EP0961746A1

EP0961746A1 - Transportation system including load carriers and transportation device

Info

Publication number: EP0961746A1
Application number: EP96921192A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lars Björkholm
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-20
Filing date: 1996-06-18
Publication date: 1999-12-08
Also published as: SE9502238L; SE504061C2; AU6247096A; WO1997000823A1; SE9502238D0

Abstract

A conveyor system, comprising a plurality of cargo carriers (24) and conveyors for carrying and transporting goods. Each conveyor has two guiding means (1), with a gap between them, for conveyor chains forming endless loops, which are propelled via a driving means. The chain is formed by a plurality of driving means (6) and connection means (7) which ties the driving means together with each other. The guiding means governs the position of the chain by having a groove, through which the chain is intended to run and be guided by inwardly facing gliding surfaces for the chain, adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the driving means. The cargo carriers (24) are constructed from principally disc-shaped carriers held in the gap between two guiding means. The cargo carriers have a carrying surface (25) which is positioned in the gap and an edge part along two of the sides of the cargo carrier. Each end part has, on one hand, a supporting surface (34) facing downwards with which the cargo carrier is held by the conveyor and transported by it, on the other, an outwardly facing guiding surface (36) which, through cooperation with the sideways facing edge surface (21) of the profile beam, laterally guides the cargo carrier.

Description

Transportation system including load carriers and transportation device

The present invention relates to a transport system according to the preamble of the enclosed claim 1.

The object of the present invention is to provide a transport system, with which a volume-wise large cargo capacity is attained.

This object is achieved with a transport system according to the invention, whose features are disclosed in the enclosed claim 1.

The invention will be described more in the following with some embodiments whilst reference is made to the accompany- ing drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view showing a guide arrangement in which a conveyor chain according to the invention is positioned and one cargo carrier is shown partly sectioned,

Fig. 2, 2a-4 show different views of a cargo carrier belonging to the system,

Fig. 5 shows the cargo carrier held by the transporter according to the invention,

Fig. 6 and 7 show a side view and a view from above, respectively,

Fig. 8 and 9 show a shifting arrangement, belonging to the transport system.

The transport system according to the invention is made up of a number of conveyors and cargo carriers. Each conveyor comprises at least two conveyor chains which together with guiding means can ^"transport objects along a path, which iε determined by the position of the guiding means. Each guiding means is principally constructed from a profile beam 1 made from, for example, continuously cast aluminium or aluminium alloy. In the shown example, the beam is provided with a plurality, in the example six sliding means 2, 3 in the shape of strips which are affixed onto the profile beam. This has a bottom strip 4, formed in the profile, intended, together with the strips 2, 3, to form a groove which constitutes the guide for the conveyor chain 5, which is shown as an example in Fig. 1 and 2. In the shown example, the conveyor chain is constructed from rotationally symmetrical driving means 6 having propelling means, i.e. connecting means 7 in the shape of a through rope or wire. The conveyor chain is intended to be propelled by a not shown driving means and to transport cargo carriers which are being held by the driving means, which will be described more later. The profile beam has, on its outer side, a plurality of flanges 8, 9, 10 to contain longitudinal grooves for connection of not shown consoles in an installation. The profile beams are then manufactured in suitable lengths or completely tailor made for each individual installation. The profile beam, and thus also the sliding means or sliding strips can be arranged to be bent both sideways and upwards, which bending can be simultaneous.

The sliding means 2, 3 are manufactured from a suitable material which is heat resistant, and which possesses a good mechanical strength, for example against wear, and which provides a low friction on its sliding surfaces 11, 12. One type of sliding means 3, are completely situated in the groove 4, and has a substantially T-shaped crosε section, where an outward surface of the crosεpiece iε adapted to the contour shape of the driving means, which iε arc-shaped, where the εliding meanε, which are oblong and run in the longitudinal direction of the profile beam, form a part of a cylinder mantle surface. The radius of curvature is substantially chosen = the radius of curvature of the driving means contour shape. The sliding elements 3 further each have a strip-shaped projection 14, which runs in slots 15 in the groove. These run radially in the profile beam and have a "key-hole shape" i.e. they show a narrowing part 16 towards the surface of the groove. The strip-shaped projections 14 also εhow a narrowing neck part 17, through which the sliding meanε 3 are held in the correεponding slot 15 either by being able to be snapped transversely into the slotε, with the prerequiεite that the material of the εliding means has a certain elaεticity, or by inserting these in the slots from either end of the profile beam. At the bottom of the groove slots 15 are arranged, for example two in number, which form draining- and collecting slots for foreign particles, water, oil etc. At certain intervals, the slotε advantageouεly have through draining holeε extending through the bottom.

The εecond type of sliding means 2 is, for example, two i number and positioned next to the oblong opening gap 18 and extends around the two edge parts 19 of the profile beam which εurrounds the opening gap. The sliding means 2 also have the mentioned strip-εhaped projectionε 14 with the same εhape and featureε so that the sliding means are held in the correεponding εlot 15. Theεe two εlidig means 2 have a shape specially adapted to itε purpoεe and is divided into at least two or, aε in the εhown example three εurface εectionε, namely a first surface section which constitutes the mentioned sliding surface 12 for the conveyor chain. This surface section iε εhaped εimilarly to the sliding εurface 11 for the other type of εliding means 3 and has consequently the εhape of a εection of a cylinder mantle εurface. A εecond surface εection 20 iε flat and facing outward, in the εhown example upwardε, and can to εome extent form the εliding εurface for cargo carrierε being tranεported by the conveyor chain. A third εurface εection 21, which in the εhown example iε outwardly convex and extendε sidewayε, forms a laterally guiding alignment and sliding surface for the cargo carrierε. This surface section is a part of a snapping part 22, which is intended to snap around a bead-shaped part 23 of the edge part 19 of the profile beam whereby the εliding meanε 2 are held εubεtantially all along both of their end edgeε, thuε partly by the strip-shaped projection 14 and partly by the snapping part 22.

The conveyor chain is advantageously arranged so that the driving means 6 are fixedly mounted on the connecting means 7, i.e. the wire. In practice, the majority of driving means are fixedly mounted on the wire, which is the case in the shown examples, but it is posεible in principle, to allow theεe to be rotatably arranged around the wire with it aε an axle of rotation. The εolid longitudinal fixation iε for the connecting meanε to keep a preεet mutual distance to provide the maximum flexibility for the conveyor chain and to give a correct meshing of both the cargo carriers and the driving wheels of the driving means for propelling the conveyor chain. A gap is esεential for moεt types of connectorε, since otherwise great tension can develop when the conveyor chain is bent.

An eεεential part of the tranεport εyεtem according to the invention consistε of the cargo carriers, whose construction is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, 2a, 3 and 4. In Fig. 2^" a plan view of a cargo carrier 24 is shown, in Fig. 2a a detail section is shown, in Fig. 3 a partly sectioned longitudinal view and in Fig. 4 a croεs εection. From theεe viewε iε obviouε that each cargo carrier is substantially disc-shaped or tray-shaped having a carrying surface 25 which in the shown example iε flat, but could be diεh-εhaped, depending upon the objectε which the cargo carrier iε intended to tranεport. By way of example, the cargo carrier in the shown example is suitable for clean and folded laundry, such aε bedclotheε. The carrying surface 25 is substantially rectangular and is surrounded on at least two sides, in the εhown example all four sides, by a raised edge part 26, which conεequently is divided into two long side parts 27, 28 and two end εide partε 29, 30. The edge partε have, peripherally, a εubεtantially circumferentially extending raised edge 31, which facilitates stacking, which is illustrated in Fig. 4 and which increases the stiffness of the cargo carrier. The raised edge is broken by two receεεes 32 per side to facilitate an automated drop of the cargo carrier from a stack with inserted fork-lift deviceε in the receεεeε. The edge partε 26 of the cargo carriers are further divided into an outer part 33 having a downwardly facing εupport εurface 34 and an inner part 35 having an at leaεt partly εidewardε facing guiding εurface 36. In the εhown example, the opposed guiding surfaceε 36 are tilted so that they converge downwardly and the cargo carrier iε thus shaped as a, downwardly towards its bottom, tapering through. The tilted guiding surfaceε 36 facilitates the alignment of the cargo carrier and reduces the risk of the cargo carrier being caught against edge surfaces when pasεing between different tranεporting unitε. To further facilitate the alignment the long edge partε 27, 28 have, on their endε, inwardly, aε εeen from above, beveled corner parts 37 and also in the side^"view according to Fig. 3 at the corners beveled parts 38 to facilitate the alignment in the case of possible differences in level. The above described stacking is also facilitated by a number of, in the shown example four, bulges 39 which are arranged in the inner part 35 of the edge part 27, more specifically on the cargo carriers top, see the detail view in Fig. 2a, by means of which warping is avoided for high εtacks.

From Fig. 1 and 5 is especially obvious how the cargo carrier 24 is held by the conveyor. The conveyor compriεeε two profile beams 1 and an associated conveyor chain 5 arranged with a predetermined gap between them, which is of the in order of size of the outer measurement of the cargo carrier, either longitudinally or across depending upon how the cargo carrier will be facing during the transportation. Certain conveyor εectors will transport the cargo carrier longitudinally and other sectors of the conveyor are designed to transport the cargo carrier laterally, which change occurε when εwitching takes place between two conveyors which are at right angles to each other, which is to be further described in the following.

As is especially obvious from Fig. 1 the cargo carriers downwardly facing support surface 34 is intended to be held by the conveyor and in the shown example more εpecifically by the conveyor chain because the support surface 34 is resting on the driving means 6, which in the shown example are εpherical. The support surface 34 can advantageouεly be completely flat, which facilitateε accumulation becauεe the cargo carrierε are lined up when the conveyor chain iε εtill in motion. Aε iε most clearly obvious from Fig. 1 and 5, the tilted guiding surface 36 forms a lateral εupport for the cargo carrier 24 relative to the conveyor and, more specifically, the profile beam 1, through cooperation, that is contact between one of the edge parts 19 of the profile beam which surroundε the opening gap of the groove 3. In the εhown example, the edge part 19 haε the above deεcribed εliding εtrip 20, which rounded exterior 21 forms a support εurface for lateral εupport of the tray εo that it iε kept in a correct position between the conveyorε. Even if the conveyor chain and, more specifically, the driving means 6 primarily are designed to take the weight of the cargo carrier and its cargo, can the edge part of the profile beam and in the shown example the sliding strip 20 with itε upwardly facing εurface and edge surface 21, during overload, form a support and thus a εecondary overload protection when the cargo carrier during high loads iε deformed εo that the downwardly facing εurface 34 or the tilted guiding εurface 36 is pressing from above on the sliding strip 20 or its edge part 21.

Aε iε obvious from Fig. 5, the two profile beams 1 are arranged in parallel with each other in subεtantially εtraght sectionε with such a relative distance that the respective rounded corner partε 21 of the profile beam are at a diεtance which substantially correspondε to the distance between the guiding surfaces 36 and, for example, measured at the transition between the guiding surfaces and the downwardly facing support εurfaceε 34. What iε meant with the tranεition is in the shown example more εpecifically the tip 40 of the blunt V which iε formed by the support surface 34 and the guiding surface 36. Fig. 6 εhowε a εi^'de view of the conveyor according to the invention in a partly εectioned state with a portion, where one can see that the conveyor chain is formed by an endless loop of the extended connection means in the shape of the wire 7, which carries the chain of driving means 6. The loop haε an upper portion, which iε the front part, i.e. the forward carrying part 41 and a return part 42 which iε located at the bottom side of the conveyor. The front part runs in an upper profile beam 1, whilst the return part runε in a lower profile beam 43, which are held in a suitable manner using support partε. At the ends of the portion are arranged driving and guide wheels 44, 45, which peripherally have subεtantially semi-εpherical recesseε 46 deεigned and located εo that they partly receive the driving meanε. The two wheelε at one end of the conveyor are propelled by a not εhown driving motor via the rotation-shaft 47, whilst the two other wheels are rotated via the conveyor loop. Thuε, on one common εhaft 47, 48 are arranged two guide wheelε 44, 45, one for each loop at each end.

For the accumulation of cargo carriers an accumulation device 49 iε arranged between two conveyor εides. This is in the shown example arranged as a rocker, which is arranged to rock around a rocking shaft 50. The rocker compriεeε two stopping arms 51, one at each end, of which one side is shown in the figure. The stopping armε 51 are arranged to protrude in front of the forward facing guide surface 36 and in an upper εtop poεition the εtopping arm forward fed cargo carrier. The rocker is, for example, driven by a double-acting pneumatic piεton cylinder which can provide itε up- and downwardε movement. Thanks to the two arms, the two εtopping deviceε 51 on each rocker take turns to alternately protrude in front of the following tray to, after the releaεe of a tray, stop the following tray for the succesεive feeding during accumulation of the following cargo carrier. The conveyor chain can thus be driven continuously.

Fig. 8 and 9 show a shifting means for shifting between two conveyorε which are at 90° to each other. The εhifting meanε compriεeε two for example non driven rowε of conveyor rolls 52, 53, each of which are held by a profile 54 which is vertically adjustable around a guide shaft 55. These two rows of rolls 52, 53 are located between the two profile beams 1 of the main conveyor, see Fig. 9 and are directed 90° against the longitudinal direction of the profile beams and are positioned with a mutual distance which subεtantially correεpondε to the length or width of the cargo carrierε depending upon how the cargo carrier is positioned, εee Fig. 8. Shifting iε done with the two rowε of rollε εomewhat down-turned, when cargo carrierε from one end of a laterally directed conveyor are allowed to be fed on the rowε of rollε 52, 53 held by the rollε at the bottom side of the support surfaceε 34. The rowε of rollε are then turned down εo that one side of the oppoεite profile beam, for example the εlide strip edge surface 21 forms an end stop for the cargo carrier. When the cargo carrier has been stopped, the shifting device is swung up, at which the cargo carrier is lifted up to the in Fig. 5 shown position with the cargo carrier resting on the carrying meanε of the main conveyor.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Conveyor εyεtem, compriεing a plurality of cargo carrierε (24) and conveyorε for carrying and tranεporting goodε, where each conveyor compriεeε at least two guiding means (1), εtretching with an in-between εpace, for conveyor chainε which form endleεε loops, which are propelled by a driving device, where the chain comprises a plurality of driving means (6) arranged in a row and connecting means (7) arranged to connect the driving meanε with each other and that the guiding meanε are arranged to poεition the chain by having a groove, through which the chain iε intended to run and be guided by inwardly directed εlide εurfaces for the chain, adapted to the shape of the driving means cross-εection, in addition to which the guiding means have, on one hand, a profile beam which encloεeε εaid groove, which is open outwards through a longitudinal opening gap (18), through which the cargo carrierε are connected to the chain and carried by thiε, where the opening gap iε surrounded by elongated edge parts (19) of the profile beam (1), which comprise, on one hand, upwardε facing edge εurfaceε (20) and , on the other hand, edge εurfaces facing away from the groove, characterized in that εaid cargo carriers (24) comprise substantially dish- shaped carriers which are arranged to be held in said space between two guiding means, that εaid cargo carrierε comprise a carrying surface (25) which occupieε εaid in- between space and an edge part (26) along at least two sideε of the cargo carrier, that each edge part comprises, on one hand, a downwards facing support surface (34) with which the cargo carrier is held by the conveyor and carried by it, and, on the other hand, an outwardε facing guiding εurface (36) which, through cooperation with the εidewardε facing edge surface (21) of the profile beam, laterally guides the cargo carrier.

2. Conveyor system according to claim 1, characterized in that, the cargo carrier is held and propelled by its downwardly facing support surface (34) is resting on the driving means (6) .

3. Conveyor system according to claim 2, characterized in that, the said gap between two conveyors substantially corresponds to the distance between the two edge parts of the cargo carrier (24) which are deεigned to be reεting on the conveyor.

4. Conveyor εystem according to claim 3, characterized in that, a vertically adjustable shifting means (53, 54, 55) consisting of two rows of roll devices (53), which run perpendicular to and between two profile beams (1) of which one conεtitutes the end stop for the lateral movement of a cargo carrier from a perpendicular conveyor to another conveyor, in which the shifting means is located.

5. Conveyor system according to claim 1, characterized in that, an accumulation means (49) for cargo carriers (24) arranged aε a rocker having at leaεt one stopping arm (51) which through a rocking movement is adjustable between an upper εtop poεition where the arm protrudeε in front of a cargo carrier and a releaεe poεition, in which the rocker iε moved away.

6. Conveyor εyεtem according to claim 5, characterized in that, the rocker iε two-armed comprising two stop arms (51) which alternately assumes the stopping position and the releasing position and thus alternately detain a cargo carrier and a following cargo carrier, respectively.