EP4114706A1

EP4114706A1 - Drive module for a self-propelling carriage and self-propelling carriage

Info

Publication number: EP4114706A1
Application number: EP21706542.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd Stuke; Olaf Ohlhafer; Felix Jaegle; Gael Le Hen; Adrian Heinrich Sichau
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2020-03-02
Filing date: 2021-02-17
Publication date: 2023-01-11
Also published as: US20230347943A1; JP7463540B2; DE102020202614A1; CA3173579A1; KR20220147654A; JP2023516989A; WO2021175586A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive module (20; 20a) for a self-propelling carriage (10) of an elevated railway-like support structure (100), wherein the drive module (20; 20a) can be connected to a support arm (14) for a nacelle (12).

Description

DRIVE MODULE FOR A SELF-DRIVING CARRIAGE AND SELF-DRIVING CARRIAGE

Technical area

The invention relates to a drive module for a self-propelled carriage of a support structure similar to an elevated train. In the context of the invention, a self-propelled cart is understood to mean a cart that can be moved along the support structure with the aid of the drive module, i.e. with the aid of its own drive. Both autonomously driving, i.e. driverless cars, and those that are controlled by a driver or operator are conceivable. The trolley can typically be used either to transport people or loads. The invention also relates to a self-propelled car with a drive module according to the invention.

State of the art

From DE 102019217948 A1, which was subsequently published by the applicant, a drive module for a self-propelled carriage of an elevated track-like support structure with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known. The known drive module is part of a self-propelled car, which is characterized by a lifting device, by means of which the gondola either in the area of a station or along the route, for example in emergency situations, from a raised position that is assumed during the ferry operation of the gondola, can be adjusted to a lowered position for loading or unloading the gondola. It is also known from the cited document that the lifting device is designed as a component of the support arm device or the gondola.

Disclosure of the invention

The drive module according to the invention for self-propelled cars with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that it is a special allows advantageous structure of the lifting device and an advantageous integration of the lifting device in the self-propelled car. According to the invention, it is provided for this purpose that the drive module has a lifting device that can be driven at least indirectly by an electric motor and is designed to move the support arm between a raised driving position and a lowered loading or unloading position for the gondola.

In other words, this means that, in contrast to the prior art mentioned at the beginning, the lifting device is no longer part of the support arm or the nacelle, but part of a drive module that is used to move the nacelle along the support structure. This has the advantage that all of the components required to drive or move the nacelle along the support structure and to raise or lower the nacelle can be arranged within the drive module and, moreover, components or components used for driving the nacelle at the same time as Can serve as part of the lifting device.

Advantageous further developments of the drive module according to the invention for a self-propelled car of an elevated railway-like support structure are listed in the subclaims.

In a particularly preferred structural implementation of the general inventive concept, it is provided that the drive module has a first electric motor for moving the nacelle along the support structure, and that the lifting device can be driven at least indirectly by the first electric motor. Such a configuration thus makes it possible to use one and the same electric motor both to drive the gondola along the support structure and to lower or raise the gondola for loading and unloading. This is advantageous in that the drive power of the lifting device is typically less than the drive power that is required to move the gondola along the support structure. As a result, it is not necessary to change the size or power of the electric motor compared to a variant in which the electric motor is not used to operate the lifting device, but rather to drive the nacelle. Furthermore, by using a single electric motor for both driving the nacelle and for the drive of the lifting device, the overall space requirement in the drive module is minimized and the investment costs are kept relatively low.

In a further development of the proposal made last, it is provided that the (single) electric motor can be alternately coupled to drive rollers for the gondola or the lifting device via a transmission having at least two coupling devices. The drive rollers for the nacelle serve to move the nacelle along the supporting structure.

In a further development of the proposal made last, it is particularly advantageous if an additional coupling device is provided for blocking the lifting drive when the electric motor is operatively connected to the drive elements for the carriage. This is because in this switching state the coupling device, which is provided for moving the lifting device with the electric motor, is switched to an open state and it must be avoided that the lifting device is activated or is activated, for example solely by the weight of the gondola the nacelle unintentionally lowers.

There are also several variants with regard to the switching of the at least two coupling devices which can be connected to the drive or the drive elements for the gondola on the one hand and the lifting device on the other hand. In a first variant it can be provided that the switching of the at least two clutch devices takes place by means of separate actuators for the two clutch devices.

As an alternative to this, however, it can also be provided that the switching of the at least two clutch devices takes place via a common actuator, the clutch devices then being mechanically coupled to one another.

In yet another alternative embodiment, if there is an additional clutch device for blocking the lifting drive, it can be provided that the at least two clutch devices and the additional clutch device can be switched by means of a common actuator. Alternatively, it is of course also possible for the additional clutch device to be switchable by means of an additional, that is to say by means of a third, actuator.

In a fundamentally alternative embodiment of the invention or the drive for the lifting device and the drive of the nacelle, it can be provided that the drive module has a first electric motor for moving the nacelle along the support structure, and that the lifting device can be driven by means of a second electric motor. Such a configuration has the disadvantage of requiring two separate electric motors, but offers advantages in terms of a mechanically simpler structure. In particular, when a single electric motor is present, the devices or coupling devices required for alternately driving the lifting drive or the nacelle are not required. In the case of a separate electric motor for the lifting device, its size and thus also its space requirements and costs can generally be kept relatively low, since only a relatively low drive power is required for the nacelle compared to the drive motor.

Ropes or chain drives for lowering or raising the gondola have proven to be a preferred structural design of the lifting device. These are particularly easy to operate by means of the electric motor or a construction similar to a cable winch and, in addition, allow a long stroke distance with a relatively compact installation space. Of course, other types of lifting devices are also conceivable, for example using pulley blocks or similar elements.

The invention also includes a self-propelled car with a drive module according to the invention. During normal ferry operation, ie when the gondola is raised, it is necessary that the support arm is rigidly or firmly and securely connected to the drive module. Against this background, a further embodiment of the invention in the self-propelled car proposes that the support arm is movable relative to the drive module by means of the lifting device, and that the support arm can be coupled to the drive module by means of a coupling preferably having a centering aid. The centering aid is used in particular when raising or lowering the gondola, a to enable defined guidance or limited movement of the support arm relative to the drive module and to orient the support arm in a precise position relative to the drive module.

Further advantages, features and details of the drive module according to the invention for a self-propelled car of an elevated track-like support structure emerge from the following description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

1 shows a simplified sectional view of a transport system in the area of a portal arrangement in which the gondolas can be raised or lowered by means of a lifting device,

2 shows a simplified representation in the area of a drive module of the nacelle with a single electric motor both for moving the nacelle along the support structure and for driving the lifting device,

Fig. 3 to

5 each circuit diagrams relating to the coupling of the electric motor according to FIG. 2 with the drive or the lifting device and

6 shows a modified drive module compared to FIG. 2

Use of separate electric motors to move the nacelle along the support structure and to drive the lifting device.

Embodiments of the invention

The same elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures. 1 shows a transport system 1000 for self-propelled cars 10. The transport system 1000 has a support structure 100, which is designed as an elevated track-like support structure 100, and which makes it possible, for example, by means of support rails hanging down on support ropes 102, not shown in FIG. 1, to connect different locations of the transport system 1000 with one another Drive carriage 10 by its own drive along the mounting rails.

The support structure 10 of the transport system 1000 also generally includes at least one stopping or transfer point with a portal-like arrangement 104, which consists of two vertical supports 105, 106 and at least one cross member 108 connecting the two supports 105, 106 to one another. In the area of the cross member 108, purely by way of example, four carrier devices 110 are also arranged, which are individually movable in the direction of the double arrow 112 in the horizontal direction by means of drives (not shown). With the arrangement aligned with the carrier rail, the carrier device 110 makes it possible to transfer a carriage 10 entering the area of the arrangement 104 from the carrier rail attached to the carrier cable 102 to a guide region 114 of the carrier device 110. After transfer to the carrier device 110 and subsequent transverse movement of the carrier device 110 as well as aligning a further carrier device 110 flush with the carrier rail (as shown in the carriage 10 shown in dashed lines), the first-mentioned carriage 10 can be lowered while another carriage 10 carries the arrangement 104 can traverse without stopping using the further carrier device 110 aligned with the mounting rail.

The self-propelled carriage 10, which in the illustrated embodiment is equipped with a gondola 12 for transporting people, is coupled via a support arm 14 arranged on the top of the gondola 12 to a drive module 20, which is used both for moving the gondola 12 along the support structure 100 and is used to raise or lower the support arm 14 together with the gondola 12.

To prevent the gondola 12 from swaying relative to the drive module 20 during the lowering or lifting of the gondola 12 and the support arm 14, for example due to the effects of wind, there is a device 30 for horizontal guidance of the nacelle 12 at the location of the lowering or lifting of the nacelle 12 or in the area of the arrangement 104. The protective housing 32 also has a door area 34, via which entry into the gondola 12 or alighting from the gondola 12 is made possible.

The gondola 12 can be raised and lowered vertically in the direction of the double arrow 22 by means of the drive module 20. It is also explained that lifting or

Lowering of the gondola 12 by means of the drive module 20 can take place not only in the area of the arrangement 104, but also, for example, in an emergency, at any point in the transport system 1000 where there is in particular no arrangement 104 and no device 30. The gondola 12 can also be designed in such a way that it is used to transport objects or objects.

A first embodiment of the drive module 20 is shown in FIG. 2. The drive module 20 comprises, for example, a preferably essentially closed housing 24 in which an electric motor 25 is arranged. The electric motor 25 is coupled via a gear 26 and at least one first output shaft 28 with several drive rollers 36 as drive elements for the carriage 10, which in turn interact with a support rail 38, shown only schematically, to move the gondola 12 along the support rail 38 or along the transport system 1000 to move. Furthermore, the electric motor 25 or the transmission 26 is coupled to a lifting device 50 via a second output shaft 40.

The lifting device 50 has, for example, a cable drum 52 which can be driven via the second output shaft 40. Two cables 53, 54 are attached to the cable drum 52 and are connected to the upper side of the support arm 14 of the gondola 12. By rotating the second output shaft 40 or rotating the cable drum 52, the support arm 14 with the gondola 12 can thus be raised or lowered in the direction of the double arrow 22. In order to enable a rigid coupling or connection of the support arm 14 to the drive module 20 or to the housing 24 during ferry operation, that is to say when the support arm 14 is raised, the drive module 20 and the support arm 14 also have a coupling 55 which, for example, comprises a centering pin 56 which protrudes perpendicularly from the top of the support arm 14 and which interacts with an opposite opening (not shown) on a centering plate 57.

The (single) electric motor 25 is used both to move the gondola 12 along the support structure 100 and to move the gondola 12 in the direction of the double arrow 22 by means of the lifting device 50 Support structure 100 is moved, or the gondola 12 is raised or lowered by means of the lifting device 50. Simultaneous operation of the lifting device 50 and the drive rollers 36 by means of the electric motor 25 is not provided.

For such an alternative operation of the drive module 20 or the electric motor 25, reference is first made below to the illustration in FIG. 3. It can be seen there that the transmission 26 has a total of three clutch devices 61 to 63. The case shown is that the first coupling device 61 is open, while the two other coupling devices 62 and 63 are shown in a closed position.

By way of example, the coupling devices 61 to 63 are designed as claw couplings, but other types of coupling devices 61 to 63 known per se from the prior art are also conceivable.

Furthermore, each clutch device 61 to 63 is assigned a separate actuator 64 to 66 which is used to release or close the respective clutch device 61 to 63. The first coupling device 61 is arranged in the power flow of the second output shaft 40, which is used to drive the cable drum 52. The second coupling device 62 is also located in the power flow of the second output shaft 40 and, in the case shown in FIG is closed in order to prevent the cable drum 52 from rotating. The third clutch device 63 is arranged in the power flow of the first output shaft 28. In the case shown in FIG. 3, it is provided that the lifting device 50 is deactivated, while via the Electric motor 25 driving or moving the gondola 12 along the support structure 100 is possible.

4 shows that three clutch devices 61 to 63 are still provided, but only two actuators 64, 66 which are used to actuate the two clutch devices 61 and 63. When the first coupling device 61 is released, the first actuator 64 simultaneously closes the third coupling device 63 in order to prevent the cable drum 52 from moving.

In FIG. 5, the case is shown in which the three clutch devices 61 to 63 can be actuated by means of a single actuator 67. The first coupling device 61 and the third coupling device 63 are mechanically connected via a coupling joint 68 in such a way that when the first coupling device 61 is opened, the third coupling device 63 is simultaneously closed. At the same time, in analogy to the illustration in FIG. 4, the second clutch device 62 is moved via the actuator 67.

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a modified drive module 20a which, in addition to a first electric motor 25, includes a second electric motor 70. The second electric motor 70 is preferably connected to the cable drum 52 with the interposition of a gear 71, i.e. the second electric motor 70 is exclusively connected to the lifting device 50 or is used to actuate the lifting device 50. In contrast, the (first) electric motor 25 is used exclusively to move the gondola 12 along the support structure 100.

The self-propelled car 10 described so far can be modified or modified in many ways without deviating from the inventive concept.

Claims

Expectations

1. Drive module (20; 20a) for a self-propelled carriage (10) of an elevated track-like support structure (100), the drive module (20; 20a) being connectable to a support arm (14) for a gondola (12), characterized in that the The drive module (20; 20a) has a lifting device (50) which can be driven at least indirectly by an electric motor and is designed to move the support arm (14) between a raised driving position and a lowered loading or unloading position for the gondola (12).

2. Drive module according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive module (20) has a first electric motor (25) for moving the gondola (12) along the support structure (100), and that the lifting device (50) at least indirectly from the first electric motor (25) is drivable.

3. Drive module according to claim 2, characterized in that the first electric motor (25) via a gear (26) having at least two coupling devices (61, 63) alternately with drive elements (36) for the gondola (12) or the lifting device (50) can be coupled.

4. Drive module according to claim 3, characterized in that an additional coupling device (62) for blocking the lifting drive (50) is provided when the first electric motor (25) is operatively connected to the drive elements (36).

5. Drive module according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that that the switching of the at least two clutch devices (61, 63) takes place by means of separate actuators (64, 66).

6. Drive module according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the switching of the at least two clutch devices (61, 63) takes place via a common actuator (67), the two at least two clutch devices (61, 63) being mechanically coupled to one another .

7. Drive module according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least two coupling devices (61, 63) and the additional coupling device (62) can be switched by means of a common actuator (67).

8. Drive module according to claim 4, characterized in that the additional coupling device (62) can be switched by means of an additional actuator (67).

9. Drive module according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive module (20a) has a first electric motor (25) for moving the gondola (12) along the support structure (100), and that the lifting device (50) by means of a second electric motor (70 ) is drivable.

10. Drive module according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lifting device (50) has a cable or chain drive for lowering or lifting the gondola (12).

11. Drive module according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the drive module (20; 20a) has an at least substantially closed housing (24).

12. Self-propelled carriage (10), with a gondola (12) connected to a support arm (14) and a drive module connected to the support arm (14)

(20; 20a), which is designed according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the support arm (14) is movable relative to the drive module (20; 20a) by means of the lifting device (50), and that the support arm (14) can be coupled to the drive module (20; 20a) by means of a coupling (55) preferably having a centering aid (56, 57).