EP3788191B1 - Bale opener with a portal design machine base and with a remover unit on the machine base - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a bale opener for opening compressed fiber bales that have been set up in an erecting direction, with a machine frame and with a doffer unit, the doffer unit being arranged on the machine frame so that it can be adjusted in height and the machine frame being movable in the erecting direction, so that the fiber bales can be driven over with the doffer unit and wherein the doffer unit is suspended from the machine frame by means of at least one traction means, wherein the traction means for adjusting the height of the doffer unit on the machine frame is operatively connected to a drive motor.

From the DE 37 34 480 A1 a bale opener for opening pressed fiber bales and set up in an erecting direction is known. The bale opener has a machine frame with a pickup unit, and the pickup unit is arranged on the machine frame so that it can be adjusted in height. The machine frame can be moved in the erecting direction, so that the fiber bales can be driven over with the doffer unit, and the doffer unit is suspended from the machine frame by means of at least one traction device. The traction means for adjusting the height of the pickup unit on the machine frame is operatively connected to a drive motor arranged on the top side of the machine frame. The traction means is formed by a chain drive, and the pickup unit is mounted vertically with carriages that are integrated in the side walls of the machine frame. Consequently, the pickup unit extends laterally into the side walls of the machine frame, with the motor being arranged on the top side of the machine frame in order to move the pickup unit vertically via the chain drive. Disadvantageously, the drive motor for moving the pickup unit is arranged on the upper side of the portal profiles, which, together with the side walls, form the machine frame form and connect the side walls with each other, which further increases the overall height of the bale opener. When transporting the bale opener in particular, however, it is advantageous to keep the overall height of the machine frame as low as possible, with gear means arranged on the top side of the machine frame for connecting the drive motor to the chain drive increasing the overall height of the machine frame.

The U.S. 4,507,826 A discloses a further bale opener for opening pressed fiber bales and set up in an erecting direction, and the bale opener has a machine frame with a take-off unit arranged on the machine frame so that it can be adjusted in height. The pickup unit is mounted on the machine frame via threaded rods, and spindle motors are located on the pickup unit, which can move in the height direction when the spindle rods rotate. Spindle nuts assigned to the spindle rods are located on both end sides of the pickup unit, and the spindle rods are accommodated in the side walls of the machine frame. Disadvantageously, a complex synchronization of the spindle rods is required to ensure the horizontal position of the pickup unit even when the height is adjusted.

More examples of bale openers can be found in the EP 0266629 A2 and the WO 2013/076739 A2 .

The object of the invention is the further development of a bale opener with an improved arrangement of a pickup unit on the machine frame of the bale opener. In particular, the design effort for adjusting the height of the pickup unit on the machine frame should be minimized, the machine frame still being as low as possible, and a top-side arrangement of a drive motor for height adjustment of the pickup unit being avoided.

This object is achieved based on a bale opener according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with the characterizing features. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention includes the technical teaching that the at least one traction means is guided around a deflection roller arranged on the top side of the machine frame, with a first end of the traction means being connected to the doffer unit and with a second end of the traction means resting on a traction means roller arranged on the doffer unit. and can be unwound, the drive motor being arranged on the pickup unit and being operatively connected to the traction roller.

The core idea of the invention is the suspension of the pickup unit on the top of the machine frame via a looped traction device that loops around an associated deflection roller on the upper part of the machine frame. The drive motor arranged on the pickup unit can be moved vertically with the pickup unit. In a certain way, when moving vertically, the doffer unit pulls itself up on the machine frame with the traction means when the drive motor is activated. The drive motor is operatively connected to the traction roller so that it can be set in rotation. If the pickup unit is to be moved vertically upwards, the traction mechanism roller is rotated by the drive motor in a direction in which the traction mechanism is wound onto the traction mechanism roller, and if the pickup unit is to be moved vertically downwards, the traction mechanism roller is rotated by the drive motor in an opposite direction , so that the traction device is unwound from the traction device role again.

The arrangement of the drive motor on the pickup unit itself means that the drive motor does not have to be arranged on the top side of the machine frame, so that the overall height of the machine frame can be correspondingly reduced. The structural complexity of the machine frame itself is also reduced, since no traction means arranged laterally in the side walls of the machine frame have to be driven.

An advantageous embodiment of the bale opener provides that the machine frame has a first side wall and an opposite second side wall, with the pickup unit and the traction means being arranged essentially and in particular completely in a space between the two side walls. This means that no lateral component of the pickup unit protrudes into the side walls, for example to create an arrangement of a traction mechanism within the side walls, and an installation space is created in the side walls that is suitable for accommodating other operating means for operating the bale opener. The pickup unit is guided on the side walls in a simple manner, so that the overall design effort for the vertically adjustable arrangement of the pickup unit on the machine frame is simplified.

With a further advantage, two mutually parallel portal profiles are formed between the side walls, which are part of the machine frame and which extend in a transverse direction and which are connected to the side walls with their ends in the area of the upper corners of the latter. In a particularly advantageous manner, the deflection roller can be arranged at least indirectly on the portal profiles around which the respective traction means is looped.

To accommodate the deflection rollers, bridge elements extending on the profiles in the erection direction are used with particular advantage, with two traction means preferably being provided for accommodating the doffer unit, so that two deflection rollers are also arranged on the top side of the machine frame. In particular, two bridge elements are thus provided, which are spaced apart from one another and preferably arranged on the portal profiles in the end regions of the portal profiles, with which these are connected to the side walls, and are placed on them, for example, on the upper side. The bridge elements are either C-shaped or trapezoidal in shape and rest on the top of the portal profiles with two opposite end sides. The deflection rollers are accommodated in the center of the bridge elements, so that they are preferably arranged centered over the spaced, parallel portal profiles. So it can too respective traction means are arranged centrally on the machine frame, so that the pickup unit can be guided on the machine frame essentially free of moments.

With a still further advantage, the doffer unit is suspended from two traction means, the traction means being arranged close to the end sides of the doffer unit lying in the transverse direction, and the traction means rollers being arranged on a common drive shaft. The distance between the traction mechanism rollers preferably corresponds to the distance between the deflection rollers, and the first ends of the traction mechanism are also connected to the pickup unit at the same distance. If the drive motor is activated, both pulleys rotate with the same rotational movement, and consequently both pulleys can be wound onto the pulleys with the same length. This ensures that the pickup unit has a horizontal extension at every altitude.

The drive motor is advantageously connected to the drive shaft by means of a gear. The transmission can be designed in such a way that the drive shaft extends through the transmission through a receiving opening, so that a first traction element roller is accommodated on a first side of the transmission on the drive shaft and a second traction element roller on an opposite, second side of the transmission on the drive shaft is recorded.

According to a further variant, the pickup unit has a brake unit which is connected to the drive motor. For example, the brake unit is arranged on the drive motor, in particular on a rear side of the motor, with the transmission being arranged on a front side of the motor. The drive motor, the gear and the brake unit can form a structural unit. The structural unit has a through opening at the transmission output, through which the drive shaft can be passed. The drive shaft is connected in a torque-transmitting manner to an output gear of the transmission.

A further essential advantage for operating the bale opener is achieved if rotary sensors are arranged on the deflection rollers, with which a height position of the pickup unit can be detected. In particular, rotation sensors are also suitable for detecting travel speeds. For example, when the bale opener is switched on, the pickup unit can be moved to a reference position so that, starting from the reference position, the height position of the pickup unit can be detected via the rotary sensors and made available to an electrical control unit. In addition, the rotation sensor can be used, for example, as a control circuit element for controlling the vertical displacement speed.

With a further advantage, the connection of the first end of the traction means to the pickup unit includes a force detection unit, with which a tensile force in the traction means can be detected. Since the weight of the doffer unit is known, a supporting force of the doffer unit on the fiber bales can be calculated by a current detection of the tensile force in the traction means, in particular with the electrical control unit. If the pickup unit presses on the upper side of the fiber bale with a greater supporting force, the tensile force in the traction means is reduced, and the difference between the weight of the pickup unit and the determined tensile force in the traction means can be used to calculate the supporting force of the pickup unit on the upper side of the fiber bale.

A preferred variant for the formation of the traction means results when these are formed from tension straps made of a rubber material with integrated steel tension members. Such tie rods are known, for example, from elevator construction for accommodating a driver's cabin and can withstand high mechanical loads. The drawstrings have a very large transmittable tensile force, which can also be wound up with a very large number of repetitions on traction rollers. In addition, such traction means are maintenance-free and structurally easier to integrate into the bale openers than, for example, a chain drive.

Finally, a further advantage is achieved if vertically running guide profiles are arranged on the insides of the side walls facing towards the pickup unit, on which the pickup unit can be moved vertically. Corresponding guide rollers are located on the pickup unit itself, which roll on the guide profiles, for example on two side surfaces and/or on one end face, and with which the pickup unit is guided very precisely on the guide profiles in a simple manner. The guide profiles are only attached to the insides of the side walls and protrude slightly into the space between the two side walls and thus face each other. This means that there are no structurally complex guides inside the side walls, and parts of the pickup unit do not have to be guided into the side walls for guidance. The guide rollers, which interact with the guide profiles to guide the pickup unit, are located only on the outside of the pickup unit and form the end of the same in the transverse direction.

Fig. 1

eine erste perspektivische Ansicht eines Ballenöffners mit den Merkmalen der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine zweite perspektivische Ansicht des Ballenöffners von Figur 1,

Fig. 3

eine weitere perspektivische Ansicht des Ballenöffners mit dargestellten Details zur Aufnahme der Abnehmereinheit am Maschinengestell,

Fig. 4

eine Detailansicht der Anordnung des Zugmittels an der Abnehmereinheit und

Fig. 5

eine Detailansicht einer Baueinheit in Anordnung an der Abnehmereinheit, umfassend einen Antriebsmotor, ein Getriebe sowie eine Bremseinheit.

Further measures improving the invention are presented in more detail below together with the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. It shows:

1

a first perspective view of a bale opener with the features of the invention,

2

a second perspective view of the bale opener of FIG figure 1 ,

3

another perspective view of the bale opener with details shown for receiving the pickup unit on the machine frame,

4

a detailed view of the arrangement of the traction mechanism on the pickup unit and

figure 5

a detailed view of a unit arranged on the pickup unit, comprising a drive motor, a transmission and a brake unit.

The figures 1 and 2 show a bale opener 1 with the features of the present invention in two different perspective views. The bale opener 1 is used for milling off the upper side of fiber bales 100 that are set up in a set-up area 28 on a floor 27 in several rows next to one another in a set-up direction 10 . A doffer unit 12, which is accommodated on a machine frame 11 so that it can be moved in a vertical direction, serves to mill off the upper side of the fiber bales 100. The machine frame 11 has a first side frame 17 and a second side frame 18, and between the two side frames 17 and 18 two spaced-apart portal profiles 19 extend.

The side walls 17 and 18 have rollers 29 and 30, and a running rail 31, on which the rollers 29 on the first side wall 17 are guided, serves to guide the machine frame 11 in the installation direction 10. The rollers 30, which are located on the underside of the second side wall 18, run over the floor 27, on which the fiber bales 100 are also placed and on which the running rail 31 is also mounted.

The stripper unit 12 has two stripper rollers 32 and three back-up rolls 33 on an underside, the stripper rollers 32 being located between the back-up rolls 33, and all the rolls 32 and 33 running parallel to one another in a transverse direction 20. There are gratings 34 in front of the doffer rollers 32. If the rollers 32 and 33 are set in rotation, the doffer rollers 32 pick up flake-like components from the pressed fiber bales 100, and the fiber tufts are sucked off via a suction device 35 and fed to their further use.

The suction device 35 comprises a suction hood 36, which is located on the upper side of the pickup unit 12 and to which a spiral hose 37 leading vertically upwards is connected. When the pickup unit 12 is moved vertically, the length of the spiral hose 37 can change. The spiral hose 37 is connected at the top to a suction air duct 38 which introduces the suction air into the first side wall 17 at the top. The suction air duct 38 is thus connected to the upper side of the first side wall 17 in a self-supporting manner, and the spiral hose 37 is located in a hanging arrangement at the end of the suction air duct 38. The suction air travels through the first side wall 17 and arrives via a channel 39 together with the fiber tufts a processing station.

The bale opener 1 is manually controlled via a control panel 40 which, for example, is set up at a head end of the channel 39 . The bale opener 1 is supplied with electricity via a connection box 41 which is located at the same head end of the channel 39 . A power and signal connection 42 comprising a cable chain unit 43 can be used to produce an electrical supply and a signal connection to the movable machine body 11, with the power and signal connection 42 being located on the side of the channel 39. A driver 44 forms the movable connection of the cable chain unit 43 and is connected to a belt lifting unit 45 which is connected to the first side wall 17 and is consequently moved along with the movement of the machine frame 11 in the erection direction 10 . The tape lifting unit 45 is used to lift a cover tape 46 which covers the channel 39 on the top side.

Traction means 13 are used to move the doffer unit 12 vertically and pick it up while it is hanging on the machine frame 11. The traction means 13 are accommodated within bridge elements 21 via deflection rollers. The bridge elements 21 extend in the erecting direction 10 and are supported on the upper side on the portal profiles 19 which extend in the transverse direction 20 .

In 3 Another view of the bale opener 1 is shown with the machine frame 11, which is essentially made up of the first side panel 17, the second side panel 18 and the two portal profiles 19 extending in the transverse direction 20. The portal profiles 19 are at the upper corners of the side panels 17 , 18 attached, and connect the side panels 17, 18 rigidly together. The spiral hose 37 , which is fastened to the pickup unit 12 via the suction hood 36 , is passed here in the middle between the portal profiles 19 .

The pickup unit 12 is held on the machine frame 11 by means of two traction means 13 arranged at a distance from one another, so that the pickup unit 12 hangs on the two traction means 13 with the full weight force. The traction means 13 are looped around deflection rollers 15, and the deflection rollers 15 are accommodated on bridge elements 21 and are at least partially covered by them. The bridge elements 21 extend in the erecting direction 10, while the portal profiles 19 extend in the transverse direction 20. The bridge elements 21 are connected to the top of the portal profiles 19 with their two end sides, and the deflection rollers 15 are located here somewhat eccentrically on the bridge elements 21. The traction means 13 thus run vertically downwards somewhat eccentrically between the two portal profiles 19 and accept the doffer unit 12 their outsides up.

A first end of each traction device 13 is firmly attached to the pickup unit 12 and a second end can be wound up and unwound on a traction device roller 16 provided for this traction device 13 . The traction rollers 16 are accommodated on the pickup unit 12 itself. A drive motor 14 is used to drive the traction rollers 16 , the drive motor 14 also being accommodated on the pickup unit 12 . The drive connection between the drive motor 14 and the two traction rollers 16 is formed by a drive shaft 22, with the drive motor 14 driving the drive shaft 22 by means of a gear 23. Both traction rollers 16 are mounted on the drive shaft 22 at a distance that also corresponds to the distance between the two deflection rollers 15 on the bridge elements 21 is equivalent to. Instead of the drive shaft 22, a second drive motor can also be provided, which drives the traction roller 16, which is driven here via the drive shaft 22.

If the doffer unit 12 is to be moved vertically upwards on the machine frame 11, the drive motor 14 is operated in such a way that the drive shaft 22 and thus the traction element rollers 16 are rotated in order to wind the traction element 13 onto the traction element rollers 16. If the pickup unit 12 is to be moved vertically downwards, the direction of rotation of the drive motor 14 and thus of the drive shaft 22 is reversed, and the traction mechanism 13 unwinds from the respective traction mechanism roller 16 again. The rigid connection of the traction means 13 to the pickup unit 12 is changed just as little as the looping position of the traction means 13 around the deflection rollers 15 on the bridge elements 21.

4 shows a detailed view of the connection of the traction device 13 to a first end side of the pickup unit 12, the fixed connection of the first end of the traction device 13 comprising a force detection unit 25 with which the tensile force in the traction device 13 can be determined. Also shown is the traction roller 16 onto which the opposite end side of the traction means 13 can be wound and unwound when the drive shaft 22 is set in rotation, on which the traction roller 16 is rigidly received. The drive shaft 22 is rotatably mounted on the frame of the pickup unit 12 via a shaft bearing 47 .

figure 5 shows with reference to 4 the opposite second end side of the pickup unit 12 and thus also of the drive shaft 22 on which the further traction roller 16 is accommodated. The transmission 23 is designed in such a way that the drive shaft 22 can extend through it and the traction mechanism 13 is also attached at a first end to the pickup unit 12 via a further force detection unit that is not visible, and a second end of the traction mechanism 13 can be mounted on the traction mechanism roller 16 be wound up and down. The drive motor 14 is embodied as a unit with the transmission 23, and there is a brake unit 24 on the rear of the drive motor 14. If the brake unit 24 is activated, it can be ensured that the vertical position of the pickup unit 12 does not change.

The view also shows a guide profile 26, which is attached to the side panel, not shown. The guide profile 26 preferably protrudes into the space between the two side walls and an arrangement of non-visible guide rollers on the doffer unit 12 ensures vertical guidance of the doffer unit 12 on the machine frame, with another guide profile being able to be arranged in the same way on the opposite side wall. The guide profile(s) 26 can be designed in any way, be it by means of a one-piece design or attachment to the respective side panel, for example by means of screwing. Aluminum, for example, has proven to be a suitable material for the respective guide profile 26 and thus contributes to the low overall weight of the bale opener 1 .

To guide the pickup unit 12 on the respective guide profile 26, at least one first guide roller (not shown) is provided, which rolls on a surface of the respective guide profile 26 facing the pickup unit 12 and is freely rotatably mounted on the pickup unit 12. The axis of rotation of this at least one first guide roller runs in the erecting direction. Furthermore, several, preferably four, guide rollers, also not shown here, are provided on the pickup unit 12 . The axes of rotation of these several guide rollers run parallel to one another, perpendicular to the installation direction and parallel to the floor 27 or the running rail 31. At least one guide roller is arranged to roll on a surface of the respective guide profile 12 that is now facing the direction of travel, and at least two other guide rollers are on this surface Away from, also driving surface of the respective guide profile 12 arranged rolling. This results in very simple, precise guidance of the doffer unit 12 on the machine frame 11.

A switching lug is preferably arranged on at least one of the roller mounts required for the guide rollers. Advantageously, this is the roller mount that is arranged highest, that is to say has the greatest distance from the floor 27 . This allows the drive motor 14 to switch off when it reaches the highest vertical position or to detect when the pickup unit 12 has reached this maximum vertical position. Additionally or alternatively, a switching flag can be provided to determine when the pickup unit 12 has reached its lowest vertical position. This increases the operational reliability of the entire bale opener 1.

The invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred exemplary embodiment given above.

For example, the drive shaft 22 can be omitted, and the 4 shown traction means 13 is provided with its own drive.

Reference List

1

bale opener

10

erection direction

11

machine frame

12

pickup unit

13

traction means

14

drive motor

15

pulley

16

traction roller

17

first sidewall

18

second sidewall

19

portal profile

20

transverse direction

21

bridge element

22

drive shaft

23

transmission

24

brake unit

25

force acquisition unit

26

leadership profile

27

Floor

28

installation area

29

roller

30

roller

31

running rail

32

doffer roller

33

backup roll

34

grating

35

suction device

36

suction hood

37

spiral hose

38

drinking air shaft

39

channel

40

control panel

41

junction box

42

Power and signal connection

43

cable chain unit

44

driver

45

tape lifting unit

46

masking tape

47

shaft bearing

100

fiber bale

Claims (14)

1. A bale opener (1) for opening pressed fiber bales (100) positioned in a positioning direction (10), having a machine frame (11) and having a pick-up unit (12), wherein the pick-up unit (12) is arranged vertically adjustably on the machine frame (11), and wherein the machine frame (11) is travelable in the positioning direction (10) so that the fiber bales (100) can be transferred by the pick-up unit (12), and wherein the pick-up unit (12) is suspended at the machine frame (11) by means of at least one pulling means (13), wherein the pulling means (13) is operatively connected to a drive unit (4) on the machine frame (11) for the vertical adjustment of the pick-up unit (12),
   characterized in that the at least one pulling means (13) is guided over a deflection pulley (15) arranged at the upper side on the machine frame (11), with a first end of the pulling means (13) being connected to the pick-up unit (12) and with a second end of the pulling means (13) being able to be wound up and down on a pulling means pulley (16) arranged on the pick-up unit (12), and with the drive motor (14) being arranged on the pick-up unit (12) and being operatively connected to the pulling means pulley (16).
2. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the machine frame (11) has a first wide wall (17) and an oppositely disposed second side wall (18), with the pick-up unit (12) and the at least one pulling means (13) being arranged in an intermediate space between the two side walls (17, 18).
3. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that two portal sections (19) extending in parallel with one another are formed between the side walls (17, 18), extend in a transverse direction (20), and their ends are connected to the upper corners of the side walls (17, 18) in the region thereof.
4. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pick-up unit (12) is suspended at two pulling means (13).
5. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the pulling means (13) are arranged close to the end sides of the pick-up unit (12) disposed in the transverse direction (20).
6. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the pulling means pulleys (18) are arranged on a common drive shaft (22).
7. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that the drive motor (14) is connected to the drive shaft (22) by means of a transmission (23).
8. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the claims 4 to 7, characterized in that at least two bridge elements (21), at which the deflection pulleys (15) are arranged, extend between the portal sections (19) in the positioning direction (10)
9. A bale opener (11) in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a brake unit (24) is provided that is connected to the drive motor (14).
10. A bale opener (1) in accordance with claim 7 and claim 9, characterized in that the brake unit (24) is arranged at the drive motor (14), with the drive motor (14), the transmission (23), and the brake unit (24) forming a construction unit.
11. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the claims 4 to 8 or claim 10, characterized in that rotary sensors by which a vertical position of the pick-up unit (12) can be sensed are arranged at the deflection pulleys (15).
12. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection of the first end of the pulling means (13) to the pick-up unit (12) comprises a force sensing unit (25) by which a pulling force in the respective pulling means (13) can be sensed.
13. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pulling means (13) are formed by pulling belts composed of a rubber material with integrated steel tension carriers.
14. A bale opener (1) in accordance with one of the claims 2, 3, or 8, characterized in that vertically extending guide sections (26) at which the pick-up unit 12) is travelable in a vertically guided manner are arranged at the inner sides of the side walls (17, 18) facing toward the pick-up unit (12).

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