EP1389409A2

EP1389409A2 - Manipulation device for displacing objects

Info

Publication number: EP1389409A2
Application number: EP02737849A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mohammad Mehdianpour; Ralf Schulz
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2001-05-23
Filing date: 2002-05-17
Publication date: 2004-02-18
Also published as: CN1635974A; WO2002094691A3; WO2002094691A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a manipulation device for displacing objects, comprising a first displacement element with a first displacement zone and a second displacement element with a second displacement zone, said displacement zones overlapping each other. The first displacement zone and the second displacement zone are located on a common transport plane. The first displacement element is provided with first guide means, which are arranged above the transport plane and the second displacement element is provided with second displacement means, which are arranged below the transport plane. The invention enables a precise displacement of objects within the entire transport plane.

Description

description

Handling device for moving objects

The invention relates to a handling device for

Moving objects, wherein first and second movement means are provided, the movement areas of which overlap.

Such handling devices are known for example from DE 295 198 05. There, a transfer device is disclosed for converting conveyed goods located on a first conveying path with a flat support onto a second conveying path running transversely to the first conveying path, wherein at least one belt conveyor is arranged below the first conveying path in the direction of the second conveying path, said belt conveyor being inclined relative to the first conveying path with a predetermined inclination angle.

The known device is suitable for the non-reversible transfer of material to be conveyed from one conveyor line to a second conveyor line. In many cases, however, goods to be conveyed must be able to be transferred as desired between several conveying lines or moving means. It is often also necessary to move objects in such a way that they can be processed by a processing unit even while they are being moved. If an exact positioning of the objects is required for processing, the conventional devices cannot guarantee sufficient accuracy with regard to the positioning of the objects along the movement ranges.

It is the object of the invention to provide a handling device, from which objects can be moved flexibly and with high accuracy in and between two overlapping movement areas. The object is achieved by a handling device with the features according to the independent claim. Preferred embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims.

The handling device according to the invention makes it possible to move objects along a first range of motion and along a second range of motion with high accuracy in one plane. This is achieved by arranging the first movement area and the second movement area of the objects in a single transport plane. For this purpose, a first movement means is arranged on first guide means, which are arranged above the transport plane. A second movement means is arranged on second guide means, which are arranged under the transport plane. The guide means are designed in particular as linear guides.

This creates a common range of movement of the first movement means and the second movement means, the first guide means and the second guide means overlapping in this movement range. The objects to be moved can thus be moved exactly on a single transport level. It is therefore possible at any time, for example, to process the surface of the objects facing away from the transport plane with high precision using a processing device. The common movement area can be used alternately by the first movement means and by the second movement means.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the first and second guide means above the transport plane or below the transport plane enables high-precision guide means to be used, on which the first movement means or the second movement means can be guided exactly. The arrangement of the guide means according to the invention also makes it possible to locate the guide means within the respective Movement areas of the first movement means and of the second movement means are continuous, that is to say without interruption, as a result of which the accuracy is further increased.

Through the configurations according to claims 2 and 3, a plurality of first movement means or second movement means can be arranged side by side. A flexible adaptation of the handling device according to the invention to a desired course of the transport path of the objects, for example in a production system, is thus possible. The first and second movement means can, for example, be arranged in a matrix, so that the objects can be moved within the entire transport plane in a highly precise positioning with respect to the transport plane.

The invention is preferred with reference to

Embodiments explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows:

1 shows a schematic side section of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 shows a schematic section in plan view of the preferred embodiment.

A preferred embodiment of the handling device according to the invention can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2. A chassis 400 has an essentially rectangular plan. A transport path runs along the transport direction T along the longitudinal extent of the chassis 400. Objects L, for example printed circuit boards, are fed to or removed from the handling device along the transport path. Objects L are preferably fed in at an input station 310 which has a transfer position. In order to be able to transport the objects L, the input station 310 is provided with transport belts, for example. A charging device 210 is arranged as the first movement means in the transport direction T downstream of the input station 310. Objects L can be transferred from the input station 310 to the loading device 210. The charging device 210 may comprise, for example conveyor belts for transporting the objects L ^".

The loading device 210 is mounted on a first guide means, which is designed as a rod-like guide device 214, which is formed on the chassis 400 above the transport plane of the objects and extending along a first movement range. The first movement range runs along the transport direction T. A measuring system 300, in particular a camera, can also be arranged on the guide device 214 and can be moved along the transport direction T. The position of the objects with respect to the transport plane can be detected by means of the camera.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the loading device 210 can be moved along the transport direction T. For example, the loading device can move from its rest position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 within a central position

Overlap area 600 of the first movement area and the second movement area can be moved.

Transversely to the transport direction T, there are two in the transport direction after the rest position of the loading device 210

Guide devices 114 and 124 are arranged as second guide means. Each guide device has second movement means, which are designed as object carriers 110, 120, 130 or 140. The object carriers 110 and 130 or 120 and 140 are each in pairs on the

Guide devices 114 and 124 mounted linearly movable. The slides 110, 130, 120, 140 are along the Guide device 114 or 124 can be moved at an angle to the transport direction T.

Each slide can be within the central overlap area 600 as well as in a second one

Movement range can be moved, which is divided into two sub-areas 500 and 550 to the side of the central overlap area 600.

In the transport direction following the guide devices 114 and 124, a further first movement means is provided, which is designed as an unloading device 220. The unloading device 220 is constructed analogously to the loading device 210 and is likewise arranged on the guide device 214. The unloading device can also be moved from its rest position in the entire central overlap region 600 along the transport direction T. An output station 320 is arranged downstream of the unloading device 220. The output station 320 is constructed analogously to the input station 310.

Both the object carrier and the loading device 210 and the unloading device 220 of the placement system according to the invention can be provided with transport belts (not shown) in order to be able to move objects L thereon.

It is also possible to arrange input stations and output stations adjacent to the object carriers, and to transfer objects to the object carriers by means of the input stations and to remove them from the object carriers by means of the output stations.

The unloading device, the loading device and the object carriers are each provided with a transport surface for the objects, which is arranged exactly in the transport plane and is movable in this. The operating sequence as it can be carried out with the present device is explained in more detail below.

Along the transport direction T, for example

Object L made available to an input station 310. The loading device 210 is moved in a loading direction R1 along the transport direction T until the loading device 210 has reached its rest position. In this state, the object L can be transferred from the input station 310 to the loading device

210 are transferred, for example by transporting the object L by means of the transport belts which are provided on the loading device 210 and on the input station 310.

For example, the object can be transferred to one of the object carriers 110, 120, 130, 140 and a processing position 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be moved. In order to move the object L to one of the processing positions 1 or 3, the loading device 210 remains in its rest position. One of the two object carriers 110 and 130 is moved into the central overlap region 600, so that transport belts arranged on the object carrier are aligned with the transport belts of the loading device 210. The object L can then be transferred to the substrate carrier 110 or 130.

If the object L is to be transferred to one of the two object carriers 120 and 140 arranged downstream of the first object carriers 110 or 130, that is to say to be moved to the processing position 2 or to the processing position 4, the loading device 210 in the first movement area R1 moved approximately half into the central overlap area 600. One of the two slides 120 and 140 is also moved into the central overlap area 600.

Q t ö ω φ tu

Φ P H- Φ 0 φ

£ rt Φ o> rt CQ

H- i CQ rt

0 PJ o tr »Ö H-

P. P- tr Φ H 3

Φ Φ l_l. H- Φ 3

CQ <i φ rt Ω Φ

> d O w 0 0

H- Hrr a Φ

0 H IQ 0 P.

P- H- 4-3 Q P- Φ

Φ O H Ό Φ i tT pj: o 0

? rt IQ CQ V

0 Φ H- O 0

0 «rt tr ω g IQ H- M-

0 φ rt rt t P- 0 K H- t 0 = μ- Φ rt 0

H- Φ 3 0 φ ι-3 tr φ t ^"1 HH ≤

01 0 PJ - PJ: P): i PJ IQ t μ- tr Φ c φ ti φ Φ - H φ

3 H-O CQ 0

Φ co ⁾ P.

0 Ό t N μ- H- 0 0 P.

0 Φ O a φ

P. tr P> Φ CQ φ 01 rt H-

K ≤ 0 0 cd

Φ P Φ φ

^ H- IQ φ n £ φ Q K φ rt Φ 0 Hl P- IQ rt 0 0 φ Φ

Φ 3 & i 0

0 H-LQ CQ rt p. Φ p ⁾ rt H- 0 P.

0 Φ φ φ

IQ I CQ

Φ cn PJ rt h p

H- «φ tr

Φ

P

become. This ensures high positioning accuracy. It is also possible to provide linear motors as the drive means. Furthermore, the loading or unloading devices can also each be guided along a telescopic guide in the loading direction R1 or the unloading direction R2. The guide means for the loading and unloading devices can also be designed like a sled and can be provided above or below the central movement range.

Claims

Claims:

1. Handling device for moving objects, with a first movement means, of which the objects can be moved linearly in a first movement range, a second movement means, of which the objects can be moved linearly in a second movement range at an angle to the first movement range, the first movement range and the second range of motion overlap so that the first means of motion and the second range of motion have a common range of motion, characterized in that

The first movement area and the second movement area lie in a common transport plane, the first movement means has first guide means on which the first movement means is mounted such that they can move linearly in the first movement area, and which are arranged above the transport plane,

• The second movement means has second guide means on which the second movement means in the second

Movement range is mounted linearly movable, and which are arranged under the transport plane, and

• The first guide means and the second guide means overlap in the common range of motion.

2. Handling device according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a plurality of first movement means are arranged side by side.

3. Handling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

• a plurality of second movement means is arranged side by side.

4. Handling device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that • At least one of the moving means has transfer means for transferring the objects between the moving means.

5. Handling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

• The movement means have moving tables and drive devices coupled to them.

6. Handling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

• The guide means have guide rails and linear bearings guided thereon.

7. Handling device according to claim 4 to 6, characterized in that

• The transfer means have conveyor belts.