] The lubrication device is preferably configured to supply lubricant to the object to be lubricated, particularly the spindle member, thereby ensuring reliable lubrication of the object and consequently reliable lifting of the housing member.

[0044] To this end, the distribution member is controlled as needed and / or time-controlled, for example, using a time member. For example, the distribution member can be activated after a predetermined number of lift cycles of the housing member, thereby ensuring the regular distribution of lubricant to the object to be lubricated, particularly the spindle member.

[0045] The dispensing member may be a valve located below the reservoir and / or directed toward the object to be lubricated, and the valve may be opened and closed as needed.

[0046] Lubrication devices, particularly reservoirs and / or dispensing devices, can be accessed from above, preferably through a housing section and / or by removing the housing section, especially for replacing the lubricant and / or refilling it with more lubricant.

[0047] It may be effective if the drive system has a drive shaft, and the drive shaft connects the two drive members of the drive system, in particular the drive wheels. The drive shaft is preferably oriented substantially laterally, and in particular at least substantially perpendicularly, with respect to the longitudinal axis and / or main direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0048] In particular, a vehicle can have exactly one drive axle.

[0049] It may be effective if the drive unit has a drive shaft, which connects two drive members of the drive unit, in particular the drive wheels, to each other, and in this case the drive shaft is positioned at least substantially in the center of the vehicle's base body with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and / or main direction of travel.

[0050] The phrase "at least near the center" specifically means that one or more axes of rotation (around which one or more drive components of the drive axis, such as the drive wheels, can rotate) are positioned at a maximum of approximately 20% of the vehicle's total longitudinal extension away from the vehicle's horizontal transverse axis.

[0051] The drive members, in particular the drive wheels, are preferably arranged at a certain distance from one another, the size of which is greater than about 50% of the maximum width of the vehicle and / or base body, and particularly greater than about 70%.

[0052] It may be effective to have one or more support rollers positioned within each of the four corner regions of the vehicle.

[0053] These support rollers are, in particular, non-driven support rollers.

[0054] Preferably, the support roller is a support roller that can rotate freely 360° with respect to a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

[0055] The drive unit may have a drive shaft, which connects two drive members of the drive unit, particularly the drive wheels, to each other, in which case these drive members are commonly supported on the base body by the drive shaft.

[0056] The drive shaft has shaft members that firmly connect the drive wheels to each other.

[0057] Therefore, the drive shaft is a particularly robust shaft. Preferably, individual wheel suspensions are not provided.

[0058] However, in an alternative configuration, individual wheel suspensions can be provided. In that case, preferably, a coupling device is provided for mechanically connecting the drive members, particularly the drive wheels, thereby ensuring that the drive members, particularly the drive wheels, are uniformly pressed against a drivable base.

[0059] The multiple drive members of the drive unit, particularly the drive wheels, are preferably able to be driven independently of each other.

[0060] For this reason, the vehicle can have multiple drive motors.

[0061] For example, each drive component, particularly each drive wheel, is associated with a drive motor.

[0062] The drive motor is, in particular, an electric motor.

[0063] It may be effective if the drive unit has a drive shaft and / or one or more drive members that can be lowered to and / or pressed against the floor and / or lifted from the floor by an operating device.

[0064] The drive shaft and / or one or more drive members are preferably integrated into the base body of the vehicle and / or surrounded on five sides by the base body.

[0065] The operating device is preferably accessible to the outside of the vehicle for operating it.

[0066] Therefore, it is particularly preferable that the drive unit is provided with drive components that are inaccessible and / or protected, in which case the drive unit can be deactivated by, for example, lifting one or more drive members from the outside of the vehicle by an operating device, thereby allowing the vehicle to be moved manually, especially in the event of a drive unit failure.

[0067] Furthermore, the operating device can preferably adjust the contact force of one or more drive members, particularly drive wheels, on a movable base.

[0068] A shaft member is provided that is rotatably supported around an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle, and this may be particularly effective when it connects two drive members, especially drive wheels, to each other. The drive members, especially drive wheels, preferably have fixed, and especially identical, axes of rotation relative to each other.

[0069] The shaft member is rotatably or pivotably supported on the vehicle's base body, particularly by bearing members. Specifically, the bearing members are supported on the base body in a height-adjustable manner and / or biased by springs. Preferably, the height of the shaft member and / or bearing members can be adjusted relative to the base body using an operating device.

[0070] The bearing member is preferably formed in a substantially U-shape.

[0071] Preferably, the bearing member has a central portion, with legs positioned at each end of the central portion. Using one of the legs, the bearing member is preferably rotatably or oscillatingly supported on the base body.

[0072] The other legs of the bearing member are preferably engaged with or biased by a spring. In particular, the bearing member is elastically movable relative to the base body.

[0073] The central portion of the bearing member is preferably a bearing region, in which a shaft member is rotatably or oscillatingly supported.

[0074] The U-shaped bearing member specifically surrounds the gap, and the lift drive member of the lift drive device extends through this gap.

[0075] The gap between them can be effective if it is a spatial region restricted by the legs of the bearing members on opposing sides.

[0076] One housing member, two housing members, or more than two housing members may each have a housing section, the housing section tapering towards the upper end with respect to gravity.

[0077] In particular, one or more storage sections, and especially all storage sections, can be formed in a substantially conical, conical section, frustoconical, or frustoconical section shape.

[0078] This allows the working area of ​​the object or adapter device for housing one or more objects, formed at least partially complementary thereto, to securely fix the object to the vehicle in a particularly stable manner. In particular, the tapered shape of the housing section prevents the object from tilting laterally. This also makes it possible to securely house the object in the vehicle with just one or two housing members, each formed in a pin shape, bar shape, or projection shape, in particular.

[0079] In embodiments of the present invention, one, two, or more housing members can be positioned at different locations relative to the base body. In this case, one, two, or more housing members preferably extend beyond and / or beyond the top of the base body at their lowest position relative to gravity.

[0080] One, two, or more storage members may have a height greater than the height of the vehicle's base body when viewed parallel to the direction of gravity.

[0081] One or more housing members can be formed as a single unit or as two separate parts.

[0082] For example, one or more housing members are each formed as metal bars.

[0083] Each of the housing members preferably has a substantially cylindrical, preferably truly cylindrical, shaft portion, with housing sections located at each end thereof.

[0084] The extension of one or more housing members in one or more directions perpendicular to the direction of gravity is preferably at most about 10%, and preferably at most about 5%, of the longitudinal or lateral extension of the vehicle's base body.

[0085] In that case, the base body is the part of the vehicle that forms or has a supporting structure, particularly a metal frame.

[0086] The base body extends over, preferably at least about 80%, and preferably at least about 90%, of the overall length or width of the vehicle.

[0087] It may be effective if the vehicle has one or more housing sensors that can be used to detect an object placed in at least one housing member and / or to monitor whether it is properly secured.

[0088] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the vehicle may have one or more housing sensors that can be used to detect the orientation and / or positioning of an object located at least one housing member away from it.

[0089] In particular, using at least one housing sensor, the orientation and / or positioning of the object can be detected before at least one housing member is lifted or withdrawn.

[0090] In that case, the objects to be detected or monitored using at least one housing sensor are, in particular, the objects to be transported, especially the vehicle body, or the combination of the objects to be transported and an adapter device for housing the objects.

[0091] It may be effective if at least one housing sensor is located on the base body.

[0092] In particular, it is possible for two or more housing sensors to be arranged on the base body in a region of the base body that surrounds one or more housing members.

[0093] Using one or more of these housing sensors, it is possible to detect and / or monitor the approach, / or positioning, and / or presence of an object, particularly in and / or within the area of ​​the housing member.

[0094] Alternatively, or in addition to that, it is possible that at least one housing sensor is placed in the housing member.

[0095] In particular, multiple sensors can be arranged in multiple housing members.

[0096] In particular, a housing sensor formed as a contact sensor can be provided.

[0097] The housing sensor located in the base body is preferably a non-contact housing sensor.

[0098] At least one housing sensor preferably interacts with a detection aid provided on the object to be housed or has been housed.

[0099] In particular, an opening, such as a hole, can be provided within the adapter device that is to accommodate the object. In this case, a sensor can be used to detect this opening in particular.

[0100] It may be effective to position a cover on the upper side of the base body to enclose the internal space of the base body.

[0101] This cover is preferably mounted on the base body.

[0102] Preferably, the cover is positioned and / or formed coplanar with the mounting area of ​​the base body, so as to encircle it at least almost completely.

[0103] For example, the cover can be made to extend at least almost completely around the base body and terminate in the same plane as the mounting area.

[0104] Therefore, the upper surface of the vehicle is preferably substantially completely flat, without considering one or more protruding housing members in particular.

[0105] Therefore, the cover is preferably not gripped without the use of tools.

[0106] The cover is preferably simply placed on the base body and therefore preferably held in place by gravity alone and / or by being clamped from the sides.

[0107] The cover covers the upper part of the vehicle, particularly the base body, preferably at least about 40%, for example at least about 60%, and especially at least about 80%.

[0108] The cover is preferably formed integrally or in several parts. In particular, multiple cover members are provided depending on the cover described above.

[0109] For example, a suction cup device can be used to lift the cover away from the base body.

[0110] A cover is positioned above the base body to enclose the internal space of the base body, and it may be effective if the cover is preferably at least partially transparent.

[0111] The concept of "transparency" specifically means that a person can look through the cover and thus see at least one vehicle component within the internal space of the base body. This can raise the threshold for preventing people from walking on the vehicle, thereby reducing the load on the vehicle or its components and decreasing wear.

[0112] The cover can be, for example, a colored transparent material.

[0113] The base body preferably has one or more sides, which are formed, for example, by cutting at an angle.

[0114] One or more sides are preferably oblique, particularly at angles between approximately 30° and 70° with respect to the horizontal and / or vertical.

[0115] One or more emergency off switches are preferably located on one or more sides. This allows for particularly easy access to the emergency off switches, thereby enhancing safety while driving the vehicle.

[0116] The concept of "emergency off" specifically refers to an emergency stop, such as the cessation of a moving component, part, and / or vehicle. Optionally, in the case of an emergency off, an interruption of the power supply may be provided.

[0117] Alternatively, or in addition to that, one or more (other) emergency switches may be located on (other) vehicles, or on one or more other components of the transport equipment and / or processing equipment and / or supply equipment.

[0118] Processing equipment specifically refers to processing equipment.

[0119] Preferably, one or more emergency off switches, and more particularly each emergency off switch, are associated with a communication device, and more particularly each communication device. For example, one or more or all of the emergency switches each have a communication device, and in that case, an emergency off signal is transmitted by the communication device to one or more or all of the vehicles, thereby enabling one or more or all of the vehicles to switch to emergency off drive.

[0120] In emergency off-drive, the vehicle is preferably brought to an immediate stop and / or moved out of the hazardous area. The braking action is preferably adapted to the loaded state of the vehicle, thereby avoiding damage to objects positioned on the vehicle, particularly workpieces, and / or the vehicle being dislodged from the workpieces.

[0121] It may be effective if, when the emergency off switch is operated, an emergency off signal is transmitted by a communication device, particularly an emergency off switch, and / or a vehicle's communication device, to one or more vehicles, particularly all vehicles, particularly directly and / or indirectly via a higher-level control device for controlling and / or monitoring multiple vehicles.

[0122] One or more vehicles, preferably all of them, each have a control device that can process an emergency off signal, particularly before the vehicle is switched to emergency off drive.

[0123] Preferably, the control device can determine whether each vehicle must transition to an emergency off state. For example, when determining this, the following can be considered: The position of the vehicle relative to one or more other vehicles; and / or The distance between one or more vehicles and other vehicles; and / or The vehicle's position relative to the emergency off switch that activated the emergency off signal; and / or The distance of the vehicle from the emergency off switch that activated the emergency off signal; and / or The actual speed of the vehicle at the time the emergency off signal is transmitted and / or activated; and / or A predetermined and / or calculated path of a vehicle, particularly in relation to one or more other vehicles and / or an emergency off switch that has activated an emergency signal.

[0124] For example, this test can determine whether a hazard exists for each vehicle and / or for objects located on it, particularly for works, and / or whether a hazard arises from the vehicle or objects located on it for one or more objects and / or people, and if the result is positive, the vehicle is switched to emergency off-drive, and / or if the result is negative, the vehicle continues to drive in the drive that was previously in place.

[0125] In particular, by inspection, it can be determined whether a vehicle receiving an emergency signal maintains a sufficiently large distance from other vehicles and / or other objects and / or people or the emergency off switch that activated the emergency signal, and whether this distance will be maintained based on the set and / or expected path of travel. If the result is positive, the vehicle will continue to drive, in particular in the drive that was previously in place. If the result is negative, the vehicle will transition to emergency off drive, in particular.

[0126] The vehicle preferably has a communication device that it can use to communicate with one or more other vehicles, either directly or indirectly via a higher-level control system, thereby transmitting, for example, emergency off signals and / or position signals and / or status signals and / or request signals.

[0127] For example, one or more vehicles positioned around a vehicle on which an emergency signal is activated or activated may receive an emergency off signal, subsequently stop, and in particular transition to emergency off drive.

[0128] In this case, the surrounding area is, for example, a spatial region centered on the transmitter of a communication device for transmitting an emergency off signal, and the extent of this spatial region is determined in particular by the signal strength and / or range of the transmitter. For example, a transmitter can be provided that is configured as a short-range transmitter, and it is possible to transmit an emergency off signal over a distance of, for example, up to about 20m, and especially up to about 10m. In this case, only vehicles located within this spatial region will receive the emergency off signal and then transition to emergency off drive. Vehicles located outside this spatial region will remain in the drive mode that was in place before.

[0129] For short-range transmitters, for example, a Bluetooth® Low Energy Transmitter (BLE transmitter) can be installed.

[0130] In other embodiments, one or more emergency off switches may be located in the vehicle or in one or more other components of the transport equipment and / or processing equipment and / or supply equipment. Preferably, one or more emergency off switches are associated with a communication device, for example, one or more emergency off switches each having a communication device, in which case the communication device can transmit an emergency off signal, in particular, to one or more vehicles, thereby enabling one or more vehicles to switch to emergency off drive.

[0131] It can be effective if one or more emergency off switches can activate different types of emergency off drive scenarios, in which case these different types of emergency off drive scenarios could be, for example, a) Due to the extent or size of the surrounding dimensions of the vehicle that has transitioned to emergency off-drive, and / or b) By the criteria to be examined by the control device of each vehicle, and / or c) By the desired drive of various groups of vehicles, They are distinguished from one another.

[0132] It can be effective if the vehicles are associated with different areas or zones according to their respective positions, in which case preferably a separate emergency off-drive scenario is associated with each area or zone. In this case, by operating the emergency off switch within a predetermined area or zone or for a predetermined area, or for a predetermined zone, preferably at least the vehicles associated with this area and / or zone, or precisely those vehicles or only those vehicles, can transition to emergency off-drive. In this case, all other vehicles outside this area or zone preferably remain in the drive mode that was previously in place.

[0133] To associate a vehicle with various areas or zones, in particular, sensor components for detecting the vehicle and / or sensor components provided on the vehicle for detecting its surroundings can be utilized. Specifically, vehicle position sensors or external photointerrupters, scanners, or other detectors can be used.

[0134] The area or zone is in particular a processing area, such as a processing station, and / or a travel section, in particular a travel section outside the operating area, and / or a storage area.

[0135] Position recognition and / or monitoring of one or more vehicles, in particular all vehicles, is preferably performed over all possible travel paths and / or parking areas of the vehicles. In particular, uninterrupted and / or spatially and / or temporally continuous position recognition and / or monitoring is provided. This specifically means a repetition rate of at least once per second, and in particular at least 10 times per second in position recognition and / or monitoring.

[0136] It may be effective if the location of one, more, or all vehicles is consistently recognized and / or monitored along at least one processing area, particularly at least one processing station.

[0137] In an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle transitioning to emergency off-drive may output a signal to one or more other vehicles in its vicinity, in which case one or more vehicles may transition to a special attention state by the signal, thereby avoiding a collision with, for example, a vehicle that has transitioned to emergency off-drive and is suddenly braking. To this end, one or more vehicles may, in particular, brake to a reduced speed compared to before. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, one or more vehicles may, in the attention state, follow a different path than the initially determined path, thereby, in particular, being able to bypass the possible hazard that led to the activation of the emergency off switch.

[0138] Positioning aids can be provided, for example, integrated into or positioned on or within the floor on which the vehicles can travel, for the purpose of recognizing and / or monitoring the position of one or more vehicles, particularly all vehicles.

[0139] The positioning assist is preferably at least one fixedly positioned member, or has such a member, which is detectable by a detection device positioned on the vehicle, for example by a sensor and / or camera, and which can be used to estimate the vehicle's position by, for example, recognizing the precise position of the positioning assist.

[0140] Positioning assistance can be, for example, a guidance device and / or a code band, particularly a QR code® band.

[0141] Preferably, the positioning aid extends along the travel path of one or more vehicles and has positional features that can be uniquely associated locally along this travel path, so that the position of each vehicle can be uniquely determined, particularly at each position along the travel path. Specifically, this determination is performed by the control device of each vehicle and / or by a higher-level control facility, in which case communication between each vehicle and the higher-level control facility is preferably performed via a secure protocol.

[0142] In one configuration, a vehicle may have multiple position sensors, which are arranged at various locations, particularly along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and / or along directions parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0143] One or more position sensors are used, in particular, to detect one or more positioning aids, especially those fixedly positioned in and / or integrated into the floor, such as one or more code bands, especially QR code® bands.

[0144] It may be effective to simultaneously determine the position using multiple position sensors located at different points along the vehicle's path.

[0145] It may be effective to use the vehicle's control system to calculate one or more virtual position sensors from multiple, particularly real, position sensors. A virtual position sensor precisely located in the center of the vehicle, especially with respect to the longitudinal and / or lateral directions of the vehicle, can be calculated, and the preferred, similarly calculated sensor values ​​of that position sensor enable optimal positioning and / or orientation determination of the vehicle, based on its central placement.

[0146] A higher-level control system is preferably used to coordinate multiple vehicles, particularly all vehicles. In particular, a higher-level sensor system is available so that information regarding the position of the vehicles is available so that safety-critical position deviations or speed deviations, which can lead to particularly dangerous situations, are compensated for by adapting the travel paths and / or drive parameters of one or more vehicles, and / or by transitioning one or more vehicles to emergency stop drive.

[0147] It can be effective if the upper part of the vehicle is recessed relative to the lower part of the vehicle. In particular, this makes it easy to create angled sides. Furthermore, this allows for the acquisition of a detection area optimized for detecting the surroundings by sensors, particularly the sensor components of the sensor device, as described later.

[0148] It may be effective if the base body is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and in that case, sensor devices that protrude outward from the vehicle are provided at two or four corners of the base body.

[0149] One or more sensor devices preferably each have one or more sensor members for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle. Each of the one or more sensor members preferably has a detection area of ​​at least about 250°, particularly about 270°, when viewed in itself or in common in a substantially horizontal plane.

[0150] One or more sensor devices are preferably coupled to a vehicle control device, in which case the control device is preferably configured and arranged such that the vehicle can be driven in two, three or more different drive modes according to the sensor values ​​detected and / or determined by one or more sensor devices.

[0151] For example, one of the drive modes can be normal drive, in which no unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within the vehicle's path or other predetermined surrounding area.

[0152] Alternatively, or to complement it, one of the drive modes can be a warning drive, in which one or more unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within a predetermined warning section of the driveway or other predetermined surrounding area of ​​the vehicle.

[0153] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, one of the drive modes can be stop drive, in which one or more unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within a predetermined stop section of the vehicle and / or other predetermined surrounding area of ​​the vehicle.

[0154] Warning sections and / or stop sections and / or various surrounding areas for activating warning drive and / or stop drive are preferably derived from predetermined minimum and / or maximum distances from the vehicle to unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects, in which case these minimum and / or maximum distances can preferably be varied using a control device, according to the actual loading and / or actual direction of travel and / or actual travel speed of the vehicle.

[0155] Furthermore, the vehicle may have one or more sensor devices that can be used to detect and / or monitor the spatial surroundings of the vehicle, along with the spatial surroundings and / or spatial area of ​​the object being transported by the vehicle.

[0156] In all embodiments of the vehicle, preferably, one or more sensor devices are provided on each of the vehicles, which are used to detect the surrounding areas of each of the vehicles.

[0157] One or more sensor devices can detect a three-dimensional perimeter, i.e., a three-dimensional surrounding area, in which case the detection itself is preferably performed in two or three dimensions, i.e., an object detected within the detected surrounding area is preferably detected in terms of its size and position relative to the vehicle. In particular, the size and position of an object detected by the vehicle's sensor devices are calculated from the sensor data of one or more sensor devices.

[0158] The surrounding region is preferably composed of or has multiple zones. These zones can be formed to overlap each other, or they can cover completely different spatial regions.

[0159] Preferably, different zones in the surrounding area can be detected using one or more sensor devices.

[0160] Zone division can be achieved, for example, by selecting boundary lines at various intervals from the vehicle. The surrounding area can be divided into, for example, three zones in the horizontal direction.

[0161] The innermost zone with the smallest distance from the vehicle, especially the zone directly adjacent to the vehicle, is, for example, a protective zone.

[0162] The protection zone is preferably an area where no objects other than the vehicle itself (and possibly objects) should be placed for driving without obstruction. Preferably, if an object is detected within this protection zone, the vehicle will immediately and / or automatically switch to stop driving.

[0163] The protective zone is formed in a ring shape, particularly within the horizontal section.

[0164] Other zones adjacent to the protective zone are, for example, warning zones. The warning zone preferably surrounds the protective zone in a ring shape with respect to a horizontal cross-section passing through the vehicle, the protective zone, and the warning zone.

[0165] The warning zone is an area in which no objects other than the vehicle itself should be placed, and in this case, the detection of an object does not necessarily result in the activation of the stop drive. Rather, if an object is detected within this warning zone, the vehicle preferably transitions to warning drive immediately and / or automatically.

[0166] Outside the warning zone, there is a free zone, which can be detected by one or more sensor devices if necessary, but is not monitored for the presence of objects, etc.

[0167] Objects referred to as objects detected by at least one sensor device are, in particular, objects that should not be in a position where they should be detected during the expected normal operation of the vehicle and / or processing equipment. Of course, one or more sensor devices may also detect objects that are components of the transfer equipment and / or processing equipment and whose presence is necessary.

[0168] Using the vehicle's control system and / or a higher-level sensor system, it is preferably examined and, in particular, calculated whether the detected object is an unexpected and / or unknown and / or destructive object, or whether its presence is acceptable.

[0169] Preferably, this inspection is performed before the vehicle transitions to warning drive or stop drive.

[0170] Preferably, the boundaries between zones are altered according to the actual state of the vehicle, particularly whether the vehicle is loaded or unloaded, and / or according to the speed and direction the vehicle is currently moving. For example, if the vehicle is moving at a relatively high speed, the boundaries within the area in front of the vehicle (with respect to the direction of travel) are moved away from the vehicle, so that the zones, particularly the warning zone and / or protection zone, are expanded in front of the vehicle.

[0171] In the case of curved driving, for example, the curvature of the zone and / or at least a partial lateral shift can be provided so that it covers as large a spatial area as possible along the actual travel section (path) particularly in the area in front of the vehicle.

[0172] Since the area behind the vehicle (in the direction of travel) does not usually require very careful monitoring, the portion of the zone, especially the warning zone and / or protection zone, located at the rear of the vehicle can be reduced in size.

[0173] Using the vehicle's control device and / or a higher-level control system, the boundary transitions and / or size and / or shape of the zones, particularly warning zones and / or protection zones, are preferably regularly adapted to their respective actual conditions, for example, multiple times per minute or second.

[0174] Alternatively, or in addition to that, modifications can always be made, especially when the vehicle undergoes changes in state, such as changes in direction, loading, unloading, or acceleration.

[0175] In particular, as a state characteristic that influences the transition of zone boundaries, it is preferable to utilize the actual position of the vehicle inside the transfer device and / or processing equipment.

[0176] In particular, the zones can be varied in terms of their size and / or shape according to the actual position of the vehicles inside the transfer equipment and / or processing facilities.

[0177] For example, if a vehicle is approaching a station and it is anticipated that a portion of the station will reach within the warning zone and / or protection zone (or that the warning zone and / or protection zone will extend into a portion of the station), the zone, particularly the warning zone and / or protection zone, can be reduced in size so that a portion of the station is outside the warning zone and / or protection zone.

[0178] In particular, for predicted straight-line movement within the station, lateral surrounding detection can be reduced or completely disabled.

[0179] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, station mode can be activated when the vehicle approaches a station, in which case the vehicle's maximum speed is reduced, thereby compensating for the increased potential hazards resulting from reduced surrounding surveillance. Approach to a station can be determined, for example, by positioning assistance scans and / or by position sensors and / or spacing sensors.

[0180] In particular, the following can be used to define the transition of zone boundaries and / or size and / or shape: - The vehicle's speed and direction of travel are determined, in particular, using a laser scanner and / or incremental coder, preferably with software assistance; - Hall sensor signals from one or more drive motors of the drive unit Preferably, a unified signal, particularly the travel speed and rotational speed, is calculated based on this. If a selectively performed validation check yields inconsistent values, an emergency stop is preferably activated (particularly initiating emergency off-drive). If the validation check yields consistent values, the zone boundary transitions and / or size and / or shape are preferably determined from these values.

[0181] Preferably, it may be more effective to provide vertical zoning instead of, or in addition to, horizontal zoning.

[0182] In particular, a zone can be defined within the structure where vehicles are positioned, in the vertical direction. This zone is specifically a vehicle zone.

[0183] The vehicle zone extends vertically, in particular, from the floor on which the vehicle can travel, up to the upper part of the vehicle's base body, or to the upper end of one or more accommodating members.

[0184] Therefore, by detecting the surrounding spatial area that forms or contains a vehicle zone, it is possible to determine, in particular, whether the vehicle is approaching another vehicle and / or whether the vehicle, considering itself, is at risk of colliding with an object.

[0185] Other vertical zones are derived from the dimensionality of objects placed on the vehicle. This zone covering the objects extends vertically, particularly from the bottom of the object (including, in some cases, adapters or skids, etc.) and / or to the top of the object, preferably from the lowest point of the object (including, in some cases, adapters or skids, etc.) and / or to the highest point of the object. This zone is referred to here as the object zone.

[0186] The target zone can be directly adjacent to the vehicle zone.

[0187] Alternatively, an intermediate zone can be placed between the target zone and the vehicle zone, which extends particularly from the upper side of the vehicle's base body and / or to the lower side of the target (including, in some cases, adapters or skids, etc.), preferably to the lowest point of the target (including, in some cases, adapters or skids, etc.).

[0188] Furthermore, the intermediate zone can extend vertically by at least approximately the distance by which one or more housing members protrude from the base body of the vehicle.

[0189] It can be effective when vertically divided zones overlap with horizontally divided zones, thereby enabling optimal surrounding detection and hazard avoidance, especially for combinations consisting of vehicles and objects.

[0190] Preferably, warning zones and / or protection zones are associated with vehicle zones so that, in particular, it is possible to monitor whether a vehicle is getting too close to another vehicle or other object.

[0191] Furthermore, warning zones and / or protection zones can be associated with the target zone, making it possible to monitor, in particular, whether a vehicle is getting too close to another vehicle or other object.

[0192] Furthermore, warning zones and / or protection zones can be associated with the intermediate zones, making it possible to monitor, in particular, whether a vehicle is getting too close to an object within the area of ​​one or more containment members.

[0193] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zones and / or protective zones associated with vehicle zones, particularly in the horizontal direction, depend especially on whether the vehicle is loaded and / or where the vehicle is located within the transfer equipment and / or processing facility.

[0194] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zone and / or protection zone associated with the target zone, particularly in the horizontal direction, depends in particular on whether the object is located on a vehicle, what size the object itself is, and / or where the vehicle is located within the transport and / or processing facility together with the object it is located on. In particular, when the vehicle is not loaded, i.e., when no object is present, surrounding monitoring within the area of ​​the target zone can be completely deactivated.

[0195] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zone and / or protection zone associated with the intermediate zone, particularly in the horizontal direction, depends in particular on whether the object is located in the vehicle, to what extent one or more containment members protrude from the base body, and / or where the vehicle is located within the transport and / or processing unit together with the object located therein. In particular, the surrounding monitoring within the intermediate zone may be deactivated when the vehicle enters and / or passes through the station, in which case one or more containment members protrude into or through the separation floor.

[0196] In a certain configuration, each vehicle can autonomously and independently of other vehicles, for example based on surrounding monitoring, inspect and / or monitor its route or path resulting from a task, particularly in order to avoid collisions.

[0197] In addition, vehicles can communicate with each other (directly or indirectly via higher-level control equipment) regarding their respective driving conditions and / or zones, particularly the extent and / or shape of warning zones, protection zones, vehicle zones, target zones and / or intermediate zones. This allows for intentionally tolerating particularly planned overlaps within zones, such as when two vehicles pass each other closely in opposite directions, without activating unnecessary warning triggers.

[0198] Even if each object is not located on the vehicle, it may be preferable to associate object zones and / or warning zones and / or protection zones with one, more or all objects, particularly the vehicle body. This type of zoning can be particularly applied to storage areas and / or park locations.

[0199] This type of zone mapping, in particular, allows for higher-level coordination of all objects regardless of their respective placement on the vehicle, thereby minimizing the potential risk of collisions between moving objects (objects placed on the vehicle) and parked objects (objects not placed on the vehicle).

[0200] It may be effective if the width of the opening within the station through which a vehicle passes when entering, for example, the tunnel below the station's separation floor, is at least equivalent to the maximum width of the vehicle, and preferably at least about 105% of the vehicle's width.

[0201] Preferably, the control device can adapt the surrounding monitoring to activate normal drive and / or warning drive and / or stop drive depending on whether the vehicle is carrying an object or not. In particular, this can prevent the activation of warning drive and / or stop drive based on an object above the vehicle, even though the object is not placed on the vehicle and therefore the object does not pose any obstacle to the vehicle.

[0202] In particular, the return travel area with bridges and / or reduced travel heights can be passed under and / or through in normal drive, and at the same time, monitoring is performed to ensure that there are no objects to be transported to the vehicle. Otherwise, those objects would be damaged.

[0203] In warning drive mode, the vehicle's speed is preferably reduced compared to normal drive mode. Furthermore, in warning drive mode, the vehicle's warning device is preferably capable of outputting an audible warning signal and / or an optical warning signal.

[0204] Normal driving of a vehicle is a driving mode in which the vehicle is driven in an optimal and fault-free manner, particularly in equipment having one or more vehicles, especially transfer equipment and / or processing equipment.

[0205] The control equipment located at a higher level is preferably configured and arranged such that one or more, or all, of the features and / or functions included in and associated with this specification and the appended claims can be implemented and / or that individual, multiple, or all of the results included in and associated with this specification and the appended claims can be obtained.

[0206] Preferably, each, each, or all of the vehicles is formed and arranged such that one or more, or all of the features and / or functions included in and associated with this specification and the appended claims are implementable and / or that each, each, or all of the results included in and associated with this specification and the appended claims can be obtained.

[0207] Preferably, tasks to be completed by the vehicle can be created using a higher-level control system and / or the vehicle's control device. These tasks may include, for example, a transport task for moving an object, / or a charging task for charging the vehicle's energy storage, and / or a relocalization task for driving the vehicle to another predetermined location. Furthermore, the tasks may include maintenance tasks, in which the vehicle drives to a maintenance area where maintenance is performed on the vehicle.

[0208] Task creation can be performed, for example, automatically, particularly using higher-level control equipment. The higher-level control equipment creates tasks, especially for transporting objects using one or more vehicles, in a way that maximizes the use of equipment, particularly processing equipment.

[0209] When one or more vehicles perform an automatically generated task, they preferably drive autonomously, and in this case, each vehicle preferably travels along a route optimized in terms of travel time.

[0210] Furthermore, tasks can be manually created for one or more vehicles. These tasks can be manually created, particularly by operators or workers, within a higher-level control system.

[0211] For manually created tasks, only partially autonomous driving for each vehicle is provided. Specifically for manually created tasks, only previously created routes, especially manually created routes, can be selected, and each vehicle can only travel along these routes when performing a manually created task.

[0212] One or more vehicles are preferably driven in a pre-arranged drive, in which each vehicle does not perform a task but rather prepares and is specifically programmed to perform a task later. For example, in a pre-arranged drive, various routes can be manually created, and these routes can later be selected as travel paths to perform the manually created tasks.

[0213] In a controlled drive, especially when manually creating a route, the vehicle may encounter situations that would represent obstacles in the vehicle's normal driving. For example, for a manually created route, intentionally different limits, such as smaller safety intervals, may be selected compared to the vehicle's path in fully autonomous driving.

[0214] In particular when manually creating a route and / or performing a manually created task (or in all other driving modes), the vehicle may be able to drive intrinsically safely, thereby reliably reacting to and effectively avoiding possible hazardous situations, or the vehicle may drive intrinsically unsafe, thereby failing to autonomously avoid or evade possible hazardous situations. The latter case occurs particularly when sensor devices for monitoring the vehicle's surroundings are malfunctioning or deactivated, and / or when one or more other safety devices or functions of the vehicle are deactivated, for example, by intentionally circumventing them. Furthermore, driving intrinsically unsafe may occur when the vehicle is oriented using only one or more positioning aids, for example, one or more QR codes® and / or one or more code bands.

[0215] In safe driving conditions for a vehicle, a higher standard speed and / or higher maximum speed are preferably provided than in unsafe driving conditions for the vehicle.

[0216] For example, the standard speed and / or maximum speed of a vehicle in inherently safe driving is at least about three times, in particular at least about five times, for example at least about ten times, the standard speed and / or maximum speed of a vehicle in inherently unsafe driving.

[0217] In particular, in controlled driving, the standard and / or maximum speed of the vehicle in inherently safe driving can be between approximately 10 m / min and approximately 20 m / min, preferably between approximately 12 m / min and approximately 18 m / min, for example, approximately 15 m / min.

[0218] In particular, in controlled driving, the standard and / or maximum speed of the vehicle during non-safe driving can be between approximately 0.5 m / min and approximately 5 m / min, preferably between approximately 1 m / min and approximately 3 m / min, for example, approximately 2 m / min.

[0219] The standard speed of a vehicle is, in particular, the average speed at which the vehicle moves forward on a straight section of track.

[0220] In vehicle stop-drive operation, the vehicle is preferably able to brake to a complete stop or is already braked. Alternatively, or in addition to this, the vehicle's warning device can output an audible and / or optical emergency signal during stop-drive operation. Furthermore, alternatively or supplementarily, the emergency signal during stop-drive operation can be transmitted using a control device to a higher-level control system for controlling and / or monitoring multiple vehicles.

[0221] Warning signals and / or emergency signals preferably include a request to clear the roadway and / or the area around the vehicle.

[0222] Warning signals and / or emergency signals can be, for example, reports spoken by a person or by a machine.

[0223] It can be effective if the vehicle is capable of traveling in multiple directions, especially bidirectionally.

[0224] Using one or more display members, it is possible to indicate, preferably, in each corner region of the vehicle whether each corner region is actually the front region or the rear region of the vehicle, according to the actual direction of travel.

[0225] One or more indicator members are positioned and / or formed, particularly in the corner regions of the vehicle.

[0226] One or more indicator members preferably simultaneously form turn signal members, which indicate the respective intended directions of travel for the vehicle when it is turning on a curve and / or deviating from the main transport section.

[0227] In embodiments of the present invention, a vehicle may have one or more charging connection points for charging the vehicle's energy storage.

[0228] The charging connection point is located, for example, on the underside of the base body. Preferably, the vehicle can be positioned above the charging connection point in the charging area associated with the energy storage device.

[0229] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the charging contact points can be located on the upper side of the base body. In this case, preferably the vehicle can be positioned below the charging points in the charging area associated with the energy storage.

[0230] The charging region is particularly part of a charging device in which non-contact, for example, inductive and / or mechanically coupled energy transfer takes place.

[0231] In the charging region, at a given point in time, one vehicle can be charged, and only one vehicle can be charged at that specific time.

[0232] The charging area preferably has a charging connection point on the energy source side. The charging connection point on the storage device side is preferably located and / or formed in the vehicle.

[0233] Energy is preferably obtained from the current grid via the charging connection points in the charging area.

[0234] Energy is extracted from the charging connection points of the vehicle, preferably from the charging connection points of the charging area, and supplied to the vehicle's energy storage.

[0235] It may be effective if the charging connection point can be coupled so as to contact the charging connection point of the associated charging area.

[0236] The charging connection point that makes contact is, for example, a sliding contact, or has one.

[0237] Alternatively, or in addition to that, the charging connection point can be contactless and can be coupled with the charging connection point of the associated charging area.

[0238] In that case, in particular, inductive energy transfer can be provided.

[0239] It may be effective if the vehicle has charging connection points located on the side walls of the base body, and these are particularly additional charging connection points, provided, for example, in addition to charging connection points located on the underside of the base body.

[0240] The charging connection points provided on the side wall of the base body are, in particular, other charging connection points, which are in particular capable of being coupled to the charging connection points of the associated charging area by plug connections.

[0241] In the vehicle configuration, the charging connection point located on the underside of the base body can be designated as the main charging connection point, through which the majority of the energy required for driving the vehicle in normal operation can be taken in.

[0242] Other charging connections include, in particular, reserve charging connections and / or emergency charging connections. In this case, energy can be supplied to the vehicle's energy storage via these other charging connections, especially when the vehicle is unable for any reason to move to the charging area for the main charging connection.

[0243] It may be effective if at least one charging connection point is located and / or formed in at least one housing member.

[0244] The housing member may have one or more contact areas and / or one or more contact members and / or control contacts.

[0245] One or more contact areas and / or one or more contact members are inaccessible, preferably when at least one housing member is retracted. In that case, the contact areas and / or contact members are inaccessible, especially in order to best protect persons, particularly when no object is transported by the vehicle and consequently no object covers one or more housing members.

[0246] One or more contact areas and / or one or more contact members and / or control contacts are located and / or formed in the shaft area of ​​at least one housing member and / or in the housing cylinder.

[0247] Preferably, two contact regions and / or contact members are arranged and / or formed on opposite sides of at least one housing member, particularly the shaft region and / or housing cylinder of at least one housing member, with respect to the vertical longitudinal central axis of the vehicle.

[0248] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, contact areas and / or contact members can be provided in the shaft area and / or housing cylinder of at least one housing member at various heights.

[0249] In particular, using one or more sliding contacts, one or more contact areas and / or contact members can preferably easily come into contact with a housing member, thereby supplying energy to the vehicle's energy storage.

[0250] It may be effective if the vehicle has an energy storage device for storing and providing electrical energy to drive the vehicle, and in that case the energy storage device has one or more energy storage units, which are formed as capacitors, in particular supercapacitors or ultracapacitors.

[0251] Furthermore, the vehicle may have an energy storage device that can store and provide electrical energy for driving the vehicle's lift drive system.

[0252] Energy can be stored and supplied, preferably for driving a lift drive system or a vehicle, using the same energy storage device, particularly using the same energy storage unit, or using the same energy storage unit of the energy storage device.

[0253] The driving force of a vehicle is, in particular, the forward movement of the vehicle.

[0254] The vehicle preferably has one energy storage device, which in particular has multiple energy storage units.

[0255] It may be effective if the energy storage system has one or more drive energy storage units for storing energy to drive the vehicle as a whole and / or to drive the lift drive system.

[0256] One, more, or all of the drive energy storage units can be formed, for example, as supercapacitors.

[0257] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the energy storage device may have one or more buffer energy storage units, which can be used to provide energy for, for example, a control device and / or one or more sensor devices and / or one or more communication devices.

[0258] One, more, or all of the buffer energy storage units can be formed, for example, as lithium-ion accumulators.

[0259] Selectively, one or more, or all, buffer energy storage units are coupled to or can be coupled to the vehicle's drive unit and / or lift drive unit, and in particular, can thereby provide energy to drive the drive unit and / or lift drive unit when the drive energy storage unit can no longer provide sufficient energy for that purpose.

[0260] One or more drive energy storage units and one or more buffer energy storage units may have different standard drive voltages and / or charge voltages from each other.

[0261] For example, one or more drive energy storage units can be driven by a voltage of at least approximately 48V, particularly a DC voltage.

[0262] One or more buffer energy storage units can be driven by a voltage of at least approximately 24V, particularly a DC voltage.

[0263] To charge an energy storage device in a charging area, the charging area preferably has one or more charging connection points, each of which has multiple contact areas and / or contact members to provide voltages with voltage values ​​of various heights.

[0264] In particular, one or more charging connection points are provided with two or more pairs of contact areas and / or contact members, which are used to provide different charging voltages.

[0265] The contact area can be formed particularly as a surface contact point and / or as a contact member, particularly as an overhanging contact member and / or as a sliding contact.

[0266] The vehicle-side contact areas of one or more charging connection points of the vehicle are preferably arranged to at least partially complement the contact areas of one or more energy source-side charging connection points, at least in terms of their spatial formation and / or arrangement.

[0267] The contact areas are formed and / or arranged such that, in particular, cross-contact between contact areas of pairs of contact areas that do not belong to each other is eliminated.

[0268] It may be effective if one or more, or all, charging connections each have at least one pair of contact areas located on the outside, and are used in particular to charge at least one drive energy storage unit.

[0269] Furthermore, it may be effective if one or more, or all, charging connections each have at least one pair of contact areas located inside, which are used in particular to charge at least one buffer energy storage unit.

[0270] At least one inner pair of contact regions is located between two contact regions of at least one outer pair of contact regions.

[0271] Alternatively, the reverse use of the contact areas can also be provided, such that at least one inner pair of contact areas is used, for example, to charge at least one drive energy storage unit, and at least one outer pair of contact areas is used, for example, to charge at least one buffer energy storage unit.

[0272] Furthermore, one or more, or all, charging connection points may each have one or more position contacts, which can be used to perform vehicle position recognition and / or position monitoring.

[0273] For example, one or more pairs of position contacts can be provided, which are positioned in particular to be located inside and / or outside between the contact areas of each charging connection point, so that the contact area of ​​each charging connection point is located between the position contacts.

[0274] It may be effective to use one or more position sensors and / or position contacts to determine whether the vehicle is in the position necessary to charge the energy storage device relative to the charging connection point, and if so, to ensure that one or more charging voltages at the charging connection point are released to charge the energy storage device.

[0275] It may be effective if one or more contact areas and / or contact members for charging an energy storage device, particularly one or more drive energy storage units and / or one or more buffer energy storage units, are used simultaneously as one or more positional contacts.

[0276] One or more contact areas and / or contact members and / or one or more position contacts of a vehicle may each have safety devices, in particular relays and / or contactors, which can be used to temporarily turn off a voltage in an energy storage device to avoid short circuits when the contact areas and / or position contacts are used for position recognition and / or position monitoring.

[0277] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, one or more contact areas and / or contact members and / or one or more position contacts of one or more or all of the charging connection points on the energy source side may each have a safety device, such as a relay and / or contactor, which can be used to temporarily turn off the voltage in the energy source to avoid short circuits when the contact areas and / or position contacts are used for, for example, position recognition and / or position monitoring.

[0278] In particular, to properly operate safety devices, a handshake is preferably provided between the vehicle and the charging connection point and / or a control device located higher up, in order to switch between position recognition mode and charging mode.

[0279] In particular, on the energy source side, voltage measurement in the contact area and / or contact member can be used to determine whether the vehicle is correctly positioned at each charging connection point.

[0280] For example, if the measured voltage is greater than 0.2V, and especially greater than 0.5V, it can be assumed that the vehicle is correctly positioned.

[0281] After the charging process is complete, the charging connection point is preferably switched to a new position recognition mode, particularly through the activation of a safety device.

[0282] The vehicle preferably has a control device, which is configured and arranged in particular so that the vehicle can be driven selectively in safety mode or express mode.

[0283] Preferably, the vehicle is drivable in a) safety mode only, or b) express mode only, or c) in both safety mode and express mode, selectively in normal mode and / or warning mode and / or stop mode.

[0284] When a person is detected around the vehicle and / or when the vehicle is traveling in an area where a person can approach, the vehicle preferably shifts to, or is capable of shifting to, a safety mode.

[0285] The detection of a person is, in particular, the detection of an object that may be a person. In that case, it is not necessarily necessary to recognize whether it is actually a person. Rather, it must be ensured that if it is a person, that person is protected from damage.

[0286] Furthermore, when no person is detected around the vehicle and / or when the vehicle is traveling in an area where a person cannot approach, the vehicle preferably moves to, and / or is capable of moving to, an express mode.

[0287] The vehicle is drivable, particularly in the safety mode, so that the VDI guideline 2510 is observed.

[0288] [[ID=1*5]]<0000*905> Preferably in the safety mode, one or more sensor devices of the vehicle monitor the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0289] [[ID=2*0]]According to the result of the sensor monitoring, preferably in the safety mode, it is selectable by the control device whether the vehicle is driven in normal driving, warning driving, and / or stop driving.

[0290] The maximum speed in the safety mode preferably conforms to the existing standards, guidelines and / or recommendations for self-driving vehicles within the space and / or area where people stay or can stay.

[0291] In express mode, preferably, no maximum speed is set. Rather, in express mode, the vehicle is controlled by the control system only to avoid damage to objects. Especially when the vehicle is unloaded, it can be set to a very high speed, far exceeding the maximum speed in safety mode. For example, the speed of the vehicle in express mode is at least about 150%, especially at least about 200%, for example at least about 300%, of the maximum speed of the vehicle in safety mode.

[0292] It may be effective if the vehicle can transition to safety mode or express mode using devices present in the vehicle, particularly GPS receivers and / or real-time location systems, and / or devices not present in the vehicle, particularly sensor devices, such as external safety contacts.

[0293] Devices not present in the vehicle include, in particular, monitoring devices that monitor, or can monitor, whether a person is entering, or able to enter, the express area where the vehicle is operating in express mode. For example, an entrance door monitored as an entry point to the express area can, if opened, immediately switch the vehicle within the express area from express mode to safety mode.

[0294] Furthermore, the vehicle's control system can inspect the state of the express zone before the vehicle transitions to express mode using dedicated sensors and / or by querying external sensors. For example, the switch from safety mode to express mode in the express zone can be prevented if internal and / or external sensor devices detect a person in the express zone.

[0295] Instead of detecting people, other parameters or states can be used to safely select express mode.

[0296] The express area can be formed and / or provided, for example, within one or more planes of the processing equipment.

[0297] It may be effective if the express area extends at least almost completely across one or more planes of the processing area, particularly covering at least about 90%, for example, at least about 95%, of the usable area of ​​this one or more planes.

[0298] Alternatively, or in addition to that, the safety area may be formed and / or provided, for example, within one or more planes of the processing equipment.

[0299] It may be preferable that the safety area extends at least substantially over one or more planes of the processing equipment, particularly over at least about 90%, for example, at least about 96%, of the usable area of ​​that one or more planes.

[0300] Furthermore, one or more planes of the processing equipment may each have one or more safety areas and one or more express areas.

[0301] At least about 50%, particularly at least about 80%, for example at least about 95%, of the planes formed as express areas are preferably planes having a majority or all automated workspace, i.e., a majority or all of stations and / or processing areas where the object is processed by a robot or machine.

[0302] At least about 50%, particularly at least about 80%, for example at least about 95%, of the planes formed as safety areas are preferably planes having a majority or all manual work areas, i.e., a majority or all of stations and / or processing areas where the object is processed by a person.

[0303] One or more of the vehicle's housing components can be directly fixed to the object to be transported, for example.

[0304] However, the object to be transferred can be fixed to, or can be fixed to, one or more receiving members of the vehicle using an adapter device.

[0305] Therefore, the device according to the present invention also relates to an adapter device for receiving an object, particularly a workpiece, such as a vehicle body.

[0306] The adapter device preferably: has a central member; has one or more adapter members, the adapter members being fixed to the central member and geometrically adapted to the object for receiving the object.

[0307] One or more action areas, particularly introduction openings, acting on one or more receiving members for receiving the adapter device are preferably arranged and / or formed on the central member and / or on one or more adapter members.

[0308] The central member preferably couples a plurality of adapter members to each other.

[0309] In particular, one or more receiving pins for receiving one or more objects, such as a vehicle body, are provided respectively on one or more adapter members.

[0310] One or more action areas, particularly introduction openings, are preferably arranged and / or formed so as to preferably substantially complement one or more receiving sections.

[0311] In particular, one or more action areas, particularly introduction openings, are formed substantially in a conical shape, a conical section shape, a frustum of a cone shape or a frustum of a cone section shape. [[ID=�6]]

[0312] It can be effective if one or more action areas, particularly introduction openings, are arranged and / or formed on the lower side of the adapter device and are tapered in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity.

[0313] The adapter device according to the present invention is particularly suitable for use in combination with the vehicle according to the present invention.

[0314] Therefore, the present invention also relates to a combination comprising at least one vehicle and at least one adapter device.

[0315] In particular, multiple adapter members of various geometric configurations and / or sizes can be provided to accommodate objects of various geometric configurations and / or sizes.

[0316] In particular, the combination may have a block system for forming adapter devices for various types of objects, in which case there is a central member, in particular one or more identically formed members, and adapter members of various geometric arrangements and / or sizes that can be selectively positioned thereon, in particular screwable.

[0317] The vehicle and / or adapter device and / or combination according to the present invention are particularly suitable for use in transport devices for transporting objects.

[0318] Therefore, the present invention also relates to a transfer device for transporting objects, particularly workpieces, such as vehicle bodies.

[0319] In that case, the transport device has one or more vehicles, in particular vehicles according to the present invention.

[0320] The transfer device further preferably has one or more stations to which objects can be transferred by one or more vehicles, and / or at which stations objects can be released and / or accommodated.

[0321] In particular, the target is a system that can be transferred from a vehicle to a station transfer device and / or to a station storage unit at one or more stations, and can be retrieved from there.

[0322] Preferably, within at least one of the stations, there are two or more positions for two or more objects.

[0323] The object is preferably able to be released to a station by a vehicle at a first location. At a second location, the object is preferably able to be received by a vehicle and then transported out of the station.

[0324] The first position is specifically the release position.

[0325] The second position is specifically the containment position.

[0326] It may be effective if the object can be processed while it is being moved from a first position to a second position, or at an intermediate position located in between.

[0327] It may be effective if at least one vehicle is formed and arranged such that an object can be released to the station at a first position, and thereafter an object that was previously released to this first position and subsequently transported to a second position in the station can be accommodated at the second position. Thus, at least one vehicle can be used to skip one cycle of the transport device in particular.

[0328] The vehicles may preferably be used further, but one or more objects remain in the station temporarily for special processing.

[0329] Objects released at a first position by at least one vehicle are then received at a second position by other vehicles that had released other objects to the first position in the meantime, after the objects have been processed, particularly within the intermediate zone.

[0330] Therefore, the vehicles of the transfer device are preferably optimized with respect to the transfer process. Particularly preferably, waiting time between processing of the object is avoided.

[0331] It may be effective if one or more stations have a separation floor, and at least one vehicle is movable below the separation floor (particularly while one or more objects are movable above the separation floor) in order to move one or more objects above the separation floor.

[0332] In that case, the object is preferably positioned above a completely separate floor.

[0333] At least one vehicle, in particular its base body and chassis, is preferably positioned below the separation floor, in which case one or more housing members may extend through and / or into the separation floor. In particular, the base body of at least one vehicle is preferably positioned entirely below the separation floor.

[0334] The separation bed preferably extends from the discharge position to the containment position.

[0335] The separation floor, at least, preferably extends over the entire processing area, particularly when the station is formed as a processing station, in an intermediate location.

[0336] The separated floor is preferably walkable by people and / or traversable by machinery.

[0337] The separation floor can be formed, for example, as a substantially flat surface or as a tunnel.

[0338] In particular, the separate floor can form a double floor, which can be positioned substantially parallel to the hall floor on which a movable base, especially a transport device, is installed.

[0339] The separation bed is preferably substantially fluid-tight, and especially drip-tight.

[0340] It may be effective if the separation floor and / or station transfer device is liftable and / or lowerable, in particular in part, so that the object can be accommodated by one or more vehicles and / or other transfer equipment and / or transferred to one or more vehicles and / or other transfer equipment.

[0341] It may be effective if the separation floor is oriented substantially parallel to the movable base on which the transport device is mounted. The distance of the preferably walkable surface of the separation floor from the preferably movable surface of the movable base is preferably up to about 5 times, particularly up to about 4 times, and preferably up to about 2 times, the height of the vehicle and / or the height of the vehicle's base body.

[0342] It may be effective if at least one section of the separation floor is formed to be completely enclosed above the vehicle transport path, thereby spatially separating the object to be transported, preferably from at least one vehicle.

[0343] In that case, one or more vehicles and the object preferably no longer come into contact. In particular, there are no parts that protrude through the separation floor. In this way, special protection of the vehicle from dirt, overheating, moisture, etc. can be ensured when the vehicle travels under a station that is appropriately installed.

[0344] A fully enclosed section of the separation floor can extend over at least the entire longitudinal extension of the work area for processing the object.

[0345] The transfer from the vehicle to the station transfer device, and / or the return from the station transfer device to at least one vehicle, is preferably performed outside the processing station.

[0346] However, one or more objects can also be moved directly to the processing location by a vehicle. In this case, the station transfer device can preferably be omitted. To protect the vehicle in this case, the vehicle can unload one or more objects at the processing location and leave the processing area. At a later time, the same vehicle or another vehicle can be used to newly accommodate and further transport one or more objects that have already been processed.

[0347] Processing, in this specification, preferably in very general terms, means carrying out any step of processing, forming and / or manufacturing a product. In particular, processing includes forming, processing, coating, assembling, repairing, and managing a product or a part thereof.

[0348] The longitudinal extension of the processing area refers to the extension of the processing area, particularly along the transport direction and / or transport path, for example, from the station entrance and / or discharge position to the station exit and / or storage position.

[0349] It may be effective if the separating floor has a passage area, for example, a passage slit, through which one or more housing members of at least one vehicle extend, and / or into the passage slit.

[0350] The passage area, in particular the passage slit, preferably extends along the transport path of the transport device and / or defines the transport path of the transport device.

[0351] A passing edge region can be formed on one or both sides of the passing region, particularly the passing slit, and it can be formed to be higher than the rest of the separation floor.

[0352] The formation to be elevated relates in particular to the height level of the portion of the separation floor that encloses the passable edge area, especially within the passable floor area of ​​the separation floor.

[0353] Therefore, the passage area, and in particular the passage openings within the separation floor formed by the passage slits, are preferably located above the walkable floor plane, thereby preventing loose parts or liquids on the walkable floor area of ​​the separation floor from reaching at least one vehicle through the passage area.

[0354] The average open or openable gap between two opposing passing edge regions with respect to the passing region is preferably up to about four times, particularly up to about three times, and particularly up to about two times, the average thickness of at least one housing member of at least one vehicle, as viewed horizontally and perpendicularly with respect to the transport path.

[0355] The average open or releasable gap between two opposing through edge regions with respect to the through region is at most about 150%, preferably at most about 100%, for example at most about 80%, of the average extension of the central member of the adapter device for accommodating at least one object, as viewed horizontally and vertically with respect to the transport path. This allows the central member of the adapter device to at least partially or completely cover the through region, particularly the through slit, thereby avoiding or at least reducing undesirable contamination of the vehicle in particular.

[0356] The passing edge region can be formed in a substantially L-shape in a cross-section viewed perpendicular to the transport path.

[0357] Alternatively, or in addition to that, the passing edge region can extend obliquely with respect to the direction of gravity and / or obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0358] It may be preferable that the transfer device, particularly the separation floor, for example, the passage edge region, has one or more closing members that can be used to close the passage region, particularly the passage slit, preferably permanently or temporarily.

[0359] In particular, the passage area, especially the passage slit, can be automatically closed using one or more closing members.

[0360] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the passage region, particularly the passage slit, can be closed using one or more closing members, especially when the receiving member does not protrude through the passage region.

[0361] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the passage region, particularly the passage slit, can be closed using one or more closing members within the section of the passage region, particularly the passage slit, where no accommodating member protrudes through the passage region.

[0362] One or more closing members are operable, particularly using one or more housing members, and are particularly movable to an open position and / or a closed position.

[0363] Alternatively, or in addition to that, one or more closing members can be made to move automatically from an open position to a closed position elastically and / or under the influence of gravity.

[0364] One or more closing members are formed in particular as thin plates and / or flaps.

[0365] When a transfer device is used to transfer objects, particularly workpieces, such as vehicle bodies, it is preferable that the transfer device has a separate floor.

[0366] The separation floor preferably has a passage region, particularly a passage slit.

[0367] Preferably, one or more housing members for accommodating at least one object may extend through a passage region, particularly a passage slit, preferably from bottom to top, opposite to the direction of gravity.

[0368] The separation floor can form a walkable floor in the station and / or processing area and / or processing room of the processing equipment.

[0369] One or more vehicles are capable of traveling, preferably below the separation floor, and particularly within the travel space formed below the separation floor.

[0370] The passage area, particularly the passage slit, preferably extends along the transfer direction of the transfer device.

[0371] It may be effective if the separation floor has one or more closing members that can be used to close the passage area, particularly the passage slit.

[0372] The passage area, particularly the passage slit, can be automatically and / or temporarily and / or locally and / or globally closed using one or more closing members.

[0373] The passage area, particularly the passage slit, can be closed using one or more closing members, especially when no accommodating member protrudes through the passage area.

[0374] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the passage region, in particular the passage slit, can be closed using one or more closing members, in particular within the section of the passage region, especially the passage slit, where no accommodating member protrudes through the passage region.

[0375] It may be effective if one or more closing members are operable by a housing member and are particularly movable to an open position and / or a closed position.

[0376] Preferably, a housing member is used to ensure that one or two closing members can always move precisely from the closed position to the open position.

[0377] Preferably, one or more closing members, especially all closing members, are automatically movable from the open position to the closed position, particularly when no receiving member acts on each closing member.

[0378] One or more closing members, in particular all of them, are preferably operable independently of each other and, in particular, are movable independently from a closed position to an open position.

[0379] It may be effective if one or more closing members are able to move automatically from an open position to a closed position by the action of elasticity and / or gravity. This preferably ensures that the closing members are always in the closed position without the action of the receiving members, and therefore the passage area, in particular the passage slit, is closed.

[0380] One or more closing members, in particular all closing members, can be formed, for example, as plates and / or flaps and / or closing disks.

[0381] For example, a round, especially perfectly round, closing member can be provided as a closing member.

[0382] It may be effective if one or more closing members are displaceable, particularly horizontally, so as to temporarily open the passage area to allow one or more accommodating members to pass through.

[0383] Displacement refers specifically to linear sliding and / or oscillating motion.

[0384] The separation floor has multiple closing members, which can be arranged to overlap each other in their closed and / or open positions.

[0385] In particular, the separation floor has multiple closing members, which are arranged in different planes, especially parallel to each other, preferably horizontal planes, and / or can be moved, especially relative to each other and / or with respect to one or more support plates of the separation floor.

[0386] In particular, the separation floor may have a plurality of closing members arranged in and / or movable within a first plane, and additionally, a plurality of closing members arranged in and / or movable within a second plane. The first plane and the second plane are preferably arranged parallel to each other and / or oriented horizontally.

[0387] The closing members, which are arranged in different planes and / or are movable, are preferably continuous with each other and / or adjacent to each other in a direction extending perpendicular to that plane.

[0388] One or more closing members, in particular all closing members, may be positioned below one or more support plates of the separation floor.

[0389] One or more, and especially all, closing members preferably, in their closed position, extend laterally beyond one or more support plates, and particularly into a passage region formed between two opposing support plates.

[0390] One or more, especially all, closing members, in the closed position, extend laterally beyond one or more support plates, preferably by up to about 70%, especially up to about 50%, and preferably up to about 40%, of their entire surface, particularly on the upper side located above in the direction of gravity.

[0391] One or more closing members, in particular all closing members, remain below one or more support plates, with at least about 30%, preferably at least about 50%, for example about 60%, of their entire surface, preferably in both the closed and open positions. This enables the support function of one or more, in particular all, closing members on one or more support plates.

[0392] One or more closing members, and especially all closing members, are preferably walkable.

[0393] It may be effective if one or more closing members, in particular all of them, are supported or can be supported by each other and / or by one or more support plates of the separation floor, particularly in the closed position and / or the open position.

[0394] One or more, especially all, closing members can be movable obliquely with respect to the transport direction, especially in a direction extending perpendicularly, and / or at least in a substantially horizontal direction, and especially linearly slidable.

[0395] Therefore, one or more, especially all, closing members can move obliquely, especially perpendicularly, with respect to the transport direction, so as to exit the transport path of one or more housing members, and are particularly slidable laterally by one or more housing members.

[0396] One or more accommodating members act particularly directly on one or more closing members, thereby causing one closing member to move from a closed position to an open position after another closing member and / or after another pair of closing members, so that one or more closing members can move along a passage region, particularly along a passage slit.

[0397] It may be effective if one or more closing members, particularly all closing members, are rotatable, for example, freely rotatable and / or 360° rotatable, and are positioned in the closing member housing of the separation floor.

[0398] One or more, in particular all, closing members are formed, for example, as closing disks.

[0399] It may be preferable that one or more closing members, particularly all closing members, be linearly slidable and preferably simultaneously rotatable when moving from a closed position to an open position and / or from an open position to a closed position.

[0400] In embodiments of the present invention, one or more closing members, particularly all closing members, can commonly form a closure of a passage area, particularly a passage slit, the closure having a height small compared to the maximum lateral extension of the passage area, particularly the passage slit, for example, having a height of, for example, up to about 80%, preferably up to about 50%, for example, up to about 20%, of the maximum width of the passage area, particularly the passage slit. This preferably allows for the formation of an optimized travel space below the walkable surface of the separation floor, so that a vehicle can travel below the separation floor without damaging the closing members, particularly when one or more of the containment members are fully retracted.

[0401] One or more closing members, in particular all closing members, are preferably housed by one or more closing member housings.

[0402] In particular, each closing member is associated with a separate closing member housing section.

[0403] It may be effective if one or more, especially all, of the closure member housings are arranged in the support structure of the separation floor, and especially if they are movably arranged.

[0404] It may be effective if the separation floor has a return device that allows the closing member and / or closing member housing to move from the open position to the closed position after the operation, together with the closing member located therein.

[0405] The return device has a return member in particular, and the return member has or is formed by one or more closing member housing portions.

[0406] Preferably, a return member is associated with each closing member housing, or a separate closing member housing is provided for each return member.

[0407] Each return member is preferably movably arranged in a return member housing, particularly in a separate return member housing.

[0408] The return member housing is fixed in particular to the support structure of the separation floor.

[0409] It may be effective if the return members are arranged in each return member housing so as to be slidable, particularly linearly slidable.

[0410] For example, the return members are arranged in their respective return member housings so as to be elastically displaced by a spring device, particularly a compression spring.

[0411] Therefore, when the closing member is operated, the closing member, together with the closing member housing and / or the return member, moves relative to their respective return member housings and consequently relative to the support structure, for example, against the action of a spring mechanism.

[0412] A return device, particularly a spring device, such as a compression spring, moves each closing member, together with the closing member housing and / or return member, back to the closed position after the engagement of each housing member has been disengaged.

[0413] To restrict the movement of the return member relative to the return member housing, for example, a stopper member can be provided, which is slidably positioned particularly within the guide opening, and in this case, two end positions are defined for the return member relative to the return member housing, and consequently for the respective closing members relative to the passage region, particularly the passage slit.

[0414] Preferably, a walkable area, particularly a portion of the walkable surface of a separation floor, is formed between closed areas formed by closing members that at least temporarily fill and / or close through areas, such as through slits.

[0415] In particular, other walkable surfaces of the separation floor, formed by multiple support plates, are positioned with a vertical displacement of preferably up to about 200%, and preferably up to about 150%, of the maximum height of the closing member. For example, by using a particularly flat closing member with a maximum height of, for example, up to about 2 cm, and up to about 5 cm, it is possible to form a walkable surface of the separation floor with the smallest possible displacement and, consequently, a low risk of injury to people.

[0416] In embodiments of the present invention, the separation floor may have two or more centering devices and / or opening devices, which are arranged and / or formed in particular one or more closing members.

[0417] A centering device can be used to perform additional centering on, for example, a housing member and / or a vehicle having a housing member.

[0418] To this end, the centering device has, for example, two centering members positioned within the passage area, which are formed in particular with an entry slope, and thus can bring about the centering of the receiving member within the passage area, especially within the passage slit.

[0419] The opening device may preferably have one or more opening members.

[0420] The entry ramp of the opening device can be oriented particularly obliquely to the horizontal and / or obliquely to the vertical, and allows for the operation of one or more closing members by, for example, the vertical movement of one or more housing members.

[0421] This type of opening device allows vehicles, particularly those located entirely below a separation floor (with one or more of their housing members similarly located entirely below a complete closing member), to operate one or more closing members from below the separation floor, thereby allowing one or more housing members to pass through a passage area from below the separation floor and engage with, for example, an object located above the separation floor.

[0422] It may be effective if the transfer device has a station transfer device, which allows the object to be transferred regardless of the vehicle, and in that case, the station transfer device is preferably integrated into the separate floor of the station.

[0423] The object can be transferred, preferably independently of a vehicle, from the discharge position to the processing position, and / or to the storage position and / or to other stations and / or to a buffer area that buffers the object to be transferred, using a station transfer device.

[0424] The station transfer device can be, for example, a roller conveyor, a rail conveyor, or a chain conveyor, and may have a roller conveyor, a rail conveyor, and / or a chain conveyor.

[0425] In particular, the rollers of a roller conveyor, which can be driven individually, are integrated into the separate floor.

[0426] Furthermore, one or more rails of the rail conveyor can be integrated into the separate floor.

[0427] A transport system can be effective if it has multiple stackable vehicles.

[0428] In particular, the transport device has multiple equally formed vehicles that can be stacked on top of each other, either slightly apart or directly on top of each other.

[0429] To that end, the transport device may have, for example, a stacking device for stacking multiple vehicles and / or removing them from the stack.

[0430] A stack of vehicles can be particularly effective for transporting and / or storing vehicles.

[0431] Using a stacking device, multiple vehicles stacked on top of each other can be individually separated after their transport.

[0432] The stacking device may have, for example, a lift unit, which can be used to lift one or more vehicles from a base on which they can travel, so that the upper side of the lift unit (especially the side on which the vehicle travels before being lifted) becomes flush with the vehicle or the upper side of the intermediate member described later, so that a vehicle on the lift unit can ride onto another vehicle.

[0433] In this case, the lift unit has side walls in particular, and these side walls are formed to be at least partially complementary to the side walls of the vehicle.

[0434] In particular, the drivable surface of the lift unit is adapted on at least one side to the shape of the upper part of the vehicle and / or the shape of the intermediate member for stacking the vehicle.

[0435] Furthermore, one or more shelf units can be used, in which case a vehicle can be inserted into the shelf unit, preferably into the individual shelf compartments of the shelf unit, using a stacking device.

[0436] Vehicles can, for example, be stacked directly on top of each other.

[0437] However, these storage components are not suitable for this type of stacking, especially if one or more of them protrude from the base body of each vehicle.

[0438] Therefore, it may be effective if one or more particularly drivable intermediate goods are inserted between or mounted on two vehicles, after which other vehicles are placed on top of these vehicles.

[0439] One or more intermediate members form a gap between the base bodies of vehicles that are to be stacked on top of each other, thereby avoiding collision with one or more housing members.

[0440] Furthermore, one or more intermediate members can be used to lock vehicles together.

[0441] Furthermore, if the charging connection point is prepared by an intermediate member, it can be more effective, thereby enabling the charging of energy storage devices of vehicles that are mounted on other vehicles and therefore cannot travel directly above the charging connection point in the charging area.

[0442] In an embodiment of the present invention, the transport device has one or more charging areas for charging the energy storage of at least one vehicle.

[0443] One or more charging areas are preferably located at one or more stations of the transfer device, to which the object can be transferred by at least one vehicle, and / or at which the object can be released and / or accommodated.

[0444] One or more charging areas are preferably located between two stations of a transport device with respect to a transport path of at least one vehicle, to which an object can be transported by at least one vehicle and / or at which the object can be released and / or accommodated.

[0445] One or more charging areas are located within, or on, a transport path of at least one vehicle. In this case, the transport path is a path along which objects can be transported by at least one vehicle.

[0446] The entire transport path or travel path of each vehicle preferably has a transport path along which one or more objects are transported and a return transport path, along which each vehicle travels back, for example, from a terminal station where the objects are finally released from the transport device to an initial station where the objects first come into contact with the transport device.

[0447] The return transport route is, in particular, a route where vehicles are not carrying any cargo.

[0448] It may be effective if one or more charging areas are located within or within a road section, and they permanently or temporarily form a section of transport path for one or more vehicles and a section of return transport path for the same one or more vehicles or one or more other vehicles.

[0449] In particular, one or more charging areas may be located in or within a road section, which may alternately form one or more transport road sections and one or more return transport road sections for the same vehicle or one or more other vehicles.

[0450] It may be effective if one or more charging areas are arranged in a multi-directional transport area, and one or more vehicles pass through and / or through that transport area in various directions.

[0451] Preferably, it may be effective if one or more charging areas are located within or in a cross area, where one or more transport paths and / or one or more return transport paths of the vehicle intersect.

[0452] By properly positioning the charging areas, the length of the wires, particularly between the energy source and each charging area, can be minimized.

[0453] One or more charging areas are preferably stationary charging areas in which at least one vehicle is stationary for and / or while the energy storage is being charged.

[0454] In this case, one or more charging areas can be positioned so that they are directly located within the transport path without the possibility of detours. In this case, one or more vehicles can be inserted into one or more charging areas without detours and can be brought to a stationary state to charge their respective energy storage devices. After the charging process, the vehicles are moved again and follow the transport path anew.

[0455] However, instead, or in addition to that, one or more charging areas may be located slightly away from the optimized or shortest transport path, for example. In that case, at least one vehicle briefly leaves the optimized and / or shortest transport path to charge its respective energy storage within one or more charging areas. After the charging process, one or more vehicles then return to the optimized or shortest transport path, for example.

[0456] In particular, when there are relatively large temporal and / or spatial intervals between multiple vehicles transported along a common transport path, each vehicle can stop directly on the optimized and / or shortest transport path to charge its respective energy storage. This preferably allows for a particularly space-saving configuration of the transport device.

[0457] In contrast, when the temporal and / or spatial intervals between consecutive vehicles are short, it may be effective for the vehicle to be charged to deviate from a predetermined, particularly optimized, and / or shortest transport path in order not to block the following vehicle.

[0458] All of the above-mentioned features can be provided even in non-fixed charging areas, i.e., in mobile charging areas. In this type of mobile charging area, a speed reduced compared to the normal speed, or the normal speed itself, can be defined as the vehicle's driving speed.

[0459] It may be effective if one or more charging areas are mobile charging areas, and at least one vehicle can move in contact with and through the energy storage while the energy storage is being charged, or at least one vehicle can move through the mobile charging area while the energy storage is being charged.

[0460] A mobile charging area can be effective if it has multiple charging connection points, which are distributed and arranged over a spatial area larger than the vehicle's horizontal dimensions.

[0461] In particular, the charging connection points in the mobile charging area are preferably arranged continuously along the charging section, so preferably vehicles traveling along the charging section pass over the charging connection points in the mobile charging area one after another, and especially travel over them.

[0462] When a vehicle moves along a charging zone or is positioned on a charging zone, only a portion of the charging connection points in the mobile charging area is always covered by the vehicle.

[0463] It may be effective if the voltage and / or current supply at the charging connections in the mobile charging area is controlled by a control device and / or higher-level control equipment to be open-loop and / or closed-loop controlled so that only charging connections that are always covered by the vehicle are guided to current and / or voltage is applied only to them. In this case, the remaining charging connections that are not covered by this vehicle or other vehicles are preferably switched to no current and / or no voltage. This effectively avoids the risk of electric shock, which is undesirable for people.

[0464] In order to determine which single charging port or multiple charging ports are covered by a vehicle, the system may be configured to recognize and / or monitor the location of each vehicle, in which case the coverage can be calculated, for example.

[0465] Alternatively, or in addition to that, one or more charging connections, in particular all charging connections, may each have one or more sensor devices that can detect the presence of a vehicle, in particular at, and especially above, each charging connection, and only if, in that case, a vehicle is detected by one or more sensor devices, is it permitted to apply, in particular, current and / or voltage to charge the vehicle's energy storage to each charging connection.

[0466] This type of sensor device can be a contact device in particular, which cooperates with a vehicle, especially a related mating contact, to directly or indirectly close an electrical and / or mechanical and / or electromagnetic contact device, for example, to detect the presence of the vehicle and / or to charge an energy storage device. For this purpose, the contact device is an electrical and / or mechanical and / or electromagnetic contact device, in particular a different from the charging contact on the charging connection side.

[0467] To detect the presence of vehicles in a predetermined portion of the charging section, and in particular to determine the position of each vehicle, one or more contact rails, especially location-resolving contact rails, may be provided.

[0468] The charging connection point can be located, for example, on the underside of the vehicle, on the side of the vehicle, and / or on top of the vehicle.

[0469] Preferably, the charging connection point is inaccessible to a person during normal operation of the vehicle and / or the vehicle's transport device.

[0470] It may be effective if the transfer device, in particular one or more vehicles, for example all vehicles, each has a release device, which can be used to temporarily release, in particular expose, one or more charging connection points and / or one or more charging connection points in each charging area of ​​each vehicle, in order to charge their respective energy storage devices. For example, a contact area can be released, in particular by raising a contact member and / or by pushing open a cover member.

[0471] In that case, the release device is operated, in particular, by the interaction between the vehicle and the charging area.

[0472] The release device may be effective if it is direction-dependent, thereby enabling at least one charging area located within at least one multi-directional transport area to release various contact areas for vehicles oriented in various directions. This, in particular, can effectively avoid polarity errors.

[0473] One or more charging areas may be located in, for example, the passage area of ​​the separation floor of the transfer device, and / or formed therein.

[0474] For example, one or more closing members can form contact members for a charging area in order to bring contact areas in a vehicle, particularly one or more housing members.

[0475] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, one or more closing members may be operating members for operating a release device for releasing one or more contact areas of the vehicle.

[0476] It may be effective if one or more charging areas are located and / or formed beneath the separation floor of the transfer device station.

[0477] In that case, one or more charging areas are accessible, particularly from below, and the vehicle's charging connection points, which correspond to the charging connection points of the charging areas, are preferably located and / or formed on the upper side of the vehicle.

[0478] The vehicle's charging connection point protrudes from below, particularly toward the separation floor of the transport device, allowing the vehicle's energy storage to be charged, especially when the vehicle is stationary. Alternatively, a mobile charger can be provided, in which case the vehicle's energy storage is charged while the vehicle is traveling into, through, or leaving the station.

[0479] The transport device preferably has multiple stations of this type.

[0480] One or more charging areas may be located on the floor, on which at least one vehicle can travel. One or more charging areas may be located and / or formed directly below the separation floor of a transfer device station.

[0481] It may be effective if one or more charging areas are formed as charging bays into which one or more vehicles can enter in order to charge their respective energy storage devices, particularly by bypassing, for example, an optimized and / or shortest vehicle transport path and / or an optimized and / or shortest return transport path.

[0482] One or more charging bays are preferably standby areas for temporarily storing one or more vehicles.

[0483] Alternatively, or in addition to that, one or more charging bays may be used as a maintenance area for performing maintenance work on one or more vehicles.

[0484] The waiting area is, in particular, an area where each vehicle waits for subsequent tasks, or where a vehicle waits until a task that has already been created begins.

[0485] In a certain configuration, a waiting area can be provided for multiple vehicles, in which case the vehicles can be arranged in a line, moving back and forth, particularly as a waiting loop.

[0486] The vehicle preferably enters and exits the waiting area in accordance with the FIFO (First In - First Out) principle.

[0487] It may be effective if the charging area within the standby area, particularly the charging connection point on the energy source side, is located only at the foremost standby position within the standby area, especially with respect to the main direction of travel of the vehicles within the standby area and / or with respect to a row in which multiple vehicles can be positioned one after the other. This would allow, in particular, one or more energy storage devices of the vehicles that would next encounter problems to be constantly charged.

[0488] Alternatively, or in addition to that, multiple charging areas, particularly multiple energy source charging connection points, can be arranged within the standby area, especially at multiple standby positions within the standby area.

[0489] For example, charging areas, particularly the charging connection points on the energy source side, can be placed at the foremost and rearmost waiting positions of the standby area, respectively. This allows for charging of the energy storage of vehicles entering the standby area, enabling longer standby times for vehicles within the standby area and / or achieving the shortest charging time at the foremost waiting position.

[0490] To charge the energy storage units of vehicles waiting in a waiting area not used as a charging zone, the vehicle positioned at the front of the waiting line may leave its position after a predetermined waiting time and join the rear end of the line of waiting vehicles. The other vehicles then move forward, closing the gap. Through this regular rotation, all waiting vehicles successively reach the charging zone, so that the energy storage units of all waiting vehicles become rechargeable.

[0491] It may be effective if the charge status of one or more energy storage devices of a vehicle is checked by the vehicle and / or by a control system located higher up, before the vehicle is moved to leave the charging area to perform a task.

[0492] In particular, the vehicle can only begin performing the task if the charge state of one or more energy storage devices is sufficient to fully perform the task and, preferably additionally, to travel to the charging area following the task.

[0493] Furthermore, a safety reserve may be provided, for example, such that the task is only initiated when the charge level is absolutely (with respect to the total capacity of one or more energy storage devices) or relatively (with respect to the amount of energy required to perform the task) above the charge level required to fully perform the task, for example, by at least 5%, and especially at least 10%.

[0494] The maintenance area is, in particular, the area in which the maintenance and / or servicing of one or more vehicles can be carried out by persons trained for that purpose.

[0495] In embodiments of the present invention, one or more charging areas may be positioned at the discharge position of the station and / or at the receiving position of the station, such that the vehicle's energy storage can be charged while the vehicle is being positioned to the station, particularly for handing over or taking over an object.

[0496] The discharge and containment positions are areas where, in particular, one or more objects are transferred from the vehicle to the station transfer device, or from the station transfer device to the vehicle. This requires extremely precise positioning of the vehicle relative to the station; therefore, the positioning process can be carried out at a reduced speed compared to the vehicle's maximum speed, for example, less than approximately 0.5 m / s. Thus, since the vehicle moves only a short distance during the positioning process, the vehicle's energy storage can be charged during the positioning process, for example, using sliding contacts or by induction.

[0497] It may be effective if the transfer device extends across multiple planes and has one or more charging areas, and these are arranged within a transfer device for transferring one or more vehicles from one plane to another.

[0498] A transfer device is, in particular, an elevator or other lifting device for transporting one or more vehicles from one plane to another.

[0499] In that case, the plane of the transfer device is also the plane of the processing equipment on which various or identical processing processes are carried out.

[0500] In this case, the transfer device can be configured such that one or more vehicles can be transferred simultaneously or sequentially and individually. The transfer can be carried out with or without one or more objects located on one or more vehicles.

[0501] It may be effective if the transfer device has one or more charging coupling points, each having multiple charging areas for simultaneously charging multiple vehicles.

[0502] The charging region of one or more charging coupling points is preferably arranged and / or oriented such that multiple vehicles can be charged in the charging region in various orientations or in the same orientation, i.e., parallel to one another.

[0503] One or more charging coupling points are preferably located where multiple transport paths and / or return transport paths intersect and / or overlap.

[0504] It may be effective if the transport device has one or more safety areas and one or more express areas, in which case one or more vehicles can preferably be transitioned to a safety mode by a control device within one or more safety areas, and in which case one or more vehicles can preferably be transitioned to an express mode by a control device within one or more express areas.

[0505] The safe zone is particularly accessible to people.

[0506] The express area is an area that is inaccessible to people, at least temporarily. When one or more sensor devices detect that a person has entered or is able to enter the express area, this is detected, and preferably automatically, a safety mode is activated for all vehicles within the express area.

[0507] The express region is, in particular, a region that is spatially separated and / or isolated from the safety region.

[0508] One or more express areas preferably have one or more return transport paths or return transport path sections, in which one or more vehicles are unloaded.

[0509] In particular, if each vehicle is not carrying any cargo, no object is positioned in front of each vehicle.

[0510] Therefore, at least one express area can be formed flat so that, when one or more vehicles are positioned within the express area, no objects can be accommodated in those vehicles.

[0511] The express area is specifically designed to fit the height of vehicles where no target is located.

[0512] It may be preferable that one or more express areas and / or one or more safety areas are connected to each other by one or more passage openings.

[0513] One or more through openings are, in particular, openings through which one or more vehicles can travel from the express area to the safety area and / or from the safety area to the express area.

[0514] One or more through openings preferably have a shape that is at least partially complementary to the shape of one or more vehicles, at least substantially and / or at least partially.

[0515] This, in particular, helps to prevent unwanted intrusion of people into express areas.

[0516] One or more through openings can be located within one or more stations of the transfer device.

[0517] Alternatively, or in addition to that, one or more through openings may be formed through one or more stations of the transfer device.

[0518] Therefore, one or more stations preferably separate the express area from the safety area.

[0519] In that case, for example, one or more vehicles can transport the objects to be transported to a station and hand them over to, for example, a station transport device. Then, one or more vehicles travel, for example, through the station into the express area and accelerate further, in particular to undertake other tasks. In that case, the objects located within one or more stations can be removed from the station, for example, by the station transport device and / or by one or more other vehicles, and can be further transported, for example, in particular to one or more other stations and / or to a buffer device for intermediate storage of the objects.

[0520] It may be preferable that one or more express areas are formed by a double floor that is walkable and / or traversable.

[0521] In particular, the express area can be the gap between the hall floor and an additional floor extending parallel to the hall floor.

[0522] The distance between the hall floor and the additional floor is preferably less than four times the height of the vehicle, particularly the height of the vehicle's base body, preferably less than three times, for example, at most about twice.

[0523] Instead of the hall floor, other movable platforms can be installed.

[0524] Areas on or without an additional floor are particularly safe areas.

[0525] The additional floor is, for example, a separate floor, or may have a separate floor.

[0526] The transfer device preferably has multiple types of stations, in which case at least two types of stations are preferably provided, each with multiple stations.

[0527] The vehicles can be controlled by a control device, preferably according to the occupancy of each type of station. Particularly preferably, the supply of objects to the stations can be controlled according to the occupancy of each type of station. Particularly preferably, the supply of objects to the stations can be selected according to the respective occupancy of each type of station.

[0528] In embodiments of the present invention, the objects to be transported can be transported by one or more vehicles in a predetermined order and / or through one of each of various types of stations. The control device preferably allows for the selection of individual stations of each type: in particular a) According to the actual occupancy of each individual station of each type of station, and / or b) According to the equipment of each individual station of each type of station, and / or c) According to the form of each individual station of each type of station, and / or d) According to the actual maintenance status or degree of soiling of each individual station of each type, It is selectable.

[0529] Transfer devices are particularly suitable as components of processing equipment for processing objects, especially workpieces, such as vehicle bodies.

[0530] Therefore, the present invention also relates to processing equipment for processing an object.

[0531] The processing equipment preferably includes a transfer device, and more particularly a transfer device according to the present invention.

[0532] The processing equipment according to the present invention preferably has one or more of the features and / or advantages described in relation to the transfer device and / or vehicle according to the present invention.

[0533] It may be effective if one or more stations of a transfer device, which are technically coupled to each other for the purpose of transferring objects by vehicles of the transfer device, are processing stations of a processing facility.

[0534] Therefore, preferably, the objects to be processed can be supplied one after another to various processing stations of the processing equipment by one or more vehicles of the transfer device.

[0535] It may be effective if the transfer device has a transfer area in which one or more objects can be transferred from a vehicle to a station transfer device or other storage device.

[0536] The transfer area can, in particular, form or be a component of a containment position and / or release position.

[0537] At the handover position in the handover area, the vehicle is preferably positioned such that the adapter device and / or object can be lowered, for example, by the entry or descent of one or more housing members of the vehicle and / or placed on a station transfer device or other housing device.

[0538] Preferably, the adapter device and / or object can be separated from the vehicle.

[0539] When multiple vehicles attempt to deliver multiple objects in succession within a short timeframe, it may be preferable that the vehicles cannot travel away from the delivery location by passing through the entry area in the opposite direction of entry. This is because, otherwise, other vehicles would have to be held at a large distance from the delivery area.

[0540] Preferably, at least one entry area of ​​the handover area (through which a vehicle can approach the handover position of the handover device) is spatially separated from at least one exit area of ​​the handover area (through which a vehicle can travel away from the handover position).

[0541] Alternatively, or in addition to that, the direction of entry from which a vehicle can enter the handover area may be lateral to, and in particular at least nearly perpendicular to, the direction from which a vehicle can exit the handover area.

[0542] The vehicle is rotatable, particularly in the handover position, preferably by the rotation of its two drive wheels in opposite directions around its vertical axis, especially the central axis.

[0543] Since the rotation is, for example, only about 90°, the vehicle can preferably leave the handover position in an exit direction that is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the entry direction.

[0544] In that case, other vehicles can preferably proceed directly through the entry area to the handover position with no particular waiting time, thereby ultimately transporting the other objects to the station.

[0545] The present invention further relates to a method for processing and / or transporting an object.

[0546] In that case, the object is transported by one or more vehicles, particularly by the vehicle according to the present invention, and / or by a transport device, particularly by the transport device according to the present invention.

[0547] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the subject can be processed in and / or using processing equipment, particularly processing equipment according to the present invention.

[0548] This method preferably has one or more of the features and / or advantages described in relation to vehicles, transfer devices and / or processing equipment.

[0549] Of course, in principle, all features and / or advantages of vehicles, adapter devices, transfer devices, processing equipment and / or methods can be freely combined with one another to obtain a special form of the present invention.

[0550] Other preferred features and / or advantages of the present invention are subject to the following description and drawing illustrations of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0551] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a first embodiment of the vehicle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic horizontal cross-sectional view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic top view showing the underside of the vehicle shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the vehicle shown in Figure 1 along line 4-4 in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the vehicle shown in Figure 1 along the line 5-5 in Figure 3. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the vehicle shown in Figure 1 along line 6-6 in Figure 3. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows a magnified view of region VII in Figure 6. [Figure 7a] Figure 7a is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an alternative embodiment of the vehicle's housing component. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view schematically showing the vehicle shown in Figure 1 along line 8-8 in Figure 5. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view showing an adapter device that can be fixed to the vehicle shown in Figure 1 and is used to accommodate the object. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is another perspective view illustrating the adapter device shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic side view showing the vehicle shown in Figure 1, the adapter device shown in Figure 9, and the partially shown objects located thereon. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a schematic side view illustrating a stacking device for stacking and / or removing vehicles from a stack. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a schematic representation of the stacking device, corresponding to Figure 12, in which the lift unit of the stacking device is positioned in a raised position. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a schematic perspective view showing various parts of a transfer device used within a processing facility. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a schematic top view showing the front end of the transfer device shown in Figure 14, along the line of sight in the transfer direction. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the transfer device, corresponding to Figure 15, in which an overhead conveyor is provided as the station transfer device, and in this case the overhead conveyor is positioned in a lowered position. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a schematic representation of the transfer device shown in Figure 16, corresponding to Figure 16, in which case the overhead conveyor is positioned in a raised position. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a schematic representation of another alternative embodiment of the transfer device, corresponding to Figure 15, which includes a station having a lift table for lifting objects. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a schematic representation of a station separation floor, in which the vehicle, adapter device, and possibly objects placed on it are separated from each other, and in this case the separation floor has a passage area formed as a passage slit, and both sides of the passage area are defined by passage edge areas that extend diagonally. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the separation floor, corresponding to Figure 19, in which a substantially L-shaped through edge region is provided. [Figure 21]Figure 21 is a schematic representation of another alternative embodiment of the separation floor, corresponding to Figure 19, in which the passage area can be closed by a closing member, in which case the closing member is, for example, a flap. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a schematic representation of another alternative embodiment of the separation floor, corresponding to Figure 19, in which the passage area can be closed by a closing member formed as a thin plate. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is a schematic representation of the separation floor, vehicle, and adapter device shown in Figure 22, corresponding to Figure 22, in which one or more of the vehicle's housing members are positioned in a lifted or pulled-out position, and therefore the adapter device is lifted by the station transfer device. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is a schematic representation of the layout of a processing facility, which includes multiple processing stations and multiple charging areas for charging vehicles. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a schematic representation of another plane of the processing equipment shown in Figure 24, corresponding to Figure 24. [Figure 26] Figure 26 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a special alternative embodiment of the handover area, in which the vehicle hands over the adapter device and an object (not shown) optionally placed in the adapter device to the station transfer device. [Figure 27] Figure 27 shows the handover area shown in Figure 26, corresponding to Figure 26, in which case the adapter device is being transported out by the station transfer device. [Figure 28] Figure 28 shows the handover area as shown in Figure 26, corresponding to Figure 26, in which case the vehicle exits the handover area in the exit direction, which is oriented laterally to the entry direction. [Figure 29] Figure 29 is a top view of a combination consisting of a vehicle and an object placed on it, in order to clarify how the sensor device functions. In this case, for the sake of simplicity, the vehicle, which is normally located below the object, can also be seen. [Figure 30]Figure 30 is a schematic side view illustrating the combination of the vehicle shown in Figure 29 and the objects placed on it. [Figure 31] Figure 31 is a schematic perspective view showing the separation floor of a transfer device, in which case the separation floor has a passage area, and the passage area can be closed by a closing member. [Figure 32] Figure 32 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the separation floor shown in Figure 31 perpendicularly. [Figure 33] Figure 33 is a schematic perspective view of the separation floor shown in Figure 31, looking at the underside of the separation floor. [Figure 34] Figure 34 is a simplified circuit diagram illustrating the loading process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0552] In all figures, identical or functionally equivalent components are given the same reference numeral.

[0553] The first embodiment of the vehicle, denoted by reference numeral 100, shown in Figures 1 to 8, is in particular a driverless transport vehicle for transporting the object 102 (see, for example, Figure 11 in this regard).

[0554] As can be seen particularly from Figures 1 to 8, the vehicle 100 has a substantially rectangular base body 104, and this base body forms the support structure of the vehicle 100.

[0555] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 has a chassis 106, which has a plurality of support rollers 108, for example, four, and a drive unit 110.

[0556] The support roller 108 is positioned on the lower side 114 of the vehicle 100, particularly within the four corner regions of the vehicle 100.

[0557] Since the support rollers 108 are partially inserted into the base body 104 of the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 has the smallest possible overall height.

[0558] The support roller 108 is supported so that it can rotate freely 360° around a substantially vertical axis of rotation 116.

[0559] In particular, the support roller 108 is a non-driven wheel.

[0560] The drive unit 110 has, for example, two drive members 118, which are formed, for example, as drive wheels 120.

[0561] Since each drive member 118 is preferably associated with a drive motor 122 of the drive device 110, the drive members 118 can be driven independently of each other.

[0562] The drive motor 122 and the drive member 118 are preferably firmly coupled to each other by a shaft member 124.

[0563] In this case, the drive member 118 is rotatably supported, in particular, at the opposing ends of the shaft member 124.

[0564] The shaft member 124 is rotatably or pivotably supported on the base body 104 of the vehicle 100 by a bearing member 126 of the drive unit 110. The bearing member 126 is for this purpose formed, for example, substantially C-shaped and / or having a central portion 128 and two legs 130 that project away from the central portion 128 in the same direction.

[0565] Preferably, the end of the leg portion 130 opposite to the central portion 128 forms a bearing portion 132, and a bearing member 126 is rotatably supported at this bearing portion, or pivotably supported on the base body 104 of the vehicle 100.

[0566] Since the other legs 130 of the bearing member 126 preferably interact with the spring member 134, the oscillating motion and / or rotational motion of the bearing member 126 with respect to the bearing location 132, and particularly around the bearing axis 136 defined by the bearing location 132, is a spring-displacement motion.

[0567] The bearing shaft 136 is substantially parallel to the main travel direction 138 of the vehicle 100, and the main travel direction is preferably also parallel to the horizontal longitudinal central axis 140 of the vehicle 100. A swing coupling 142 is provided within the central portion 128 of the bearing member 126, in particular for coupling the bearing member 126 with the shaft member 124.

[0568] In particular, the shaft member 124 is pivotably supported on the bearing member 126 by the oscillating coupling 142.

[0569] The pivot shaft 144 (from which the shaft member 124 can pivot relative to the bearing member 126) is preferably parallel to the bearing shaft 136 and / or parallel to the longitudinal central axis 140 and / or parallel to the main travel direction 138.

[0570] Furthermore, the pivot shaft 144 is preferably positioned substantially in the center between the two drive members 118 and / or substantially in the center between the two drive motors 122.

[0571] Since the pivot shaft 144 and the bearing shaft 136 are displaced parallel to each other, the bearing member 126 rotates around the bearing shaft 136, which allows the pivot coupling 142 and, consequently, the shaft member 124, along with the drive member 118 positioned thereon, to be raised or lowered.

[0572] As can be seen particularly from Figure 4, this allows the drive wheel 118 to be positioned to protrude at different distances from the base body 104.

[0573] For example, the operating device 146 shown in Figure 2 is preferably used to adjust the rotational direction of the bearing member 126 around the bearing shaft 136. In particular, this can be done by the sliding of the spring member 134, or by the sliding of a mating piece acting on the spring member 134.

[0574] Preferably, the operating device 146 adjusts how much the drive member 118 protrudes from the base body 104.

[0575] Since the drive unit 110, particularly the shaft member 124 and the drive member 118, is positioned substantially in the center of the base body 104 with respect to the longitudinal central axis 140 of the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 can be maneuvered without taking up much space. In particular, the vehicle 100 can be turned laterally by having the drive member 118 driven in different rotational directions by the respective drive motors 122.

[0576] As is particularly clear from Figure 4, the drive members 118 are firmly connected to each other by the shaft member 124, so the drive shaft 148 formed thereby is substantially a fixed shaft.

[0577] The drive motor 122 of the vehicle 100 is preferably supplied with electrical energy from the energy storage unit 150 of the vehicle 100.

[0578] The energy storage device 150 has, in particular, a plurality of energy storage units 152, and in particular a plurality of supercapacitors 154.

[0579] The energy storage unit 150 can be charged by the charging device 156.

[0580] The charging device 156 has a charging area 158 in particular, which is positioned, for example, on a mobile base 160, in particular on the hall floor (see Figures 4 and 7 in particular). The charging area 158 has a charging connection point 164, which is fixed, for example, on the mobile base 160, and is securely screwed in, for example.

[0581] The charging connection points 164 of the vehicle 100, which can be connected to the charging connection points 164 of the charging area 158, are preferably located on the vehicle, particularly on the underside 114 of the vehicle 100 (see, for example, Figure 3).

[0582] The charging connection point 164 may have, for example, sliding contacts or other mechanical or non-contact transmission modifications that can be coupled. For example, inductive energy transmission may also be provided.

[0583] In alternative embodiments of the vehicle 100 (not shown), one or more additional turntable filling connection points 164 may be located and / or formed within the side wall 166 of the vehicle 100, particularly the base body 104. For example, conventional plug connections for connecting charging cables may be provided.

[0584] Alternatively or supplementally, one or more (described later) housing members may be provided with charging connection points 164 for the vehicle 100.

[0585] As can be seen particularly from Figures 1, 2, 7, and 8, the vehicle 100 has a housing device 168 that can accommodate one or more objects 102.

[0586] In particular, the accommodation device 168 has one or more, for example two, accommodation members 170, which protrude from the vehicle on the upper side 172 of the base body 104 of the vehicle 100.

[0587] The housing member 170 is formed in a bar shape or pin shape in particular.

[0588] Preferably, these housing members 170 are formed at least sectionally and / or at least approximately in a cylindrical shape, such as a true cylinder.

[0589] The housing member 170 preferably has a height H AIt has a height that is the height H of the base body 104 of the vehicle 100. Gk It is at least roughly equivalent to that.

[0590] Each housing member 170 preferably has a shaft section 173, to which a housing section 174 is continuous.

[0591] The storage section 174 is preferably tapered against the direction of gravity g, insofar as the vehicle 100 is on a horizontal plane and the upper part 172 of the base body 104 is facing upward.

[0592] As is particularly clear from Figure 7a, in an alternative embodiment of the housing member 170, for example, a built-in lubrication device 175 can be provided.

[0593] The lubrication device 175 is preferably integrated into the housing member 170, particularly into the shaft section 173 and / or housing section 174, for example, being located entirely inside the shaft section 173 and / or housing section 174.

[0594] The lubrication device 175 preferably includes a reservoir 177 for containing a lubricant and a dispensing member 179 for supplying the lubricant from the reservoir 177 to the object to be lubricated in an open-loop and / or closed-loop control manner.

[0595] The object to be lubricated is, in particular, a part of the lift drive device 178 for raising and / or lowering the housing member 170 relative to the base body 181, the housing member 170 being positioned on or within the base body and, in particular, being slidably supported.

[0596] For example, the housing member 170 can be slidably positioned on the base body 181 by the spindle member 183, and in particular, it can be exited from and / or enter into the base body 181.

[0597] The lubrication device 175 is preferably configured to be able to supply lubricant to the object to be lubricated, particularly the spindle member 183, thereby ensuring that it is reliably lubricated and consequently ensuring reliable lift drive of the housing member 170.

[0598] The distribution member 179 is driven and / or time-controlled, for example, by a time element, as needed. For example, the distribution member 179 can be automatically activated after a predetermined number of lift cycles of the housing member 170, thereby ensuring that the lubricant is regularly distributed to the object to be lubricated, particularly the spindle member 183.

[0599] The distribution member 179 may be a valve positioned particularly below the reservoir 177 and / or directed toward the object to be lubricated, and the valve may be opened and closed as needed (see Figure 7a).

[0600] The lubrication device 175, in particular the reservoir 177 and / or dispensing member 179, can be accessed, for example from above, preferably through the housing section 174 and / or by removing the housing section 174, in order to replace and / or refill with other lubricants.

[0601] As is particularly clear from Figures 4 and 6, the housing member 170 is positioned such that its central axis lies within the vertical longitudinal center plane 176 of the vehicle 100.

[0602] The housing member 170 is movable, in particular by the lift drive device 178, and is particularly retractable upward from the base body 104 and / or at least partially re-enterable.

[0603] For this purpose, the lift drive device 178 has a lift drive motor 180, which is, for example, an electric motor and can be driven using energy from the energy storage device 150.

[0604] Furthermore, the lift drive device 178 has a lift drive member 182, for example, a lift drive belt 184, which is used to connect the housing members 170 to each other and to the lift drive motor 180.

[0605] Therefore, the two housing members 170 can be driven in common by the lift drive motor 180.

[0606] Since the housing members 170 are preferably positioned on opposite sides of the drive unit 110 along the longitudinal central axis 140 of the vehicle 100, if the lift drive member 182 extends to both the housing member 170 and the other housing member, it is effective in permanently connecting the two housing members 170 by the lift drive member 182.

[0607] As is clear from Figure 8, the lift drive member 182, which is formed as, for example, a lift drive belt 184, is therefore guided through the drive device 110.

[0608] In that case, the lift drive device 182 extends through the gap 186 formed between the two legs 130 of the bearing member 126.

[0609] With respect to the shaft member 124 and / or bearing member 126, as is also clear from Figure 4, the lift drive member 182 preferably extends through the lower part of the drive device 110.

[0610] Therefore, the housing members 170 are mechanically connected in a particularly simple manner, thereby enabling reliable operation of the housing members to accommodate one or more objects.

[0611] Vehicle 100 preferably has one or more housing sensors 188 which can be used to detect whether the object 102 and / or the adapter device described later are located in vehicle 100.

[0612] The housing sensors 188 are positioned in front of and behind one of the housing members 170, particularly along the longitudinal central axis 140 of the vehicle 100 (see Figures 1 and 2 in particular).

[0613] The detection method will be explained in more detail below in relation to the description of the adapter device.

[0614] As is particularly clear from Figure 5, the vehicle 100 has one or more sensor devices 190, which are located in particular within the corner regions 112 of the vehicle 100, especially the base body 104.

[0615] In particular, one sensor device 190 is precisely provided in each of the two corner regions that are diagonally opposite to each other.

[0616] The sensor device 190 can monitor the area 192 surrounding the vehicle 100, particularly in order to enable the vehicle 100 to drive autonomously.

[0617] Furthermore, a barcode reader 194 can be provided, for example, on the upper side 172 of the base body 104, and by using it to scan barcodes, for example, on the target 102 and / or on the adapter device, information about the target 102 that is placed on or to be placed on the vehicle 100 can be detected.

[0618] The base body 104 preferably has a cover 196 on its upper side 172.

[0619] The cover 196 is, for example, an added plate, which is placed on a mounting area 198 that is closed in a ring shape and extends around the entire circumference, and ends substantially in the same plane as the mounting area 198.

[0620] The cover 196 is thereby secured to the base body 104, preferably without additional fasteners, in such a way that it is impossible for an unauthorized person to remove the cover 196 without tools.

[0621] The cover 196 is preferably transparent, for example, tinted transparent.

[0622] Therefore, the components of the vehicle 100, which are located inside the base body 104, are preferably recognizable through the cover 196.

[0623] By making the cover 196 transparent, a deterrent effect can be obtained, particularly to prevent people from riding on the upper part 172 of the base body 104. This can optimize safety in the operation of the vehicle 100, for example.

[0624] Vehicle 100 is more preferably equipped with a warning device 200, which can output a warning when the sensor device 190 detects an object that poses an obstacle, such as a person in the roadway.

[0625] The warning device 200 is, for example, an acoustic warning device and / or an optical warning device, which can generate and output to the surroundings an acoustic signal, such as a warning tone or warning message, and / or an optical warning signal, such as flashing light.

[0626] For example, to provide an audible warning, one or more display members 202 of the vehicle 100 can be used to generate a flashing warning signal.

[0627] Vehicle 100, and in particular one, several, or all of the above-mentioned components, are preferably controllable by the control device 204 of vehicle 100.

[0628] In that case, the control device 204 can react completely autonomously, or it can communicate with a control device located higher up.

[0629] The object 102 can be placed, for example, directly on the vehicle 100, or, for example, in the housing member 170.

[0630] In contrast, to position a particularly large and / or heavy object 102, such as a vehicle body 206, it may be effective to use an adapter device 298.

[0631] Adapter device 208 is shown as an example in Figures 9 to 11.

[0632] The adapter device 208 has a central member 210 in particular, which connects two or more adapter members 212 to each other.

[0633] The adapter members 212 are adapted to the object 102 to be transported. For example, each adapter member 212 has one, two, or more than two receiving pins 214, which, for example, protrude upward against the direction of gravity g and act on the underside to accommodate the object 102, which is formed, for example, as a vehicle body 206.

[0634] The adapter member 212 is adapted to the handling 102 to be transported with respect to the geometric arrangement, number, and / or configuration of the housing pins 214.

[0635] As is particularly clear from Figure 10, the adapter device 208 is provided with two working areas 216, for example, an introduction opening 218, to which the housing member 170, in particular the housing section 174 of the housing member 170, can act.

[0636] The introduction opening 218 is formed to taper into a cone shape, in particular, to form a stable connection between the adapter device 208 and the housing member 170.

[0637] In the embodiments of the adapter device 208 shown in Figures 9 to 11, the working area 216, particularly the introduction opening 218, is located on the adapter member 212. However, these can also be provided and / or formed on the central member 210.

[0638] As is further evident from Figures 9 and 10, the adapter device 208 has a detection aid 220 which is formed, for example, as a passage opening. The detection aid 220 is positioned in front of or behind the working area 216, particularly the entry opening 218, with respect to the longitudinal direction of the adapter device 208, at the same distance as one or more housing sensors 188 are from the housing member 170 of the vehicle 100.

[0639] Since the detection aid 220 simply exists, the housing sensor 188 can monitor whether the adapter device 208 is positioned on the vehicle 100 with the correct rotational orientation. This is because whether the detection aid 220, i.e., an object not positioned directly above the housing sensor 188 in the case of a passage opening, is detectable, or whether the central member 210 is detectable, depends on whether the adapter device 208 is positioned on the vehicle 100 with the desired orientation.

[0640] The presence of the adapter member 212 can preferably be monitored by other housing sensors 188 that are not associated with the detection assist 220, thereby determining whether the adapter device 208 is even installed in the vehicle 100.

[0641] Of course, numerous other detection variations are conceivable, for example, the use of sensors that contact the housing member 170, particularly the housing section 174, to form mechanical or electrical contact for detecting and / or monitoring the adapter device 208.

[0642] Vehicle 100 is a component of the transport device 222 in particular.

[0643] The transport device 222 has, in particular, a plurality of substantially identically formed vehicles 100.

[0644] The transfer device 222 is a component of, for example, a processing facility 224, particularly a facility for manufacturing automobiles.

[0645] In particular, when the transport device 222 has a large number of vehicles 100, all of which are substantially tied to the ground, stacking the vehicles 100 at least temporarily can be effective.

[0646] Therefore, the transfer device 222 preferably has a stacking device 225, an example of which is shown in Figures 12 and 13.

[0647] The stacking device 225 has a lift unit 226 in particular, which allows two or more vehicles 100 to be lifted to various height levels.

[0648] To this end, the lift unit 226 is positioned within the recess 228 and has, for example, one lift floor 230, which is preferably positioned substantially coplanar with the movable base 160.

[0649] Therefore, the vehicle 100 can travel directly from the drivable base 160 onto the lift floor 230 of the stacking device 225.

[0650] In that case, the vehicle 100 can be lifted by the lift unit 226.

[0651] In that case, the other vehicle 100 located particularly next to the recess 228 and / or next to the lift unit 226 forms a base for a stack of multiple vehicles 100.

[0652] As is particularly clear from Figure 13, the vehicle 100 that has been moved onto the lift floor 230 can be lifted by the lift unit 226 and then moved onto the adjacent vehicle 100, and thus stacked on top of other vehicles.

[0653] Depending on how much one or more storage members 170 protrude from the upper 172 of the base body 104 of each vehicle 100, these storage members 170 may interfere with stacking.

[0654] Therefore, in a certain configuration, it can be effective to attach one or more intermediate members 232 to the vehicle 100 that forms the base of a stack of vehicles 100, thereby enabling other vehicles 100 to proceed next.

[0655] The stacked vehicles 100 can preferably be joined to one another by one or more (not shown) fastening devices. For example, the housing member 170 of the lower vehicle 100 can be pulled out, thereby acting on the corresponding working area of ​​the lower side 114 of the upper vehicle 100, and thus the vehicles 100 are fixed to each other.

[0656] Of course, the stacking device 225 allows more than two vehicles 100 to be stacked on top of each other.

[0657] Furthermore, in the reverse order, multiple stacked vehicles 100 can be removed from the stack. This can be particularly effective when transporting vehicles 100 from their place of manufacture to their place of use, thereby minimizing the transport area required for the transfer.

[0658] The transfer device 222 preferably has one or more stations 234, and multiple vehicles 100 can transfer the object 102 to the station.

[0659] If the transfer device 222 is a component of the processing equipment 224, then the station 234 is specifically a processing station 236.

[0660] For example, one or more robots 238 for processing the surface of the object 102, in particular the vehicle body 206, are located within the processing station 236.

[0661] A processing station 236 can also be provided for manual activities, in place of or in addition to the robot 238.

[0662] As is particularly clear from Figures 14 and 15, the station 234 preferably has a first position 240, which is in particular a discharge position 242 and is used to transfer the object 102 from the vehicle 100 to the station transfer device 244.

[0663] The station transfer device 244 is in particular a roller conveyor 245. In addition to, or instead of, a chain conveyor and / or rail conveyor may be provided.

[0664] Station 234 has a lift device 246 in particular at the first position 240, which can be used to lift and lower the station transfer device 244, thereby lifting and moving the object 102 from the vehicle 100.

[0665] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, when the vehicle 100 is positioned at the first position 240, the vehicle 100's housing member 170 can be lowered, thereby lowering the object 102 onto the station transfer device 244 and transferring it to the station transfer device 244.

[0666] As is particularly clear from Figure 15, the station 234 has one or more separate floors 248, which are located above the traversable base 160, particularly above the hall floor 162, and below which the vehicle 100 can pass.

[0667] In contrast, object 102 is positioned above the separation floor 248.

[0668] The station transfer device 244 is integrated in particular within the separation floor 248.

[0669] Therefore, in order to lift and separate the object 102 from the vehicle 100, the lift device 240 can be used at the first position 240 to raise and lower the separation floor 248 in particular.

[0670] The object 102 can be transported through the processing station 236, particularly in the transport direction 250, by the station transfer device 244.

[0671] In particular, object 102 can be transported from the first position 240 through the processing area 252 of the processing station 236 to the second position 254 of the station 234.

[0672] The second position 254 is in particular a storage position 256, in which the object 102 can be transferred to the vehicle 100 by the station transfer device 244, that is, in which the object 102 can be stored by the vehicle 100.

[0673] A lift device 246 is also provided at the second position 254, which allows the separating floor 248, also provided at the second position 254, to be raised and lowered, ultimately enabling the object 102 to be handed over to the vehicle 100.

[0674] In Figures 14 and 15, the station 234 is shown divided into three parts for easy representation of functionally different locations. In the actual configuration of the transfer device 222, the station transfer device 244 is formed without interruption in order to actually transfer the object 102 from the first position 240 to the second position 254.

[0675] At the intermediate position 258 formed by the machining region 252 between the first position 240 and the second position 254, the vehicle body 206 is machineable, and in particular, processable.

[0676] In particular, surface treatment, seam sealing, and / or control of the object 102 can be performed by one or more robots 238 and / or by manual operation.

[0677] In particular, if contamination may occur within the processing area 252, it may be effective if the separation floor 248 is formed to be closed off at least within the processing area 252. Therefore, the separation floor 248 has a closed section 260, which extends particularly along the transport direction 250 over the entire length of the processing area 252.

[0678] At the first position 240 and / or the second position 254, the separation floor 248 preferably has a passage region 262, which is in particular formed as a passage slit 264 and extends along the transport direction 250.

[0679] Through this passage area 262, one or more of the accommodating members 170 of the vehicle 100 can extend, thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to move below the separation floor 248 and positioning the object 102 above the separation floor 248.

[0680] In particular, because the containment member 170 is retracted, the vehicle 100 can pass under the closed section 260 of the separation floor 248 without the risk of collision with the separation floor 248.

[0681] To this end, the separation floor 248 has, for example, a triangular bulge in its cross-section, which extends along the transport direction 250, thus forming a free space for the housing member 170 below the separation floor 248.

[0682] The area below the separation floor 248 is specifically the travel space 266, and it is inaccessible to people.

[0683] Therefore, since there is no danger from vehicle 100 within this free space 266, vehicle 100 can, for example, increase its speed.

[0684] Therefore, the area below the separated floor 248 is in particular the express area 268, in which the vehicle 100 can be driven in express mode.

[0685] Outside of station 234, and especially around vehicle 100, when people remain without spatial separation from the vehicle, vehicle 100 can preferably be driven in safe mode. Therefore, this area outside express area 268 is specifically the safe area 270.

[0686] As is further evident from Figures 14 and 15, the adapter device 208 can also be formed as a skid to allow for easy transport of the object 102, in particular on the station transfer device 244 which is formed as a roller conveyor 245.

[0687] In this case, one or more operating regions 216, particularly the introduction opening 218, are located on or formed on the lateral stay of the adapter device 208, which is formed as a skid, or on the central member located on the lateral stay.

[0688] In order to efficiently utilize the vehicle 100 within the transport device 222, it may be effective if the vehicle 100 used to transport the object 102 is not permanently associated with the same object 102.

[0689] For example, vehicle utilization can be optimized by having the object 102 to be transported delivered by vehicle 100 to the station transfer device 244 at the first position 240 of station 234. Any object 102 that has already been delivered to the station transfer device 244 before that (which has been processed in the processing station 236 during the interim and then transported to another position 254 by the station transfer device 244) can then be picked up by vehicle 100 and transported further.

[0690] Therefore, when vehicle 100 transports object 102 through station 234, it preferably skips at least one cycle.

[0691] The alternative embodiment of station 234 shown in Figures 16 and 17 is substantially distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figures 14 and 15 by the fact that the object 102 does not remain on the station transfer device 244, which is formed as a roller conveyor 245 within the processing area 252. Rather, a lift device 272 is provided for lifting the object 102 from the station transfer device 244 and / or from the adapter device 208.

[0692] The lifting equipment 272 is in particular an overhead conveyor and / or an electrically suspended lane, or enables the object 102 to be steadily lifted at least horizontally.

[0693] The lift equipment 272 allows access to the underside of the object 102, in particular, for robot 238 and / or manual processing, for example, to apply bottom protection or seam seal to the underside of the object 102, particularly the underside of the vehicle body 206.

[0694] Otherwise, the embodiments of station 234 shown in Figures 16 and 17 are consistent with the embodiments shown in Figures 14 and 15 in terms of structure and function, and to that extent, the above description can be referenced.

[0695] In the transfer device 222, one or more stations 234 can be provided based on the embodiments shown in Figures 14 and 15 and Figures 16 and 17, in order to carry out various processing steps, particularly on the object 102.

[0696] Another alternative embodiment of the station 234 shown in Figure 18 is substantially distinguished from the embodiments shown in Figures 16 and 17 by the fact that the lift equipment 272 is formed as a lift table 274 located on two sides of the station transfer device 244.

[0697] Furthermore, this allows the object 102 to be moved to various height levels, thereby enabling various processing steps to be performed on the object 102.

[0698] Otherwise, the embodiment of station 234 shown in Figure 18 is consistent with the embodiments shown in Figures 16 and 17 in terms of structure and function, and to that extent, the above description can be referenced.

[0699] Furthermore, the embodiment of station 234 shown in Figure 18 can be provided individually or in combination with one or more of the embodiments shown in Figures 14 and 15, and / or with one or more of the embodiments shown in Figures 16 and 17, in addition to one or more of them, in the transfer device 222.

[0700] Figures 19 to 23 show enlarged views of various modified versions of the separation floor 248 and the passage area 262, thereby clarifying their function and these modified versions.

[0701] Each of the embodiments of the separation floor 248 and / or passage area 262 shown in Figures 19 to 23 can, in principle, be provided in each of the possible stations 234, in particular in each of the embodiments described above and / or shown in Figures 14 to 18.

[0702] The configuration of the separation floor 148 shown in Figure 19 substantially corresponds to the embodiments shown in Figures 14 to 18, in which case the passage area 262 is completely open and there is no particularly closed section 260.

[0703] To minimize contamination of the vehicle 100 below the separation floor 248, for example, the central portion 210 of the adapter device 208 has a width greater than the width of the passage slit 264 when viewed laterally with respect to the transport direction 250.

[0704] Therefore, the central member 210 can preferably cover the through slit 264 at least partially.

[0705] The two regions of the separation floor 248 that define the passage region 262 are hereafter referred to as the passage edge region 276, and in the embodiment shown in Figure 19, they are oriented, for example, obliquely with respect to the direction of gravity g. The passage edge region 276 extends obliquely upward, starting particularly from the separation floor 248. This prevents objects from unintentionally falling or rolling into the passage slit 264. Furthermore, by appropriately shaping the passage edge region 276, the potential dangers to people arising from the passage slit 264 can be minimized.

[0706] In particular, the passing edge region 276 is a raised component formed within the separation floor 248, thereby providing a space for movement for the housing member 170.

[0707] As is evident from the dashed lines in Figure 19, in the form of the vehicle 100 and / or transport device 222, in place of, or in addition to, the embodiments already described and / or shown, the charging device 156 for charging the energy storage device 150 of the vehicle 100 may also be formed such that energy transfer from the charging area 158 to the vehicle 100 occurs within the area of ​​one or more housing members 170.

[0708] To this end, the housing member 170 is provided with, for example, one or more contact areas 278, which form the charging connection points 164 of the vehicle 100.

[0709] The charging connection point 164 to engage with it is formed by, for example, one or more contact members 280, the contact members being located in particular on the separation floor 248 and extending in the direction of the housing member 170, particularly toward the contact area 278.

[0710] The contact member 280 specifically forms a sliding contact, which enables energy transfer by contacting the charging area 158 to the vehicle 100.

[0711] Furthermore, control contacts 282 can be provided, particularly to optimize and control the charging process. Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the information necessary to optimize the charging process can be transmitted wirelessly, for example, via WLAN.

[0712] Another embodiment of the separation floor 248 shown in Figure 20 is substantially distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figure 19 by the fact that the through edge regions 276 are substantially parallel to each other and / or project substantially vertically upward from the separation floor 248, and are therefore formed, for example, substantially in an L-shape.

[0713] In other respects, the embodiment of the separation floor 248 shown in Figure 20 is consistent with the embodiment shown in Figure 19 in terms of structure and function, and to that extent, the above description can be referenced.

[0714] The embodiment of the separation floor 248 shown in Figure 21 is substantially distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figure 20 by the fact that the through edge region 276 is pivotably positioned and / or formed in the separation floor 248.

[0715] Therefore, the through edge region 276 has one or more closing members 284, which are preferably pivotably positioned on the separation floor 248 and enable the closing of the through edge region 276, in particular the through slit 264.

[0716] The closing member 284 is preferably biased by a spring and / or is positioned and / or formed such that it automatically reaches, for example, a substantially horizontal closed position without operation, based on gravity.

[0717] When the vehicle 100 is guided under the separating floor 248, the opening of the closed position 284 according to the extended position of the accommodating member 170 can be done by the accommodating member 170 pushing up, in particular upward, the closure member. As soon as one or more accommodating members 170 move to pass through the individual closure members 248, the closure member preferably returns automatically to the closed position.

[0718] Preferably, a number of closing members 248 are arranged in succession along the transport direction 250, and are operable independently of each other.

[0719] Therefore, preferably, only the closing member 248, which is actually acted upon and / or positioned by the housing member 170, is always in the open position.

[0720] In other respects, the embodiment of the separation floor 248 shown in Figure 21 is consistent with the embodiment shown in Figure 20 in terms of structure and function, and to that extent, the above description applies.

[0721] The alternative embodiment of the separation floor 248 shown in Figure 22 is substantially distinguished from the embodiment shown in Figure 21 by the fact that the closing member 248 is formed, for example, as a thin plate and is displaceable in particular in the horizontal direction, thereby temporarily opening the passage area 262 to allow one or more accommodating members 170 to pass through.

[0722] In that case, the closing member 248, although the closing member shown in Figure 21 is also in principle similar, can form or have one or more contact members 280, so that energy for charging the energy storage unit 150 of the vehicle 100 can be transmitted by the closing member 241.

[0723] Depending on the positioning of the housing member 170 and / or the shape of the housing member 170, various areas can be provided for the closing member 248 and / or contact member 280 to act upon.

[0724] As is particularly evident from Figures 22 and 23, each housing member 170 has and / or can be positioned within housing cylinders 286 that already protrude above the base body 104 of the vehicle 100. A movable portion of the housing member 170 or the housing member 170 as a whole is movable in particular with respect to the base body 104 and / or the respective housing cylinders 286, and can move out of and / or into it.

[0725] The housing cylinder 286 can be formed, for example, so as to always protrude through the passage region 262, particularly through the passage slit 264. By positioning the housing member 170 differently, and in particular by extending the movable portion from the housing cylinder 286 by different distances, the adapter device 208 can be lowered (see Figure 22) or raised (see Figure 23), for example, together with the object 102 that is optionally placed therein.

[0726] In other respects, the embodiments of the separation floor 248 shown in Figures 22 and 23 are consistent with the embodiment shown in Figure 21 in terms of structure and function, and to that extent, the above description applies.

[0727] Figures 24 and 25 schematically show examples of the layout of the processing equipment 224.

[0728] In that case, the processing equipment 224 has a number of stations 234, which are processing stations 236 for processing and / or managing the subject 102, in particular the vehicle body 206.

[0729] In this case, since Figures 24 and 25 show two different planes 288 of the same processing equipment 224, we will consider Figures 24 and 25 together for the following explanation.

[0730] The processing equipment 224 has one or more transfer devices 290, which can be used to move the object 102 to be transferred onto each of the planes 288.

[0731] The transfer device 290 is, in particular, an elevator or other lifting device.

[0732] The processing equipment 224 includes, in particular, a transfer device 222 based on the above-described embodiment and, in conjunction with it, a plurality of vehicles 100 for transferring the object 102.

[0733] For clarity, the object 102 and vehicle 100 are not shown in Figures 24 and 25. Instead, these figures show the transport path 292 and the return transport path 294, along which vehicle 100 can travel.

[0734] The object 102 can be transported along the transport path 292.

[0735] Along the return transport path 294, the vehicle 100 can travel without the objects 102 placed on it, thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to return from the terminal position of the processing section of the processing equipment 224 to its initial position. Station 234 is shown as a rectangle and has letters that suggest an example of a transport sequence. In particular, objects can be supplied by the vehicle 100 to the next station 234 one after another.

[0736] For example, the items 102 are supplied from sorting and storage facility 296 to stations A, B, C, and D in a predetermined order by one or more vehicles 100 (see Figure 25).

[0737] Station E is selective and can be skipped selectively, or passed over multiple times, particularly in different orders.

[0738] Next, the object 102 is transferred to the transfer device 290, and then transferred to the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 by the transfer device.

[0739] Subsequently, the object 102 is supplied to stations H, J, K, L, O, P, Q, and R as determined, and then the object 102 is transferred by other transfer devices 290 back into the plane 288 shown in Figure 25. There, the object is supplied to station S and finally transferred via other transfer devices 290 to a plane 288 (not shown) for further processing.

[0740] It is possible to selectively pass one or more stations G before station H.

[0741] It is possible to bypass Station L and establish Station M in particular.

[0742] Furthermore, stations N and / or P are provided to selectively bypass station O.

[0743] In the first modified layout, the following can be provided:

[0744] The stations 234 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 are mostly or entirely manual work stations or work areas where the object 102 is processed by a person. Therefore, a person must preferably be able to access the stations 234 permanently, and thus the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 is in a safe mode for preferably the majority, especially at least about 90%, for example at least about 95%, of its usage period and / or its travel path.

[0745] Therefore, in particular, the following station 234 is a manual station or work location, or has one: G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R

[0746] However, one or more of these stations can be configured as an automated station or work site where the object 102 is processed by a robot 238 or other machine.

[0747] The station 234 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 25 is a station or workspace that is mostly or entirely automated, in which the object 102 is processed by a robot 238 or other machine. Therefore, people only approach the temporary station 234, preferably for maintenance or management purposes. Thus, the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 25 can be in express mode, in an unloaded and / or loaded state, preferably for most of its service life, especially up to at least 90%, for example, at least about 95%.

[0748] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 25 can be in express mode for preferably a large portion of its travel path, particularly up to at least about 90%, and especially at least about 95%, in both an unloaded and / or loaded state.

[0749] Therefore, the following station 234 is an automated station or work location, or has one: A, B, C, D, E, F, S

[0750] However, one or more of these stations may be configured as manual stations or workspaces where the object 102 is processed by a person.

[0751] In contrast, the second variation of the layout can include the following:

[0752] The station 234 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 25 is a station or workspace that is particularly mostly or entirely manual, where the object 102 is processed by a person. Therefore, a person must have permanent access to the station 234, and thus the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 25 is in safety mode for preferably the majority, particularly up to at least 90%, for example, at least about 95%, of its usage period and / or its travel path.

[0753] Therefore, the following station 234 in particular is an automated station or work location, or has one: A, B, C, D, E, F, S.

[0754] However, one or more of these stations can be configured as an automated station or workspace where the object 102 is processed by a robot 238 or other machine.

[0755] The station 234 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 is a station or workspace that is mostly or entirely automated, in which the object 102 is processed by a robot 238 or other machine. Therefore, a person only needs to have temporary access to the station 234, preferably for maintenance or management purposes. Thus, the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 can be in express mode, both unloaded and / or loaded, for preferably most of its service life, especially up to at least about 90%, for example, at least about 90%.

[0756] Furthermore, the vehicle 100 on the plane 288 shown in Figure 24 can be in express mode, both in an unloaded state and / or in a loaded state, for preferably a large portion of its travel path, particularly up to at least about 90%, for example, at least about 95%.

[0757] Therefore, in particular, the following station 234 is a manual station or work location, or has one: G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R.

[0758] However, one or more of these stations can be formed as manual stations or workspaces where the object 102 is processed by a person.

[0759] The object 102 is transportable bidirectionally between planes 288, in which case the vehicle 100 preferably remains on the same plane 288. However, the transport of the object 102 can also be carried out such that the vehicle 100 is transported bidirectionally between planes 288 together with the vehicle 102.

[0760] In order to optimally drive the transfer device 222 for transporting the object 102, a large number of charging areas 158 are required.

[0761] In Figures 24 and 25, all charging regions 158 are indicated by circles. In particular in Figures 24 and 25, preferably all white circles or hatched circles are charging regions 158.

[0762] In particular, if the energy storage unit 150 of vehicle 100 has a supercapacitor 154 instead of a lithium-ion accumulator 155, it must be possible to recharge the energy storage units 150 of each vehicle 100 at relatively short temporal and / or spatial intervals. Therefore, the charging areas 158 are located, for example, at each station 234, preferably at the discharge position 242 of each station 234. These charging areas 158 are preferably fixed charging areas 298.

[0763] In that case, since vehicle 100 is fixed in place, especially while handing over the target 102 to each station 234, the stoppage of vehicle 100 that was originally required for the handover can be used for the charging process.

[0764] Alternatively, or in addition to that, a charging area 158 may be provided within the storage position 256 of each station 234 when receiving.

[0765] In addition to and in addition to the charging area 158 associated with station 234, a charging area 158 may also be provided located within the transfer path 292 and / or return transfer path 294, along the entire length of the transfer path 292 and / or return transfer path 294.

[0766] In that case, the charging area 158 can be located on the optimal and / or shortest route, particularly as the transfer path 292 and the return transfer path 294 in Figures 24 and 25. In that case, the vehicle 100 stops without detouring in order to charge.

[0767] Alternatively, the vehicle 100 can also be charged while driving. In that case, the charging area 158 is specifically the mobile charging area 300.

[0768] Furthermore, in order to charge each energy storage unit 150, the vehicle 100 may temporarily deviate from the optimal and / or shortest transfer path 192 and / or return transfer path 294 and travel, for example, into the filling bay 302. After charging is complete, the vehicle 100 preferably returns to the optimal and / or shortest transfer path 292 and / or shortest return transfer path 294.

[0769] The charging bay 302 can be specifically designated as a standby area 304, where the vehicle 100 can stay not only for charging the energy storage unit 150, but also when the vehicle 100 is not operating at 100% full capacity and therefore needs to tide over until the next transport task.

[0770] The charging bay 302 and / or standby area 304 can further be converted into a maintenance area 306, where one or more vehicles 100 are maintained or serviced manually and / or automatically. For example, repairs or other work can be performed on the vehicle 100 within the maintenance area 306.

[0771] The charging area 158 is preferably arranged to capture as many transport paths 292 and / or return transport paths 294 as possible with the shortest possible wire length and the smallest possible charging area 158.

[0772] To this end, one or more charging regions 158 are located, for example, at the charging coupling point 308 and / or in the multidirectional transfer region 310.

[0773] The charging connection point 308 is a region in which a number of charging areas 158 are provided to charge multiple vehicles 100 simultaneously. This makes it possible to reduce the length of the wires required to supply electrical energy to the charging areas 158.

[0774] Arranging one or more charging areas 158 within the multi-directional transport area 310 makes it possible to optimally utilize one or more charging areas 158, in particular. This is because within the multi-directional transport area 310, one or more vehicles 100 can traverse and / or pass through one or more charging areas 158 in various directions, either successively or simultaneously. This eliminates the need for time-consuming vehicle orientation.

[0775] Therefore, one or more charging areas 158 located within the multi-directional transport area 310 can be visited more frequently and used to charge multiple vehicles 100 in a shorter amount of time.

[0776] As a multi-directional transport area 310, transport paths 292 and / or return transport paths 294 that overlap and / or intersect with each other can be provided.

[0777] To optimize the transfer speed, the transfer device 222 can preferably be divided into various regions.

[0778] In that case, the safety area 270 is particularly the area where a person can approach the vehicle 100 and, if applicable, the object 102 located therein, so the person must be especially protected.

[0779] To this end, vehicle 100 has a predetermined maximum speed and additional safety measures that ensure the protection of persons and, at the same time, protect the object 102 to be transported from damage.

[0780] In addition to the safety area 270, an express area 268 can be provided.

[0781] The express area 268 is, in particular, a spatially separated area from the safety area 270, and is inaccessible to a person, at least temporarily.

[0782] In particular, one or more return transport paths 294 are preferably formed as express areas 268, so that the vehicle 100 can travel back, for example, from the end position of a processing section to the initial position, at a speed higher than the maximum speed in the safety area 270.

[0783] This allows the vehicle 100 to be used more quickly for the new transfer process, thereby increasing the efficiency of the transfer device 222.

[0784] The vehicle 100 can travel through one or more through openings 312 within one or more separation devices, in particular within a separation wall for separating the express area 268 from the safety area 270.

[0785] In that case, the passage opening 312 is conformed to the outer contour of the vehicle 100, particularly in terms of its shape, thereby preferably ensuring that a person does not step into the express area 268 without permission and thereby be in danger, without a closing mechanism to close the passage opening 312.

[0786] However, if, despite these precautionary measures, a person steps into the express area 268, this type of intrusion into the express area 268 can preferably be detected by a sensor device (not shown). A vehicle 100 located in or entering the express area 268 is preferably not put into express mode in that case, but remains in safety mode, as it was in the safety area 270.

[0787] The variations in the layout of station 234 and the arrangement and / or configuration of charging area 158 shown in Figures 24 and 25 are merely examples and can be optionally combined with other embodiments of station 234 and / or other charging area 158 described and / or illustrated.

[0788] Figures 26 to 28 show embodiments of the transfer area 400, which is used, for example, to transfer an object 102 (which can be placed on an adapter device 208, though not shown in the figures) from a vehicle 100 to a station transfer device 244. Furthermore, this type of transfer area 400 can be used to transfer the object 102 from the station transfer device 244 to a vehicle 100. In this case, the direction of movement and / or travel sequence, as described later, are appropriately adapted and / or reversed.

[0789] The transfer area 400 can, in particular, form or be a component thereof, the containment position 256 and / or the release position 242. Therefore, with regard to the principle of function and availability, the above-mentioned description relating thereto should be referred to, in particular with regard to the description of Figures 14 and 15.

[0790] As is clear from Figure 26, the adapter device 208 (on which the target 102 is selectively placed) is transported to the handover area 400 by the vehicle 100. In this case, the vehicle 100 travels to the handover position 404, particularly through the entry area 402.

[0791] The vehicle 100 is stopped within the handover position 404, and then the adapter device 208 and / or the object 102 are positioned so that they can be lowered, for example by the entry of the housing member 170, and lowered onto the station transfer device 244.

[0792] This separates the adapter device 208 and / or the object 102 from the vehicle 100.

[0793] The station transfer device 244 can move the adapter device 208 and / or the object 102 away from the transfer area 400 and, in particular, supply it to station 234.

[0794] Therefore, since the station transfer device 244 is formed as a roller conveyor, adapter devices 208 that are formed as skids or have skids can be easily supplied to the station 234.

[0795] One or more transfer members 406, particularly multiple rollers, are preferably positioned on a support member 408 of the station transfer device 244. The support member 408 is positioned, for example, on the floor (preferably on which the vehicle 100 moves) and is, for example, screw-fixed.

[0796] Since the support member 408 is in particular a support member or column that extends upward from the floor, the adapter device 208, together with the object 102 on which it is placed, can be housed and transported in a plane above the movement path of, for example, the vehicle 100.

[0797] Preferably, multiple support members 408 are arranged on multiple sides of the handover position 404.

[0798] It may be effective if the multiple support members 408 are arranged spaced apart from each other, thereby forming an intrusion region 402, particularly between two support members 408.

[0799] Furthermore, preferably, at least one exit region 410 is formed between two, particularly two, spaced apart support members 408.

[0800] It may be effective if the two exit areas 410 are located and / or formed on opposite sides of the handover position 404.

[0801] Preferably, station 234, or at least one section of station transfer device 244 leading to station 234, is located on the side of the handover position 404 facing the entry area 402.

[0802] As is clear from Figures 26 to 28, the vehicle 100 can preferably travel along the entry direction 412 through the entry area 402 to the handover position 404.

[0803] The entry direction 412 is preferably oriented at least approximately parallel to the transport direction 250 of the station transport device 244.

[0804] When multiple vehicles 100 attempt to supply multiple objects 102 to station 234 in a time-shortened sequence, it may be effective if the vehicles 100 do not travel in the opposite direction of the entry direction 412, passing through the entry area 402 and moving away from the handover position 404. This is because, in that case, the other vehicles 100 would have to stop at a greater distance from the handover area 400.

[0805] Rather, in that case, the vehicle 100 is rotated, for example, within the handover position 400, by, for example, rotating the drive wheels 120 (see Figure 4) in the opposite direction, particularly around its own vertical central axis.

[0806] Since the rotation is performed by, for example, only about 90°, the vehicle 100 can exit the handover position 400 in an exit direction 414 that is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the entry direction 412.

[0807] In that case, the other vehicle 100 can travel directly and continuously through the entry area 402 to the handover position 404 without any significant waiting time, and in particular, this will ultimately allow the other object 102 to be delivered to station 234.

[0808] Depending on the configuration of the vehicle 100, in particular according to the maximum lift height of the accommodating member 170, and / or according to the type and configuration of the station transfer device 244, it may be effective if the multiple support members 408 are coupled to one another. However, it is also possible that at least two support members 408, in particular the support members 408 defining the entry area 402, are separated from the remaining support members 408, and / or are separated from the remaining support members 408 in particular by one or more exit areas 410.

[0809] The spacing between the support members 408 is preferably selected such that the object 102 and / or adapter device 208, which are supported on the transport member 406 provided on the support member 408, are supported downward at all conceivable positions along the transport path in the station transport device 244, and are therefore reliably protected against undesirable tilting or dropping.

[0810] Preferably, the handover area 400 has an exit area 410 that is spatially separated from the entry area 402, which allows for the handover of a large number of objects 102 to be carried out efficiently and in a relatively short time.

[0811] In other respects, the embodiments of the delivery area 400 shown in Figures 26 to 28 correspond in structure and function to the containment position 256 and / or release position 242 shown in Figures 14 and 15, and to that extent, the above description relating thereto can be referenced.

[0812] In all embodiments of the vehicle 100, preferably, one or more sensor devices 190 are provided in each of the vehicle 100, and these can be used to detect each surrounding area 192 of the vehicle 100.

[0813] One or more sensor devices 190 can detect the surroundings in particular in three dimensions, i.e., a three-dimensional surrounding region 192, in which case the detection itself is preferably performed in two or three dimensions, i.e., objects detected in the surrounding region 192 are preferably detected in terms of their size and position relative to the vehicle 100. In particular, the size and position of the detected objects are calculated by the vehicle 100's control device from the sensor data of one or more sensor devices 190.

[0814] The surrounding region 192 is preferably composed of or has multiple zones. These zones may overlap each other or may cover completely different spatial regions.

[0815] One or more sensor devices 190 can detect preferably different zones in the surrounding area 192.

[0816] Zone division is achieved, for example, by selecting boundary lines at various distances from the vehicle. As is particularly evident from Figure 29, the surrounding area 192 can be divided horizontally into, for example, three zones, particularly according to the distance from the vehicle 100.

[0817] The innermost zone with the smallest distance from the vehicle 100, particularly the zone directly adjacent to the vehicle 100, is, for example, the protection zone SZ.

[0818] This protective zone SZ is preferably an area in which no objects should be placed outside the vehicle 100 itself (and possibly the object 102) for unimpeded driving. Preferably, if an object is detected within this protective zone SZ, the vehicle 100 is immediately and / or automatically put into stop driving.

[0819] The protective zone SZ is formed in a ring shape, particularly in the horizontal cross-section.

[0820] Other zones adjacent to the protection zone SZ are, for example, the warning zone WZ. The warning zone WZ preferably encloses the protection zone SZ in an annular manner, particularly with respect to a horizontal cross-section passing through the vehicle 100, the protection zone SZ, and the warning zone WZ.

[0821] The warning zone WZ is an area in which no other objects of the vehicle 100 itself should be placed, and in this case, the detection of an object does not necessarily result in the activation of the stop drive. Rather, the vehicle 100 is preferably immediately and / or automatically activated to the warning drive when an object is detected within this warning zone WZ.

[0822] Outside the warning zone (WZ), there exists a free zone, which can be detected by one or more sensor devices if necessary, but is not monitored for the presence of objects, etc.

[0823] Objects referred to as objects detected by at least one sensor device 190 are objects that should not be in the position detected during the expected normal operation of the vehicle 100 and / or processing equipment. Of course, one or more sensor devices 190 may also detect objects that are components of the transfer device and / or processing equipment and whose presence is necessary.

[0824] The control device 204 of the vehicle 100 and / or a higher-level control device preferably checks and, in particular, calculates whether the detected object is an unexpected and / or unknown and / or detrimental object, or an object whose presence can be accepted.

[0825] Preferably, this inspection is performed before the vehicle 100 is switched to warning drive or stop drive.

[0826] Preferably, the boundaries between zones are changed according to the actual state of the vehicle 100, in particular whether the vehicle 100 is loaded with the object 102 or not, and / or according to the current speed and / or the direction in which the vehicle 100 is moving. For example, if the speed of the vehicle 100 is relatively high, preferably the boundaries in the area in front of the vehicle 100 (with respect to the direction of travel) are moved away from the vehicle 100, so that the zones in front of the vehicle 100, in particular the warning zone and / or protection zone, are expanded.

[0827] In the case of curved driving, for example, the curvature of the zone and / or at least partial lateral movement can be provided so that the largest possible spatial area is covered along the actual driving section (travel route), particularly within the area in front of the vehicle 100.

[0828] Since the area behind the vehicle 100 (with respect to the direction of travel) does not usually require such careful monitoring, the portion of the zone, particularly the warning zone and / or protection zone, located behind the vehicle 100 can be reduced in size.

[0829] The control device 204 of the vehicle 100, and / or a control device located higher up, adjusts the boundary transitions and / or size and / or shape of the zones, particularly the warning zone and / or protection zone, preferably regularly, for example, many times per minute or second, to match the actual conditions.

[0830] Alternatively or supplementally, modifications can be made whenever the vehicle 100 experiences a change of state, such as a change of direction, loading, discharge, or acceleration.

[0831] In particular, as a state characteristic that influences the transition of zone boundaries, it is preferable to utilize the position of the vehicle 100 inside the transfer device and / or processing equipment at that time.

[0832] In particular, the zone can be changed in terms of its size and / or shape according to the current position of the vehicle 100 inside the transfer device and / or processing equipment.

[0833] For example, if it is foreseeable that vehicle 100 is approaching station 234 and that a portion of station 234 will reach within the warning zone WZ and / or protection zone SZ (or that the warning zone WZ and / or protection zone SZ will extend into a portion of station 234), the reduction of the zone, in particular the warning zone WZ and / or protection zone SZ, can be carried out so that a portion of station 24 is outside the warning zone WZ and / or protection zone SZ.

[0834] In particular, for predicted straight-line travel within Station 234, lateral surrounding detection can be reduced or completely deactivated.

[0835] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, station mode can be activated when vehicle 100 approaches station 234, in which the maximum speed of vehicle 100 is reduced, thereby compensating for the increased potential hazards resulting from reduced surrounding surveillance. Approach to station 234 can be determined, for example, by positioning assistance scans and / or by position sensors and / or spacing sensors.

[0836] With respect to Figure 29, the zoning in the horizontal direction was explained in particular. Preferably, it may be more effective if vertical zoning is performed instead of, or in addition to, the horizontal zoning.

[0837] As is clear from Figure 30, a zone can be provided, particularly in the vertical direction, within which a vehicle 100 is positioned. This zone is specifically referred to as vehicle zone FZ.

[0838] The vehicle zone FZ extends vertically, in particular, from the floor over which a vehicle can travel, to the upper end 172 or one or more of the upper ends of the housing members 170 of the base body 104 of the vehicle 100.

[0839] Therefore, by detecting the spatial region of the surrounding area 192 that forms or has a vehicle zone FZ, it is possible to determine, in particular, whether vehicle 100 is approaching another vehicle 100.

[0840] Other vertical zones are derived from the dimensionality of the object 102 located on the vehicle 100. This zone covering the object 102 extends vertically, particularly from the bottom of the object 102 (including, optionally, an adapter or skid) and / or to the top of the object 102, preferably from the lowest point of the object 102 (including, optionally, an adapter or skid) and / or to the highest point of the object 102. This zone is hereby referred to as object zone GZ.

[0841] The target zone GZ can be directly adjacent to the vehicle zone FZ.

[0842] Alternatively, an intermediate zone ZZ can be positioned between the target zone GZ and the vehicle zone FZ, the intermediate zone extending particularly from the upper side 172 of the base body 104 of the vehicle 100 and / or to the lower side of the target 102 (including, optionally, an adapter or skid), preferably to the lowest point of the target 102 (including, optionally, an adapter or skid).

[0843] Furthermore, the intermediate zone ZZ can extend at least approximately in the vertical direction by the distance by which one or more housing members 170 protrude from the base body 104 of the vehicle 100.

[0844] It may be preferable for vertically divided zones to overlap with horizontally divided zones, thereby enabling optimal surrounding detection and hazard avoidance, particularly for combinations consisting of a vehicle 100 and an object 102.

[0845] Preferably, a warning zone WZ and / or a protection zone SZ are associated with the vehicle zone FZ, so that in particular, it is possible to monitor whether vehicle 100 is getting too close to other vehicles 100 or other objects.

[0846] Corresponding zones resulting from horizontal division (warning zone WZ, protection zone SZ) to zones resulting from vertical division (vehicle zone FZ, intermediate zone ZZ, target zone GZ) means that a spatial area that forms a zone (FZ, ZZ, GZ) defined only in the vertical direction and therefore not in the horizontal direction is divided into multiple zones (WZ, SZ) in the horizontal direction.

[0847] Furthermore, since the warning zone WZ and / or the protection zone SZ can be associated with the target zone GZ, it is possible to monitor, in particular, whether vehicle 100 is getting too close to other vehicles 100 or other objects.

[0848] Furthermore, since the intermediate zone ZZ can be associated with the warning zone WZ and / or the protection zone SZ, it is possible to monitor whether the vehicle 100 is getting too close to an object within the area of ​​one or more containment members 170.

[0849] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zone WZ and / or the protection zone SZ associated with the vehicle zone FZ, particularly in the horizontal direction, depends in particular whether the vehicle 100 is loaded and / or where the vehicle 100 is located within the transfer device and / or processing facility.

[0850] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zone WZ and / or the protection zone SZ associated with the target zone GZ, particularly in the horizontal direction, depends in particular on whether the target zone GZ is located on the vehicle 100, what size the target 102 itself is, and / or where the vehicle 100 is located within the transport and / or processing facility together with the target 102 on which it is located. In particular, when the vehicle 100 is not loaded, i.e., when the target 102 is not present, the surrounding monitoring within the area of ​​the target zone GZ can be completely deactivated.

[0851] The spatial extent and / or shape of the warning zone WZ and / or the protection zone SZ associated with the intermediate zone ZZ, particularly in the horizontal direction, depends in particular on whether the object 102 is located on the vehicle 100, to what extent one or more housing members 170 protrude from the base body 104, and / or where the vehicle 100 is located within the transport device and / or processing facility together with the object 102 located therein. In particular, the surrounding monitoring within the area of ​​the intermediate zone ZZ can be deactivated when the vehicle 100 enters and / or passes through the station 234, in which case one or more housing members 170 protrude into or through the separation floor 248.

[0852] In one configuration, each vehicle 100 can autonomously and independently of other vehicles 100, for example based on surrounding monitoring, inspect and / or monitor the route or path resulting from the task, particularly in order to avoid collisions.

[0853] In addition, the vehicles 100 communicate with each other (directly or indirectly via higher-level control equipment) about their respective vehicle status and / or zones, particularly the extent and / or shape of the warning zone WZ, protection zone SZ, vehicle zone FZ, target zone GZ, and / or intermediate zone ZZ. This allows for intentionally mitigating particularly planned overlaps within the zones, which may occur, for example, when two vehicles 100 pass closely together in opposite directions, without activating unnecessary warning triggers.

[0854] In such cases, if each of the objects 102 is not located on the vehicle 100, it may be preferable that one, more, or all of the objects 102, particularly the vehicle body 206, be associated with the object zone GZ and / or warning zone WZ and / or protection zone SZ. This type of association can be provided in particular for storage locations and / or park locations.

[0855] This type of correspondence allows for adjustment of all objects 102, particularly higher-level, regardless of their respective placement in vehicle 100, thereby preferably minimizing the potential risk of a moving object 102 (object 102 placed in vehicle 100) colliding with a parked vehicle 102 (object 102 not placed in vehicle).

[0856] The embodiments of the separation floor, indicated by reference numeral 248 in its entirety, shown in Figures 31 to 33, can, in principle, be used in all modifications of the transfer device.

[0857] The separation floor 248 is used, in particular, to separate the processing area 252 of station 234, especially the processing chamber 500, from the travel section 266.

[0858] The travel space 266 is located specifically below the separation floor 248, while the processing area 252, in particular the processing chamber 500, is located above the separation floor 248.

[0859] As has already been described in relation to other embodiments, the separation floor 248 preferably has a passage region 262, in particular a passage slit 264.

[0860] Preferably, a plurality of closing members 248 are provided, which can be used to close the passage region 262.

[0861] The closing member 248 forms a closed area 502, particularly of the separating floor 248.

[0862] Together with the multiple support plates 504 of the separation floor 248, the enclosed area 502 preferably forms a surface 506 of the separation floor 248 that is at least almost completely walkable.

[0863] The closing member 248 is formed, for example, as a thin plate 508 and / or a closing disk 210.

[0864] The separation floor 248 preferably has a support structure 512 (see Figure 32 in particular), which is used on the one hand to accommodate the support plate 504 and on the other hand to fix the closing member 248.

[0865] In particular, the support structure 512 is provided with multiple return member housings 514 of one or more return devices 516.

[0866] The multiple return members 518 of the return device 516 are preferably arranged in the return member housing so as to be movable relative to the return member housing 514.

[0867] For example, mechanical and / or electrical relative movement of the return member 518 with respect to the return member housing 514 can be provided.

[0868] For example, the return device 516 has one or more spring devices 520, in particular one or more compression springs 522, which in turn enable the spring devices to fix the return member 518 to the return member housing 514, in particular to elastic displacement.

[0869] The return member 518 is supported in the return member housing 514 so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction 250 and / or perpendicular to the transport path 292.

[0870] The return member 518 preferably has one or more closing member housing portions 524.

[0871] One or more closing member housings 514 are formed in particular as bolts and are used to house each closing member 284.

[0872] In particular, the closing member 284 is positioned to be freely rotatable within the closing member housing 524.

[0873] As is particularly clear from Figure 33, each return device 516 preferably has a stopper device 526 and a guide opening 528.

[0874] The stopper member 526 is slidable in particular within the guide opening 528, in which case the maximum width of the guide opening 528 along the direction of movement of the return member 518 is determined by the stopper member 526 contacting the end of the guide opening 512, thereby determining the maximum path of movement of the return member 518.

[0875] As is particularly clear from Figures 31 and 32, the closing members 284 of the separating floor 248 are arranged in a manner that overlaps each other, so that a closed area 502 can be formed that is closed, in particular at the closed position of the closing members 284, and is at least almost completely closed.

[0876] The closing member 284 is formed in a particularly round shape, for example, perfectly round.

[0877] As the accommodating member 170 enters the passage area 262 along the transport direction 250 and / or the transport path 292, the closing members 284 can move successively and / or in pairs so as to move laterally away perpendicular to the transport direction 250 and / or perpendicular to the transport path 262, so that each accommodating member 170 can move along the transport direction 250 and / or the transport path 292 so as to extend through the passage area 262.

[0878] A centering device 530 having an entry slope 532 and, in particular, a plurality of centering members 534, for example, two, can preferably enable centering of the housing member 170 within the passage region 262.

[0879] Furthermore, for example, using an opening device 536 having one or more, for example, two, opening members 538, the opening of the closed region 502, and in particular the operation of one or more closing members 284, can be made by inserting the receiving member 170 into the passage region 262 from bottom to top along the vertical direction and / or moving below the closing members 284 and engaging with the opening members 538.

[0880] The centering device 530 and the release device 536 can be formed, for example, as a single identical device, in which case their respective functions can occur in accordance with the movement of the housing member 170 relative to this device.

[0881] As is further evident from Figure 33, the separation floor 248 has a plurality of bottom modules 540, in which case each bottom module 540 has one or more return devices 516 and / or return member housings 514 and / or closing member housings 524 and / or closing members 284, and / or supports and / or houses them.

[0882] The operating module 540 is coupled in particular to other components of the support structure 512 in mounting regions 542, in which case the mounting regions 542 are located and / or formed at the end of the bottom module 540 opposite to the through region 262.

[0883] The bottom module 540 is free to extend, particularly away from the mounting area 542.

[0884] Preferably, the bottom module 540 is used to accommodate or form one or more support plates 504.

[0885] Otherwise, the embodiments shown in Figures 31 to 33 will arbitrarily coincide with one or more of the embodiments described above in terms of structure and function, and it is pointed out that the above description will be referenced to that extent, and that this will also be clearly referenced to possible combinations that can be considered to provide other (not shown) embodiments.

[0886] Figure 34 shows an example of a circuit, on which the energy storage unit 150 of the vehicle 100 can be charged. One or more charging areas 158 and / or charging connection points 164 can be arranged and / or formed according to this circuit. Furthermore, according to an alternative embodiment, one or more isolated charging areas 158, with features described later, in particular, only one charging device 156, can be provided for one type of energy storage unit.

[0887] The energy storage unit 150 is used to store and provide electrical energy, particularly for driving the vehicle 100, and preferably has one or more energy storage units 152.

[0888] It may be effective if the energy storage unit 150 has one or more drive energy storage units 152a for storing energy to drive the vehicle 100 as a whole and / or to drive the lift drive unit 178.

[0889] One, more, or all of the drive energy storage units 152a can be formed, for example, as a supercapacitor 154.

[0890] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the energy storage unit 150 may have one or more buffer energy storage units 152p, which can be used to provide energy to drive the control device 204 and / or one or more sensor devices 190 and / or one or more communication devices.

[0891] One, more, or all of the buffer energy storage units 152p can be formed, for example, as a lithium-ion accumulator 155.

[0892] Selectively, one, more, or all of the buffer energy storage units 152p are coupled to or can be coupled to the drive unit 110 and / or lift drive unit 178 of the vehicle 100, in particular to procure energy when the drive energy storage unit 152a can no longer adequately provide the energy to drive the drive unit 110 and / or lift drive unit 178.

[0893] One or more drive energy storage units 152a and one or more buffer energy storage units 152p may have different standard drive voltages and / or charge voltages from each other.

[0894] For example, one or more drive energy storage units 152a can be driven by a voltage of at least approximately 48V, particularly a DC voltage.

[0895] Furthermore, one or more buffer energy storage units 152p can be driven at a voltage of at least approximately 24V, particularly a DC voltage.

[0896] To charge the energy storage unit 150 in the charging area 158, the charging area 158 preferably has one or more charging connection points 164, each of which has multiple contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 to provide electrical energy. In particular, multiple contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 are provided to provide voltages with different voltage values, thereby allowing various energy storage units 152 to be charged simultaneously at the required voltages.

[0897] For example, one or more charging connection points 164 are provided with two or more pairs of contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280, which are used to prepare various charging voltages.

[0898] The vehicle-side contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 of one or more charging connection points 164 of the vehicle 100 are preferably arranged at least partially and complementaryly with respect to the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 of one or more energy source-side charging connection points 164, at least in terms of their spatial formation and / or arrangement.

[0899] The contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 are formed and / or arranged in such a way that cross-contact between non-mutually paired contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 is eliminated.

[0900] It may be effective if one or more or all of the charging connection points 164 each have a pair of contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 281a, each located on the outside, and it is used in particular to charge at least one drive energy storage unit 152a.

[0901] Furthermore, it may be effective if one or more, or all, of the charging connection points 164 have pairs 281i of contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280, each located inside at least one, and the pairs are used in particular to charge at least one buffer energy storage unit 152p.

[0902] Pairs 281i located inside at least one of the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 are, in particular, positioned between pairs 281a located outside at least one of the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280.

[0903] Alternatively, the contact area 278 and / or contact member 280 can be used in reverse, so that a pair of 281i located inside at least one of the contact area 278 and / or contact member 280 can be used, for example, to charge at least one drive energy storage unit 152a, and a pair of 281a located outside at least one of the contact area 278 and / or contact member 280 can be used, for example, to charge at least one buffer energy storage unit 152p.

[0904] Furthermore, one or more, or all, of the charging connection points 164 may each have one or more position contacts 283, which can be used to perform position recognition and / or position monitoring of the vehicle 100.

[0905] For example, one or more pairs of position contacts 283 can be provided, which are arranged in particular to be located inside and / or outside between the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 of each charging connection point 164, so that the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 of each charging connection point 164 are located between the position contacts 283.

[0906] It may be effective if one or more sensor devices 190, particularly position sensors, and / or one or more position contacts 283, determine whether the vehicle 100 is in the position necessary for charging the energy storage 150 relative to the charging connection point 164, and if so, one or more charging voltages at the charging connection point 164 are released to charge the energy storage 150.

[0907] It may be effective if one or more contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 for charging the energy storage unit 150, particularly one or more drive energy storage units 152a and / or one or more buffer energy storage units 152p, are used simultaneously as one or more position contacts 283.

[0908] One or more contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 and / or one or more position contacts 283 of the vehicle 100 may each have a safety device 285, in particular a relay and / or contactor, which can be used to perform a temporary voltage interruption, thereby preventing a short circuit in the energy storage unit 150 when the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 and / or position contacts 283 are used for, for example, position recognition and / or position monitoring.

[0909] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, one or more contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 and / or one or more position contacts 283 of one or more or all of the charging connection points 164 on the energy source side may each have a safety device 285, such as a relay and / or contactor, which can be used to perform temporary voltage interruption, thereby avoiding a short circuit in the energy source when the contact areas 278 and / or contact members 280 and / or position contacts 283 are used, for example, for position recognition and / or position monitoring.

[0910] To switch between position recognition mode and charging mode, and in particular to properly activate the safety device 285, a handshake is preferably performed between the vehicle 100 and the charging connection point 164 and / or a control device located higher up.

[0911] In particular, on the energy source side, voltage measurement by the measuring device 287 at the contact area 278 and / or contact member 280 can determine whether the vehicle 100 is accurately positioned at each charging connection point 164. For example, if the measured voltage is greater than 0.2V, and especially greater than 0.5V, it can be connected to a correctly positioned vehicle 100. If it is correctly positioned, the charging mode is then activated.

[0912] After the charging process is complete, the charging connection point 164 is preferably put into a new position recognition mode, particularly by activating the safety device 285.

[0913] The special embodiments are as follows: [Embodiment 1] A vehicle (100) for transporting an object (102), for example, a vehicle body (206), in which case the vehicle (100) is: -Having a base body (104); -Having a chassis (106), the base body (104) is mounted on a movable base (160) and / or is movable on it; -Having a drive unit (110) for driving a vehicle (100); - The device has a housing device (168) and the housing device has one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) for housing at least one object (102). [Embodiment 2] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 1, characterized in that the storage device (168) has exactly two storage members (170). [Embodiment 3] A vehicle (100) according to either Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein multiple housing members (170), in particular all housing members (170), extend in a plane that extends perpendicularly and parallel to the longitudinal central axis (140) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 4] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, characterized in that one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) are movably arranged on the base body (104). [Embodiment 5] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 4, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has a lift drive device (178) which allows one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) to be raised and / or lowered relative to the base body (104). [Embodiment 6] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, characterized in that a plurality of storage members (170), in particular all of the storage members (170) are connected to one another and are absolutely common and movable relative to the base body (104). [Embodiment 7] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 6, wherein the lift drive device (178) of the vehicle (100) has a lift drive member (182), particularly a lift drive belt (184) or a lift drive chain, and in this case the lift drive member (182) connects a lift drive motor (180) and two or more housing members (170) to each other, so that two or more housing members (170) can be moved in common by the lift drive motor (180), and in particular can be raised and / or lowered relative to the base body (104). [Embodiment 8] a) The lift drive member (182) extends through the drive shaft (148) of the drive unit (110) for driving the vehicle (100), and / or b) The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 7, characterized in that the lift drive member (182) extends below the drive shaft (148) of a drive device (110) for driving the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 9] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8, characterized in that a drive unit (110) has a drive shaft (148) which connects two drive members (118) of the drive unit (110), in particular drive wheels (120), to each other, in which case the drive shaft (148) is oriented substantially laterally with respect to the longitudinal central axis (140) and / or main direction of travel (138) of the vehicle (100), in particular at least substantially perpendicularly. [Embodiment 10] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, characterized in that a drive unit (110) has a drive shaft (148) which connects two drive members (118) of the drive unit (110), in particular drive wheels (120), to each other, wherein the drive shaft (148) is positioned at least substantially in the center of the base body (104) of the vehicle (100) with respect to the longitudinal central axis (140) and / or main direction of travel (138) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 11] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, characterized in that the drive unit (110) has a drive shaft (148), the drive shaft connects two drive members (118) of the drive unit (110), in particular the drive wheels (120), and in this case the drive members (118) are commonly supported on the base body (104) by the drive shaft (148). [Embodiment 12] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, characterized in that a plurality of drive members (118) of the drive unit (110), particularly the drive wheels (120), can be driven independently of each other. [Embodiment 13] The drive unit (110) has a drive shaft (148) and / or one or more drive members (118), which are lowerable to the floor and / or pressable against the floor and / or liftable from the floor by an operating device (146), In that case, the drive shaft (148) and / or one or more drive members (118) are preferably integrated into the base body (104) of the vehicle (100) and / or surrounded on five sides by the base body (104), and / or in that case, the operating device (146) is preferably located outside the vehicle (100) and accessible for operation. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12, characterized in that... [Embodiment 14] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13, characterized in that one storage member (170), two storage members (170), or more than two storage members (170) each have a storage section (174), the storage section tapering towards the upper end with respect to the direction of gravity (g). [Embodiment 15] A vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 14, characterized in that one or more storage sections (174), in particular all of the storage sections (174), are formed substantially cone-shaped, conical, frustoconical, or frustoconical. [Embodiment 16] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 15, characterized in that one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) can be positioned at different locations relative to the base body (104), in which case one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) preferably protrudes beyond the upper side (172) of the base body (104) at the lowest position with respect to the direction of gravity (g). [Embodiment 17] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 16, characterized in that one housing member (170), two housing members (170), and / or more than two housing members (170) have a height greater than the height of the base body (104) of the vehicle (100) when viewed parallel to the direction of gravity (g). [Embodiment 18] The vehicle (100) has one or more storage sensors (188), and using the storage sensors a) An object (102) placed in at least one housing member (170) is detectable and / or it is possible to monitor whether it is properly secured; and / or b) The orientation and / or position of an object (102) positioned at least one containment member (170) can be detected. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 17, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 19] A vehicle (100) according to embodiment 18, characterized in that at least one housing sensor (188) is disposed on the base body (104) and / or in the housing member (170). [Embodiment 20] A vehicle (100) according to embodiment 18 or 19, characterized in that at least one housing sensor (188) cooperates with a detection aid (220) provided on an object (102) to be housed or has been housed. [Embodiment 21] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 20, characterized in that the housing member (170) has a lubrication device (175), and the lubrication device is particularly integrated within the housing member (170). [Embodiment 22] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 21, characterized in that the lubrication device (175) is integrated within the shaft section (173) and / or housing section (174) of the housing member (170), for example, being entirely located inside the shaft section (173) and / or housing section (174). [Embodiment 23] A vehicle (100) according to embodiment 21 or 22, characterized in that the lubrication device (175) includes a reservoir (177) for containing a lubricant and a dispensing member (179) for supplying the lubricant from the reservoir (177) to an object to be lubricated, particularly a part of a lift drive device (178), in an open-loop controllable and / or closed-loop controllable manner. [Embodiment 24] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 23, characterized in that a cover (196) for covering the interior of the base body (104) is positioned on the upper side (172) of the base body (104), and in this case the cover (196) is placed on the base body (104) and / or ends on the same plane as the mounting area (198) of the base body (104) so ​​as to at least almost completely encircle it. [Embodiment 25] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 24, characterized in that a cover (196) for covering the interior of the base body (104) is positioned on the upper side (172) of the base body (104), and in this case the cover (196) is formed to be at least partially transparent. [Embodiment 26] The base body (104) is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 25, characterized in that, in that case, support rollers (108) which are preferably rotatable by 360° and / or not driven are provided at four corner regions (112) of the base body (104). [Embodiment 27] The base body (104) is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In that case, the vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 26 is characterized in that the vehicle (100) sensor device (190) is provided protruding outward from two or four corners (112) of the base body (104). [Embodiment 28] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 27, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has one or more sensor devices (190), each of which has one or more sensor members for detecting the surroundings of the vehicle (100), wherein each of the one or more sensor members has a detection area of ​​at least about 250°, particularly about 270°, when viewed in itself or in common in a substantially horizontal plane. [Embodiment 29] A vehicle (100) has one or more sensor devices (190) which are coupled to a control device (204) of the vehicle (100), and the control device (204) is configured and arranged such that the vehicle (100) can be driven in various drive modes, in particular at least three different drive modes, according to the sensor values ​​detected by one or more sensor devices (190) and / or determined by the sensor devices. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 30] a) One of the drive modes is normal drive, in which no unpredictable and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within the drive path or within any other surrounding area (192) of the vehicle (100); and / or b) One of the driving modes is a warning drive, in which one or more unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within a predetermined warning section of the driving path or other provided surrounding area (192) of the vehicle (100), and / or c) One of the drive modes is stop drive, in which one or more unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive objects are located within a predetermined stop section of the roadway or other provided surrounding area (192) of the vehicle (100), The vehicle (100) according to embodiment 29, characterized in that... [Embodiment 31] i) In warning drive mode, the vehicle (100) travel speed is reduced, and / or in warning drive mode, the vehicle (100)'s warning device (200) outputs an audible signal and / or an optical signal; and / or ii) In stop-drive operation, the vehicle (100) is braked to a stop and / or During stop-drive operation, a warning device (200) of the vehicle (100) outputs an audible emergency signal and / or an optical emergency signal, and / or during stop-drive operation, the control device (204) transmits the emergency signal to a higher-level control facility for controlling and / or monitoring multiple vehicles (100). The vehicle (100) according to embodiment 30, characterized in that... [Embodiment 32] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 31, characterized in that the warning signal and / or emergency signal have a requirement that there be nothing on the road and / or around the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 33] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 32, characterized in that one or more emergency off switches are located on the vehicle (100) or on one or more other components of the transfer device and / or processing equipment and / or supply equipment, wherein preferably a communication device is associated with each emergency off switch, and an emergency off signal can be transmitted thereto to one, more, or all of the vehicles (100), thereby causing one, more, or all of the vehicles (100) to switch to emergency off drive. [Embodiment 34] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 33, characterized in that one, more, or all of the vehicles (100) each have a control device (204) capable of processing an emergency off signal, particularly before the vehicle (100) is switched to emergency off drive. [Embodiment 35] The control device (204) can be used to check whether each vehicle (100) must be forcibly switched to emergency off-drive, and in this check, the following will be taken into consideration: The position of vehicle (100) relative to one or more other vehicles (100); and / or The distance between one or more other vehicles (100) and a vehicle (100); and / or The position of the vehicle (100) relative to the emergency off switch that activated the emergency off signal; and / or The distance of the vehicle (100) from the emergency off switch that activated the emergency off signal; and / or The speed of the vehicle (100) at the time of transmission and / or activation of the emergency off signal; and / or A predetermined and / or calculated path of a vehicle (100) in relation to one or more other vehicles (100) and / or an emergency off switch that has activated an emergency off signal; A vehicle (100) according to embodiment 34, characterized in that the following is taken into consideration. [Embodiment 36] One or more emergency off switches can activate various types of emergency off drive scenarios. In that case, these various types of emergency off-drive scenarios are, for example, a) by the extent, size, or dimensions of the surrounding area (where the vehicle (100) is transitioned to emergency off-drive), and / or b) According to the criteria for inspection by the control device (204) of each vehicle (100), and / or c) By the desired drive of various groups of vehicles (100), They are distinguished from one another. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 35, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 37] The vehicle (100) is capable of switching to emergency off drive mode by an emergency off signal, and A signal can be output by a vehicle (100) in emergency off-drive mode to at least other vehicles (100) in the vicinity of the vehicle (100), in which case one or more vehicles (100) can transition to a special attention state by this signal, thereby avoiding, for example, a collision with the vehicle (100) that has transitioned to emergency off-drive mode. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 36, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 38] The vehicle (100) is capable of traveling in multiple directions, particularly in both directions, and Using one or more display members (202) provided at each end region of the vehicle (100), it is possible to indicate whether each end region is actually the front region or the rear region of the vehicle (100) according to the direction of travel at that time. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 37, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 39] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 38, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has one or more charging connection points (164) for charging the energy storage device (150) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 40] The charging connection point (164) is located on the lower side (114) of the base body (104), and The vehicle (100) is positioned above the charging connection point (164) of the charging area (158) associated with the energy storage device (150) for charging the device. The vehicle (100) according to embodiment 39, characterized by the above. [Embodiment 41] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 40, characterized in that the charging connection point (164) can be coupled to a charging connection point (164) of a charging area (158) associated therewith, for example, using a sliding contact and / or non-contact, for example inductively. [Embodiment 42] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 39 to 41, characterized in that other charging connection points (164) are located on the side wall (166) of the base body (104), and in that case, these other charging connection points (164) are connectable to charging connection points (164) of a charging area (158) particularly by plug coupling. [Embodiment 43] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 39 to 42, characterized in that at least one charging connection point (164) is located in and / or formed in at least one housing member (170). [Embodiment 44] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 43, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has an energy storage device (150) for storing and providing electrical energy to drive the vehicle (100), wherein the energy storage device (150) has one or more energy storage units (152), and the energy storage units are formed as capacitors, in particular as supercapacitors or ultracapacitors. [Embodiment 45] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 44, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has an energy storage device (150) which can store and provide electrical energy for driving the lift drive device (178) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 46] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 45, characterized in that energy can be stored and supplied for both driving a lift drive device (178) and driving a vehicle (100) using the same energy storage device (150), particularly using the same energy storage unit (152), or using the same energy storage unit (152) of the energy storage device (150). [Embodiment 47] A vehicle (100) has an energy storage device (150), and that energy storage device is a) One or more drive energy storage units (152a) for storing energy to drive the vehicle as a whole and / or to drive the lift drive unit, b) One or more buffer energy storage units (152p), It has the ability to provide energy to drive, for example, a control device (204) and / or one or more sensor devices (190) and / or one or more communication devices. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 46, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 48] A vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 47, characterized in that one or more drive energy storage units (152a) and one or more buffer energy storage units (152p) have different standard drive voltages and / or charging voltages. [Embodiment 49] The vehicle (100) has a control device (204), and the control device is configured and arranged such that the vehicle (100) can be selectively driven in safety mode or express mode. In that case, the vehicle (100) will switch to safety mode when a person is detected around the vehicle (100) and / or when it is traveling in an area where a person can approach, and In that case, the vehicle (100) will switch to express mode if it is traveling in an area where no people are detected around it and / or where people cannot approach. A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 48, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 50] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 49, characterized in that the vehicle (100) can transition to safety mode and / or express mode using devices not provided on the vehicle (100), particularly sensor devices (190), for example, using external safety contacts. [Embodiment 51] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 50, characterized in that the vehicle (100) has one or more sensor devices (190) that can be used to detect the area (192) surrounding the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 52] A vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 51, characterized in that a three-dimensional surrounding area (192) can be detected in three dimensions using one or more sensor devices (190), and an object detected within the detected surrounding area (192) can preferably be detected in terms of its size and position relative to the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 53] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 52, characterized in that the size and position of the detected object are calculated by the vehicle's (100) control device (204) from sensor data of one or more sensor devices (190). [Embodiment 54] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 53, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is composed of or has multiple zones, in which case the zones are formed by overlapping each other or cover completely different spatial areas. [Embodiment 55] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 54, characterized in that one or more sensor devices (190) can detect different zones in the surrounding area (192). [Embodiment 56] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 55, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is divided into a plurality of zones in the horizontal direction, particularly into three zones. [Embodiment 57] The vehicle (100) according to Embodiment 56, characterized in that one of the zones is a protective zone (SZ) in which no objects shall be placed other than the vehicle (100) itself and, if applicable, objects (102) placed on the vehicle (100) for the purpose of driving without obstruction. [Embodiment 58] A vehicle (100) according to either embodiment 56 or 57, characterized in that one of the zones is a warning zone (WZ) which in particular surrounds a protection zone (SZ), and / or no objects other than the vehicle (100) itself and, optionally, objects (102) placed on the vehicle (100), in which case detection of an object does not necessarily result in the vehicle (100) being driven to stop. [Embodiment 59] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 58, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is divided vertically into a plurality of zones, particularly three zones. [Embodiment 60] The vehicle (100) according to embodiment 59, characterized in that one of the zones is a vehicle zone (FZ) in which a vehicle (100) is located. [Embodiment 61] A vehicle (100) according to any one of Embodiments 59 or 60, characterized in that one of the zones is a target zone (GZ), and within it the target (102) is located when the target is housed by a vehicle (100). [Embodiment 62] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 59 to 61, characterized in that an intermediate zone (ZZ) is positioned between a zone formed as a vehicle zone (FZ) and a zone formed as a target zone (GZ), and the intermediate zone extends in the vertical direction by a distance equal to the distance by which at least approximately one or more accommodating members (170) protrude from the base body (104) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 63] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 62, characterized in that a control device (204) of the vehicle (100) and / or a control device located higher up can be used to inspect, and in particular calculate, whether an object detected by one or more sensor devices (190) is an unexpected and / or unknown and / or detrimental object, or an object whose presence is acceptable. [Embodiment 64] A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 63, characterized in that a control device (204) of the vehicle (100) changes the boundary lines between various zones of the surrounding area (192) according to the actual state of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 65] For the actual state of the vehicle (100), one or more of the following state characteristics are considered: a) Whether the vehicle (200) is carrying the object (102) or not; and / or b) At what speed and in what direction the vehicle (100) is moving; and / or c) Where the vehicle (100) is located within the transfer device (222) or processing equipment (224), A vehicle (100) according to embodiment 64, characterized in that the following is taken into consideration. [Embodiment 66] A vehicle (100) according to any one of Embodiments 64 or 65, characterized in that the transition of boundary lines and / or zones, particularly the size and / or shape of warning zones (WZ) and / or protection zones (SZ), can be regularly adapted by a control device (204) and / or a higher-level control device, for example multiple times per minute or second, to the actual state of each of the vehicles (100). [Embodiment 67] The surrounding area (192) is divided into multiple zones in the vertical direction and multiple zones in the horizontal direction, in that case a) A warning zone (WZ) and / or a protection zone (SZ) are associated with a vehicle zone (FZ); and / or b) One of the target zones (GZ) is associated with a warning zone (WZ) and / or a protection zone (SZ); and / or c) An intermediate zone (ZZ) is associated with a warning zone (WZ) and / or a protection zone (SZ). A vehicle (100) according to any one of embodiments 51 to 66, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 68] An adapter device (208) for housing an object (102), particularly a vehicle body (206), wherein the adapter device (208) has the following: -Having a central member (210); -Having one or more adapter members (212), which are fixed to the central member (210) and are geometrically fitted to the object (102) in order to accommodate the object (102), In that case, one or more operating regions (216), particularly introduction openings (218) (in which one or more housing members (170) act to house the adapter device (208)) are arranged and / or formed on the central member (210) and / or on one or more adapter members (212), Adapter device. [Embodiment 69] A combination comprising at least one vehicle (100) described in any one of Embodiments 1 to 67 and at least one adapter device (208) described in Embodiment 68. [Embodiment 70] The combination according to embodiment 69, characterized in that a plurality of adapter members (212) of various geometric arrangements and / or sizes are provided to accommodate objects (102) of various geometric arrangements and / or sizes. [Embodiment 71] A transfer device (222) for transferring an object (102), in particular a workpiece, such as a vehicle body (206), wherein the transfer device (222) has one or more vehicles (100) as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 67. [Embodiment 72] The transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 71, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has one or more stations (234), to which an object (102) can be transferred by a vehicle (100) and / or the object (102) can be placed and / or accommodated at the station. [Embodiment 73] The transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 72, characterized in that at least one of the stations (234) is provided with two or more positions (240, 254) for two or more objects (102), in which case the objects (102) can be placed into the station (234) at a first position (240) by a vehicle (100), and in which case the objects (102) can be accommodated by the vehicle (100) at a second position (254), and then unloaded from the station (234). [Embodiment 74] The transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 73, characterized in that the object (102) can be transferred by a station transfer device (244) of the transfer device (222), which is different from the vehicle (100), particularly from a first position (240) to a second position (254). [Embodiment 75] The transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 74 is characterized in that the object (102) can be processed while being transferred from a first position (240) to a second position (254), or at an intermediate position (258) located in between. [Embodiment 76] At least one vehicle (100) is formed and arranged such that an object (102) can be released to a first position (240) of station (234), and thereafter, an object (102) that was previously released to this first position (240) and has been transferred to a second position (254) of station (234) can be accommodated at the second position (254), A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 73 to 75, characterized in that [Embodiment 77] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 72 to 76, characterized in that one or more stations (234) have a separation floor (248), and at least one vehicle (100) is movable beneath the separation floor, in particular one or more objects (102) are movable above the separation floor (248), and / or one or more objects (102) are moved above the separation floor (248). [Embodiment 78] The transfer device (222) according to embodiment 77, characterized in that the separation floor (248) is walkable by a person. [Embodiment 79] The transfer device (222) according to embodiment 77 or 78, characterized in that the separating floor (248) is oriented substantially parallel to the movable base (160) (on which the transfer device (222) is mounted), and in this case the distance of the separating floor (248), preferably the walkable surface, from the surface of the movable base (160) is preferably up to about 5 times, particularly up to about 4 times, and preferably up to about 3 times, the height of the vehicle (100) and / or the height of the base body (104) of the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 80] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 77 to 79, characterized in that at least one section (260) of the separating floor (248) is formed in a completely enclosed manner above the transport path (292) of the vehicle (100), thereby completely separating the object to be transported (102) from the vehicle (100). [Embodiment 81] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 80, characterized in that a completely closed section (260) of the separation floor (248) extends over at least substantially the entire length of the longitudinal extension of the processing area (252) for processing the object (102). [Embodiment 82] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 77 to 81, characterized in that a separating floor (248) has a passage area (262), particularly a passage slit (264), through which one or more accommodating members (170) of at least one vehicle (100) extend and / or can be guided. [Embodiment 83] A transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 82, characterized in that a passage region (262), particularly a passage slit (264), extends along or defines the transfer path (292) of the transfer device (222). [Embodiment 84] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 83, characterized in that a passage edge region (276) is formed on one or both sides of the passage slit (264) of the passage region (262), and that it is formed to be particularly higher than the rest of the separation floor (248). [Embodiment 85] A transport device (222) according to Embodiment 84, characterized in that the average open or openable gap between two passing edge regions (276) facing each other with respect to the passing region (262) is at most about four times, preferably at most about three times, and particularly at most about twice, the average thickness of at least one housing member (170) of at least one vehicle (100) as viewed horizontally and vertically with respect to the transport path (292). [Embodiment 86] A transport device (222) according to any one embodiment 84 or 85, characterized in that the average open or openable gap between two through edge regions (276) facing each other with respect to the through region (262) is at most about 150%, preferably at most about 100%, particularly at most about 80%, of the average extension of the central member (210) of the adapter device (208) for accommodating at least one object (102) as viewed horizontally and vertically with respect to the transport path (292). [Embodiment 87] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 84 to 86, characterized in that the passing edge region (276) is formed in a substantially L-shape in a cross-section viewed perpendicular to the transfer path (294). [Embodiment 88] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 84 to 87, characterized in that the passing edge region (276) extends obliquely with respect to the direction of gravity (g) and / or obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction. [Embodiment 89] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 82 to 88, characterized in that the transfer device (222), in particular a separation floor (248), for example a through edge region (276), has one or more closing members (284) by which the through region (262), in particular a through slit (264), can be closed, in particular automatically and / or in particular when no accommodating member (170) is protruding through the through region (262), and / or in particular within a section of the through region (262), in particular a through slit (264), where no accommodating member (170) is protruding through the through region (262). [Embodiment 90] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 89, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are operable by a housing member (170) and are particularly movable to an open position and / or a closed position. [Embodiment 91] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 77 to 90, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has a station transfer device (244) which can be used to transfer an object (102) independently from a vehicle (100), and in this case the station transfer device (244) is preferably integrated into the separation floor (248) of the station (234). [Embodiment 92] The transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 91, characterized in that the station transfer device (244) is a roller conveyor (245) or a chain conveyor, or has a roller conveyor (245) and / or a chain conveyor. [Embodiment 93] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 92, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has a stacking device (225) for stacking and / or removing a plurality of vehicles (100). [Embodiment 94] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 93, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has one or more charging areas (158) for charging an energy storage device (150) of at least one vehicle (100). [Embodiment 95] A transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 94, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located in one or more stations (234) of the transfer device (222), and an object (102) can be transferred to that station by at least one vehicle (100), and / or the object (102) can be released and / or accommodated at that station. [Embodiment 96] A transfer device (222) according to any one of Embodiments 94 or 95, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located between two stations (234) of a transfer device (222) with respect to a transfer path (292) of at least one vehicle (100), and an object (102) can be transferred to that station by at least one vehicle (100) and / or the object (102) can be released and / or accommodated at that station. [Embodiment 97] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 96, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located in or within a return transfer path (294) of at least one vehicle (100). [Embodiment 98] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 97, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located within or in a path section, and that path section permanently or temporarily, in particular, alternates between a section of transport path (292) for one or more vehicles (100) and a section of return transport path (294) for one or more identical vehicles (100) or one or more other vehicles (100). [Embodiment 99] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 98, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located within or in a cross area, and one or more transport paths (292) and / or one or more return transport paths (294) of one or more vehicles (100) intersect in that cross area. [Embodiment 100] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 99, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are stationary filling areas (298), and at least one vehicle (100) is stationary in the charging area for charging an energy storage device (150) and / or while the energy storage device (150) is being charged. [Embodiment 101] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 100, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are mobile charging areas (300), and at least one vehicle (100) can pass through the mobile charging area while the energy storage device (150) is being charged, and / or at least one vehicle (100) can move through the mobile charging area while the energy storage device (150) is being charged. [Embodiment 102] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 101, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located in and / or formed within the passage area (262) of the separation floor (248) of the transfer device (222). [Embodiment 103] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 102, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located and / or formed below the separation floor (248) of the station (234) of the transfer device (222). [Embodiment 104] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 103, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are located on a walkable base (160) on which at least one vehicle (100) can travel, and in which case one or more charging areas (158) are located and / or formed directly below the separating floor (248) of the station (234) of the transport device (222). [Embodiment 105] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 104, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are formed as a charging bay (302) into which one or more vehicles (100) can enter in order to charge their respective energy storage units (150), in particular while avoiding the transport paths (292) and / or return transport paths (294) of the vehicles (100). [Embodiment 106] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 105, characterized in that one or more charging bays (302) are a standby area (304) for temporarily storing one or more vehicles (100) and / or a maintenance area (306) for performing maintenance work on one or more vehicles (100). [Embodiment 107] A transfer device (222) according to at least one of embodiments 94 to 106, characterized in that one or more charging areas (158) are arranged at the discharge position (242) and / or the storage position (256) of the station (234) such that the energy storage (150) of the vehicle (100) can be charged, in particular during the positioning process for positioning the vehicle (100) relative to the station (234). [Embodiment 108] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 107, characterized in that the transfer device (222) extends over a plurality of planes (288) and has one or more charging areas (158), the charging areas being located within a transfer device (290) for transferring one or more vehicles (100) from one plane (288) to another plane (288). [Embodiment 109] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 94 to 108, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has one or more charging coupling points (308), and each of the charging coupling points has a plurality of charging areas (158) for simultaneously charging a plurality of vehicles (100). [Embodiment 110] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 109, characterized in that one or more charging coupling points (308) are located at locations where multiple transfer paths (292) and / or return transfer paths (294) intersect and / or overlap. [Embodiment 111] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 110, characterized in that, for charging an energy storage device (150), at least one charging area (158) has one or more charging connection points (164), and each charging connection point has a plurality of contact areas (278) and / or contact members (280) to provide voltages having voltage values ​​of different heights. [Embodiment 112] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 111, characterized in that one or more charging connection points (164) are provided with two or more pairs of contact areas (278) and / or contact members (280), which are used in particular to provide different charging voltages simultaneously. [Embodiment 113] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 112, characterized in that one or more charging connection points (164), in particular all charging connection points (164), each has one or more sensor devices (190), and the presence of a vehicle (100) can be determined in particular at each charging connection point (164), particularly above it. [Embodiment 114] The transport device (222) according to Embodiment 113, characterized in that the charging connection points (164) are controllable and / or drivable, as particularly permitted, so that a current and / or voltage for charging the vehicle's (100) energy storage (1590) is applied to each charging connection point (164) only when the vehicle (100) is recognized by one or more sensor devices (190). [Embodiment 115] The transfer device (222) has one or more safety areas (270) and one or more express areas (268), In that case, one or more vehicles (100) can transition to a safety mode by a control device (204) within one or more safety areas (270), and In that case, one or more vehicles (100) can be switched to express mode by a control device (204) within one or more express areas (268). A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 114, characterized in that... [Embodiment 116] A transport device (222) according to Embodiment 115, characterized in that one or more express areas (268) have one or more return transport paths (294) and return transport path sections, wherein one or more vehicles (100) are not particularly loaded. [Embodiment 117] A transport device (222) according to any one of Embodiments 115 or 116, characterized in that one or more express areas (268) and / or one or more safety areas (270) are connected to one or more through openings (312), in which case one or more through openings (312) preferably have a shape formed at least partially, at least substantially, and at least partially complementary to the shape of one or more vehicles (100). [Embodiment 118] a) One or more through openings (312) are located in or on one or more stations (234) of the transfer device (222), and / or b) One or more through openings (312) are formed through one or more stations (234) of the transfer device (222), A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 117, characterized by the features described herein. [Embodiment 119] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 115 to 118, characterized in that one or more express areas (268) are formed by a walkable and / or traversable double floor. [Embodiment 120] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 119, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has multiple types of stations (234), in which case at least two types of stations (234) each provide multiple stations (234I). [Embodiment 121] The object to be transported (102) can be transported by one or more vehicles (100) in a predetermined order to and / or through each of the various types of stations (234), in which case the control device (204) can select individual stations (234) of each type of station (234), in particular a) whether each individual station (234) of each type of station (234) is actually occupied, and / or b) According to the equipment of each individual station (234) of each type of station (234), and / or c) According to the form of each individual station (234) of each type of station (234), and / or d) According to the actual maintenance status or soiling of each individual station (234) of each type of station (234), It is selectable. A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 120, characterized in that... [Embodiment 122] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 121, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has a handover area (400) in which one or more objects (102) can be transferred from a vehicle (100) to a station transfer device (244) or to other storage devices, in which case one entry area (402) is spatially separated from at least one exit area (410), a vehicle can approach the handover position (404) of the transfer device (400) through the entry area, and a vehicle (100) can travel away from the handover position (404) through the exit area. [Embodiment 123] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 71 to 122, characterized in that the transfer device (222) has a handover area (400) in which one or more objects (102) can be transferred from a vehicle (100) to a station transfer device (244) or other storage device, in which case the entry direction (412) is lateral to the exit direction (414), in particular at least substantially perpendicular, and the vehicle (100) can enter the handover area (300) along the entry direction and the vehicle (100) can exit the handover area (400) along the exit direction (414). [Embodiment 124] A transfer device (222) for transporting an object (102), in particular a workpiece, such as a vehicle body (206), wherein the transfer device (222) is formed in particular according to any one of embodiments 71 to 123 and / or has a separation floor (248) through which a passage area (262), in particular a passage slit (264), through which one or more accommodating members (170) for accommodating at least one object (102) extend and / or are guideable. [Embodiment 125] A transfer device (222) according to embodiment 124, characterized in that the separating floor (248) has one or more closing members (284), and the passage area (262), in particular the passage slit (264), can be closed by the closing members. [Embodiment 126] A transfer device (222) according to Embodiment 125, characterized in that a passage region (262), particularly a passage slit (264), can be closed automatically and / or temporarily and / or locally by one or more closing members (284), and / or particularly when no accommodating member (170) protrudes through the passage region (262), and / or particularly within a section of the passage region (262), particularly the passage slit (264), where no accommodating member (170) protrudes through the passage region (262). [Embodiment 127] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 126, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are operable by a housing member (170) and are particularly movable to an open position and / or a closed position. [Embodiment 128] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 127, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are elastically and, in particular, automatically moved from an open position to a closed position under the influence of gravity. [Embodiment 129] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 128, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are formed as a thin plate (508) and / or a flap and / or a closing disk (510). [Embodiment 130] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 129, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are displaceable, particularly in the horizontal direction, thereby temporarily opening a passage area (262) to allow one or more accommodating members (170) to pass through. [Embodiment 131] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 130, characterized in that the separating floor (248) has a plurality of closing members (284), and these closing members are arranged to overlap each other in their closed position and / or open position. [Embodiment 132] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 131, characterized in that the separating floor (248) has a plurality of closing members (284) which are arranged in different planes, particularly parallel to each other, preferably horizontal planes, and / or movable. [Embodiment 133] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 132, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are walkable. [Embodiment 134] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 133, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are supported by each other and / or by one or more support plates (504) of the separation floor (248), particularly in the closed position and / or open position. [Embodiment 135] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 134, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are movable in an extending direction oblique to the transport direction (250), particularly perpendicular to it, and particularly linearly slidable. [Embodiment 136] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 135, characterized in that one or more closing members (284) are arranged in a closing member housing (524) of a separation floor (248) so as to be rotatable, in particular so as to be freely rotatable and / or 360° rotatable. [Embodiment 137] A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 136, characterized in that a passage region (262), particularly a passage slit (264), extends along or defines the transfer path (292) of the transfer device (222). [Embodiment 138] A transport device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 137, characterized in that the separating floor (248) is walkable by a person. [Embodiment 139] The transport device (222) has one or more vehicles (100), and in that case each vehicle (100) -Having a base body (104); -Having a chassis (106), the base body (104) is mounted on a drivable base (160) and / or is movable; -Having a drive unit (110) for driving a vehicle (100); -Having a housing device (168), the housing device has one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) to house at least one object (102), In that case, the transfer device (222) has one or more stations (234), to which the object (102) can be transferred by vehicle (100) and / or the object (102) can be released and / or accommodated at the station. A transfer device (222) according to any one of embodiments 124 to 138, characterized in that... [Embodiment 140] A processing equipment (224) for processing a subject (102), particularly a vehicle body (206), wherein the processing equipment (224) has one or more transfer devices (222) described in any one of embodiments 71 to 139. [Embodiment 141] A processing facility (224) according to Embodiment 140, characterized in that one or more stations (234) of a transfer device (222), which are coupled together to transfer an object (102) by a vehicle (100) of the transfer device (222), are processing stations (236) of a processing facility (224). [Embodiment 142] A method for transporting an object (102), wherein the object (102) is transported by one or more vehicles (100) described in any one of embodiments 1 to 67 and / or by a transport device (222) described in any one of embodiments 71 to 139. [Embodiment 143] A method for processing an object (102), wherein the object (102) is processed in and / or by a processing facility (224) described in either embodiment 140 or 141.

Claims

1. A vehicle (100) for transporting the object (102), wherein the vehicle (100) is: - Having a base body (104); - It has a chassis (106), on which the base body (104) is placed on a movable base (160) and is movable thereon; - Having a drive unit (110) for driving a vehicle (100); - Having a housing device (168), the housing device has one housing member (170), two housing members (170), or more than two housing members (170) for housing at least one object (102), A vehicle (100) has one or more sensor devices (190) that can be used to detect the area (192) surrounding the vehicle (100). The control device (204) of the vehicle (100) changes the boundary lines between various zones in the surrounding area (192) according to the actual state of the vehicle (100). The vehicle (100) is a component of the transfer device (222) or processing equipment (224), For the actual state of the vehicle (100), all of the following state characteristics are taken into consideration: a) Whether the vehicle (100) is accommodating the object (102) or not; and b) At what speed and in what direction the vehicle (100) is moving; and c) Where the vehicle (100) is located within the transfer device (222) or processing equipment (224), A vehicle (100) characterized by the fact that the following is taken into consideration.

2. The vehicle (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that a three-dimensional surrounding area (192) can be detected in three dimensions using one or more sensor devices (190), and an object detected within the detected surrounding area (192) can be detected in terms of the size of the object and its position relative to the vehicle (100).

3. The vehicle (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the size and position of the detected object are calculated by the vehicle's (100) control device (204) from sensor data of one or more sensor devices (190).

4. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is composed of a plurality of zones, and these zones are formed so as to overlap with each other or be completely different from each other.

5. A vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that multiple sensor devices (190) can detect different zones in the surrounding area (192).

6. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is divided into a plurality of zones in the horizontal direction.

7. The vehicle (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the horizontal zones is a protective zone (SZ), and in order to drive without obstruction, no objects other than the vehicle (100) itself and the objects (102) housed in the vehicle (100) shall be housed therein by control equipment or the control device (204) located above the control device (204).

8. The vehicle (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that one of the horizontal zones is a warning zone (WZ) which surrounds a protection zone (SZ), and / or within the warning zone, no objects other than the vehicle (100) itself and the objects (102) housed in the vehicle (100) are housed by a control device or control device (204) located above the control device (204), and the detection of an object does not necessarily result in the operation of the stop drive of the vehicle (100).

9. The vehicle (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the surrounding area (192) is divided into a plurality of zones in the vertical direction.

10. The vehicle (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that one of the vertical zones is a vehicle zone (FZ) in which a vehicle (100) is located.

11. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that one of the vertical zones is a target zone (GZ), and inside therein is a target (102) that is housed by a vehicle (100).

12. The vehicle (100) according to claim 11, wherein an intermediate zone (ZZ) is positioned between a zone formed as a vehicle zone (FZ) and a zone formed as a target zone (GZ), and the intermediate zone extends in the vertical direction by a distance equal to the distance by which at least approximately one or more housing members (170) protrude from the base body (104) of the vehicle (100).

13. The vehicle (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, using the control device (204) of the vehicle (100) and / or control equipment located higher up, it is possible to inspect whether an object detected by one or more sensor devices (190) is an unexpected and / or unknown and / or obstructive object, or an object whose presence is acceptable.

14. The vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the transition of boundary lines and / or the size and / or shape of zones can be regularly adapted to the actual state of each of the vehicles (100) by a control device (204) and / or a control device located higher up.

15. The surrounding area (192) is divided into multiple zones in the vertical direction and multiple zones in the horizontal direction. a) A vertical vehicle zone (FZ) is associated with a horizontal warning zone (WZ) and / or protection zone (SZ); and / or b) One of the vertical target zones (GZ) is associated with a horizontal warning zone (WZ) and / or protection zone (SZ); and / or c) A horizontal warning zone (WZ) and / or protection zone (SZ) are associated with a vertical intermediate zone (ZZ). A vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized by the features described herein.

16. A transport device (222) for transporting an object (102), wherein the transport device (222) has one or more vehicles (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. Processing equipment (224) for processing a target (102), wherein the processing equipment (224) has one or more transfer devices (222) as described in claim 16.

18. A method for transporting an object (102), wherein the object (102) is transported by one or more vehicles (100) described in any one of claims 1 to 15 and / or by a transport device (222) described in claim 16.

19. A method for processing an object (102), wherein the object (102) is processed in and / or by the processing equipment (224) described in Claim 17.

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