Conveying device and method for conveying workpieces in a treatment installation and treatment installation for treating workpieces

Abstract

The present invention relates to a conveying device (100) for conveying workpieces (102), in particular for conveying vehicle bodies (104) and / or vehicle parts, in a treatment installation (200) for treating the workpieces (102) with one or more treatment fluids, in particular in a cleaning and / or coating installation (201), wherein the conveying device (100) comprises one or more transversely displaceable carriages (106) which can be moved in a main conveying direction (110), and wherein each transversely displaceable carriage (106) comprises a chassis (112), at least one travel drive unit (114) for driving the respective transversely displaceable carriage (106), at least one transverse conveying device (116) and at least one fluid collecting trough (118) for collecting dripping treatment fluid. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for conveying workpieces (102) and to a treatment installation (200) for treating workpieces (102), particularly for cleaning and / or coating vehicle bodies (104) and / or vehicle parts.

Description

[0001] Conveyor device and method for conveying workpieces in a treatment plant and treatment plant for treating workpieces

[0002] The present invention relates to a conveying device and a corresponding method for conveying workpieces, in particular vehicle bodies and / or vehicle parts, in a treatment system for treating the workpieces. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a treatment system for treating workpieces, in particular for cleaning and / or coating vehicle bodies and / or vehicle parts.

[0003] It is known from practice that in treatment plants for the cleaning and / or coating of workpieces, preferably designed as vehicle bodies or vehicle parts, with one or more treatment fluids, the treatment process sequence includes, for example, spraying and immersion processes.

[0004] Each workpiece to be treated passes through several treatment containers one after the other, according to the predetermined treatment process sequence, in each of which one or more sub-processes take place.

[0005] The treatment containers that the workpieces pass through are preferably located next to each other on one process level.

[0006] Typically, a separate treatment container is provided for each sub-process at a given process level.

[0007] For the transfer of workpieces from treatment container to treatment container, a conveying device is located at the process level, which connects the sub-processes.

[0008] The treatment containers can be designed as a garage-like tank or as a so-called flood box.

[0009] The workpieces, designed as vehicle bodies, are then conveyed into the treatment chamber or treatment area within the treatment container from the front, i.e., through the side of the container adjacent to the conveying device. The feed opening can be closed, for example, by a fluid-tight lifting gate.

[0010] If the workpieces are designed as vehicle bodies, they are moved into and / or out of the treatment room or treatment chamber of a treatment container in their longitudinal orientation.

[0011] The conveying device, whose conveying path runs along the end faces of the treatment containers, comprises one or more transverse transfer carriages movable along the conveying path, each of which has a transverse conveying device by means of which the workpieces can be conveyed into and / or out of the treatment containers.

[0012] A facility with garage-like or flood-box-like treatment tanks includes, in particular, two different types of treatment tanks.

[0013] Firstly, spray treatment containers with a spray chamber in which the workpieces are treated, preferably by spraying, sprinkling or flooding with treatment fluid.

[0014] On the other hand, immersion treatment containers with an immersion chamber in which the workpieces are treated by complete or partial immersion in a treatment fluid.

[0015] Immersion is achieved by at least partially filling or flooding the immersion chamber containing the workpiece with treatment fluid. Additionally, the workpiece can also be treated by spraying, sprinkling, or a sudden deluge of water.

[0016] Different treatment fluids can be used in the sub-processes of the treatment process sequence.

[0017] The preferred sequence of sub-processes for such treatment of a vehicle body is listed in Table 1 below. Table 1:

[0018] The treatment containers can alternatively be designed as immersion tanks.

[0019] Such a treatment plant is essentially composed of immersion tanks arranged parallel to each other along the conveying route.

[0020] The workpieces are transferred from the conveyor line to the respective immersion process, whereby the transverse conveyor device of a transverse transfer carriage transfers the workpiece to the station conveyor device, which is assigned to each immersion tank.

[0021] The station conveyor then moves the workpiece to be treated through the treatment fluid in the associated immersion tank and subsequently transfers the treated workpiece to the transverse conveyor of a transverse transfer carriage.

[0022] The immersion pools preferably border the conveying lines with one of their short sides.

[0023] In addition to the immersion tanks, further process areas may be provided in such a treatment plant, i.e. a treatment plant with immersion tanks, such as a rinsing station or rinsing zone for spray rinsing or for tilting the workpieces, the latter being used in particular to drain cavities.

[0024] The first immersion tank in the conveying direction of the conveyor line is preferably a paint immersion tank for electrocoating the workpieces.

[0025] In order to achieve a high throughput, one or two further paint dipping tanks preferably follow directly in the direction of conveying.

[0026] The paint dipping tanks are usually followed by rinsing zones, with the first rinsing zone preferably being a spray rinsing zone.

[0027] This is preferably followed by at least a second and a third rinsing zone, designed as immersion rinsing tanks. The spray rinsing zone can be located between the immersion tanks or along the conveying path.

[0028] Each workpiece therefore preferably passes through one of the paint dipping tanks, the spray rinsing zone, the first and second dipping rinsing tanks.

[0029] The conveyor line and all process zones, in particular all immersion tanks, are preferably arranged within an enclosure. This serves to prevent the escape of vapors into the environment of the treatment plant and at the same time to prevent the introduction of dirt, especially dust, into the process zones or onto the treated workpieces.

[0030] In the rinsing zones, an ultrafiltrate of the dipping lacquer from the lacquer dipping tanks is preferably used as the treatment fluid.

[0031] The freshly produced ultrafiltrate is typically used in the final rinsing zone and from there is fed in a cascade pattern to the upstream rinsing zones before finally being returned to the paint immersion tank. The ultrafiltrate is thus conveyed in the opposite direction to the workpieces.

[0032] In this way, paint losses due to carryover are minimized, as the paint rinsed off in the rinsing zones is always returned to the paint dipping tank(s) via the cascade.

[0033] As mentioned above, in both a treatment plant with flood boxes and a treatment plant with immersion tanks, a conveying device with one or more transverse transfer carriages is used as a connecting conveying technology between the treatment containers, i.e. the flood boxes or the immersion tanks.

[0034] Each transverse transfer carriage comprises a chassis, a drive unit and a transverse conveying device, which is preferably designed as a roller conveying device and by means of which the workpieces can be conveyed along a transverse conveying direction.

[0035] The transverse conveying direction of the transverse conveying devices is oriented transversely, and in particular perpendicularly, to the main conveying direction of the conveying device. The travel areas of adjacent transverse transfer carriages preferably overlap by one process zone, i.e., in particular by one treatment container.

[0036] As a result, each workpiece is brought into a process zone by a transverse transfer carriage and, after treatment there, is picked up by the following transverse transfer carriage.

[0037] The transfer from one transverse transfer carriage to the next therefore preferably takes place exclusively via the treatment tank of a process zone.

[0038] The transverse transfer carriages usually travel on two parallel rails that are laid along the conveying direction and the process sequence.

[0039] Depending on the process sequence and the required throughput of workpieces, a different number of transverse transfer carriages are needed.

[0040] Each transverse transfer carriage has an energy supply chain for the supply of electrical cables to the drive units.

[0041] Each energy supply chain comprises a moving end arranged on the chassis of the respective transverse transfer car and a stationary end which is connected to a feed point or plug island for feeding in the electrical signals and the connected power.

[0042] The energy supply chains for the transverse transfer carriages are preferably arranged on the side facing away from the treatment tanks.

[0043] The floor on which the conveyor device is arranged is set downwards in the area below the energy guide chains compared to the rest of the floor surface under the guide rails, so that the upper edge of the radius arcs of the energy guide chains remains below the lower edge of the transverse transfer carriages.

[0044] The energy chains of adjacent transverse transfer carriages are preferably arranged offset from one another, i.e., in particular on different sides of the guide rails, to allow the adjacent transverse transfer carriages to pass over each other's energy chains. A processing plant with a conveyor device for conveying workpieces designed as vehicle bodies, in which the conveyor device is partially surrounded by tunnel segments, is known from WO 2022 / 002311 A1.

[0045] In the described treatment processes of known treatment systems, especially after an immersion treatment process, treatment fluid usually leaks out of the workpieces until the cavities are completely emptied and drips down from the workpieces.

[0046] If a treated workpiece is transferred back to a transverse transfer carriage in this condition, i.e., especially dripping, this results in significant contamination of the transverse transfer carriage and the travel area of ​​the conveying device.

[0047] At the same time, the dripping treatment fluid is lost and must be replaced.

[0048] To avoid this, each treated workpiece could remain in or above the treatment container after treatment until it has largely drained off. However, this would result in a significant reduction in the system's throughput, as the treatment container would be blocked for subsequent workpieces during the draining time.

[0049] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a conveying device and a treatment system which enable low contamination of the areas outside the treatment containers and low treatment fluid loss while simultaneously ensuring optimal workpiece throughput.

[0050] This problem is solved according to the invention by a conveying device with the features according to claim 1.

[0051] The conveying device is a device for conveying workpieces in a processing plant.

[0052] The conveying device is, in particular, a device for conveying vehicle bodies and / or vehicle parts in a cleaning and / or coating system. The conveying device comprises one or more transverse transfer carriages that are movable in a main conveying direction.

[0053] Each transverse transfer carriage comprises a chassis, at least one drive unit for driving the respective transverse transfer carriage, at least one transverse conveying device and at least one fluid collection tray for collecting dripping treatment fluid.

[0054] The present invention is based on the fundamental idea that, to protect the transverse transfer carriages and other elements of the conveying device from excessive contamination and to prevent significant losses of treatment fluid, the transverse transfer carriages are equipped with a liquid-tight drip tray. The drip tray then collects treatment fluid dripping from the treated workpieces and simultaneously protects the section of the conveying device located below the associated transverse transfer carriage.

[0055] The fluid collection tray preferably has a rectangular base shape, wherein the length and width are preferably larger than the length and width of the chassis and the workpieces including the workpiece carrier.

[0056] It may be provided that the conveying device includes at least two parallel guide rails on which the chassis of each transverse transfer carriage can travel in the main conveying direction.

[0057] It can be advantageous if the transverse conveying device has a horizontal conveying direction that is at least approximately perpendicular to the main conveying direction.

[0058] Furthermore, it may be provided that the workpieces can be conveyed with one or more transverse transfer carriages in a transverse orientation of the same, and that each transverse transfer carriage has an individual travel range in and / or against the main conveying direction.

[0059] A transverse orientation of the workpieces is, in particular, an orientation of the workpieces such that a main longitudinal axis of the workpieces is oriented transversely, preferably at least approximately perpendicularly, to the direction of movement of the transverse transfer carriages, especially to the main conveying direction. The workpieces conveyed on a transverse transfer carriage can be conveyed by the transverse conveying device down from a transverse transfer carriage in the transverse conveying direction or conveyed up onto a transverse transfer carriage against the transverse conveying direction.

[0060] It can be advantageous if the travel areas of two adjacent transverse transfer carriages overlap each other, so that at least in the overlap area of ​​the two travel areas, with respect to the main conveying direction, the same positions for the transverse conveying of the workpieces can be approached by these two transverse transfer carriages.

[0061] Furthermore, it may be provided that the transverse conveyor device comprises a roller conveyor device or a chain conveyor device, preferably a telescopic chain conveyor device, or is designed as such.

[0062] It can be advantageous if the workpieces for conveying and processing are each arranged on a workpiece carrier, for example a skid or a traverse.

[0063] If the workpieces are conveyed on a skid, then the transverse conveying device is preferably a roller conveying device, whereas a traverse is shorter than a skid and therefore a chain conveying device is used for a traverse.

[0064] Preferably, the chain conveyor device is telescopic, so that the gap between the transverse transfer carriage and the conveyor technology in the area of ​​the treatment containers, into which the workpieces are conveyed, can be bridged.

[0065] It can also be advantageous if the fluid collection tray of each transverse transfer carriage is arranged between its transverse conveying device and its chassis.

[0066] This means that, in particular, only the transverse conveying device is located above the fluid collection tray, and the remaining elements of a transverse transfer carriage are arranged below the fluid collection tray and are protected by the fluid collection tray against contamination from dripping treatment fluid.

[0067] Furthermore, the fluid collection tray may be provided with at least one drain opening for discharging collected treatment fluid.

[0068] The drain opening can be, for example, circular or slot-shaped. Furthermore, a fluid guide element can be provided below the drain opening to direct the discharged fluid from the fluid collection tray to a fluid collection device without contaminating the conveying device area below the fluid collection tray.

[0069] In the case of a circular drain opening, the fluid guidance element is, for example, a piece of pipe or hose, and in the case of a slot-shaped drain opening, for example, a rectangular piece of channel.

[0070] In one embodiment of the invention, it may be provided that the fluid collection tray has a support frame structure and several tray segments which are detachably arranged in and / or on the support frame structure.

[0071] This allows the tray segments to be easily removed individually from the support frame structure for maintenance, repair, replacement and / or cleaning work, meaning that the entire fluid collection tray does not need to be dismantled.

[0072] It can also be advantageous if the tub segments are inclined towards the drain opening.

[0073] The fluid collection tray preferably comprises three sections, namely a central section and a side section on each side.

[0074] The two side sections, which, like the central section, comprise several tub segments, are inclined towards the central section.

[0075] The drain opening is preferably located in the central section and the tub segments of the central section are inclined towards this drain opening.

[0076] Thus, the treatment fluid that drips down can flow from the side sections towards the central section and from there towards the drain opening, where it is discharged downwards out of the fluid collection tray.

[0077] The drained and removed treatment fluid then enters a fluid collection device, which will be described in more detail later. The drain opening is preferably permanently open so that the treatment fluid can be continuously drained into the fluid collection device even during the movement of the respective transverse transfer carriage.

[0078] Alternatively or additionally, the drain opening can also be closed by a sealing device such as a valve. The drained treatment fluid is then discharged from the fluid collection tray at predetermined positions of the conveying device.

[0079] In a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each transverse transfer carriage includes at least one flushing device for cleaning the fluid collection tray.

[0080] To facilitate the drainage of the treatment fluid that has dripped onto the surface of the fluid collection tray and to minimize contamination of this surface, the drain opening and the fluid collection device, it may be provided that the fluid collection tray is rinsed with a rinsing fluid.

[0081] The rinsing fluid, which is supplied to the fluid collection tray by means of a rinsing device, is preferably a fluid used for each transverse transfer carriage which is a component of the treatment fluid of the treatment process(s) served by this transverse transfer carriage.

[0082] In particular, the rinsing fluid is a component of the treatment fluid of the sub-process from which the corresponding transverse transfer carriage has picked up the treated workpiece, because this enables the rinsing fluid to be returned together with the drained treatment fluid to precisely this sub-process, in particular to the corresponding treatment container or one of its fluid circuits.

[0083] This can reduce both the loss of treatment fluid and the amount of wastewater produced.

[0084] Preferably, the rinsing fluid is a filtrate or an ultrafiltrate of the treatment fluid or fully demineralized water.

[0085] The flushing of the fluid collection tray of a transverse transfer carriage by means of the flushing device preferably takes place continuously and at least as long as a dripping workpiece is on the transverse transfer carriage. Alternatively, the flushing of the fluid collection tray can also take place only at a predetermined holding position of a transverse transfer carriage, at which the drain opening is simultaneously open so that the flushing fluid and the dripped treatment fluid can be discharged into the fluid collection device.

[0086] Furthermore, the rinsing device may include a variety of feed elements, such as distribution pipes, hoses and / or spray nozzles, which are directed towards the workpiece conveyed by the respective transverse transfer carriage, the surface of the fluid collection tray facing the workpiece and / or the transverse conveying device.

[0087] To ensure uniform distribution of fluid across the surface of the fluid collection tray, the feed elements are preferably arranged at least sectionally along the outer edges of the fluid collection tray.

[0088] In the case of feed elements designed as spray nozzles, rinsing fluid can be directed or sprayed specifically onto predetermined areas or sections of the fluid collection tray.

[0089] The feed elements can alternatively or additionally be aligned with the workpiece carrier on which the treated workpiece is arranged in order to clean it at least section by section.

[0090] The feed elements are preferably arranged and attached in such a way that they are easily removable to allow disassembly of the tub segments.

[0091] In a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the chassis is connected to an energy supply chain for the electrical supply of the transverse transfer carriage, wherein a fluid supply for the flushing device is guided on the respective energy supply chain and / or integrated into it.

[0092] The supply of the rinsing fluid to the fluid feeds is preferably via a hose which is guided by the energy chain of the respective transverse transfer carriage.

[0093] It may also be advantageous if the conveying device includes at least one fluid collection device for collecting the collected treatment fluid. Furthermore, the fluid collection device may include at least one collection trough with at least one collection trough section, wherein the at least one collection trough is arranged below the discharge openings of the transverse transfer carriages and / or parallel to the guide rails.

[0094] Alternatively or additionally, the fluid collection device may include at least one collecting funnel or be designed as such.

[0095] In particular, a collection funnel may be arranged between at least one treatment tank of a treatment plant and the conveying device, which collects the drained treatment fluid of this treatment tank and - if a rinsing device is provided on the respective transverse transfer carriage - also the rinsing fluid.

[0096] A transverse transfer carriage must stop in front of the associated treatment container anyway for the transfer of a workpiece into and out of a treatment process, which is why it may be sufficient to provide collection funnels at the aforementioned position.

[0097] Furthermore, it can be advantageous if at least one collecting trough is designed in the shape of a roof gutter and / or has a slope in and / or against the main conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0098] The object of the present invention can also be achieved with a treatment system for treating workpieces.

[0099] The treatment plant is, in particular, a plant for cleaning and / or coating vehicle bodies and / or vehicle parts.

[0100] The treatment system comprises the following: at least one conveying device according to the invention; and several treatment containers arranged sequentially along the main conveying direction of the at least one conveying device. The workpieces can be conveyed into and / or out of the treatment containers by means of the transverse conveying devices of the transverse transfer carriages.

[0101] Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the treatment containers are designed as a box, in particular as a flood box, and / or as a basin, in particular as an immersion basin.

[0102] It may also be provided that the workpieces can be conveyed into a treatment container by a transverse transfer carriage and can be conveyed out of the treatment container by an adjacent transverse transfer carriage.

[0103] The transfer of a workpiece therefore preferably takes place exclusively via one of the treatment containers. This means that treatment containers which are arranged in or adjacent to an overlapping travel area of ​​two neighboring transverse transfer carriages can be operated by these two transverse transfer carriages in the overlapping area.

[0104] In a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each treatment container is connected to at least one fluid circuit.

[0105] It can also be advantageous if the collected treatment fluid can be recycled into at least one fluid circuit.

[0106] In a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the collected treatment fluid of two transverse transfer carriages, in particular two adjacent transverse transfer carriages, can be returned to different fluid circuits and / or to the same fluid circuit.

[0107] The fluid collected in the fluid collection device, which includes or is designed to include at least one collection trough and / or at least one collection funnel, i.e. in particular the rinsing fluid and the drained treatment fluid, is preferably returned to at least one fluid circuit of one or more treatment processes.

[0108] Starting from the first sub-process, the first process zone, or the first treatment container from which a wet workpiece is picked up, one or more collection troughs are arranged along the guide rails in the main conveying direction of the conveyor system. If the fluid to be discharged from various transverse transfer cars is also to be returned to different fluid circuits, either a continuous collection trough with several sections is provided and / or several separate collection troughs are arranged one after the other in the main conveying direction.

[0109] If the fluid discharged from a transverse transfer carriage is fed exclusively to a predetermined collection channel section or a predetermined separate collection channel, it is therefore possible to return fluid from different transverse transfer carriages to different fluid circuits of the treatment processes or treatment containers.

[0110] Separate collection channels can be arranged, particularly in the area where the tracks of two adjacent transverse transfer cars overlap. The discharge openings of the adjacent transverse transfer cars are then preferably oriented so that the fluid from only one of these transverse transfer cars can be fed into its respective assigned collection channel.

[0111] In the case of collection channels divided into sections, the section division is preferably also provided in the area where the tracks of two adjacent transverse transfer carriages overlap. Similarly, the discharge openings of the adjacent transverse transfer carriages are then preferably oriented so that the fluid from only one of these transverse transfer carriages can be fed into its respective assigned collection channel section.

[0112] In the event that the fluid to be discharged from two adjacent transverse transfer carriages is to be returned to the same fluid circuit, a return to a common collection channel or a common collection channel section is consequently provided for these two transverse transfer carriages.

[0113] Collection troughs are preferably shaped like roof gutters and have a semicircular cross-section. Such troughs are preferably placed on or integrated into the floor on which the conveying device is installed.

[0114] Collection channels preferably have at least a slight gradient in the predetermined flow direction. The one or more return lines from the fluid collection device to the fluid circuits are preferably arranged below the floor on which the conveying device is installed. For this purpose, the collection channels and / or discharge hoppers are fluidically connected to the one or more return lines via discharge pipes or the like, which pass through the floor wall.

[0115] The collected fluid of a transverse transfer carriage is preferably returned to the fluid circuit of the sub-process which is located furthest away from the main conveying direction of the workpieces through the entire treatment process and of whose treatment fluid the collected fluid is a component.

[0116] For example, it may be advantageous, according to the treatment process sequence in Table 1 above, to feed the drained and collected fluid into the fluid circuit of the first degreasing process, i.e., the spray degreasing, after a second degreasing process, i.e., immersion degreasing, since lower requirements apply to the purity of the treatment fluid there.

[0117] Similarly, it may be useful, for example, to return the fluid collected after a second rinsing zone to a first rinsing zone located upstream.

[0118] Optionally, the collected fluid can be treated before being returned to the fluid circuit of a treatment process. In particular, filtration of the returned fluid can be provided to prevent dirt particles from entering the fluid circuit.

[0119] Preferably, the fluid is returned to a storage tank for treatment fluid and / or to a part of a process tank that is at least partially separated from the main volume, from which treatment fluid is continuously extracted and filtered before being returned to the treatment process.

[0120] However, it can also be advantageous to forgo returning the collected fluid to the treatment process or to direct the fluid to a rinsing zone downstream in the main conveying direction.

[0121] For example, in a zirconium conversion coating process, the workpiece is rinsed with water as it exits the treatment tank to stop the chemical reaction. The collected fluid therefore contains components that are detrimental to the chemical reaction. In this case, it is preferable to direct the collected fluid to the subsequent rinsing zone and / or treat this fluid as wastewater.

[0122] Each collection trough and / or receiving hopper can optionally also be flushed with flushing fluid. For this purpose, an inlet for the flushing fluid can be provided in the upper section, for example. Preferably, the same flushing fluid is used as for flushing the fluid collection tray of the respective transverse transfer carriage.

[0123] The object of the present invention is further achieved by a method for conveying workpieces in a treatment plant with the features according to the independent method claim, wherein the treatment plant serves to treat the workpieces with one or more treatment fluids.

[0124] The process includes the following steps:

[0125] Conveying the workpieces by means of one or more transverse transfer carriages of a conveying device in a main conveying direction;

[0126] Conveying and / or removing workpieces into one or more

[0127] Treatment tanks of the treatment plant by means of a transverse conveying device of the respective transverse transfer carriage in a transverse conveying direction; and

[0128] Collection of dripping treatment fluid using at least one fluid collection tray of the respective transverse transfer carriage.

[0129] Further preferred features and / or advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the graphic representation of embodiments.

[0130] The figures show:

[0131] Fig. 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a section of a first embodiment of a treatment plant with a conveying device according to the invention;

[0132] Fig. 2 is a schematic, perspective view of the transverse transfer carriage of the conveying device from Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a treatment plant with a conveying device according to the invention;

[0133] Fig. 4 shows a schematic, perspective view of a section of a third embodiment of a treatment plant with a conveying device according to the invention; and

[0134] Fig. 5 shows a schematic top view of the third embodiment of a treatment plant from Fig. 4.

[0135] Identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

[0136] Fig. 1 schematically shows a section of a first embodiment of a treatment plant 200 with a conveying device 100.

[0137] The conveying device 100 is a device for conveying workpieces 102.

[0138] The workpieces 102 are preferably designed as vehicle bodies 104 and / or as vehicle parts.

[0139] The treatment plant 200 is a plant for treating the workpieces 102 and includes the conveying device 100.

[0140] The treatment plant 200 is in particular a cleaning and / or coating plant 201.

[0141] The conveying device 100 comprises one or more transverse transfer carriages 106, by means of which the workpieces 102 are conveyed on two parallel guide rails 108 in a main conveying direction 108.

[0142] Fig. 2 shows the transverse transfer carriage 106 of Fig. 1 enlarged in a perspective view.

[0143] A transverse transfer carriage 106 preferably comprises a chassis 112 movable on the guide rails 108, at least one drive unit 114, at least one transverse conveying device 116 and at least one fluid collection tray 118. Preferably, only the transverse conveying device 116 is arranged above the fluid collection tray 118 and the chassis 112 and the drive unit 114 are accordingly arranged below the fluid collection tray 118.

[0144] The drive unit 114 serves to drive the transverse conveyor device 116 along the guide rails 108, which are preferably aligned parallel to each other.

[0145] In the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 5, the transverse conveyor device 116 is designed as a roller conveyor device 120.

[0146] The transverse conveying device 116 has a horizontal transverse conveying direction 122 that is at least approximately perpendicular to the main conveying direction 110.

[0147] By means of the transverse conveyor device 116, the workpieces can be conveyed down from a transverse transfer carriage 106 and / or conveyed up onto a transverse transfer carriage 106 in the transverse conveying direction 122.

[0148] If the workpieces 102 are designed as vehicle bodies 104, then they are preferably conveyed in their transverse orientation on the transverse transfer carriage 106 along the main conveying direction 110 and in their longitudinal orientation in the transverse conveying direction 122.

[0149] The workpieces 102 designed as vehicle bodies 104 are preferably arranged on a workpiece carrier, which is in particular designed as a skid, for conveying through the treatment plant 200.

[0150] The fluid collection tray 118, which serves to collect the treatment fluid dripping from the treated workpieces 102 to protect the section or area of ​​the conveying device 100 below, comprises a support frame structure 124 and several tray segments 126.

[0151] The tub segments 126 are detachably arranged in and / or on the support frame structure 124, so that they can be easily removed or replaced, for example for cleaning and / or maintenance purposes.

[0152] The fluid collection tray 118 preferably comprises a central section 128 and two side sections 130, wherein the side sections 130 are inclined relative to the central section 128 in such a way that fluid can flow down from the side sections 130 towards the central section 128.

[0153] The side sections 130 are preferably inclined at the same angle to the central section 128. However, it is also conceivable that the side sections 130 have different angles of inclination relative to the central section 128.

[0154] The fluid collection tray 118 also includes at least one drain opening 132.

[0155] The drain opening 132 can be circular or slot-shaped.

[0156] The trough segments 126 of the central section 128 are preferably inclined in such a way that the drained fluid can flow towards the drain opening 132 in order to be discharged downwards from the fluid collection trough 118.

[0157] The drain opening 132 is preferably always open or permeable. Alternatively, it can also be closed, for example by a valve, so that the fluid can only be discharged from the fluid collection tray 118 at a predetermined position along the guide rails 108.

[0158] The transverse transfer carriage 106 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 further comprises at least one flushing device 134.

[0159] The rinsing device 134 serves to clean the fluid collection tray 118, in particular the upward-facing surface or the surface facing the workpiece 102.

[0160] The rinsing device 134 comprises a plurality of feed elements 136, which are preferably directed towards the said surface of the fluid collection tray 118.

[0161] As can be seen in Fig. 2, the feed elements 136 can be designed as hoses 138.

[0162] Alternatively, the feed elements 136 can be designed, for example, as distribution pipes or as spray nozzles. The rinsing fluid is preferably supplied to the rinsing device 134 via a feed hose which is integrated into or guided on an energy chain 139 that supplies the respective transverse transfer carriage 106 with power.

[0163] The hoses 138 are preferably arranged along the outer edges 140 of the side sections 130.

[0164] The drained treatment fluid and the rinsing fluid are discharged downwards from the fluid collection tray 118 into a fluid collection device 142 via the drain opening 132.

[0165] The fluid collection device 142 is preferably designed as one or more collection channels 144, wherein each collection channel 144 can have one or more collection channel sections.

[0166] The collecting trough 144 in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferably aligned parallel to the guide rails 108 and extends in particular along the entire conveying device 100.

[0167] A treatment plant 200 further comprises one or more treatment tanks 202.

[0168] In Figures 1 to 3, the treatment containers 202 are designed as immersion tanks 204 for immersion treatment, in particular immersion painting.

[0169] The immersion tanks 204 are filled with a treatment fluid (not shown) through which the workpieces 102 are moved for treatment.

[0170] To transfer the workpiece 102 to be treated into a treatment process of an immersion tank 204, a transverse transfer carriage 106, as shown in Fig. 1, travels along the guide rails 108 to the transfer position in front of an immersion tank 204.

[0171] Fig. 1 shows only one of the immersion tanks 204 of the treatment plant 200 as an example. According to the first embodiment of the treatment plant 200, further immersion tanks 204 are connected in and / or against the main conveying direction 110.

[0172] The transverse conveyor 116, designed as a roller conveyor 120, then conveys the workpiece in the transverse conveying direction 122 to the immersion tank 204. A station conveyor 206 is assigned to the immersion tank 204, which has two lifting conveyor towers 208, each of which can be moved along a long side 210 of the immersion tank 204.

[0173] The long sides 210 of the immersion basin 204 are preferably aligned parallel to the transverse conveying direction 122.

[0174] Each lifting conveyor tower 208 has a receiving arm 214 that can be moved in a lifting conveying direction 212.

[0175] The lifting conveying towers 208 are preferably controlled and / or regulated in such a way that the workpiece 102 transferred by the transverse conveying device 116 is picked up by the receiving arms 214, wherein the receiving arms 214 in particular pick up the workpiece carrier on which the workpiece 102 to be treated is arranged.

[0176] The lifting conveying towers 208 then move the workpiece 102 to be treated according to a defined movement trajectory through the treatment fluid of the immersion tank 204 and subsequently transfer the treated workpiece 102 to the transverse conveying device 116 of the same or another transverse transfer carriage 106 in order to convey the treated workpiece 102 onto the transverse transfer carriage 106.

[0177] The receiving transverse transfer carriage 106 then conveys the treated workpiece 102 to the next intended treatment process or sub-process.

[0178] Preferably, a workpiece 102 is transferred from a transverse transfer carriage 106 to the station conveyor 206 of a treatment container 202 and, after treatment, is taken over by an adjacent and subsequent transverse transfer carriage 106. Thus, the transfer of a workpiece 102 from one transverse transfer carriage 106 to the next transverse transfer carriage 106 takes place via a treatment container 202.

[0179] The treatment fluid dripping from the station conveyor 206 to a transverse transfer carriage 106 after the treated workpiece 102 has been transferred is collected by the fluid collection tray 118, the surface of which is continuously rinsed with a rinsing fluid or at predetermined positions of the transverse transfer carriage 106. The fluid collection tray 118 preferably extends in the transverse conveying direction 122 not only beyond the length of a workpiece 102 including the workpiece carrier, but even extends so far that the fluid collection tray 118 projects over at least a section of the immersion tanks 204, so that no treatment fluid drips down between the immersion tanks 204 and the transverse transfer carriage 106.

[0180] In the main conveying direction 110, a fluid collection tray 118 preferably extends beyond the width of the workpiece 102.

[0181] The treatment fluid dripping from the workpiece 102 is discharged together with the rinsing fluid via the drain opening 132 into the collecting trough 144, which is preferably arranged between the guide rails 108 of the conveying device 100 and the treatment containers 202 of the treatment system 200.

[0182] The collected fluid is either returned to one of the fluid circuits of the treatment vessel 202 from which the treated workpiece 102 was discharged, or returned to one of the fluid circuits of another treatment vessel 202, or discharged as wastewater from the workpiece treatment.

[0183] Preferably, the recycled fluid is returned to one of the fluid circuits of one of the upstream treatment containers 202, i.e., one of the treatment containers 202 in which the workpiece 102 has already been treated.

[0184] Before being returned to a fluid circuit, the collected fluid is preferably filtered.

[0185] Two immediately adjacent transverse transfer carriages 106 can feed the discharged fluid into a common collecting trough 144.

[0186] Alternatively, the collected fluid from two adjacent transverse transfer carriages 106 can be fed to two separate collection channels 144 or to two different collection channel sections of a collection channel 144 if the return to different fluid circuits of the treatment tanks 202 is to take place.

[0187] Figure 3 shows a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a treatment system 200. The second embodiment is used in particular for the cathodic dip coating of vehicle bodies 104.

[0188] For this purpose, the treatment plant 200, as shown in Fig. 3, comprises a conveying device 100 with a main conveying direction 110 and five transverse transfer carriages 106.

[0189] In order to be able to address the five transverse transfer carriages 106 individually in the description of the second embodiment, they are distinguished by the letters a, b, c, d and e, whereby in particular the transverse transfer carriages 106a to 106e are only shown schematically.

[0190] Furthermore, the treatment plant 200 comprises three immersion tanks 204 for cathodic immersion coating, which are arranged on the left in Fig. 3, and two immersion rinsing tanks, which are arranged on the right in Fig. 3.

[0191] In the immersion tanks 204 and the immersion rinsing tanks 216, a workpiece 102 designed as a vehicle body 104 is indicated in a treatment position.

[0192] A spray rinsing zone 218 is arranged between the three immersion tanks 204 and the two immersion rinsing tanks 216.

[0193] The station conveying device 206 of the immersion basins 204 and the immersion rinsing basins 216 also includes, as can be seen in Fig. 3, two lifting conveying towers 208, which here are movable one behind the other along a long side 210 of the respective basin 204, 216.

[0194] Before the first treatment process area and after the last treatment process area, i.e. - with reference to the main conveying direction 110 - before the first immersion tank 204 and after the last immersion rinsing tank 216, a lifting device 220 is provided in each case, by means of which the workpieces 102 are lifted onto the illustrated process level and transferred to the conveying device 100 or lowered from the process level at the end of the conveying path running from left to right in Fig. 3.

[0195] The four angled arrows 144b to 144e are intended to represent the collecting channels assigned to the transverse transfer carriages 106b to 106e, with the arrowhead pointing to the subprocess into whose fluid cycle the collected fluid of the respective transverse transfer carriage 106b to 106 is returned.

[0196] Consequently, a treatment process can be described as follows.

[0197] The transverse transfer carriage 106a takes a workpiece 102 to be treated from the lifting device 220 at the beginning of the treatment process and conveys it to a free or unoccupied immersion tank 204.

[0198] There, the workpiece 204, designed as a vehicle body 104, is taken over by the respective station conveyor device 206 for the first sub-process, namely a cathodic dip coating with a paint is carried out by moving the vehicle body 104 through the paint in a defined manner.

[0199] After transferring workpiece 102, the transverse transfer carriage 106 returns to the beginning of the treatment process to take over another workpiece 102 from the lifting device 220.

[0200] The transverse transfer carriage 106b takes over the vehicle body 104, which has been treated with paint in the immersion tank 204, and transfers it to the spray rinsing zone 218.

[0201] In the travel area or along the travel path of the transverse transfer car 106b, the paint drips off the vehicle body 104 and is conveyed into the collection trough 144b together with the ultrafiltrate, which the rinsing device 134 of the transverse transfer car 106b uses to rinse its fluid collection tray 118.

[0202] The collecting channel 144b returns this discharged fluid mixture to a fluid circuit of the first immersion basin 204.

[0203] Due to the long travel distance of the transverse transfer carriage 106b from the first immersion basin 204 to the spray rinsing zone 218, the fluid discharged from the fluid collection basin can also be returned to one of the immersion basins 204, which is located at least approximately in the middle of the total travel distance.

[0204] The transverse transfer carriage 106c retrieves the spray-washed vehicle body 104 from the spray-washing zone 218, in which the vehicle body 104 was sprayed with an ultrafiltrate of the dip coating, and conveys it to the first dip-washing basin 216, i.e. the one on the left in Fig. 3 of the two dip-washing basins 216.

[0205] The ultrafiltrate dripping from the spray-washed vehicle body 104 is returned to the spray-wash zone 218 together with the ultrafiltrate from the rinsing device 134 of the transverse transfer carriage 106c via the collecting trough 144c.

[0206] The transverse transfer carriage 106d picks up the vehicle body 104 from the first immersion wash basin 216 and conveys it to the second immersion wash basin 216.

[0207] The ultrafiltrate dripping from the vehicle body of the first immersion rinse tank 216 is collected by the fluid collection tray 118 of the transverse transfer carriage 106d and, together with the ultrafiltrate of the rinsing device 134 of this carriage, is returned to the first immersion rinse tank 216 via the collection channel 144d.

[0208] The vehicle body 104, which has been rinsed with demineralized water (DI water) in the second immersion rinsing tank 216, is finally picked up from this tank by the transverse transfer car 106e and conveyed to the lifting device 220 at the end of the treatment process.

[0209] The demineralized water dripping from the vehicle body 104 is collected by the fluid collection tray 118 of the transverse transfer carriage 106e and, together with the flushing fluid of the flushing device 134 of this carriage, is conveyed via the collection channel 144e into one of the fluid circuits of the second immersion flushing basin 216.

[0210] In total, each sub-process is thus accessed by a maximum of two transverse conveyor cars 106.

[0211] Fig. 4 schematically shows a section of a third embodiment of a treatment plant 200 with a conveying device 100 according to the invention.

[0212] This treatment system 200 comprises treatment containers 202 designed as flood boxes 222, into which the workpieces 102 to be treated are conveyed by means of the conveying device 100, the treatment process sequence preferably corresponding to Table 1 above. The flood boxes 222, arranged side by side in a main conveying direction 110, each comprise a closing device 224 with a lifting gate 226, which can close the feed opening 228 of the respective flood box 222 in a fluid-tight manner for the duration of the treatment.

[0213] Figure 5 shows a schematic top view of the third embodiment of the treatment plant 200 in order to explain the associated treatment process sequence below.

[0214] Nine treatment tanks 202 designed as flood boxes 222 are provided, as well as six transverse transfer carriages 106, which were assigned the letters a to f for differentiation, analogous to Fig. 3.

[0215] For immersion degreasing and thin-film coating, two flood boxes 222 are provided side by side due to the longer treatment time, i.e. in the main conveying direction 110 the second and third flood box 222 are provided for immersion degreasing and the sixth and seventh flood box 222 for thin-film coating.

[0216] The double arrows in Fig. 5 indicate the transverse transfer carriages 106a to 106f and their respective travel ranges, with the holding positions of the transverse transfer carriages 106 for transferring the workpieces 102 between the transverse transfer carriages 106 and the flood box 222 being indicated along the conveyor device 110. For the sake of clarity, the transverse transfer carriages 106a to 106f themselves are not explicitly shown in Fig. 5.

[0217] The workpieces 102 to be treated pass through the treatment system 200 of Fig. 5 from left to right.

[0218] Just as in the treatment plant 200 of Fig. 3, two lifting devices 220 are also provided in the treatment plant 200 of Fig. 5, one of which is arranged at the beginning and the other at the end of the treatment process sequence.

[0219] The transverse transfer carriage 106a therefore takes a dry workpiece 102 to be treated from the first or front lifting device 220 (with respect to the main conveying direction), which is located on the far left in Fig. 5, and conveys it to the first flooding box 222 (i.e., the leftmost flooding box 222 in Fig. 5), where this workpiece is spray-degreased. The transverse transfer carriage 106a then retrieves the spray-degreased workpiece 102 from the first flooding box 222 and conveys it to the second or third flooding box 222 for immersion degreasing.

[0220] The immersion-degreased workpiece 102 is then picked up by the transverse transfer carriage 106b and conveyed to the fourth flood box 222 for spray rinsing.

[0221] The degreasing fluid that has dripped off in the travel areas of the transverse transfer cars 106a and 106b and been collected by the respective fluid collection tray 118 of these cars is returned via the collection channel 144a to one of the fluid circuits of the first flood box 222.

[0222] The transverse transfer carriage 106c picks up the spray-rinsed workpiece 102 from the fourth flood box 222 and conveys it to the fifth flood box 222 for immersion rinsing.

[0223] The transverse transfer carriage 106d picks up the immersion-rinsed workpiece 102 from the fifth flood box 222 and conveys it further into the sixth or seventh flood box 222, where it is coated with a thin film.

[0224] The flushing fluid that has dripped off in the travel areas of the transverse transfer cars 106c and 106d and been collected by the respective fluid collection tray 118 of these cars is returned via the collection channel 144b to one of the fluid circuits of the fourth flood box 222.

[0225] The transverse transfer carriage 106e picks up the coated workpiece 102 from the sixth or seventh flood box 222 and first conveys it to the eighth flood box 222 for further spray rinsing and then to the ninth flood box 222 for further immersion rinsing.

[0226] The coating fluid dripping in the travel area of ​​the transverse transfer carriage 106e and collected by the fluid collection tray 118 of this carriage is fed together with the rinsing fluid of the rinsing device 134 of this carriage via the collection trough 144c as wastewater to a wastewater treatment plant (not shown).

[0227] The transverse transfer carriage 106f picks up the immersion-washed workpiece 102 from the ninth flood box 222 and conveys it to the lifting device 220 at the end of the treatment process.

[0228] The flushing fluid dripping from the travel area of ​​the transverse transfer car 106f and collected by the fluid collection tray 118 of this car is either also fed to a wastewater treatment plant via the collection channel 144c or alternatively fed to one of the fluid circuits of the ninth flood box 222 via a further collection channel 144d (not shown).

[0229] After transferring a workpiece 102 into one of the sub-processes or into one of the flood boxes 222, the transverse transfer carriages 106a to 106f travel back against the main conveying direction 110 in order to pick up a subsequent workpiece 102.

[0230] The transverse transfer carriages 106 of the third embodiment of the treatment system 200 therefore oscillate between at least two and at most four holding positions for the transfer of the workpieces 102, as can be seen in Fig. 5.

[0231] Reference symbol list

[0232] Conveyor

[0233] workpiece

[0234] vehicle body

[0235] transverse transfer carriage

[0236] Track

[0237] Main conveyance direction

[0238] chassis

[0239] Drive unit

[0240] Cross conveyor

[0241] Fluid collection tray

[0242] Roller conveyor

[0243] Transverse conveying direction

[0244] T support frame structure

[0245] Bathtub segment

[0246] middle section

[0247] Page section

[0248] Drainage opening

[0249] Flushing device

[0250] Feed element

[0251] Hose

[0252] Energy supply chain

[0253] outer edge of a page section

[0254] Fluid collection device

[0255] Collection channel

[0256] Treatment facility

[0257] Cleaning and / or coating system

[0258] Treatment container

[0259] diving pool

[0260] Station conveyor device

[0261] hoist tower

[0262] long side of a diving pool

[0263] Lifting direction

[0264] Recording arm

[0265] Immersion rinse tank

[0266] Spray rinsing zone, lifting device, flood box, sealing device, lifting gate, feed opening

Claims

Patent claims 1. Conveying device (100) for conveying workpieces (102), in particular for conveying vehicle bodies (104) and / or vehicle parts, in a treatment plant (200) for treating the workpieces (102) with one or more treatment fluids, in particular in a cleaning and / or coating plant (201), wherein the conveying device (100) comprises one or more transverse transfer carriages (106) which are movable in a main conveying direction (110) and wherein each transverse transfer carriage (106) comprises a chassis (112), at least one drive unit (114) for driving the respective transverse transfer carriage (106), at least one transverse conveying device (116) and at least one fluid collection tray (118) for collecting dripping treatment fluid.

2. Conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying device (100) comprises at least two parallel guide rails (108) on which the chassis (112) of each transverse transfer carriage (106) can be moved in the main conveying direction (110).

3. Conveying device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transverse conveying device (116) has a horizontal and at least approximately perpendicular transverse conveying direction (122) to the main conveying direction (110).

4. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the workpieces (102) can be conveyed with the one or more transverse transfer carriages (106) in a transverse orientation of the same and each transverse transfer carriage (106) has an individual travel range in and / or against the main conveying direction (110).

5. Conveyor device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transverse conveyor device (116) comprises or is designed as a roller conveyor device (120) or a chain conveyor device, preferably a telescopic chain conveyor device.

6. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the workpieces (102) are arranged on a workpiece carrier, for example a skid or a traverse, for conveying and treatment.

7. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fluid collection tray (118) of each transverse transfer carriage (106) is arranged between its transverse conveying device (116) and its chassis (112).

8. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the fluid collection tray (118) has at least one drain opening (132) for discharging collected treatment fluid.

9. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the fluid collection tray (118) has a support frame structure (124) and several tray segments (126) which are detachably arranged in and / or on the support frame structure (124).

10. Conveying device (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that the trough segments (126) are inclined towards the drain opening (132).

11. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that each transverse transfer carriage (106) comprises at least one flushing device (134) for cleaning the fluid collection tray (118).

12. Conveying device (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that the rinsing device (134) comprises a plurality of feed elements (136), for example distribution pipes, hoses (138) and / or spray nozzles, which are directed towards the workpiece (102) conveyed by the respective transverse transfer carriage (106), the surface of the fluid collection tray (118) facing the workpiece (102) and / or the transverse conveying device (116).

13. Conveyor device (100) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the chassis (112) is connected to an energy supply chain (139) for the electrical supply of the transverse transfer carriage (106), wherein a fluid supply for the flushing device (134) is guided on and / or integrated into the respective energy supply chain (139).

14. Conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the conveying device (100) comprises at least one fluid collection device (142) for collecting collected treatment fluid.

15. Conveying device (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that the fluid collecting device (142) comprises at least one collecting trough (144) with at least one collecting trough section, wherein the at least one collecting trough (144) is arranged below the discharge openings (132) of the transverse transfer carriages (106) and / or parallel to the guide rails (108).

16. Conveying device (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that the at least one collecting trough (144) is designed in a gutter shape and / or has a slope in and / or against the main conveying direction (110) of the conveying device (100).

17. Treatment station (200) for treating workpieces (102), in particular for cleaning and / or coating vehicle bodies (104) and / or vehicle parts, wherein the treatment system (200) comprises: at least one conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 16; and several treatment containers (202) which are arranged side by side along the main conveying direction (110) of the at least one conveying device (110), wherein the workpieces (102) can be conveyed into the treatment containers (202) and / or conveyed out of the treatment containers (202) by means of the transverse conveying devices (116) of the transverse transfer carriages (106).

18. Treatment position (200) according to claim 17, characterized in that the treatment containers (202) are designed as a box, in particular as a flood box (222), and / or as a basin, in particular as a dipping basin (204, 216).

19. Treatment position (200) according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the workpieces (102) can be conveyed into a treatment container (202) by a transverse transfer carriage (106) and can be conveyed out of the treatment container (202) by an adjacent transverse transfer carriage (106).

20. Treatment position (200) according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that each treatment container (202) is connected to at least one fluid circuit.

21. Treatment position (200) according to claim 20, characterized in that collected treatment fluid can be recycled into at least one fluid circuit.

22. Treatment position (200) according to claim 20 or 21, characterized in that the collected treatment fluid of two transverse transfer carriages (106), in particular two adjacent transverse transfer carriages, can be returned to different fluid circuits and / or to the same fluid circuit.

23. Method for conveying workpieces (102), in particular for conveying vehicle bodies (104) and / or vehicle parts, in a treatment plant (200) for treating the workpieces (102) with one or more treatment fluids, in particular a treatment plant according to one of claims 17 to 22, wherein the method comprises the following steps: Conveying the workpieces (102) by means of one or more transverse transfer carriages (106) of a conveying device (100), in particular a conveying device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 16, in a main conveying direction (110); Conveying and / or conveying the workpieces (102) into one or more treatment containers (202) of the treatment system (200) by means of a transverse conveying device (116) of the respective transverse transfer carriage (106); and collecting dripping treatment fluid with at least one fluid collection tray (118) of the respective transverse transfer carriage (106).

Images