EP2082941B1 - Electric overhead conveyor - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a monorail system according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Electric monorail systems of this type are printed in a variety of design printed and known from the market and have proven very useful due to their flexibility. Important for their reliable operation is that the powered carrier rollers of electric monorail wagons do not lose their "grip" with the rail. By "grip" is meant that the frictional forces between the carrying roller and the rail are sufficiently large to ensure a substantially slip-free rolling. Conversely, a loss of "grip" is when the frictional forces have become too small and the support roller slips against the top of the rail system. In the latter case, the desired drive or deceleration forces between electric monorail wagon and rail system can not be transmitted.

• Eine erste derartige Situation liegt dann vor, wenn das Schienensystem der Elektrohängebahn Abschnitte mit nennenswerter Steigung beziehungsweise mit nennenswertem Gefälle aufweist. Dies wirkt sich in doppelter Hinsicht ungünstig auf den "Grip" der Tragrolle aus. Zum einen wirkt nicht mehr das volle Gewicht des Gehänges und der Last sondern nur noch die senkrecht auf der Schiene stehenden Komponente des Gewichts als "Normalkraft", welche für die Reibungskräfte verantwortlich ist. Zum anderen ist die von der Tragrolle auf die Schiene zu übertragende Kraft größer, weil nicht nur die bei der Fortbewegung entstehenden Reibungskräfte zu überwinden sind, sondern auch eine Hubkraft aufzubringen ist. In solchen Fällen kann also auf den Steigungs- beziehungsweise Gefällabschnitten der "Grip" der Tragrolle verlorengehen. Auf den Elektrohängebahnwagen wirkt dann auch wegen einer größeren Kraftkomponente parallel zur Schiene ein Drehmoment, das zu einer Kippbewegung des Elektrohängebahnwagens führen könnte. Dies führt zu einer ungleichmäßigen Fahrdynamik und erhöht insbesondere den Verschleiß zwischen den Schleifkontakten, die der Elektrohängebahnwagen mit sich führt, und den elektrischen Schleifleitungen, welche entlang des Schienensystems verlegt sind.

In general, given the friction conditions, there is always the risk that the carrying roller loses its "grip" when the normal force which the carrying roller exerts on the rail drops. In conventional overhead monorail systems, which have substantially horizontally extending rail systems, the normal force is given by the weight of the hanger and possibly the load mounted on the hanger. This is regularly sufficient to provide sufficient "grip" of the carrying role. However, there are situations where this is no longer guaranteed. Of these situations, two typical ones are mentioned below:

• A first such situation is when the rail system of the electrified monorail sections having significant slope or with significant slope. This has an unfavorable effect on the "grip" of the carrying roller in two respects. On the one hand no longer the full weight of the hanger and the load but only the vertical component of the weight acting as a "normal force", which is responsible for the frictional forces. On the other hand, the force to be transmitted from the carrying roller to the rail is greater, because not only are the friction forces arising in locomotion to be overcome, but also a lifting force has to be applied. In such cases, therefore, the "grip" of the carrying roller can be lost on the gradient or gradient sections. On the electric monorail trolley then acting because of a larger force component parallel to the rail torque that could lead to a tilting movement of the electric monorail wagon. This leads to an uneven driving dynamics and increases in particular the wear between the sliding contacts, which carries the electric monorail vehicle with it, and the electrical contact rails, which are laid along the rail system.

An electric monorail of the type mentioned, in which this situation exists, is from the DE 36 17 238 A1 known. There is one of the counter-pressure rollers permanently spring loaded, which improves the "grip", but also the wear is increased by permanently increased friction.

The second situation, in which typically problems with the "grip" can occur, is given when the load is not suspended freely on the electric monorail truck but the electric monorail vehicle towed over a traction device rolling on the ground car. In this case, the weight, which has to carry the support roller, significantly reduced, so that therefore the friction force between the support roller and the top of the rail is much smaller. On the other hand, forces are transmitted to the electric monorail trolley in dynamic driving behavior, that is to say during acceleration and deceleration via the towing device. When accelerating, the force with which the support roller is pressed against the top of the rail, reinforced, so that when driving with load here for the "grip" no special problems. In contrast, if the electric monorail vehicle is to be delayed considerably, for example in the case of emergency braking. Here, a compressive force is transmitted to the electric monorail vehicle via the traction device. This has a component which seeks to lift the carrying roller from the top of the rail system. In this case, so the "grip" can be lost with the result that the delay of the electric monorail wagon is inadequate.

In addition, act on acceleration and deceleration of the electric monorail wagon on these force components parallel to the rail, which can tilt the electric monorail wagon, with the effects already mentioned.

An electric monorail similar to that of the type mentioned, in which the electric monorail vehicle rolls on the ground, is from the DE 24 25 726 C2 known. There, however, the contact pressure of the clamping device is not specifically adjustable, but a function of the force exerted by the attached load.

Counter-pressure rollers are incidentally also in one of the DE 38 42 292 A1 Known trolley used, which is also achieved in swinging load an improvement of the "Grips". Even with one from the EP 1 518 817 A2 known trolley serve counter-pressure rollers to maintain a sufficient contact pressure of a driven impeller. For this purpose, the counter-pressure rollers are pressed by a lever arrangement of an adjustable compression spring in the direction of the underside of the running rail.

Object of the present invention is to design an electric monorail system of the type mentioned in such a way that under unfavorable power ratios a uniform driving dynamics is achieved, in particular the "grip" between the driven carrier roller and the top of the rail system is not lost.

This object is achieved by the means specified in claim 1.

As known per se in the prior art, two counter-pressure rollers and the carrying roller are arranged in the manner of a rocker in the design of the monorail, which prevent tilting of the chassis on the rail system to the support roller. Under the influence of a moment that could tilt the chassis, one of the two counter-pressure rollers is pressed against the underside of the rail system. The rail system is effectively "trapped" between the support roller and this counter-pressure roller. On a the chassis ahead, associated with this precursor, which is required in known from the prior art electric monorail systems for tilt stabilization, can be dispensed with. By appropriate choice of a predetermined contact pressure of the counter-pressure rollers against the underside of the rail system ensures that under all circumstances considered for the operation of circumstances, the "grip" is maintained. Preferably, the contact pressure of the counter-pressure rollers is set so that the counter-pressure rollers and the idlers can roll with the lowest possible rolling resistance on the rail system, but still a lifting of the support roller is effectively prevented by the rail.

In this case, the counter-pressure rollers are mounted in or on a clamping device which is suitable for specifying a contact pressure of the counter-pressure rollers on the underside of the rail system. In this way, the Counter-pressure rollers are positioned in a favorable manner for the contact pressure and the tilting safety on the underside of the rail system.

In order to optimally adapt the monorail to different operating conditions and / or different loads and to always be able to ensure that the "grip" is maintained, the clamping device for changing the contact pressure is adjustable.

According to the invention, the clamping device has two holding bodies, which are variable in their position, in or on which the counter-pressure rollers are rotatably mounted such that the distance between the axis of at least one counter-pressure roller can be changed from the underside of the rail system. With such an arrangement, the contact pressures of the two counter-pressure rollers are easily adjustable.

Advantageously, the holding bodies are pivotable relative to each other for adjusting the contact pressure. This allows a particularly simple construction.

Particularly advantageous for the reasons mentioned above, the invention is when the electric monorail vehicle is connected via a traction device with a rolling on the ground car. The force acting on the driven support roller, the friction forces determining normal force can always be kept so large by the invention that at all accelerations and delays of Carriage remains a sufficiently large contact force of the support roller to the rail system. Furthermore, the rocker-like arrangement of the counter-rollers and the carrying roller prevents tilting of the electric monorail wagon.

It is recommended that the axis of the support roller and the force application point of the connecting region between the towing device and the electric monorail carriage lie in a first plane, the axes of the two counter-pressure rollers are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the plane in particular and the force application point on the axis of the support roller opposite side of a second plane is arranged, in which lie the axes of the two counter-pressure rollers. In this way, torques that could lead to a tilting of the carriage, largely implemented in an increase of the contact pressure of the corresponding counter-roller, which counteracts the tilting and also increases the clamping force between the support roller and the counter-roller. The wear of the sliding contacts and the contact lines is also reduced.

Appropriately, the first plane can run perpendicular to the direction of travel of the chassis. This has a particularly favorable effect on the leverage for force components, which act on the chassis parallel to the direction of travel.

Preferably, the first plane may be perpendicular to the second plane. In this way, the leverage ratios for power components in the direction of travel and force components equally favorable opposite to the direction of travel.

Another particularly interesting application of the invention is where the rail system comprises at least one pitch and / or a slope section. The fact that in the presence of a force component parallel to the rail system always one of the counter-pressure rollers is pressed against the underside of the rail system, the rail system is optimally clamped between the support roller and the counter-pressure roller, even on gradients or gradients, which provides sufficient "grip", and a Tilting of the chassis prevented.

Figur 1

in der Seitenansicht einen Ausschnitt aus einer Elektrohängebahn mit einem Elektrohängebahnwagen und einem an diesem angehängten Hubwagen;

Figur 2

im vergrößerten Maßstab den Elektrohängebahnwagen aus Figur 1, im Schnitt senkrecht zur Fahrrichtung gesehen;

Figur 3

in vergrößertem Maßstab eine Seitenansicht des Elektrohängebahnwagens aus Figur 1.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing; show it

FIG. 1

in side view, a section of an electric monorail system with an electric monorail truck and an attached to this truck;

FIG. 2

on an enlarged scale the electric monorail wagon FIG. 1 , seen in section perpendicular to the direction of travel;

FIG. 3

on an enlarged scale, a side view of the electric monorail wagon FIG. 1 ,

First, on the FIG. 1 Referenced. In this a section of an overhead monorail system 10 is shown, which contains three main components: a section of the rail system, hereinafter referred to as "rail 12", an electric monorail trolley 14 and a coupled to the electric monorail trolley truck 16 16th

The rail 12 is designed in a conventional manner and therefore needs no further explanation. It is about C-shaped construction elements 18 (see. FIG. 2 ) suspended from a ceiling structure or a steel construction and extends above the level of the room floor. At the in FIG. 1 Visible side surface along the rail 12 different sliding lines, which the power supply of the electric monorail carriage 14th and signal transmission to serve this. These contact rails are not shown for reasons of clarity and also correspond to the prior art.

Also, the electric monorail trolley 14 is largely constructed as it is known in the art. The direction of travel of the electric monorail wagon 14 on the rail 12 is indicated by the arrow 20.

The electric monorail trolley 14 has a chassis 22 which is provided with a support roller 24, which rolls on top of the rail 12. The support roller 24 is driven by an electric motor 26. Further, in the Figures 2 and 3 Recognizable guide rollers 28, which can rotate about perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail 12 extending axes, roll in a known manner on the opposite side surfaces of the rail 12 from.

On electric monorail trolley 14 also certain sliding contacts, which are in contact with the guided along the rail 12 guide rails, and a distance sensor 30 are mounted. The latter detects on the track, which is located in front of the electric monorail truck 14, located obstacles, in particular a preceding electric monorail vehicle 14, and ensures compliance with a minimum distance of this.

In the front region of the electric monorail carriage 14, a safety rod 32 is hinged, the at Pivoting an obstacle pivoted and operated an emergency switch, whereby the electric monorail vehicle 14 comes to a standstill.

On the electric monorail trolley 14, the landing gear control 34 is also mounted in a corresponding box, which has on its side surface of the rail 12 facing the inside sliding contacts for communication with the guided along the rail 12 sliding lines. The landing gear control 34 receives signals from a central controller, but can also autonomously run their own programs or communicate with chassis controls other electric monorail vehicles 14 located on the rail 12.

Unlike conventional suspensions, the chassis 22 has two counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b, one of which in the direction of travel 20 of the chassis 22 of the support roller 24 ahead and one of the support roller 24 trailing unwinds on the underside of the rail system 12.

The conditions are in FIG. 3 that is held on a larger scale, easier to recognize than in FIG. 1 , The line of sight in FIG. 3 is opposite to that of Figure 1, so that in FIG. 3 unlike in FIG. 1 the view of the rail 12 is not obscured by the chassis control 34.

The counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b are rotatable via respective axles 44a and 44b on a clamping device 38 mounted, which are parallel to the axis of the support roller 24.

The clamping device 38 has two identical retaining tabs 40 a, 40 b, which to one in the FIG. 3 vertical center plane are arranged symmetrically. In this center plane, which extends perpendicular to the bottom and top of the rail 12, there is also the axis of the support roller 24th

Each retaining tab 40a, 40b comprises at a distance from one another two parallel triangular retaining plates 42a, 42b with rounded corners. Between the holding plates 42a, 42b, the respective counter-pressure roller 36a and 36b is rotatably supported.

The holding plates 42a, 42b are each connected at one of their corners via the axis 44a and 44b of the respective counter-pressure roller 36a and 36b, at a second corner via a pivot axis 46a and 46b and at a third corner via a Verstellerachse 48a and 48b firmly connected. The axes 44a and 44b of the counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b, the pivot axes 46a, 46b and the Verstellachsen 48a, 48b parallel to each other and to the top and the bottom of the rail 12th

The axes 44a and 44b of the counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b lie in a plane which is perpendicular to the above-mentioned vertical center plane to which the retaining tabs 40a, 40b are symmetrical, parallel to the underside of the rail 12, in the FIGS. 1 to 3 horizontal, runs.

The retaining tabs 40a, 40b are pivotally attached via their pivot axes 46a, 46b on their underside facing away from the rail 12 on tabs 50a, 50b of a connecting plate 52. The connecting plate 52 is part of the frame of the chassis 22. The connecting plate 52 is parallel to the underside of the rail 12th

The retaining tabs 40a, 40b are aligned so that the Verstellachsen 48a, 48b facing each other. Each adjuster axle 48a, 48b has one end of a screw adjuster 54 connected to it.

By changing the length of the screw adjuster 54, the retaining tabs 40a, 40b can be pivoted toward and away from each other about their pivotal axis 46a, 46b. The distance between the axles 44a and 44b to the underside of the rail 12 and thus the contact pressure of the counter-rollers 36a and 36b is changed to the underside of the rail 12.

Overall, therefore, the two counter-rollers 36a and 36b and the support roller 24 are arranged in the manner of a rocker whose pivot axis is located in the support point or the bearing surface of the support roller 24 on the top of the rail 12. As soon as a torque acts on the electric monorail trolley 14 and tries to tilt it clockwise or counterclockwise, the corresponding counterpressure roller 36a, 36b presses more strongly against the underside the rail 12 so that it is increasingly clamped between the support roller 24 and the corresponding counter-pressure roller 36a, 36b and prevents tilting. The distance of the counter-pressure rollers 36a, 36b to each other must be dimensioned via the adjuster 54 so that the contact pressure of the counter-pressure rollers 36a, 36b against the underside of the rail 12 is as low as possible to avoid friction losses, but on the other hand large enough that under no planned Operating conditions, the frictional force (the "grip" of the support roller 24) is no longer sufficient to accelerate or delay the electric monorail cart 14 with or without an attached load on inclines and gradients.

The lift truck 16, which has conventional construction, is connected via a rigid pulling device 56 to the electric monorail trolley 14. The towing device 56 comprises a total of a drawbar 58, which is at its lower end in articulated connection with the front portion of the lift truck 16, and a tow bar 60. The tow bar 60 is at its upper end via a hinge connection 62, a horizontal and a vertical Has rotational axis, attached to the connecting plate 52 and thus the electric monorail vehicle 14.

The force application point of the connecting portion between the pulling device 56 on the hinge joint 62 and the connecting plate 52 of the electric monorail carriage 14 is also in the above-mentioned vertical center plane, to which the retaining tabs 40 are symmetrical. It is located below the plane in which the axes 44a, 44b of the counter-pressure rollers 36a, 36b are located.

The drawbar 58 and the tow bar 60 are connected to each other via a releasable coupling 64. On the traction device 56 are also a manually operated operating stop switch 66 and various other controls 68, for example, an emergency stop acknowledgment attached.

• Auf dem Schienensystem, von dem die Schiene 12 ein Abschnitt ist, fährt eine Vielzahl von Elektrohängebahnwagen 14 unter dem Einfluss der zentralen Anlagensteuerung, der eigenen Fahrwerksteuerung 34 und den Fahrwerksteuerungen 34 der jeweils anderen Elektrohängebahnwagen 14 im Wesentlichen autonom. Die Elektrohängebahnwagen 14 ziehen jeweils eine Last in Form eines mit Gegenständen beladenen Hubwagens 16 hinter sich her.

The overhead monorail 10 described above operates as follows:

• On the rail system of which the rail 12 is a section, a plurality of electric monorail carriages 14 travel substantially autonomously under the influence of the central plant control, the own chassis control 34, and the chassis controls 34 of the other electric monorail trucks 14, respectively. The electric monorail vehicles 14 each pull a load in the form of a loaded with objects lift truck 16 behind her.

• Betrachtet man den Fall der Beschleunigung, so wirkt über die Zugeinrichtung 56 eine Zugkraft auf den jeweiligen Elektrohängebahnwagen 10. Deren zur Unterseite/Oberseite der Schiene 12 senkrechte Komponente wirkt in derselben Richtung wie die Gewichtskraft des Elektrohängebahnwagens 14 und verstärkt auf diese Weise die Reibung zwischen der Tragrolle 24 und der Oberseite der Schiene 12.

Special forces occur in this system when accelerating or decelerating the electric monorail trolley 14 with the attached loads:

• Considering the case of the acceleration, a pulling force acts on the respective overhead monorail truck 10 via the towing device 56. The component perpendicular to the underside / top side of the rail 12 acts in the same direction as the weight force of the monorail truck 14 and reinforced in this way the friction between the support roller 24 and the top of the rail 12th

The parallel to the bottom / top of the rail 12 directed component of the tensile force exerts a force acting on the electric monorail trolley 14 torque to the support point or the bearing surface of the support roller 24 on the top of the rail 12. This increases the contact pressure of the rear in the direction of travel 20 counterpressure roller 36b against the underside of the rail 12, so that the rail 12 between the rear counter pressure roller 36b and the support roller 24 reinforced clamped and the power transmission between the support roller 24 and the rail 12 is additionally improved.

In contrast, in the opposite case, in which the towed truck 16 is to be delayed with the load carried by him. Then, a pulling force is exerted on the electric monorail trolley 14 via the traction device 56, which has a vertically upward component and thus the weight force is opposite. In extreme cases, this could cause the support roller 24 is completely lifted off the top of the rail 12 or at least the downward normal force exerted by the support roller 24 on the top of the rail 12, too small and the support roller 24 therefore slipped over the top of the rail 12. Fast braking would not be possible in this case.

This effect is counteracted by the rocker-like counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b, which ensure that the rail 12 is clamped between the support roller 24 and the front counter-pressure roller 36a and slippage of the support roller 24 is prevented. A force component of the thrust running parallel to the direction of travel 20 additionally exerts on the electric monorail trolley 14 a torque about the support point or contact surface of the carrier roller 24 on the upper side of the rail 12, so that the carrier roller 24 and the front counterpressure roller 36a bear against the upper side with increased contact pressures or the underside of the rail 12 are pressed.

The rocker-like arranged counter-pressure rollers 36a and 36b so keep not only, as described, the "grip" of the support roller 24 under all operating conditions upright. It improves the driving dynamics of the electric monorail trolley 14 insofar as tilting is avoided during acceleration and deceleration and controlled driving is also made possible without a transport load.

In addition, the electric monorail trolley 14 can thus also be moved in gradient and / or gradient sections of the rail system 12, without the electric monorail trolley 14 being tilted relative to the rail 12 and / or the carrying roller 24 slipping on the upper side of the rail 12.

With the help of the distance sensor 30, each electric monorail trolley 14 monitors the distance to the preceding monorail trolley 14 and brakes the trailing monorail vehicle 14, provided that the distance has dropped below a certain value. If the safety bar 32 encounters an obstacle, be it a person or an object, an emergency braking of the electric monorail trolley 14 is triggered, which can then take place over a short distance despite the forces exerted by the pulling device 56.

Instead of the lift truck 16 and a simple trolley can be used.

Claims (6)

1. Electric overhead conveyor (10), with

   a) a rail system (12) running above the floor level;

   b) at least one electric overhead conveyor carriage (14) which is movable on the rail system (12) and has a chassis (22) which comprises a supporting roller (24) which is driven by a motor (26) and rolls on the upper side of the rail system (12),
   wherein

   c) the chassis (22) has at least two counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b), of which in each case one rolls in advance of the supporting roller (24) in the direction of travel of the chassis (22) and one rolls trailing the supporting roller (24) on the lower side of the rail system (12),

   d) the electric overhead conveyor carriage (14) is connectable via a traction device (56) to a carriage (16) rolling on the floor,
   characterized in that

   e) the counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b) are mounted in or on a clamping device (38) which is suitable for predetermining a contact pressure of the counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b) against the lower side of the rail system (12),

   f) the clamping device (38) is adjustable in order to change the contact pressure,

   g) the clamping device (38) has two holding bodies (40a, 40b) which are changeable in their position and in or on which the counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b) are mounted rotatably in such a manner that the distance between the axle (44a, 44b) of at least one counter pressure roller (36a, 36b) and the lower side of the rail system (12) is changeable,

   h) the holding bodies (40a, 40b) are each fastened via a dedicated pivot pin (46a, 46b) to the frame of the chassis (22).
2. Electric overhead conveyor according to Claim 1, characterized in that the holding bodies (40a, 40b) are pivotable relative to each other.
3. Electric overhead conveyor according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the axle of the supporting roller (24) and the force engagement point of the connecting region between the traction device (56) and the electric overhead conveyor carriage (14) lie in a first plane, wherein the axles (44a, 44b) of the two counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b) are arranged in particular symmetrically on opposite sides of the plane, and the force engagement point is arranged on the side, which is opposite the axle of the supporting roller (24), of a second plane in which the axles (44a, 44b) of the two counter pressure rollers (36a, 36b) lie.
4. Electric overhead conveyor according to Claim 3, characterized in that the first plane runs perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the chassis (22).
5. Electric overhead conveyor according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first plane runs perpendicularly to the second plane.
6. Electric overhead conveyor according one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail system (12) comprises at least one rising portion and/or descending portion.

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