EP4065378B1 - Method and device for marking electrical appliances which are arrrangeable in a row - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for marking electrical devices which can be lined up and which are arranged on a mounting rail, using a laser head. The support rail can be pivoted in its longitudinal axis and the laser head can be moved at least along the longitudinal axis of the support rail. The invention further relates to a marking device suitable for carrying out the method.

Mounting rails are used for snapping on electrical devices in installation technology. In apparatus engineering in particular, prefabricated support rail sections, which are then built into control cabinets on site, are often used, which have a large number of electrical devices arranged next to one another. Among the electrical devices are often terminal blocks, each of which in turn has a plurality of connections. In order to facilitate wiring of the arrangement within the control box, the individual devices and also their connections can be marked, for example by having corresponding marking areas.

The pamphlet WO 2010/057768 A1 shows a device with which mounting rails can be fitted with electrical devices, in particular terminal blocks, in an automated manner. In this case, a printing unit is provided, which prints an electrical device taken from a magazine on its marking surfaces before it is mounted on the mounting rail.

From the pamphlet WO 2017/125364 A1 , which discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 12, an alternative approach is known in which the support rails are first fitted with the electrical devices and then the devices are marked. For this purpose, the cited publication describes a marking device that has a mounting rail mount and a laser head that applies the desired markings to the marking fields of the devices. The mounting device for the mounting rail is coupled with a linear and pivoting device so that the mounting rail with the electrical devices can be moved and pivoted in front of the laser head in order to be able to move the marking fields to be inscribed into the inscription area of the laser head.

In large control cabinets or switching devices, support rails are used that reach a length in the range from one meter to more than one meter and can be equipped with a variety of electrical devices. In this case, it can be provided that each electrical device is marked at a number of positions with possibly different orientations. In total, a large number of markings for a mounting rail can be applied, with the marking process itself and the pivoting operations carried out on the mounting rail and traversing operations of the laser head taking up time.

It is an object of the present invention to create a marking process of the type mentioned at the outset, with which predetermined markings can be applied to the electrical devices snapped onto a mounting rail in the shortest possible time and with great precision. A further object is to provide a marking device suitable for carrying out the method.

This object is achieved by a method and a device for marking with the features of the respective independent claim. Advantageous refinements and developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

A method according to the invention of the type mentioned above is characterized by the following steps: A number of marking instructions are specified, each of which includes a marking content, a position and an alignment of the surface to which the marking content is to be applied. Furthermore, an image of at least one section of the mounting rail and at least one electrical device is created by an image acquisition device. At least one of the positions at which one of the marking contents is to be applied is then corrected on the basis of an evaluation of the image. Then the marking instructions are grouped into marking levels in such a way that all marking instructions of a marking level can be applied by the laser head without moving the laser head or the mounting rail, with the marking levels differing in location coordinates and/or parameters for the laser head. A first of the marking planes is selected and—according to the location coordinates of the selected marking plane—the laser head is positioned and/or the support rail is pivoted. On this selected marking plane marks are made with the parameters for the laser head according to the marking instructions. A next one of the marking planes is then selected for marking, this selection being based on the movements of the Laser head and the mounting rail takes place, which would be necessary to apply markings according to the next marking level can.

The actual position of a marking field that is to be labeled can differ from the intended position, particularly in the case of longer, populated mounting rails. The reason for this is unavoidable size tolerances of the individual devices or their not completely gap-free or slightly sloping arrangement on the mounting rail, as well as a change in size caused by temperature and/or ambient humidity. Especially with longer mounting rails, these size tolerances or deviations or gap dimensions can add up so that the actual marking positions deviate from the calculated positions by a few millimeters (mm). An alignment of the positions at which the markings are then subsequently applied using the image prevents incorrect positioning, which means that a precisely applied marking, e.g. lettering, can take place.

To this end, the image is preferably created and evaluated before the step of grouping the marking instructions into marking levels, with the grouping then being carried out on the basis of the corrected positions. In this way, the corrected position is already taken into account when the markings are distributed to the various marking groups. It is thus ensured that a marking lying at the edge of a marking area can actually be created at its corrected position and that the correction does not end up in an area that is no longer accessible given the position of the laser head.

In the method, the markings are first grouped in so-called marking levels in such a way that markings that can be applied with the same positions of the laser head and mounting rail and the same settings of the laser head are bundled. This prevents unnecessary movements and changes to the settings. In particular, unnecessary movements cost time, which lengthens the marking process.

Furthermore, the individual groups are then processed in the most efficient possible order by taking into account the movements to be performed when changing to the next marking level, which also avoids unnecessary movement sequences when positioning the laser head or the mounting rail.

In order to apply all markings efficiently in the shortest possible time, the steps of positioning the laser head and/or pivoting the support rail, applying the markings, and selecting a next marking plane are repeated until all marking planes have been processed.

In the context of the present application, the term “electrical device” is to be understood as meaning any device with a mounting rail receptacle for arrangement on a mounting rail. These are, for example, purely passive terminal blocks, but devices with switching or safety elements, such as automatic circuit breakers, also fall under the term "electrical device", as do devices with electronic components or components that can be mounted on a mounting rail.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the next of the marking planes is selected in such a way that a pivoting of the support rail is preferred to a movement of the laser head in the longitudinal direction. The different movement processes (movement of the laser head or pivoting of the mounting rail) are accordingly weighted differently when selecting the next marking plane.

In one possible embodiment of the method, to select the next of the marking planes, priority values are assigned to the remaining marking planes that have not yet been processed using the location coordinates of the marking planes, and the next marking plane to be processed is selected using the priority values. Such a method can be carried out systematically and adapted to the equipment properties of the marking device. For example, the location coordinates of the marking planes can be used to determine which movements of the laser head and/or the support rail are necessary, with different movements being assigned different priority codes. The priority numbers enable the method to be optimally adapted to the properties of the marking device. The priority metrics of necessary movements are then summed up to obtain a marking plane's priority value.

In one embodiment, a higher priority index is assigned to a movement of the laser head in the longitudinal direction than to a pivoting of the mounting rail if lower priority values are preferred when selecting. With a suitable configuration of the marking device, the pivoting can be carried out more quickly than moving the laser head in the longitudinal direction, which is taken into account accordingly by priority numbers reflecting this. On the other hand, movements of the laser head in a direction other than the longitudinal direction can be assigned lower priority indexes than a movement of the laser head in the longitudinal direction. Shifting the laser head in such other directions of movement serves, for example, to change the distance between the laser head and the devices to be labeled and to reach areas that are further up or down on the devices.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method, at least two images are created in different pivoted positions of the mounting rail in order to be able to identify marking fields that are at an angle as well as possible.

One or more positions of a marking field for a marking to be applied is advantageously recognized during the evaluation of the at least one image. In the case of a small marking field, this can be, for example, a center point of the marking field, whose coordinates are then used to correct the position. In the case of a larger marking field, at least two positions of the marking field for a marking to be applied are preferably recognized, as a result of which not only the position of the marking to be applied but also its orientation can be corrected.

A device according to the invention for marking electrical devices that can be lined up and arranged on a mounting rail has a receptacle for the mounting rail and a laser head for applying the marking to the electrical devices. In this case, the receptacle is mounted such that it can pivot about its longitudinal axis, and the laser head is movably guided in at least one longitudinal direction, which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle. The device has a control device that is set up to carry out such a method. The device also has an image acquisition device for imaging the mounting rail inserted into the receptacle and the electrical devices arranged thereon.

The image acquisition device is preferably arranged directly or indirectly on the displaceable carriage of the linear guide and is particularly preferably a line camera. The image acquisition device makes it possible to match predetermined positions of the markings to be applied to actual circumstances to be adjusted if there are tolerance or gap-related deviations in this regard.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device, a linear guide with a displaceable carriage, on which the laser head is mounted directly or indirectly, is arranged parallel to the receptacle. Provision can be made for the laser head to be mounted on the carriage via one or more further linear guides which run perpendicularly to the linear guide. An additional linear guide in the horizontal direction makes it possible to bring the laser head to a suitable focus distance from the area to be marked if the laser head does not have internal options for varying the focus distance. An additional linear guide in the vertical direction expands the marking area up and down.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device, the receptacle has a longitudinal support with a receptacle bed for receiving the support rail, which is held eccentrically to a rotation axis by swivel arms. The receiving bed is preferably arranged approximately 20 to 30 mm off-center from the center of the axis of rotation.

The eccentric pivoting movement of the recording and thus the mounting rail is based on the knowledge that on average the center of mass of the electrical devices to be labeled, especially in the case of terminal blocks, is about 20 to 30 mm above the mounting rail recording of the electrical devices. Due to the fact that the receiving bed is at a distance from the axis of rotation by the said distance, the electrical devices are rotated on average in their own center of mass, which enables a rapid and as inertia-free rotary movement as possible. This minimizes the forces that occur when the rotary movement is accelerated. In this way, the highest possible rotational acceleration and thus a pivoting movement that can be carried out quickly is achieved, which shortens the marking process overall.

The receptacle is also advantageously mounted in such a way that it can be pivoted through an angle of rotation greater than 360° without a stop. The angle of rotation is also preferably significantly greater than 360° and is 720°, for example. Provision can also be made for any angle of rotation to be possible without a stop. The rotary feedthrough is designed in such a way that power can be supplied to the electromagnets for the entire range of rotation. The one so achieved Free swiveling allows the mounting rail to be swiveled in any direction, and thus to switch to other labeling positions in any situation using the shortest possible turning path. It is thus possible to switch to a next inscription position in any case with a rotary movement of less than 180°.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the device, the laser head has a laser that emits in an ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range. Light in the UV wavelength range offers the advantage that markings can be applied to almost any plastic surface. The electrical devices to be marked can have fields provided for marking, but these do not have to be provided with a special coating or a special plastic, as is usually necessary for markings with infrared (IR) light. It is also possible to attach markings to areas of the electrical equipment that are not specially designated. In addition, the applied markings cannot only be pure color changes, but when using suitable parameters and focusing the laser radiation, they are accompanied by material removal or a material modification that makes the markings palpable (tactile marking).

Fig. 1-4

ein Beispiel einer Vorrichtung zum Markieren von elektrischen Geräten in jeweils einer isometrischen Darstellung aus verschiedenen Blickrichtungen und/oder mit verschiedenen eingesetzten Tragschienen mit den zu beschriftenden elektrischen Geräten;

Fig. 5a-c

verschiedene Ansichten einer Schwenkvorrichtung der in den Fig. 1-4 gezeigten Markiervorrichtung;

Fig. 6

eine Querschnittsdarstellung eines Längsträgers der Schwenkvorrichtung gemäß den Fig. 5a-c;

Fig. 7a, b

eine Anordnung von elektrischen Geräten auf einer Tragschiene in jeweils einer isometrischen Darstellung aus verschiedenen Blickrichtungen;

Fig. 8

ein Flussdiagramm eines Verfahrensteils zum Ermitteln von Markierungsebenen;

Fig. 9

ein Flussdiagramm eines Verfahrensteils zum Ermitteln von Prioritäten für die Bearbeitung einer nächsten Markierungsebene;

Fig. 10a, b

verschiedene Reihenklemmen als Beispiele zu markierender elektrischer Geräte;

Fig. 10c

ein Endwinkel als weiteres Beispiel eines zu markierenden elektrischen Gerätes; und

Fig. 11, 12

jeweils eine Ansicht eines Blocks von Reihenklemmen mit einem Endwinkel mit unterschiedlichen Positionierungsfehlern bei einer der Reihenklemmen.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with the aid of figures. The figures show:

Figures 1-4

an example of a device for marking electrical devices in an isometric representation from different viewing directions and/or with different support rails used with the electrical devices to be labeled;

Fig. 5a-c

different views of a pivoting device in the Figures 1-4 shown marking device;

6

a cross-sectional view of a longitudinal member of the pivoting device according to the Fig. 5a-c ;

Fig. 7a, b

an arrangement of electrical devices on a mounting rail, each in an isometric representation from different perspectives;

8

a flowchart of a part of the method for determining marking planes;

9

a flow chart of a part of the method for determining priorities for the processing of a next marking level;

10a, b

various terminal blocks as examples of electrical equipment to be marked;

Figure 10c

an end angle as another example of an electrical device to be marked; and

11, 12

each a view of a block of terminal blocks with an end bracket with different positioning errors in one of the terminal blocks.

In the Figures 1-4 is an example of a device for marking electrical devices that can be lined up in a row, referred to below for short as a marking device, in each case shown in an isometric representation. A marking method according to the application, which can be carried out with this device, is in connection with the Figures 7a to 9 described. Examples of individual stackable electrical devices and the same blocks that can be marked with the device are in the Fig. 10a-c , 11 and 12 played back.

The marking device is shown with a recorded mounting rail 1, on which a number of electrical devices 2 is snapped. All snapped-on devices 2 shown in the figures of this application are terminal blocks. It goes without saying, however, that other snapped-on electrical or electronic devices, such as fuses or circuit breakers, can also be lined up on the mounting rail 1 and marked by the device shown. For the sake of simplicity, the electrical devices 2 are also referred to below as terminal blocks 2 .

The 1 , 2 and 4 show the marking device with differently equipped support rails 1. The viewing direction in which the device is shown is the same in the three cases mentioned. 3 shows the marking device with the Mounting rail 1 and the terminal blocks 2 according to 2 from a different perspective.

The marking device has a pivoting device 10 for receiving and also for carrying out a pivoting movement of the mounting rail 1 with the terminal blocks 2 . The actual marking (inscription) on the terminal blocks 2 is carried out by a laser arrangement 20 . The marking device including the laser arrangement 20 is controlled by a control device not shown here. In the following, first the pivoting device 10 and then the laser arrangement 20 will be described in more detail.

The pivoting device 10 has a frame 11 in which a receptacle 12 designed in the manner of a swing is arranged so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis. The receptacle 12 comprises a longitudinally extending longitudinal beam 13 which is arranged at both ends via pivot arms 14 eccentrically with respect to an axis of rotation. This axis of rotation is rotatably mounted in corresponding bearings in end parts of the frame 11 and is coupled to a drive 16 . The drive 16 is, for example, an actuator with a position encoder. In order to achieve high torques and correspondingly rapid rotational acceleration and thus short positioning times, a DC motor that may have a reduced speed is particularly suitable for the actuator.

The support rail with the terminal blocks 2 is placed on the longitudinal beam 13 for marking, which provides a receiving bed 131 for this purpose. This recording bed 131 and other details of the longitudinal beam 13 are well in the Figures 5a-5c can be seen, which represent the pivoting device 10 in different views separately from the laser arrangement 20 and without the mounting rail 1 attached. Figure 5a shows the pivoting device 10 in an isometric view Figure 5b in a side view and the Fig.5c in a top view.

At one end of the longitudinal member 13 there is a fixed mounting bracket 132, under which an end section of the support rail 1 is pushed in order to fix the support rail to the mounting bed 131 on this side. The opposite end of the mounting rail 1 is fixed with a comparable receiving bracket 152, which is not stationary but is arranged on a sliding rider 15. The rider 15 is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the longitudinal beam 13, for which purpose, for example, guide rails 135 are provided laterally on the longitudinal beam 13 in this exemplary embodiment. The Rider 15 is equipped with a quick-release lever 151 which allows the rider 15 to be locked or released on the side member 13 . After detaching the rider 15, it can be pushed in the direction of the mounted support rail 1 until the receiving lug 152 (see Fig. Fig. 5b, c ) fixes the support rail 1 in the accommodation bed 131.

In addition, lateral guide plates 133 are provided in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beam 13 on the lateral edges of the receiving bed 131, which laterally guide the support rail 1 along its entire length.

In 6 a cross section through the longitudinal member 13 with a mounting rail 1 placed thereon is shown. The side guide plates 133 surround the support rail 1 laterally in a lower area. The lateral guide plates 133 are preferably designed as spring steel plates, so that they can compensate for tolerances in the width of the support rail 1. The lateral guide plates 133 are preferably made so thin and protrude only far beyond the receiving bed 131 that they guide and position the support rail 1 but do not collide with electrical devices 2 that are snapped on. This is possible because the mounting rail mounts on the electrical devices 2 usually have a small lateral free space, at least in the lower area of the mounting rail. The lateral guide plates 133 are helpful in particular for longer support rails 1, since longer support rails 1 tend to sag due to production and/or transport. Due to this deflection, an exact positioning of the support rails and thus of the electrical devices to be labeled would not be possible or is achieved by the lateral guide plates 133.

Furthermore, a plurality of electromagnets 134 are arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction of the support rail 13 in the receiving bed 131 . After the support rail 1 has been put in place, the electromagnets 134 are energized individually, in groups or together, so that they fix the support rail 134 firmly and without a gap due to deflection in the receiving bed 131 . Power is supplied to the electromagnets 134 via a rotary bushing 17 which is preferably arranged on the side of the pivoting device 10 opposite the drive 16 .

The ability to move the tab 15 makes it possible to use support rails 1 of different lengths in the pivoting device 10 .

In addition, the mounting rails of different heights can be used due to the described type of fixing of the mounting rail.

4 shows an example with a shorter mounting rail 1 used. Provision can also be made in this case for all electromagnets 134 to be energized. Alternatively, provision can be made to energize only a number of electromagnets 134 that are in the region of the mounting rail 1 that is actually used.

How 6 further shows, a channel running in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal member 13 is formed in the longitudinal member 13 through which cables for energizing the electromagnets 134 can run. The channel 136 is also used to reduce the weight in order to minimize the rotational moment of inertia of the receptacle 12 in order to achieve a high rotational acceleration with the lowest possible torque.

Due to the swivel arms 14, the receiving bed 131 for the support rail 1 is arranged eccentrically from the axis of rotation during the rotary movement. Preferably, the distance that receiving bed 131 is spaced from the axis of rotation is in the range of 20 to 30 millimeters (mm), and more preferably about 23 mm. The reason is that, on average, the center of gravity of the electrical devices 2 to be labeled--especially in the case of terminal blocks--is about 23 mm above the mounting rail receptacle for the electrical devices 2. If the receiving bed 131 is spaced from the axis of rotation by the distance mentioned, the electrical devices 2 are rotated on average in their own center of mass, which enables a rapid and as inertia-free rotary movement as possible. This minimizes the forces that occur when the rotary movement is accelerated. In this way, the highest possible rotational acceleration and thus a pivoting movement that can be carried out quickly is achieved, which shortens the marking process overall.

The drive 16 and the rotary bushing 17 are preferably designed in such a way that an unlimited angle of rotation is possible when the receptacle 12 is rotated. In this way, the pivoting movement of the receptacle 12 can take place in any direction at any time without being affected by the restrictions that might otherwise exist. The advantages resulting from the marking process will be explained in more detail later.

As already mentioned above, the laser arrangement 20 is arranged laterally next to the pivoting device 10 in the area of the receptacle 12 . The actual marking on the electrical devices 2, i.e. on the terminal blocks 2 in the example shown, is carried out by a laser head 21, which has all the components required for applying the label, in particular a laser as well as deflection and, if necessary, focusing units, in order to apply the laser beam to be able to distract from the marking.

Various techniques can be used to mark the electrical devices 2 with a laser. For example, it is possible to use an infrared laser as the laser of the laser head 21, for example a CO ₂ laser, which emits light with a wavelength of approximately 10.6 micrometers (μm). When using an infrared laser, it is common for marking fields sensitive to infrared radiation to be provided on the electrical devices 2, which change color when the infrared laser radiation hits them, so that a marking can be applied. The marking fields can be in the form of stickers, applied coatings and/or by using a corresponding infrared-sensitive plastic in some sections of the electrical devices.

Furthermore, it is possible and preferred to use a laser head 21 with a laser emitting in the ultraviolet wavelength range of approximately 190 to 380 nanometers (nm), in particular at 355 nm. Such a laser can be, for example, an Nd:YAG laser or a CO ₂ laser with downstream frequency trebling. Light in the UV wavelength range offers the advantage that markings can be applied to almost any plastic surface. The electrical devices can still have fields provided for marking, but these do not have to be provided with a special coating or a special plastic. It is also possible to attach markings to areas of the electrical equipment that are not specially designated. With suitable parameters and focussing of the laser radiation, not only pure color changes can be used for marking, but material removal or material modification of the marked material can be achieved, which makes the markings tactile (tactile marking).

The laser head 21 is controlled by the control device, not shown here, in order to apply an inscription within a focal field 4 . The focus field 4 is in the Figures 1-4 shown. The exact size and the distance at which the focus field 4 is located in front of the laser head 21 depend on the imaging properties of the laser head 21. Within the focus field 4, the laser head 21 can apply markings, in particular characters, numbers and/or symbols, to surfaces to be marked. As a rule, a laser beam generated in the laser head 21 is deflected via a number of rotating or swiveling mirrors in order to reach every point in the focal field 4 . Since the mirrors have a low inertia, the movement of the mirrors and thus the deflection of the laser beam is a fast process compared to other mechanical movements in the system.

As in the Figures 1-4 As can be seen, the focal field 4 is smaller than the maximum length of the mounting rail 1 with the electrical devices 2 to be inscribed. In order to enable inscription along the entire length of the mounting rail 1, the laser arrangement 20 has a linear guide 22 in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beam 13. This direction is also referred to below as the z-direction. The linear guide 22 extends over essentially the entire length of the receptacle 12 of the pivoting device 10. The linear guide 22 can be designed, for example, in the form of a spindle or rack and pinion drive. However, other drives are also possible. For reasons of clarity, drive motors of the linear guide 22 are not shown explicitly in the figures.

The laser head 21 is fastened to a movable carriage of the linear guide 22 via a holder, which also enables the position of the laser head 21 to be adjusted in the x and y directions perpendicular to the z direction. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a linear guide 23 is provided in the x-direction and a linear guide 24 in the y-direction. In the example shown, the x-direction runs horizontally and the y-direction runs vertically.

By moving the laser head 21 in the x-direction via the linear guide 23, the distance between the laser head 21 and the area to be inscribed can be changed. By shifting in the y-direction with the help of the linear guide 24, areas to be marked that are further up or down can be reached. If the laser head 21 has an internal possibility of adjusting the focus distance, the linear guide 23 can be dispensed with and this can be designed as a holder with a fixed distance. If the variety of models of the electrical devices 2 to be inscribed does not provide for large differences in the height of the devices, a linear guide in the y-direction can possibly be dispensed with and the corresponding linear guide 24 can be designed as a fixed mount. The height difference refers to a variation in the distance of the areas to be marked from the mounting rail.

The laser arrangement has an image acquisition device 25, e.g. a camera, in particular a line camera. This can be arranged independently of the laser head 21 in such a way that it is aligned with the pivoting device 10 and thus with a support rail 1 that is used. As with the device shown here, the image acquisition device is advantageously arranged in such a way that it can be moved by the linear guide 22 in the x-direction along the mounting rail receptacle. For this purpose, the image acquisition device can be arranged on the laser head 21 or, as in the present case, it is formed integrally in this. In this case, it can be moved not only in the x-direction, but also in the z-direction and, if necessary, the y-direction. A combination of a line camera whose recorded image line is oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the x-direction and movability in the x-direction makes it possible to image support rails 1 of any length in an image with a variable number of pixels in the x-direction.

The image capture device 25 can be used at various stages of the marking process. On the one hand, the image acquisition device 25 can be used to image a mounting rail 1 after it has been inserted, if necessary in different pivoted positions, in order to check whether the mounting rail 1 that has been inserted and is to be labeled is configured correctly, e.g. whether it actually contains the electrical devices 2 to be labeled in the correct orientation and order. Furthermore, it can be checked whether the devices 2 are correctly positioned in such a way that the marking surfaces to which the markings are to be applied are in the position that is stored for the respective marking. If there are deviations that lie within a predeterminable tolerance range, the positions at which the markings are subsequently applied can be adapted to the positions of the marking areas found. This procedure is explained in more detail below.

On the other hand, the image acquisition device 25 can be used to monitor the actual marking process. An applied marking can be checked for correctness and/or legibility. For this purpose, a new image of the mounting rail 1 and the electrical devices 2 can be recorded after the markings have been applied. In particular, when the image acquisition device moves with the laser head 21, each individual marking can be checked immediately after or even during its application.

The marking process is explained in more detail below.

To apply the marking to the electrical devices 2 of the mounting rail 1 , the laser head 21 is moved with the aid of the linear guide 22 in such a way that at least some of the markings to be applied are in the area of the focal field 4 . For example, in the 1 Marking levels 3 drawn in, indicating the levels in which markings on the various terminal blocks 2 are to be attached. In the example of 1 a plurality of identical terminal blocks 2 is arranged on the mounting rail 1, with areas to be marked being arranged on different sides of the terminal blocks 2 at different heights (compared to the mounting rail 1) arranged contacts. All markings that can be applied to one or more of the terminal blocks 2 are recorded in a marking plane 3 without the receptacle 12 having to be pivoted or the laser head 21 having to be moved.

In the Figure 7a and 7b is the mounting rail 1 with snapped-on electrical devices 2, which are also in figure 5 can be seen, shown separately from the marking device in order to be able to better illustrate the different marking planes 3. The Figure 7a and 7b show the support rail 1 from different perspectives in isometric representations.

In these figures, various markings 5 that have already been applied to the electrical devices 2, that is to say the terminal blocks 2, are shown as examples. The markings 5 are for the most part connection markings that are attached to the fields provided next to connections. Other markings 5 relate, for example, to customer-specific identification or order numbers or assembly designations or the like.

To apply the markings 5, the various marking planes 3 are successively brought into the plane of the focus field 4, which is achieved by pivoting the receptacle 12 and, if necessary, by actuating the linear guide 22 in the z-direction and/or the linear guide 23 in the x-direction and/or of the linear guide 24 takes place in the z-direction. All markings in the marking plane 3, which is then in the focus field 4, are made by the laser head 21 applied before a next one of the marking planes 3 is brought into the focus field 4.

How 3 shows 12 markings can also be attached to the underside of the terminal blocks 2 due to the arbitrary pivotability of the recording. The free pivotability also makes it possible to switch to the other side of the terminal blocks 2 via the underside of the longitudinal beam 13 . If, for example, labeling fields are provided on both sides of the terminal block 2 that are inclined downwards, turning over the underside, i.e. a rotation in which the upper side of the terminal block 2 does not pass the laser head 21, but the underside of the longitudinal beam 13, would result in a rotary movement less than 180° instead of having to rotate more than 180° over the top.

The various marking planes 3 are characterized by their position in space and their dimensions. In summary, these properties are referred to as location coordinates of a marking plane 3 . With regard to the position in space, not only the position, but also in particular an inclination of the marking planes 3 is relevant, since markings can only be applied to surfaces that are not distorted and/or blurred in terms of the distance to the laser head 21 but also lie in the focal field 4 with regard to the inclination.

In order to apply the markings 5 to the electrical devices 2 of the mounting rail 1, the control device, which controls both the laser head 21 and the linear guides 22-24 and also the drive 16 of the swivel mount 12, is given information about the configuration of the mounting rail 1, i.e. about transmits the latched electrical devices 2, as well as information about which marking 5 is to be applied to which device at which position and with what inclination. In the context of this application, this information is also collectively referred to as marking instructions.

In order to apply the markings 5, the marking levels 3 in which the markings 5 or the marking instructions on which they are based are combined are first determined in a first part of the method. A marking level 3 thus contains at least one, preferably a plurality of markings 5, all of which are located in this marking level 3 and which also do not differ with regard to the marking parameters to be used. Marking parameters relate to the setting of the laser of the laser head 21, which must be set in order to apply the marking. A marking parameter is, for example, the power of the laser and the inscription speed, which together influence the energy input per area of the inscription. These marking parameters are essentially dependent on the material to which the marking 5 is applied. Information about the material to be marked is also available with the data record that describes the mounting rail 1 and the electrical devices 2 . They can be integrated directly into the marking instructions or be accessible via linked product information.

An embodiment of a method for defining the different marking levels 3 is in 8 presented in the form of a flowchart.

In a first step S1, a first (or in subsequent repetitions of step 1, a next) marking instruction is retrieved from the transmitted information about the markings 5 to be applied.

In a next step S2, it is determined whether the marking 5 specified by this marking instruction is to be applied to the same electrical device 2 with the same marking parameters as the last considered. If this is not the case - e.g. in the first run of the method - the method branches to a next step S3, in which it is checked whether the alignment of the area to be marked is the same as with previously made markings 5. If this is not the case, the method branches to a next step S4, in which a new marking level 3 is generated.

In a next step S9, a check is then carried out to determine whether there are further marking instructions which have not yet been assigned to a marking level 3. If there are no further marking instructions which have not yet been assigned, this method section is complete. If there are further marking instructions that are not yet assigned to a marking level 3, the method branches back to step S1, in which the next marking instruction is called up.

If it is determined in step S2 that the marking instruction currently being considered relates to the same electrical device as the previously processed one and that the same marking parameters are also used, those are the required ones Marking levels are usually already created and a new marking level does not necessarily have to be opened. In this case, the method is continued in a step S5. Step S5 is also reached if it is determined in step S3 that the current marking instruction relates to an electrical device 2 that is different from the one previously considered, but that the marking 5 is to be applied to a surface with the same alignment.

In the following step S5, a query is made as to whether the marking 5 is to be made on the same material to be marked or at least on a material that requires the same setting of the laser of the laser head 21. If this is not the case, i.e. if changed marking parameters are to be used, the method branches to step S4, in which a new marking level 3 is generated.

If the marking parameters do not have to be changed, the method branches to a next step S6. In step S6, it is checked whether the current marking is within the focus area of one of the marking planes 3 that have already been created. The background to this is that the focal plane 4 of the laser head 21 allows a depth of focus, albeit small, of up to typically a few millimeters at a distance. Markings which, with the same alignment of the surface to be marked and the same required laser parameters, only differ by a few millimeters (or a distance difference in the depth of field) with regard to the distance between the laser head 21 and the surface can therefore be combined in the same marking plane 3 .

However, if the current marking 5 to be applied is outside the focus area, the method again branches to step S4 in order to generate a new marking plane. If the current marking is in the focus area of an already existing marking plane 3, the method branches to a step S7, in which it is checked whether the marking 5 to be applied is possibly shaded. A shading situation can exist, for example, if the laser head 21 sees the marking 5 behind a protruding part of an adjacent electrical device 2, so that the laser beams cannot reach the marking area from the current position of the laser head. If such a shading situation exists for the marking instruction currently being considered, a branch is made the process to step S4 to assign the marking instruction to a new marking plane.

If there is no shadowing situation for the current marking instruction, the method branches to a next step S8, in which the current marking instruction of this already existing marking level 3 is added. The method is also continued from step S8 with step S9 in order to consider further marking instructions, if necessary.

For the actual application of the markings 5 to the electrical devices 2, the various marking planes 3 are then successively brought into the plane of the focal field 4, which is achieved by pivoting the receptacle 12 and, if necessary, by actuating the linear guide 22 in the z-direction and/or the linear guide 23 takes place in the x-direction and/or the linear guide 24 in the z-direction. All the markings lying in the marking plane 3, which is then in the focus field 4, are applied by the laser head 21 before the next one of the marking planes is brought into the focus field 4.

In order to determine the sequence in which the generated marking planes 3 are approached and processed, starting from a neutral starting position of the laser head 21 and also the holder 12, the various movements of the laser head 21 and the holder 12 for the mounting rail 1, which are required for changing to the next marking level is taken into account. These movements are assigned different priorities, with the evaluation depending on the time involved in completing the movement. Since, in particular, in the construction of the marking device, as in connection with the Figures 1-6 is described, a pivoting of the support rail 1 can take place much faster than a movement of the laser head along the support rail 1, the criterion "no movement of the laser head 21 in the z-direction" has a higher priority than the criterion "no rotation of the receptacle 12".

A priority can also be assigned to the other two degrees of freedom of movement of the laser head 21, ie the movement in the x or y direction. Although the feed speeds of the linear guides 23, 24 for the x- and y-directions are generally comparable to those of the linear guide 22 for the z-direction, the distances to be covered are generally smaller for these two movement axes. Therefore, the premise "no movement in the z-direction" always has a higher priority than the premise "no y-direction motion" and "no x-direction motion". The priorities given to the x- and y-direction motion are similar to those of the pivoting motion and can be ranked before or after it in a priority order .

Movements of the laser head in the x-direction are often very small. Movements in the y-direction can be larger, but occur less frequently since a movement in the y-direction from a normal position is only required for very large devices to be labeled. A priority order of “pivoting before movement in the x direction before movement in the y direction before movement in the z direction” is therefore preferred.

In 9 FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing how priorities can be assigned in an exemplary embodiment with this preferred order of priority in order to select a next marking level for processing by the marking device.

The method iterates through the set of marking levels that have not yet been processed in order to provide them with a priority value p. The marker layer that will be created after completing the in 9 method shown has the lowest or one of the lowest priority values p, is processed as the next marking level by the marking device.

In a next step S11, a first of the marking levels still to be processed is selected and given a provisional priority value p=1. In a next step S12, it is considered whether editing this currently considered marking plane would result in pivoting of the mounting rail receptacle. If so, the priority value p is increased in a step S13 by a value of a priority code that is associated with this movement. Otherwise, the priority value p is retained. In this example, the priority number for pivoting the DIN rail mount is 1.

In a next step S14, it is determined whether processing this currently considered marking plane would result in a movement in the x-direction. If this is the case, the priority value p is increased in a step S15 by the value 2 of a priority number assigned to this movement, otherwise it retains its value.

In a next step S16, it is determined whether processing this currently considered marking plane would result in a movement in the y-direction. If this is the case, the priority value p is increased in a step S17 by the value 4 of a priority number assigned to this movement, otherwise it retains its value.

In a next step S18, it is determined whether processing this currently considered marking plane would result in a movement in the z-direction. If this is the case, the priority value p is increased in a step S19 by the value 8 of a priority number assigned to this movement, otherwise it retains its value.

After step S18 or S19, a subsequent step S20 checks whether there are further marking levels to be processed that have not yet been assigned a priority value p. If this is the case, the method branches back to step S11 in order to assign a priority value p to the next marking level that is still to be processed.

If all the print planes still to be processed have priority values p, the method branches to a step S21, in which the marking plane 3 with the lowest priority value p is selected. If there are several marking levels 3 with the lowest priority value p, any one of these marking levels 3 is selected. The marking process is then continued with this marking level 3.

After completion of the marking process in this marking level 3, the in 9 The part of the marking method shown is carried out again in order to again detect the priorities for all further marking planes 3 starting from the then current position of the laser head 21 or rotational position of the receptacle 12 . The method ends when all marking levels 3 have been processed.

In the example shown, the various movements are characterized by priority numbers that are powers of two. Such a binary evaluation scheme is advantageous, but other priority indexes can also be assigned.

Furthermore, the priority indexes are selected in such a way that marking levels are selected if they have a priority value p that is as small as possible.

It goes without saying that the method can also be designed in such a way that the highest possible priority value p leads to a selection.

In an extension of the method shown, the prioritization can also take into account how far the travel paths are in order to set a next marking level. Finally, it is also possible to determine the times to be expected for changing from one marking level to the next if the travel and approach speeds are known, ie if the movement dynamics of the linear guides 22 to 24 or the pivoting device 10 are completely known. The times then set the priority values accordingly 9 In this way, the total time required to mark the electrical devices 2 on the mounting rail 1 is minimized as much as possible.

As previously mentioned, various circumstances can lead to the fact that the surfaces of the electrical devices 2 on the mounting rail 1, to which the markings are to be applied, are not actually at the positions at which they are theoretically to be expected according to the marking instructions.

According to the application, the image acquisition device is used during the method in order to record at least one image of relevant sections of the mounting rail 1 and the devices 2 to be marked. Marking positions can be corrected using the images. In an advantageous embodiment, the image acquisition device is a line camera, which is integrated into the laser head 21 or is arranged on it. The line camera can be moved along the support rail 1 with the aid of the linear guide 22 in order to image it. The use of a line camera is advantageous in that the mounting rail 1 with the electrical devices 2 can be imaged within any longitudinal section with a correspondingly adapted number of pixels in this X-direction. A continuous section in the x-direction is preferably determined in such a way that all markings to be applied are located in this one continuous section in a specific pivoted position. Comparable images are recorded for further pivoting positions of the pivoting device 10 until the mounting rail 1 and the electrical devices 2 are recorded in all areas in which markings are to be applied. Advantageously, the areas in the longitudinal direction on both sides are selected, for example, by a few percent larger than is necessary according to the marking instructions, in order to ensure that all areas on which markings are to be applied are included in the illustration.

In order to be able to take into account the position corrections resulting from the evaluation of the recordings when assigning the markings to marking planes, the imaging and the evaluation of the images described below preferably takes place before the in connection with 8 described procedure.

As a rule, special areas are provided on the electrical devices 2 for the markings, which are referred to below as marking fields. In order to ensure good legibility, these marking fields can be provided with a coating that differs in color from the base material of the housing of the electrical device 2 . A further embodiment provides that separate “markers” are used for the marking. These are small plastic plates that can either be pre-written or unwritten for the process described here. The markers are clipped onto the electrical devices at the appropriate point. These markers can also be in the form of so-called marking strips, which extend over two or more marking fields lying next to one another. In the context of this application, a “marking field” is to be understood as any surface on which a marking is to be applied.

As a result of the coating or the use of markings, the marking fields generally have a color or brightness difference compared to the base material of a housing of the electrical devices 2. This color or brightness difference is used to locate the marking fields in the recorded images. For example, evaluation algorithms known per se for edge detection are suitable for this purpose. It is also advantageous to select or operate the image acquisition device, for example the line camera, in such a way that it uses a wavelength range in which the contrasts between the marking field and the base material of the housing are particularly evident.

When evaluating the images, the center coordinates of recognized marking fields are determined and compared with coordinates according to the marking instructions. Based on the comparison, the actual coordinates are assigned to the expected coordinates. In this case, criteria are preferably defined which define the limits of this association regarding. For example, maximum permissible displacements can be defined, which are in the range of a few millimeters, for example. If, for example, the total number of marking fields found is less than the number of marking instructions or if an assignment of the marking fields found to the marking instructions would require shifts that are above the maximum permissible shift, it can be provided that the method is initially stopped. A manual check can be suggested as to whether the support rail 1 used with the electrical devices 2 actually corresponds to that intended according to the marking instructions.

If two marking fields are arranged so close together, for example because they lie next to one another on a marker strip, that they merge seamlessly into one another, these marking fields cannot be distinguished from one another by the edge detection mode described. This can be taken into account in the evaluation process in that a larger marking field that is found is automatically divided into two or more marking fields of the size to be expected, with a center point being calculated accordingly for each of the marking fields. Furthermore, it can be provided that in a case in which individual marking fields are not reliably recognized, the actual positions of these marking fields are calculated using determined positions of surrounding marking fields. This can be done in particular when it is known from the marking instructions that the material combination of these marking fields does not offer sufficient contrast to the base material of the housing for reliable identification.

Overall, the additional steps mentioned of imaging the mounting rail 1 and the electrical devices 2, analyzing the images, determining the actual positions of marking fields and taking these actual positions into account when applying the marking make the marking process more reliable, so that it can be carried out automatically with the lowest reject rates.

In the Fig. 10a-c electrical devices 2 that can be labeled with the device described above are shown as examples. In the Figure 10a , b two different terminal blocks 30 are each shown in an isometric view. In Figure 10c an end bracket 35 is shown in a top view of its front opposite the support rail.

The terminal blocks 30 in the Figure 10a , b each have a housing 31, on the lower side of which a mounting rail receptacle 32 is formed, with which the housing 31 and consequently the terminal block 30 can be clipped onto a mounting rail 1, as shown in the figures shown above.

The terminal blocks 30 each have a plurality of clamping devices for wires, which in the present case are designed as so-called "push-in terminals". They each include a wire receptacle 33, ie an opening into which a wire to be clamped is inserted. The wire is guided through the wire holder 33 to a clamping spring 34 which fixes it and makes electrical contact with it.

In the case of the terminal blocks 30 shown, predetermined marking fields are not provided for labeling the various connections, but receptacles are formed in the housing 31 into which markers 51 can be inserted. This opens up the possibility of using pre-marked markers 51 or markers 51 that are unmarked and that are marked by the laser arrangement 20 using the device described in the present application or according to the method described here. Furthermore, marker material can also be injected into the marker channels in order to integrally form a comparable one on the terminal block 30 instead of the clipped-in marker 51 . Finally, instead of the receptacles for the markers 51, suitable marking surfaces can also be present directly on the housing 51.

When arranging terminal blocks 30 on a mounting rail, a number of terminal blocks 30 are usually placed between two end brackets 35, one of which is in Fig. 10c is shown, limited and fixed on the mounting rail 1. The end bracket 35 also has a marker 51 on which, for example, the function or assignment of the adjacent terminal blocks 30 can be indicated. The marker 51 of the end bracket 35 is characterized by a multiple length (in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the support rail 1) compared to the markers 51 of the connections of the terminal blocks 30.

A comparison of the positions (relative to the mounting rail receptacle 32) of the markers 51 on the terminal blocks 30 and their different orientations illustrates the great flexibility that is required of the marking device when inscribing the markers 51. Further developments of the marking method are described below, which are used in conjunction with the aforementioned image acquisition device can improve the quality of the applied markings.

In the Figure 10a The terminal block 30 shown has four marking fields in its height (in a direction perpendicular to the mounting rail receptacle 32), which extend over a wide area due to the large overall height of the terminal block 30. Due to the viewing angle range of the image capturing device, a situation can arise, for example, in which only two markers 51, for example the two middle ones, are captured.

As previously described, center point coordinates are determined for these markers 51 . They are in the form of position crosses 52 in Figure 10a registered. Based on these center coordinates, the position of the marker can be corrected, as explained in the previous sections. Such a position correction would of course also be desirable for the markers 51 which are not within the image area of the image acquisition device. In the example of Figure 10a This can be the markers 51 located below or above the two middle markers 51, for example. However, the position of these markers 51, which are not visible to the image acquisition device, is not independent of that of the visible markers 51, since they are located on the same terminal block 30 and are therefore linked to the position of the visible markers 51 by design.

In a further development of the marking method, the position of such invisible markers 51 (or more generally marking fields) is extrapolated based on the known design information about the terminal block 30 (or more generally each electrical device 2 that is marked) using the determined center point coordinates of recognized markers 51. In the Figure 10a such extrapolated center coordinates are shown as position crosses 53 represented by dashed lines.

The geometric information about the relevant terminal block 30 can be taken from design information from a database.

Figure 10b shows that markers 51 (or in general any type of marking fields) can be present not only in a plane orientation perpendicular to the mounting rail receptacle 32 and parallel to the mounting rail receptacle 32, but also at any angles in between. In the present example are in the middle two markers 51 are arranged on the terminal block 30, which are at an angle of about 45° to the mounting rail receptacle 32. In order to enable a good recognition of the center coordinates (these are in turn symbolized by position crosses 52), a camera recording is preferably made with a direction of rotation of the pivoting device 10 in which the inclined markers 51 are perpendicular to the main viewing direction of the image acquisition device.

Figure 10c shows with the end bracket 35 a plan view of an electrical device in which the dimensions of the marker 51 significantly exceed those of the terminal blocks 30 shown above.

With such a marker 51, an advantageous further development of the method according to the invention provides not to determine the center coordinates of the marker 51 in an image evaluation of the recordings of the image acquisition device, but rather to determine two end region coordinates spaced apart from one another. The determined coordinates are again symbolized by position crosses 52 in the figure.

An advantage of this approach is illustrated by the example of Fig.11 explained.

The 11 shows a plurality of terminal blocks 30, which connect to an end bracket 35. In the example shown, no marker 51 is provided on the end bracket 35, but on the terminal blocks 30, the markers used here also in a longitudinal direction of the terminal blocks 30 compared to the markers of the terminal blocks 30 from the Figure 10a , b are enlarged. The block of terminal blocks 30 is only limited on one side by the end bracket 35 shown. In such a constellation, it can happen that terminal blocks 30, which are further away from the end bracket 35, are positioned obliquely on the mounting rail 1 and are rotated by an angle α with respect to the actually desired orientation. Realistically, such a twist is in the range of one or two degrees at most. For the sake of better representation, in 11 the rotation by the angle α is shown artificially enlarged by about 5°.

The rotation shown has an influence both on the calculated position of the marker 51 of the terminal block 30 arranged on the far right, and on its alignment.

If the markers 51 on the terminal blocks 30 were only corrected via their center point coordinates by the image evaluation, a position shift of the marker 51 due to the rotation by the angle α would be compensated, but an applied marking would not be correctly applied to the marker 51 in terms of its alignment . Although it would run perpendicularly to the support rail 1, it would be applied at an angle to the oblique marker. A correction based on two end region coordinates 51, as in Figs Figure 10c or. 11 shown, allows the orientation of the inscription to follow the actual orientation of the marker 51 (or more generally of each marker field).

Another typical effect of positioning terminal blocks in an area that is further away from an end bracket 35 is the so-called fanning out of the end area. This is in 12 shown. 12 shows an arrangement of several terminal blocks 30 which rest on one side on one side on an end bracket 35. No further end bracket is provided on the mounting rail 1 on the side opposite the illustrated end bracket 35 . As a result, the last of the terminal blocks 30 or at least the last terminal block 30 of the arrangement “scroll” or “scroll open”. This means that although they are sitting in the correct position on the mounting rail 1, in their upper area they tilt from their correct position by an angle β to the side. Such "peeling" does not lead to a change in the alignment of the markers 51 or the marking fields, but it does lead to a shift in position.

Mounting rails are often preconfigured in such a way that blocks of several terminal blocks 30 and, if necessary, end brackets 35 alternate along the mounting rail with gaps between these blocks. In the evaluation method, it can be provided that an image evaluation relates only to one such block of terminal blocks. Deviations in the overall positioning of the blocks from the intended positions can then be easily corrected for the entire block. The actual position correction then relates primarily to errors that result from an inclined position by an angle α (according to 11 ) or a "peeling" through an angle β (according to figure 12 ) result.

Reference sign

1

mounting rail

2

electric device

3

marker level

4

focus field

5

mark

51

marker

52, 53

position

10

swivel device

11

Frame

12

Recording

13

side members

131

admission bed

132

fixed pick-up strap

133

side guide plate

134

electromagnet

135

guide

136

channel

14

swivel arm

15

moveable tab

151

quick release lever

152

sliding pick-up strap

16

drive

17

rotary bushing

20

laser array

21

laser head

22

linear guide (in z-direction)

23

further linear guide (in x-direction)

24

further linear guide (in y-direction)

25

image capture device

30

terminal block

31

Housing

32

DIN rail mount

33

connecting channel

34

clamp spring

35

end angle

α, β

misalignment angle

S1-S9

process step

S11-S21

process step

Claims (20)

1. Method for marking electrical devices (2) which can be arranged in a row and are arranged on a support rail (1), with the aid of a laser head (21), wherein the support rail (1) is pivotable about its longitudinal axis and the laser head (21) is guided such that it can be moved at least along the longitudinal axis of the support rail (1), comprising the steps of:

   - specifying a number of marking instructions, each comprising a marking content and a position and an orientation of the surface to which the marking content is to be applied;

   - creating an image of at least a section of the support rail (1) and at least one electrical device (2) from an image capture device, and correcting at least one of the positions at which one of the marking contents is to be applied based on an evaluation of the image;

   - grouping the marking instructions into marking levels (3) in such a way that all marking instructions of one marking level (3) can be applied by the laser head (21) without a movement of the laser head (21) or the support rail (1), wherein the marking levels (3) differ in terms of spatial coordinates and/or parameters for the laser head (21);

   - selecting a first one of the marking levels (3);

   - positioning of the laser head (21) and/or pivoting of the support rail (1) according to the spatial coordinates of the selected marking level (3);

   - applying markings (5) according to the marking instructions of the selected marking level (3) with the parameters for the laser head (21); and

   - selecting a next one of the marking levels (3) for marking based on the movements of the laser head (21) and the support rail (1) which would be necessary to enable markings according to the next one of the marking levels (3) to be applied.
2. Method according to claim 1, in which the steps of positioning the laser head (21) and/or pivoting the support rail, applying the markings, and selecting a next one of the marking levels (3) are repeated until all of the marking levels (3) have been processed.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the closest of the marking levels (3) is selected such that pivoting of the support rail (1) is preferred over movement of the laser head (21) in the longitudinal direction.
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the following steps are performed to select the next of the marking levels (3):

   - assigning priority values (p) of the remaining marking levels (3) based on the spatial coordinates of the marking levels (3); and

   - selecting a next one of the marking levels (3) for marking based on the priority values (p).
5. Method according to claim 4, in which the spatial coordinates of the marking levels (3) are used to determine which movements of the laser head (21) and/or of the support rail (1) are necessary, wherein different priority indices are assigned to different movements, wherein priority indices of necessary movements are added up to obtain the priority value (p).
6. Method according to claim 5, in which a movement of the laser head (21) in the longitudinal direction is assigned a greater priority index than a pivoting of the support rail (1) if smaller priority values (p) are preferred in the selecting.
7. Method according to claim 6, in which a movement of the laser head (21) in a direction other than the longitudinal direction is assigned a smaller priority index than a movement of the laser head (21) in the longitudinal direction.
8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which creating and evaluating the image is performed prior to the step of grouping the marking instructions into marking levels (3), wherein the grouping is then performed based on the corrected positions.
9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which at least two images are created in different pivoted positions of the support rail (1).
10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which in the step of evaluating the at least one image, one or more positions of a marking field for a mark to be applied are detected.
11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which in the step of evaluating the at least one image, at least two positions of a marking field for a marking to be applied are detected, wherein in addition to the position of the marking, its orientation is also corrected.
12. Device for marking electrical devices (2) which can be arranged in a row and are arranged on a support rail (1), wherein the device has a receptacle (12) for the support rail (1) and a laser head (21) for applying a marking to the electrical devices (2), wherein the receptacle (12) is mounted such that it can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis, characterized in that the laser head (21) is guided such that it can be moved in at least one longitudinal direction which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle (12), wherein the device comprises a control device which has an image capture device (25) for imaging the support rail (1) inserted into the receptacle (12) and the electrical devices (2) arranged thereon, and which is set up to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 11.
13. Device according to claim 12, in which a linear guide (22) with a displaceable carriage, on which the laser head (21) is directly or indirectly mounted, is arranged parallel to the receptacle (12).
14. Device according to claim 13, in which the laser head (21) is mounted on the carriage via one or more further linear guides (23, 24) extending perpendicularly to the linear guide (22).
15. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14, in which the receptacle (12) comprises a longitudinal member (13) with a receiving bed (131) for receiving the support rail (1), which is held by pivot arms (14) eccentric to an axis of rotation.
16. Device according to claim 15, in which the receiving bed (131) is 20 to 30 mm eccentric of the axis of rotation.
17. Device according to one of claims 12 to 16, in which the receptacle (12) can be pivoted through any angle of rotation without a stop.
18. Device according to one of claims 12 to 17, in which the laser head (21) comprises a laser that emits in a UV wavelength range.
19. Device according to one of claims 12 to 18, in which the image capture device (25) is arranged directly or indirectly on the displaceable carriage of the linear guide (22).
20. Device according to claim 19, in which the image capture device (25) is a line scan camera.

Images