WO2005012147A2

WO2005012147A2 - Method and device for transporting components in a tubular transport section

Info

Publication number: WO2005012147A2
Application number: PCT/EP2004/007906
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adelbert Demar
Original assignee: Köberlein GmbH
Priority date: 2003-07-18
Filing date: 2004-07-16
Publication date: 2005-02-10
Also published as: DE10332655A1; WO2005012147A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for transporting components (4) in a tubular transport section (3), between a component feed (1) and a component receiving station. Said device comprises a fan (5) for providing a volumetric flow (7) of a gaseous working medium, in particular air, in the transport direction (T) of the transport section (3) and an individual supply unit (8) in the component feed (1) for introducing the component (4) to be transported individually into the volumetric flow (7) in the transport section (3) in such a way that the component (4) is carried along by the volumetric flow (7) to the component receiving station (2).

Description

Method and device for transporting components in a tubular conveyor line

The invention relates to a method and a device for transporting components in a tubular conveyor line between a component feed and a component receiving station.

With regard to the background of the invention, it should be noted that, in the most varied of technical fields, the conveyance of individual components from a storage magazine, for example to a processing or assembly station, via a tube-like conveyor line - that is to say essentially a hose or a tube - is required. The range of components to be transported is correspondingly broadband. Mechanical components such as nuts, screws or springs, but also electronic components such as resistors, capacitors or the like can be mentioned as an example.

With the help of tube-like conveyor lines, various components can be compactly fed to the actual place of use, since the components can already arrive at the component receiving station individually and in a defined position. The equipment required for this can be positioned away from the processing or assembly station, where there is usually enough space for it.

It is known from the prior art to supply such individual components with the aid of the so-called “auxiliary technology” via the compressed air network in the manufacturing plants concerned in each case up to 4 bar The compressed air reservoir 4 is connected to the delivery hose connected. The component to be conveyed is individually entered into this, after which the delivery hose is closed by a sealing slide and the blow valve releases the compressed air. As a result, the component to be transported is "shot" through the hose into a receiving station. After closing the blow valve, the process can be repeated with the next component.

This compressed air technology has several disadvantages. This goes hand in hand with very high air consumption, which, due to the fact that compressed air is a very complex form of energy, entails high costs. There is also a high mechanical outlay for sealing the conveying section and feeding in the compressed air with the aid of a so-called “blower body” as a switch in the conveying section. Pressure regulators, pressure accumulators and blowing valves also entail a great deal of pneumatic effort. Finally, the parts to be transported reach due to the compressed air supply a relatively high speed and therefore with a comparatively high kinetic energy in the receiving station. In this respect, the auxiliary technology is not at all suitable for certain components. Furthermore, the receiving station is relatively susceptible to wear due to the force of the impacting components. usually a supply hose - and the part to be transported, in particular with regard to the corresponding cross-sections, must be coordinated relatively precisely with one another.

Pneumatic conveyance of bulk goods is to be mentioned as a distant prior art, in which a mass flow of light goods is transported from a bunker via a tubular or hose-like conveying line with the aid of a blower. Based on the described disadvantages of compressed air-assisted component conveying, the invention is based on the object of specifying a method and a device for the individual transport of components in a tubular conveying section, which allow a reliable and gentle conveying of parts with reduced design and energy expenditure.

In terms of process technology, this object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1 and in terms of device technology by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 8. Accordingly, the essence of the invention is to provide a volume flow of a gaseous working medium directed in the transport direction in the conveying path. For the sake of simplicity, air is generally used as the working medium; if other gases are to be used for other reasons, for example for reasons of explosion protection, nitrogen, these can also be used as working medium.

"Volume flow" is to be understood in distinction from a sudden air pulse, a more continuous gas flow that can be generated by a conventional fan. This volume flow is to be adjusted depending on the weight, cross-section, overall shape, etc. of the component to be transported so that the component over the The inclination and incline distances are to be taken into account with sufficient reliability. The advantage of the method or the corresponding device according to the invention is the low energy requirement of the transport system since work is carried out without compressed air By simply adjusting the By providing the blower, which ensures the volume flow in the conveyor line, a defined transport speed and fine regulation of the airspeed of the components is possible, which ensures gentle component transport with correspondingly low loads, particularly of the component receiving station.

Preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention or the corresponding device are specified in subclaims 2 to 7 or 8 to 19. The transport of the component to be conveyed is to be emphasized with the aid of a conveying projectile, which is reversely moved along the conveying path by reversing the volume flow from bubbles to suction. This makes it possible to reliably transport problematic components with a relatively open cross-section, such as springs, with respect to their interaction with the volume flow. No complex handling of the conveyor projectile is necessary, for example by removing it at the component receiving station and reinserting it at the beginning of the conveyor line. In this respect, there is also no need to stock a large number of projectiles, such a projectile is sufficient for each conveyor section.

According to a preferred development of the invention, provision is also made for the reversing conveyor projectile to be detected in the region of its reversal points at the beginning and end of the conveyor section by means of a sensor. This ensures that regardless of the object to be conveyed, it can be recognized whether the conveying projectile has completely passed through the transport path and whether it has been successfully retrieved for the transport of the next component. Finally, a soft reversal of the volume flow of the working medium is advantageous for the handling of the conveying projectile or the components themselves, which can be achieved by an appropriate design of the volume flow reversing valve on the blower feeding the conveying path.

Further details and features of the invention also emerge from the following description in which exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1, 2 and 3 are schematic representations of individual transport systems for components in three different embodiments,

4 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a conveying path between the end positions of the conveying projectile moving reversibly therein,

5 shows a longitudinal section through a double-chamber slide for loading a conveyor line,

Fig. 6 shows a section through a reversing valve, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a multiple single transport system.

1, the basic concept of a transport device according to the invention is to be explained. So is between one as a whole with a component feed designated 1 and a component receiving station labeled 2 a tubular conveyor section in the form of, for example, an elastic hose 3 made of PTFE plastic. The latter has the advantage of a very low coefficient of friction compared to the component to be transported in the conveying hose 3, which can be a machine screw 4, for example. The conveyor hose 3 can extend over several meters in length and height difference.

On the side of the component feed 1 facing away from the receiving station, a blower 5 with its pressure outlet 6 is connected to the conveying hose 3 and generates a volume flow 7 of air in the conveying hose 3 as a working medium in the transport direction T.

To insert the screws 4 to be transported into the conveying hose 3, a single loading unit 8 is provided in the component feed 1, which has a double chamber slide 9 with chambers open at the top and bottom as the central component. The left-hand chamber shown in FIG. 1 serves as a component receptacle 10, into which screws 4 arriving in each case fall from above via a drop channel 11. The latter pass from a magazine 12 via a step conveyor 13 and a separating section 14 to the drop channel 11.

The second (on the right in FIG. 1) chamber of the double-chamber slide 9 is tubular as a through-flow chamber 15, which ensures an uninterrupted volume flow 7 in the position shown. The double-chamber slide 9 can be displaced by a piston-cylinder drive 16 from the filling position shown in FIG. 1 for the component receptacle 10 into a transfer position (not shown) in which the component receptacle 10 in the cross section of the delivery hose 3, that is, at the position of the flow chamber 15. The component (screw 4) located in the component receptacle 10 thus falls into the delivery hose 3 and is entrained by the volume flow 7.

The flow rate of the air and the driving force thus acting on the screw 4 can be varied on the one hand by the power of the pressure blower 5. As an alternative to this or as a flanking measure, the volume flow 7 can also be regulated by an outlet lock 17, which is arranged between the pressure blower 5 and the component feed 1. This outlet lock 17 consists of opening slots 18 in the wall 19 of the delivery hose 3, the opening slots 18 being variably adjustable in the opening cross section by means of a slide ring 20. The larger the cross section of the opening slots 18 is set, the more air can escape therefrom and the lower the volume flow 7 acting on the component 4 to be transported.

To regulate the speed of impact of the screw 4 in the component receiving station 2, a further outlet lock 17 ′ can be installed in the delivery hose 3 in front of the receiving station 2. Due to the outflow of the transport air there, the screw 4 is practically no longer driven and this falls - if a slope 21 follows after the outlet lock 17 '- under the influence of gravity into the component receiving station 2, which with much less force in Comparison to a component conveyed by compressed air.

1 - just like in FIGS. 2 and 3 - each show transport systems with a conveying hose 3 and a component feed 1. In practice, on the other hand, several delivery hoses 3 can be arranged side by side. which are supplied with conveying air by a common blower 5. Correspondingly, the double-chamber slide 9 then has a plurality of component receptacles 10 and flow-through chambers 15 arranged next to one another in the manner of a magazine.

The variant shown in Fig. 2 differs from the gem. Fig. 1 essentially in that the volume flow 7 is generated by suction on the delivery hose 3. For this purpose, a type of branch switch 22 is installed in front of the component receiving station 2, the hose branch 23 going out laterally being connected to the suction connection 24 of a suction blower 25. In this case, on the infeed side of the variant according to Fig. 1 provided double chamber slide saved, it is only as a single feed unit 8 'to be transported screw 4 is entered from the separating section 14 into the drop channel 11 on the hose 3. The screw 4 is transported by the volume flow 7 over the straight section of the branch switch 22 to the component receiving station 2, where it falls into the receiving chamber 27 of a separating slide 28. After arrival of the screw 4, the single loading unit 8 'is closed and the separating slide 28 is moved with the aid of a piston-cylinder drive 29 until its receiving chamber 27 is released downwards and the screw 4 falls into a transfer station 30 for further handling of the screw 4.

All other components of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 agree with those according to Fig. 1 match and have the same reference numerals. They therefore do not need to be discussed again and reference is made to the corresponding statements relating to FIG. 1. The variant of the transport system shown in FIG. 3 is particularly suitable for components that are open to flow, such as, for example, openly wound coil springs or sleeves. Here, a separate conveyor projectile 31 takes over the actual transport of the component in the form of the helical spring 32. The conveyor projectile 31 is carried along by the volume flow 7 directed in the transport direction T and thus driven. The starting position is the position A indicated in FIG. 3, in which the projecting projectile 31 is arranged between the blower 33 and the individual loading unit 8. The latter corresponds to the loading unit shown in FIG. 1. The fan 33 is preceded by a type of reversing valve 34, the output of which is connected to the delivery hose 3 and the two inputs of which are connected to the pressure or suction connection 35, 36 of the fan 33. By means of a corresponding piston-cylinder drive 37, the control slide 38 can be moved from a neutral position, in which the delivery hose 3 and blower 33 are separated, into a pressure or suction position, in which the delivery hose 3 with the pressure or suction - Connection 35, 36 is connected.

The transport process is as follows:

Starting from position A shown in FIG. 3, when the component receptacle 10 in the double-chamber slide 9 is filled, the latter is activated and the helical spring 32 is introduced into the delivery hose 3. Then the reversing valve 34 is set so that the delivery hose 3 is acted upon by blown air. The conveying projectile 31 is thereby transported forward and takes the helical spring 32 in the transport direction T (position B) until a catching device 39 is reached in front of the component receiving station 32 (position C), which is essentially an element with a free one Opening cross-section that is smaller than that of the derschlauchs 3 and the outer cross section of the projectile 31, but larger than the contour of the coil spring 32. The latter can therefore pass through the catching device 39 and falls into the component receiving station 2. The conveying projectile 31 is stopped at the catching device 39, after which the reversing valve 34 is actuated and switched to suction operation. The volume flow 7 in the conveying hose 3 is thus directed counter to the transport direction T and the conveying projectile 31 is pulled back again into position A. Before this return transport, the double-chamber slide 9 has already been moved back into its starting position shown in FIG. 3, where the component receptacle 10 is filled with the next component in the form of a further coil spring 32. After the projectile 31 has been retrieved, a new feed cycle can take place.

The conveying projectile 31 itself can be made of soft, elastic foam material in the form of a cylindrical plug and its outer cross section can be roughly matched to the inner cross section of the conveying hose. A harder interpretation z. B. with metal end caps for recognizability by conventional proximity switches is conceivable.

The transport system described above has the great advantage that almost any parts, e.g. B. springs or sleeves can be transported. Because of the at least approximate positive fit of the projecting projectile 31 with the conveying hose 3, only a very small volume flow 7 of air is required, so that the blower 33 can be designed with a comparatively low output.

The catching device 39 is at the same time with openings (not shown in detail) for the escape of the air conveyed by the projectile transport designed. In this respect, after passing through the catching device 39, no more driving force is exerted on the helical spring 32, so that it is conveyed to the receiving station 2 very gently.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, components that correspond to FIGS. 1 and 2 are again provided with identical reference numerals and do not require any further explanation.

4 again shows a delivery hose 3 with an integrated double-chamber slide 9 for component feeding, the blower 33 and the actual component receiving station 2 being omitted. Catching devices 39, 39 'for the projecting projectile 31 are shown at the ends of the conveying hose 3, so that the latter can only move back and forth between these two catching devices 39, 39'. As indicated in FIG. 4, the projectile projectile 31 has a piston-like shape, the thickenings at the end being made of metal. As a result, the projectile 31 in its two end positions in front of the catching devices 39, 39 'can be detected in a simple manner with the aid of an inductive proximity switch 40, 40'. As a result, the machine control unit can determine whether the only conveying projectile 31 located in the hose 3 has arrived in the end position shown in the drawing in each case in accordance with the action by a blowing or suction volume flow.

5 shows a structural design of the double-chamber slide 9. In the position shown, the component holder 10 is positioned in the region of the delivery hose 3. To load the component receptacle 10, the double-chamber slide 9 is shifted to the right with reference to FIG. 5, so that the flow-through chamber 15 in the volume flow of the Hose 3 lies and the component receptacle 10 can be filled with an object to be transported via its opening exposed at the top.

6, the reversing valve 34 can be seen in its constructive configuration. Its two inputs 41, 42 are connected to the pressure or suction connection 35, 36 of the blower 33, not shown in FIG. 6. In the valve housing, these two inputs 41, 42 converge via a T-branch to an output 43, which is optionally connected to one or more delivery hoses 3 via a corresponding distributor.

In the T-branching, a valve slide 45 with two sealing disks 45, 46 is displaceably mounted with the aid of the piston-cylinder drive 37 mentioned with reference to FIG. 3. In the position shown in FIG. 6, the outlet 43 is connected to the inlet 41. For reversing, the valve slide 44 is shifted to the right in relation to FIG. 6, the sealing disk 46 sealing the inlet 42 lifting off, but the sealing disk 45 sealing the inlet 41 then not yet closing. Thus, both inputs 41, 42 and the output 43 are in contact for a certain time during the stroke of the valve slide 44, so that the blower 33 works virtually “in short circuit” and a gradual pressure compensation between negative pressure (suction mode) and overpressure (pressure mode) At the end of the stroke of the valve slide 44, the sealing disk 45 then closes the inlet 41 and the inlet 42 is connected to the outlet 43 of the reversing valve 34.

7 shows a demonstration system for exhibition purposes, in which a nine-way parallel individual conveying in the nine conveying hoses 3 between a component feed 1 and one not shown in more detail Component receiving station is shown as an example. In the component feeder 1, nine double-chamber slides 9 of the type shown in FIG. 5 are lined up in a block. The blower 33 supplies via two reversing valves 34, 34 'and a nine-way distributor box 47 nine delivery hoses, in each of which a conveying projectile 34 from the rear catching device 39 in front of the distributor box 47 via the component feed 1 to the catching device 39' at the end of each Conveying hose 3 is reversibly reciprocable. As is otherwise not shown in FIG. 7, the nine delivery hoses 3 run after the component feed 1 on the underside of the demonstration vehicle 48 under the blower 3 and over to the hose sections which run upward in front of the push handle 49.

In the area of the ends of the delivery hoses 3, proximity switches 40, 40 'are in turn attached for the detection of the delivery projectile 31.

Claims

claims

1. A method for transporting components in a tubular conveyor section (3) between a component feed (1) and a component receiving station (2), characterized by providing a blowing or suction volume flow (7) directed in the transport direction (T) gaseous working medium, in particular air, in the conveyor line (3), introducing the component (4, 32) to be transported in the separated state via the component feed (1) into the volume flow (7) in the conveyor line (3), and entrainment of the component (4, 32) in the volume flow (7) in the transport direction (T) to the component receiving station (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the volume flow (7) by a in the transport direction (T) in front of the component feed (1) arranged pressure blower (5) or by a in the transport direction (T) in front of the component Receiving station (2) arranged suction fan (25) is generated.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume flow (7) acting on the transported component (4, 32) is regulated by outlet locks (17, 17 ') arranged in the conveying path (3) for the working medium ,

4. The method according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the component (32) with the help of a by the reversal of the volume flow (7) of bubbles on suction reversible along the conveyor section (3) movable Fördeφrojektils (31) trans- ported that pushes the component (32) in the volume flow (7) in front of it.

5. The method according spoke 4, characterized in that the Fördeφrojektil (31) is intercepted before entering the component receiving station (2) in the conveyor section (3) for return transport for the reversing transport operation.

6. The method according spoke 4 or 5, characterized in that the reversing Fördeφrojektil (31) is detected at least at one of its reversing points by means of a sensor (40, 40 ').

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume flow (7) of the working medium is reversed softly.

8. Device for transporting components comprising a component feed (1), a component receiving station (2), and - a tubular conveyor section (3) between the component feed (1) and the component receiving station (2), characterized by a blower for providing a volume flow (7) of a gaseous working medium, in particular air, in the conveying path (3), and - a single loading unit (8, 8 ') in the component feed (1) for Introducing the component (4, 32) to be transported in the separated state into the volume flow (7) in the conveyor section (3) for taking the component (4, 32) in the transport direction (T) to the component receiving station (2).

9. The device according spoke 8, characterized in that the blower designed as a pressure or suction blower (5) and in the transport direction (T) in front of the individual loading unit (8) or in front of the component receiving station (2) on the conveyor line (3) is arranged.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the suction fan (25) via a branch switch (22) connected to the conveyor section (3) and the conveyor section (3) on the part of the component receiving station (2) for the working medium at least during the transport process are lockable.

11. The device according spoke 8, characterized in that a blower (33) with pressure and suction connection (35, 36) via a volume flow reversing valve (34) to the conveyor section (3) in front of the component Infeed (1) is connected in such a way that a conveying projectile (31) can be reversely transported in and against the transport direction (T) along the conveying path (3).

12. The device according spoke 14, characterized in that the volume flow reversing valve (34) for soft reversing of the volume flow (7) is a slide valve that a pneumatic connection between the pressure and suction connection (35, 36) of the Blower (33) allows.

13 Device according spoke 12 or 13, characterized in that the Fördeφrojektil (31) is adapted in its outer cross-section to the lumen of the conveyor path (3) and one of a sensor (40, 40 ') has detectable bodies.

14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that a sensor (40, 40 ') is arranged on the conveyor track at at least one of the reversal points of the conveyor projectile (31).

15. The apparatus of claim 13 or 14, characterized in that in front of the component receiving station (2) has a catching device (39) with a smaller compared to the Fördeφrojektil (31) and compared to the component (32) to be transported larger cross-section.

16. Device according to one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the single loading unit (1) has a double-chamber slide valve (9), one chamber of which is a component receptacle (10) and the other chamber of which is a temporary one in the conveyor path (3). horizontal flow chamber (15) functions during the loading phase of the component (4, 32), the component receptacle (10) being able to be pushed into the volume flow (7) into the conveying path (3) after the loading for transferring the component (4, 32).

17. Device according to one of claims 8 to 16, characterized in that one or more outlet locks (17, 17 ') on the conveyor section (3) for regulating the volume flow (7) acting on the transported component (4, 32) are arranged.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the outlet lock (s) (17, 17 ') as variable by means of a slide (20) closable opening slots (18) are (are) formed in the wall (19) of the tubular conveyor section (3).