EP0944544A1

EP0944544A1 - Method and device for conveying individually held products

Info

Publication number: EP0944544A1
Application number: EP97913069A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carl Conrad Maeder
Original assignee: Ferag AG
Current assignee: Ferag AG
Priority date: 1996-12-13
Filing date: 1997-11-26
Publication date: 1999-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-26
Also published as: BR9713578A; US20010030105A1; AU740456B2; DE59705111D1; EP0944544B1; NO992792D0; ES2167724T3; ATE207446T1; NO312952B1; EP0944544B2; NO992792L; CA2274808C; US6302262B1; US6382397B2; CN1093832C; JP2001505859A; JP4030071B2; WO1998025845A1; CN1246100A; AU5045998A

Abstract

According to the inventive method of conveyance of individually held products (3) in a network of conveyor segments (A, B), a holding element (4) is allocated to each product (3). Said holding element (4) holds the product (3) during the entire predetermined path of conveyance by transporting it along different conveyor segments (A, B). Each holding element (4) has at least one first coupling member (1), which enables the holding element (4) to be coupled to conveyor elements having two coupling members (2) and moving along a specific conveyor segment (A, B) or which can be connected to guides extending along the conveyor segments. Control devices (a, b) are provided at delivery points (U) by means of which the holding elements (4) can be decoupled from the conveyor elements or the guides of a first conveyor segment (A) and the holding elements (4) can be coupled to the conveyor elements or guides of a second conveyor segment (B).

Description

METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR DEMANDING INDJTVIDUELL

HOLDED PRODUCTS

The invention is in the field of conveyor technology and relates to a method for conveying individually held products according to the preamble of the first independent claim, and an arrangement for carrying out the method according to the preamble of the corresponding independent claim.

The products to be considered in the following are funded individually, possibly individually, essentially continuously supported by a network of conveyor lines. This conveying brings the products, for example, from a manufacturing process to stations in which they are processed individually, or they are conveyed from one processing station to another processing station or through processing stations in which they are processed during the continuous conveying. An example of products to be handled in this way are printed products which, starting from the printing press, are further processed by various processing stations and made ready for dispatch. It is known to individually convey printed products by holding each of the products by a gripper or other suitable holding means. For this purpose, for example, a multiplicity of grippers or holding means is attached to a pull chain and the pull chain is driven and guided in such a way that the products held by the grippers or holding means are conveyed in a predetermined manner over a predetermined conveying path. At points where all or individual products of such a flow are to be directed from a first to a second conveyor line, the two conveyor lines are arranged relative to one another in such a way that the products are taken over by the holding means of the second conveyor line, usually without interrupting the continuous conveyance can be released from the holding means of the first conveyor line. Control means are thus provided on both transfer paths involved at a transfer point, with which all or some of the holding means are activated (brought into a holding configuration) or deactivated (from the holding configuration into a non-holding configuration).

Arrangements are also known in which the hardening means which can be moved along a conveying path are connected to one another in such a way that the distances between the holding means are variable. In such arrangements, transfer points, as described above, are also equipped with control means for activating or deactivating the holding means and additionally have means for synchronizing the transferring and the receiving holding means.

The arrangements described above for the conveyance of piece goods are particularly suitable for product flows which are conveyed with essentially unchanged product sequences over longer conveying distances. The arrangement Solutions are robust and easy to operate, even with very high conveying capacities, and the return of the holding means can be implemented on a simple reverse run without specific control.

Particularly for products to be conveyed that are easily mechanically damaged and have only a low level of inherent rigidity, complex guide means must be provided at the transfer points so that the products are not damaged during the transfer, and it must be ensured that the movements of Transferring and receiving holding means are very precisely synchronized with one another, with the guide means and synchronization having to be adapted to each type of product to be conveyed (product format). Conveyor systems of this type are therefore advantageously designed with as few transfer points as possible.

Conveyor systems are also known which have holding means which are independent of one another and movable along conveying lines, that is to say holding means which are not connected to one another. Such arrangements are particularly suitable for conveying methods with product-specific conveying paths, wherein guide systems with product-specific controllable branching and merging points are provided for guiding the movement of the holding means. Conveyor systems of this type can be operated very flexibly, but are rather complex in terms of control and drive means. Correspondingly controllable guide systems must also be provided for the return of the holding means.

The object of the invention is now to demonstrate a method for the promotion of individually kept products which combines the advantages of the systems described above but largely eliminates their disadvantages. In particular, the process should be largely independent of shape variations with regard to the products to be conveyed, it should also be applicable for very high conveying capacities and it should be adaptable to a wide variety of conveying tasks better than known processes of this type in various areas by which the products are to be conveyed. Furthermore, it is the object of the invention to create an arrangement for carrying out the method, which arrangement can be easily adapted to a wide variety of local conveying tasks and can also be easily expanded.

This object is achieved by the method and the arrangement as defined by the claims.

The method according to the invention is based on assigning a holding element to each product to be conveyed, which holding element holds the product in a defined manner and which holding element covers the entire conveying path predetermined for the product, which conveying path consists of a series of conveying paths. For the conveying, the holding elements are coupled to parts which can be moved along a specific conveying path or to guides which extend along a specific conveying path.

A network of defined conveyor lines and a large number of holding elements are therefore provided. The holding elements each have at least one first coupling part, with the aid of which they can be coupled to second coupling parts, each second coupling part being essentially assigned to a specific conveying path and being movable along this. According to a further method variant, the holding elements can also be used The first coupling parts can also be coupled to guides that extend along a conveyor line.

For conveying along a conveying path, a product to be conveyed is held by a holding element and the holding element is coupled with the aid of the first coupling part to a second coupling part which can be moved along the conveying path or to a guide which extends along the conveying path, the coupling part or a conveying element, on which it is arranged, or the holding element is driven by suitable means. In transfer areas, that is to say at points where the product is conveyed from one conveyor line to another conveyor line, the holding element is decoupled from the second coupling part or the corresponding guide that can be moved on one conveyor line and to a second coupling part or coupled to a corresponding guide, whereby this handover can affect all products of a stream or only individual ones.

On the one hand, the advantage of the method is that the products to be conveyed only have to be gripped once, which significantly reduces the risk of damage and which makes the method largely independent of the exact shape of the products. On the other hand, the second coupling parts which can be moved on conveyor lines can be moved in very different ways, depending on the conveying task of a specific conveyor line of an intended network of conveyor lines. The second coupling parts can, for example, be arranged on conveyor chains in an equidistant manner. If holding elements are coupled to such a conveyor chain, their function corresponds to that of a known conveyor chain as described at the beginning. The second coupling parts can also be arranged on links of chains with variable link spacing, or they can be on completely conveyor elements movable independently of one another. Depending on the way in which the second coupling parts can be moved along a specific conveying path, corresponding drive means are also to be designed and arranged.

In addition to the conveyor sections with second coupling parts movable thereon, conveyor sections can also be provided in an arrangement according to the invention, on which the holding elements can be moved without coupling, for example by virtue of the fact that their first coupling parts slide in appropriately designed guides, for example driven by gravity. Such additional conveying sections are particularly suitable for non-continuous conveying, for example for buffer sections and for return sections.

A further advantage of the method and the arrangement according to the invention is that in processes in which it is advantageous to identify the products individually, the means for identification cannot be arranged on the products themselves but on the holding elements and therefore not the conveyor system leave with the products, but circulate in the system with the holding elements. Such means of identification are, for example, electronic units which can be written to and read from without contact.

Different, exemplary variants of the method according to the invention and different, exemplary embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention and embodiments of details thereof are described in more detail in connection with the following figures. Show: 1 shows a transfer area as an illustration of a first exemplary method variant;

Figures 2 to 4 exemplary holding elements with first coupling parts and corresponding second coupling parts for performing the method variant according to Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows an example of an additional conveyor line for holding elements according to Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows an example of the synchronization of funding in a transfer area;

FIGS. 7 to 10 further transfer areas for the process variant according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 shows a transfer area to illustrate a second exemplary method variant;

FIGS. 12 and 13 exemplary holding elements with first coupling parts and corresponding second coupling parts for carrying out the method variant according to FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 shows a transfer area to illustrate a third exemplary method variant.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a first exemplary variant of the method according to the invention using a very limited network with only two conveyor sections A and B in a transfer area U and its immediate surroundings. The two conveyor lines are shown schematically by lines shown with arrow (conveying direction). Second coupling parts 2, which are shown schematically as white squares, can be moved on the two conveyor lines. Furthermore, first coupling parts 1 are shown schematically as black circles. A first coupling part 1 is arranged on a holding element (not shown), which holding element holds a product 3. The product (seen from the back in FIG. 1) is, for example, a printed product, that is to say a newspaper, a magazine or a brochure or an intermediate product for one of the products mentioned.

The illustration in FIG. 1 can be understood, for example, as a bird's eye view, that is to say the conveying sections A and B, coupling parts 1 and 2, and the holding elements are arranged above the products 3 suspended from the conveyor. However, the representation can equally well be understood as a side view, that is to say the products 3 are held on the side, the conveying path A comes from above and the conveying path B goes downward. Mixed forms are also easily conceivable.

On the conveyor line B, the second coupling parts 2 are moved at constant distances from one another, for example arranged on chain links connected in an articulated manner. On the conveyor section A, the second coupling parts 2 have no constant distances from one another, that is to say they are arranged, for example, on conveyor elements which are loosely connected to one another or on individual conveyor elements. For this reason, synchronization means (not shown) are to be provided for the transfer area U, with the hooves of which the second clutch parts 2 on the conveyor section A are synchronized with the second clutch parts 2 on the conveyor section B at least in the transfer area U, or are clocked into the transfer area. For transferring equidistant links of a chain to links with The chain drives must be synchronized accordingly at the same intervals of another chain.

The holding elements with the first coupling parts 1 are coupled on the feed side (in the figure on the left) to the transfer area U to the second coupling parts 2 which can be moved on the conveyor section A. In the transfer area, in which the second coupling parts 2 of the two conveying sections A and B are moved parallel to one another and synchronized with one another, each first coupling part 1 is decoupled from the corresponding second coupling part 2 of the conveying section A, moved transversely to the conveying direction (arrow Q) and to a second Coupling part 2 of conveyor section B coupled. On the conveying side (on the right in the figure) of the transfer area U, the holding elements or first coupling parts 1 are coupled to second coupling parts 2 on the conveying path B and are conveyed further on this.

In the transfer area U, in addition to synchronization means for the synchronization of the second coupling parts 2 of the two conveying sections A and B, means are provided through which the movement of the holding elements or the first coupling parts 1 are moved transversely to the conveying direction (Pfeü Q), for example corresponding movement backdrops, as indicated by the dash-dotted lines a and b. For a specific transfer, in which not all holding elements with products but only specific ones are to be transferred, the means for the transverse movement must be designed to be controllable accordingly. In appropriate arrangements, gravity can also be used as a means for transverse movement.

Advantageously, locking means are also provided, with the aid of which two coupled coupling parts 1 and 2 are locked together become. Corresponding control means must also be provided in the transfer area U for the activation or deactivation of the locking means.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an exemplary embodiment of a holding element 4 with a first coupling part 1 and a conveying element 5, which can be moved in a guide 6 (defined conveying path) and on which a second coupling part 2 is arranged. The holding element 4 and the conveying element 5 are shown in FIG. 2 with a viewing direction transverse to the conveying direction, in FIG. 3 with a back direction parallel to the conveying direction. Holding elements 4 and conveying elements 5 equipped according to FIGS. 2 and 3 can be used in a method variant according to FIG. 1.

The pair of mutually cooperating coupling parts (1/2) shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 consists of a part with a groove 11 narrowing towards the outside and a comb 12 with a narrowed neck region 13, groove 11 and comb 12 coordinated cross sections have and run at least in a takeover area essentially transversely to the conveying direction, such that the comb 12 can be pushed out of the groove 11 transversely to the conveying direction. In the example shown, the groove 11 is arranged on the holding element 4 and the comb 12 on the conveying element 5. It could also be the other way around.

The holding element 4 has, for example, a gripper 41 with which a printed product 3 is gripped and held. Such grippers are generally known, for example from the publication CH-569197 or US-3948551 (F62). The conveying element 5 has, for example, two groups of three balls 51, with the aid of which it is in a corresponding guide channel 61 is roUend movable. Such conveyor elements 5 are described in PubUkation EP-0387318 and US-5074678.

In a transfer area, two guide channels 61 are guided in parallel to one another and the conveying elements 5 are synchronized in such a way that a pair of conveying elements with combs 12 aligned with one another are always conveyed through the transfer area. The distance between the guide channels 61 in the transfer area is selected such that the distance between two combs 12 moving synchronously through the transfer area and two synchronously moving conveying elements 5 is smaller than the length of a groove 11 of a holding element 4. In FIG In this transfer area, the holding element 4 can be pushed from the comb 12 of one conveying element 5 onto the comb 12 of the other conveying element 5, these means being able to push all of the holding elements conveyed through the transfer area or being controllable such that they only push specific ones of the holding means. These means are, for example, motion scenes or magnet systems, which are particularly suitable as controllable means.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of holding elements 4 and conveying elements 5, which can be coupled to one another by a pair of coupling parts (1 and 2) as a representation of a further transfer area through which three conveyor sections A, B and C lead (view parallel to FIG Direction of conveyance). The holding element 4 in turn has a gripper 41 which holds a product 3 and which can be activated or deactivated by means of control channels 42 for gripping a product or releasing it. The conveying element 5 is a link in a link chain which can be moved on rollers 52 in a guide channel 61. A comb 12 is arranged on the holding element 4 as the first coupling part 1, and a groove 11 is arranged on the conveying element 5 as the second coupling part 2 (coupling parts exchanged with respect to the embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3). As can be seen from the detailed view F transversely to the conveying direction, the groove 11 consists of a pipe segment and the head part of the comb 12 consists of a pipe, the outside diameter of which is matched to the inside diameter of the pipe segment.

The holding element 4 also has control grooves 43 which roll for pushing the comb 12 from the groove 11 of a conveying element 5 into the groove of another conveying element on correspondingly arranged scenes (not shown).

FIG. 5 shows how a holding element 4 can be moved along an additional conveyor section G, which additional conveyor section has no second coupling parts. The holding element 4 essentially corresponds to the holding element of FIG. 4 and is equipped with control rollers 43 and with a comb 12 as the first clutch part 1. The comb 12, which is used for coupling to a second coupling part, has a neck region 13 which extends only over a central part of the comb length, so that the lateral regions of the comb 12 are free pipe ends. With these free tube ends, the holding element 4 can slide on both sides in corresponding, for example U-shaped guide rails 62, which can represent a further conveying variant for a specific area (for example a buffer section) of an inventive conveying arrangement. A return path for empty holding elements can also be implemented in such a manner, the holding elements advantageously being driven by gravity or by other drive means, for example, pushing. FIG. 6 schematically shows a further transfer area U with two conveyor sections A and B. In this transfer area there are again holding elements, of which only the first coupling parts are shown in the form of combs, in corresponding grooves 11 of conveyor elements 5.1 of the conveyor section A in grooves 11 of Conveying elements 5.2 of the conveying path B are displaceable, the grooves 11 and combs 12 extending at least essentially in the transfer area U transversely to the conveying direction.

The conveying elements 5.1, which can be moved on the conveying path A, are connected to one another in a chain in such a way that their spacings are invariable. The conveying elements 5.2 are free, that is to say elements that are not connected to one another. The conveying elements 5.1 and 5.2 are designed for automatic synchronization. For this purpose, the chain of conveying elements 5.1 has concave docking units 53 between the conveying elements, into which convex docking units 54 of the conveying elements 5.2 fit. The free conveying elements 5.2 are now guided against the chain of conveying elements 5.1 in such a way that a convex docking unit 54 of a free conveying element 5.2 is docked in a concave docking unit 53 between two connected conveying elements 5.1 in a form-fit manner. Docked in this way, the free conveying elements 5.2 are conveyed via the connected and driven conveying elements 5.1 at least over the transfer area U, while holding elements are pushed, for example, from the connected conveying elements 5.1 onto the free conveying elements 5.2, as is shown in FIG. 6.

Figure 7 shows another example of an arrangement for performing the

Process variant according to FIG. 1 a part of a network of conveyor lines. Parts of three conveyor lines A, B and C are shown and two

Transfer areas U. The conveyor elements of conveyor sections A and C speak the conveying elements, as described in connection with Figure 6. The conveying elements of the conveying section C are cells 56 arranged on a rotating wheel 55, which, as second coupling parts 2, have, for example, a groove 11 into which first coupling parts 1, for example combs 12, can be inserted.

FIG. 8 shows a further variant of a transfer area which is operated essentially according to the same method variant as the transfer area of FIG. 1. Again two conveyor sections A and B are shown on which second coupling parts 2 (white squares) can be moved. A plurality of transverse conveyor elements 7 (shown schematically by white rectangles) are arranged between the two conveyor sections A and B, and can be moved along a third conveyor section D in synchronization with the conveyor elements of the conveyor sections A and B. In a first handover U1, the holding elements (only first coupling parts 1 shown as black circles) with the products 3 are each transferred to a transverse conveying element 7 by decoupling the first coupling part 1 of the holding element from the coupling part 2 of the conveyor section A and being pushed onto the transverse conveying element 7 . The transverse conveying element 7 differs from the conveying element in that instead of a second coupling element 2 it has a guide on which the first coupling element 1 of the holding element can essentially be displaced transversely to the general conveying direction.

On the other side of the transverse conveying element 7, the first coupling part 1 of the holding element is coupled in a second transfer U.2 to a second coupling part 2 of the conveying path B and conveyed away along the conveying path B. As a drive for the cross-conveying in the cross-conveying elements 7, a control link (shown schematically by the dash-dotted line a) can be provided, which control kisses can also control the two transfers U1 and U.2. However, it is also conceivable that the transverse conveyor elements 7 are specially equipped with appropriate drive means for the transverse conveyor of the holding elements. The conveying of holding means and products in the transverse conveying elements 7 can, as shown in FIG. 8, be continuous or a standstill can also be provided.

FIG. 9 shows the same transfer area as FIG. 8 as a three-dimensional representation. Only first coupling parts 1, second coupling parts 2 of the conveying sections A and B and a transverse guide 71 of a transverse conveying element are shown. The coupling parts 1 and 2 correspond to the coupling parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The transverse guide 71 of the transverse conveyor element is essentially a comb 12 with a narrowed neck region 13 with the same cross section as the comb 12 of the second coupling part 2, but is usually longer than this.

FIG. 10 schematically shows an application of the transfer area with transverse conveying, as has already been described in connection with FIGS. 8 and 9. In this case, the transverse conveying elements 7 are axially extending sections 72 of a processing drum 73. The product-feeding conveying path A, the drum 73 and the product-conveying conveying path B are staggered one behind the other perpendicular to the paper plane of FIG. 10, such that the transverse conveying essentially runs perpendicular to the plane of the paper and the first transfer U1 is carried out in a front axial region of the drum 73, the second transfer U.2 is carried out in a rear axial part of the drum. The products 3 are held by grippers 41 by means of first coupling parts 1 coupled to second coupling parts 2 and conveyed along the conveying path A. In a first transfer U 1 on one end face of the drum 73, the first coupling parts 1 are decoupled from the second coupling parts 2 and the products, together with holding elements (grippers 41 and first coupling part 1), are pushed into a respective part 72 of the drum 73, or each first Coupling part 1 is pushed onto a transverse guide 71, which is provided on the bottom of each compartment 72. While the drum is rotating (Pfeü D), the holding elements are, for example, moved further along the transverse guides 71 in the axial direction of the drum 73 and the products 3 are conveyed, for example, by a processing station 74 and processed therein. Thereafter, in a second transfer U.2 on the other end face of the drum 73, the processed products are held by the grippers 41 by means of the first coupling parts 1 coupled to second coupling parts of the conveyor section B and conveyed away.

Arrangements in which, as shown in FIG. 10, the products are processed during the transverse conveyance are also conceivable with circulation systems or other similar devices for controlling the drum 73.

FIG. 11 shows a further exemplary variant of the method according to the invention on the basis of a transfer area U through which two conveyor lines A and B are guided. This method variant differs from the method variant according to FIGS. 1 and 8 in that the holding elements 4 each have at least two first coupling parts 1, wherein they are coupled to a second coupling part for conveying with one of the first coupling parts. As can be seen from FIG. 11, the transverse movement Q of the holding elements 4 when transferring is unnecessary with such a method variant. If, however, cross-conveyance is to be provided, for example for the purpose of processing in the sense of FIGS. 8 to 10, the holding elements are additionally to be equipped with corresponding coupling elements necessary for the cross-conveyance, so essentially holding elements are to be constructed which both according to the first method variant (FIG 1) and also according to the second method variant (FIG. 11) can be used.

FIG. 12 shows a viewing area parallel to the conveying direction, in which, according to the second method variant (FIG. 11), holding elements 4 with products 3 can be transferred from a conveying section A to a conveying section B (or vice versa).

The first coupling parts 1, of which each holding element 4 has two, are in the form of connecting pieces 14, which are arranged on the holding element 4, aligned in opposite directions. The second coupling parts 2 arranged on conveying elements 5 which can be moved along the conveying paths are coupling grippers 15 which are designed for gripping connecting pieces 14.

Control means are to be provided in the transfer area with which the clutch grippers 15 can be activated or deactivated. Grippers and control means for activating or deactivating them are known to those skilled in the art from conveyor systems according to the prior art, with which grippers products are gripped and held. Such grippers are to be adapted accordingly for a function as second coupling parts 2 (coupling gripper). Control of connecting piece 14 and grippers 15 can be used as first coupling parts 1 and second coupling parts 2 in the method variant according to FIG. 11, a wide variety of known coupling parts which can be controlled accordingly in a transfer area.

FIG. 13 shows a further variant of first and second coupling parts for the method variant according to FIG. 11. Again, a transfer area with two conveyor sections A and B is shown (reverse direction parallel to the conveying direction), which defines conveyor sections by a guide 63 each extending along the conveyor section are. The first coupling parts 1 of the holding elements 4 are as runners which can be coupled to the guide rail and slide or roll on it. The guide 63 thus not only defines the conveying section but is at the same time a second coupling part 2 for each holding element 4 to be conveyed along the conveying section, a different area of the guide serving as a second coupling part at each location of the conveying section and the coupling being thereby movable along the conveying section .

Each holding element 4 has two first clutch parts 1 in the form of runners 16 which can be coupled to the guide 63. In the depicted FaU, the runners 16 consist of two runners 16.1 and 16.2, which can be brought into a closed state around the guide 63 and into an open state with suitable control means and possibly with reverse control means. The runners 16 roll, for example, as shown on rollers 20 on the guide 63 or they slide on it.

Embodiments are also conceivable in which the guide 63 is at the same time a drive means, ie is moved along the conveying path, and the first clutch parts 1 are not lined up as runners but as clamping parts, with the aid of which the holding elements 4 can be clamped onto the guide.

FIG. 14 again shows a third variant of the method according to the invention on the basis of a representation of a transfer area. Two conveyor sections A and B are shown very schematically with guide channels 61, conveyor elements 5 being movable in the guide channels 61, as shown in more detail in FIG. 4. Second coupling parts 2 are arranged on the conveying elements and have an opening 17 oriented transversely to the conveying direction. The holding element 4 has a continuous same opening 17. The first coupling part 1 is a bolt 18 which has a cross section which is matched to the openings 17 and which can be displaced transversely to the conveying direction (arrow Q) in these openings. Depending on the sliding position of the bolt 18, the holding element is coupled to a conveying element 5 which can be moved on the conveying path A or to a conveying element 5 which is movable on the conveying path B.

Instead of openings 17, correspondingly extending grooves narrowing towards the outside could also be provided.

Appropriately controllable electromagnets 19 can be used as drive means for the transverse movement Q of the bolt 18, which in this case consists at least partially of a magnetic material.

The method variant according to FIG. 14, in which a first coupling element that can be moved transversely to the conveying direction is used, is a variant, which is between the variants according to FIGS. 1 and 11. Although the holding element 4 has only a first coupling part 1 or pin 18 (variant FIG. 1), the holding element 4 is not displaced transversely to the conveying direction during the transfer (variant FIG. 11).

In the present description of the method and the arrangement according to the invention, detailed descriptions of drive means and control means have been dispensed with. Such means are known to the person skilled in the art from conveyor systems in which products are conveyed without holding elements assigned to them. It is easily possible for a person skilled in the art to adapt these means for the method described here and the corresponding arrangement.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A method for conveying a large number of at least similar products (3) in a network of conveyor lines (A, B, C), the products (3) being held individually during the conveying, characterized in that the products (3) are each supported by a holding element (4), the holding elements (4) being held along

Conveyor line (A, B, C) movable conveyor elements (5) or on guides (63) running along a conveyor line (A, B, C), and that for transferring the products (3) from a conveyor line (A) Another conveyor section (B) decouples the holding elements (4) from the conveyor elements (5) or guides (63) of one conveyor section (A) and is coupled to the conveyor elements or guides of the other conveyor section (B).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that all or specific individual elements are transferred to the other conveyor line (B) from holding elements (4) conveyed along a conveyor line (A) into a transfer area (U).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products (3) for conveying the products (3) are coupled to conveying elements (5) movable along a conveying path (A, B) and that in a transfer area (U) the conveyor elements (5) are moved in parallel and synchronously by two conveyor lines (A, B) and the holding elements (4) by a conveyor element (5) a conveyor section (A) on a conveyor element (5) of the other conveyor section (B) are displaced substantially transversely to the conveying direction.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding the products (3) holding elements (4) for conveying along a conveying path (A, B) are coupled to conveying elements (5) movable along this conveying path and in that they are in one Transfer area in a first transfer (Ul) from the conveyor elements (5) on the first conveyor section (A) to the conveyor elements (5) parallel and synchronously moving transverse conveyor elements (7) are pushed and that in a second transfer (U.2) parallel and synchronously moving conveying elements (5) of a second conveying path (B) are pushed with the transverse conveying elements (7).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products in the transverse conveying elements (7) are displaced and / or processed essentially transversely to the conveying directions of the first and second conveying sections (A, B).

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products (3) for conveying the products (3) are coupled to conveying elements (5) movable along a conveying path (A, B), in that a transfer area (U) the conveying elements (5) are moved parallel and synchronously in the first and a second conveying section (A, B) and that the holding elements (4) are coupled to a conveying element (5) of the first conveying section (A) in the transfer area (U) are then moved on a conveyor element (5) of the two th conveyor line (B) are coupled and then decoupled from the conveyor element (5) of the first conveyor line (A).

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products (3) for conveying the products (3) are coupled to a guide (63) extending along a conveying path (A, B) that in a transfer area (U) the guides (63) of a first and a second conveying section (A, B) run in parallel and that the holding elements (4) on the guide (63) of the first

Coupled conveyor section (A) are moved into the transfer area (U), then coupled to the guide (63) of the second conveyor section (B) and then decoupled from the guide (63) of the first conveyor section (A).

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products (3) for conveying the products (3) are coupled to conveying elements (5) movable along a conveying path (A, B) and that in a transfer area (U) the conveyor elements (5) are moved in parallel and synchronously by two conveyor lines (A, B) and for decoupling and subsequent coupling of the holding element (4) a coupling element effecting the coupling of the holding element (4) to a conveying element (5) (18) from a conveyor element (5) of one conveyor section (A) to a conveyor element (5) of the other conveyor section (B) is moved transversely to the conveying direction.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the products (3) holding the holding elements (4) on additional Conveyor lines (G) are promoted, whereby they slide in corresponding guides (62).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the holding elements (4) holding the products (3) are conveyed on the conveyor lines (A, B, C) with constant or with variable intervals.

11. Arrangement for carrying out the method according to claim 1, which arrangement has a network of defined conveying sections (A, B, C) and holding means movable along the conveying sections for holding conveying of the products (3) along the conveying sections, characterized in that the network of conveyor lines along the conveyor lines

(A, B, C) movable conveying elements (5) or guides (63) extending along the conveying sections (A, B, C), that the network of conveying sections also has transfer areas (U) in which at least two conveying sections ( A, B, C) run paraüel and that the movable on the conveyor lines (A, B, C) holding means from on

Conveying elements (5) or holding elements (4) coupled to guides (63) exist, control means (a, b, 43, 19) being provided in the transfer areas (U) for decoupling holding elements (4) from conveying elements (5) or guides (63) of a first conveyor section (A) and for coupling the holding elements (4) to conveyor elements (5) or guides (63) of a second conveyor section (B).

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the holding elements (4) have at least one first coupling part (1) and that the conveyor elements which can be moved along conveyor lines (A, B, C) elements have a second clutch part (2), that with the help of a first and a second clutch part (1, 2) a holding element (4) can be coupled to a conveying element (5) and that in transfer areas (U) control means (a, b, 43) are provided for coupling or decoupling first and second coupling parts (1, 2).

13. Arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the first and the second clutch parts (1, 2) have a groove (11) which can be directed at least in a transfer region (U) transversely to the conveying direction and narrows towards the outside and a Groove (11) are directional comb (12) with a narrowed neck area (13) and that control means (a, b, 43) are provided in transfer areas (U) with which grooves or combs arranged on holding elements (4) are essentially transverse to the Direction of conveyance are displaceable.

14. Arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that transverse conveyor elements (7) are provided in transfer areas between conveyor lines (A, B), which are parallel to the conveyor lines (A, at least) for a first and a second transfer (U1, U.2). B) are movable and contain transverse guides (71) for guiding holding elements (4) essentially transversely to the conveying direction, and that control means are provided with which grooves (11) arranged on holding elements (4) in a first transfer (U1) or combs (12) in the transverse guides (71) of

Cross conveyor elements (7) and in a second transfer (U.2) of transverse guides (71) of transverse conveyor elements (7) can be pushed away.

15. The arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the holding elements (4) have at least two first coupling parts (1) and that Control means are provided in transfer areas (U) for decoupling the first coupling element (1) from a second coupling element (2) of a conveying element (5) on a first conveying path (A) and for coupling the other first coupling part (1) to a second coupling element (2) a conveyor element (5) of a second conveyor section (B).

16. The arrangement according to claim 15, characterized in that the first coupling part (1) is a connecting piece (14) and the second coupling part (2) is a coupling gripper (15).

17. The arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the first coupling parts (1) of the holding elements (4) relative to the holding elements (4) are displaceable and that in transfer areas (U) control means

(19) for shifting the first coupling parts (1) are provided.

18. Arrangement according to claim 17, characterized in that the first coupling part (1) is a bolt (18) which can be displaced in a corresponding opening (17) of the holding element (4) and that the second coupling part (2) has a corresponding opening (17). or has groove.

19. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 18, characterized in that the conveying elements (5) are articulated chain links with unchangeable, equal distances, that the conveying elements (5) are flexibly connected chain links with variable distances and / or that Conveyor elements (5) are not connected to one another and can be moved individually along conveyor lines.

20. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 19, characterized in that the conveying elements (5) of at least part of the conveying lines are ZeUen (56) of a cellular wheel (55).

21. Arrangement according to one of claims 12 to 20, characterized in that additional conveyor sections (G) are provided, along which guides (62) extend, in which holding elements (4) can be moved in a sliding or rolling manner.

22. The arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that the holding elements (4) have at least two first coupling parts (1) with which they extend along guide paths (A, B, C)

Guides (63) can be coupled, and that control means for activating one and for deactivating the other of the at least two first coupling parts (1) are provided in transfer areas (U).

23. The arrangement according to claim 22, characterized in that the first clutch parts (1) are two-part runners (16), the two rotor parts (16.1 and 16.2) being closable about the guide (63).