EP3822040A1 - Workstation system with transport device and loading station - Google Patents

Abstract

A workstation system (900) comprises a work table (100), at least one material carrier (400), a transport trolley (300) with a carrying fork (330), and a loading station (200). The material carrier can be loaded with material, tools and aids on the loading station. The transport trolley picks up the tool carrier in the loading station by means of the carrying fork and moves it to the workplace. At the workplace, the table top (130) is brought to a loading height using a height adjustment drive so that the tool carrier can be placed on the table top. It can now be moved or adjusted in position by the trolley or by rollers (440) on its underside on the table. It can be fixed in relation to the table top by means of securing devices (450).

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a workstation system for the simplified provision of materials at an ergonomic workstation.

State of the art

Ergonomic workplaces are known for manual production in small and medium-sized series.

In the EP 3 207 833 A1 a workstation with an ergonomically adjustable gripping shell system is disclosed. This gripping shell system can be adjusted to the individual gripping radius of a person working at the workplace. For this purpose, the gripping trays arranged on the grabbing tray carriers can be moved on a rail system. Empty grab shells have to be refilled manually individually or replaced with filled grab shells.

A further development is in the EP 3 441194 A1 disclosed. Here the grab shells are provided in grab shell carriers. Alternatively, a shelf system is provided, from which filled grab trays can be led directly into the grab tray carriers at the workplace. Large amounts of material can be provided at the workstations without any problems. However, the handling of constantly changing materials, such as those that require different assembly tasks, is difficult. In addition, only objects that are housed in gripping trays can be fed.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to design a workstation system which has a higher flexibility in the provision of material. In this way, changing materials should be made available in a simpler manner. In addition, should it is also possible to provide materials or components of different geometries that cannot necessarily be provided in gripping trays.

This object is achieved by a device according to claim 1. Advantageous refinements of the invention are given in the subclaims.

A workstation system according to the invention comprises a work table, at least one material carrier, at least one transport trolley and a loading station. In the loading station, material carriers can be loaded with materials, auxiliary devices, tools and measuring devices. The material carriers equipped in this way can then be picked up by a transport trolley and moved to the work table. The material carriers can be placed there in an ergonomically advantageous position.

The loading station can be set up spatially separated from the table and offers space for at least one, preferably several, material carriers. The material carriers can be loaded with material in the loading station. For this purpose, for example, gripping trays with small parts or even larger parts, tools or measuring devices can be attached to the material carrier. Ideally, the material carrier or a set of several suitably assembled material carriers comprises the assembly materials and, if appropriate, aids necessary for an assembly order and / or for a shift.

These materials and / or aids can be put together on the material carriers in the immediate vicinity of the workplace, in a separate preparation area or in another room. A loading station can basically accommodate several material carriers, so that one or more work tables can also be supplied with them. The material carrier can have receptacles for materials or other devices. Such receiving devices could, for example, be gripping trays, carriers for gripping trays, storage areas for tools and other devices, as well as any other receiving means.

The materials and / or aids provided on the material carrier can then be transported to the work table with the aid of a transport trolley and placed there. The trolley has means for receiving at least one material carrier. For this purpose, it can have a carrying fork, the prongs of which are designed to engage in fork guides of the material carrier. So the transport trolley can be pushed to a material carrier, which is stored at the correct height either in the loading station or on the work table, so that the prongs of the carrying fork are at the correct height and in the correct orientation to the fork guides in the material carrier and at the tines are pushed into the fork guides as they come closer.

Here, all height information relates to the same reference plane. This can, for example, be a floor on which the components of the system stand. However, it can also be any other reference plane that is preferably parallel to the surface of the table top.

So that a material carrier can be easily removed from the loading station, a coupling and / or locking device can be provided which fixes the material carrier on the trolley so that it is secured on the trolley during transport. A simple shifting of a material carrier in the loading station can take place by means of rollers integrated in the loading station, for example roller conveyors or also by rollers on the underside of the material carrier. It is particularly favorable if the height of the loading station is dimensioned so that a material carrier in the loading station is slightly higher than the position on the transport trolley (held by the forks). During transport, the material carrier rests on the forks of the transport trolley and is secured against slipping by the friction. When it is pushed onto the loading station, which takes place with very little resistance due to the rollers, the material carrier is raised slightly so that it can now be easily moved with respect to the forks of the transport trolley. In order to have the necessary mobility of the material carrier in relation to the height To ensure the trolley, the fork guides of the material carrier can have an opening with a height which is greater than the height of the fork prongs.

To ensure that the material carriers are securely held in the loading station, a further locking of the material carriers can be provided in the loading station. Alternatively or in addition, the guidance of the material carriers in the loading station can also have an incline so that the material carrier runs into the loading station. This movement could be limited by a rear stop.

In order to enable the carrying fork of the transport carriage to be neatly inserted into the fork guide of the material carrier, additional guides can be provided for the transport carriage. These guides can optionally be attached to the floor under the loading station and / or to the loading station itself. It is particularly favorable to attach such guides to the underside of the loading station in such a way that the base carrier of the transport carriage or wheels of the transport carriage are guided therein.

The transport trolley loaded with a material carrier can now be pushed to the work table. In addition to a manually displaceable transport trolley, a vehicle with a drive would also be possible. This could be controlled by a person or driven autonomously.

The work table itself comprises a height-adjustable worktop and can comprise further components, for example an aid carrier, lighting, sockets, switches and other operating elements. The work surface of the workplace is height adjustable for reasons of ergonomics, preferably with a height adjustment drive. Such drives are preferably electric. But they can also be pneumatic and hydraulic. The invention can also be implemented with a work surface that is not height-adjustable, provided that it has a height that is suitable for the transport trolley. In the following, however, an ergonomic, height-adjustable worktop assumed. The loading height of the worktop is preferably set in a position memory so that it can be approached independently by simple selection, for example by actuating a switch. The loading height of the work table is set so that a material carrier that is still on the transport trolley can be pushed over the work surface. The loading height of the worktop is preferably such that when the material carrier is pushed onto the worktop, the material carrier is raised slightly (preferably in the range between 0.5 and 2 mm). This lifting reduces the high friction between the carrying fork of the transport carriage and the fork guide of the material carrier, so that the carrying fork of the transport carriage can later be pulled out of the fork guide of the material carrier.

First, however, the material carrier is movable with respect to the surface of the worktop, since it preferably rests on the surface of the table top with rollers on the underside of the material carrier, particularly preferably with ball rollers. The material carrier can now be moved so far on the work table with the aid of the transport trolley and also aligned in its direction until it is optimally aligned in relation to the working position. Thus, the position of the material carrier can vary depending on the size of the person working at the work table. One, preferably two or, in the case of particularly large tables, several material carriers can be placed on a work table.

Once the correct position of the material carrier on the work table has been found, the material carrier can be fastened, secured or locked to the table top or a frame structure of the table top by at least one first securing device and thus secured against unintentional movement. After locking, the transport trolley can be removed from the material carrier so that the carrying fork slides out of the fork guide.

These first safety devices can counter bearings on the work table, for example Include metal tabs on the material carrier and on the work table, which can be connected to one another by a fastening screw 452, for example. For adjustment, the first securing device 450 and / or counter bearing 150 can optionally be displaceable on the material carrier and / or on the work table. The first securing device can thus be adapted to a large number of positions of a material carrier on the worktop.

The trolley can be moved back to the loading station in order to pick up another material carrier there.

The return transport of material carriers from the table to the loading station takes place in reverse order.

With this workstation system, work at the table is not hindered or only slightly hindered by loading, since the changeover process by exchanging the prepared material carrier only takes a short time. The risk of incorrectly equipping the workplace is also reduced, since containers no longer have to be exchanged at the workplace under time pressure. Instead, the material carrier can be simply equipped in the loading station without any time pressure. Another advantage is that the material carrier at the loading station is accessible from all sides and can therefore also be equipped conveniently and ergonomically.

In principle, a material carrier can also be adjusted in its position on the work table without a transport trolley. In order to prevent the material carrier from being shifted too far on the work table, so that it could fall off the work table, at least one second securing device can also be provided. This second securing device could, for example, be a bolt that is held in a bore in the table top. The bolt can be inserted into the bore before the fine adjustment of the material carrier and would then prevent the material carrier from being displaced too far, since the support frame or other parts of the material carrier could be in contact with the bolt.

Before removing or setting a new material carrier, the second safety device must be removed again.

Description of the drawings

• Figur 1 zeigt ein Arbeitsplatzsystem.
• Figur 2 zeigt einen Materialträger.
• Figur 3 zeigt einen Materialträger mit Greifschalen.
• Figur 4 zeigt eine weitere Ansicht eines Materialträgers.
• Figur 5 zeigt eine Ansicht des Materialträgers von unten.
• Figur 6 zeigt einen Transportwagen.
• Figur 7 zeigt einen Transportwagen mit Materialträger.
• Figur 8 zeigt einen Schnitt durch einen Gabelträger.
• Figur 9 zeigt einen weiteren Schnitt durch einen Gabelträger.
• Figur 10 zeigt eine Beladestation mit Materialträger und Transportwagen im Detail.
• Figur 11 zeigt einen Arbeitstisch mit Transportwagen und zwei Materialträgern im Detail.
• Figur 12 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf das Arbeitsplatzsystem.
• Figur 13 zeigt einen Arbeitstisch mit zwei Materialträgern und dahinterstehendem Transportwagen.
• Figur 14 zeigt eine Beladestation mit einem Materialträger und einem Transportwagen in einer Frontalansicht.

The invention is described below by way of example without restricting the general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

• Figure 1 shows a workstation system.
• Figure 2 shows a material carrier.
• Figure 3 shows a material carrier with gripping trays.
• Figure 4 shows another view of a material carrier.
• Figure 5 shows a view of the material carrier from below.
• Figure 6 shows a dolly.
• Figure 7 shows a transport trolley with a material carrier.
• Figure 8 shows a section through a fork carriage.
• Figure 9 shows a further section through a fork carriage.
• Figure 10 shows a loading station with material carrier and transport trolley in detail.
• Figure 11 shows a work table with transport trolley and two material carriers in detail.
• Figure 12 shows a top view of the workstation system.
• Figure 13 shows a work table with two material carriers and a transport trolley behind them.
• Figure 14 shows a loading station with a material carrier and a transport trolley in a frontal view.

In Figure 1 a workstation system 900 is shown. A work table 100 has a work surface 130 which can be adjusted in height in the direction 190. At least one material carrier 400 can be placed on the worktop. In the example of this figure, a completely deposited material carrier is shown on the left, while a material carrier 400 on a transport trolley 300 is shown on the table top on the right. The material carrier 400 on the trolley 300 can still be moved freely over the table top and adapted to an optimal operating position. Exemplary directions of movement in the longitudinal direction or also pivoting are indicated here by arrows 490.

The figure also shows a loading station 200 with a material carrier 400 placed thereon. In front of the loading station 200, a transport carriage 300 is in a position from which it can pick up a material carrier 400 by pushing the carrying fork of the transport carriage into a fork guide of the material carrier.

In the loading station, material carriers can be loaded with materials, auxiliary devices, tools and measuring devices. The material carriers equipped in this way can then be picked up by a transport trolley and moved to the work table. The material carriers can be placed there in an ergonomically advantageous position.

The components shown here can be made from aluminum profiles. However, other constructions and / or other materials, for example plastic or steel, can also be used.

In the Figure 2 a material carrier 400 is shown as an example. This material carrier comprises a carrier frame 410 with an upper side 401 and a lower side 402. In order to receive material, the material carrier can be on the upper side also comprise at least one bracket 420 and preferably at least one holding device 430 attached thereto. The holding devices 430 can also be attached directly to the support frame 410. These holding devices can be used, for example, to hold gripping trays 460 (shown in the next figure) or other containers. These holding devices can also be designed to accommodate tools or other aids. A depositing surface could also be provided on the material carrier in order to deposit larger parts there. This storage area has not been drawn in here for reasons of clarity, as it would cover parts below. With the first securing device 450, the material carrier can be attached to the work table and secured against slipping.

In Figure 3 a material carrier with several gripping trays 460 or gripping boxes is shown.

In Figure 4 another view of a material carrier is shown. A fork guide 412 in fork carriers 414 in the support frame 410 can be seen here. This fork guide is used to accommodate the carrying fork of the transport trolley. A prong of the carrying fork can engage in each of the guides 412. The fork guides 412 can also be integrated in other components instead of in special fork carriers 414. So they could be part of profiles of the support frame 410.

In Figure 5 a view of a material carrier 400 from below onto the underside 402 is shown. Ball rollers 440 could be arranged on the underside, with which the material carrier can be displaced on the surface of the workplace and possibly also on rails of the loading station.

In Figure 6 a trolley 300 is shown. The transport trolley 300 comprises a base support 310 with at least one and preferably two front wheels 312, as well as with at least one and preferably two rear wheels 314. Two rear wheels 314 and two front wheels 312 are shown here. In principle, other wheel arrangements, for example with a total of three wheels, would also be possible. The trolley has a carrying fork 330 which can be held by at least one and preferably two vertical supports 320. The carrying fork 330 preferably has two prongs 332, which are preferably arranged horizontally. The carrying fork 330 is dimensioned such that it fits into the fork guides 412 of the material carriers 400. Aids such as handles 340 can also be provided for moving the transport trolley.

In Figure 7 a transport trolley with a material carrier is shown. Here, the carrying fork 330 is inserted into the fork guides 412 of the material carrier, so that the material carrier 400 is held on the transport carriage 300 and can be moved with it.

In Figure 8 a section through a fork carriage 414 is shown. Here the material carrier 400 rests on the carrying fork of a transport vehicle. Only one prong 332 of the carrying fork is shown here. The weight of the material carrier 400 results in high friction between the prongs 332 and the fork carrier 414, so that the material carrier 400 lies securely on the carrying fork. The material carrier 400 can now be pushed onto the table with the trolley in the direction 492. Before being pushed onto the table, the underside of the ball casters 440 is preferably lower than the upper side of the table top. The material carrier 400 can thus be lifted when it is pushed onto the table top 130. This can be facilitated by a beveled edge 132.

In the Figure 9 a section through a fork carriage 414 is shown, the material carrier 400 now standing on the table top 130. It is now slightly raised so that a gap 416 has arisen between the fork carriage 414 and the prongs 332. In this way, the prongs 332 and thus also the transport carriage can be removed from the material carrier 400 without great effort. To make it easier to pull the material carrier 400 off the table, a releasable lock can be provided between the material carrier 400 and the transport trolley be.

In Figure 10 a loading station with material carrier and transport trolley is shown in detail. The loading station 200 has a support frame 210 which stands on feet 211, for example. Furthermore, at least one receptacle for material carriers 220, for example a roller track or a guide rail, preferably pairs of roller tracks, or guides for material carriers 400 can be provided. In this way, the material carriers 400 can be moved in a direction of movement 290 and can thus be pushed into or removed from the loading station. The receptacles 220 or roller tracks or guides preferably have rear stops 221. Furthermore, it is preferred if a lock 230 is provided which prevents a material carrier from accidentally moving out of the loading station.

A trolley 300 can be moved in the direction 390 towards the loading station or removed therefrom. To receive a material carrier, the prongs of the carrying fork 330 of the transport carriage engage in the fork guides 412 of the material carrier. In order to predetermine a correct position or direction as soon as the transport carriage 300 approaches the material carrier 400, guides are preferably provided for the transport carriage. These can be attached as guides 240 on the floor or also as guides 241 on the loading station, for example on the support frame 210. As shown here, the guides can guide the front wheels of the trolley.

In Figure 11 a work table with a trolley and two material carriers is shown in detail. The work table 100 comprises a substructure 110 which can stand on feet 111, for example. These feet could also be individually adjustable in height. A worktop 130 is preferably connected to the substructure 110 via height adjustment drives 120 so that the worktop can be adjusted in height. An aid carrier 140 can be arranged above the worktop. For additional An aid carrier support 141 can be provided for stabilization. For example, lighting fixtures 145, sockets, switches 146, tool carriers 147 and other parts can be attached to the aid carrier. The table top can have a bore 160 for a securing bolt 165, which preferably protrudes vertically from the table top. As soon as a securing bolt is inserted into this hole, which bolt protrudes sufficiently beyond the table top, the mobility of the material carrier 400 located above is restricted so that it cannot slip off the table top. The hole is within the surface of the table top and can be at least 10 cm, 20 cm or 30 cm away from the edge of the table top on all sides. The bore can have a diameter between 5 mm and 50 mm, preferably between 20 mm and 30 mm.

This figure also shows a first material carrier 400 on the left side of the table top and a second material carrier 400 on the right side of the table top. This second material carrier is still on a transport trolley 300. Another exemplary first securing device 450 is shown in detail. These first securing devices can include counter bearings 150 on the work table, for example metal tabs on the material carrier and on the work table, which can be connected to one another by a fastening screw 452. For adjustment, the first securing device 450 and / or counter bearing 150 can optionally be displaceable on the material carrier and / or on the work table. The first securing device can thus be adapted to a large number of positions of a material carrier on the worktop.

In Figure 12 a top view of the workstation system 900 is shown. In the upper part of the drawing, it can be seen better how the transport carriage 300 with its carrying fork 330 can be pushed into the material carrier 400 by moving it in the direction of movement 390.

In Figure 13 a work table with two material carriers and a transport trolley behind it is shown in detail. In this figure - compared to the previous figures - tool carriers 147 are also shown on the aid carrier 140. Furthermore, a control unit 125 with optional operating elements can also be present, which is arranged, for example, on the underside of the worktop 130. The control unit can, for example, store a loading height 122, for example corresponding to a certain height of the top of the table top above the floor. These operating elements can be used, for example, to control the height of the worktop 130. These operating elements preferably have a switch position or an operating position for a loading height 122 of the worktop above the floor such that the material carrier can be pushed onto the worktop. The height of the material carrier is preferably raised slightly when it is pushed on. Such an increase could be in a range between 0.5 and 3 mm. The loading height could be called up via a memory of the height adjustment drives, so that the same loading height is always set in a reproducible manner. In one embodiment of the table without height adjustment drives, the table height could be set permanently to the loading height.

In Figure 14 a loading station with a material carrier and a transport carriage is shown in a front view. In this view, the interaction of exemplary guides 240, 241 for trolleys and the front wheels 312 can be seen particularly well. The front wheels 312 are guided laterally through the guides.

List of reference symbols

100

Work table

110

Substructure

111

Feet

120

Height adjustment drives

122

Loading height

125

Control unit

130

Countertop

132

Bevelled edge

140

Aid carrier

141

Aid carrier support

145

Lighting fixtures

146

Sockets, switches

147

Tool carrier

150

Counter bearing of the first safety device

160

Hole for safety bolt

165

Safety bolt

190

Direction of movement height adjustment worktop

200

Loading station

210

Support frame

211

Feet

220

Holder for material carrier

221

Rear stop

230

Locking

240

Guide on the floor for transport trolleys

241

Guide on the support frame for transport trolleys

290

Direction of movement of material carrier

300

Transport trolley

310

Basic carrier

312

front wheels

314

rear wheels

320

Vertical supports

330

Carrying fork

332

Prongs

340

Handles

390

Direction of movement of the transport trolley in the loading station

400

Material carrier

401

Top

402

bottom

410

Support frame

414

Fork carriage

412

Fork guide

416

gap

420

Vertical beams

430

Holding devices

440

Ball transfer units

450

first safety device

452

Fastening screw

460

Grab bowl

490

Direction of movement of material carrier on worktop

492

Direction of movement

900

Workplace system

Claims (12)

Workstation system (900) comprising a work table (100), at least one material carrier (400) and a transport trolley (300) with a carrying fork (330),
characterized in that
the work table (100) comprises a work surface (130),
the at least one material carrier (400) on an upper side (401) has holding devices (430) which are designed to receive at least one of containers, material, devices and tools,
the at least one material carrier (400) has rollers (440) on an underside (402), and
the at least one material carrier (400) comprises at least two horizontal fork guides (412) for receiving the carrying fork (330),
the trolley (300) has at least three wheels (312, 314) and a horizontally arranged carrying fork (330) with at least two prongs (332), the prongs (332) fitting into the fork guides (412). Workstation system (900) according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the workstation system (900) comprises at least one loading station (200) which comprises at least one receptacle (220) for at least one material carrier (400). Workstation system (900) according to the preceding claim,
characterized in that
the at least one receptacle (220) is arranged in such a way that the at least one material carrier (400) is held at a height so that the height of the fork guides (412) is equal to the height of the carrying fork (330) a predetermined tolerance is less than + - 10mm of the at least one material carrier (400). Workstation system (900) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the work table (100) comprises a work top (130) which can be adjusted in height by means of at least one height adjustment drive (120), a loading height (122) of the top of the work top (130) being retrievable from a memory. Workstation system (900) according to the preceding claim,
characterized in that
the loading height (122) is configured in such a way that the height of the carrying fork (330) is equal to the height of the fork guides (412) with a predetermined tolerance of less than + - 10mm of the at least one material carrier (400) when the at least one material carrier (400) is on the worktop (130) at loading height. Workstation system (900) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the at least one material carrier (400) has means for receiving at least one gripping tray (460). Workstation system (900) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the at least one material carrier (400) has at least one first securing device (450) which is configured to fasten the material carrier to the work table and to secure it against slipping. Workstation system (900) according to the preceding claim,
characterized in that
the at least one first securing device (450) is displaceable on the at least one material carrier (400). Workstation system (900) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
at least one counter bearing (150) for which at least one first securing device (450) is provided on the work table (100). Workstation system (900) according to the preceding claim,
characterized in that
the at least one counter bearing (150) on the work table (100) is displaceable. Workstation system (900) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the worktop (130) has a bore (160) for a securing bolt (165). Workstation system (900) according to the preceding claim,
characterized in that
a securing bolt (165) protruding vertically from the worktop (130) is provided, which prevents the material carrier (400) from falling off the worktop (130).

Images