Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K41/00—Propulsion systems in which a rigid body is moved along a path due to dynamo-electric interaction between the body and a magnetic field travelling along the path
  • H02K41/02—Linear motors; Sectional motors
  • H02K41/03—Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors
  • H02K41/031—Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors of the permanent magnet type
  • H02K41/033—Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors of the permanent magnet type with armature and magnets on one member, the other member being a flux distributor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K7/00—Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
  • H02K7/14—Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/53—Means to assemble or disassemble
  • Y10T29/53539—Means to assemble or disassemble including work conveyor

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for transporting (moving) workpiece carriers in an assembly line. It also relates to a novel workpiece carrier and a novel assembly unit (assembly cell).
• An assembly line basically consists of a plurality of assembly units, for example assembly cells.
• a conveyor belt carries workpiece carriers from assembly cell to assembly cell. Workpieces are held in the workpiece carrier. The workpieces are machined in each mounting ⁇ cell.
• An assembly cell usually includes at least one processing unit ⁇ . In an assembly cell who the usually one to four, typically two Ferti ⁇ supply steps are carried out ⁇ . Also within the assembly cell, the conveyor belt transports the workpiece carrier with the workpieces from processing unit to processing unit.
• the conveyor belt is designed to run continuously and moves evenly.
• the workpiece carrier on the conveyor belt that moved.
• this two stages are seen before ⁇ :
• On a receiving side of the processing unit are electrically or pneumatically actuated stopper attached. Either the workpiece carriers are lifted off the conveyor belt with the aid of these stoppers. Alternatively, they are mechanically blocked so that the previous adhesion of the work ⁇ piece carrier is lifted with the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt continues to move under the workpiece carriers while they are stopped.
• the stopper is ensured that incoming work ⁇ piece carrier stop before the processing unit. It arrives only one workpiece carrier in the processing unit. The other workpiece carriers wait at a distance from the processing unit until the current manufacturing step is finished ⁇ det. During the entire time, the conveyor belt continues to run at a constant speed. From the receiving side of the workpiece carrier is then transferred to a processing position of the processing unit. Either the transport belt is used here again. It can also be provided that a gripper arm or the like spends the workpiece carrier in the processing position. To keep the workpiece carrier in the machining position, special mechanical Ele ⁇ are elements such as pins provided that if just ⁇ must be driven electrically or pneumatically.
• the system is relatively inflexible, making it difficult individual retrofitting ⁇ ner assembly cells. This is particularly disadvantageous when geline using a basic structure of Monta ⁇ different products are to be made respectively in the not too HO- hen numbers, so that frequent conversions are required. It is an object of the invention to provide a method for transporting workpiece carriers in an assembly line, which is more flexible, is associated with low maintenance and yet can run as accurately as possible and at high speeds.
• the invention is based on the knowledge that modern Linear ⁇ motors can be used in assembly lines.
• Modern linear motors have a primary part, in which not only the magnetic coils, but also the permanent magnets are integrated.
• the magnetic flux is in each case guided to the secondary part, without the secondary part itself having to be permanently magnetic.
• Place may be appropriate, as long as only the interaction with the primary part is ensured by the overall structure.
• the primary part only has to be controlled appropriately.
• activation for the primary part can be understood to mean both the direct supply of supply currents for the magnetic coils and, in the case of a somewhat more complicated structure, the supply of control signals for processing by a computer control unit which subsequently generates corresponding current signals for the magnetic coils linear motor ⁇ reindeer, in which permanent magnets are provided in the secondary part, it the present invention allows the use of the mo ⁇ ern linear motor to transport the workpiece carrier in any assembly lines, even where metallic chips Anfal len. had the workpiece support permanently magnetic, so the latter would not be
• the workpiece carrier according to the invention can also be used in working areas in which no magnetism is allowed to prevail.
• the workpiece carrier according to the invention is subject to no restrictions. It may be arbitrarily shaped except for the soft magnetic plate. Per workpiece carrier also several workpiece nests can be placed at ⁇ play as.
• the primary part takes over in cooperation with the workpiece carrier as a secondary part, the function of the above-mentioned stopper.
• the primary part is driven so that it stops a running on the conveyor belt at a receiving side of the processing unit ⁇ workpiece carrier.
• the omission of the stopper eliminates a source of errors.
• the linear motor itself is less error prone.
• the War ⁇ processing costs are reduced as the linear motor is virtually maintenance free. Errors in the process flow can be simulated and analyzed via the software .
• the system is IMP EXP ⁇ including flexible, because the entire movements are grammable per ⁇ .
• the primary part not just brings the incoming workpiece carrier for immediate stopping, but that the speed of the workpiece carrier is continuously, for example linear, is led to zero.
• the primary part can cause the workpiece carrier to be braked very gently from the input speed to zero.
• the primary part also replaces the mechanical elements that have hitherto transferred the workpiece carrier from the receiving side of the processing unit into the processing position. Fixing pins, etc. omitted, because the primary part can hold the workpiece carrier in the machining position alone. It is then no longer absolutely necessary that the workpiece carrier is stopped at the receiving side.
• further components which provided ness in the prior art for interference-prone ⁇ omitted.
• the movement of the secondary part is not only controlled by the primary part of the linear motor, but also regulated.
• a desired position for. Example, in the above-mentioned over-guiding of the workpiece carrier into the processing position
• This measured variable is used (as an actual signal) in a control of control signals for the primary part. (This requires the presence of a corresponding computer unit.)
• the transport belt is completely dispensed with. Instead, he follows ⁇ in the assembly line, the transport of workpiece carriers exclusively using primary parts. Naturally, an uninterrupted chain of primary parts must then be provided along the entire assembly line, also between different processing units in the assembly cells and between the individual assembly cells (or at their transition). However, the associated expense can be rewarding, because only a transport system is available through the exclusive use of linear motor primary parts, which is less susceptible to interference compared to the conveyor belt.
• the (soft-magnetic) plate present on the workpiece carrier according to the invention has a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses, which are preferably also identical, in particular all (except for the edge recesses) are of the same shape.
• the plate can project vertically upwards from a base plate, as it were, as a (stand-alone) wall of the workpiece carrier.
• Regularly spaced Markie ⁇ stanchions are provided preferably on the workpiece carrier (parallel to the recesses z. B. on the plate). These markings are for detection by a position measuring sensor. For example, they may be small recesses provided with a reflective paint to reflect light from a laser beam or an LED.
• An aspect of the invention is also an assembly unit (eg, assembly cell) for use in an assembly line.
• a sol ⁇ che mounting unit comprises a processing unit and is characterized by at least a primary part of a Linearmo ⁇ tors, having a plurality of magnetic tracks and duration Magne ⁇ th comprises.
• the primary section should be positioned appropriately.
• the assembly unit has a continuous transport belt , it being understood throughout that it receives workpiece carriers from an adjacent mounting unit on one input side and delivers them on an output side to a further adjacent mounting unit.
• the primary part should then be positioned on the conveyor belt so that it can change the speed of running on the conveyor belt ⁇ the secondary part-workpiece carrier of the inventive type.
• the primary part should also be positioned so that it can spend the workpiece carrier in a processing position of the processing unit.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a workpiece carrier according to the invention.
• FIG 3 shows a perspective view of the interior of a Monta ⁇ load cell with a primary part, which shows clear ⁇ workpiece carrier as a secondary part, and a conveyor belt in FIG 2 illustrates;
• FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the structure of a mounting cell according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the interior of a prior art assembly cell in which a conveyor belt 10 transports a plurality of workpiece carriers 12 with workpieces 14 to a processing unit 16 and away therefrom.
• the processing unit 16 has a movable (see arrows) tool 18.
• a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic stopper 20 is arranged on a receiving side of the processing unit 16 in the interior of the assembly cell. This acts mechanically on an incoming workpiece carrier 12 in order to prevent it from entering a machining position in which a workpiece carrier 12 'with tool 14' is currently located.
• the stopper 20 normally holds the Werk Giträ ⁇ ger 12 determines and the conveyor belt 10 slides under the work ⁇ piece carrier 12 therethrough. In the machining position, the workpiece carrier 12 'with the workpiece 14 by means of fixing pins 22 is held. Thus, the tool 18 can act on the workpiece 14 ', the actual processing can take place.
• stoppers 20 and locating pins 22 are mechanical and often source of interference.
• the invention replaces stoppers 20 and locating pins 22 with a linear motor assembly.
• a workpiece carrier 24 which acts as a secondary part for a linear motor with primary part arranged excitation.
• a linearly motor consists of a primary part, which substantially takes over the role of the conventional stator, and the secondary part, which assumes the role of a conventional rotor.
• the primary part not only has magnetic coils, but also a large number of permanent magnets.
• the secondary part 24 has no permanent magnets. Instead, namely, the workpiece carrier 24 is fixed to the secondary part, a plate 26 is provided which the Werk sangträ is present of a base plate 27 ⁇ gers 24 straight up, so to speak, as a "side wall".
• the plate 26 is made of soft magnetic material, game as appropriate at ⁇ steel material, and has a plurality of recesses 28.
• the recesses 28 are regularly spaced from each other, wherein the recesses are present slightly wider than located between them webs 30.
• the recesses 28 have the shape of deritol ⁇ rounded rectangles, but other shapes are conceivable
• the recesses 28 with the webs 30 located therebetween mediate the actual magnetic interaction.
• the primary part is here as elongated box 32 shown. It is essential that this elongated box has an active surface 34 from which flows out of Mag ⁇ netspulen and permanent magnets in the interior of the primary part 32 generated magnetic flux and interacts with the secondary part 24.
• the distances between the recesses 28 of the workpiece carrier 24 in this case typically correspond to Bauab ⁇ states of coils and permanent magnets in the interior of the primary part 32 (not shown in FIG 3).
• the workpiece carrier 24 has apart from the plate 26 in a conventional manner two so-called workpiece nests 36, each having retaining grooves 38 for fixing one (or two) workpieces.
• the Aussparun ⁇ gen 40 serve as markers for a so-called linear measuring system, which is shown hidden in FIG 3 and designated 42 there.
• the linear measuring system 42 includes light signal transmitters and sensors, which measure whether a light signal Marere ⁇ was flexed. The workpiece carrier moves, so does the recesses 40. Alternately move a Lichtsig ⁇ nal reflected back and then not again.
• a entspre ⁇ sponding computer unit (not shown), "white” as a result of counting, which number recess 40 just on the Line ⁇ armesssystem has moved past 42 so that the position of the workpiece carrier accurately detectable is.
• the linear system can also working magnetically (inductive).
• the workpiece carrier is normally moved on a transport belt 44.
• a mounting cell is illustrated ⁇ light, as it corresponds to a typical design.
• a table 45 with a primary part 32 is shown as being removed from the assembly cell shown here open, which as a whole is designated 46.
• the assembly cell 46 comprises an input side 47 and an off ⁇ output side 48.
• the structure is such that a building identical mounting cell 46 could be placed directly next to it ⁇ te, so that the input side 47 of a mounting cell in continuation of the output side 48 of the other assembly cell is arranged on ⁇ .
• a corresponding conveyor belt 44 trans- ported a workpiece carrier therefore of assembly cell 46 to Mon ⁇ day cell 46.
• In the interior is now a processing ⁇ unit.
• the workpiece carrier 24 while the conveyor belt 44 continues uninterrupted.
• the workpiece carrier 24 is then inserted, for example, as a secondary part in the position shown in FIG 3 position ⁇ ver. This can be the editing position.
• exact positioning of the linear measuring system can be employed 42 in this case: it is the particular position of the workpiece ⁇ carrier 24 is measured, and optionally also whose VELOCITY ⁇ ness, and in response thereto corresponding STEU ⁇ ersignale generated for the primary part 32, so that the tool piece carrier 24 is positioned accordingly precise.
• the workpiece carrier thus arrives in a processing position, where a workpiece (not shown) located on the workpiece carrier 24 can be processed.
• a workpiece (not shown) located on the workpiece carrier 24 can be processed.
• two Einhei ⁇ th are provided in the manner of the table 45 in the mounting cell 46.
• two processing units (not shown) are provided. Each processing unit has a primary part 32 is provided.
• the conveyor belt 44 also moves the workpiece carrier out of the assembly cell 46 (via the outlet 48).
• a second conveyor belt 44 ' is provided which serves for the return transport of the workpiece carrier 24 to the starting point (no further processing units being approached during the return transport with the aid of the conveyor belt 44').
• the respective last assembly cell 46 is connected to a U-shaped piece Trans ⁇ port belt, which connects the conveyor belt 44 with the conveyor belt 44 '. Therefore, the conveyor belt 44 and the conveyor belt 44 ', more precisely, are one and the same conveyor belt which continuously travels.
• FIG. 1 A comparison between FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 makes it clear that the invention dispenses with the stopper 20 and the fixing elements 21 and instead uses the primary part 32.
• the primary part 32 is much less in need of maintenance and significantly less error prone than the mechanical or pneumatic components 20, 22nd
• the conveyor belt 44 can be completely eliminated, and the workpiece carrier 24 can be completely transported by means of primary parts 32, which then naturally have to be arranged directly next to each other in a gapless sequence.
• the use of a primary part 32 also has the advantage that the workpiece carrier can be accurately positioned.
• the entire arrangement can be easily controlled using a computer unit 50 (see FIG.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Non-Mechanical Conveyors (AREA)
• Control Of Conveyors (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37991814

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (10)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-15 DE DE102006011974A patent/DE102006011974A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2007
  • 2007-01-26 US US12/225,089 patent/US8430233B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-26 WO PCT/EP2007/050761 patent/WO2007104597A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 2007-01-26 JP JP2008558740A patent/JP2009529476A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

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