Patent Application
20090217839
The application relates to a device comprising a guide having a first pair of substantially parallel running surfaces, which are placed along a first track at a lateral distance apart, and a second pair of substantially parallel running surfaces, which are placed along a second track at a lateral distance apart, which second pair, at a crossing or junction, extends transversely to the first pair of running surfaces, and further comprising at least one carrier displaceable over the running surfaces, which carrier has a bearing axle, extending transversely to the running surfaces, for fastening of a load, which bearing axle extends between the running surfaces.
The application also relates to a rail system and a transport mechanism for use in such a device.
A device of the abovementioned sort, for the displacement of mobile wall panels along a rail system mounted on the ceiling, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,676. The known displaceable wall system comprises a rail in the form of a tubular extrusion profile. In the tubular profile, wheel sets of a carrier are guided with respectively two wheels placed one above the other, which wheels are rotatable about a vertically directed axle and are aligned substantially horizontally. The wheels have bevelled side faces, which engage with running surfaces of the extrusion profile. Upon displacement of the wall panels, the bottommost wheel runs over two bottommost running surfaces, and the above-situated wheel runs over a single topmost running surface. The wall panels are suspended from the vertical axle which extends downwards between the running surfaces.
The rails can comprise junctions, such as T-junctions and crossings. This makes it possible to manoeuvre the wheel sets at these sites in a plurality of directions. Should the wall panels be suspended from two placed-apart carriers, it is additionally possible to position the panel in a number of ways, by, for example, rotating the panel, in which case the panels move, of course, along differently orientated rails.
The wall panels of the known device can be displaced over the rails relatively easily and with little force. In addition, the wall panels can be flexibly positioned.
A drawback of the known device lies in the fact that at crossings, at least one of the running surfaces of the rails is interrupted and the wheel running thereon is not supported. This means that the remaining wheel gets to endure the full load of the wall panels. This makes the load-bearing capacity of the carrier limited, since the bearing load is defined by a single wheel. Owing to the large forces which are exerted upon the wheels and the rails when a crossing is passed through, the rails and the carrier have to be made of steel.
In addition, as a result of lack of support at a crossing or junction, the carrier will run somewhat out of the vertical. The unsupported wheel will hence move down somewhat. In order to bring the unsupported wheel back onto the running surface, the wheel must be raised. This requires a certain degree of strength and dexterity on the part of the user. This is particularly the case where very large or long panels are used, for example of 5-13 metres in length. In addition, it is not possible to carry out the displacement rapidly and with low force application by hand.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a reliable device for displacing relatively heavy objects, such as, for example, wall panels with a height of 5-13 m, along different tracks along a rail system, these objects being able to be displaced along branches and crossings of the rail system, in the desired direction, in an easy and manoeuvrable manner. It is additionally an object of the invention to provide a relatively lightly constructed rail system with which heavy objects can be accurately and easily displaced with low expenditure of force.
To this end, a transport mechanism is provided which is situated close to the crossing or junction and which is movable between a take-up position in the first track, for load-bearing engagement with the carrier, and a delivery position in the second track, for release of the carrier. The transport mechanism may be situated with an offset with respect to the centreline of the crossing or junction. The transport mechanism may be placed at a distance from the running surfaces. The transport mechanism may be used to engage the carrier, transport the carrier over the crossing or junction, and release the carrier in the second track. As a result of the movable transport mechanism, the load is temporarily taken over in the region of an interruption of the running surfaces. The user can hence move the carrier along a crossing or branch with a continuous movement. By virtue of the fact that the carrier no longer sinks in the interruption of the running surfaces, but is supported close to the crossing or junction by the transport mechanism, the rail system is not subjected to unnecessarily heavy load, so that this can be lightly constructed, for example as an aluminium extrusion profile.
The carrier according to the an embodiment may comprise a slide block, but may also be constructed, for example, as one or more wheels arranged rotatably about a wheel axle. The axle of the wheels can extend parallel to the running surfaces. In an embodiment, the axle of the wheels is situated transversely to the running surfaces, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,676. The load-bearing axle here extends in the extension of the wheel axle of the at least one running wheel, which with bevelled side faces rolls over the running surfaces.
The load which can be displaced with the device may comprise any load, such as an object which is moved through a room, such as in the assembly or manufacture of a product, a foodstuff, or some other object. The load may be formed by a wall panel having a relatively large dimension, such as a height of between 5 m and higher, for example 13-20 m. These panels can be guided manually by the user along the tracks to a desired position, such as a functional position, which divides a room into parts, and a parking position, in which the panels are placed flat one against the other. Through the use of the carrier according to an embodiment, the runners of the panels, close to a branch or crossing, are supported such that the panels can be quickly and easily manipulated along the branch or crossing with just slight application of force, so that the panels can be brought easily into position even by less strong members of staff The rails and especially the running surfaces can be lightly constructed, so that a wall system is obtained which can be easily transported and assembled and which is relatively cheap.
In one embodiment, the transport mechanism comprises a supporting body which is pivotable. The pivotable construction of the transport mechanism ensures a simple movement of the supporting body in its movement from the take-up position into the delivery position. The transport mechanism can hence be made relatively simply and cheaply. In an embodiment, the rotation axle extends perpendicular to the running surfaces. This construction ensures that the play of forces upon the transport mechanism during the movement from the take-up position to the delivery position remains relatively equal. This simplifies the required construction of the transport mechanism. The supporting body may be pivotable around a pivot axis. The pivot axis may be, in an embodiment, positioned with an offset with respect to the centre of the crossing or junction.
In one embodiment, the running surfaces are fastened to side walls situated transversely to the running surfaces, the carrier being situated between the side walls and the pivot axle being mounted close to the crossing or junction along an outer side of the side walls. The side walls, close to the pivot axle, may have a slot through which the transport mechanism reaches to between the side walls. The mounting of the pivot axle on the outer side of the side walls and the provision of a slot in the side walls of the rails ensures that existing rail systems can be adapted and can be provided with a transport mechanism by retrofitting. On the outer side of the side walls there is additionally enough place for the mounting of the transport mechanism. The transport mechanism can hence be made sufficiently strong. The placement of the pivot axle at a distance from the running surfaces, in combination with a transport mechanism reaching to between the running surfaces, also ensures that an accurate transfer of the carrier from a first track to a second track is possible.
In an embodiment, the transport mechanism comprises a disc-shaped body having a bearing surface situated substantially parallel to the running surfaces. The use of a disc-shaped body, in combination with the placement of the pivot axle outside the side walls of the rails, ensures that the transport body is always in a correct position to receive the carrier. The rim of the disc can comprise at least two cavities, following one behind the other in the peripheral direction. The cavities are suitable for receiving the carrier therein. The carrier is hence positioned relatively stably as the carrier is transferred from the first to the second track.
The disc-shaped body can be realized such that it has along the periphery at least two locking slots, which cooperate with a stop member, arranged fixedly with respect to the pivot axle, for securing the disc-shaped body in a predetermined angular position. The stop member can be, for example, an engaging element, which engages in a locking slot. The predetermined angular position can be, for example, a position of the transport mechanism which is receptive to the carrier. The transport mechanism, if not in use, can hence no longer move involuntarily out of this receiving position.
In one embodiment, at least one running surface of each track is realized as a first running surface, the device further comprising a second running surface situated at a transverse distance above the first, and the carrier comprising two bevelled wheels situated at a transverse distance apart, which are rotatable about a wheel axle situated transversely to the running surfaces, which wheels engage with their bevel with respective running surfaces situated at a transverse distance apart. This embodiment has the advantage that the transport mechanism can easily engage with the wheel supported by a running surface. The wheel axle situated transversely to the running surfaces makes it possible to easily engage the carrier. This simplifies the transport from the first track to the second track in case of a change of direction.
It is possible that in a load-bearing position of the transport mechanism, the upper bevelled wheel engages with the transport mechanism. Additionally, the lower bevelled wheel may engage the first running surface. This way, both wheels are continuously supported during the transport.
In an embodiment, the first and second pair of running surfaces intersect at equal height. The carrier can hence be transferred at a same height. Accordingly, there are no height differences which need to be bridged. This simplifies the construction and guarantees a minimal expenditure of force by a user in the displacement of a panel and the transfer of the carrying device from a first track to a second track.
Individual embodiments will be explained in greater detail below with reference to the following figures, in which:
a and 3b respectively show a top view and a perspective view of a device comprising three supporting rail segments and a transport mechanism;
a-e show top views of embodiments of junctions.
a shows a cross-sectional top view of a device 1 having a first pair, placed along a first track 3, of substantially parallel running surfaces 5, 8 situated at a lateral distance apart. Extending transversely to the first track 3 is a second track 4. The second track 4 comprises substantially parallel running surfaces 5, 8 situated at a lateral distance apart. A carrier, as shown in
b shows the same junction in a perspective view. The first track 3 and the second track 4 form a substantially T-shaped junction 9. The device 1, close to the junction 9, has a transport mechanism 12. The transport mechanism 12 may be mainly aligned into the corner formed by the two tracks at the junction. The transport mechanism may be attached by means of one or two reinforcing elements. The reinforcing elements may, for instance, be triangular plates. The plates may be connected to the first and second rail. For instance, one plate may be connected to the top of the two rails, and one plate may be connected to the bottom of the two rails. In between the plates, the transport mechanism may be provided. The transport mechanism 12 is movable between a take-up position RC in the first track 3, for load-bearing engagement with the carrier 6, and a delivery position in the second track 4, for release of the carrier.
In the shown embodiment, the transport mechanism 12 comprises a supporting body 18. The supporting body 18 is rotatable about a pivot axle 19. The pivot axle 19 stands or extends perpendicular to the running surfaces 5, 8. The running surfaces 5, 8 are placed transversely to side walls 20, and the carrier is displaceable between the side walls 20 over the running surfaces 5, 8. The pivot axle 19 of the transport mechanism 12 is mounted along an outer side 21 of the side walls 20. Close to the pivot axle 19 there is placed a slot 22 through which the transport mechanism 12 reaches to between the running surfaces 5, 8.
The transport mechanism 12 can comprise a disc-shaped body 24.
In addition, the disc-shaped body shown in
The working of one embodiment of the transport mechanism 12 will be subsequently explained with reference to
As a result of the spring-loaded stop member 31, which cooperates with the locking slots 30 of the disc-shaped body 24, the latter will encounter some rotational resistance. The user then notices that the carrier 6 is at or close to the junction 9, whereafter the user has the option of making the carrier 6 undergo a change of direction. In the embodiment shown in
Possible embodiments of the junction 9 in which the transport mechanism 12 is usable are shown in
a shows a junction 9, which has a first rail 41 and a second rail 42. The two rails make an angle of 90° to each other. The rails each comprise a guide having running surfaces over which a carrier is movable. The transport mechanism ensures that the carrier is easily movable through the right angle.
b shows an embodiment as in
The device can additionally comprise three rails 51,52,53, the rails mutually possessing an equal angular spacing, as shown in
It is possible to use the device to create a junction having four rails. The angles between the rails can in this case vary. In
Other embodiments of junctions are, of course, conceivable. For instance, it is possible to use more than four rails, or place different transport mechanisms relatively close together, in order to obtain a desired junction. In
It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to what has been described here and that several equivalent embodiments of the invention are possible.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001337 | Feb 2008 | NL | national |
