EP3456529B1 - Method and device for processing of assemblies, in particular tubing sections - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a method and a device for processing assemblies, in particular hose sections. The processing should preferably take place during the transport of the assembly such as the hose section in particular. The processing of a tube section may be necessary, for example, when assembling inhalers or other pharmaceutical devices.

STATE OF THE ART

The processing of hose sections or other limp parts usually takes place in several movement steps. The hoses are routinely first cut to length, picked up and aligned for further processing. The hose sections can be picked up and aligned in particular by means of grippers. In the course of processing the hose sections, they often have to be released from their original orientation and reclamped. As a result, a new receptacle and consequently also a new alignment of the hose sections is necessary. This intermittent technology limits the possible output of processed hose sections per unit of time. This can also have a negative impact on the quality of the processed hose sections.

If the parts to be joined, the hose lengths or the processing steps are changed, the retrofitting of the assembly device can be very expensive. In addition, the individual quality parameters are difficult to determine. The joining parameters with regard to the setting of the individual components are also difficult to determine, which makes a reproducible setting difficult

The WO 2014/154196 A2 relates to the production of medical bags and discloses a transport system for feeding components, such as plastic tubes or valves, between two layers of film. The transport system has a group of workpiece carriers on a circumferential rail system, the workpiece carriers preferably being implemented as linear motors in cooperation with the rail system.

The EP 2 965 900 A1 discloses an apparatus for processing an assembly in the form of an apparatus for manufacturing packaging bags.

The device has a chain conveyor for transporting film sections, although other transport devices can also be provided, such as transport units driven by individual linear motors.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Proceeding from this known prior art, the invention is based on the object of specifying an improved device and an improved method for processing an assembly such as a hose section in particular, in which the individual assemblies can be continuously processed without having to release them from their orientation.

The device according to the invention for processing an assembly is given by the features of main claim 1. The method according to the invention for processing an assembly is given by the features of the independent claim 11. Sensible further developments of the invention are the subject of further claims which follow these claims.

The device according to the invention for processing an assembly such as, in particular, a hose section has a first linear motor circuit and a second linear motor circuit. At least one linear motor carriage unit, which can be moved on this circuit, is arranged on the first linear motor circuit. In addition, there is a feeding device and an unloading device. By means of the feed device, an assembly to be processed can be fed and placed on a linear motor carriage unit attached. The processed assembly can be unloaded from the linear motor carriage unit by means of the unloading device. The assembly can then, for example, be fed to a further assembly device for final assembly. It would also be possible to initially store the processed assembly - possibly after sterilization and packaging - or to move it to another To be transported to the installation site. At least one linear motor carriage, which can be moved on this second circuit, is arranged on the second linear motor circuit. A processing unit is positioned on the at least one linear motor carriage of the second circuit. According to the invention, the first linear motor circuit and the second linear motor circuit run parallel to one another in areas. On this machining line, the assemblies present on the linear motor carriage units of the first linear motor circuit can be machined by the machining units present on the linear motor carriage of the second linear motor circuit.

The device according to the invention thus allows for the first time to add more components to pliable assemblies, such as hose sections in particular, or to process them in another way during a continuous transport movement. In addition, the device according to the invention makes it possible to supply and process the assemblies precisely and in large numbers without having to leave them from their orientation. The processing of the assemblies is possible in a reproducible manner, so that the assemblies can be processed with consistent quality even after a conversion or a standstill of the system. The retrofitting of the device according to the invention to adapt to other dimensions of hose sections - for example the length or diameter of the hose sections - is quickly and precisely possible by adjusting the recipe in the software, since all relevant quality parameters can be set, recorded and evaluated.

The linear motor carriage units of the first linear motor circuit and the linear motor carriage of the second linear motor circuit are brought together in such a way that both can mesh with one another in the same way as a pair of gears or a zipper. The relative distance between the linear motor carriage unit of the first circuit and the linear motor carriage of the second circuit for processing the assembly of the linear motor carriage unit is reduced so that the processing unit of the second cycle can be processed during transport.

In the area of the processing section, the first linear motor circuit and the second linear motor circuit can run at a certain mutual distance from one another. In this case, the guide systems of the linear motor carriages would be designed as closed guide systems. The guide systems of the linear motor carriages can preferably be designed as open guide systems, so that the first linear motor circuit and the second linear motor circuit have a common guide rail in the area of the machining path. By using a common guide rail, greater accuracy can be achieved with regard to the alignment of the individual linear motor carriages with respect to one another.

In order to enable the assemblies to be fastened as securely as possible on the linear motor carriage units, each linear motor carriage unit can have at least one front and at least one rear clamping unit. The assembly to be processed, such as the hose section in particular, can in this case be releasably fastened in the at least two clamping units of the linear motor carriage unit. The hose section can be attached to the clamping units in such a way that the front and rear cut surfaces of the hose sections are freely accessible. This enables these cut surfaces to be machined during transport. For example, connecting parts or end parts can be attached to the cut surfaces.

Each linear motor carriage unit of the first linear motor circuit can preferably have at least two linear motor carriage, each of which can have at least one clamping unit. The use of two linear motor carriages for transporting a hose section enables the device to be adapted particularly easily to different lengths of assemblies.

By using at least two linear motor carriage units on the first linear motor circuit, an endless hose can be precisely cut to length within the framework of the feeding in of assemblies in the form of hose sections. In particular, the feed device for the hose sections can have at least one supply for an endless hose. For this purpose, the endless hose can be present rolled up on a reel, for example. In addition, the feed device for the hose sections can have at least one cutting unit. The endless tube can be cut into the individual tube sections by means of the cutting unit.

In this case, the endless hose can first be attached to a front linear motor carriage unit. After the endless hose has been attached to a subsequent linear motor carriage unit, the endless hose can then be cut between the two linear motor carriage units so that the front linear motor carriage unit carries a free, precisely cut to length hose section. When using at least two linear motor carriages per linear motor carriage unit, the endless hose can in each case first be attached to the front linear motor carriage of the linear motor carriage unit. The front linear motor carriage can then occupy a defined, predetermined distance from the rear linear motor carriage of the linear motor carriage unit. As soon as the distance is reached, the endless hose can also be attached to the rear linear motor carriage of the linear motor carriage unit. The desired hose length can thus be adjusted by the distance between the linear motor carriage of a linear motor carriage unit. The endless hose is then attached to the front linear motor carriage of a subsequent linear motor carriage unit. After this fastening, the endless hose can be cut between the rear linear motor carriage of the front linear motor carriage unit and the front linear motor carriage of the subsequent linear motor carriage unit. The cutting process can take place immediately after the endless tube has been attached. It would be however, it is also possible to initially move the linear motor carriage units a little further with the continuous tube and only then to carry out the cutting process.

This type of feeding of the tube sections makes it possible to cut the endless tube into particularly precise tube sections, since the pulling force for the tube section is reduced to a minimum. Influences that would result from the elasticity of the hose can therefore be virtually ruled out. In addition, this method results in an exactly defined protrusion from the edge of the hose section to the end of the linear motor carriage unit.

The tube sections can be machined, for example, by making a cut, a slot or an opening in the tube section. In this case, the processing unit could be designed as a cutting or punching unit. For such a processing of an assembly, apart from the assembly to be processed and the processing unit, no further components are generally required.

In contrast to this, when processing an assembly, another component such as the hose section can also have to be mounted on the assembly. These can in particular be end pieces (for example a mouthpiece) or connecting parts. In this case, the processing unit can already bring the component to be assembled with it for processing the assembly. For this purpose, the second linear motor circuit can have at least one feed unit through which the additional component can be loaded onto the machining unit. As an alternative to this, the feed unit can also load the linear motor carriage of the processing unit or a further, empty linear motor carriage of the second linear motor circuit with the component.

As an alternative or in addition to this, the first linear motor circuit can have at least one feed unit. By means of this feed unit the linear motor carriage unit, which already carries the assembly to be processed, can be loaded with a further, additional component. This feed unit can preferably be located in front of the processing section in the transport direction, so that the processing section is available as completely as possible for the actual processing of the assembly.

The individual linear motor carriages used are each individually driven, individually controllable and individually monitored. As a rule, there are a large number of linear motor carriages on each linear motor revolution, so that a very high product output is possible.

Depending on the complexity of the processing of the assemblies and the length of the processing path, it may be necessary to travel through the processing path several times with an assembly until all the necessary processing steps have been carried out. In this case, the individual linear motor carriage units of the first linear motor circuit can transport assemblies in different processing states. Due to the possibility of monitoring each individual linear motor carriage, precise and correct processing of the respective assembly can still be possible. In addition, it would also be possible to process the assemblies differently. For example, a first assembly could be provided with a mouthpiece, while the following assembly is provided with a connection part and the following assembly is again provided with a mouthpiece.

The common processing path of the first and second linear motor circuit can in principle be of any length, provided that the spatial conditions in the vicinity of the device permit this. The common processing line does not necessarily have to run exclusively in a straight line. It would be possible for the machining path to also include curves. Editing the However, assemblies can regularly be made faster and more effectively on straight machining routes than on curved machining routes.

If the common processing path should not be long enough for the required processing of the assembly, the first linear motor circuit can have an alternative path and a normal path. In addition, there can be a common route so that the alternative route is designed as a shortcut to the normal route. Due to the evasive section, the linear motor carriage unit can, after the end of the processing section, move directly to the start of the processing section with the assembly still to be processed, without having to pass the feed device located on the normal section. The unloading device can preferably also lie on the normal route, so that the unloading device does not have to be passed in this case either.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the features further specified in the claims and in the exemplary embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer ersten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit einem ersten und einem zweiten Linearmotorumlauf und einer gemeinsamen Bearbeitungsstrecke, wobei die Führungssysteme als geschlossene Führungssysteme ausgeführt sind,
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung mit einem ersten und einem zweiten Linearmotorumlauf und einer gemeinsamen Bearbeitungsstrecke, wobei die Führungssysteme als offene Führungssysteme ausgeführt sind,
• Fig. 3a eine schematische Darstellung einer Linearmotorwageneinheit des ersten Linearmotorumlaufs kurz vor der Bearbeitung durch Bearbeitungseinheiten des zweiten Linearmotorumlaufs auf der gemeinsamen Bearbeitungsstrecke,
• Fig.3b eine schematische Darstellung einer Linearmotorwageneinheit des ersten Linearmotorumlaufs während der Bearbeitung durch Bearbeitungseinheiten des zweiten Linearmotorumlaufs, beziehungsweise nach erfolgtem Fügeprozess, auf der gemeinsamen Bearbeitungsstrecke und
• Fig.4 eine schematische Darstellung einer Linearmotorwageneinheit des ersten Linearmotorumlaufs mit an diesem befestigten Schlauchabschnitt.

The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention with a first and a second linear motor circulation and a common processing line, wherein the guide systems are designed as closed guide systems,
• Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention with a first and a second linear motor circulation and a common one Processing line, whereby the guidance systems are designed as open guidance systems,
• Fig. 3a a schematic representation of a linear motor carriage unit of the first linear motor circuit shortly before machining by machining units of the second linear motor circuit on the common machining path,
• Fig.3b a schematic representation of a linear motor carriage unit of the first linear motor circuit during machining by machining units of the second linear motor circuit, or after the joining process, on the common machining path and
• Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a linear motor carriage unit of the first linear motor circuit with a hose section attached to it.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention is shown in FIG Fig. 1 simplified and shown schematically. The device 10 has a first linear motor circuit 12 and a second linear motor circuit 14. The two linear motor circuits 12, 14 run to a certain extent directly next to one another and thereby form a common processing path 16.

In the present example, a large number of linear motor carriages 20 are mounted on the first linear motor circuit 12. The individual linear motor carriages 20 can each be driven and monitored separately. As a result, the speed of the individual linear motor carriages 20 can be regulated individually. A front linear motor carriage 20.1 and a rear linear motor carriage 20.2 each form a linear motor carriage unit 24 for transporting hose sections 22 (see also Fig. 4 ). As long as a hose section 22 is transported through a linear motor carriage unit 24, the distance between the two linear motor carriage 20.1, 20.2 remains constant. In this way, the device 10 can be adapted in a particularly simple manner to different hose lengths of the hose sections 22 by changing the distance between the two linear motor carriages 20.1, 20.2.

In the present example, a large number of linear motor carriages 30, 32 are also mounted on the second linear motor circuit 14. The individual linear motor carriages 30, 32 can each be driven and monitored separately, so that the speed of the individual linear motor carriages 30, 32 can be regulated individually. The linear motor carriages 30 are each equipped with a processing unit in the present example. In contrast, in the present example, the linear motor carriages 32 transport additional components that are to be mounted on the hose sections 22. In contrast to this, both linear motor carriages 30, 32 could also be equipped with similar functions. For example, both the linear motor carriages 30 and the linear motor carriages 32 could be equipped with a processing unit.

In the area of the common processing line 16, the linear motor carriages 30, 32 of the second linear motor circuit 14 mesh with the linear motor carriage units 24 of the first linear motor circuit 12 so that each linear motor carriage unit 24 is positioned between a linear motor carriage 30 and a linear motor carriage 32. Then the relative distance 34 (see Figures 3a and 3b ) between the linear motor carriage 30, 32 and the linear motor carriage unit 24 is reduced as much as possible. This reduction in the relative distance between the linear motor carriage unit 24 and the linear motor carriage 30, 32 is used both for joining and for processing the hose sections 22. For processing the hose sections 22, for example, the processing unit can pick up a component to be assembled from the linear motor carriage 32 and attach this component to the Mount hose section 22. In parallel, the processing unit could also carry out further processing steps on the hose section 22.

At the end of the common processing section 16, the linear motor carriages 30, 32 separate again from the linear motor carriage unit 24. The linear motor carriages 30, 32 continue on the second linear motor circuit 14, while the linear motor carriage unit 24 continues on the first linear motor circuit 12. In the present example, a first feed unit 36 and a second feed unit 38 are arranged on the second linear motor circulation 14. The linear motor carriages 30, 32 can be loaded with new, possibly also with additional, components through the two feed units 36, 38. In the present example, the first feed unit 36 is used to equip the linear motor carriage 32 again with a component to be assembled. In the present example, the second feed unit 38 serves to transfer a new component to the processing unit on the linear motor carriage 30. After the linear motor carriages 30, 32 have passed both feed units 36, 38, they come back to the beginning of the processing section 16, so that a further hose section 22 can be processed.

After the processing of the hose sections 22 in the area of the processing section 16, the linear motor carriage units 24 reach an unloading device 40. In the area of the unloading device 40, the hose sections 22 are removed from the linear motor carriage unit 24. The processed tube sections 22 can then be fed to a further processing unit. As an alternative to this, the processed tube sections 22 can also initially be temporarily stored in order to be further processed at a later point in time. The further processing unit for the hose sections 22 can be, for example, a further assembly device by means of which the hose sections 22 are further processed directly. The processing unit could also be a packaging device through which the tube sections 22 are initially packaged. The packaged tube sections 22 could then stored and / or transported to another assembly location.

After the machined hose section 22 has been removed from the linear motor carriage unit 24, the two linear motor carriages 20 of the linear motor carriage unit 24 can again be controlled individually. The linear motor carriages 20 can then again be electronically coupled to linear motor carriage units 24 in the area of the feed device 42.

In the area of the feed device 42, a new hose section 22 is fed to the linear motor carriage units 24 for processing. In principle, the feed device 42 could fasten already cut and separated hose sections 22 to the linear motor carriage units 24. In the present example, the feed device 42 has a reel on which an endless hose 44 is present rolled up. The individual tube sections 22 are produced from the endless tube 44. For this purpose, the endless hose 44 is always attached to at least one linear motor carriage 20, so that the endless hose 44 is never released from its positional fixation. The endless hose 44 is initially attached to a front linear motor carriage 20.1. This front linear motor carriage 20.1 then assumes a predetermined distance 46 from the following linear motor carriage 20.2. After the endless hose 44 has also been attached to the rear linear motor carriage 20.2, the linear motor carriage unit 24 formed in this way advances a little on the linear motor circuit 12 so that the endless hose 44 can be fastened again to a (then again front) linear motor carriage 20. In principle, it would be possible to cut the endless tube 44 at this point in time. In the present example, however, the cutting unit 48 is only passed when the endless hose 44 is still attached to two further linear motor carriage units 24. The endless hose 44 is separated between two linear motor carriage units 24 by the cutting unit 48, so that the front linear motor carriage unit 24 carries a free hose section 22.

Depending on the distance 50 from the rear linear motor carriage 20.2 of a front linear motor carriage unit 24 to the front linear motor carriage 20.1 of a subsequent linear motor carriage unit 24, there is an exactly defined protrusion 52, 54 of the hose section 22 from the linear motor carriage 20 of a linear motor carriage unit 24 (see Fig. 4 ). In the in Fig. 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the front protrusion 52 and the rear protrusion 54 are identical. The endless hose 44 is thus cut exactly in the middle between two linear motor carriage units 24. Depending on the desired type of processing, the front protrusion 52 and the rear protrusion 54 could also be selected to be of different sizes. In this case, the endless tube 44 would not be cut exactly in the middle. Such an eccentric cut could also be realized exactly by appropriate programming of the linear motor carriage 20.

After the feed device 42, a further feed unit 56 is arranged in the area of the first linear motor circulation 12 in the present example. A further component to be assembled can be loaded onto the linear motor carriage unit 24 by means of this feed unit 56. After having passed the feed unit 56, the linear motor carriage units 24 reach the common processing section 16, so that the processing of the hose sections 22 can begin. It would also be possible to dispense with the feed unit 56. As an alternative to this, further feed units 56 could also be provided if several further components are to be fed to the linear motor carriage unit 24.

The inventive device 10 according to Fig. 1 is designed with closed guide systems. In the area of the common processing path 16, there are therefore still two linear motor revolutions 12, 14 running parallel to one another. Editing the Hose sections 22 of the linear motor carriage units 24 then run with optimal precision and speed when the linear motor carriage units 24 of the first linear motor circuit 12 and the linear motor carriages 30, 32 of the second linear motor circuit 14 are present in an exactly defined position to one another. This is usually achieved by aligning the processing systems.

This aligned arrangement can be implemented even more precisely if the two linear motor revolutions 12.2, 14.2 have a common guide rail 18 as a processing section. Such a second embodiment of the device 10.2 according to the invention with open guidance systems is shown in FIG Fig. 2 shown.

Also in the case of the device 10.2, a large number of linear motor carriages 20 are mounted on the first linear motor circuit 12.2. To transport hose sections 22, a front linear motor carriage 20.1 and a rear linear motor carriage 20.2 each form a linear motor carriage unit 24. A large number of linear motor carriages 30, 32 are also mounted on the second linear motor circuit 14.2. The linear motor carriages 30 are each equipped with a processing unit in the present example. The linear motor carriages 32, on the other hand, transport additional components that are to be mounted on the hose sections 22. In the area of the common guide rail 18, the linear motor carriages 30, 32 of the second linear motor circuit 14.2 mesh with the linear motor carriage units 24 of the first linear motor circuit 12.2 so that each linear motor carriage unit 24 is positioned between a linear motor carriage 30 and a linear motor carriage 32. The tube section 22 can then be machined.

At the end of the common guide rail 18, the linear motor carriages 30, 32 separate again from the linear motor carriage unit 24. The linear motor carriage 30, 32 continue on the second linear motor circuit 14.2, while the linear motor carriage unit 24 on the first linear motor cycle 12.2 continues. In the present example, two auxiliary circuits 60, 62 are present on the second linear motor circuit 14.2. The linear motor carriages 32 turn off in the first auxiliary circuit 60. By means of the first feed unit 36 arranged on the auxiliary circuit 60, linear motor carriages 32 can again be equipped with a component to be assembled. The linear motor carriages 30 turn off in the second auxiliary circuit 62. By means of the second feed unit 38 arranged on the auxiliary circulation 62, the linear motor carriage 30 or the processing unit arranged thereon can be equipped with a new component to be assembled. After the end of the second auxiliary circuit 62, the linear motor carriages 30, 32 come back to the beginning of the common guide rail 18, so that a further hose section 22 can be processed.

After the machining of the hose sections 22 in the area of the common guide path 18, the finished hose sections can be unloaded in the area of the unloading device 40. The individual linear motor carriages 20 can then be coupled again to form linear motor carriage units 24 in the area of the feed device 42 and loaded with hose sections 22.

In the present example, there is a type of abbreviation in the form of an evasive route 70 in front of the unloading device 40. The evasive route 70 leads the linear motor carriage units 24 back to the beginning of the common guide rail 18 without having to pass the unloading device 40 and the feed device 42. As a result, the hose sections 22 can be processed again. In the present example, the first linear motor circulation 12.2 thus has a normal section 72, an evasive section 70 and a common section 74. The unloading device 40 and the feed device 42 are arranged in the area of the normal section 72. The common guide rail 18 is arranged in the area of the common path 74. If a hose section 22 has already been completely machined after it has passed through the common guide rail 18 for the first time, the corresponding linear motor carriage unit moves 24 exclusively on the normal route 72 and the common route 74. If, on the other hand, the processing of a hose section 22 at the end of the common guide rail 18 has not yet been completed, the corresponding linear motor carriage unit 24 can turn onto the alternative route 70 at the end of the common route 74. Only after the successful end of the processing does the linear motor carriage unit 24 move back onto the normal route 72 in order to deliver the processed hose section 22 in the area of the unloading device 40 and to receive a new hose section 22 in the area of the feed device 42.

Depending on the scope of the required processing of the hose sections, it can be advantageous to provide one or more further linear motor circuits in addition to the second linear motor circuit, each of which has a common processing path with the first linear motor circuit. In this way, several processing steps could be carried out one after the other. In this case, the common processing routes would not necessarily have to be traversed in a fixed order. If the required processing of the hose section is not based on one another, the processing sections could also be traversed by the linear motor carriage units in any order.

Instead of the hose sections 22, other assemblies could also be transported and processed with the device 10, 10.2 according to the invention. The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for machining limp parts.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus (10, 10.2) for processing an assembly, such as in particular a hose portion (22),

   - having a first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2)

   -- having at least one linear motor carriage unit (24),
   which can be moved on the first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2),

   -- having a feeding device (42) for feeding assemblies (22) to be processed and for fastening them to a linear motor carriage unit (24),

   -- having an unloading device (40) for unloading the processed assembly (22) from the linear motor carrier unit (24),

   - having a second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2)

   -- having at least one linear motor carriage (30, 32), which can be moved on the second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2),

   -- having at least one processing unit, which is positioned on the at least one linear motor carriage (30, 32),

   - wherein the first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2) and the second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2) extend parallel to one another in certain regions, with the result that the assemblies (22) present on the linear motor carriage units (24) of the first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2) can be processed by the processing units present on the linear motor carriages (30, 32) of the second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1,

   - characterized in that

   - the first linear motor circuit (12.2) and the second linear motor circuit (14.2) have a common guide rail (18) in certain regions.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2,

   - characterized in that

   - each linear motor carriage unit (24) has at least one front clamping unit and at least one rear clamping unit,

   - the assembly (22) to be processed can be releasably fastened in the two clamping units of the linear motor carriage unit (24).
4. Apparatus according to Claim 3,

   - characterized in that

   - each linear motor carriage unit (24) of the first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2) has at least two linear motor carriages (20.1, 20.2),

   - each linear motor carrier (20.1, 20.2) of the first linear motor circuit (12. 12.2) has at least one clamping unit.
5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims,

   - characterized in that

   - at least two linear motor carriage units (24) are present.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5,

   - characterized in that

   - the feeding device (42) for the assemblies (22) has at least one supply for an endless hose (44),

   - the feeding device (42) for the assemblies (22) has at least one cutting unit (48) for cutting the endless hose (44) into hose portions (22).
7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims,

   - characterized in that

   - the first linear motor circuit (12) has at least one feeding unit (56) by means of which a linear motor carriage unit (24) can be loaded with additional components.
8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims,

   - characterized in that

   - the second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2) has at least one feeding unit (36, 38) by means of which the linear motor carriages (30, 32) and/or a processing unit can be loaded with additional components.
9. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims,

   - characterized in that

   - the first linear motor circuit (12.2) comprises a normal section (72), a bypass section (70) and a common section (74),

   - the feeding device (42) is arranged to feed the hose portions (22) in the region of the normal section (72),

   - the common processing section (16, 18) is arranged with the second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2) in the region of the common section (74).
10. Apparatus according to Claim 9,

    - characterized in that

    - the unloading device (40) is arranged in the region of the normal section (72).
11. Method for processing an assembly, such as in particular a hose portion (22), comprising the following method steps:

    - the assembly (22) to be processed is fastened to a linear motor carriage unit (24),

    - the linear motor carriage unit (24) travels on a first linear motor circuit (12, 12.2) in the transport direction,

    - a processing unit travels on a second linear motor circuit (14, 14.2) in the transport direction,

    - the linear motor carriage unit (24) carrying the assembly (22) and the processing unit are moved towards one another into an aligned position, with the result that the processing unit is positioned directly upstream of or directly downstream of the linear motor carriage (24) carrying the assembly (22),

    - the assembly (22) is processed by the processing unit,

    - the linear motor carriage unit (24) and the processing unit are separated from one another,

    - the processed assembly (22) is unloaded from the linear motor carriage unit (24).
12. Method according to Claim 11,

    - characterized in that

    - to fasten an assembly (22) to a linear motor carriage unit (24), first of all an endless hose (44) fastened to a front linear motor carriage unit (24) is fastened to a following linear motor carriage unit (24),

    - the endless hose (44) is then cut between the two linear motor carriage units (24), with the result that the front linear motor carriage unit (24) carries a free hose portion (22).
13. Method according to Claim 12,

    - characterized in that

    - each linear motor carriage unit (24) has at least two linear motor carriages (20.1, 20.2),

    - the endless hose (44) is first of all fastened to the front linear motor carriage (20.1) of the linear motor carriage unit (24),

    - the front linear motor carriage (20.1) and the rear linear motor carriage (20.2) of the linear motor carriage unit (24) assume a defined, predeterminable distance (46) from one another,

    - the endless hose (44) is fastened to the rear linear motor carriage (20.2) of the front linear motor carriage unit (24) and to the front linear motor carriage (20.1) of the following linear motor carriage unit (24),

    - the endless hose (44) is cut between the rear linear motor carriage (20.2) of the front linear motor carriage unit (24) and the front linear motor carriage (20.1) of the following linear motor carriage unit (24).

Images