WO2024227861A1 - Packaging machine installation with agvs and method for controlling same - Google Patents

Abstract

For a highly flexible packaging machine installation (1), a transport system consisting of remote-controlled, simple and cheap AGVs for transporting the products (P) or rather the primary packages (1V), both between the individual machine modules (MM1, MM2) which can be freely set up in a hall and between the possibly several work stations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1), is used instead of conveying systems, such as conveyor belts or conveyor modules, which are fixedly linked to said machine modules (MM1, MM2). Even elevated travel routes (22) for the AGVs are – in particular consisting of individual modules – easier to set up and change between newly positioned machine modules (MM1, MM2) than conveyor belts or conveyor modules.

Description

Packaging machine system with AGVs and methods for their control

Description

I. Area of application

The invention relates to a packaging machine system and in particular to the transport system within this system for the products or packaging in which the products are particularly intended to be used.

II. Technical Background

The purpose of a typical packaging machine today is often to transfer the products delivered by a production machine on a product conveyor belt into packaging, such as boxes, with precise positioning, which is done using so-called robot lines.

Open primary packaging such as bowl-shaped trays - which were erected upstream, but already inside the packaging machine, from flat cardboard blanks and fixed in three dimensions - run on a container belt, usually parallel to the product belt in the direction of flow through the packaging machine.

Usually, several transfer robots are arranged one behind the other as handling units, each of which picks up one or more products from the product belt and transfers them into the primary packaging, such as the tray, on the container belt. Further downstream, these primary packagings are often transferred in one or more layers into secondary packaging, such as open-topped cartons, which is also usually done using transfer robots.

Even further downstream, such secondary packaging is often combined into tertiary packaging, for example stacked on pallets, usually also using robots.

The necessary handling processes are carried out at the individual work stations - e.g. tray separators, cutting separators, carton erectors, carton closers, tray fillers, carton fillers, palletizers - within the packaging line.

In addition to the aforementioned product belt and/or container belt, i.e. conveyor belts, which usually extend over sections of the entire length of the packaging line, the transport system for this can also comprise rail-bound carriages, whereby these rails - which can be physically or virtually designed as invisible guide devices - also usually extend along the entire length of the packaging line.

Although in the latter solution the carriages can be moved independently of one another along the guide rails, such transport systems are still comparatively inflexible, since these carriages cannot, for example, overtake one another, cannot deviate from the guide rails and are also relatively expensive to purchase, so that the number of carriages used is as limited as possible and the carriages therefore do not offer any significant buffering option for, for example, packaging lying on them.

Especially in the case of a change in the work order, not only in the form of a change in the product to be implemented, but also a fundamental change in the processing or handling tasks with regard to the product and/or the packaging process, such known transport systems are unsuitable because they require a complex conversion of the conveyor belts or guide rails or even a new construction within the packaging machine.

In addition, these transport systems are not suitable for spontaneously ejecting faulty products or outer packaging at different points from the packaging machine, unless they were built this way from the outset.

In production plants, on the other hand, so-called driverless transport systems are known, in which driverless transport vehicles (FTVs) transport products such as components or assemblies from a warehouse to a workstation or between workstations, often outside the secured machine frames of the workstations.

Such AGVs are usually large and heavy and can carry loads of 50kg and more, but above all they are usually autonomous vehicles with a lot of sensors, their own on-board control, often even on-board navigation with position determination based on the environment via on-board cameras and collision protection systems, which makes them expensive and heavy, even though a higher-level central control is available.

Usually, such AGVs determine their spatial position automatically using sensors and reference points and transmit this to the central control system, which usually assigns transport orders with a starting point and destination point as well as a starting time and destination time, but often leaves the navigation in between to the onboard control system of the AGV, as well as collision prevention.

However, for economic reasons alone, AGVs upgraded in this way are unsuitable for use in large numbers to transport relatively small and light goods, especially within a packaging machine and/or between individual work stations. III. Description of the invention a) Technical problem

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a packaging machine system with a highly flexible transport system with driverless, non-rail-bound transport vehicles, whereby the FTFs are so small, light and simple and can therefore be manufactured so inexpensively that they can be used in large numbers instead of the known rail-bound transport systems for the transport of products or outer packaging, at least within the packaging machine. The object also consists in providing a suitable operating method for such a packaging machine and its transport system. b) Solution to the problem

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 12. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

The statements made below with regard to the packaging machine system also apply mutatis mutandis to the method for operating this system and vice versa.

A generic machine system for filling primary packaging with products or filling secondary packaging with already filled primary packaging comprises at least one, usually several, machine modules, as well as a transport system for transporting at least one transport item such as a product or packaging either between the individual machine modules or between the individual work stations, several of which can also be located within a machine module. Such a workstation has at least one movable handling unit with a tool with which a product or packaging can be handled or processed.

For the purposes of the present invention, these handling units are referred to as robots, without limiting the type of handling unit to such an industrial robot.

The individual machine modules are usually closed on their outside during operation, for example by safety doors that shut down the workstations inside as soon as such a safety door is opened, as there is then a risk of a person entering or reaching in and being injured by moving parts of the workstation.

With regard to the transport system, it is essential that it comprises a large number of remote-controlled, driverless transport vehicles for transporting goods, whereby the driverless transport vehicles - hereinafter referred to as FTFs - can be controlled independently of one another, i.e. they can drive on an approximately horizontal driving surface in any direction and at any time, and can also overtake one another, whereby collisions between the FTFs should of course be avoided.

The present invention also includes transport systems with FTFs that are floating or flying instead of movable ones, which is to be subsumed under the term “driving” or “movable”.

The AGVs are controlled by a central control unit located away from these vehicles, which has a wireless signal connection with the AGVs.

In order for the central control system to be able to determine the position as well as the rotational position of the AGVs viewed from above - together referred to as spatial position - at any time, the transport system includes position detectors, usually cameras, which are connected to the central control system and are usually attached to high points of the packaging machine system, and with which the spatial position of the individual FTFs can be determined by the central control system and is thus known to the central control system.

When the AGV is loaded, the spatial position of the goods being transported on it, such as a box, which is the decisive factor, and/or the spatial position of the carrying AGV is determined.

Theoretically, the spatial positions can be determined using a single position detector located centrally above the packaging machine system. However, due to visual obstructions caused by temporary or permanent obstacles, several position detectors are usually used and their results are offset against each other, for example using triangulation methods, in order to be able to determine the position of each AGV and its transported goods at any time.

According to the invention, the central control is designed in such a way that it is able not only to control the AGVs by transmitting travel path commands to them, but also, with knowledge of the spatial positions of the AGVs and the goods being transported, to control the movements of the handling units, usually robots, in the workstations of the machine modules in a corresponding temporal allocation, i.e. synchronously, for example when an AGV loaded with an empty carton has approached a workstation in the form of a carton filler to fill it with products or primary packaging.

In order to control other moving parts of the packaging machine system, such as an entry lock in a machine module for AGVs, the central control must know their spatial positions at all times.

Preferably, the position of the AGVs is determined at very short time intervals, usually less than 1 second, often less than 1/10 second, which at a maximum driving speed of the AGVs of about 1.5 m/s or about 6 m/s is sufficient to control the entire system without collisions between the AGVs.

It is obvious that such a packaging machine system, hereinafter referred to as system, can be used very flexibly, since the AGVs can approach different machine modules and different work stations within them in any order depending on the work order - because some machine modules contain several work stations such as carton erectors and carton fixators - and can therefore process different work orders.

As a rule, the driving surface for the AGVs is the floor of the corresponding hall, but driving surfaces that are higher than the floor are also possible, for example driving surfaces that run one above the other on several floors, although this increases the construction effort and costs.

In order for a system with such a transport system to be economically feasible, the costs of the individual AGVs must be kept very low, since the AGVs are usually required in large numbers if they are to replace conveyor belts and track-bound vehicles.

For this purpose, the AGVs are designed to be low-cost and therefore inexpensive.

They may contain an on-board control system, but a navigation system that can determine the current spatial position of the individual AGV and automatically create the route to a specified destination and a corresponding route command including local and time specifications for the AGV is only available on the central control side (i.e. as a component of the central control system), not on the individual AGV.

The onboard control of the AGV, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that, on the basis of such a route command received from the central control, it only can control the travel drive accordingly so that the travel path specified by the travel path command is followed in accordance with the travel path command in terms of time and location.

It is irrelevant whether the travel path command sent from the central control to the AGV already directly contains the control commands for the individual motors of the travel drive or only the travel path, and the onboard control automatically creates the control commands for the travel drive.

With regard to the method for operating a packaging machine system and in particular a transport system with central control and driverless, remote-controlled transport vehicles that can be moved freely and independently of one another in all directions for transporting goods to be transported between individual machine modules or between individual work stations within a machine module, in which the central control comprises position detectors for determining the current spatial position of the individual AGVs, in particular a packaging machine system according to one of the preceding claims, the procedure is such that the spatial positions and in particular also the current movements with regard to direction and speed and/or acceleration of the AGVs and in particular of the goods to be transported lying on them are monitored centrally and in real time by the central control and the handling units, in particular robots, are centrally controlled in a synchronized manner with, i.e. in time coordination with, the spatial positions and in particular movements of the AGVs, in particular by the central control.

To control the AGVs, each AGV receives route commands from the central control, preferably for the entire route from the current position of the AGV to the destination specified by the central control, whereby the route command can directly contain drive commands for the drive, in particular for each individual drive motor of the AGV. Alternatively or additionally, the drive commands for the travel drive can each contain an energy supply profile as a function of time, in particular from the start time, which determines not only the travel path but also the speed and acceleration of the AGV with which this travel path is traveled.

In order to keep the AGVs reliably on their specified route in terms of time and location, the central control system carries out a target-actual comparison of the spatial position of the AGV at short intervals and if the actual spatial position deviates from the target spatial position, which is on the target route, the central control system sends a corrective travel command to the AGV, with the help of which the AGV does not necessarily travel to its current target spatial position, but does travel to the target route, possibly to a point on the target route that is already downstream of the current target spatial position in the direction of the destination.

If the situation within the system changes, for example due to the movement of non-stationary obstacles such as other AGVs, the central control system can send corrected route commands to the AGV at any time for the remainder of the route that has not yet been covered.

Of course, malfunctions can occur during operation of the transport system:

If the position sensors, usually cameras, fail due to technical defects or partial shading, the central control system can no longer or temporarily no longer determine the spatial positions of all AGVs.

In this case, the actual spatial position of the AGV is determined by means of the on-board control system based on the control commands issued to the drive by the central control system since the last target-actual comparison of the spatial position, which, when added to the last actual spatial position determined by the central control system, result in the current actual position of the AGV, provided that no distorting factors such as slip of the drive wheels relative to the ground, etc. occur. Instead of the control commands given to the drive during this period, the wheel movements of the drive carried out during this period and recorded by the on-board control system can also be used directly, which at least excludes distorting influences between the motor and the wheel.

If, however, the wireless signal connection between the central control and one or more AGVs fails and the AGV knows the specified destination but is missing some or all of the necessary route commands to reach the destination from the location at the beginning of the signal connection failure, the onboard control will attempt to reach the destination at least on the straight path or a more precisely known, non-straight path specified by the central control between the current spatial position of the AGV and to issue corresponding control commands to the drive.

Preferably, the on-board control can comprise an acceleration sensor, also called an inertia sensor, which determines the acceleration in terms of magnitude and direction at least in all directions of the driving surface of the AGV - in the case of a driving surface with several floors also in the vertical direction - and this can also be stored by the on-board control.

If the position sensors fail and thus the central control is unable to carry out a target-actual comparison and determine the current actual spatial position of an AGV, the onboard control can determine the current actual position of the AGV very precisely based on the actual spatial position determined during the last target-actual comparison using the acceleration profile recorded since then.

Furthermore, if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but the central control does not provide complete route commands, the specified route or alternatively the straight route can be used. The route from the current actual spatial position of the AGV to the destination is controlled by the on-board control system issuing corresponding control commands to the drive, but on the way to the destination the actual position of the AGV is determined on the basis of the acceleration profile recorded since the last target-actual comparison, i.e. the last determination of the actual spatial position of the AGV by the central control system, and in the event of a deviation the AGV is directed to the planned route, in particular the straight route to the destination, by means of corresponding route commands.

The central control does not necessarily have to inform the AGV of its destination, for example a specific position, such as a waiting position within a machine module, from the outset, but it can divide the planned route into route sections and provide the AGV with route commands for only the next or some of the next route sections. This is due to the consideration that route sections that are very far ahead cannot be planned sensibly at the start of the entire route, as the situation in the system may have changed significantly by then.

For this purpose or in addition, the entire possible driving surface area for the AGVs can be virtually divided into sectors, in particular by the central control system, for example in a grid-like manner by sectors arranged in columns and rows, which are then usually rectangular, and the travel path commands for the AGVs can be defined sector by sector and transmitted to the AGVs, for example only for one or a few sectors to be driven through in advance.

In particular, the transfer of an AGV from one sector to the next can be determined both locally and temporally and controlled by the central control system by means of a target-actual comparison.

Such a division of the driving surface area into individual sectors makes it easier for the central control system to avoid collisions. Preferably, as soon as possible, especially immediately before or when loading the AGV, its spatial position is determined as precisely as possible by the central control system, preferably not by means of position sensors in the form of cameras, but for example by means of special positioning devices at the loading point in a work station, which can work more precisely than the position sensors, which can usually only determine the position of the AGV to an accuracy of +/- 5 cm or the rotational position to +/- 3°.

Preferably, the spatial position of the load on the AGV is also determined immediately after loading, preferably before the AGV has moved between the position determination before and the spatial position determination of the load after loading, so that the spatial position difference between the transported goods and the AGV can be determined by the central control system, for example the offset viewed from above between the center - be it the geometric center or the center of gravity - of the load and the center of the AGV, in particular its storage area.

This spatial position difference can be used later if, for example, the loaded AGV has to approach an unloading station very precisely, but the exact positioning is only possible with the help of a positioning device at the unloading point to which the AGV, but not its transported goods, responds, because then this positioning difference must also be taken into account in order to bring the transported goods into the desired actual position there.

For the procedure described, the system, in particular the transport system, must be technically equipped accordingly:

As mentioned above, the central control and/or the on-board control should therefore be designed in such a way that they are able to detect the actual position of an AGV using the position sensors and, as a target-actual comparison, send a correction travel command to the AGV in the event of a deviation from the target position - which should be on the target travel path - with the help of which the AGV can be driven to the target travel path. The AGV does not necessarily have to go directly to the drive to a target position that matches the determined actual position, because it can be more efficient and save distance to drive to a position further away from the target path instead.

The central control and/or the on-board control should also be designed in such a way that if the position sensors of the central control fail, the on-board control is able to determine the current actual position of the AGV based on the spatial position of the AGV since the last target-actual comparison by the central control based on the control commands issued by the on-board control to the drive or the actual wheel movements of the drive - provided these were recorded.

If the spatial position is known at the time of the last target-actual comparison, the presumed current position of the AGV can be determined from there by adding the actual wheel movements that have taken place or the corresponding control commands to the drive, whereby of course disruptive effects such as slip between the wheels and the ground, etc. are not taken into account in this calculation.

Alternatively or additionally, if the AGV is equipped with an acceleration sensor, the on-board control can determine the current actual position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with this acceleration sensor.

The acceleration profile refers to the accelerations that occurred during this period, the magnitude and direction of which must be recorded, and from which it can be calculated over which periods the AGV drove at what speed in which direction, which when added up gives the distance covered. For example, zero acceleration over a certain period of time means that the vehicle drove at a constant speed during this period, namely at the same speed and in the same direction as it was driving at the beginning of the period in which the acceleration was zero. The central control and/or the on-board control should also be designed in such a way that if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further travel commands to the destination are not complete, the on-board control is able to calculate at least the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and to issue corresponding control commands to the drive.

The onboard control can additionally check the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination based on the acceleration profile recorded with an acceleration sensor since the last target-actual comparison, which has the advantage that the calculation based on the acceleration profile reflects the actual movement of the AGV, i.e., for example, slip between the wheels and the ground is already taken into account.

In addition to the remote-controlled electric drive, the AGVs should have an energy storage device and communication means for the wireless data connection with the central control system. Supercups, i.e. electrical capacitors with a high capacity, are preferred as energy storage devices because they can be recharged in just a few seconds. In addition, there should be a conventional battery that is kept constantly charged and is dimensioned in such a way that its energy content can be used to drive the AGV from any point in the system to the next accessible charging station in the event that the supercups are empty or not working.

In terms of sensors, the AGVs should have at most one such environmental sensor, in particular a camera, for detecting the environment, whose image evaluation unit is at most able to recognize a given environmental pattern, such as a barcode or QR code, but not unknown environmental features. Since cameras are now very inexpensive, but the image evaluation units can cost several thousand euros if they are to be able to evaluate images of unknown environmental patterns, this leads to a drastic reduction in the overall costs of the AGV. The drive system usually includes electric motors.

The power supply of the AGVs, both for these electric motors and the other existing electrical equipment such as an electrical or electronic control or the communication equipment, is preferably carried out by means of electrical so-called super-caps, i.e. high-performance capacitors that can be charged within a few seconds and for which recharging devices are partially available, particularly at the waiting positions, i.e. starting positions for the AGVs at the work stations, be they contact or contactless, in particular inductive, recharging devices, so that when an AGV remains at a work station, its super cups are automatically recharged.

As an emergency power supply, an AGV can also have an emergency battery, which, however, only needs to have a small capacity and thus low weight, and only needs to be sufficient to drive the AGV to the next recharging device when the Super Cups are empty.

Furthermore, the machine modules, in particular their workstations, should have a preferably at least partially lockable safety lock for the entry of an AGV, which is only opened for the entry of the AGV, otherwise is closed to such an extent that it is not possible for a person to reach into the workstation.

Preferably, there should be a target marking that can be scanned by the AGV in the entry and/or exit area of the machine modules and/or their workstation, and the AGV should have a target sensor, for example a camera, to detect the target marking and in particular to be able to determine the AGV's own position relative to the target marking and to report it to the central control system, in particular by locating the target sensor on the underside of the AGV. Instead of a complex image evaluation unit, a camera designed for this purpose can only comprise an image evaluation unit that can only recognize a given type of target marking, for example a QR code, which makes the image evaluation unit much simpler and more cost-effective.

In particular, each TF can also have such a target marking for scanning by the position sensors of the central control, which facilitates position determination.

The position detectors of the central control are located inside the system, but preferably outside the machine modules, but can also detect either inside the machine modules or there are additional position detectors located in a fixed location in the machine module.

Such target markings can also be present at the approach positions, in particular waiting positions for the AGVs at the individual work stations, and can facilitate the exact positioning of the AGV to the work station, in particular by the central control, using a corresponding target sensor on the AGV side.

Preferably, the image evaluation of the cameras used as position sensors to determine the position of the AGVs as well as to determine the position of - temporary or permanent - obstacles is carried out by the central control using artificial intelligence.

The driving surfaces for AGVs can be arranged on several floors above each other, whereby the lowest floor can still be the floor of the corresponding hall.

To move from one floor to another, a controlled lifting device, such as an elevator, is preferably available, the use of which is included in the route commands from the central control in terms of location and time. The driving surfaces, especially on the upper floors, are then physically formed roadways, which consist of individual combinable, particularly elevated roadway modules, and can be easily assembled.

The driving surfaces for the AGVs can also be moving driving surfaces, for example conveyor belts, onto which the AGVs drive and can therefore be moved very quickly over long distances, especially if these moving driving surfaces are sealed off from the surroundings so that people moving in the hall cannot come into contact with an AGV standing on the moving driving surface or driving in addition to it.

Along the travel paths for the AGVs, there may be guard rails or rails for the AGVs on one or both sides or on the ground, along which they travel, in particular in contact, in order to facilitate the control of the AGVs along straight, long paths.

Along the travel paths for the AGVs, there can be system-driven carriers for the AGVs, which take the AGVs along a predetermined path, for example by pushing them in front of them, for example in order to save the battery of the AGVs in the case of tall guys or to be able to have many AGVs drive one after the other at very short intervals.

Preferably, the driving areas for AGVs are at least visually separated from the walking areas for people, and in particular also physically separated.

The drive of an AGV is preferably designed in such a way that the AGV can turn on the spot and move in any direction from a standstill. So-called all-direction wheels are available for this purpose, which are then preferably installed on an AGV with intersecting axles. Individual FTFs can also be equipped for special tasks:

For example, an AGV can have its own handling unit, in particular a robot, for example to be able to load or unload itself, whereby such a robot preferably also receives its movement commands in terms of time and location from the central control system.

An AGV can also have its own cleaning unit, in particular a suction unit or a brush unit, to clean the driving surfaces, whereby such a cleaning unit also preferably receives its movement commands from the central control.

As a rule, the top of an AGV will be used as a storage area for goods to be transported.

In addition or instead, an AGV can also have a trailer coupling for coupling a trailer or another AGV - especially automatically - and the top of the trailer can be used as a storage area for transported goods - either as the only storage area or in addition to the AGV.

Two coupled AGVs can be moved together synchronously to pick up large transport items.

A special method for operating such a system consists in converting the packaging machine system.

In contrast to today's workstations, which are linked together via permanently installed conveyor systems, a system according to the invention can have machine modules with their own base frames and safety barriers on the outer circumference for specific work tasks of the one or more Have workstations that are portable, for example, can be easily moved within a hall with the help of a forklift truck and only need to be supplied with the necessary media such as electricity or compressed air - for example from the hall ceiling.

Even fundamental changes to a work order can then be implemented by entering the desired new work order into the central control system.

The transportable machine modules - these can be the same machine modules that were previously present in the hall, or newly required machine modules can be added or others removed from the hall - are then set up in the hall, with their optimal position, for example in terms of short travel paths for the AGVs, preferably being determined beforehand by the central control system.

The machine modules only need to be positioned roughly in the hall, in the decimeter or centimeter range, since their exact spatial position is then determined using position sensors in the central control system - in particular the same position sensors that are used to determine the actual position of the AGVs.

As soon as these spatial positions are known, the central control can first determine the actual spatial position of each AGV for the corresponding order and then create the route commands and issue them to the AGV, whereby the central control preferably also automatically determines the number of AGVs required to carry out the work order and releases and activates them.

If the driving surfaces consist of physical roadways, and these are in particular composed of roadway modules, the central The control system also determines the positions for the machine modules in such a way that the distances between them can be filled exactly by an integer multiple of the length of such travel path modules. c) Examples of implementation

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. They show:

Figure 1 a: a packaging machine plant in a hall in plan view,

Figure 1 b: the system of Figure 1 a in a side view from the left,

Figure 2a, b: two different secondary packagings in side view, cut open, with different primary packagings inside,

Figure 3a, b: one of the driverless transport vehicles in side view, individually and with a trailer coupled to it,

Figure 4a: the team according to Figure 3a in top view,

Figure 4b: two connected AGVs,

Figures 1 a, b show a packaging machine system 1 which is arranged in a hall 20 and comprises several machine modules MM1 to MM6 which are distributed in the hall 20 and are each surrounded by a safety enclosure 2 with safety doors 2a arranged therein so that people cannot come into contact with the work stations AS1, AS2 arranged therein during operation, because when a protective door 2a is opened, the work stations AS1, AS2 located therein are immediately shut down. The purpose of system 1 is to fill different secondary packaging 2V with primary packaging 1V, which in turn are initially filled with different products P1, P2, as well as to close these secondary packaging 2V and hand them over to one of the two removal conveyors 23.1, 23.2, which transport them away, if necessary out of hall 20.

The two different secondary packagings 2V.1, 2V.2 to be handled in this case are transported back and forth within hall 20 between the individual machine modules MM1 to MM6 by driverless transport vehicles - FTF for short - which can be moved independently of one another on the hall floor and are remotely controlled by a central control 1*, whereby in this case the top of the FTF serves as a storage area 13 on which the transported goods, in this case the secondary packaging, are placed for transport.

In this case, the two different products P1, P2 are transported - preferably from outside the hall 20 - on two different product belts 51.1, 51.2 running parallel to each other and are picked up by a so-called picker line or robot line 50.1, 50.2, each comprising several transfer robots 53, so-called pickers, one after the other in the running direction of the product belt 51.1, 51.2, and transferred into primary packaging 1V.1 to 1V.4.

For this purpose, serial F5 robots 53 with upper arm and lower arm are shown, the arm parts of which can be pivoted relative to each other about vertical axes and in which, in addition, as a 4th and 5th degree of freedom, the vertical strut at the free end of the lower arm can be both displaced in height and rotated in a controlled manner about the vertical axis.

On both sides of each of the two product belts 51.1, 51.2 there is a packaging belt 52.1, 52.2 or 52.3, 52.4, on which - in this case running in the same direction as the product belt - the open-topped, bowl-shaped primary packaging 1V.1 to 1V.4 run alongside the product belt. so that in the end they are completely filled with products from the adjacent product belt.

In both picking lines 50.1, 50.2, trays, i.e. primary packaging 1V.1, 1V.3, are brought in on one side, each of which can hold four products arranged in a rectangle, and on the other side, trays 1V.2, 1V.4, each of which can hold six products in two rows of three.

The aim is to place several such filled primary packages 1V.1, 1V.2 in several levels one above the other in appropriately dimensioned secondary packages 2V.1 or 2V.2, as shown in Figures 2a, 2b, until the secondary package is completely filled.

Figure 2a shows that in the carton 2V.2 as secondary packaging in the filled state, three layers of filled tray-shaped primary packaging 1V.1, 1V.3, 1V.1 are to be arranged one above the other, i.e. the middle layer is filled with products P1, the bottom and top layers are filled with products P2.

According to Figure 2b, the boxes 2V.1 should have four layers of tray-shaped primary packaging on top of each other as secondary packaging, the bottom three of which each contain one of the six products 1V.2, 1V.4, 1V.2 and the top, fourth layer is a primary packaging 1V.3 with only four products on it. Here too, the products should alternate from layer to layer, starting with product P1 in the bottom layer.

For this purpose, an AGV, for example the vehicle F3, first drives to the machine module MM6, in which there is only a single work station AS6, in which a robot R6 takes the topmost cardboard blank from a stack and pushes it through a matrix 55, thereby erecting it into a cardboard box that is open at the top as secondary packaging 2V.1, with its walls also being glued together. The erected box 2V.1 with space for four products arranged in a square is then transferred to the vehicle F3 waiting in the machine module MM6, preferably under the mattress 55, or waiting in front of a lock of its housing 2, which can be carried out by the same robot R6 or by another robot within the machine module MM6 or by another handling means such as a conveyor belt or a chute.

The vehicle F3 travels with the mounted, still empty secondary packaging 2V.1 - which can be held on it, for example, by means of suction cups - to the primary packaging outlet, in the future briefly P-V outlet, 54.3 of the right-hand picking line 51.2 and there receives the tray-shaped primary packaging 1V.3 filled with products P2 from a robot 56 shown only in Figure 1 b.

As such a robot 56 - which is present at the end of each of the two picker lines 50.1, 50.2 - a serial F2 robot with upper arm and lower arm is shown, in which the two parts are pivoted relative to each other and to the robot base about horizontal pivot axes and have only 2 degrees of freedom - horizontally across the pivot axis and vertically.

Subsequently, this vehicle, e.g. F3, moves to the P-V outlet 54.1, where it receives the next tray 1 V.1, but filled with products P1, and returns again to the outlet 54.3 to receive a tray 1 V.3 filled with the product P2.

With the secondary packaging 2V.1 now completely filled as shown in Figure 2a, the vehicle F3 drives through a lock 17 into the machine module MM3, in which there is a work station AS3 consisting of a robot R3 that picks up a separate cardboard lid 2V.1 D and places it on the filled secondary packaging 2V.1 and closes it while this secondary packaging is on the vehicle F3. Accordingly, the vehicle F3 must be positioned very precisely in MM 3 for this purpose, for which purpose, according to Figure 1 b, a target marking 16, for example in the form of a QR code 16, is applied at a defined position on the floor inside the machine module MM 3 - if this has a base plate on the top of the base plate or if the frame of the machine module MM3 ends at the bottom with freely extending columns, on the floor of hall 20 - which the FTF camera FTF-K directed towards the floor on the underside of the vehicle F3 can recognize and the onboard control of the vehicle F3 can automatically position exactly above it and in the correct rotational position around the vertical axis and is therefore in exactly the right position for putting on the lid 2V.1 D, at least provided that the filled secondary packaging 2V. 1 is in the intended target position on the vehicle F3.

This in turn can be verified by a camera K located above this vehicle position and arranged on a high-flying camera in the machine module MM3 and, in the event of a deviation, can initiate a corrective movement of the vehicle F3 via the central control 1 *.

If there is no target marking in the AS3 workstation, the exact positioning of the secondary packaging is carried out exclusively via the high-mounted camera, which is preferably mounted on the frame of the MM 3 machine module.

Such target markings on the floor are preferably present in or at each of the waiting positions where AGVs wait to handle their load.

Furthermore, such a target marking 16 can also be present on the, in particular each, machine module, preferably on the top of its frame, whereby the exact position of each of the machine modules in the hall 20 can be determined by means of the cameras of the central control 1 * located above it, preferably on the hall ceiling, which This can happen automatically, for example, after converting the machine modules to a new packaging machine system.

The machine modules can be easily moved, for example by using a forklift truck -

- after loosening their supply lines, which usually extend down from the hall ceiling - for which, for example, transport eyelets 24 are provided on the top of the frame of each machine module, so that the floor of the frame - if present at all - can be extremely thin, so that driving an AGV onto the floor of a machine module is possible without any problems.

However, the frame of a machine module can also end with freely extending support columns that stand on the hall floor, so that this also forms the driving surface for the AGVs within the machine module.

Figure 1 b also shows that a recharging module 14 is present in the work station AS3 at such a location that, when the vehicle is correctly positioned for placing the cover on, the energy storage device 6 of the AGV is recharged via the recharging contacts 14* of the AGV, in that the recharging contacts 14* are in contact, in particular, with the recharging module 14.

This can also be present at or in each work station.

The vehicle F3 then moves with the filled and sealed box 2V.1 on it to the discharge conveyor 23.1, where the box 2V.1 is transferred as secondary packaging by any handling device - which can also be part of the vehicle F3 - to the discharge conveyor 23.1, which then transports it away, for example to an adjacent hall in which the filled and sealed secondary packaging is palletized or combined into other larger containers. Of course, there is not just one F3 vehicle as an AGV on the route described above, but many of them, at least as many as there are machine modules on the route described.

Figure 1 a also shows the analogous development of the secondary packaging 2V.2, which is completely filled with primary packaging 1V.2 and 1V.4 as well as 1V.3, which is set up in the machine module MM 5 to form a box 2V.2 that is open at the top and is handed over to one of the vehicles, e.g. F4, which

- then takes over three primary packagings 1V.2, 1V.4 and again 1V.2 at the P-V outlets 54.2 and 54.4 alternately one after the other, then travels to the P-V outlet 54.3 to take over a filled primary packaging 1V.3, from there enters the machine module MM4 with the completely filled secondary packaging 2V.2, in whose work station AS4 the lid already present in one piece on the open box 2V.2 is closed by means of a handling unit not shown, again while this secondary packaging 2V.2 is on the vehicle, e.g. F4,- and

- after closing the secondary packaging, the vehicle F4 either drives to a discharge conveyor 23.2 analogous to the discharge conveyor 23.1 and its load is transferred to this or leaves the hall 20 through a lock 17 in the wall and drives on - in particular a physically designed travel path 22, which can be closed like a tunnel, for example, as shown in Figure 1 b in addition to Figure 1 a - to an adjacent hall for the purpose of palletizing the filled boxes 2V.2.

In Figure 1 b, the tunnel-like track 22 is located at a height above head height, namely just below the height of the hall ceiling. The AGVs travelling on the floor of the hall can be lifted by means of a lift 25, also shown in Figure 1 b, which is also controlled by the central control 1 * in time coordination with the Driving movements of the AGVs are controlled from the floor of hall 20 to the height of the elevated travel path 22.

In this way, AGVs can travel between different halls 20 without disturbing the traffic of pedestrians and low vehicles between the halls.

In order to cover longer distances, these travel paths 22 may not only contain stationary travel surfaces for the AGVs, but also conveyor belts on which the AGVs are either transported stationary or additionally travel on them in the desired transport direction.

Figures 3a, b and 4a, b show AGVs in side view and in top view of its storage area 13.

As can be seen, such an AGV in this case has the shape of a non-regular hexagon when viewed from above, on the second, three shorter, sides of which a wheel 15 is located in the circumferential direction, the three axes of rotation of which preferably intersect when viewed from above.

Each wheel 15 is designed as a so-called all-direction wheel 15, in the circumferential surface of which spherical, barrel-shaped rollers with barrel rotation axes running tangentially to the wheel 15 are mounted, whereby such an all-direction wheel 15 can travel in all directions without significant slip.

Symbolically represented, such an AGV comprises under its preferably flat upper side as a storage surface 13, which preferably also has no raised edge so that transport goods can also be placed on it which protrude above the storage surface 13 when viewed from above, a drive 4 with its own separately controllable drive motor 4M1 -4M3 for each wheel 15,

- an energy storage device 6 for the AGV in the form of a supercup 6a and an electric battery 6b as an emergency battery, - an acceleration sensor 5 which measures the acceleration including its duration of the AGV,

- Communication means 7, in particular a radio antenna and a radio transmitter,

- two trailer couplings 8 next to each other in one of the outer sides of the AGV as viewed from above,

- at least one recharging contact 14* for contacting a recharging station 14 of the system, in particular at one of the waiting positions W1, W2 for FTFs in or on one of the machine modules.

- one or more FTF cameras FTF-K, which, however, are only designed to recognize predefined environmental patterns such as a QR code with regard to their image evaluation unit.

Such an AGV camera FTF-K can be directed towards the ground in order to be able to recognise a QR code applied there as a target marking for the exact positioning of the AGV or it can also be viewed horizontally from the AGV in order to be able to recognise and precisely approach a target marking attached to a component in the environment, such as a workstation, for the purpose of the exact positioning of the AGV.

Figures 3a and 4a show in side view and top view that the AGV can automatically couple and move a trailer 9 by means of its one or preferably both trailer couplings 8, on which, for example, a secondary packaging 2V.5 can be stored.

Thus, the trailer coupling 8 of the AGV can be lowered and positively connected by lifting a counter element of the trailer 9 from below, lifting this side of the trailer 9 and corresponding adjustable feet under the trailer 9 from the ground, whereupon the trailer 9 can be easily moved by the AGV by means of the wheels arranged at the end facing away from the coupling. Figure 4b further shows that - in particular by means of the same trailer coupling - two AGVs can also be connected to one another to form a rigid unit, whereby larger and heavier loads can be transported by such a combination of two AGVs, for which the two coupled AGVs can be controlled synchronously by the central control 1 *.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

1 packaging machine plant, plant

1* central control

2 safety enclosure

2a security door

3 navigation system

4 drive

4M1.4M2 engine

5 acceleration sensor

6 energy storage units

6a Supercup, electrical capacitor

6b electric battery

7 means of communication, transmitter/receiver

8 trailer coupling

9 followers

10 verticals

11 1 . horizontal direction

12 2nd horizontal direction

13 storage space

14 reloading device

15 all-direction wheel

16 target marking

17 locks

18 permanent obstacle 19 temporary obstacle

20 hall

21 positioning device

22 physical route

22.1 , 22.2 Track module

23.1 ,23.2 discharge conveyor

24 transport eyelet

25 lifts

26

50.1 ,50.2 Picker Street, Robot Street

51.1 ,51.2 Product band

52.1 -.4 Packaging tape

53 robots, pickers

54.1 - .4 Primary packaging outlet, P-V outlet

55 matrix

56 robots

AS1, AS2 workstation

delta difference

FF driving surface area, driving surface

FF1, FF2 driving surface sector, sector

F1, F2 vehicle, FTF

FTF-C FTF onboard control

FTF-K FTF environmental sensor, FTF camera

FTF-R FTF handling unit, FTF robot

FTF-S FTF cleaning unit, FTF vacuum cleaner h Mounting height camera, height

H Maximum height module

K Position detector, camera

MM1, MM2 machine module

P, P1 , P2 product

R1, R2 handling unit, robot QR predefined environmental pattern, QR code

1V, 1 V.1 , 1V.2 Primary packaging, tray

2V, 2V.1 , 2V.2 secondary packaging, cardboard

W1, W2 waiting position

Claims

claims 1 . Packaging machine system (1), in particular for filling secondary packaging (2V), in particular boxes (2V), with products (P) that have already been packaged primarily, with one or more machine modules (MM1), the outsides of which are closed in particular by safety doors (2), at least one work station (AS1, AS2) within a machine module with at least one movable handling unit (R1), in particular a robot (R1), with a tool for handling or processing products (P) or packaging (1V, 2V), a transport system with freely and independently remotely controlled, driverless transport vehicles (FTF1, FTF2) for transporting at least one transport item, such as a product (P) or packaging (2V), between the individual work stations (AS1, AS2) within a machine module (MM1) and/or between the machine modules (MM1, MM2), a Central control (1 *) for controlling the FTFs with a wireless signal connection to the FTFs, position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), for determining the current position of the individual FTFs, in particular of the transport goods (P, 2V) located thereon, within the system (1 ), characterized in that the central control (1*) is designed such that it is able, with knowledge of the spatial positions, i.e. the positions and/or rotational positions, of the FTFs, in particular the spatial positions of their load, to control the movements of the handling units (R1, R2) in a coordinated manner. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the central control (1*) is designed in such a way that it and in particular only it comprises a navigation system (3) which can determine the position of the FTFs by means of the position detectors (K) and from this can generate a can determine the route to a destination and send a corresponding route command, in particular including local and time specifications, to the relevant AGV, - an on-board control (FTF*) of the FTF is designed in such a way that, on the basis of the travel path command, it can only control the travel drive (4) in such a way that the specified travel path is traveled in accordance with the travel path command. 3. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central control and the on-board control are designed in such a way that they are able - to detect the actual position of an AGV using the position sensors as a target-actual comparison and, in the event of a deviation from the target position, in particular on the target travel path, to send a correction travel command to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and/or in the event of failure of the position detectors (K) of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the drive (4) since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the drive and/or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further travel commands are missing, the on-board control is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and to issue corresponding control commands to the travel drive (4). 4. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central control and the on-board control are designed such that they are capable of - if the position detectors (K) of the central control fail, the on-board control determines the actual position (FTF-Ist) of the FTF based on the acceleration profile of the FTF recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and/or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but no further travel commands are available, the on-board control is able to determine the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination, to issue corresponding control commands to the drive and to check the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination using the acceleration profile recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5). 5. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the FTFs have a controllable drive, an energy storage device (6) and communication means (7) for the wireless data connection with the central control system, - the AGVs have at most one environmental sensor (AGV-K), in particular a camera (AGV-K), for detecting the environment, the image evaluation unit of which is at most capable of detecting a given environmental pattern (QR), such as a barcode or QR code (QR), but not unknown environmental features. 6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy storage device comprises super-caps (6a) and an emergency battery (6b), which are dimensioned such that the AGV can reach the next recharging station from any position within the system. 7. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the AGVs have an automatically functioning and/or controllable trailer coupling (8) for automatically coupling or uncoupling a trailer (9) and/or another AGV. 8. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the position detectors (K), in particular cameras (K), of the central control within the system (1 ), preferably outside the machine modules (MM1 , MM2) and - in particular also present within the machine modules (MM1, MM2), in particular at a height (h) above the maximum height (H) of the machine modules (MM1, MM2). 9. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper side of the AGV or the trailer (9) serves as a storage surface (13) for the transported goods, in particular the movable part of the handling unit, in particular the robot arm, is mostly located at a height above the storage surface (13). 10. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the work stations (AS1, AS2) at the waiting positions (W1, W2) of the FTF have a contacting or contactless electrical recharging device (14), and/or - the entire possible driving surface area (FF) of the FTF is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the FTF are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transfer of an AGV from one sector (FF1) to the next (FF2) is fixed both locally and temporally and is controlled as a target-actual comparison by the central control (1 *) and/or the image evaluation of the cameras (K) used as position sensors (K) for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18) is carried out using artificial intelligence (Kl) and/or Driving surfaces (FF) for the FTF are available on several floors above each other, in particular the change from one floor to another is carried out via a lifting device, in particular a lift, which is planned in terms of location and time in the travel route commands from the central control, preferably not via inclined ramps, and/or - the driving surfaces (FF) for the AGVs are moving driving surfaces and/or there are guard rails for the AGVs on one or both sides along the driving paths for the AGVs and/or there are system-driven carriers for the AGVs along the driving paths for the AGVs and/or Driving surfaces (FTF) for the FTF are separated from walking surfaces for people, at least visually, in particular physically, and/or the drive (4) of an FTF is designed in such a way that it can turn on the spot and travel in any direction from a standstill, in particular by the FTF having all-direction wheels (15) and/or the FTF having its own handling unit (FTF-R), in particular a robot (FTF-R), which is also controlled in particular from the central control system and/or the FTF has its own cleaning unit (FTF-S) for cleaning the travel paths, in particular a brush and/or suction unit (FTF-S), which is also controlled by the central control and/or - the AGV has a target marking (16) for scanning by the position sensors of the central control (1 *). 11. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the work stations, in particular on or in their, preferably lockable, lock (17) for the entry of an AGV, have a target marking (16) that can be scanned by the AGV, in particular is optically visible. 12. Method for operating a packaging machine system and in particular its transport system, wherein the packaging system comprises several work stations with at least one movable handling unit, in particular a robot, with a tool for handling or processing products or packaging, a transport system with freely and independently movable, driverless, remote-controlled transport vehicles (FTF) for transporting the products or packaging, in short a transported item, between the individual work stations, - a central control system located away from the AGVs to control the AGVs, Position detectors, in particular cameras, for determining the current spatial position of the individual FTFs, in particular of the transport goods located thereon, within the system, in particular a packaging machine system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the spatial positions, i.e. positions and/or rotational positions viewed from above, and in particular the movements of the AGVs, in the case of loaded AGVs in particular the transport goods lying on them, are monitored centrally and in real time, the handling units are controlled centrally in synchronization with the spatial positions and in particular the movements of the AGVs. 13 Method according to claim 12, characterized in that - the FTFs receive route commands from the central control, in particular drive commands for the travel drive, in particular for each individual drive motor (4M1, 4M2), preferably for the entire route to the destination, in particular if the situation changes, corrected route commands for the rest of the route are sent to the FTF by the central control, the drive commands in particular each contain an energy supply profile as a function of time, in particular from the start time. 14. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the actual spatial position of an AGV is determined by means of the position sensors as a target-actual comparison and in the event of a deviation from the target spatial position, in particular on the target travel path, a corrective travel command is sent from the central control to the AGV, with the aid of which the AGV travels to the target travel path, in particular to the target position and/or in the event of failure of the position sensors of the central control, the on-board control determines the actual spatial position of the AGV based on the control commands issued to the travel drive since the last target-actual comparison or the wheel movements of the travel drive and/or - if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further route commands are missing, the onboard control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and issues the corresponding control commands to the drive. 15. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that if the position sensors of the central control fail, the onboard control determines the actual position of the AGV based on the acceleration profile of the AGV recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5) and/or if the signal connection between the central control and the AGV and the known destination fails, but further travel path commands are missing, the onboard control determines the straight path between the current position of the AGV and the destination and issues corresponding control commands to the travel drive and checks the current position of the AGV on the way to the destination based on the acceleration profile recorded since the last target-actual comparison with an acceleration sensor (5). 16. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the FTF are electrically recharged in a contacting or contactless manner at the waiting positions (W1, W2), in particular in the work stations (AS1, AS2), and/or - the entire possible driving surface area (FF) of the FTF is virtually divided into sectors (FF1, FF2) and the driving path commands for the FTF are defined sector by sector, - in particular, a transition of an AGV from one sector to the next is determined both locally and temporally and is controlled by the central control as a target-actual comparison and/or the image evaluation of the cameras used as position sensors for the position of the AGV as well as the position of obstacles (18,19) is carried out using artificial intelligence (Kl). 17. Method according to one of the preceding method claims, characterized in that shortly before loading an AGV, its spatial position is determined as precisely as possible, in particular by means of a positioning device (21) in a work station, and immediately after loading, the spatial position of the goods to be transported on the AGV is determined and - the position difference (delta) is stored for controlling the position of the transported goods to and at the destination. 18. Method according to one of the preceding method claims by converting the packaging machine system by entering the desired new work order into the central control, - the transportable machine modules, in particular those transportable by forklift truck, are placed in a new position within the packaging machine system, in particular automatically, - in particular by activating or adding new machine modules or removing or deactivating machine modules that are no longer required, - by means of position sensors, in particular cameras, in particular the same position sensors as are used to determine the position of the AGV, the central control determines the exact position of the machine modules, in particular based on target markings on the modules, the central control automatically determines the required number and controls it accordingly in synchronous interaction with the processing stations. 19 Method according to claim 18, characterized in that - in the case of the presence or need for physical travel routes (22) for the FTF, these are arranged, in particular between the work stations, in particular are arranged automatically, in particular are automatically assembled from travel route modules (22.1, 22.2).