DE102022129459A1 - Transport system and method for transporting products - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to fix a cardboard box - for example on a Transmodul carriage - without the need for extra suction air, self-adhesive so-called Gecko surfaces are used on the contact surface of the carriage. In the case of the Gecko, these are based on electrostatic attraction, i.e. Van der Waals forces. In the case of commercial suppliers of such surfaces, however, they can also or additionally be based on the suction power of micro-suction cups, which generate a negative pressure by simply pressing on them, without the need for suction air.

Description

I. Area of application

The invention relates to an industrial transport system, usually used within companies and inside buildings, for transporting products with one, but usually a plurality of, transport vehicles that can contact and hold a product on a contact surface of a contact body of the transport vehicle. This is usually the top of the contact body and thus of the transport vehicle on which the product to be transported stands or lies.

II. Technical background

Such transport systems are widely used in industry, particularly in the field of packaging technology, for example to transport products from one processing station to the next. In the field of packaging technology, for example, outer packaging such as boxes is transported from one filling point to the next using such a transport system or is transported away from the filling line to a palletizer or another processing station.

Since the products transported on the transport vehicles are usually processed or handled automatically, it is essential that the position of the product at the processing or handling point is known as precisely as possible, which usually requires that the position and location of the product on the transport vehicle is known exactly, so that the absolute position of the product can then be deduced from the known or ascertainable position and location of the transport vehicle.

For this purpose, the product is placed in a specific position on the contact surface of the transport vehicle, but must be held in this position to prevent any undefined movement of the product relative to the transport vehicle when accelerating, driving or braking the transport vehicle.

A wide variety of holding devices, whether force-fitting or form-fitting, can be used on the transport vehicle for this purpose. Form-fitting holding devices in particular, however, have the disadvantage that they usually have to be adjusted very precisely to the shape and dimensions of the product, and thus have to be readjusted or completely replaced if the shape and/or size of the product to be transported changes.

For this reason, force-locking holding devices have been preferred up to now.

In packaging technology, for example, it is common practice to equip the contact surface of the contact body of the transport vehicle with vacuum suction cups, which can be subjected to negative pressure from the transport vehicle and thus hold the contacting product.

Although such a contact surface - especially for light products - can also be formed on a side surface of the transport vehicle, the top of the contact body and thus of the transport vehicle is usually chosen as the contact surface, so that the weight of the product does not have to be held additionally.

The contact body, on which the contact surface is located, is usually a separate component from the rest of the transport vehicle, so that it can be used as a so-called format plate, i.e. adapted to the product to be transported, which can be assembled and disassembled by simply, e.g. form-fitting, plugging and pulling it off the rest of the transport vehicle. As a rule, the aim is for a certain design of the contact body to be able to contact and hold a large number of similarly sized products, but in the case of large differences in size it may be necessary to exchange one design of the format plate for another, e.g. larger or smaller, or with a different arrangement of the vacuum suction cups on the contact surface.

The disadvantage of vacuum cleaners that can be operated with a vacuum is that vacuum, usually in the form of suction air, must be provided by the transport vehicle, which requires either a vacuum pump in the moving transport vehicle or a supply of suction air from outside to the moving vehicle.

In addition to this technical and/or logistical problem, it is a disadvantage that suction air is one of the most expensive forms of energy used industrially and is even more expensive to produce than compressed air, for example.

In addition, such a vacuum system can become dirty or clogged by the impurities contained in the air sucked through it, which can then lead to failures.

Furthermore, contact surfaces with surface structures are known which, solely due to their shape, Surface structures, i.e. structures, can hold a contacting object, for example through electrostatic forces, the so-called Van der Waals forces, without the contact surface requiring electrical current or voltage. Such surface structures are often referred to as Gekko surfaces because they imitate the functional principle of the soles of the feet of geckos, which can also walk on the ceiling.

For this purpose, these so-called Gekko surfaces comprise a large number of supporting fibers on the contact surface, which are usually formed in one piece with the contact body and whose diameter is significantly less than 1 mm, usually less than 1/10 mm, and sometimes only less than 50 µm.

These elastic support fibers protrude from the contact body and contact the product to be held with their free end area.

The supporting fibers can also branch towards their free end and/or be arranged in tufts on the contact body.

The thickness of the supporting fibers on the underside of a gecko's toe is only about 6 µm, but they have a plate-shaped widening of about 0.2 x 0.2 mm at their free end, which attaches itself to the product and adheres to it through Van der Waals interactions, thereby developing a much larger contact area and thus force effect than the much thinner supporting fiber itself.

These supporting fibers are bent at the end and run parallel to the contact surface of the entire toe, and the plate-shaped widenings are also located approximately in this contact surface of the entire toe.

One problem is that the adhesive effect varies greatly across the contact surface - on which the contact surfaces of the individual supporting fibers lie in the unloaded state - and decreases particularly at the edges and/or the detachment force and direction of this detachment force required to remove the product are difficult to control.

Furthermore, there are adhesives that can be removed without leaving any residue, for example in the form of the well-known Post-It notes, whose adhesive effect, however, is based on an adhesive.

According to the common definition, an adhesive is a substance that is able to bond two materials together, usually permanently, through surface adhesion (adhesion) and its internal strength (cohesion).

A primary distinction is made between physically setting adhesives, such as solvent-based adhesives or thermoplastic adhesives, and chemically curing adhesives and pressure-sensitive adhesives, such as those used in sticky notes with a weak adhesive effect.

The latter are extremely viscous elastic liquids with a glass transition temperature of usually below -10°C.

In order to form an adhesion to an object, this pressure-sensitive adhesive must wet this surface quickly and completely, for which it must have sufficient flowability, whereby complete wetting can be supported by pressure during application. Nevertheless, a dynamic adhesion build-up is typical for pressure-sensitive adhesives, which, depending on the type of pressure-sensitive adhesive, temperature, contact pressure and contact time, can take just seconds, minutes or even several days to reach final strength.

The reusability of surfaces wetted with pressure-sensitive adhesive decreases very quickly due to ageing, drying and contamination, so that usually only less than ten repeated adhesions are possible.

III. Description of the invention

a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a transport system with transport vehicles which avoids these disadvantages, as well as a transport method suitable for this purpose.

b) Solution to the task

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 14. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

With regard to the transport system, the existing problem is solved in that the adhesive-free contact surface formed on a contact body of the transport vehicle has self-adhesive properties that can be detached from the product without leaving residue.

This means that these adhesive properties are inherent properties of the contact surface, which do not decrease and in particular do not wear out without negative influences such as contamination, and in particular do not require activation, such as by supplying suction air.

In particular, at least 20, preferably at least 50, preferably at least 100 adhesion processes in succession on the contact surface should be possible, with the contact surface being detached from the product in between.

The contact body preferably has a plurality of bendable, in particular elastic, supporting fibers protruding from a contact base of the contact body, on each of which at least one fiber adhesive body with a fiber contact surface with these adhesive properties is formed, in particular at their free ends. These can adapt well to the contour of the product to be held. The plurality of fiber contact surfaces together form the contact surface of the contact body.

Preferably, at least 200, in particular at least 500, in particular at least 1000, in particular at least 2000, in particular at least 5000 such fiber adhesive bodies and/or fiber contact surfaces are present on the contact body per square centimeter.

The thickness of a fiber adhesive body should be less than 50 µm in the outermost third measured radially outward from the center, preferably less than 30 µm, preferably less than 20 µm, preferably less than 10 µm.

Preferably, the individual fiber contact surfaces, in particular the free ends of the supporting fibers, are positioned on the contact surface of the contact body that is defined by them. The shape of this contact surface can be a plane, but can also have a different shape adapted to the shape of the product to be held.

Preferably, the length of the supporting fibers is at least 3 mm, better at least 5 mm, better at least 8 mm and/or the length of the supporting fibers is at least 30 times, better at least 50 times, better at least 80 times the diameter, in particular the average diameter or the largest diameter, of the supporting fiber. This has proven to be the optimal dimension.

The number of supporting fibres on the contact surface of the contact body is at least 5000 per cm2, preferably at least 10,000, preferably at least 20,000. This allows sufficient adhesion for most products to be achieved

Preferably, the supporting fibers have a uniform, preferably straight or uniformly curved, course along their direction of extension and/or protrude in particular approximately at a right angle from the contact base of the contact body.

In the first possibility, the permanent adhesive properties of the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces, are based on electrostatic attraction, i.e. on Van der Waal forces.

In particular, the contact body is designed such that the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces, can be actively electrostatically charged from the transport vehicle in order to improve their electrostatic adhesion properties, i.e. in particular they can be positively or negatively charged and in particular they can also be discharged again.

As a second option or in addition to the first option, the permanent adhesive properties of the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces, are based on suction power, in that micro-suction cups are formed on the contact surface, in particular the free end of the supporting fibers, in particular their respective end faces, which develop a suction effect by simply pressing against a counter surface. For this, too, the contact surfaces and in particular these micro-suction cups do not need to be supplied with suction air.

As is known from suction hooks for smooth surfaces such as glass or tiles in the bathroom, by pressing the bell-shaped micro-suction cups, the diameter of its circumferential suction lip is increased and the depth of its suction cup is reduced or in another way a reduction in the internal free space of the suction cup is achieved, so that the subsequent elastic re-deformation of the suction cup and the associated re-increase in volume creates a negative pressure in the suction cup and thus a suction effect, without the suction cup having to be externally supplied with suction air.

Preferably, the largest diameter of the suction surface of the micro-suction cup, i.e. the outer circumference of the open side of the suction cup, is less than 0.5 mm, in particular less than 0.3 mm, in particular less than 0.2 mm, in particular less than 0.1 mm. This has proven to be the optimal size in testing.

Preferably, the largest diameter of the suction surface of the micro-suction device, in particular the diameter of the unloaded suction cup, is less than 30 times, better less than 50 times, in particular less than 80 times the length of the supporting fiber supporting it.

Here too, the open sides of the micro-suction cups define the unloaded, non-absorbent State a common contact surface, which is usually a plane, but does not necessarily have to be a plane.

• Eine erste Bauform sind Transportfahrzeuge, die in aller Regel unbemannte, kleine Schienenfahrzeuge sind, insbesondere Schlitten sind, die unabhängig voneinander steuerbar auch entlang der gleichen Fahrspur entlang eines Schienenkörpers verfahrbar sind.

Different types of transport vehicles are suitable for having such a contact surface as a holding device for products to be transported:

• A first type of construction are transport vehicles, which are usually unmanned, small rail vehicles, in particular sledges, which can be controlled independently of one another and can also be moved along the same lane along a rail body.

Preferably, the finite rail body has a forward track, for example on its upper side, on which in turn loaded rail vehicles, in particular sledges, are moved on its upper side, as well as a reverse track on a side surface or on its underside, on which in particular unloaded rail bodies can be moved hanging overhead back to the beginning of the rail body.

A second design is transport vehicles that are not rail-bound and can move freely on a driving surface. As with rail vehicles, these are usually unmanned vehicles because they are significantly smaller than manned ones.

Regardless of the type of transport vehicles, such a transport system requires a cleaning device for the contact surfaces of the transport vehicles, since their adhesion properties usually decrease due to contamination.

The cleaning device is usually positioned in a fixed location and arranged in such a way that the transport vehicle, even if it is a rail vehicle, can be cleaned by the cleaning device as it passes by; in the case of a rail vehicle with a reversing track on the rail body, this is preferably an unloaded rail vehicle traveling on the reversing track. This means that the operation of the transport system is not hindered or delayed.

In this way, the positive adhesive properties of the contact surface can be permanently maintained and such a contact surface can remain functional over a long period of time.

Since the contaminants also adhere to the contact surface by means of electrostatic attraction, i.e. by means of Van der Waals forces, the cleaning device comprises, for example, an ion shower that ionizes air or another gas and applies the ionized gas to the contact surface and the contaminants adhering there, in particular dust particles, whereby these are electrostatically discharged and can be more easily detached from the contact surface, for example due to gravity or through active suction.

The cleaning device can also have an adhesive surface which has a higher adhesive force against the contaminants adhering to the contact surface, usually dust particles, than the contact surface itself, either by means of a stronger electrostatic charge or because the adhesive surface is wetted with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Then, by contacting this adhesive surface with the contact surface, the contaminants can adhere to the adhesive surface, and after removing the adhesive surface from the contact surface, the contaminants can be removed from the contact surface with the adhesive surface.

Especially when a pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the adhesive surface, this or the pressure sensitive adhesive must be renewed regularly. The adhesive surface can be, for example, a piece of film tape pulled from a supply roll or rewound from a supply roll onto a take-up roll with the adhesive surface to be used between the two rolls. This results in a simple and cost-effective design.

In order to enable the product to be detached from the contact surface at the desired time without negatively influencing or even damaging the contact surface and in particular its adhesive properties, the at least one contact surface - preferably several contact surfaces are present at a distance from one another on the transport vehicle and in particular its supporting surface - is optionally movable relative to the rest of the supporting surface of the vehicle.

In particular, the contact surface is arranged to be movable in the plane of the support surface, preferably designed to be pivotable about the normal to the contact surface.

While when moving the contact surface perpendicular to it, all fiber contact surfaces must be detached essentially simultaneously, which requires a relatively high detachment force, when moving the contact surface in the support plane, the fiber contact surfaces are pulled off with a temporal offset from one another, which can be achieved with a much lower detachment force, which cannot damage or even tear off the support fibers and/or cannot tear the micro-suction cups off the support fibers.

Preferably, the individual contact surfaces also each have their own contact body, which can be easily removed from the vehicle, in particular without tools and in less than 30 seconds. This means that defective contact surfaces can be replaced quickly and easily.

Preferably, the contact bodies can be automatically driven synchronously or counter-synchronously for detachment, in particular by being mechanically connected to one another and being movable, in particular pivotable, via a common contact body drive. This reduces the costs compared to multiple drive motors.

Preferably, the contact bodies are pre-tensioned into a starting position, in particular by means of spring force, and can be moved, in particular pivoted, from this position into the end position by means of an electric drive, in particular by means of an electromagnet, or a pneumatic drive.

Preferably, all contact bodies including the contact body drive are structurally combined in a jointly handled contact cassette, which can be assembled and disassembled as a whole on the transport vehicle quickly and easily, in particular without tools and in less than 30 seconds.

• - für das Halten des Produktes das Produkt, insbesondere lotrecht zur Kontaktfläche, auf die Kontaktfläche aufgedrückt wird und
• - für das Ablösen des Produktes der Kontaktkörper samt der Kontaktfläche relativ zum Fahrzeug bewegt wird, insbesondere entlang der Tragebene des Fahrzeugs, insbesondere mittels einer Schwenkbewegung.

With regard to the procedure for transporting products by means of a transport system with at least one transport vehicle, which has a contact body with a self-adhesive contact surface that can be detached from the product without residues for contacting and holding the product, in particular a transport system as described above, the object is achieved in that

• - to hold the product, the product is pressed onto the contact surface, in particular perpendicular to the contact surface, and
• - for detaching the product, the contact body together with the contact surface is moved relative to the vehicle, in particular along the support plane of the vehicle, in particular by means of a pivoting movement.

Preferably, the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces of the individual supporting fibers, is cleaned automatically and in particular regularly, preferably when the transport vehicle is traveling empty, in particular in the case of a rail vehicle on the way back along its transport route, in particular its lane, to the loading point. This ensures that it remains functional for a long time.

Cleaning can be carried out by showering, i.e. flooding, the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces, with ionized gas, in particular ionized air, whereby the contaminants adhering there, in particular dust particles, are electrostatically discharged and come off more easily, which facilitates cleaning.

Instead and/or additionally, cleaning can be carried out by removing the dirt by contact with an adhesive surface which has a higher holding force against the dust particle than the contact surface, wherein in particular the adhesive surface is previously wetted with a pressure sensitive adhesive.

Preferably, the cleaning of the contact surface takes place when the vehicle is moving, for example when a rail vehicle, in particular a carriage, is moving along the reverse lane of a finite rail body.

This means that no interruptions in the operation of the transport system are necessary.

In the case of free-moving vehicles, cleaning is preferably carried out on the return journey of the then unloaded vehicle on its transport route to the loading point, in particular shortly before the loading point, so that the transport vehicles do not have to take a major detour for this, regardless of which storage location they are returning from.

When the product is removed from several contact surfaces, the movement preferably occurs simultaneously on all contact surfaces, in particular by pivoting about a normal to the respective contact surface.

Preferably, the movement of the multiple contact surfaces takes place synchronously or counter-synchronously, the latter mainly in order to avoid a displacement of the product towards the vehicle caused by synchronous movement when releasing by the movement of the contact surfaces.

Preferably, the movement of the multiple contact surfaces is carried out by a single common contact body drive per vehicle.

c) Examples of implementation

• 1a, b: ein endliches Transportsystem mit schienengebundenen Fahrzeugen in der Aufsicht sowie in der Seitenansicht,
• 2a: das Transportsystem der 1a, b in der Seitenansicht in einer anderen Funktionsstellung,
• 2b: das Transportsystem der 1a, b in perspektivischer Ansicht in einer wiederum anderen Funktionsstellung,
• 3a: den Anfangsbereich des Transportsystems in vergrößerter perspektivischer Darstellung,
• 3b, c: den Anfangsbereich des Transportsystems gemäß 3a in Seitenansicht und Stirnansicht,
• 4a - c: eine Formatplatte eines schienengebunden Fahrzeuges separat in perspektivischer Darstellung, Aufsicht und Seitenansicht mit mehreren Kontaktkörper-Kassetten,
• 5a - c: die Kontaktkörper-Kassette gemäß 4a - c eines Formatplatte separat in perspektivischer Darstellung, Aufsicht und Seitenansicht mit mehreren Kontaktkörpern,
• 6a - c: den Kontaktkörper gemäß 5a - c separat in perspektivischer Darstellung, Aufsicht und Seitenansicht mit mehreren Kontaktkörpern,
• 7, 8: eine 1. und 2. Bauform von Faser-Haftkörpern am Ende der Tragfasern des Kontaktkörpers,
• 9a, b: eine 3. Bauform von Faser-Haftkörpern am Ende der Tragfasern des Kontaktkörpers,
• 10a - c: eine 4. Bauform von Faser-Haftkörpern am Ende der Tragfasern des Kontaktkörpers,
• 11a, b: den Mittelbereich des Transportsystems gemäß 3a in Seitenansicht und Stirnansicht mit zusätzlicher Reinigungsvorrichtung.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. They show:

• 1a , b: a finite transport system with rail-bound vehicles in top view and in side view,
• 2a : the transport system of 1a , b in side view in a different functional position,
• 2 B : the transport system of 1a , b in perspective view in yet another functional position,
• 3a : the initial area of the transport system in enlarged perspective view,
• 3b , c: the initial area of the transport system according to 3a in side view and front view,
• 4a - c: a format plate of a rail-bound vehicle separately in perspective view, top view and side view with several contact body cassettes,
• 5a - c: the contact body cassette according to 4a - c of a format plate separately in perspective view, top view and side view with several contact bodies,
• 6a - c: the contact body according to 5a - c separately in perspective view, top view and side view with several contact bodies,
• 7 , 8th : a 1st and 2nd design of fibre adhesive bodies at the end of the supporting fibres of the contact body,
• 9a , b: a 3rd design of fibre adhesive bodies at the end of the supporting fibres of the contact body,
• 10a - c: a 4th design of fibre adhesive bodies at the end of the supporting fibres of the contact body,
• 11a , b: the middle section of the transport system according to 3a in side view and front view with additional cleaning device.

The 1a - 2b show a transport system 100 with transport vehicles 50, here transport carriages 50, which can be provided with contact bodies 1 according to the invention.

Transport carriages 50.1, 50.2, 50.3 ..., on which in practice one or more products P can be held by means of suction devices 63 located on the surface, supplied with suction air, thus in particular actively controllable - are designed according to the 1a , b is moved along a, usually finite, transport route 51S from its beginning A (here at the left end) to its end E (here at the right end), with one or more defined intermediate stops at certain processing stations or also at a defined speed on partial routes or on the entire route.

To supply the suction cups 63 with suction air, a vacuum pump, usually electrically operated, is arranged in each transport carriage 50.1, 50.2, 50.3.

The individual carriages 50.1, 50.2, 50.3 are moved separately and independently along a rail 51 a, b, one of which is located on the upper side and one on the lower side of a track body 51, which consists of track body modules 51A, 51M, 51E which follow one another in the direction of travel, as shown in the 1a and 1b shown.

As soon as a transport carriage 50.3 has arrived at the end module 51E of the track body 51, at which the product P is usually removed from the transport carriage 50.3 again - for which the suction air supply of the suction devices 63 there may or may not be switched off - the empty transport carriage 50.3 must be transported back to the beginning A (here at the left end) of the transport route 51S, without hindering the next transport carriages 50.2, 50.1 approaching on the upper rail 51a loaded with products P.

To achieve this, there is - see 1 b , 2a and 3c - on the track body modules 51A, 51M, 51E there is a rail 51a on the upper side as well as an analogous rail 51b on the opposite lower side, on which a carriage 50 can travel.

The end module 51E can be 2 B around its longitudinal axis 51', which is simultaneously the direction of travel 50' of a carriage 50 there, by at least 180°, so that the transport carriage 50.3 which has just been emptied on the upper rail 51a is rotated downwards by this rotation and brought into alignment with the lower rail 51b of the adjacent middle track body module 51M of the track body 51. This rotation has in 2 B just started.

After completing this 180° rotation, the carriage 50.3 can be 1b , 2a , 2 B then be moved on the lower rail 51 b for the backward movement to the beginning A, as in 1 , 2a can be seen from the transport carriage 50.4.

It is clear from this that the slides must be secured against lifting off the rail 51 a, b, for example by means of a positive engagement, as can be seen from the 3c explained in detail.

As soon as a transport carriage, e.g. the carriage 50.4, has reached the end E on the lower rail 51b, i.e. is located at the bottom of the starting module 51A, wait until the transport carriage 50.1, which may still be present on the upper rail 51a of this initial module 51A and is usually loaded with products P, has left this initial module 51A in the direction of the middle module 51M, i.e. the upper rail 51a of this module is empty.

Then, according to 2a This initial module 51A with the carriage located on the underside, e.g. 50.4, is also rotated by 180°, so that the empty carriage 50.4 that has arrived is then located on the top of the initial module 51A and aligned with the upper rail 51a of the adjacent middle module 5M in the starting position, usually the loading position. There, a product P is again placed on this carriage and held in place by activating the suction air supply of its suction cups 63.

A typical transport route 51S is - as in 1b indicated - the route from placing the opened, erected packages on the transport carriage in the initial module 51A, filling and closing the packages in the form of products P in the area of the middle module 51M and removing the filled and closed packages as products P from the end module 51E, before the empty carriages are then transported back to the beginning A.

In this and other solutions, several middle modules 51M can be arranged between the start and end modules 51A, 51E depending on the number of processing steps required, whereby the track bodies of the middle modules 51M generally do not have to be designed to be rotatable.

At the corresponding stations, the carriages 50 can be stopped in a defined position and there can be one or more of such stopping positions in the course of a module, in particular the middle module 51M, whereby in a packaging line, as a rule, along each station of the packaging line (laying down, erecting, filling, closing, removing the filled and closed cartons) a track body module with preferably only one stopping position for the transport carriages 50 is used.

The 1a , 2a , 2 B further show the several suction cups 63 arranged one behind the other and/or next to each other and on both sides of each transport carriage 50 in the transport direction 50, with the help of which products P can be transported onto the transport carriage 50 regardless of their shape and size. Nevertheless, the suction cups 63 are generally not attached directly to the base body of the transport carriage 50, but to a format plate 52 which is attached to it in an exchangeable manner and which is at least roughly adapted to the dimensions of the products P to be transported.

As is particularly the case in the supervision of 1a As can be seen, the return transport on the underside of the track bodies 51 results in a particularly narrow design of the transport device and little space requirement in terms of width and, above all, even products P projecting laterally beyond the transport carriages 50 do not collide with rails located directly next to them for, for example, the backward movement of the transport carriages 50.

A rotation of 180° and preferably the next time again by the same angular amount forwards or backwards at the start and end modules 51A, 51E is the preferred solution, since this always results in alignment with the second, lower transport track 2b of the middle module 51M.

The rotatable modules 51A, 51E simultaneously serve as converters from the rail 51a to the rail 51b.

The 1a to 2b also show the adjustable feet 64 with which the individual modules 51A, 51M, 51E are elevated relative to the ground at the beginning and end. It can be seen that in the case of the beginning and end modules 51A, 51E, the elevated part of the movable track body 51A, 51E adjacent to the middle module 51M does not rotate when the rest of the track body 51A, 51E is pivoted.

The motors 65 for pivoting these track bodies 51A, 51E are visible at the front outside the free ends of these movable track body modules 51A, 51E.

The defined drive of the individual transport carriages 50 independently of one another is preferably controlled by a central control (not shown) for the entire transport route.

The representations of the 3 are compared to the principle representations of the 1 and 2 more detailed and realistic.

So the 3a and 3c recognize that the rail 51 a on the upper side as well as the rail 51 b on the lower side each have 2 C-profiles spaced apart in the transverse direction, wherein the corresponding carriage engages in both and is thereby positively secured in both transverse directions to the direction of travel, the extension direction of the rail.

Furthermore, the cross-sectional view of the 3c that the cross-section of the track body 51 - which is usually elevated by means of adjustable feet 64 - is point-symmetrical to its direction of extension 51', on which the rail turner 55 is also located at the start module 51A and the end module 51E, so that when their track bodies are turned, their rails are again aligned with the adjacent rails of the adjacent track body module in the direction of travel, even after a 180° turn.

• Die Energieversorgung des Schlittens 50 erfolgt über eine entlang der jeweiligen Schiene verlaufende induktive Stromschiene 59, von der eine am Schlitten 50 ausgebildete eng benachbarte gegen Schiene 59` berührungslos Strom abnimmt.
• Die Fahrbewegung des Schlitten 50 wird über ein im Schlitten 50 gelagertes Ritzel 56 bewirkt, welches gesteuert von einer Steuerung C von einem ebenfalls im Schlitten verbauten Fahr-Motor M angetrieben wird und mit einer Zahnstange 57 in Eingriff steht, die Bestandteil des Bahnkörpers 51 ist.

In 3c The internal structure of the carriage 50 can also be clearly seen:

• The carriage 50 is supplied with power via an inductive current rail 59 running along the respective rail, from which a closely adjacent rail 59' formed on the carriage 50 takes power without contact.
• The travel movement of the carriage 50 is effected via a pinion 56 mounted in the carriage 50, which is controlled by a control C and driven by a drive motor M also installed in the carriage and is in engagement with a rack 57 which is part of the track body 51.

Furthermore, a signal conductor 58 runs along the track body, from which the carriage 50 picks up electromagnetic signals by means of a slotted waveguide on the carriage 50, which extends partially around the signal conductor 58.

A vacuum pump like the one in the 1a to 2b is therefore no longer present in the carriage 50.

Above all, the sledges carry 50 3a to 3c accordingly, another format plate 52, which no longer needs to be supplied with suction air from the carriage 50

The format plate52 is separately in the 4a - 4c and shows that it has on its outer side facing away from the carriage 50 a plurality of contact bodies 1 with a contact surface 3 directed towards the product P.

How best 4b shows, the contact bodies 1 are grouped in groups of 5 each over the groups spaced apart in the direction of travel 50' of the format plate 52 and thus of the carriage 50. A product P placed on it could be held by such a group or a longer product could also extend over the length of several or all groups of contact bodies 1

For assembly reasons and to facilitate the removal of a product P, the contact bodies 1 of a group are installed in a contact body cassette 15, as shown in the 5a - c and of which several, in this case four, are installed in each format plate 52.

How 4c shows, the contact body cassettes 15 are installed between a cover plate 52a and a base plate 52b of the format plate 52, which are fixed against each other, in such a way that their contact bodies 1 with the contact surface 3 fixed thereon protrude beyond the outside of the cover plate 52a just far enough that they can contact and hold a product standing thereon with their individual fiber contact surfaces 13.

Since these contact bodies 1 with the contact surfaces 3 fixed thereon must be exchanged from time to time, they are immovably attached to a mushroom-shaped body carrier 53, which in turn can be received by an adapter 54, preferably immovably, which is detachably attached in the contact body cassette 15.

• Allen gemeinsam ist, dass eine Vielzahl von Tragfasern 2 aus einem elastischen Material, meist Kunststoff, nebeneinander von einer gemeinsamen Körper-Basis 1a des Tragkörpers 1 abragen, an denen jeweils eine - und meist nur eine - Faser-Kontaktfläche 13 an einem Faser-Haft Körper 14 der Tragfaser 2 ausgebildet ist. Falls sich die Tragfaser 2 zum freien Ende hin verzweigen, gilt dies für jeden einzelnen Ast der Tragfaser 2.

First, different designs of the contact body 1 are described using the 7 - 10c described:

• What they all have in common is that a large number of supporting fibers 2 made of an elastic material, usually plastic, protrude next to one another from a common body base 1a of the supporting body 1, on each of which one - and usually only one - fiber contact surface 13 is formed on a fiber-adhesive body 14 of the supporting fiber 2. If the supporting fiber 2 branches towards the free end, this applies to each individual branch of the supporting fiber 2.

With these fiber contact surfaces 13, which together form and define the contact surface 3, the contact body 1 rests against the product and holds the product P.

The designs of the 7 , 8th and 9 These fiber adhesive bodies 14 are located on the front surface of the mostly rod-shaped, usually non-curved, supporting fiber 2, and are usually formed integrally with these, whereby one should keep in mind the dimension of the supporting fibers 2 with a diameter of about 1/10 millimeter and less and a length of about 20 to 50 times this.

The design of the 7 the fibre adhesive body 14 present on each supporting fibre 2 has the shape of a mostly round plate, which is connected in its centre to the front surface of the supporting fibre 2, usually via a taper between the fibre adhesive body 14 and the rest of the supporting fibre 2, which is again significantly thinner than the supporting fibre 2 itself, only about 1/2 to 1/5 of its thickness.

As a result, the fiber adhesive body 14, whose fiber contact surface 13 facing away from the rest of the supporting fiber 2 runs approximately at a right angle to the direction of extension 2' of the supporting fiber 2, can easily bend from this right-angled position and adapt to the shape of the outer surface of an adjacent product.

The area of the fiber contact surface 13 and thus also the dimension of the fiber adhesive body 14 is preferably larger than the cross section of the supporting fiber 2, preferably at least by a factor of 2, better by a factor of 4, better by a factor of 6, better by a factor of 10.

The design of the 8th differs from that of the 7 in that the fiber adhesive body 14 is not a flat plate, but a small bowl with an open side pointing away from the rest of the fiber 2, which in turn lies approximately at a right angle to the extension direction 2' of the supporting fiber 2.

This bowl can serve as a micro-suction cup 4, because by pressing its open suction surface 5 onto a surface of a product P, the air is initially partially pressed out of the hollow interior of the micro-suction cup, so that when the micro-suction cup 4 springs back, a negative pressure is created in its cavity and the micro-suction cup 4 sucks itself onto the product P.

The design of the 9a , b differs from that of the 7 in that the plate-shaped fiber adhesive body 14 is elastically and thus movably attached to the end face or another point at the free end of the supporting fiber 2, not in its center but at a point on its edge.

With its fiber contact surface 13, the fiber adhesive body 14 is inclined to the extension direction 2', wherein the fiber contact surfaces 13 of all supporting fibers 2 of a contact body 1 preferably have the same inclination and orientation.

Whether the plate or bowl 14, especially in the design of the 7 and 9 , has a round shape or a different shape, be it elliptical, irregular or polygonal, is secondary to the invention.

The design of the 10a to c is similar to that of 9a , b, however, the platelet-shaped fiber adhesive body 14 is not formed on the free end face of the otherwise essentially straight supporting fiber 2, but the supporting fiber 2 is angled by approximately 90° in its end region 2a, so that these end regions 2a running approximately parallel to the common contact base 1a are all approximately the same distance from the contact base 1a and the end regions 2a, preferably all, point in the same direction.

In this end region 2a, the cross-section of the supporting fiber 2 on the outside facing away from the contact base 1a is widened to form the platelet-shaped fiber adhesive body 14.

Since the adhesive properties of the contact surfaces 3 and in particular the fiber contact surfaces 13 decrease due to contamination, they must be cleaned regularly

• Dabei fährt entlang einer Vorwärts-Schiene 51a, auf der die Schlitten 50 primär alle in eine Vorwärts-Richtung fahren, auf der Oberseite des Schienenkörpers 51 ein - oder mehrere - Schlitten 50 als Transportfahrzeug von rechts nach links, auf dessen Oberseite ein Produkt P steht und dort gehalten wird.
• Dementsprechend fährt ein leerer Schlitten 50 hängend an der Unterseite des Schienen Körpers 51 und an der dortigen Rückwärts-Schiene 51b, auf der die Schlitten 50 primär alle in eine zur Vorwärtsrichtung entgegengesetzte Rückwärts-Richtung fahren, von links nach rechts, und dabei soll - vorzugsweise steuerbar nicht bei jeder Rückfahrt sondern in festgelegten Intervallen - die Reinigungsvorrichtung 6 die an den nach unten weisenden Kontaktflächen 3 bzw. Faser-Kontaktflächen 13 haftenden Verunreinigungen entfernen.

The 11a , b show a corresponding cleaning device 6 on a transport system 100 according to the 3b and 3c :

• In this case, one or more carriages 50 travel as a transport vehicle from right to left on the upper side of the rail body 51 along a forward rail 51a, on which the carriages 50 primarily all travel in a forward direction, on the upper side of which a product P stands and is held there.
• Accordingly, an empty carriage 50 moves from left to right, hanging on the underside of the rail body 51 and on the reverse rail 51b there, on which the carriages 50 primarily all move in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction, and in the process - preferably controllably not on every return journey but at fixed intervals - the cleaning device 6 should remove the contaminants adhering to the downward-facing contact surfaces 3 or fiber contact surfaces 13.

Alternatively, the cleaning device can also clean the upward-facing contact surface of a vehicle 50 traveling on the forward rail 51a or located there, provided that it is accessible, for example unloaded.

For this purpose, an ion shower 7 is arranged at a short distance from this downward-facing outer surface of the format plate 52, which ion shower applies ionized air across the entire width of the format plate 52 in order to electrically neutralize dust particles present there and to reduce their adhesion to the fiber contact surfaces 13.

In the reverse direction downstream of this, electrically neutralized dust particles with an adhesive surface 8 of an adhesive foil 8* get into Contact to which the dust particles adhere more strongly than to the fiber contact surfaces 13.

For this purpose, a quasi-endless strip of such an adhesive film 8* is rewound below the format plate 52 from a supply roll 16a onto a take-up roll 16b, so that the strand of the strip-shaped adhesive film 8* comes into contact with its adhesive side with the contact surface 3 of the contact bodies 1, which - in this case downwards - protrude slightly from the format plate 52.

For this purpose, the rewinding is carried out in a controlled manner at the same running speed as the travel speed of the carriage 50 traveling along with the format plate 52, so that no slippage occurs therebetween, and preferably starting shortly before the format plate 52 reaches the supply roll 16a.

Preferably, the supply roll 16a and the take-up roll 16b are pre-tensioned, for example by means of a spring 68, in the direction of the contact surface 3 of the format plate 52.

In addition and/or instead, they can be fastened to a base plate which in turn - and together with supply roll 16a and take-up roll 16b - is adjustable transversely to the contact surface 3 of the format plate 52 on controllable working cylinders 67 between an activated, approximate position in which the adhesive film comes into contact with the contact surface 3 and a deactivated, further objected position in which this is not the case, since cleaning is generally not necessary every time a carriage 50 travels backwards.

The 5a to c show the structure of a contact body cassette 15.

The combination of a group of contact bodies 1 in such a contact body cassette 15 not only serves to accelerate the assembly, but above all to gently detach a product P from the contact surfaces 3 of such a group of contact bodies 1.

For this purpose, the contact surfaces 3, which in this case are round, should rotate about their perpendiculars, but not necessarily all in the same direction, but at least two in opposite directions to each other, i.e. one clockwise and one anti-clockwise, whereby the fiber contact surfaces 13 are gently detached from the product one after the other and not by a jerky movement in the extension direction 2' of the supporting fibers 2.

For this purpose, each adapter 54, in which there is a body carrier 53 which carries a contact body 1 on its upper side, can be inserted in a rotationally fixed manner into a swivel holder 60 which can rotate back and forth about a perpendicular to the respective contact surface - whereby all contact surfaces 3 of a cassette 15 lie in a common plane.

For this purpose, all swivel mounts 60 of a cassette 15 are operatively connected to one another via gears and swivel levers 61 acting off-center to the swivel axis in such a way that they do not all swivel in the same direction of rotation when one of the swivel mounts is actuated.

The pivoting is effected by an extension 62 protruding from one of the pivot mounts 60 to such an extent that, in the starting position of this pivot mount 60, it protrudes laterally or downwards from the format plate 52.

By mounting a counter element at the desired release point in a fixed position close to the rail body 51, this actuates the extensions 62 of the cassettes 15 of the passing carriages 50 one after the other and releases the connection between the contact bodies 1 and the product P adhering to them.

By means of a spring 66, one of the pivot mounts 60 and thus all pivot mounts 60 are preloaded into the starting position in which the extension 62 protrudes from the format plate 52.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

1

Contact body

1a

Contact Base

2

Support fiber

2'

Direction of extension

2a

free end, end area

3

Contact surface

4

Micro-suction cup

5

Suction surface

5a

Suction opening

6

Cleaning device

7

Ionic shower

8th

Adhesive surface

8th*

Adhesive film

9

Contact body drive

10

Longitudinal direction of the contact surface

11

Transverse direction of the contact surface

12

Normal, Vertical

13

Fiber contact area

14

Fiber adhesive bodies

15

Contact body cassette

16a

Supply roll

16b

Take-up roll

50

Transport vehicle, sledge

50s

Pantograph

50'

Direction of travel

51

Rail body, track body

51A/M/E

Railway track module

51a

Forward lane, forward rail

51b

Reverse lane, reverse rail

51S

Transport route

51'

Longitudinal axis

52

Format plate

52a

Cover plate

52b

Base plate

53

Body carrier

54

adapter

55

Rail turner

56

pinion

57

Rack and pinion

58

Signal conductor

59

inductive busbar

60

Panning shot

61

Swivel lever

62

Extension

63

Mammal

64

Adjustable foot

65

Module engine, engine

66

Feather

67

Working cylinder

68

Feather

100

Transport system

A

Beginning

E

End

C

steering

D

Diameter also area

L

Length of supporting fiber

M

engine

P

product, box, packaging

Claims (18)

Transport system (100) for transporting products (P) with - at least one transport vehicle (50), - which has a contact body (1) with a contact surface (3), usually on the upper side (50a) of the transport vehicle (50), for contacting and holding the product (P), characterized in that - the adhesive-free contact surface (3) has self-adhesive adhesive properties that can be detached from a product (P) without leaving residues, - which in particular allow at least 20, preferably at least 50, preferably at least 100 adhesion processes to the contact surface (3) in succession. Transport system according to Claim 1 , characterized in that - the contact body (1) comprises a plurality of bendable, in particular elastic, supporting fibers (2) protruding from a contact base (1a), on which, in particular on the free ends of the supporting fibers (2), at least one fiber adhesive body (14) with a fiber contact surface (13) is formed, in particular - the contact body (1) has at least 200, in particular at least 500, in particular at least 1000, in particular at least 2000, in particular at least 5000 fiber adhesive bodies (14) and/or fiber contact surfaces (13) per square centimeter and/or - the thickness of a fiber adhesive body (14) in the outermost third measured radially outward from the center of the fiber contact surface (13) is less than 50 µm, better less than 30 µm, better less than 20 µm, better less than 10 µm. Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the length (L) of the supporting fibers (2) is at least 3 mm, better at least 5 mm, better at least 8 mm and/or - the length (L) of the supporting fibers (2) is at least 30 times, better at least 50 times, better at least 80 times the largest diameter of the supporting fibers (2). (van der Waals forces:) Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the permanent adhesive properties of the contact surface (3), in particular of the fiber contact surfaces (13), are based on electrostatic attraction, i.e. on Van der Waals forces, towards the product (P), - in particular the electrostatic charging of the contact surface (3), in particular the fiber contact surfaces (13), is actively possible. (Suction power:) Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the permanent adhesive properties of the contact surface, in particular the fiber contact surfaces, are based on suction force against the product, in particular in that the fiber adhesive bodies (14) are designed as micro-suckers (4) which develop a suction effect by simply pressing against a counter surface, i.e. the product (P). Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the fiber contact surface (13) of the supporting fiber (2) is the suction surface (5) of a micro-suction device (4), - which is arranged in particular at the free end, in particular the free end face, of a supporting fiber (2), - wherein in particular the largest diameter (D) of the suction surface (5) of the micro-suction device (4) is less than 0.5 mm, in particular less than 0.3 mm, in particular less than 0.2 mm, in particular less than 0.1 mm. Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction openings (5a) in the suction surface (5) - in the unloaded, non-suction state together define the contact surface (3), - in the loaded, suction state reproduce the contour surface of the product (P). (Transmodul or driving drone:) Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that either the vehicle (50) is an unmanned rail vehicle (50), in particular a sled (50), - of which several, in particular loaded, vehicles can be moved independently of one another along the same forward lane (51a) along a rail body (51), - the vehicles (50) can be moved back to the beginning of the finite rail body (50) on a reverse lane (51b) of the rail body (51), in particular hanging overhead and with the previous top side pointing downwards, or the vehicle (50) is an unmanned vehicle (50) that can be moved freely on a driving surface (60) and in particular is controlled autonomously. (Cleaning:) Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a cleaning device (6) is arranged such that it can clean the contact surface (3) of a passing, in particular unloaded, vehicle (50), - in particular can automatically clean a vehicle (50) traveling on the reversing lane (51b) of a rail body (51). Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning device (6) comprises - an ion shower (7), by means of which contaminants adhering to the contact surface (3), in particular dust particles, are electrostatically discharged and optionally vacuumed away and/or - an adhesive surface (8) which has a higher adhesive force against dust particles than the contact surface (3), in particular after showering by means of the ion shower (7). (Removal:) Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the at least one contact surface (3) is arranged to be movable relative to the rest of the vehicle (50), - in particular is arranged to be pivotable about its normal (12). Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the vehicle (50) comprises a plurality of contact surfaces (3.1, 3.2), in particular spaced apart from one another, - in particular the individual contact surfaces (3.1, 3.2) each have their own contact body (1.1, 1.2) with their own contact base (1a.1, 1a.2). Transport system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the contact bodies (1.1, 1.2) can be driven synchronously or counter-synchronously, - in particular the contact bodies (1.1, 1.2) are mechanically operatively connected to one another and can be moved, in particular pivoted, via a common contact body drive (9), - in particular the plurality of contact bodies (1.1, 1.2) are installed in a contact body cassette. Method for transporting products (P) by means of a transport system (100) with at least one transport vehicle (50) which has a contact body (1) with an adhesive-free, self-adhesive contact surface (3) which can be detached from the product (P) without leaving any residue, for contacting and holding the product (P), characterized in that - for holding the product (P), the product (P), in particular perpendicular to the contact surface (2), is brought into contact with the contact surface (2), in particular is pressed onto this contact surface (2), - for detaching the product (P), the contact body (1) is moved relative to the vehicle (50). (Detachment:) Procedure according to Claim 14 , characterized in that - to detach the product (P) the contact surface (3) is moved relative to the rest of the vehicle (50), - in particular in the case of several contact surfaces (3.1, 3.2), in particular spaced apart from one another, their contact bodies (1.1, 1.2), in particular simultaneously, are moved relative to the rest of the vehicle (50), in particular are pivoted about their normal (12). Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that - the movement of the contact surfaces (3.1, 3.2) takes place synchronously or counter-synchronously, - in particular using a single contact surface drive (9) per vehicle (50). (Cleaning:) Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that - the contact surface (3) is cleaned automatically and in particular regularly, in particular on the return path of its transport path, - in particular by showering with ionized gas, in particular ionized air and, if necessary, subsequent suction of the contaminants and/or - by detaching the contaminants from the fiber contact surfaces (13), in particular the micro-suction cups (4), by means of an adhesive surface (8) which has a higher adhesive force against dust particles than the contact surface (3), in particular after showering by means of the ion shower. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that - the cleaning takes place when the vehicle (50) is moving, - in particular when a vehicle (50), in particular a carriage (50) is moving along the lane of a, in particular finite, rail body (51), - in particular on the return journey of the, in particular unloaded, vehicle (50) with respect to its transport route.

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