WO2006072276A1

WO2006072276A1 - Overhead conveyor system for conveying objects and method for operating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2006072276A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/012308
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dieter Kleine; Reiner Hummel
Original assignee: Eisenmann Anlagenbau Gmbh & Co. Kg.
Priority date: 2004-12-23
Filing date: 2005-11-17
Publication date: 2006-07-13
Also published as: DE102004061990A1; UA93037C2; DE502005010862D1; EP1827941B1; ATE495075T1; RU2404075C2; EP1827941A1; ES2358241T3; DE102004061990B4; RU2007128090A

Abstract

An overhead conveyor system for conveying objects comprises at least one supporting rail (16) with at least one supporting frame (48), which has at least one section that is slanted with regard to a horizontal plane, which accommodates at least one driving means (22) and at least one object (60), is connected to the driving means (22), and which is displaceably guided by the supporting rail (16). The supporting frame (48) can pivot about a horizontal pivot pin (36) that is essentially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the supporting frame. The invention also relates to a method for operating an overhead conveyor system of the aforementioned type, according to which the supporting frame (48) is prevented from swinging about the pivot pin (36) by a braking device (76, 92).

Description

Overhead track system for transporting objects and method for operating the same

The invention relates to a monorail system for the transport of objects with

a) at least one support rail with at least one inclined relative to a horizontal plane portion;

b) at least one drive means; and

c) at least one object receiving and connected to the drive means supporting frame, which is guided by the support rail movable.

Moreover, the invention relates to a method for operating a monorail system.

Initially named monorail systems are known per se and are used, for example, to stack items stacked on pallets, such. B. filled or empty

Beverage crates to transport. For example, the place of loading of the monorail system may be a bottling plant for drinks and the place of unloading of the monorail system may be a warehouse.

It often happens that there is a difference in height between the place of loading of the support frame and the unloading. This can be compensated for by the fact that the support rail of the monorail system comprises at least one section inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. at Usually used overhead monorail systems follows the support frame, however, the inclination of the support rail and tilted accordingly relative to the vertical. The arranged on the support frame objects are then also tilted relative to a vertical, which can cause the objects fall out of the support frame, if they are not additionally attached in any form, for example by straps.

However, attaching or loosening this necessary attachment of the transported goods to be transported increases the time expenditure both during loading and unloading of the supporting frame. This results in delays in loading or unloading, which reduce the overall throughput of the overhead conveyor system. Overall, these delays can increase costs.

Object of the present invention is to provide a monorail system of the type mentioned, which takes into account these problems.

This object is achieved in that

d) the support frame is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis which is substantially perpendicular to its direction of movement.

By this measure it is ensured that the support frame can align vertically when it enters an inclined portion of the support rail or is located in such a section. The applied to the support frame transported by its weight leads to a pivoting of the support frame about the pivot axis, whereby the weight of the cargo always acts substantially vertically downwards and a Tilting of the cargo, which may consist of one or more objects, is prevented.

An advantageous further development is achieved in that a braking device is provided, with which a swinging of the support frame can be prevented around the pivot axis.

Under swing is to be understood here that the support frame oscillates about the pivot axis. For if the support frame moves, for example, at a constant speed into an upwardly inclined section of the support rail, then it first pivots at higher transport speeds about the pivot axis in the transport direction. This pivoting movement, which is not yet to be described as swinging, may be desired, as can be absorbed by the support frame forces exerted on the cargo in this way. Following this, however, the support frame would again swing to the vertical, beyond that to a reversal point and back again, and thus one

Perform pendulum movement. However, this pendulum movement can cause j edoch that the cargo falls out of the support frame, if it is not secured therein.

If the support frame moves in a downwardly inclined section of the support rail, then the first pivoting also takes place in the transport direction, followed by - without braking device - again a swinging of the transport frame about the pivot axis with the same possible consequences for the transported.

By the braking device of this swinging of the support frame is prevented, thereby preventing transporting material falls out of the support frame. - A -

It is advantageous if the support frame can be locked by the braking device in a vertical position. As a vertical position, a position is referred to here, in which the support frame is vertically aligned.

The support frame then remains vertically aligned both in a horizontal and in an inclined course of the support rail, whereas in a transition region of the support rail from a horizontal to an inclined portion, the lock can be solved so that the support frame by its own and optionally by the weight of the cargo to the vertical ■ can align.

An advantageous embodiment of the braking device is that it comprises a hydraulic cylinder which is arranged between the support frame and a fixed relative to the support frame part and whose fluid-filled chambers communicate with each other via a fluid line. The suppression of a swing of the

Support frame about the pivot axis can be done on the one hand, that the fluid line has a suitable cross-section to dampen the vibration. On the other hand, it is possible to interrupt the fluid flow of the two fluid-filled chambers of the hydraulic cylinder, whereby the above-mentioned locking can be achieved.

This is advantageously achieved in that a throttle valve is provided in the fluid line of the hydraulic cylinder. Such a throttle valve opens both the possibility of reducing the passage cross section for the fluid in the fluid line and to close the passage completely. A favorable further development is that the braking device comprises a control device via which the throttle valve is adjustable. As a result, the above-mentioned locking / releasing process can be controlled controlled.

It is advantageous if the control device signals from a guided by the drive means sensor unit can be fed, which reads a arranged along the support rail coding. Such coding may include, for example, position information, on the basis of which the control device controls the throttle valve.

It is helpful if the fixed relative to the support frame part is rigidly connected to the drive means carrier beam. At this, the support frame can be securely attached.

A favorable embodiment of the pivot axis is that the support spar carries a pivot axis forming joint, which is connected to the support frame.

If the support rail of the monorail system not only has upwardly or downwardly inclined portions, but also partially extends in a curve, it is advantageous if the support frame is pivotable about a further pivot axis which extends substantially parallel to its direction of movement. Thus, the support frame in a curve with respect to its direction of movement can pivot laterally, whereby centrifugal forces can be partially absorbed.

It is advantageous if attenuators are provided which the pivotal movement of the support frame to dampen the other pivot axis.

The object of the invention is also to provide a method for operating a monorail system for the transport of objects, the monorail system comprising:

b) at least one drive means; and

C) at least one support frame receiving an object and connected to the drive means, said support frame being movably guided by the support rail,

in which

This object is based on the above-mentioned problem that it can lead to a falling out of the cargo from the support frame causing pendulum motion when the support frame moves into a relative to a horizontal plane inclined portion of the support rail.

This' problem is solved by that

e) a swinging of the support frame about the pivot axis is prevented by a braking device. Further advantageous method steps can be found in the corresponding subclaims. The advantages of the method correspond to those explained in the appropriate place for the device features.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In this show:

Figure 1 shows a portion of a monorail system for

Transport of objects in a side view with horizontally extending mounting rail;

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the suspended track system shown in FIG. 1, looking into the illustrated transport direction;

FIG. 3 shows a section of the monorail system according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a side view with a mounting rail inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane in the transport direction; and

FIG. 4 shows a section of the monorail system according to FIGS

Figures 1 to 3 in a side view with respect to the horizontal plane in the transport direction downwardly inclined mounting rail.

Figures 1 and 2 show a monorail system 10 for the transport of objects, as used for example for the transport of goods loaded with cargo pallets.

The monorail system 10 comprises a support rail 12 which, for example, on the ceiling of a hall or on pillars (not shown) in per se known Way is fixed and at the bottom thereof in the longitudinal direction spaced from each other fasteners 14 are attached, of which two can be seen in Figure 1.

A support rail 16 is mounted on the connecting pieces 14 of the Hal teschiene 12 via C-shaped fastening members 18 such that the support rail 16 vertically spaced from and parallel to the support rail 12 extends. The end of a leg of the C-shaped fastening members 18 is in each case connected to a vertical side surface of the mounting rail 16, whereas the other leg is fastened to the connecting piece 14 on the retaining rail 12.

On the mounting rail 16, two roller-guided drive carriages 20, which are spaced apart from one another in a transport direction T, engage the mounting rail 16 from its free longitudinal side, as is known per se. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, the drive carriage 20 is driven by means of an electric motor 22 mounted thereon. Other drive types, such as connected to the drive carriage 20 along the support rail 16 extending drive chain are possible.

The transport direction T is used here only as a reference direction. It is understood that the overhead conveyor system 10 can also be operated in a transport direction, which is opposite to the transport direction T assumed here. D. H . , the direction of movement of the overhead conveyor system 10 runs along the mounting rail 16 in both directions.

The drive carriage 20 are rigidly connected to each other via a support rail 24, whose end portions 26 and 28 at the bottom in each case a drive carriage 20 are attached.

The support beam 24 has centrally a downwardly facing mounting flange 30, to which a first hinge part 32 of a joint 34 is attached. The first joint part 32 is connected via a perpendicular to the transport direction T horizontal pivot axis 36 with a second - joint part 38 of the joint 34.

The second joint part 38 of the joint 34 in turn is fastened centrally to the central spar 40 of a double-T-shaped support structure 42, of which a transverse spar 44 can be seen in FIG.

By hinges 46, a support frame 48 is secured to the central spar 40 of the support structure 42 so that it can pivot about the hinge axes, which are parallel to the transport direction T.

The support frame 48 comprises a rectangular, in Figure 1 horizontal frame frame 50 to which the hinges 46 are attached. From the corner regions of the frame frame 50, in each case, a frame spar 52 descends vertically downwards, of which in each case the two frame spars 52 attached to the same longitudinal end of the frame frame 50 are connected to a frame frame 56 by horizontal transverse struts 54 arranged perpendicular to the direction of movement are. With their bottom ends, the frame beams 52 form a receiving structure 58, can be applied to the cargo. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the receiving structure 58 and, overall, the support frame 48 are dimensioned such that the support frame 48 can receive pallets 62 loaded with goods to be transported 60, as shown in FIGS dashed lines is indicated. The cargo 60 may be both a single item and multiple items stacked on the pallet 62.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, a connecting plate 64 is provided on the inner side of each frame framework 56, the ends 66 of which protrude laterally beyond the corresponding frame framework 56 and which are arranged on the end region of the corresponding frame framework 56 adjacent to the frame frame 50 of the support frame 48 is.

The ends 66 of the connecting plates 64 are in each case connected via telescopic damping members 68 to the end face of a transverse member 44 of the support structure 42. The connecting ends of the damping members 68 are pivotable on the transverse member 44 of the support structure 42 about an axis 70 and on the connecting plate 64 about an axis 72, wherein both axes 70, 72 are parallel to the transport direction T.

2, a cylinder holder 74 is flanged, by means of which a hydraulic cylinder 76 is fastened pivotably about a horizontal axis 78 perpendicular to the transport direction T. The horizontal bar 78 of the carrier structure 42 is shown in FIG. The hydraulic cylinder 76 is a conventional piston cylinder having a cylinder housing and a piston rod 84 attached to the piston exiting the cylinder housing. The two fluid-filled pressure chambers of the hydraulic cylinder 76 communicate via a fluid line 82 provided with a throttle valve 80.

The hydraulic cylinder 76 is so in the cylinder bracket 74 arranged that its piston rod 84 points in the direction of the support beam 24. The outer end of the piston rod 84 of the hydraulic cylinder 76 is pivotally connected via a holder 86 with the end face of the end portion 28 of the support beam 24, wherein the hinge axis 88 is perpendicular to the transport direction T and on the paper plane. The throttle valve 80 of the hydraulic cylinder 76 is connected via a line 90 to a control device 92, which is arranged here on a drive carriage 20. The control device 92 receives via a further line (not shown) signals from a recognizable in Figure 2 sensor unit 96, which is mounted on a drive carriage 20 such that it arranged along the support rail 16 coding 94 on a code rail 95 (see. FIG. 2) and which of the read coding 94 sends corresponding signals to the control device 92.

At each of an end faces of the transverse bars 44 of the support structure 42, rollers 98 are mounted, which are in each case mounted on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the transport direction T.

These serve the side guide when the support rail 16 has a curvature in the horizontal plane, so that the path of the monorail system 10 extends in a curve. For this purpose, 10 side guide rails are provided in such not shown here curve areas of the overhead track system, in which the rollers 98 enter at the entrance of the support frame 98 in the curve area.

At the bottom of the support Holmes 24 two rubber buffer 100 are provided, which will be discussed below. An infrared distance sensor 102 acting in the transport direction is attached to the front drive carriage 20, which is assumed to be the transport direction T assumed here. On the rear drive carriage 20, a reflector plate 104 pointing in the opposite direction to the transport direction is mounted. In addition, a passive spacer ^■ 106 in the form of a shock absorber is provided on the front drive carriage 20 in the transport direction T.

The monorail system 10 described above functions as follows:

For the transport of objects, the support frame 48 is loaded in the usual manner with the transported goods 60. The electric motors 22 are switched on at the same time and coordinated with each other, so that the entire conveyor belt with the loaded transport frame 48 in the transport direction T is in motion.

As mentioned above, the two pressure chambers of the hydraulic cylinder 76 are fluid-filled and communicate via the fluid line 82. Thus, if a force is exerted on the piston rod 84 causing it to be pushed into or withdrawn from the cylinder of the hydraulic cylinder 76, then such movement of the piston rod 82 is possible when the throttle valve 80 of the conduit 82 is opened in the flow path of the fluid from one chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 76 to the other.

With the valve 80 open, the support structure 42, and consequently the support frame 48 connected thereto, can thus pivot about the pivot axis 36 of the articulation 34.

A pivoting of the support frame 48 is desirably worth, if the monorail system 10 has sections in which the support rail 16 is inclined relative to a horizontal plane, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this case, the routing of the overhead conveyor system 10 in Figure 3 in the direction of transport T selected here runs upwards, whereas it is directed in Figure 4 down.

In such sections, it is necessary that the loaded with cargo carrying frame 48 can align with the vertical. If the support frame 48 were rigidly and non-hingedly connected to the carrier beam 24 and thus to the drive means 22, there would be a misalignment of the transport material 60 with respect to the vertical. Depending on the degree of inclination of the inclined portion of the monorail system 10, it would then be possible that the cargo 60 is tilted due to gravity and falls out of the support frame 48. This danger exists in particular when the item to be transported 60 is individual items stacked loosely on one another.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the holder 86 connected to the piston rod 82 of the hydraulic cylinder 76 and the cylinder holder 74 carrying the hydraulic cylinder 76 move towards one another when the mounting rail 16 moves upwards in the transporting direction T. In this case, the piston rod 82 is pushed into the cylinder of the hydraulic cylinder 76, whereby fluid from the lower chamber via the fluid line 82 into the upper chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 76 is pressed.

If the mounting rail 16 runs downwards in the transport direction T, as shown in FIG. 4, the conditions are reversed and the piston rod 82 is pulled out of the cylinder of the hydraulic cylinder 76; is pressed in fluid from the upper chamber into the lower chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 76.

The pivoting of the support frame 48 is carried out solely on the basis of the weight of the cargo 60. By the joint 34 is thus ensured that the cargo remains aligned in an inclined section of the overhead conveyor system 10 substantially to the vertical, whereby tilting of the transported material 60 is prevented.

In the area of the monorail system 10 in which the carrier rail 16 transitions from a horizontal section to an inclined section, the transport speed decreases in the horizontal direction. As a result, the support frame 48 can first pivot out of the vertical alignment about the pivot axis 36 of the articulation 34, specifically in the transport direction T. This first pivotal movement is desired because it compensates for the resulting forces.

Following this first pivotal movement, the support frame 48 is pivoted j edoch in the direction opposite to the first Schwenkriσhtung direction on the vertical axis addition. The support frame 48 would then perform a swinging movement beyond the vertical axis and thereby vibrate, whereby the cargo 60 could tilt.

In order to prevent such uncontrolled vibrations, the throttle valve 80 is provided in the fluid line 82 of the hydraulic cylinder 76.

Moves the support frame 48 in a transition region of the overhead conveyor system 10 between horizontal and inclined th course of the support rail 16, the passage cross section of the valve 80 is set via the control device 92 such that when overflow of the fluid from one chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 76 to the other a damping takes place, the pivoting movement of the support frame 48 is thus braked. A swinging of the support frame 48 beyond the vertical - after the above-mentioned first • pivoting movement - is thus prevented.

A pivoting of the support frame 48 about the pivot axis 36 is thus possible, whereas a periodic oscillation of the same about the pivot axis 36 beyond the vertical is prevented.

If already the first pivotal movement of the support frame is undesirable, it can be adapted to avoid the same transport speed of the overhead conveyor system 10. If the support frame 48 moves correspondingly slowly into a transitional region between a horizontal and an inclined section of the support rail 16, then there is no first pivotal movement of the support frame, but it remains aligned by the vertically downwardly acting weight force to the vertical, by about the Swivel axis 36 pivots.

Preferably, in such an operation of the monorail system 10, the throttle valve 80 is closed and the support frame 48 thus locked in its vertical position when the support frame 48 is in a horizontal or inclined in a constant pitch portion of the support rail 16. The throttle valve 80 is merely opened while the support frame 48 is in a transitional area between the sections to allow for vertical alignment. Thereby, the movement of the support frame 48 can be stopped or resumed without causing the support frame 48 to vibrate due to braking or acceleration forces.

For targeted control of the valve 80, the control device 92 cooperates with the sensor unit 96, which reads the attached along the mounting rail 16 coding 94. This coding 94 may, for example, comprise position information, so that the control device 92 can control the valve 80 of the hydraulic cylinder 76 in accordance with the position of the support frame 48 when entering a transition region of the monorail system 10. In addition, the controller 92 may be programmed with data including, for example, the weight of the conveyed conveyed 60 to attenuate on the basis of this data, influenced by the weight of the transported material 60 pivoting or the swing of the support frame 48 respectively Close the valve 80 completely to prevent.

Depending on the material to be transported and the field of application of the monorail system 10, it may be sufficient if the oscillation of the support frame 48 is adequately damped, without which an adjustable throttle valve 80 in the fluid line 82 would be necessary. In this case, the control device 92 could also be dispensed with. A sufficient damping would then be achieved, for example, by the cross section of the fluid line 82 by this is chosen to be correspondingly small.

If the support frame 48 is not loaded with goods to be transported 60, it is not necessary to prevent oscillation of the support frame 48 about the pivot axis 36 of the joint 34 beyond the vertical addition or to attenuate. To be sure about the Movement of the piston rod 84 of the hydraulic cylinder 76 to prevent oscillating movements of the support frame 48, the two rubber buffer 100 are provided on the underside of the support Holmes 24. These are aligned so that the support structure 42 at a certain extent of pivoting about the pivot axis 36 of the hinge 34 abuts against one of the rubber buffer 100, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4 well.

By connecting the support frame 48 with the support structure 42 via the hinges 46, the support frame 48 can pivot laterally relative to the transport direction T when the support rail 16 runs in a curve. In this case, the receiving structure 58 of the support frame 48 moves by the centrifugal force to the outside and the support frame

48 places inclined with respect to a parallel to the central spar 40 of the support structure 42 extending vertical plane.

This prevents the goods to be transported 60 in a curve of the support rail 16 laterally from the support frame

48 falls out. The attenuators 68 thereby prevent a lateral oscillation of the support frame 48th

The infrared distance sensor 102 of the Fördergehänges cooperates with the reflector plate 104 of a second, preceding Fördergehänges. If the distance to the conveyor belt running in front of the conveyor falls below a predetermined safety distance, then the electric motors 22 of the conveyor hanger are activated accordingly, so that its speed is reduced and the predetermined safety distance is maintained again.

In the event that this safety device does not work without errors, is on the front drive carriage 20 facing in the direction of transport T spacer 106th intended . As a result, the conveyor hanger can only move closer to a preceding conveyor hanger until the spacer 106 abuts the preceding conveyor hanger. The spacer 106 designed as a shock absorber additionally dampens the impact.

Claims

claims

1. overhead conveyor system for transporting objects with

a) at least one support rail (16) with at least one portion inclined with respect to a horizontal plane;

b) at least one drive means (22) _/ and

c) at least one support frame (48) accommodating an object (60) and connected to the drive means (22), which is movably guided by the support rail (16),

characterized in that

d) the support frame (48) about a horizontal pivot axis (36) is pivotable, which is substantially perpendicular to its direction of movement.

2. overhead conveyor system according to claim 1, characterized in that a braking device (76, 92) is provided, with which a swinging of the support frame (48) about the pivot axis (36) can be prevented.

3. overhead conveyor system according to claim 2, characterized in that the support frame (48) by the braking device (76, 92) can be locked in a vertical position.

4. overhead conveyor system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the braking device (76, 92) a Hydraulic cylinder (76) which is arranged between the support frame (48) and a relative to the support frame (48) fixed part (24) and communicate the fluid-filled chambers via a fluid line (82) with each other.

5. overhead conveyor system according to claim 4, characterized in that in the fluid line (82) of the hydraulic cylinder (76), a throttle valve (80) is provided.

6. overhead conveyor system according to claim 5, characterized in that the braking device (76, 92) a

Control device (92) via which the throttle valve (80) is adjustable.

7. overhead conveyor system according to claim 6, characterized in that the control device (92) signals from one of the drive means (22) entrained sensor unit (96) can be fed, which an along the support rail (16) arranged coding (94) read out.

8. overhead conveyor system according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the relative to the support frame (48) fixed part (24) with the drive means (22) rigidly connected to the carrier beam (24).

9. overhead conveyor system according to claim 8, characterized in that the carrier spar (24) carries a pivot axis (36) forming joint (37) which is connected to the support frame (48).

10. overhead conveyor system according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the support frame (48) is pivotable about a further pivot axis, which in essence lent parallel to its direction of movement.

11. overhead conveyor system according to claim 10, characterized in that damping members (68) are provided, which dampen the pivotal movement of the support frame (48) about the further pivot axis.

12. A method for operating an overhead conveyor system for transporting objects ^• wherein the overhead conveyor system comprising:

a) at least one support rail (16) with at least one inclined relative to a horizontal plane portion;

b) at least one drive means (22); and

c) at least one an object (60) receiving and with the drive means (22) connected to the support frame (48) which is movably guided by the support rail (16),

in which

d) the support frame (48) is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis (36) which is substantially perpendicular to its direction of movement,

characterized in that ^"*

e) a swinging of the support frame (48) about the pivot axis (36) by a braking device (76, 92) is prevented.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized a pivoting of the support frame (48) about the pivot axis (36) by the braking device (76, 92) is damped.

14. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the support frame (48) by the braking device (76, 92) is locked in a vertical position when the support frame (48) in a horizontal or - inclined with a constant slope portion of the support rail (16).