EP0442248A1 - Monorail conveyor system and a motor-driven carriage for the system - Google Patents

Monorail conveyor system and a motor-driven carriage for the system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0442248A1
EP0442248A1 EP90830592A EP90830592A EP0442248A1 EP 0442248 A1 EP0442248 A1 EP 0442248A1 EP 90830592 A EP90830592 A EP 90830592A EP 90830592 A EP90830592 A EP 90830592A EP 0442248 A1 EP0442248 A1 EP 0442248A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
track
wheel
rail
carriage
wheels
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP90830592A
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German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Alessandro Gori
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Saf - Sistemi Automazioni Flessibili - SpA
Original Assignee
Saf - Sistemi Automazioni Flessibili - SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Saf - Sistemi Automazioni Flessibili - SpA filed Critical Saf - Sistemi Automazioni Flessibili - SpA
Publication of EP0442248A1 publication Critical patent/EP0442248A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B61B3/00—Elevated railway systems with suspended vehicles
    • B61B3/02—Elevated railway systems with suspended vehicles with self-propelled vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B61B13/00—Other railway systems
    • B61B13/04—Monorail systems
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
    • E01B25/00—Tracks for special kinds of railways
    • E01B25/22—Tracks for railways with the vehicle suspended from rigid supporting rails
    • E01B25/24—Supporting rails; Auxiliary balancing rails; Supports or connections for rails

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a motor-rail conveyor system including at least one motor-driven carriage having a drive wheel which rolls on a track of the rail.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system of the type specified at the beginning in which the carriage is able to reduce its own speed automatically on predetermined portions of the track.
  • this object is achieved by the provision of a conveyor system of the type defined above, characterised in that at least one portion of the rail has a second track alongside the first and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheel and in that the carriage has a second drive wheel fixed coaxially to the first for rolling on the second track, the second wheel having a rolling radius which is less than that of the first wheel and such that the sum of the rolling radius of the second wheel and the distance between the first and second tracks in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels is greater than the rolling radius of the first wheel.
  • the carriage moves at high speed by virtue of the engagement of the larger-diameter wheel with the first track.
  • the smaller-diameter drive wheel encounters and engages the second track and hence the carriage reduces speed automatically without the need to change the speed of rotation of the motor or the transmission ratio of the gear system.
  • the present invention relates to a motor-driven carriage for use in a monorail conveyor system, including a drive wheel intended to roll on a first track of the rail, characterised in that it includes a second drive wheel fixed coaxially to the first and having a rolling radius which is smaller than that of the latter, the second drive wheel being intended to roll on a second track of the rail alongside the first track and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels of the carriage.
  • Figure 1 shows part of an overhead monorail conveyor system in which the rail 2 extends along a flat portion 4, a connecting portion 6 and a rising portion 8.
  • a plurality of carriages 10 can run on the monorail and each of these has an electric motor 12, for example a three-phase induction motor, which drives the carriage along the monorail 2.
  • an electric motor 12 for example a three-phase induction motor, which drives the carriage along the monorail 2.
  • the rail 2 has a double-T section and is supported by a plurality of brackets 14.
  • a bar 16 On one side of the rail 2 is a bar 16 which is contacted by a plurality of brushes (not illustrated) carried by the carriage 10, the brushes carrying the electricity supply and any control signals to the electric motor 12.
  • Each carriage 10 includes a basic structure 18 which is generally C-shaped in cross-section.
  • a load-support structure 20 is articulated to the lower arm of the structure 18.
  • the upper part of the structure 18 carries a gearbox 22 (for example of the helical wheel and worm wheel type) on which the electric motor 12 is cantilevered.
  • a pair of drive wheels which are fixed coaxially together are keyed to the output shaft 24 of the gearbox 22 and are indicated 26 and 28 respectively.
  • the drive wheel 26 has a rolling radius R1 about twice that of the rolling radius R2 of the wheel 28.
  • the wheel 26 has a hub 30 keyed to the shaft 24 of the gearbox 22 by a key 32.
  • the hub 30 carries two circumferential bands 34, 36 of polyurethane material, preferably of the type known by the trade name VULKOLLAN, which constitute the wheels 26 and 28.
  • the rail beam 2 has an upper, active portion 38 with a width substantially equal to that of the two adjacent drive wheels 26, 28.
  • the active portion 38 of the beam 2 can be seen to include a first track 40 on which the drive wheel 26 will roll.
  • a profiled section 42 is located on the rail 2 and extends parallel to the first track 40.
  • the upper surface of the profiled section 42 constitutes a second track 44 on which the smaller-diameter wheel 28 is intended to roll.
  • the second track 44 is spaced from the first track 40 by distance H equal to the height of the profiled section 42.
  • the sum of the rolling radius R2 of the wheel 28 and the height h of the profiled section 42 is greater than the rolling radius R1 of the first wheel 26. Consequently, when the wheel 28 rolls on the second track 44, the larger-radius wheel 26 is inactive.
  • the profiled section 42 has an inclined connecting portion 46 at each end (only one of which is visible in the drawing) on which the changeover from one drive wheel to the other occurs.
  • Each carriage 10 also has a series of vertical-axis guide wheels 48 which bear against opposite sides of the rail 2.
  • the lower part of the carriage 10 carries a pair of wheels 50 which are spaced apart in the direction of the rail 2 and intended to bear against and to roll on a surface of the latter opposed to the active portion 38.
  • the carriages 10 move at high speed along the flat portions of the rail 2 since the larger-radius wheel 26 rolls on the first track 40 of the rail 2.
  • the smaller-radius wheel 28 encounters the profiled section 42, the velocity of the carriage 10 falls automatically although the rate of rotation of the electric motor 12 remains almost constant.
  • a relatively small-power motor suffices to drive the carriage and its load up the rising portions.

Abstract

A monorail conveyor system includes at least one motor-driven carriage (10) provided with two drive wheels (26,28) with different rolling radii fixed together coaxially. The smaller-diameter drive wheel (28) is intended to roll on a raised track (42) located in correspondence with rail portions in which it is necessary to reduce the speed of the carriage.

Description

  • The present invention relates to a motor-rail conveyor system including at least one motor-driven carriage having a drive wheel which rolls on a track of the rail.
  • In monorail conveyor systems, particularly overhead conveyor systems, there is a problem of changing the speed of the carriage on certain portions of the monorail, for example on rising sections or around bends. Indeed it is advantageous to reduce the speed of the carriage in order to allow the latter to travel up a rising portion without the need to provide the carriage with an excessively powerful electric motor which is consequently heavy and expensive.
  • The object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system of the type specified at the beginning in which the carriage is able to reduce its own speed automatically on predetermined portions of the track.
  • According to the present invention this object is achieved by the provision of a conveyor system of the type defined above, characterised in that at least one portion of the rail has a second track alongside the first and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheel and in that the carriage has a second drive wheel fixed coaxially to the first for rolling on the second track, the second wheel having a rolling radius which is less than that of the first wheel and such that the sum of the rolling radius of the second wheel and the distance between the first and second tracks in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels is greater than the rolling radius of the first wheel.
  • As will be explained in the description which follows, on flat portions, the carriage moves at high speed by virtue of the engagement of the larger-diameter wheel with the first track. On rising portions, on bends or wherever it is necessary to reduce the speed of the carriage, the smaller-diameter drive wheel encounters and engages the second track and hence the carriage reduces speed automatically without the need to change the speed of rotation of the motor or the transmission ratio of the gear system.
  • According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a motor-driven carriage for use in a monorail conveyor system, including a drive wheel intended to roll on a first track of the rail, characterised in that it includes a second drive wheel fixed coaxially to the first and having a rolling radius which is smaller than that of the latter, the second drive wheel being intended to roll on a second track of the rail alongside the first track and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels of the carriage.
  • Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:
    • Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of an overhead monorail conveyor system according to the present invention,
    • Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale, and
    • Figure 3 is a view taken on the arrow III of Figure 2.
  • Figure 1 shows part of an overhead monorail conveyor system in which the rail 2 extends along a flat portion 4, a connecting portion 6 and a rising portion 8.
  • A plurality of carriages 10 can run on the monorail and each of these has an electric motor 12, for example a three-phase induction motor, which drives the carriage along the monorail 2.
  • As can be seen in greater detail in Figure 2, the rail 2 has a double-T section and is supported by a plurality of brackets 14. On one side of the rail 2 is a bar 16 which is contacted by a plurality of brushes (not illustrated) carried by the carriage 10, the brushes carrying the electricity supply and any control signals to the electric motor 12. Each carriage 10 includes a basic structure 18 which is generally C-shaped in cross-section. As can be seen in Figure 1, a load-support structure 20 is articulated to the lower arm of the structure 18. The upper part of the structure 18 carries a gearbox 22 (for example of the helical wheel and worm wheel type) on which the electric motor 12 is cantilevered.
  • A pair of drive wheels which are fixed coaxially together are keyed to the output shaft 24 of the gearbox 22 and are indicated 26 and 28 respectively. The drive wheel 26 has a rolling radius R₁ about twice that of the rolling radius R₂ of the wheel 28. The wheel 26 has a hub 30 keyed to the shaft 24 of the gearbox 22 by a key 32. The hub 30 carries two circumferential bands 34, 36 of polyurethane material, preferably of the type known by the trade name VULKOLLAN, which constitute the wheels 26 and 28.
  • As can be seen in Figure 2, the rail beam 2 has an upper, active portion 38 with a width substantially equal to that of the two adjacent drive wheels 26, 28. The active portion 38 of the beam 2 can be seen to include a first track 40 on which the drive wheel 26 will roll. Along the rising portions of the rail 2, such as that indicated 8 in Figure 1, and also along the connecting portions 6, a profiled section 42 is located on the rail 2 and extends parallel to the first track 40. The upper surface of the profiled section 42 constitutes a second track 44 on which the smaller-diameter wheel 28 is intended to roll. The second track 44 is spaced from the first track 40 by distance H equal to the height of the profiled section 42. As seen in Figure 2, the sum of the rolling radius R₂ of the wheel 28 and the height h of the profiled section 42 is greater than the rolling radius R₁ of the first wheel 26. Consequently, when the wheel 28 rolls on the second track 44, the larger-radius wheel 26 is inactive. As seen in Figure 1, the profiled section 42 has an inclined connecting portion 46 at each end (only one of which is visible in the drawing) on which the changeover from one drive wheel to the other occurs.
  • Each carriage 10 also has a series of vertical-axis guide wheels 48 which bear against opposite sides of the rail 2. The lower part of the carriage 10 carries a pair of wheels 50 which are spaced apart in the direction of the rail 2 and intended to bear against and to roll on a surface of the latter opposed to the active portion 38.
  • The carriages 10 move at high speed along the flat portions of the rail 2 since the larger-radius wheel 26 rolls on the first track 40 of the rail 2. When the smaller-radius wheel 28 encounters the profiled section 42, the velocity of the carriage 10 falls automatically although the rate of rotation of the electric motor 12 remains almost constant. Thus, even a relatively small-power motor suffices to drive the carriage and its load up the rising portions.
  • Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the constructional details and forms of embodiment may be varied widely with respect of that described and illustrated without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (8)

  1. A monorail conveyor system including at least one motor-driven carriage (10) having a drive wheel (26) which rolls on a track (40) of the rail (2), characterised in that at least one portion (6, 8) of the rail (2) has a second track (44) alongside the first and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheel (26), and in that the carriage (10) has a second drive wheel (28) fixed coaxially to the first for rolling on the second track (44), the second wheel (28) having a rolling radius (R₂) which is less than that of the first wheel (26) and such that the sum of the rolling radius (R₂) of the second wheel (28) and the distance (h) between the first and second tracks (40, 44) in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels (26, 28) is greater than the rolling radius (R₁) of the first wheel (26).
  2. A system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the first and second wheels (26, 28) are side by side and in that the rail (2) has an active portion (28) with a width substantially equal to the width of the two adjacent drive wheels.
  3. A system according to Claim 2, characterised in that the said second track (44) is constituted by the upper surface of a profiled section (42) fixed to the rail (2) alongside the active portion of the latter which forms the first track (40).
  4. A system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the second track (44) is disposed in correspondance with rising portions of the monorail (2).
  5. A system according to Claim 3, characterised in that the profiled section (42) which forms the second track 44 has an inclined connecting portion(46)at each end.
  6. A motor-driven carriage for use in a monorail conveyor system, including a drive wheel (26) intended to roll on a first track (40) of the rail (2), characterised in that it includes a second drive wheel (28) fixed coaxially to the first and having a rolling radius (R₂) which is smaller than that of the latter, the second drive wheel (28) being intended to roll on a second track (44) of the rail (2) alongside the first track (40) and spaced therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels (26, 28) of the carriage (10).
  7. A carriage according to Claim 6, characterised in that the first wheel (26) has a hub (30) with an elongate portion on which the second wheel (28) is fixed.
  8. A carriage according to Claim 6, characterised in that it includes a basic structure (18) with a generally C-shaped, cross-section, which carries a series of guide wheels (48) with axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels (26, 28) for bearing against opposite sides of the rail (2), and in that it includes a pair of wheels (50) with axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive wheels (26, 28) for rolling against a surface of the rail (2) opposed to the said track (40, 44).
EP90830592A 1990-02-13 1990-12-18 Monorail conveyor system and a motor-driven carriage for the system Withdrawn EP0442248A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT6710590 1990-02-13
IT67105A IT1241172B (en) 1990-02-13 1990-02-13 SINGLE-RAIL TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND MOTORIZED TROLLEY FOR SUCH SYSTEM.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0442248A1 true EP0442248A1 (en) 1991-08-21

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Family Applications (1)

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EP90830592A Withdrawn EP0442248A1 (en) 1990-02-13 1990-12-18 Monorail conveyor system and a motor-driven carriage for the system

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP0442248A1 (en)
IT (1) IT1241172B (en)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0603985A1 (en) * 1992-12-23 1994-06-29 MANNESMANN Aktiengesellschaft Transportation line, in particular a monorail
FR2723349A1 (en) * 1994-08-02 1996-02-09 Langlois Peter Safety fender for motorised trolley on overhead conveyor
EP1035069A2 (en) 1999-03-11 2000-09-13 CESVIMAP- Centro de Experimentacion y Seguridad Vial Mapfre, S.A. Conveyor trolley for moving vehicles
EP1642797A1 (en) * 2003-07-07 2006-04-05 Senyo Kiko Co., Ltd. Carrying system
WO2008095634A1 (en) * 2007-02-05 2008-08-14 Swisslog Telelift Gmbh Rail-based conveyor system
CN102442318A (en) * 2011-12-12 2012-05-09 中山市金马科技娱乐设备有限公司 Suspended overhead sightseeing vehicle
US8339037B2 (en) 2004-03-26 2012-12-25 Panasonic Corporation Organic light emitting device with reduced angle dependency
KR20130131223A (en) * 2012-05-23 2013-12-03 가부시키가이샤 다이후쿠 Article transport facility
WO2014094943A1 (en) * 2012-12-18 2014-06-26 Sew-Eurodrive Gmbh & Co. Kg Rail system, comprising a rail vehicle that can be moved along a rail section
CN109624997A (en) * 2018-11-27 2019-04-16 山东康威通信技术股份有限公司 A kind of attachment device, robot ambulation system and robot hangar system

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE510916A (en) *
EP0070410A1 (en) * 1981-07-21 1983-01-26 Georg Uttscheid Electric suspended railway
DE3243914A1 (en) * 1982-11-25 1984-05-30 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München CHASSIS OF A CONVEYOR TROLLEY RUNNING ON PROFILE RAILS
DE3708175A1 (en) * 1987-03-13 1988-09-22 Zenith Maschf Gmbh Monorail railway for the suspended conveyance of loads

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE510916A (en) *
EP0070410A1 (en) * 1981-07-21 1983-01-26 Georg Uttscheid Electric suspended railway
DE3243914A1 (en) * 1982-11-25 1984-05-30 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München CHASSIS OF A CONVEYOR TROLLEY RUNNING ON PROFILE RAILS
DE3708175A1 (en) * 1987-03-13 1988-09-22 Zenith Maschf Gmbh Monorail railway for the suspended conveyance of loads

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0603985A1 (en) * 1992-12-23 1994-06-29 MANNESMANN Aktiengesellschaft Transportation line, in particular a monorail
FR2723349A1 (en) * 1994-08-02 1996-02-09 Langlois Peter Safety fender for motorised trolley on overhead conveyor
EP1035069A2 (en) 1999-03-11 2000-09-13 CESVIMAP- Centro de Experimentacion y Seguridad Vial Mapfre, S.A. Conveyor trolley for moving vehicles
EP1642797A1 (en) * 2003-07-07 2006-04-05 Senyo Kiko Co., Ltd. Carrying system
EP1642797A4 (en) * 2003-07-07 2007-11-14 Senyo Kiko Co Ltd Carrying system
US9018834B2 (en) 2004-03-26 2015-04-28 Panasonic Corporation Organic light emitting device
US8339037B2 (en) 2004-03-26 2012-12-25 Panasonic Corporation Organic light emitting device with reduced angle dependency
WO2008095634A1 (en) * 2007-02-05 2008-08-14 Swisslog Telelift Gmbh Rail-based conveyor system
CN102442318A (en) * 2011-12-12 2012-05-09 中山市金马科技娱乐设备有限公司 Suspended overhead sightseeing vehicle
KR20130131223A (en) * 2012-05-23 2013-12-03 가부시키가이샤 다이후쿠 Article transport facility
CN103419794B (en) * 2012-05-23 2017-04-12 株式会社大福 Article transport facility
WO2014094943A1 (en) * 2012-12-18 2014-06-26 Sew-Eurodrive Gmbh & Co. Kg Rail system, comprising a rail vehicle that can be moved along a rail section
CN104812651A (en) * 2012-12-18 2015-07-29 索尤若驱动有限及两合公司 Rail system, comprising a rail vehicle that can be moved along a rail section
CN104812651B (en) * 2012-12-18 2017-04-05 索尤若驱动有限及两合公司 Including the rail system of the rail vehicle that can be moved along track section
US9834227B2 (en) 2012-12-18 2017-12-05 Sew-Eurodrive Gmbh & Co. Kg Rail system, including a rail-bound vehicle movable along a rail track
CN109624997A (en) * 2018-11-27 2019-04-16 山东康威通信技术股份有限公司 A kind of attachment device, robot ambulation system and robot hangar system
CN109624997B (en) * 2018-11-27 2019-12-10 山东康威通信技术股份有限公司 Connecting device, robot walking system and robot suspension system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1241172B (en) 1993-12-29
IT9067105A1 (en) 1991-08-13
IT9067105A0 (en) 1990-02-13

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