Electrodynamic transport system having a handling device, and method for cleaning a surface and / or for eliminating disturbances by means of the handling device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/EP2026/060462
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-04-15
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-22
Smart Images
Figure EP2026060462_22102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Electrodynamic transport system with a handling device and method for cleaning a surface and / or for troubleshooting using the handling device
[0003] State of the art
[0004] The invention relates to an electrodynamic transport system with at least one handling device and with at least one stator, wherein the handling device comprises at least one electrodynamically movable mover, which has at least one magnet unit and at least one housing unit in which the magnet unit is arranged, wherein the stator is provided for a drive of the mover which can be arranged on the stator, wherein the handling device comprises at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit which can be arranged on the housing unit and is provided for removing contamination and / or production residue from a moving surface formed by the stator.
[0005] From DE 102021 105 103 Al, DE 102023 110803 Al and from
[0006] DE 202014011 604 Ul, for example, already discloses electrodynamic transport systems with at least one handling device and with at least one stator, wherein the handling device comprises at least one electrodynamically movable mover, which has at least one magnet unit and at least one housing unit, wherein the stator is provided for a drive of the mover which can be arranged on the stator, wherein the handling device comprises at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit which can be arranged on the housing unit and is intended to remove contamination and / or production residue from a moving surface formed by the stator.Furthermore, WO 2020 / 260566 discloses, for example, a handling device for an electrodynamic transport system, comprising at least one electrodynamically movable mover, in particular a planar mover, which has at least one magnet unit and at least one housing unit in which the magnet unit is arranged. The electrodynamic transport system, already known, includes at least one cleaning unit in an airlock area between two stators of the electrodynamic transport system. This cleaning unit allows the handling device to be cleaned, at least on one underside, in order to remove contaminants from the handling device, for example, when it is being moved into or out of a cleanroom area. The known handling device itself does not include a cleaning unit.Cleaning a moving surface formed by a stator of the known electrodynamic transport system is not possible with the cleaning unit. Therefore, operational malfunctions can occur, for example, due to contamination of the moving surface, as the handling device may receive incorrect control signals due to contamination on the stator, collide with the contamination, or similar issues may arise. Furthermore, within the cleanroom area, such as within a possible insulator unit of the electrodynamic transport system, cleaning or troubleshooting can only be carried out by an operator wearing gloves on the insulator unit, which can lead to low operator comfort and a low level of automation.Furthermore, active intervention by the operator can lead to an interruption of a process, which can negatively affect the productivity of a production plant encompassing the electrodynamic transport system.
[0007] The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a generic electrodynamic transport system and a generic method with improved characteristics with regard to high user comfort and reliable operation, especially as a result of automated removal of contaminants and / or production residues, preferably without manual intervention by an operator. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1 and claim 8, respectively, while advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.
[0008] Disclosure of the invention
[0009] The invention relates to an electrodynamic transport system, in particular a planar transport system, with at least one handling device and with at least one stator, in particular comprising a coil unit, wherein the handling device comprises at least one electrodynamically movable mover, in particular a planar mover, which has at least one magnet unit and at least one housing unit in which the magnet unit is arranged, wherein the stator is provided for a drive of the mover which can be arranged on, in particular on, the stator, wherein the handling device comprises at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit which can be arranged on the housing unit, in particular detachably, and is provided for removing contamination and / or production residue from a moving surface formed by a stator of the electrodynamic transport system.
[0010] It is proposed that the electrodynamic transport system comprises at least one insulator unit, in particular one that does not require glove contact, in which the stator and the handling device are arranged, and in particular by which the stator and the handling device are completely surrounded in an operational state. By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, a reliable and simple removal of impurities, contamination, product residues and / or other interfering factors, such as defective planar arms or the like, from the moving surface of at least one stator can advantageously be achieved.When the handling device is used with the electrodynamic transport system according to the invention, which includes at least the isolator unit (in particular, one that does not require glove contact), it is advantageous to minimize or ideally avoid any interference with the first-air principle within the isolator unit and / or the introduction of potential contaminants into the isolator unit. This is particularly advantageous because the removal of impurities, contaminants, product residues, and / or other interfering factors can be advantageously carried out directly within the isolator unit using the handling device, especially without external intervention. This can advantageously counteract unwanted cross-contamination, unwanted carryover, and unwanted distribution of, for example, toxic product residues, especially within the isolator unit.It can advantageously counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of at least one stator. It can advantageously prevent unwanted machine downtimes and / or batch production interruptions. It can advantageously achieve a short overall cleaning time during a changeover process between two production processes, particularly since the moving surface of at least one stator or all stators of the electrodynamic transport system can be cleaned during operation using the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit, so that—if at all—only minimal post-cleaning is required. It can advantageously achieve high machine availability.Advantageously, a handling device specifically designed for cleaning and / or troubleshooting functions can be provided, which can be used during ongoing operation and therefore has little to no impact on the effective production time of a production plant comprising the electrodynamic transport system according to the invention. It is advantageous to avoid the otherwise usual practice of running a contaminated area of the production plant empty, thereby reliably maintaining a first-air principle, particularly when cleaning is required within an insulator unit.
[0011] In addition to moving the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, the mover may also be designed for transporting and / or handling products and / or performing other functions that a specialist would consider useful. However, it is also conceivable that the mover is designed solely for moving the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, particularly if the mover is configured as a pure service mover intended only for performing service tasks such as cleaning, moving other movers that are inoperative in the event of a malfunction, or similar tasks within the electrodynamic transport system. "Designed" should be understood to mean specifically configured, programmed, designed, and / or equipped.The fact that an object is intended for a specific function should be understood in particular to mean that the object fulfills and / or performs this specific function in at least one application and / or operating state.
[0012] The mover preferably comprises at least one sealing unit for at least a fluid-tight seal of the housing unit. The sealing unit preferably has at least one outer coating, particularly a polymer-based one, which at least partially, and in particular completely, covers a total outer surface of the housing unit. The sealing unit is particularly preferably designed as described in DE 102023 110803 Al, especially to enable the safe use of the mover in an aseptic production plant or in a cleanroom environment. However, other designs of the sealing unit that would appear sensible to a person skilled in the art are also conceivable. The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit is preferably designed separately from the sealing unit, in particular from the outer coating.Preferably, the outer coating is arranged between the housing unit and the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit in a state where the unit is mounted on the housing unit. Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit is designed to remove contaminants, production residues, and / or, in particular, unpowered movers of the electrodynamic transport system that are located on the moving surface, or to move them to an edge area of the moving surface.The contaminants and / or production residues can include, for example, items lost by other movers of the electrodynamic transport system during a transport process, parts of products that detach from the products during a production process (e.g., through abrasion or processing), parts of products that detach due to a malfunction or damage during the production process, or similar items. These contaminants and / or production residues can include, for example, broken glass, food residues, pharmaceutical residues, or similar substances.
[0013] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit is preferably attached to the housing unit, in particular by means of a positive and / or non-positive connection, such as a screw connection, a snap-fit connection, a bayonet fitting, or the like. Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, particularly due to its attachment to the housing unit, is movable relative to the stator together with the mover. However, it is also conceivable that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit is designed as a separate unit that is only temporarily attached to the housing unit, for example, by means of a detachable coupling, in particular a type of trailer hitch, by contact with an outer surface of the housing unit, or the like, so that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit can be pushed or pulled by the mover as needed.Other designs for moving the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit relative to the stator by means of the mover, which would appear sensible to a specialist, are also conceivable.
[0014] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit preferably comprises a base body, such as a frame, a rack, a base plate, or the like, which can be attached to the housing unit, particularly to a top surface of the housing unit, and has at least one receiving interface to which at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit can be attached, particularly in an interchangeable manner. However, it is also conceivable that individual or all cleaning and / or troubleshooting elements of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit can be attached individually to the housing unit, particularly in an interchangeable manner, independent of the base body.The individual cleaning and / or troubleshooting elements of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, which can be arranged on the housing unit, can be identical or different, particularly with regard to at least one function.For example, at least one cleaning and / or fault-clearing element of the cleaning and / or fault-clearing unit can be arranged on each outer surface of the housing unit. These cleaning and / or fault-clearing elements can have identical or different configurations, particularly with regard to at least one function. This is especially relevant to perform identical functions relative to the stator, regardless of the direction of movement of the mover, or to perform different functions relative to the stator depending on the direction of movement of the mover. The base body of the cleaning and / or fault-clearing unit preferably includes at least one connection interface for receiving or attaching at least one further functional component.At the connection interface, for example, a transport element, a handling element, a lighting element, a detection element, or another functional element that appears useful to a specialist, particularly one that differs from a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element, can be arranged. Further arrangements and / or configurations of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit that appear useful to a specialist are also conceivable.
[0015] Furthermore, it is proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprises at least one cleaning lip, in particular arranged on a holder of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, and / or at least one adhesive element, which, depending on a movement of the mover, in particular relative to the stator, is designed to be moved, in particular by sliding, on the moving surface in order to remove the contamination and / or the production residue, in particular by wiping it off with the cleaning lip and / or by adhering to the adhesive element. The cleaning lip can, for example, be made of silicone, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or another material that would appear suitable to a person skilled in the art, in particular a polymer material.The cleaning lip is preferably designed to be brought into contact with the stator(s) in at least one operating state of the handling device in order to clean the moving surface or to remove any liquid present on it. The cleaning lip can have a straight path, a zigzag path, a curved path, or any other path that would be considered advantageous by a person skilled in the art. The cleaning lip is preferably arranged on the housing unit, in particular by means of the holder of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, such that at least a portion of the cleaning lip, in particular a tip or an end of the cleaning lip, extends over a bottom surface of the housing unit, in particular along a direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to a principal plane of extension of the housing unit.The term "principal extent plane" of a unit or element is understood to mean, in particular, a plane that is parallel to a major side face of the smallest imaginary cuboid that just completely encloses the unit or element, and especially passes through the center of the cuboid. Preferably, the principal extent plane of the housing unit, in a state of the mover arranged on the stator, extends at least substantially parallel to the moving surface and / or to a horizontal plane. "Substantially parallel" is understood to mean, in particular, an alignment of a direction relative to a reference direction, especially in a plane, wherein the direction has a deviation from the reference direction of, in particular, less than 8°, advantageously less than 5°, and most advantageously less than 2°.If the cleaning lip extends over the underside, it is conceivable that the cleaning lip could also provide a stand function, in which, for example, the weight of the mover could be supported by the cleaning lip and / or the holder on the stator(s), particularly when the mover is at rest and no magnetic field is acting on it, thus positioning the mover at a distance from the stator(s). However, it is also conceivable that the cleaning lip is arranged on the housing unit, particularly by means of the holder, in such a way that at least a portion of the cleaning lip, especially the tip or end of the cleaning lip, extends to a maximum extent to a plane in which the underside of the housing unit lies.If the cleaning lip extends to the maximum plane in which the underside of the housing unit extends, it is conceivable that, in order to bring the cleaning lip into contact with the moving surface of the stator(s), the mover can be tilted, or in particular tilted, about an axis of movement of the mover that runs at least substantially parallel to the main plane of extension of the housing unit. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that the cleaning lip or the holder is movably mounted on the housing unit, in particular to be movable into a cleaning position relative to the housing unit when necessary. The adhesive element is preferably designed such that, by utilizing van der Waals forces, contaminants and / or production residues can adhere to the adhesive element in order to remove them from the moving surface.Regarding the basic functionality and / or design of the adhesive element, reference is made, for example, to products from the Gecko® product series of Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG. The adhesive element can, for example, be movably mounted on the holder or be used to "dab off" contaminants and / or production residues as a result of the mover's movement along a vertical axis. The adhesive element can also have a different design that would appear useful to a person skilled in the art, such as a suction cup or the like. The handling device or the electrodynamic transport system can additionally include at least one scraper unit designed to remove contaminants and / or production residues adhering to the adhesive element, with the scraped-off contaminants and / or production residues preferably being collectable in a container.Similarly, the cleaning lip and / or the adhesive element preferably makes sliding contact with the moving surface to remove contaminants and / or production residues during movement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit by the mover relative to the stator. By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, reliable and simple cleaning of the moving surface during movement of the mover relative to the stator can advantageously be achieved. In particular, when the mover is designed to perform transport and / or handling functions in addition to the cleaning function provided by the arrangement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit on the mover, cleaning of the moving surface can advantageously take place during the performance of the transport and / or handling function during a production process, and especially simultaneously.Continuous cleaning during movement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit by the mover relative to the stator can be achieved in a structurally simple and reliable manner.
[0016] Furthermore, it is proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprise at least one sliding element, arranged in a contactless manner with the moving surface, particularly during movement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit. This sliding element is designed to be moved in response to a movement of the mover, particularly relative to the stator, in order to push away the contamination and / or production residue. The sliding element is positioned at a distance from the moving surface in at least one operating state of the handling device to facilitate the removal of contamination and / or production residue. However, it is also conceivable that the sliding element, or a sliding or rolling element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit arranged on the sliding element, makes contact with the moving surface, particularly temporarily, during the removal of contamination and / or production residue.The sliding element preferably comprises at least one sliding surface, in particular one facing away from the housing unit, which can be brought into contact with contaminants and / or production residues to allow them to be pushed away. In a state of the sliding element arranged on the housing unit, the sliding surface is preferably inclined relative to the main plane of extension and / or to an outer surface of the housing unit about at least one axis of inclination, in particular one that runs at least substantially parallel to the main plane of extension and / or to an outer surface of the housing unit. The outer surface of the housing unit preferably extends transversely, in particular at least substantially perpendicularly, to the main plane of extension of the housing unit.Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that the sliding surface, in a state of the sliding element arranged on the housing unit, is inclined relative to the outer surface of the housing unit about at least one axis of inclination, preferably a further axis of inclination, which extends at least substantially perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the housing unit. The sliding element can have a further sliding surface, particularly one facing away from the housing unit, which is angled relative to the sliding surface, in particular about an angle of inclination extending at least substantially perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the housing unit. The sliding surface and the further sliding surface preferably enclose an angle that is in particular less than 180° and greater than 15°, preferably less than 160° and greater than 35°, particularly when considered in the main plane of extension of the housing unit.The handling device or the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit can include an adjustment unit by means of which at least one inclination angle of the sliding element, in particular the sliding surface and / or the further sliding surface, relative to the outer surface of the housing unit can be adjusted. Alternatively or additionally, the adjustment unit can be provided to continuously or in steps adjust a position, in particular a stroke position, of the sliding element relative to the housing unit, particularly along a position axis extending at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane of the housing unit. The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit preferably comprises a plurality of sliding elements, in particular at least two sliding elements. The sliding elements can have an identical design or be configured differently from one another.For example, at least two sliding elements can be designed to be mirror-symmetrical to each other, in order to allow the sliding elements to be arranged on two opposite sides of the housing unit. For example, another sliding element can have two sliding surfaces that are angled relative to each other, while one or more sliding elements comprise only one sliding surface that is inclined only about an axis of inclination. Other embodiments of the sliding element(s) that would appear useful to a person skilled in the art are also conceivable, either individually or relative to each other. By means of the sliding element(s), contaminants and / or production residues can preferably be pushed into a collection container located laterally next to the moving surface or to an edge region of the moving surface.By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, product particles, other solid-like contaminants, and / or unpowered movers can be advantageously and reliably removed from the moving surface. It advantageously enables the reliable and simple removal of contaminants, product residues, and / or other disruptive factors, such as defective planar movers or the like, from the moving surface of at least one stator. It advantageously counteracts malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residues on the moving surface of the at least one stator simply and reliably. It advantageously prevents unwanted machine downtime and / or batch production interruptions.
[0017] Furthermore, it is proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprise at least one brush and / or wiper element designed to move across the moving surface in response to the movement of the mover, particularly relative to the stator, in order to brush, sweep, and / or wipe the moving surface. The brush and / or wiper element may be configured, for example, as a sweeping brush, a dry cleaning roller, a surface wiper, a wiper cloth holder, a wet cleaning roller, a combined dry and wet cleaning roller, or any other brush and / or wiper element that would be considered appropriate by a person skilled in the art.In a configuration of the brush and / or wiper element as a sweeping brush, it is conceivable that a waste collection element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, in particular designed as a sweeping shovel, is arranged on a housing unit of a further electrodynamically movable mover of the handling device, so that, as a result of an interaction of the mover and the further mover, contaminants and / or production residues can be swept up.However, it is also conceivable that, in a design of the brush and / or wiper element as a sweeping brush, the brush and / or wiper element is movably mounted on the housing unit of the mover and can be driven by means of a drive element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, wherein the debris collection element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, which is designed in particular as a sweeping shovel, is also arranged on the housing unit of the mover, in such a way that by a movement of the brush and / or wiper element it is possible to sweep up dirt and / or production residues into the debris collection element.In an embodiment of the brush and / or wiper element as a surface wiper, as a wiper cloth holder, as a wet cleaning roller, or as a combined dry and wet cleaning roller, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit preferably comprises at least one fluid reservoir, in particular designed as a cleaning fluid tank or the like, and / or at least one fluid supply line for supplying a fluid, in particular a cleaning fluid, to the brush and / or wiper element. Further embodiments and / or arrangements of the brush and / or wiper element that would appear useful to a person skilled in the art are also conceivable. By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, sweepable and / or wipeable contaminants and / or production residues can advantageously be removed easily and reliably from the moving surface.It can advantageously counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of at least one stator simply and reliably. It can also advantageously prevent unwanted machine downtime and / or batch production interruptions.
[0018] It is further proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprise at least one suction element designed to move on the moving surface in response to a movement of the mover, particularly relative to the stator, in order to extract the contamination and / or production residue by means of a vacuum. The suction element is preferably designed as a suction nozzle. The suction element is preferably connected via a suction line to an external vacuum unit or to a vacuum unit of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit that can be arranged on the housing unit. It is conceivable that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprises at least one power supply element, such as a battery, a power supply line, a power transfer coil, or the like, which is provided for powering the vacuum unit.The energy transfer coil can, for example, be designed to charge the battery, particularly through interaction with the stator coil unit, and / or the energy transfer coil can, for example, be designed to supply the vacuum unit with energy, particularly independently of the battery, through interaction with the stator coil unit via the energy transfer coil. Alternatively or additionally to the battery and / or the energy transfer coil, a plug or socket can be provided that can be connected to a corresponding socket or plug of the electrodynamic transport system to supply the vacuum unit with energy.The suction element can be used in combination with the brush and / or wiper element, particularly when the brush and / or wiper element is configured as a combined dry and wet cleaning element, or the suction element can be used in addition to other cleaning and / or troubleshooting elements of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit. By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, contaminants and / or production residues can be advantageously and reliably suctioned from the moving surface. It can advantageously and reliably counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residues on the moving surface of at least one stator. It can advantageously prevent unwanted machine downtimes and / or batch production interruptions.
[0019] Furthermore, it is proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit be arranged, and in particular fixed, on at least two sides of the housing unit, preferably surrounding the housing unit in one of its main planes, particularly the one mentioned above, to more than 30% of its total outer circumference. More preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit surrounds the housing unit in its main plane to more than 50%, preferably to more than 75%, and most preferably to 100% of its total outer circumference, especially when at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the unit is arranged on each side of the housing unit.Preferably, the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit surrounds the housing unit in the main plane of extension of the housing unit to 100% of the total outer circumference of the housing unit, with one cleaning and / or fault clearance element extending over the entire side length of the housing unit on each side of the housing unit. By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, different cleaning and / or fault clearance functions can advantageously be enabled in a structurally simple manner using the mover. A reliable and simple removal of impurities, contamination, product residues, and / or other interfering factors, such as defective planar movers or the like, from the moving surface of at least one stator can advantageously be achieved.It can advantageously counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of at least one stator. It can advantageously prevent unwanted machine downtimes and / or batch production interruptions. It can advantageously achieve a short overall cleaning time during a changeover process between two production processes, particularly since the moving surface of at least one stator or all stators of the electrodynamic transport system can be cleaned during operation using the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit, so that—if at all—only minimal post-cleaning is required. It can advantageously achieve high machine availability.
[0020] Furthermore, it is proposed that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit comprises at least one sensor element, in particular a camera, arranged on the housing unit, for detecting contamination and / or production residue. Preferably, the sensor element is arranged on the base body of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit. However, it is also conceivable that the sensor element is arranged at another position within the electrodynamic transport system that would be considered advantageous by a person skilled in the art and is suitable for monitoring the moving surface of the at least one stator for the presence of contamination and / or production residue.The sensor element is preferably connected to a control unit of the handling device and / or the electrodynamic transport system, particularly at least to evaluate data acquired by the sensor element with regard to the presence of contaminants and / or production residues on the moving surface of the at least one stator. The sensor element can be configured as a camera, a light barrier, a laser scanner, or another sensor element that would be suitable for a person skilled in the art. It is also conceivable that the sensor element forms part of the stator's coil assembly or that the stator's coil assembly forms an additional sensor element, whereby a change in a parameter of a field of the coil assembly, for example, allows conclusions to be drawn about the presence of contaminants and / or production residues on the moving surface.The inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system advantageously enables the reliable detection of impurities, contamination, product residues, and / or other disruptive factors, such as defective planar arms or the like, on the moving surface of at least one stator. It advantageously counteracts disruptions caused by contamination and / or production residues on the moving surface of the at least one stator. It also advantageously prevents unwanted machine downtime and / or batch production interruptions.
[0021] The electrodynamic transport system is preferably designed for transporting and / or handling products, in particular packaged or unpackaged foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, containers, ampoules, vials, or the like. Preferably, the electrodynamic transport system is designed at least for feeding and / or removing products to and / or from processing stations of the production plant comprising the electrodynamic transport system. The electrodynamic transport system is preferably designed as an electrodynamic planar transport system. The electrodynamic transport system preferably has a configuration already known to a person skilled in the art.Regarding the basic functionality and / or design of the electrodynamic transport system, in particular the planar movers and stators, reference is made, for example, to the product XPIanar (planar transport system) from Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG, the product XBot® (planar transport system) from Planar Motor Inc., or the product ACOPOS 6D (planar transport system) from B&R Industrial Automation GmbH. Preferably, the electrodynamic transport system comprises a plurality of stators, particularly horizontally oriented ones, which are equipped with electromagnetic drive elements, in particular coil units, such as electromagnets, and are interconnected, especially to form a planar plane of motion for the electrodynamically movable mover.However, it is also conceivable that, in an alternative configuration, the stators have permanent magnet units and are connected to one another, particularly to form a planar plane of motion for the electrodynamically movable mover. The electrodynamic transport system preferably comprises a plurality of electrodynamically movable movers that are movable relative to the stators, particularly without contact, especially as a result of an interaction between the magnet units, particularly permanent magnet units, of the electrodynamically movable movers and the coil units or the permanent magnet units of the stators. Preferably, the at least one electrodynamically movable mover of the handling device forms at least one electrodynamically movable mover of the plurality of electrodynamically movable movers of the electrodynamic transport system.The stators preferably form a moving surface along or on which the electrodynamically movable movers, in particular in a floating manner, can be moved. In particular, the electrodynamic transport system can detect and evaluate the position of the individual electrodynamically movable movers relative to the stators in a manner already known to those skilled in the art, in order to control or regulate the movement of the electrodynamically movable movers. Preferably, the electrodynamic transport system comprises at least one control unit, in particular the one already mentioned, for controlling or regulating the movement and / or positioning of the electrodynamically movable movers. A "control unit" is understood to mean, in particular, a unit with at least one control electronics module.The term "control electronics" refers in particular to a unit comprising a processor unit, a memory unit, and an operating program stored in the memory unit. The electrodynamically movable movers preferably have more than two degrees of freedom, and in particular at least six degrees of freedom. Preferably, each electrodynamically movable mover has at least one axis of motion, and in particular three axes of motion, along and / or about which the electrodynamically movable movers are movable relative to the stators, particularly as a result of an interaction between the magnet units of the electrodynamically movable movers and the coil units or permanent magnet units of the stators. The axis(es) of motion preferably run at least substantially parallel or at least substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane.The term "essentially perpendicular" is intended to define, in particular, an orientation of a direction relative to a reference direction, wherein the direction and the reference direction, especially when viewed in a projection plane, enclose an angle of 90° and the angle has a maximum deviation of, in particular, less than 8°, advantageously less than 5°, and most advantageously less than 2°. It is conceivable that the electrodynamic transport system is part of the production plant. The production plant may include further devices and / or units that appear useful to a person skilled in the art and that can be used for handling, manufacturing, filling, and / or dosing products.By means of the inventive design of the electrodynamic transport system, a reliable and simple removal of impurities, contaminants, product residues, and / or other interfering factors, such as defective planar arms or the like, from the moving surface of at least one stator can advantageously be achieved. The impact on the first-air principle within the insulator unit and / or the introduction of potential contaminants into the insulator unit can be advantageously minimized or, ideally, avoided altogether, particularly since the removal of impurities, contaminants, product residues, and / or other interfering factors can be advantageously carried out directly within the insulator unit by means of the inventive handling device, especially without external intervention.It can advantageously counteract unwanted cross-contamination, unwanted carryover, and unwanted distribution of, for example, toxic product residues, particularly within the insulator unit. It can advantageously counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of at least one stator. It can advantageously counteract unwanted machine downtimes and / or batch production interruptions. It can advantageously achieve a short overall cleaning time during a changeover process between two production processes, especially since the moving surface of at least one stator or all stators of the electrodynamic transport system can be cleaned during operation using the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit, so that—if at all—only minimal post-cleaning is required.This can advantageously achieve a high level of machine availability.
[0022] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for cleaning a surface and / or for troubleshooting in a sterile area of an aseptic production plant or in a cleanroom environment within an insulator unit, in particular one already mentioned, of the electrodynamic transport system according to the invention, by means of a handling device of the electrodynamic transport system according to the invention. It is proposed that in at least one process step of the method according to the invention, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit is moved across the movement surface formed by a stator of the electrodynamic transport system, in particular one already mentioned, depending on a movement of the mover, in particular relative to the stator.The design according to the invention advantageously enables the reliable and simple removal of impurities, contamination, product residues, and / or other disruptive factors, such as defective planar arms or the like, from the moving surface of at least one stator. It advantageously counteracts malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of the at least one stator. It also advantageously prevents unwanted machine downtime and / or batch production interruptions.A short overall cleaning time can be advantageously achieved during a changeover process between two production processes, particularly since the moving surface of at least one stator or all stators of the electrodynamic transport system can be cleaned during operation using the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, so that – if any – only minimal post-cleaning is required. High machine availability can also be advantageously achieved.Furthermore, it is proposed that in at least one process step of the inventive method, impurities and / or production residues are detected by means of a sensor element, in particular the one already mentioned, of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, wherein the mover is automatically controlled by a control unit of an electrodynamic transport system in order to remove the impurities and / or production residues by means of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit. The inventive design advantageously enables reliable detection of impurities, contamination, product residues, and / or other interfering factors, such as defective planar movers or the like, on the moving surface of at least one stator.It can be advantageous to specifically counteract malfunctions caused by contamination and / or production residue on the moving surface of at least one stator. It can also be advantageous to prevent unwanted machine downtime and / or batch production interruptions.
[0023] The handling device, the electrodynamic transport system, and / or the method according to the invention are not / should not be limited to the application and embodiment described above. In particular, the handling device, the electrodynamic transport system, and / or the method according to the invention may, to achieve a functionality described herein, have a different number of individual elements, components, units, and process steps than specified herein. Furthermore, values within the specified limits of the value ranges stated in this disclosure shall also be considered disclosed and freely usable.
[0024] Drawings
[0025] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.
[0026] They show:
[0027] Fig. 1 A schematic representation of an overall view of a production plant with a plurality of stationary processing and / or transport stations and with at least one electrodynamic transport system according to the invention, comprising a handling device according to the invention and an insulator unit, in particular one that does not require glove handling.
[0028] Fig. 2 shows a detailed view of at least one stator and at least one electrodynamically movable mover of the electrodynamic transport system according to the invention in a schematic representation.
[0029] Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of an electrodynamically movable mover of the handling device according to the invention with a cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit of the handling device according to the invention arranged thereon in a schematic representation.
[0030] Fig. 4 shows a detailed view of a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, designed as a sliding element, in a schematic representation.
[0031] Fig. 5a shows a detailed view of a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, designed as a cleaning lip and / or as an adhesive element, in a schematic representation.
[0032] Fig. 5b shows a further detail view of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting element from Fig. 5a, which is designed as a cleaning lip and / or as an adhesive element, in a schematic representation; Fig. 6 shows a detail view of a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, which is designed as a brush and / or wiper element, in a schematic representation; Fig. 7 shows a detail view of a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit, which is designed as a suction element, in a schematic representation.
[0033] Fig. 8 shows a schematic process flow of a method according to the invention for cleaning a surface and / or for troubleshooting in a sterile area of the production plant or in a cleanroom environment of the production plant using the handling device according to the invention.
[0034] Description of the exemplary embodiment
[0035] Figure 1 shows an overall view of a production plant 56, which preferably comprises a plurality of stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 and at least one electrodynamic transport system 12. The production plant 56 is preferably intended for use in the food, pharmaceutical, and / or cosmetics industries and / or for use in component manufacturing, such as for electronic components or the like. The stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 are preferably intended for transporting, manufacturing, processing, packaging, and / or filling food products, pharmaceuticals, and / or cosmetics.The stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 may, for example, include transport devices, sterilization devices, filling devices, closure devices, repackaging devices, barrier devices, and / or other devices that would appear useful to a person skilled in the art, which are used in the manufacture, processing, packaging, and / or filling of food, pharmaceuticals, and / or cosmetics. The stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 may all have an identical design in order to perform identical tasks of the production plant 56, or at least some or all of the stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 may have different designs in order to perform different tasks of the production plant 56.The stationary processing and / or transport stations 64 are preferably arranged at fixed positions in a production environment of the production plant 56.
[0036] The electrodynamic transport system 12 is preferably designed as an electrodynamic planar transport system (see Figure 2). The electrodynamic transport system 12 comprises at least one handling device 10, at least one stator 24, in particular comprising a coil unit 50, which is provided for a drive of at least one mover 14, 66 of the handling device 10 and / or of the electrodynamic transport system 12 that can be arranged on, in particular on, the stator 24 (see Figure 2). Furthermore, the electrodynamic transport system 12 comprises at least one insulator unit 52, in particular one that does not require glove contact, in which the stator 24 and the handling device 10 are arranged, in particular by which the stator 24 and the handling device 10 are completely surrounded in an operational state.For example, the handling device 10 can be introduced into the isolator unit 52 in a manner known to a person skilled in the art, without contamination, by means of a transfer container 68 or a lock of the isolator unit 52.
[0037] Figure 2 shows a part of the electrodynamic transport system 12, which is arranged in the insulator unit 52, the insulator unit 52 not being shown in detail in Figure 2. Furthermore, for a simplified explanation of the operation and / or configuration of the electrodynamic transport system 12, Figure 2 shows, by way of example, a single stator 24 of the electrodynamic transport system 12 and an electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 of the electrodynamic transport system 12 arranged on the stator 24, which can be configured as the electrodynamically movable mover 14 of the handling device 10 or as an electrodynamically movable further mover 66 of the electrodynamic transport system 12.The electrodynamic transport system 12 comprises the handling device 10 and at least the stator 24, which in particular includes a coil unit 50 and is designed to drive the mover 14, 66, which can be arranged on, in particular on, the stator 24. The electrodynamic transport system 12 is preferably designed for transporting and / or handling products, in particular packaged or unpackaged foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, containers, ampoules, vials, or the like, especially within the insulator unit 52. The stator 24 preferably forms a movement surface 26 along or on which the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 can be moved, in particular in a floating manner.In particular, the electrodynamic transport system 12 can detect and evaluate the position of the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 relative to the stator 24 in a manner already known to a person skilled in the art, in order to control or regulate the movement of the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66. Preferably, the electrodynamic transport system 12 and / or the handling device 10 comprises at least one control or regulation unit 62 for controlling or regulating the movement and / or positioning of the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66. The electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 preferably has more than two degrees of freedom, in particular at least six degrees of freedom.Preferably, the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 has at least one axis of movement, in particular three axes of movement, along and / or about which the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 is movable relative to the stator 24, in particular as a result of an interaction of a magnet unit 16 of the electrodynamically movable mover 14, 66 with the coil unit 50 or with a permanent magnet unit (not shown in detail here) of the stator 24. The axis(s) of movement preferably run at least substantially parallel or at least substantially perpendicular to a horizontal plane.
[0038] Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the handling device 10 for the electrodynamic transport system 12. The handling device 10 comprises at least the electrodynamically movable mover 14, in particular a planar mover, which has at least the magnet unit 16 and at least one housing unit 18 in which the magnet unit 16 is arranged. Furthermore, the handling device 10 comprises at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, which can be attached to the housing unit 18, in particular detachably, and is designed to remove contamination and / or production residue 22 from the moving surface 26 formed by the stator 24 of the electrodynamic transport system 12.
[0039] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 is preferably attached to the housing unit 18, in particular by means of a positive and / or non-positive connection, such as a screw connection, a snap-fit connection, a bayonet fitting, or the like. Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, particularly as a result of its attachment to the housing unit 18, is movable together with the mover 14 relative to the stator 24. However, it is also conceivable that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 is designed as a separate unit that is only temporarily arranged on the housing unit 18, for example by means of a detachable coupling, in particular a type of trailer coupling, by contact with an outer surface of the housing unit 18, or the like., so that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 can, for example, be pushed or pulled by means of the mover 14 as required. Other embodiments for moving the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 relative to the stator 24 by means of the mover 14, which would appear sensible to a person skilled in the art, are also conceivable.
[0040] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 preferably comprises a base body 70, such as a frame, a rack, a base plate, or the like, which can be attached to the housing unit 18, in particular to a top surface of the housing unit 18, and has at least one receiving interface 72, 74, 76, 78, to which at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 can be attached, in particular interchangeably. However, it is also conceivable that individual or all cleaning and / or troubleshooting elements of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 can be attached individually to the housing unit 18, in particular interchangeably, independently of the base body 70.The individual cleaning and / or troubleshooting elements of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, which can be arranged on the housing unit 18, can be identical or different, particularly with regard to one function.For example, at least one cleaning and / or fault clearance element of the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit 20 can be arranged on each outer side of the housing unit 18, wherein these cleaning and / or fault clearance elements can have identical or different configurations, particularly with regard to at least one function, in particular to perform identical functions together with the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit 20 relative to the stator 24 regardless of the direction of movement of the mover 14, or to perform different functions together with the cleaning and / or fault clearance unit 20 relative to the stator 24 depending on the direction of movement of the mover 14.The base body 70 of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 preferably comprises at least one connection interface 80 for receiving or attaching at least one further functional component. For example, a transport element, a handling element, a lighting element, a detection element, or another functional element of the handling device 10 that appears useful to a person skilled in the art, and which is designed differently from a cleaning and / or troubleshooting element, can be arranged at the connection interface 80.
[0041] Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 is arranged, and in particular fixed, on at least two sides 42, 44 of the housing unit 18. Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 surrounds the housing unit 18 in a main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18 to more than 30% of the total outer circumference of the housing unit 18. More preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 surrounds the housing unit 18 in the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18 to more than 50%, preferably more than 75%, and most preferably 100% of the total outer circumference of the housing unit 18, particularly when at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 is arranged on each side 42, 44, and more preferably on all sides 42, 44, of the housing unit 18.Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 comprises at least one sensor element 48 (shown only schematically in Figure 3), which is arranged, in particular, on the housing unit 18, for detecting contamination and / or production residue 22 on the moving surface 26. Preferably, the sensor element 48 is arranged on the base body 70, in particular at the connection interface 80, of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20. However, it is also conceivable that the sensor element 48 is arranged at another position on the handling device 10 or the electrodynamic transport system 12 that would appear advantageous to a person skilled in the art, and which is suitable for monitoring the moving surface 26 of the at least one stator 24 with regard to the presence of contamination and / or production residue 22 by means of the sensor element 48.The sensor element 48 is preferably connected to the control unit 62 via data transmission, in particular at least to evaluate data acquired by the sensor element 48 with regard to the presence of contaminants and / or production residues 22 on the moving surface 26 of the at least one stator 24. The sensor element 48 can be configured as a camera, a light barrier, a laser scanner, or as another sensor element 48 that would be suitable to a person skilled in the art. It is also conceivable that the sensor element 48 forms part of the coil unit 50 of the stator 24, or that the coil unit 50 of the stator 24 forms an additional sensor element, whereby, as a result of a change in a parameter of a field of the coil unit 50, for example, the presence of contaminants and / or production residues 22 on the moving surface 26 can be inferred.
[0042] Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 comprises at least one sliding element 32, 34, 36, which is arranged, in particular during movement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, without contact with the movement surface 26, and which is designed to be moved depending on a movement of the mover 14, in particular relative to the stator 24, in order to push away the contamination and / or production residue 22. The sliding element 32, 34, 36 is arranged at a distance from the movement surface 26 in at least one operating state of the handling device 10 for the purpose of removing contamination and / or production residue 22.However, it is also conceivable that the sliding element 32, 34, 36 or a sliding or rolling element (not shown in detail here) arranged on the sliding element 32, 34, 36 of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 contacts the movement surface 26, particularly temporarily, during the removal of contaminants and / or production residues 22. The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 preferably comprises a plurality of sliding elements 32, 34, 36. The sliding elements 32, 34, 36 can have an identical design or be configured differently from one another. For example, at least two sliding elements 32, 34 can be designed to be mirror-symmetrical to each other in order to allow the sliding elements 32, 34 to be arranged on two opposite sides 42, 44 of the housing unit 18.For example, another sliding element 36 can have two sliding surfaces 86, 88 that are angled relative to each other, while one or more sliding elements 32, 34 each comprise only one sliding surface 82, 84 that is inclined only about an axis of inclination 90, 92 (see Figures 3 and 4). Further embodiments of the sliding element(s) 32, 34, 36, either individually or relative to each other, which would appear useful to a person skilled in the art, are also conceivable. By means of the sliding element(s) 32, 34, 36, contaminants and / or production residues 22 can preferably be pushed into a collection container (not shown in detail here) that is arranged laterally next to the movement surface 26, or to an edge region of the movement surface 26.
[0043] The sliding element(s) 32, 34, 36 preferably comprises at least one sliding surface 82, 84, 86, 88, which is facing away from the housing unit 18 and which can be brought into contact with impurities and / or production residues 22 to be pushed away. The sliding surfaces 82, 84 of at least two sliding elements 32, 34 are arranged on the housing unit 18 in a state of the sliding elements 32, 34 preferably inclined about at least one axis of inclination 90, 92, in particular which runs at least substantially parallel to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18, relative to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18 and / or to an outer surface of the housing unit 18 (see Figure 3, sliding elements 32, 34 arranged on a side 42 facing a viewer and on a side 44 facing away from the viewer).Alternatively or additionally, the sliding surfaces 82, 84 of the two sliding elements 32, 34 are arranged on the housing unit 18 at an inclination about at least one, preferably further, axis of inclination 94, 96 relative to the outer surface of the housing unit 18, in a state of the sliding elements 32, 34 arranged on the housing unit 18, in particular an axis of inclination extending at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18. The further sliding element 36 (see in particular Figure 4) comprises a sliding surface 86 and a further sliding surface 88, wherein the further sliding surface 88 is angled relative to the sliding surface 86, in particular about an angle axis 98 extending at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18.The sliding surface 86 and the further sliding surface 88 of the further sliding element 36 preferably enclose an angle which is in particular less than 180° and greater than 15°, preferably less than 160° and greater than 35°, in particular considered in the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18.
[0044] The handling device 10 or the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 can include an adjustment unit 100 (shown only schematically in Figure 3) by means of which at least one inclination angle of the sliding element 32, 34, 36, in particular the sliding surface 82, 84, 86 and / or the further sliding surface 88, relative to the outer surface of the housing unit 18, can be adjusted. Alternatively or additionally, the adjustment unit 100 can be provided to continuously or in steps adjust a position, in particular a stroke position, of the sliding element 32, 34, 36 relative to the housing unit 18, in particular along a position axis extending at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18 (not shown in detail here).
[0045] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 preferably comprises at least one cleaning lip 30 (see Figures 5a and 5b), in particular arranged on a holder 28 of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, and / or at least one adhesive element (not shown in detail here, but which can be arranged on the holder 28 as an alternative to the cleaning lip 30), which is provided to be moved, in particular sliding, on the movement surface 26 depending on a movement of the mover 14, in particular relative to the stator 24, in order to remove the contamination and / or the production residue 22, in particular by pulling it off by means of the cleaning lip 30 and / or by adhering to the adhesive element.The cleaning lip 30 can be made, for example, of silicone, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or another material deemed suitable by a person skilled in the art, in particular a polymer material. The cleaning lip 30 is preferably designed to be brought into contact with the stator 24 in at least one operating state of the handling device 10 in order to clean the moving surface 26 or to remove any liquid present on it. The cleaning lip 30 can have a straight path, a zigzag path, a curved path, or any other path deemed suitable by a person skilled in the art.The cleaning lip 30 is preferably arranged on the housing unit 18, in particular by means of the holder 28 of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, such that at least a portion of the cleaning lip 30, in particular a tip or an end of the cleaning lip 30, extends over a bottom surface of the housing unit 18, in particular along a direction running at least substantially perpendicular to the main extension plane 46 of the housing unit 18. It is conceivable that the cleaning lip 30 or the holder 28 is movably mounted on the housing unit 18, in particular to be movable into a cleaning position relative to the housing unit 18 when required.
[0046] Preferably, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 comprises at least one brush and / or wiper element 38 (see Figure 6), which is designed to be moved on the movement surface 26 depending on a movement of the mover 14, in particular relative to the stator 24, in order to brush, sweep, and / or wipe the movement surface 26. The brush and / or wiper element 38 can, for example, be arranged on the housing unit 18, in particular on the base body 70 arranged on the housing unit 18, as an alternative to the cleaning lip 30, the adhesive element, or one of the sliding elements 32, 34, 36. In Figure 6, the brush and / or wiper element 38 is shown by way of example as a sweeping brush.However, it is also conceivable that the brush and / or wiper element 38 has a different design that would appear sensible to a person skilled in the art, such as a design as a dry cleaning roller, a surface wiper, a wiper cloth holder, a wet cleaning roller, a combined dry and wet cleaning roller, or the like. In the design of the brush and / or wiper element 38 as a sweeping brush, it is conceivable that a debris collection element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, in particular designed as a dustpan, is arranged on a housing unit 18 of a further electrodynamically movable mover (not shown in detail here) of the handling device 10, so that, as a result of the interaction of the mover 14 and the further mover, contaminants and / or production residues 22 can be swept up.However, it is also conceivable that, in the design of the brush and / or wiper element 38 as a sweeping brush, the brush and / or wiper element 38 is movably mounted on the housing unit 18 of the mover 14 and can be driven by means of a drive element (not shown in detail here) of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, wherein the debris collection element of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, which is designed in particular as a sweeping shovel, is also arranged on the housing unit 18 of the mover 14, in such a way that by a movement of the brush and / or wiper element 38 it is possible to sweep up impurities and / or production residues 22 into the debris collection element.
[0047] The cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 preferably comprises at least one suction element 40 (see Figure 7), which is designed to be moved on the movement surface 26 depending on a movement of the mover 14, in particular relative to the stator 24, in order to suction away the contamination and / or production residue 22 by means of a vacuum. The suction element 40 can, for example, be arranged on the housing unit 18, in particular on the base body 70 arranged on the housing unit 18, as an alternative to the brush and / or wiper element 38, as an alternative to the cleaning lip 30, as an alternative to the adhesive element, or as an alternative to one of the sliding elements 32, 34, 36. The suction element 40 is preferably designed as a suction nozzle. The suction element 40 is preferably connected to a suction line 102 (see Figure 7).Figure 3, schematically indicated) is connected to an external vacuum unit (not shown in detail here) or to a vacuum unit 104 (see Figure 3, schematically indicated) of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 that can be arranged on the housing unit 18. It is conceivable that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 comprises at least one power supply element 106 (see Figure 3, schematically indicated), such as a battery, a power supply line, a power transfer coil, or the like, which is provided for supplying power to the vacuum unit 104. Further embodiments of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 that would appear useful to a person skilled in the art are also conceivable.
[0048] Figure 8 shows a schematic sequence of a method 54 for cleaning a surface, in particular the movement surface 26, and / or for troubleshooting in a sterile area of the, in particular aseptic, production plant 56 or in a cleanroom environment of the production plant 56 within the isolator unit 52 of the electrodynamic transport system 12 by means of the handling device 10.Preferably, in at least one process step 60 of the method 54, impurities and / or production residues 22 located on the movement surface 26 are detected by means of the sensor element 48, in particular a camera, of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20, wherein the mover 14 is automatically controlled by means of the control unit 62 of the handling device 10 and / or the electrodynamic transport system 12 in order to remove the impurities and / or production residues 22 by means of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20. In at least one process step 58 of the method 54, the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit 20 is moved across the movement surface 26 formed by the stator 24 of the electrodynamic transport system 12, depending on a movement of the mover 14, in particular relative to the stator 24.Method 54 may include further process steps that appear useful to a person skilled in the art, in particular possible process steps that can be derived from the description of Figures 1 to 7 are deemed to be disclosed for method 54, such as a process step in which the inclination of the sliding elements 32, 34, 36 is changed, a process step in which the movement surface 26 is freed from impurities and / or production residues 22 by means of the sliding element 32, 34, 36, a process step in which the movement surface 26 is vacuumed by means of the suction element 40, a process step in which the movement surface 26 is cleaned by means of the brush and / or wiper element 38, a process step in which the movement surface 26 is cleaned by means of the cleaning lip 30 and / or by means of the adhesive element or other process steps that appear useful to a person skilled in the art.
Claims
- 34 - Claims 1. Electrodynamic transport system, in particular planar transport system, with at least one handling device (10) and with at least one stator (24), in particular comprising a coil unit (50), wherein the handling device (10) comprises at least one electrodynamically movable mover (14), in particular a planar mover, which has at least one magnet unit (16) and at least one housing unit (18) in which the magnet unit (16) is arranged, wherein the stator (24) is provided for a drive of the mover (14) which can be arranged on, in particular on, the stator (24), wherein the handling device (10) comprises at least one cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) which can be arranged on the housing unit (18), in particular detachably, and is provided for removing contamination and / or production residue (22) from a moving surface (26) formed by the stator (24), characterized by at least one,in particular a glove-free insulator unit (52) in which the stator (24) and the handling device (10) are arranged, in particular by which the stator (24) and the handling device (10) are completely surrounded in an operational state.
2. Electrodynamic transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) comprises at least one cleaning lip (30), in particular arranged on a holder (28), and / or at least one adhesive element, which is provided to be moved, in particular sliding, on the movement surface (26) depending on a movement of the mover (14), in particular relative to the stator (24), in order to remove the contamination and / or the production residue (22). - 35 - 3. Electrodynamic transport system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) comprises at least one sliding element (32, 34, 36), which is arranged in a contactless manner with respect to the movement surface (26), particularly during a movement of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20), and which is provided to be moved depending on a movement of the mover (14), in particular relative to the stator (24), in order to push away the contamination and / or the production residue (22).
4. Electrodynamic transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) comprises at least one brush and / or wiper element (38) which is provided to be moved on the movement surface (26) depending on a movement of the mover (14), in particular relative to the stator (24), in order to brush, sweep and / or wipe the movement surface (26).
5. Electrodynamic transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) comprises at least one suction element (40) which is provided to be moved on the movement surface (26) depending on a movement of the mover (14), in particular relative to the stator (24), in order to suction off the contamination and / or the production residue (22) by means of a vacuum.
6. Electrodynamic transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) is arranged, in particular fixed, on at least two sides (42, 44) of the housing unit (18), preferably surrounding the housing unit (18) in a main extension plane (46) of the housing unit (18) to more than 30% of a total outer circumference of the housing unit (18).
7. Electrodynamic transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) comprises at least one sensor element (48), in particular a camera, arranged in particular on the housing unit (18), for detecting the contamination and / or the production residue (22).
8. Method for cleaning a surface and / or for troubleshooting in a sterile area of an aseptic production plant (56) or in a cleanroom environment within an insulator unit (52) of the electrodynamic transport system according to one of the preceding claims by means of a handling device of the electrodynamic transport system, characterized in that in at least one method step (58) the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20) is moved over the movement surface (26) formed by a stator (24) of the electrodynamic transport system as a function of a movement of the mover (14), in particular relative to a stator (24).
9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that in at least one method step (60) contaminants and / or production residues (22) are detected by means of a sensor element (48), in particular a camera, of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20), wherein the mover (14) is automatically controlled by means of a control or regulating unit (62) of an electrodynamic transport system in order to remove the contaminants and / or production residues (22) by means of the cleaning and / or troubleshooting unit (20).