Device for moving supporting racks in a store

Abstract

Proposed is a device for moving supporting racks (2) for insulating glass elements, for example, in a store (1) having two or more than two supporting racks (2), the store (1) comprising a frame (9) in which the supporting racks (2) are movable. The supporting racks (2) have a support plane which is inclined with respect to the vertical, wherein the supporting racks (2) are arranged with the support planes parallel and adjacent to one another and are movable in the frame (9) in the direction of the support planes. A drive shaft (30) driven by a motor (31) has a number of drive means (32) corresponding to the number of supporting racks (2) to be moved by means of the drive shaft (30), and drive elements (29) are arranged on the supporting racks (2) and are selectively connected to the drive elements (29).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR MOVING SUPPORT FRAME IN A STORAGE TANK

[0002] Device for moving support racks in a storage unit with two or more than two support racks, wherein the storage unit has a frame in which the support racks are movable, wherein the support racks have a support plane which is inclined to the vertical, wherein planar elements, such as glass sheets, insulating glass blanks or insulating glass elements, can be placed in the support racks, which are parallel to the support planes in the support racks, wherein the support racks are arranged parallel to each other with the support planes and are movable in the frame in the direction of the support planes.

[0003] During the production of insulating glass units, these units must be temporarily stored during the manufacturing process and / or after completion, before they are assembled into a batch in a sequence requested by the customer and delivered to the customer. This applies not only to already assembled insulating glass units, but also to glass sheets that will later be further processed and / or assembled into insulating glass units, or to insulating glass blanks, i.e., unsealed intermediate products consisting of at least two glass panes and at least one spacer.

[0004] These insulating glass elements, insulating glass blanks, and glass sheets, hereinafter also referred to more generally as planar elements, are temporarily stored in storage areas by being placed on support racks. The support racks have support surfaces against which the planar elements rest, and these surfaces are usually inclined at an angle of between 3° and 10°, preferably about 6°, to the vertical. Depending on the specific requirements, the angle can also be larger or smaller. Larger angles provide greater stability for the planar elements on the support racks, while smaller angles reduce the space required for the support racks within the storage areas. The support racks are horizontally movable in and out of the storage areas along the direction of their support surface. Once the support racks have been moved out of the storage area, planar elements can be placed on them.from these.

[0005] To move support frames into and out of a storage facility, WO 2019 / 244061 Al and EP 1 153 856 A2 describe the use of a carriage located in the area of ​​the storage facility, which is movable transversely to the support plane of the support frames, in order to move a selected support frame out of and into the storage facility.

[0006] From EP 3 575 251 Al a device is known in which a selected support frame can be moved from a storage area onto the device and from the device into the storage area by means of a pivotable gear mounted on a device that can be moved transversely to the support frames.

[0007] This not only requires a certain amount of time to move the desired support frames sequentially in and out of the storage area, because another support frame can only be moved once the movement of a previous support frame is complete and the carriage or device then has to be moved from the previous to the next support frame, but also represents a control engineering effort, because the carriage or device must be moved precisely to the support frame to be moved in order to avoid malfunctions. The invention is therefore based on the objective of creating a device of the type mentioned above that enables the fast and safe movement of the support frames.

[0008] This problem is solved with a device having the features of claim 1.

[0009] Preferred, but not mandatory, features and embodiments of the invention, which can be combined arbitrarily as far as functionally possible, are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] The storage system of the present invention comprises a storage area in which the planar elements placed on the support frames are temporarily stored, and a loading and unloading area in which the planar elements can be placed on and removed from the support frames with the aid of a manipulator, in particular a multi-axis robot.

[0011] One advantage of support racks on which the flat elements are placed and stored is that sealed insulating glass elements, whose edge seal is not yet dry, can be moved while standing still on the frame once they have been placed on the support racks, so that no contamination of other system parts by the pasty edge seal occurs and the edge seal can harden or dry.

[0012] The device according to the invention has a drive shaft driven by a motor, which includes drive elements. Drive elements are arranged on the support frames and are associated with the drive elements. The drive elements can be selectively connected to the drive elements of the support frames. The number of drive elements arranged on the drive shaft corresponds to the number of support frames to be moved by the drive shaft. For example, if all support frames of a storage unit are to be driven by a single drive shaft, the number of drive elements arranged on the drive shaft corresponds to the number of support frames in the storage unit.However, it is also possible, for example, that only one drive shaft is available for a part of the support frames, for example half of the support frames, and another drive shaft is available for the other part of the support frames, so that only half of the drive means need to be present on the respective drive shaft.

[0013] Since each support frame has its own drive mechanism, each support frame can be driven immediately as needed, i.e., moved into and out of the storage area, without having to move the drive mechanism from one support frame to the next. This represents a significant time saving compared to the prior art. Furthermore, positioning errors of the drive mechanism are eliminated.

[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the drive means and drive elements interlock positively. This embodiment allows for slip-free and therefore precise drive of the support frames.

[0015] It is preferred if the drive means comprise gears and the drive elements are racks. The racks can, for example, be arranged in the region of the lower edge of the support frames, and the gears can be positioned under the respective racks and engaged and disengaged with the racks there. In a further preferred embodiment, the drive means each comprise a gearbox for each support frame, wherein a first gear of the gearbox is arranged coaxially with the drive shaft and driven by the drive shaft, and wherein a second gear can be engaged and disengaged with the first gear and / or with the rack.

[0016] The first gear, arranged coaxially with the drive shaft, can in this case be rigidly connected to the drive shaft, and the second gear, which is, for example, permanently engaged with the first gear, can be pivoted around the axis of the drive shaft to engage and disengage it from the rack. Once the second gear is engaged with the rack, the respective rack, and thus the support frame, is moved in one direction or the other, i.e., into or out of the storage area, depending on the direction of rotation of the drive shaft.

[0017] In this embodiment, it is particularly preferred if the gearbox has a gearbox frame in which at least the second gear is mounted, and the gearbox frame is pivotable about the axis of the drive shaft. In this embodiment, the gearbox frame is thus pivoted to drive the respective support frame.

[0018] Preferably, the second gear, or optionally the gear frame in which the second gear is mounted, can be driven by means of a swivel drive, which can, for example, be a hydraulic motor, with the swivel drive being supported on the frame. According to the invention, it is thus only necessary to rotate the drive shaft in the correct direction and to swivel the second gear or the gear frame by means of the swivel drive assigned to the respective gear or gear frame. In an alternative embodiment, the drive means and the drive elements can interact frictionally. While this embodiment is less technically complex because no gears or racks are required, a corresponding frictional connection between the drive means and the drive elements must be ensured to prevent positioning errors of the support frames during movement.This problem can sometimes be solved by using position sensors or limit switches that control either the drive of the drive shaft or the drive for adjusting the drive mechanism. There can also be stops for the support frames, and the drive shaft motor can automatically switch off when the torque increases as soon as a support frame reaches a stop.

[0019] In order to allow a sufficiently large displacement path for the support frames so that they can be moved completely from the storage position to the removal or loading position, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the support frames are arranged on rails which are slidably mounted in the frame, and that the support frames are slidable on the rails.

[0020] It is particularly preferred if the support frames can be moved relative to the rails by means of a drive mechanism.

[0021] In this design, the drive means are therefore not directly connected to the drive elements, but indirectly via the drive mechanism.

[0022] This allows for a telescopic drive of the support frames in a certain sense, whereby the drive means (for example, the gear) drives the drive element mounted on the rail (for example, the rack), and the rail subsequently moves the respective support frame further in one direction or the other via the feed means.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the drive mechanism can comprise a second rack which is fixed in place, a gear mounted on the rail and a third rack which is attached to the rail, wherein the first rack and the second rack are coupled by means of the gear.

[0024] Alternatively, the drive mechanism can be used in this

[0025] In its embodiment, the invention comprises a feed means, e.g. a rope, a belt or a chain, which is guided around rollers in the area of ​​a front and rear end of the rail in the direction of movement, and which is firmly connected on one side to the frame and on the other side to the support frame.

[0026] A particularly space-saving embodiment of the invention is characterized by the provision of two storage units, each with a common loading and unloading area and its own separate storage area, positioned opposite each other. The common loading and unloading area eliminates the need for each storage unit to have a separate loading and unloading area, thus saving the space required for the loading and unloading area of ​​one of the two storage units. Furthermore, the common loading and unloading area can be operated by a single manipulator without having to move it from one storage unit to the other.

[0027] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which does not limit the scope of protection, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view from one side of a device according to the invention.

[0028] Fig. 2 shows a partial view of the device from the opposite side.

[0029] Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a section of Fig. 2.

[0030] Fig. 4 shows the storage of the support frames in the lower area of ​​the storage unit.

[0031] Fig. 5 shows the storage of the support frames in the upper area of ​​the storage unit.

[0032] Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention with a telescopic displacement of the support frames, wherein a support frame is shown in the position located in the storage area.

[0033] Fig. 7 shows the embodiment of Fig. 6 with the support frame in the position in the loading and unloading area,

[0034] Fig. 8 shows a detail from Fig. 6, and

[0035] Fig. 9 shows an embodiment of the invention with several storage devices according to the invention.

[0036] The drawings show embodiments of a device according to the invention, which are only exemplary and, apart from the features of the invention as defined in the claims, can also be implemented differently with respect to many components within the scope of the present invention, without this needing to be mentioned in detail below.

[0037] Figure 1 shows a storage unit 1 for storing planar elements. Support frames 2 are arranged slidably in the storage unit 1 in the direction of the double arrow 3. The number of support frames 2 can be adapted to the respective requirements, whereby at least two support frames 2, typically 10, 20, 30 or more, can be stored in a single storage unit 1. The support frames 2 are inclined relative to the vertical, with the angle of inclination being, as is customary in the prior art, between 3° and 10°, for example, 6°. In the illustrated embodiment, the support frames 2 have an upper, horizontal frame section 4, a lower, horizontal frame section 5, and essentially vertical frame sections 6, which are inclined at the aforementioned angle of inclination.

[0038] Supports 7 are arranged on the lower frame section 5 in the area of ​​the vertical frame sections 6, on which the planar elements are supported in the vertical direction. The vertical frame sections 6 have support surfaces 8 on which the planar elements are supported in the horizontal direction. The support surfaces 8 of the vertical frame sections 6 form support planes that lie parallel to the support frames 2 and the planar elements.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the storage unit 1 has a frame 9 with vertical frame elements 11 in the form of uprights, which are firmly connected to the ground. However, it is also possible for the vertical frame elements to be mounted on a chassis so that the storage unit 1 can be moved, for example on rails.

[0040] Two vertical frame elements 11 are connected via a horizontal zonal frame element 12. Two frame elements 13 lie above the two horizontal zonal frame elements 12, are connected to the two horizontal zonal frame elements 12, and cantilever over one of the two horizontal zonal frame elements 12. A further horizontal zonal frame element 12a is mounted below the free end 14 of the two cantilevered frame elements 13.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the storage area 53 is arranged between the vertical frame elements and the loading and unloading area 54 is arranged under the projecting area of ​​the frame elements 13 next to the storage area 53.

[0042] Guide rails 15 are mounted beneath the horizontal frame elements 12, 12a, arranged, for example, in groups of four guide rails 15 in brackets 16 (Fig. 5). The guide rails 15, which can of course also be connected to the frame elements 12 in other ways, for example directly, extend in the direction of the projecting frame elements 13 and have a substantially C-shaped cross-section with mutually facing leg ends 17, thereby forming an almost closed and very stable profile cross-section, with the exception of a slot 18 running in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails 15.

[0043] On the upper frame sections 4 of the support frames 2, rollers 21 are mounted via tabs 19, by means of which the support frames 2 are slidably mounted in the guide rails 15 and supported in the vertical direction. Brackets 22 are attached to the ends of the guide rails 15 to prevent the support frames 2 from sliding or falling out of the guide rails 15.

[0044] As can be seen particularly in Figures 2 to 4, where the vertical frame elements 11 have been omitted in Figure 2 for clarity, two support frames 23 are attached to the ground via feet 24. Crossbeams 25 are mounted on the support frames 23, on which rollers 26 with axles are mounted. These rollers, like the support frames 2, are inclined relative to the vertical. The support frames 23 are components of the frame 9, even though they are not directly connected to the frame elements 11 to 13, but only via the foundation. As can be seen particularly in Figure 4, U-shaped guide rails 27 are attached to the lower, horizontal frame parts 5 of the support frames 2. These guide rails receive the rollers 26 and ensure lateral guidance of the support frames 2.

[0045] It goes without saying that the guide rails 27 can also be arranged on the crossbeams 25 and the rollers 26 on the lower frame parts 5 of the support frames 2. The upper guide rails 15 and rollers 21 are also interchangeable.

[0046] Drive elements 29 are attached to the lower, horizontal frame parts 5 by means of brackets 28; these drive elements are formed in the illustrated design form of racks and are arranged next to the guide rails 27.

[0047] A drive shaft 30 is provided for moving the support frames 2 in the storage unit 1. This shaft can be driven in both directions of rotation by a motor 31, preferably an electric motor. A number of drive elements 32 corresponding to the number of support frames 2 are attached to the drive shaft 30.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the drive means 32 are formed by a transmission with first gears 33 and second gears 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the first gears 33 are permanently engaged with the second gears 34, which are mounted in a transmission frame 35. The transmission frame 35 consists of two parallel plates 36, which are rigidly connected to each other by means of connecting elements 37, and between which the two gears 33 and 34 are arranged. The transmission frame 35 is preferably pivotably mounted on the drive shaft 30, because this ensures permanent meshing of the two gears 33 and 34 when the transmission frame 35 is pivoted.For pivoting each gearbox frame 35, a pivoting drive 38 is provided, in the illustrated embodiment a pressure medium motor, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, whose piston rod 39 is pivotally connected to the gearbox frame 35 and whose cylinder 41 is pivotally connected to a beam 42 connected to the frame 9.

[0049] By actuating the pivoting drive 38, i.e., by pushing forward or retracting the piston rod 39, the gear frame 35 can be pivoted about the axis of the drive shaft 30, causing the second gear 34 to perform an essentially vertical up-and-down movement. In an upper position, the second gear 34 is engaged with the rack 29, and in a lower position, it is disengaged from the rack 29.

[0050] Since all gear pairs 33, 34 in each gear frame 35 have their own swivel drive 38, each support frame 2 can be selectively connected to the drive shaft 30 and driven, i.e., moved in the storage 1, whereby the direction in which the support frames 2 are moved in the storage 1 is determined by the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 30.

[0051] Each support frame 2 can therefore be moved from a storage position, in which all support frames 2 except the first or foremost support frame 2 are located in Fig. 1, to a loading and unloading position, in which the first or foremost support frame 2 is located, and back to the storage position. In the loading and unloading position, the support frames 2 are easily accessible, so that flat elements can be easily placed on and removed from the support frames 2, for example with the aid of a manipulator 55, in particular a multi-axis robot.

[0052] The embodiment shown in the drawings and described above, with a drive element 32 comprising two gears 33, 34 in a gear frame 35, represents only a preferred embodiment of the invention. Alternative embodiments are also possible. For example, the two gears can be connected to each other via other transmission elements, such as toothed belts, chains, or gears, rather than directly meshing with one another. Furthermore, the second gear 34 can always be engaged with the respective rack 29 and selectively connected to the first gear 33, for example, by means of a coupling. The second gear 34 does not necessarily have to be mounted in a gear frame 35 that is pivotable about the axis of the drive shaft 30, but can be adjustable about an independent bearing or guide.

[0053] Likewise, in the invention it is possible not to provide a positive-locking connection between the drive shaft 30 and the support frames 2, but for example a friction-locking connection between one or more friction wheels and a friction surface on the support frames 2.

[0054] In the above-described, inventive

[0055] From the guide forms the drive means 32 are directly connected to the drive elements 29 of the support frames 2.

[0056] Figures 6 to 8 show an embodiment of the invention in which the drive means 32 are indirectly connected to the drive elements 29 of the support frames 2 and in which each support frame 2 is slidably mounted on a rail 43. A drive element in the form of a first rack 29 is arranged on the support frame 2, but in this embodiment it extends only about halfway along the support frame 2.

[0057] A second rack 44 is attached to frame 1; it is approximately as long as the first rack 29 and is located next to rail 43. A third rack 45 is attached to rail 43; it is approximately the same length as the second rack 43. The third rack 45 can be connected to the second gear 23 of the drive mechanism as in the embodiment described above.

[0058] Finally, a gear 46 is mounted on the rail 43, which is permanently engaged with the first rack 29 and the second rack 44. The rail 43 is slidably mounted on the frame 1 by means of bearings 47, and the support frame 2 is slidably mounted on the rail 43 by means of bearings 48. In this embodiment of the invention, the support frames 2 have upwardly open, U-shaped guide rails 49 on their upper frame parts 4, which are guided on guide rollers 51. The guide rollers are mounted on crossbeams 52, which are mounted on the projecting frame elements 13.

[0059] In the position of the support frame 2 shown in Fig. 6, in which it is in the storage position, the first rack 29 of the support frame 2 lies on the opposite side of the rail 43 and essentially obliquely next to and above the third rack 45, as well as behind the second rack 44. The second gear 34 of the drive is located in the area of ​​the left end of the second rack 44 and the right end of the first rack 29 in Fig. 6.

[0060] If the support frame 2 is to be moved from the storage position shown in Fig. 6 to the right into the loading and unloading position shown in Fig. 7, the rail 43 is moved to the right by means of the motor 31, the drive shaft 30, and the gearbox with the first and second gears 33, 34. This is achieved by engaging the second gear 34 with the third rack 45 and driving the second gear 34 clockwise. This causes the rail 43 to move to the right. Once the second rack 44 is fixed in place, the gear 46, which is mounted on the rail 43, rolls along the second rack 44 and thereby moves the first rack 29, which is mounted on the support frame 2, and thus also the support frame 2, from the storage area 53 to the right into the loading and unloading area 54.

[0061] By driving the second gear 34 in the opposite direction, the support frame is pushed back into the storage area 53. Using the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, a substantially telescopic displacement of the support frames 2 can thus be achieved.

[0062] Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the invention with several storage devices 1 according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, storage devices 1 are provided in pairs opposite each other in the direction of the support planes, whereby two, three or more storage devices 1 can also be located next to each other transversely to the support planes. According to the invention, however, it is also possible that only two storage devices 1 opposite each other or only two or more than two storage devices 1 are present.

[0063] In the case of two opposing storage units 1, each storage unit 1 has its own separate storage area 53, but the two storage units share a common loading and unloading area 54. The frame elements 13, which project beyond the respective frame 9, thus belong to both frames 9 or storage units 1 and connect the two frames 9. A manipulator 55, e.g., on rails 56, can move in and through the loading and unloading area 54, which applies to all embodiments and arrangements with a single storage unit 1 as well as, as described above, with multiple storage units 1.

[0064] Reference character list:

[0065] 1 storage unit, 29 drive elements

[0066] 2 support frames rack and pinion

[0067] 3 Double Arrow 30 drive shaft

[0068] 4 upper frame parts 31 motor

[0069] 5 lower frame parts 32 drive components

[0070] 6 vertical frame parts 33 first gears

[0071] 7 supports 34 second gears

[0072] 8 support surfaces 35 gear frame

[0073] 9 frames, 36 panels

[0074] 10 - 37 connecting parts

[0075] 11 vertical frame elements 38 swivel drive

[0076] 12 horizontal hours 39 piston rod

[0077] Frame elements 40

[0078] 12a hori zontales 41 cylinders

[0079] Frame element 42 beams

[0080] 13 cantilevered 43 rail

[0081] Frame elements 44 second rack

[0082] 14 free ends 45 third rack

[0083] 15 guide rails 46 gear

[0084] 16 brackets 47 bearings

[0085] 17 leg ends 48 bearings

[0086] 18 slots, 49 guide rails

[0087] 19 tabs 50

[0088] 20 - 51 Leadership roles

[0089] 21 rollers 52 crossbeams

[0090] 22 brackets 53 storage area

[0091] 23 support frames 54 loading and

[0092] 24 feet removal area

[0093] 25 crossbeams 55 manipulator

[0094] 26 rollers, 56 rails

[0095] 27 guide rails

[0096] 28 brackets

Claims

Claims:

1. Device for moving support frames (2) in a storage unit (1) with two or more than two support frames (2), wherein the storage unit (1) has a frame (9) in which the support frames (2) are movable, wherein the support frames (2) have a support plane which is inclined to the vertical, wherein planar elements, such as glass sheets, insulating glass blanks or insulating glass elements, can be placed in the support frames (2) which are parallel to the support planes in the support frames (2), and wherein the support frames (2) are arranged parallel to each other with the support planes and are movable in the frame (9) in the direction of the support planes, characterized in that a drive shaft (30) driven by a motor (31) is provided, which has a number of drive elements (32) corresponding to the number of support frames (2) to be moved with the aid of the drive shaft (30), and that drive elements (29) are arranged on the support frames (2).and that the drive means (32) can be selectively connected to the drive elements (29).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means (32) and the drive elements (29) interlock in a form-fitting manner.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive means (32) comprise gears and that the Drive elements (29) are the first racks.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive means (32) each have a gearbox for each support frame (2), that a first gear (33) of the gearbox is arranged coaxially to the drive shaft (30) and is the drive shaft (30) is driven, and that a second gear (34) can be brought into and out of engagement with the first gear (33) and / or with the first rack.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the transmission has a transmission frame (35) in which at least the second gear (34) is mounted, and that the transmission frame (35) is pivotable about the axis of the drive shaft (30).

6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second gear (34), optionally the gear frame (35) in which the second gear (34) is mounted, can be driven by means of a swivel drive (38), in particular a hydraulic motor, and that the swivel drive (38) is supported on the frame (9).

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive means and the drive elements interact frictionally.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support frames (2) are arranged on rails (43) which are slidably mounted in the frame (9), and that the support frames (2) are slidable on the rails (43).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the support frames (2) are displaceable relative to the rails (43) by means of a drive mechanism.

10. Device according to claims 3 and 9, characterized in that the drive mechanism comprises a second rack (44) which is fixedly arranged, mounted on the rail (43) has a supported gear (46) and a third rack (45) which is attached to the rail (43), and that the first rack (29) and the second rack (44) are coupled by means of the gear (46).

11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive mechanism has a feed means, e.g. a rope, a belt or a chain, which is guided around rollers in the area of ​​a front and rear end of the rail (43) in the direction of movement, and which is rigidly connected on one side to the frame (9) and on the other side to the support frame (2).

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the support frames (2) are slidably mounted on upper guide rails (15) in the frame (9), which preferably only absorb vertical forces of the support frames (2).

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the support frames (2) are guided on lower guide rails (27), preferably only laterally, in the frame (9).

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the support plane is inclined at an angle between 3° and 10°, preferably about 6°, to the vertical.

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the storage unit has a storage area (53) and a loading and unloading area (54), and that the support frames (2) are movable from the storage area (53) to the loading and unloading area (54) and back. 21 16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that the frame (9) has frame elements (13) which project from the storage area (53) over the loading and unloading area (54).

17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the guide rails in the loading and unloading area (54) are connected to the frame elements (13).

18. Device according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that two storage units (1) are provided, which have a common loading and unloading area (54) opposite each other and each have its own storage area (53).

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