WO2024094695A1

WO2024094695A1 - Transport device and method for transporting a product web or piece goods along a transport path

Info

Publication number: WO2024094695A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/080358
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Peter Monser
Original assignee: Mb Automation Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2022-11-03
Filing date: 2023-10-31
Publication date: 2024-05-10
Also published as: DE102022129086B3

Abstract

A transport device for transporting a product web or piece goods, in particular flat substrates, comprises: a first vacuum transport belt and a second vacuum transport belt which together define a transport path, wherein the second vacuum transport belt is arranged downstream of the first vacuum transport belt along the transport path, and the vacuum transport belts are configured to transport a product web along the transport path by their interaction; a measuring device for detecting respective measured values with regard to at least one measured variable which represents a tensile force which occurs between the two vacuum transport belts at or in the product web during its transport along the transport path or a variable which is derived therefrom; and a drive device for driving at least one of the vacuum transport belts in a manner which is dependent on the measured values.

Description

TRANSPORT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING A WEB OF GOODS OR PIECE OF GOODS ALONG A TRANSPORT PATH

The present invention relates to a transport device and a method for transporting a web of goods or piece goods arranged thereon or thereat along a transport path.

The term “general cargo”, as used herein, refers in particular to one or more goods to be transported as individual items.

The transport device or the method can be used in particular in the context of the transport of (i) webs of goods, such as continuous films or paper webs, or of (ii) piece goods, such as individual pieces of film, pieces of paper or other piece-like components, assemblies or other intermediate or end products, as part of a process for the processing, processing or storage of such piece goods. The webs of goods to be transported in case (i) can in particular also be flexible film webs, in particular plastic or metal films as carrier substrates for electronic components or circuits printed on them, or other substrate webs to be coated or printed. In case (ii), the piece goods can in particular be complete galvanic cells, such as battery cells or fuel cells, or components or precursors or intermediate products thereof. It is also possible that the web of goods does not itself serve as transport goods, but rather is used as a conveyor belt for other transport goods, in particular piece goods.

A wide variety of transport devices are known for transporting webs of goods or piece goods. These include, in particular, conventional conveyor belts, usually mounted on rollers and driven by at least one drive drum. A special type of such conveyor belts are so-called vacuum conveyor belts, which are also often referred to as vacuum belts, vacuum conveyor belts or similar.

The term "vacuum" as used herein is not necessarily to be understood as a space with a substantial absence of matter. Rather, it is to be understood in particular as a technical vacuum in the sense of a negative pressure compared to an ambient pressure. It is usually created by removing (gas) molecules from a hollow space (container, vacuum channel, etc.) using a pump. so that the pressure inside it drops. In particular, the pressure in the container can drop below 0.7 bar (ie at least 300 mbar below the normal pressure of 1 bar). Creating a vacuum is also called "evacuation".

A “vacuum conveyor belt” is therefore particularly a conveyor belt system in which the goods to be conveyed are fixed during transport on or at the conveyor belt, more precisely on or at a conveyor belt of the conveyor belt that can be moved in translation to transport the goods, by suction using negative pressure (“vacuum”). To create the vacuum, a vacuum conveyor belt usually has its own pump or a connection for connecting to an externally provided vacuum, such as a suction line under negative pressure. The vacuum is usually distributed, in particular evenly, over the length of the conveyor line via a vacuum channel or several separate vacuum channels and directed to the required locations. The conveyor belt is usually perforated to match the vacuum channel and transfers the negative pressure to the goods to be transported through it.

A special form of a device for transporting a web of goods itself or piece goods to or on a web of goods is a transport device in which two or more vacuum conveyor belts are connected in series along the conveyor path of the transport device and a movable web of goods running over these vacuum conveyor belts and supported by them (in particular lying or hanging) is used for transport. The web of goods is either (i) the goods to be transported itself, for example in a roll-to-roll process, or (ii) it serves as a continuous carrier track, running all the way around or also from roll to roll, for the goods to be transported in the form of piece goods. The conveyor belts of the individual vacuum conveyor belts therefore do not carry the piece goods directly themselves, but only indirectly, by supporting and driving the web of goods on or at which the piece goods are arranged for transport.

In order to ensure that the web of goods or the piece goods are transported as precisely as possible, without any errors and in a uniform manner using such a transport device, it is particularly important that the web of goods is neither overstressed (which could lead to unwanted stretching or even tearing or tearing) nor that unwanted deformation, such as sagging or slipping, occurs during transport. For this purpose, it is known to use a transport path or speed measurement with respect to the To carry out movement of the web of material and to operate the drive of the transport device depending on the measurement results obtained.

It is an object of the invention to further improve such transport devices, in particular with regard to transporting goods to be transported with as few errors as possible.

This object is achieved according to the teaching of the independent claims. Various embodiments and further developments of the solution are the subject of the subclaims.

A first aspect of the solution presented here concerns a transport device for transporting a web of goods or piece goods, in particular flat substrates. The transport device has:

(i) a first vacuum conveyor belt and a second vacuum conveyor belt together defining a transport path, the second vacuum conveyor belt being arranged along the transport path downstream of the first vacuum conveyor belt and the vacuum conveyor belts being configured to transport a web of material along the transport path in cooperation with each other;

(ii) a measuring device for recording respective measured values relating to at least one measured variable which represents a tensile force occurring between the two vacuum conveyor belts on or in the web of goods during its transport along the transport path or a variable derived therefrom; and

(iii) a drive device for driving at least one of the vacuum conveyor belts depending on the measured values.

The term "web" as used herein is to be understood in particular as: (i) a web-like substrate that does not itself belong to the transport device, but is to be transported by it as a transported item along the transport path, or (ii) a goods conveyor belt that is part of the transport device for transporting along the transport path piece goods arranged on or at the goods conveyor belt, in particular carried or held by it. "Web" is to be understood in particular as a wide strip, a cut-to-size piece or the like made of a specific material. It or it can in particular be a finite length or be endless as a loop. The term "web-like" therefore describes a substrate that can be referred to as a "web" in the above sense.

The term “quantity derived from the tensile force” and variations thereof refers to a quantity G, in particular a mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical or other sensory-detectable technical quantity, the value of which depends on the tensile force, in particular a function G = f(F _z ) of the tensile force F _z . In particular, a tensile stress o _z = F _z /A, i.e. a quantity that describes a tensile force acting per unit area, is a quantity G derived from the tensile force F _z . The same applies to an equilibrium position of an object in which the tensile force is in equilibrium with another defined force, in particular spring force.

The term "drive device" is to be understood as a device belonging to the transport device as a component thereof for driving the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt of the transport device. It can therefore in particular have at least one motor, such as an electric motor. In addition, it can also have a control device, such as a circuit, for controlling the at least one motor. The control device can in particular be set up to carry out this control in the sense of a control or regulation. One or more drivers, in particular driver circuits, for supplying energy to the drive can also be part of the drive device.

The terms "comprises," "includes," "has," "includes," "has," "with," or any other variation thereof, as used herein, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a method or apparatus that includes or has a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or that are inherent in such method or apparatus.

Furthermore, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive "or" and not an exclusive "or". For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by one of the following conditions: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or not exists), A is false (or not exists) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exists). As used herein, the terms "a" or "an" are defined to mean "one or more". The terms "another" and "another" and any other variation thereof are defined to mean "at least one other".

The term "plurality" as used herein shall mean "two or more".

The terms "first," "second," "third," and similar terms, as used herein, are intended to distinguish between similar or otherwise similarly named elements and are not necessarily intended to describe a sequential, spatial, or chronological order. It is understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the solution described herein may function in orders other than those described or illustrated herein.

The term "configured" or "set up" to perform a specific function (and respective variations thereof), as used here, is to be understood as meaning that a relevant device or component thereof is already in a design or setting in which it can perform the function or is at least adjustable - i.e. configurable - so that it can perform the function after being set accordingly. The configuration can be carried out, for example, by setting parameters of a process sequence or switches or similar to activate or deactivate functionalities or settings. In particular, the device can have several predetermined configurations or operating modes, so that configuration can be carried out by selecting one of these configurations or operating modes.

In a transport device according to the first aspect, its drive, or more precisely the drive of its at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt, is dependent on measured values determined by the measuring device, which in turn represent, directly or via at least one derived variable, the tensile force occurring on or in the web of goods during their transport along the transport path. The drive can thus be carried out in direct dependence on the tensile force and thus on a variable that is decisive for the transport of goods to be transported by means of the transport device with as few errors as possible. In particular, one or more of the following technical effects can be achieved:

(i) stress on the web is reduced, in particular optimised; in particular, excessive stress or increased wear, for example due to slippage, can be reduced or even avoided.

(ii) The occurrence of transport errors, in particular those caused by an insufficiently tensioned web of goods, is reduced or completely avoided; This makes it possible to counteract damage to the web of goods or the goods being transported, in particular with regard to reducing the frequency of occurrence and/or any damage;

(iii) The movement of the web of goods and thus of the transported goods can be particularly uniform and/or at a specified speed within a small tolerance range.

(iv) the tensile stress occurring in or on the web can be kept within a suitable tension stress range limited on both sides.

Various exemplary embodiments of the transport device are described below, which can each be combined with each other as desired and with the other aspects of the present solution described below, unless this is expressly excluded or is technically impossible.

In some embodiments, at least one of the vacuum conveyor belts, in particular the second vacuum conveyor belt, as a whole or a movably mounted support structure for supporting a support roller bearing of the vacuum conveyor belt is movable bidirectionally along or parallel to the direction of the transport path depending on the tensile force or the variable derived therefrom. In addition, the measuring device is configured to record measured values with respect to at least one of the measured variables on this vacuum conveyor belt or on the movable support structure. The tensile force acting on or in the web of material can thus be recorded on the support structure without a measurement being required directly on the (regularly fast-moving) web of material. In addition, for reasons of space, a measurement can usually be carried out more easily on the support structure than on the web of material itself. The support structure can in particular be designed in one piece or as an assembly made up of several components. In particular, it can, at least essentially, have a "T" shape or "IT" shape and in this case have a leg section of the respective shape on which the support rollers of the support roller bearing are mounted.

In some embodiments (“first embodiment”), the measuring device is configured to detect a force effect that is dependent on the tensile force on the vacuum conveyor belt that is movable as a whole or on the movable support structure in order to determine the measured values for at least one of the measured variables depending on the detected force effect. A direct force measurement thus takes place here, without an intermediate conversion into another variable that is potentially subject to error probability or tolerance being necessary. The measuring device can be equipped in particular with one or more, in particular spring-based and/or piezoelectric, force gauges to detect the force effect.

In some embodiments (“second embodiment”), which can be used alternatively or cumulatively, the transport device further comprises a suspension, by means of which the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or its movable support structure can be subjected to a spring force directed at least partially along the transport path in such a way that a change in the tensile force in or on the web of material causes a movement of the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or its movable support structure, which has at least one movement component directed opposite to the spring force. The measuring device is configured to record at least one position of the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or the movable support structure, resulting from such a movement as a measured value for the at least one measured variable.

The tensile force is thus determined here by a position or path measurement with respect to a movement caused by it, in particular a translational movement, of the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or of its movable support structure under the influence of a spring force applied by the suspension. Depending on the implementation, the spring force can act in particular in a pushing or pulling manner on the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or on the movable support structure. The suspension can be any type of suspension. In particular it may comprise one or more springs or an elastic material (particularly solid or gaseous) to provide the spring force.

The second design also enables a very precise and reliable measurement of the tensile force and thus a particularly precise and reliable drive of the transport device depending on the actual tensile force. In particular, such a measuring method is also suitable for measuring very small tensile forces, since positions or distances can typically be detected particularly precisely by sensors, in particular using correspondingly sensitive optical sensors. The suspension is preferably dimensioned in such a way that it obeys Hooke's law, at least essentially, in the range of the values to be measured for the tensile force, so that converting force into distance, or vice versa, is particularly easy.

If several different measuring methods are used for the measurement, in particular the two first and second embodiments described above, their respective measurement results can be combined into a single measurement result, in particular by unweighted or weighted averaging.

In some embodiments, the vacuum conveyor belt, which is movable as a whole, or the movable support structure is equipped with a bearing that enables this mobility and has at least one of the following: roller bearings, air bearings, ball bearings, anti-friction bearings, suspension. Such a bearing, in particular one with low friction, promotes a particularly precise and reliable measurement of the tensile force.

In some embodiments, the drive device has a controlled drive of the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt, wherein the control of the drive is configured to control the drive based on the recorded measured values depending on the at least one measured variable serving as the controlled variable. In this way, any, even unforeseeable, fluctuations in the tensile force in or on the web of material can be limited particularly effectively and thus a retention of the tensile stress within a target value range defined by the control can be at least largely ensured. In particular, if a small target range is selected, a largely uniform temporal progression of the tensile force can also be achieved. In particular, the drive device can further be configured to apply a control variable to the drive, the variation of which, as part of the control of the drive, causes a dependent variation of a difference between the transport speeds of the first vacuum conveyor belt and the second vacuum conveyor belt in order to adjust the tensile force occurring on or in the web of material during its transport along the transport path. In this way, control can be achieved solely via the drive control.

In particular, the drive device can be configured to apply a control variable to the drive, the variation of which, as part of the control of the drive, causes a dependent variation in the transport speed of only one vacuum conveyor belt, in particular the second vacuum conveyor belt. In this way, a particularly efficient implementation of the drive control can take place. In some embodiments, the control of the drive is configured to vary a respective speed of at least one drive drum of the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt as a control variable.

In some embodiments, the web of goods is designed as a component of the transport device and as a goods conveyor belt driven by at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt for conveying piece goods that can be arranged on or at the web of goods and are used as transport goods. The web of goods thus forms an integral component of the transport device itself. In this way, particularly piece goods with a high degree of flexibility, such as pieces of film, sheets of paper or similar, can be transported reliably and without damage, since they are supported by the web of goods and do not come or have to come into direct contact with rollers or other components of the vacuum conveyor belts.

In some other embodiments, however, the transport device is configured to transport the web of material itself as a transport item along the transport path driven by the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt by means of the vacuum conveyor belts. To this end, the transport device can be configured in particular to operate a reel-to-reel transport of the web of material. In particular, this also enables processing, in particular irradiation or printing of the web of material, while it is being transported by the transport device (between the rollers) and supported by the latter, in particular the conveyor belts of the vacuum conveyor belts. A second aspect of the solution relates to a method for transporting a web of goods or piece goods arranged thereon or therewith along a transport path, wherein the transport takes place by means of a transport device according to the first aspect.

In some embodiments, in the case of piece goods to be transported, at least one of the following piece goods is transported by means of the transport device in the method: a film-like, a plate-like, or a flexible sheet-like piece goods. As already explained above, the transport device is particularly well suited for reliable, error- and damage-free transport of such, particularly flexible, goods due to the use of a web of goods for storing the piece goods during their transport.

In particular, in the case of piece goods to be transported, at least one of the following can be transported as piece goods by means of the transport device: a separator for a galvanic cell, an electrode for a galvanic cell, a membrane for a fuel cell, an MEA (membrane electrode assembly) for a fuel cell; a gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell, a separator plate, in particular a bipolar plate, for a fuel cell.

On the other hand, the material web itself can also be a web-shaped component of a membrane electrode assembly to be produced for a fuel cell or of a membrane electrode assembly which comprises a web-shaped sealing frame. In particular, the material web can be a web-shaped sealing frame, a web-shaped membrane or a web-shaped gas diffusion layer.

The transport device can accordingly be part of a device for producing a precursor for a battery cell or a membrane electrode arrangement for a fuel cell.

The features and advantages explained in relation to the first aspect of the solution also apply mutatis mutandis to the method according to the second aspect.

The transport device according to the first aspect is preferably designed to carry out the method according to the second aspect, in particular an embodiment thereof described herein. Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present solution emerge from the following detailed description in connection with the figures.

This shows

Fig. 1 schematically shows a first exemplary embodiment of a transport device according to the first aspect, in which a measurement of a tensile force acting in or on a web of goods that also serves as transported goods is measured directly via a dynamometer and used as a control variable for a drive control of the transport device;

Fig. 2 schematically shows a second exemplary embodiment of a transport device according to the first aspect, in which a measurement of a tensile force acting in or on the web of goods, which also serves as a conveyor belt for the piece goods stored thereon as transport goods, is measured directly via a dynamometer and used as a control variable for a drive control of the transport device; and

Fig. 3 schematically shows a third exemplary embodiment of a transport device according to the first aspect, in which a measurement of a tensile force acting in or on the web of material via the measurement of a tensile force-dependent position of a movable support structure of one of the vacuum conveyor belts is used as a control variable for a drive control of the transport device.

In the figures, identical reference symbols designate identical, similar or corresponding elements. Elements shown in the figures are not necessarily shown to scale. Rather, the various elements shown in the figures are shown in such a way that their function and general purpose are understandable to the person skilled in the art. Connections and couplings between functional units and elements shown in the figures can, unless expressly stated otherwise, also be implemented as an indirect connection or coupling. Unless stated otherwise in detail, functional units can be implemented in particular as hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software. In particular, a control, in particular a regulation, of the drive of the transport device can be designed using software. In a first exemplary embodiment 100 of a transport device shown schematically in Fig. 1, a transport path s for goods 155 to be transported by means of the transport device 100 with a transport speed v), in particular directed along the transport path s or parallel thereto, is defined by a series connection of two separate vacuum conveyor belts 105 and 120a.

In particular, a web of goods can serve as the transported goods 155, such as a long strip-shaped film, e.g. made of plastic, paper, textile material or metal. It can run in particular in the sense of a reel-to-reel process from a first roll 150a to a second roll 150b and is, in any case, also transported and conveyed by the vacuum conveyor belts 105 and 120a on which it rests.

In addition, one (or several) processing stations 160 can be provided for processing the transported goods, i.e. here the web of material 155, while it is being transported by the transport device 100. Such a processing station 160 can be or have, for example, a printing device for printing the web of material 155, an inspection device, an irradiation device, etc.

The first vacuum conveyor belt 105 closest to the first roller 150a has a support structure 110 which has a support roller bearing with at least two support rollers 115a and 115b which supports a conveyor belt 115c. At least one of the two support rollers, for example - as shown - the support roller 115b, is driven in order to in turn drive the movement of the conveyor belt 115c. The support structure 110 can in particular be formed in one piece and be stationary overall with respect to the transport device 100.

The second vacuum conveyor belt 120a, which is located downstream of the first vacuum conveyor belt 105 along the transport path, has a multi-part support structure with a base part 125 that is stationary overall with respect to the transport device 100 and a support structure 130 that is movably mounted relative to it for supporting a support roller bearing of the vacuum conveyor belt 120a. The support roller bearing has at least two support rollers 140a and 140b that support a conveyor belt 140c. At least one of the two support rollers, for example - as shown - the support roller 140b, is driven in order to drive the movement of the conveyor belt 140c. The support structure 130 can be movably mounted on the base part 125, in particular, as shown, via one or more springs 135. A possible advantage of a The advantage of spring-based bearings is that there is usually little or no friction when the vacuum conveyor belt moves, which must first be overcome as static friction before the web tension itself can be measured.

Other bearings suitable according to the following condition, such as roller or ball bearings or an air bearing, are also possible. The bearing of the support structure 130 is designed such that the support structure 130 is bidirectionally translationally movable along or parallel to the direction of the transport path (i.e. parallel to the arrow v and in the opposite direction) depending on a force acting on it.

This force can occur in particular during operation of the vacuum conveyor belt 120a when a tensile force parallel to v is exerted on the web of material 155 via the driven conveyor belt 140c and the support structure 130 therefore experiences a corresponding counterforce in the opposite direction to v. The vacuum conveyor belt 120a also has a force transducer (force meter) 145 as a measuring device, which can in particular be spring-based and is configured to measure the aforementioned force exerted on the support structure 130 as a measured variable and to provide corresponding measured values. Instead of a spring-based force measurement, a force measurement based on the piezoelectric effect, i.e. by means of at least one piezo sensor, is also possible, which can be used in particular to implement a force measurement in which tilting of the support structure 130 can be counteracted particularly well due to the elimination of spring travel.

The transport device 100 also has a control device 165, which together with the drives of the two vacuum conveyor belts 105 and 120a forms a drive device of the transport device 100. The control device 165 can in particular have a controller for regulating the drive of the transport device 100, here specifically the drive of the vacuum conveyor belt 120a or its driven support roller 140b (or alternatively or cumulatively the drive of the vacuum conveyor belt 105 or its driven support roller 115b). In this control, the force on the support structure 130 measured by the force sensor 145 and represented in its temporal progression by the measured values serves as the controlled variable. Variable control signals serve as the manipulated variable, which are supplied by the control device to at least one drive of the transport device 100, either directly as power signals for the variable energy supply of the drive or as pure Control signal for controlling the drive which is then supplied by another energy source.

The second exemplary embodiment 200 of a transport device shown schematically in Fig. 2 largely corresponds to the transport device 100 from Fig. 1, so that only the differences will be discussed below.

A first difference is that the web of material 155 no longer represents the transported goods itself, but is instead used as a conveyor belt for other transported goods, in particular piece goods 170. For this purpose, it can be designed in particular to be perforated, so that the suction effect of the vacuum conveyor belts 105 and 120a can act on the transported goods 170 through suction channels in the web of material formed by the perforation in order to fix them on the web of material 155. This is particularly advantageous for flat and light piece goods, such as small and/or light pieces of film, since otherwise the adhesion of the piece goods to the web of material may be too weak.

Another difference can (optionally) be that the web of material no longer runs from reel to reel. Instead, it can form a closed loop and therefore have a circular movement path.

The third exemplary embodiment 300 of a transport device shown schematically in Fig. 3 largely corresponds to the transport device 200 from Fig. 2, so that only the essential difference will be discussed below.

This consists in the fact that a different type of measuring device is provided, in which, instead of a direct force measurement of a force that corresponds in magnitude to the tensile force prevailing on or in the web of material, which can be carried out using the force gauge 145, a measurement of a quantity derived from the tensile force is provided, namely specifically a position or a distance covered by the movable support structure 130. For this purpose, the second vacuum conveyor belt 120b is modified compared to the vacuum conveyor belt 120a from Fig. 2 as follows:

The support structure 130 is subjected to a spring force in a direction parallel to the web of material 155 in the area of the second vacuum conveyor belt 120b, which in the present example is provided by a spring 180. When the tensile force occurs in or on the web of material 155, the tension, here for example on rollers 175 or The ball-bearing, movable support structure 130 is displaced in a direction parallel to the web of material against the spring force of the spring 180 until a force equilibrium is achieved between this spring force and the tensile force transmitted from the web of material to the support structure 130.

A position of the support structure 130 is now measured along the direction of action of the two forces (in Fig. 3, in the horizontal direction) by means of a sensor 185, which can in particular be an optical sensor (such as a camera). For this purpose, a combination of a pointer 130a provided on the support structure 130 and a scale 190 fixed relative to the base part 125 for reading a current position of the pointer 130a can be present. The position detected by the sensor 185 can then be made available as a controlled variable for the control of the control device 165.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

100 first embodiment of a transport device

105 (first) vacuum conveyor belt

110 Support structure of the vacuum conveyor belt 105

115a support roller

115b Support roller, also drive roller of the vacuum conveyor belt 105

115c Conveyor belt of the vacuum conveyor belt 105

120a (second) vacuum conveyor belt with force gauge

125 Base part

130 movable support structure

130a Pointer

135 Suspension made of springs, as bearings of the supporting structure 130

140a support roller

140b Support roller, also drive roller of the vacuum conveyor belt 120a or 120b

140c Conveyor belt of the vacuum conveyor belt 120a or 120b

145 force gauge (force transducer)

150a first roll (of the roll-to-roll arrangement)

150b second roll (of the roll-to-roll arrangement)

155 Material web

160 processing stations

165 Control device

170 general cargo

175 rollers (of a rolling bearing)

180 Suspension, especially spring

185 Sensor, especially camera

190 scale

200 second embodiment of a transport device

300 third embodiment of a transport device v Direction of movement of the web of goods, also direction of the transport path

Claims

CLAIMS Transport device (100; 200; 300) for transporting a web of material (155) or piece goods (170), in particular flat substrates, wherein the transport device (100; 200; 300) comprises: a first vacuum transport belt (105) and a second vacuum transport belt (120a; 120b), which together define a transport path (s), wherein the second vacuum transport belt (120a; 120b) is arranged along the transport path (s) downstream of the first vacuum transport belt and the vacuum transport belts (105; 120a; 120b) are configured to transport a web of material (155) along the transport path (s) in their cooperation; a measuring device for recording respective measured values relating to at least one measured variable which represents a tensile force occurring between the two vacuum conveyor belts on or in the web of material (155) during its transport along the transport path (s) or a variable derived therefrom; and a drive device (165, 115b, 140b) for driving at least one of the vacuum conveyor belts (105; 120a; 120b) depending on the measured values. Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of the vacuum conveyor belts as a whole or a movably mounted support structure (130) for supporting a support roller bearing of the vacuum conveyor belt (120a, b) is movable bidirectionally along or parallel to the direction of the transport path (s) depending on the tensile force or the variable derived therefrom, and the measuring device is configured to record measured values relating to at least one of the measured variables on this vacuum conveyor belt (120a; 120b) or on the movable support structure (130). Transport device (100; 200) according to claim 2, wherein the measuring device is configured to record a force effect dependent on the tensile force on the vacuum conveyor belt (120a; 120b) movable as a whole or on the movable support structure (130) in order to determine the measured values for at least one of the measured variables depending on the detected force effect. Transport device (300) according to one of claims 2 or 3, further comprising a suspension (180) by means of which the as a whole movable Vacuum conveyor belt (120a; 120b) or its movable support structure (130) can be subjected to a spring force directed at least partially along the transport path (s) such that a change in the tensile force in or on the web of material (155) causes a movement of the vacuum conveyor belt movable as a whole or its movable support structure (130), which has at least one movement component directed opposite to the spring force; wherein the measuring device is configured to record at least one position of the vacuum conveyor belt movable as a whole or the movable support structure (130) resulting from such a movement as a measured value for the at least one measured variable. Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the vacuum conveyor belt (120a; 120b) which is movable as a whole or the movable support structure (130) is equipped with a bearing which enables this mobility and which has at least one of the following: roller bearings, air bearings, ball bearings, anti-friction bearings, suspension (135). Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive device (165, 115b, 140b) has a controlled drive of the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt, and the control of the drive is configured to control the drive on the basis of the recorded measured values as a function of the at least one measured variable serving as the controlled variable. Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to claim 6, wherein the drive device (165, 115b, 140b) is further configured to apply a control variable to the drive, the variation of which, as part of the control of the drive, causes a dependent variation of a difference between the transport speeds of the first vacuum conveyor belt and the second vacuum conveyor belt in order to adjust the tensile force occurring on or in the web of material (155) during its transport along the transport path (s). Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the control of the drive is configured to vary a respective speed of at least one drive drum of the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt as a control variable.

9. Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the web of goods (155) is designed as a component of the transport device (100; 200; 300) and as a goods conveyor belt driven by the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt (105; 120a; 120b) for conveying piece goods (170) that can be arranged on or at the web of goods (155).

10. Transport device (100; 200; 300) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the transport device (100; 200; 300) is configured to convey the web of material (155) itself as transport goods along the transport path (s) driven by the at least one driven vacuum conveyor belt (105; 120a; 120b) by means of the vacuum conveyor belts.

11. Method for transporting a web of goods (155) or of piece goods (170) arranged thereon or thereto along a transport path (s), wherein the transport is carried out by means of a transport device (100; 200; 300) according to one of the preceding claims.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein in the case of piece goods (170) to be transported, at least one of the following piece goods is transported by means of the transport device (100; 200; 300): a film-like, a plate-like, or a flexible sheet-like piece goods (170).

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein in the case of piece goods (170) to be transported, at least one of the following is transported as piece goods by means of the transport device (100; 200; 300): a separator for a galvanic cell; an electrode for a galvanic cell;

A membrane for a fuel cell

An MEA for a fuel cell;

A gas diffusion layer for a fuel cell;

A separator plate for a fuel cell.