Patent Application
20230026975
The present invention relates to a driverless transport system for transporting objects. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a driverless transport system for transporting objects.
As the digitalization of industrial processes advances, the transport of objects is also being carried out with increasing levels of automation. For this purpose, so-called driverless transport devices and automated transport systems (ATS) are used;
these are also referred to as “automated guided vehicles” (AGV). In driverless transport systems, a plurality of driverless transport devices are combined and operated like a swarm. Driverless transport systems are used in particular in logistics and in manufacturing, where various objects, for example semi-finished products or other components, have to be transported from a first location to a second location. For example, trucks can be loaded and unloaded automatically.
In many cases, the objects are transported using load carriers, such as crates, boxes, or pallets. DE 10 2013 017 062 A1 discloses a driverless transport system which has two conveying runners which can be introduced into the elongate cavities in a pallet in the manner of a fork of a forklift. The conveying runners have a lifting device by means of which the pallet can be lifted slightly from the ground and then transported to the desired location where it can be lowered again.
Due to the fact that the conveying runners have a significantly greater extent in the longitudinal direction compared to the transverse direction, the maneuverability is limited in particular in that there must be sufficient space in front of the pallet to be able to align the conveying runners with the cavities. The device disclosed in EP 2 765 101 A1 also has a similar extent to that of the above-mentioned conveying runners, which means that here too there is limited maneuverability.
A further driverless transport system is described in DE 10 2013 101 561 A1 and DE 20 2014 104 780 U1; this system uses reference marks which indicate the path along which the driverless transport system can be moved. This results in limited flexibility, since it is not possible to use the system outside the reference marks. In addition, laying the reference marks requires a not inconsiderable effort.
One embodiment of the invention is based on the object of creating a driverless transport system and a method by means of which a plurality of driverless transport devices can be reliably operated with the provision of additional functions.
This object is achieved with the features specified in claims 1 and 13. Advanta-geous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.
One embodiment of the invention relates to a driverless transport system, comprising—
The objects that can be transported by means of the driverless transport system are, in particular, load carriers such as pallets, crates, or boxes on or in which goods and products are stored. However, other objects can also be transported using corresponding adapters with the driverless transport device, for example prams, hospital beds, or garbage cans.
The driverless transport system comprises a plurality of driverless transport devices, the number of which can be selected as desired. The minimum number should be two. Depending on the objects to be transported, the most suitable number of transport devices is three or four. However, the transport system can also comprise a plurality of subgroups of, for example, four transport devices in each subgroup, wherein the number of transport devices of the subgroups does not have to be equal.
In order to be able to transport objects using a plurality of driverless transport devices, the devices must be coordinated, for which purpose the control unit is used. In addition, information must be exchanged between the control unit and the driverless transport devices in order to be able to implement the coordination, for which purpose the communication device is used. The communication device can use a WLAN network or the like. For this purpose, each of the transport devices and the control unit have a transmitter-receiver unit. This transmitter-receiver unit can also be used in the manner of a relay station and can be operated as a repeater in order to maintain the stability of the WLAN network. In particular, if some of the transport devices are located behind goods, the WLAN network may not be sufficient. The repeater function strengthens the WLAN network even in areas with a weak WLAN network.
The tasks to be performed by the driverless transport system can be defined in the control unit. In particular, the objects that are to be transported can be identified. In addition, the current location and the destination location of the objects to be transported can be defined.
Due to the fact that the first wheel and the second wheel can be driven independently of each other, the driverless transport device can be rotated with a very small radius or even on the spot, as a result of which the maneuverability of the driverless transport system and the transported object is significantly increased compared to known transport devices.
The master differs from the slaves in that the master is not necessarily involved in transporting the objects. Rather, the master can serve as a kind of pilot, in particular to detect the environment of the transported object. For example, when the slaves lift a pallet, the pallet severely limits the environment that can be detected by the slaves, while the master can be moved independently of the transported object and thus is not restricted by the transported objects. Furthermore, the master can explore an environment that is difficult to see, for example at the corners of workshops or the like, and only give the slaves a travel command if the environment does not pose any danger. This increases operational reliability. It is also possible to define two or more masters if this is necessary or desirable for operational reliability. The distinction between master and slave can only be made by the software, which means that the master and the slave can be identical in terms of design.
According to a further embodiment, the master has a master sensor unit for detecting the environment of the master, with the master transmitting information relating to the environment of the master to the control unit and/or to the slaves. The master differs from the slaves in that only the master has the master sensor unit. The slaves either have no sensor unit at all or have only a much simpler sensor unit. The master sensor unit is designed in such a way that it can be used to detect not only the immediate environment of the master itself, but also the environment of all the slaves. In this respect, the master sensor unit must be designed to be correspondingly powerful. Due to the fact that the slaves do not have to have a sensor unit or have only a much simpler sensor unit, the outlay with respect to the sensor units used can be re-duced. The more slaves that are used, the greater the achievable advantage. The master can also be equipped with a particularly powerful communication device in order to ensure adequate network coverage, for example within the workshop. The master can be positioned in such a way that the network, for example the WLAN network, can be strengthened particularly effectively, so as to ensure an exchange of information with all the slaves. The master can constantly adjust its position to the strength of the network and the position of the slaves.
A further embodiment is characterized in that—
In this embodiment, all the driverless transport devices interconnected to form a transport system have the same sensor units. If, for example, two transport devices are interconnected to form a transport system, the sensor unit of the first transport device can be oriented to the front in the direction of travel and the sensor unit of the second transport device oriented to the rear. In this respect, the environment of the driverless transport system can be monitored to a sufficient extent without having to use particularly powerful sensor units.
According to a further embodiment, one or more driverless transport devices have a force measuring device which can determine the force acting on the support portion interacting with the object; it is possible to prevent the driverless transport device from being overloaded and becoming damaged as a result. In addition, the weight of the transported object can be determined. This allows for different areas of application. As mentioned at the outset, garbage cans, inter alia, can also be transported by means of the driverless transport device. Being able to determine the weight of the garbage can in question makes it possible to calculate consumption-based garbage collection charges. As likewise mentioned, the driverless transport device can also be used to load trucks. It is also possible to prevent the trucks from being overloaded. In addition, the load area of the truck can be loaded as evenly as possible. This makes it possible, in particular, to reduce the skid risk to trucks during transit, thus contributing to traffic safety.
According to a further embodiment, the outer contour of the support structure is substantially rotationally symmetrical about a rotational axis in the top view, wherein the support portion and/or the first wheel and the second wheel are arranged within the outer contour or are flush with the outer contour. The first and the second axis of rotation usually extend substantially in parallel with a surface on which the first wheel and the second wheel roll. This surface is, for example, the load area of a truck or the floor of a workshop. When the driverless transport device is used as intended, in particular when said device is traveling continuously on the surface, the rotational axis is intended to extend substantially perpendicularly to the surface. The outer contour is to be understood to mean the outer edge of the support structure, it being possible for the outer edge of the support structure to also be formed by a housing.
Due to the fact that the outer contour is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis, and the support portion and/or the first wheel and the second wheel are arranged within the outer contour, the driverless transport device according to this embodiment has no eccentric portions. If, for example, the driverless transport device is located in the elongate cavities in a pallet and is to rotate on the spot, it is ensured that a rotation of 360° is possible without any eccentric portions of the driverless transport device striking the pallet.
In a further embodiment, the transport device can have a sensor unit for detecting the environment of the transport device, wherein the sensor unit is arranged in a sensor portion delimited by the outer contour and the first axis of rotation or the second axis of rotation, and the sensor unit is designed in such a way that it only detects the part of the environment on the side of the first axis of rotation or the second axis of rotation on which the sensor unit is arranged.
Driverless transport devices known from the prior art have sensor units which can detect the immediate environment. For example, obstacles can be identified and appropriate countermeasures initiated. Depending on the type of obstacle, it can be driven around or the driverless transport device can be stopped. Since driverless transport devices pose a not inconsiderable risk to nearby persons, and, in order to enable smooth operation, the environment must be monitored continuously. Consequently, the sensor unit has to be able to detect the environment through 360°. The sensor system required for this is relatively complex.
In this embodiment, the sensor unit is arranged in such a way that it can detect a maximum of 180° of the environment. In particular, due to the possibility of making the outer contour rotationally symmetrical and of being able to rotate the driverless transport device more or less on the spot, reversing is not necessary. Therefore, it is sufficient to detect only 180° of the environment. The sensor unit is arranged in such a way that the environment in front of the driverless transport device in the direction of travel is detected. As a result, the sensor unit can be constructed in a much simpler manner and the corresponding driverless transport device can be provided at a more favorable cost.
The sensor portion should, by definition, be the portion of the driverless transport devices between the axis of rotation and the outer contour. In the event that the driverless transport device has a plurality of axes of rotation, the sensor portion should be the portion that covers the smallest area perpendicularly to the rotational axis or in the top view.
In a further embodiment of the driverless transport system, the transport device can have a storage unit for electrical energy which, in the top view, protrudes in portions beyond the outer contour of the support structure, the storage unit being movably secured to the support structure.
Again, the top view relates to the intended use, in which the first wheel and the second wheel roll on a surface. In the top view one therefore looks along the above-mentioned rotational axis. Depending on the embodiment, the outer contour can be designed rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotational axis, so that when the driverless transport device rotates about the rotational axis, no eccentric portions can strike, for example, the walls of the cavities in a pallet. The storage unit for electrical energy, which is required, for example, for driving the wheels and for operating the sensor unit, protrudes in portions beyond the outer contour of the support structure, such that the storage unit forms an eccentric portion. As a result, the space en-closed by the storage unit and its charge capacity can be increased. However, there is a risk that the storage unit will strike adjacent objects during rotation, for example the above-mentioned walls of the cavities in a pallet. However, the storage unit is movably secured to the supporting structure so that when it strikes the walls of the cavities in a pallet, for example, it does not impair the further rotation of the driverless transport device. Consequently, in this embodiment, the charge capacity of the storage unit can be increased without restricting the maneuverability of the driverless transport device.
In a further embodiment, the storage unit can be secured to the support structure so as to rotate about the rotational axis. In particular, if the outer contour of the support structure is designed rotationally symmetrically with respect to the rotational axis, it is also appropriate to secure the storage unit to the support structure so as to rotate about the rotational axis. For this purpose, an annular groove can be provided, into which the storage unit engages interlockingly with a correspondingly designed projection. In particular, if the driverless transport device is to rotate on the spot and the storage unit strikes an adjacent object, the rotation is not impeded.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the storage unit is arranged outside the sensor portion. As already mentioned, the storage unit can be movably secured to the support structure. However, in order to prevent the storage unit from being placed in a position in which it impairs the functioning of the sensor, the mobility can be restricted. This can be brought about, for example, by the fact that the above-mentioned annular groove does not protrude into the sensor portion. In this way, flawless functionality of the sensor is ensured despite the storage unit being movably secured to the support structure.
In accordance with a further embodiment, the storage unit is detachably secured to the support structure. Securing the storage unit to the support structure detachably allows the charging process to be simplified. In particular, an empty storage unit can be exchanged for a full storage unit within a short period of time. The empty storage unit can be charged during the time in which the full storage unit is ensuring the operation of the driverless transport device. The process of exchanging an empty storage unit for a full storage unit can be automated, so that the exchange can take place in good time and, in addition, with only a short operational interruption and without the aid of a user.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the transport device has at least one support wheel and/or a bristle portion. In principle, the number of wheels that is mounted in the undercarriage can be freely selected. For example, it is possible to provide three or four wheels so that the transport device cannot tip over. However, the technical complexity is kept low and the maneuverability is increased if only two wheels are provided. In this case, however, the driverless transport device can tip over in such a way that part of the support structure rests on the surface and is dragged over it. In order to prevent such a tipping motion, a support wheel and/or a bristle portion can be provided. The support wheel should differ from the wheels in that it is not driven, but can in particular rotate about an axis of rotation that extends in parallel with the rotational axis, and can therefore be steered together with the wheels. It is self-evident that a plurality of such support wheels can also be provided.
The bristle portion can be provided with a number of appropriately resilient bristles. Providing a bristle portion likewise has the effect of preventing the device from tipping over and being dragged. In addition, the bristles act like a broom and remove at least relatively small obstacles such as dirt particles from the environment in front of the transport device in the direction of travel. These obstacles therefore do not have a disruptive effect on the rolling of the wheels on the surface.
In accordance with a further embodiment, all the wheels can be arranged so as to rotate about a common axis of rotation and the driverless transport device can have a self-stabilizing device. In this embodiment, the transport device can rotate about the common axis of rotation, so that the device can tilt about said axis in the event of a load that is not exactly even. As a result, the support structure, as already mentioned, can drag over the surface. In this embodiment, the driverless transport device has a self-stabilizing device which can comprise, for example, a tilt sensor or a gyroscope. If it is determined that the driverless transport device is rotating about the common axis of rotation and there is a risk of the support structure coming into contact with the surface, stabilizing countermeasures can be taken in order to reduce the inclination of the driverless transport device to a non-critical level. This can be done, for example, by controlling the drive unit so that the wheels rotate in such a way that a torque that counteracts the tipping motion can be generated. In addition, it is possible to provide counterbalancing weights or counterbalancing shafts which can be shifted within the support structure depending on the inclination, thus allowing a torque to be generated that counteracts the tilting motion.
In a further embodiment, the transport device can have a signal generator for outputting a warning signal. The warning signal can be output in particular in optical and/or acoustic form. The warning signal can be output in various cases, for example if the driverless transport device is defective, an unexpected obstacle is detected which cannot be overcome, or if it is determined that the object to be transported is too heavy and the driverless transport device would be overloaded as a result.
In a further embodiment, the transport device can have a carrying handle to al-low the transport device to be gripped. Depending on the design of the transport device, it can be less than 10 kg in weight and therefore able to be carried by a user, as a result of which the transport device can be transported flexibly from one location to another, without having to travel the path itself. Carrying is facilitated by the carrying handle.
In accordance with a further embodiment, the driverless transport device comprises a lifting device which interacts with the support structure for lifting and lowering at least one support portion which interacts with the objects in order to transport same. In principle, it is possible to place the object to be transported onto the driverless transport device, for example by means of a crane or a forklift, in order to subsequently move the object to the desired destination. In this case, however, it is necessary to lift the object to be transported in order to remove it from the ground. However, the driverless transport device can also be used for moving objects which themselves have rollers, for example hospital beds or garbage cans. These objects do not necessarily have to be lifted in order to be movable.
By means of the lifting device, however, it is possible to drive the driverless transport device into a corresponding recess in the object to be transported, for example into the above-mentioned elongate cavity in the pallet, while the pallet is still on the ground. When the driverless transport device is in the desired position, the lifting device is activated, thereby lifting the pallet from the ground. The expanding device is then activated so that the driverless transport device can align itself with the pallet. In addition, the driverless transport device is frictionally connected to the pallet. As a result, the pallet can be prevented from slipping out of position relative to the driverless transport device. This can be relevant in particular if the pallet is to be transported along an inclined surface. It is therefore also possible to transport objects without them being lifted beforehand and placed on the driverless transport device. In addition, it is likewise possible to transport objects which themselves have no rollers or the like and therefore cannot be pulled.
One design of the invention relates to a method for operating a driverless transport device according to one of the above-mentioned embodiments, comprising the following steps:—
The master differs from the slaves in that the master is not necessarily involved in transporting the objects. Rather, the master can serve as a kind of pilot, in particular to detect the environment of the transported object. For example, when the slaves lift a pallet, the pallet severely limits the environment that can be detected by the slaves, while the master can be moved independently of the transported object and thus is not restricted by the transported objects. Furthermore, the master can explore an environment that is difficult to see, for example at the corners of workshops or the like, and only give the slaves a travel command if the environment does not pose any danger. This increases operational reliability. It is also possible to define two or more masters if this is necessary or desirable for operational reliability.
Furthermore, a properly functioning wireless network, for example a WLAN network, is essential for operating the transport system. However, it can happen that some of the slaves are not able to receive the network due to objects such as machines or the like that are present in a workshop, for example. In this embodiment of the method, the master can be positioned in such a way that the network can be received by each of the slaves. For this purpose, the master can be operated in the manner of a repeater or a relay station.
In a further design, the method comprises the following steps:
One of the selectable properties can be the evenness of the surface on which the transport device is traveling. In the event that the sensor unit detects unevenness, for example in the form of bumps, which could lead to the transported objects slipping or falling from the transport device during travel, the support portion can be lifted or lowered accordingly. In this way, shocks and vibrations acting on the transported objects are kept low and the objects are protected.
In a further design, the method comprises the following steps:
As mentioned, the transport device can be designed in such a way that it can determine the weight of the transported object or objects. If a load area, for example the load area of a truck, is to be loaded, the transport device can be operated in such a way that the load area is loaded as evenly as possible. To this end, the positions where the objects are placed on the load area are selected on the basis of the weight of the objects in question. An even load contributes to the traffic safety of the truck in question and in particular reduces the risk of skidding. This also applies to the loading of other means of transport such as ships and aircraft.
A further developed design of the method provides the following step:
Since the weight of the objects which are to be placed on the load area is not necessarily known from the outset, it may be possible to change the positions once chosen in order to even out the loading of the load area. The method according to this design can be carried out, for example, such that the load area is initially loaded to such an extent that all objects which are to be transported by truck, for example, are placed on the load area thereof. The driverless transport device stores the position and the weight of the objects which are placed on the load area. After the loading has been completed, the driverless transport device then changes the positions of the corresponding objects within the load area in such a way that the area is loaded as evenly as possible, if this should be necessary.
In accordance with a further developed design, the method comprises the following steps:
In this design of the method, the transport device outputs a warning signal when the maximum load is reached or exceeded. Alternatively or additionally, the transport device can discontinue the further loading of the load area. This prevents overloading of the load area.
One implementation of the present invention relates to a method for operating a driverless transport system according to one of the previous embodiments, comprising the following steps:
This implementation of the invention is used when an object is lifted and transported by a plurality of transport devices. If it is determined that the force acting on a support portion of a first transport device deviates significantly from the force acting on the support portion of a second or third transport device, this can be seen as an in-dication that the weight of the object is distributed unevenly among the transport devices involved. The support portion of the first transport device is lowered until the force which acts on said support portion corresponds approximately to that which acts on the other support portions. As a result, the load on the transport devices is evened out and excessive loads on a transport device are prevented. The wear of the transport devices used also becomes more evenly distributed.
A variant of the present invention relates to a method for operating a driverless transport system according to one of the previous embodiments, comprising the following steps:—
As already mentioned, one of the selectable properties can be the evenness of the surface on which the transport devices travel. If unevenness is detected, such as bumps, which could lead to the transported object being able to touch the surface between the two transport devices, the support portions are lifted up in such a way that the object is prevented from touching the surface. This prevents disruptions in the operating process.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show:
A first exemplary embodiment of a transport device 101 according to the present invention is shown in
The transport device 101 has a support structure 12 which, in the present exemplary embodiment, is formed by a housing 13 which has an outer contour 14. The outer contour 14 designates the outer surfaces and edges of the support structure 12 or the housing 13. Secured to the support structure 12 is an undercarriage 16 in which a first wheel 18 and a second wheel 20 are mounted so as to rotate about an axis of rotation D1 and a second axis of rotation D2. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the first axis of rotation D1 and the second axis of rotation D2 coincide, thus creating a common axis of rotation D.
The transport device 101 also comprises a drive unit 22 which is likewise secured to the support structure 12. In this case, the drive unit 22 has a first drive motor 24 and a second drive motor 26, the first drive motor 24 being arranged adjacent to the first wheel 18 and the second drive motor 26 being arranged adjacent to the second wheel 20. The first drive motor 24 is connected by means of a first transmission 28 to the first wheel 18 and the second drive motor 26 by means of a second transmission 30 to the second wheel 20, so that the rotational movement provided by the first drive motor 24 and the second drive motor 26 is directly transmitted to the first wheel 18 and the second wheel 20, respectively. The first drive motor 24 can be operated independently of the second drive motor 26, so that the first wheel 18 and the second wheel 20 can also be driven in different directions and at different speeds, as a result of which the transport device 101 can be rotated.
In addition, the transport device 101 comprises a lifting device 32, which is shown separately in
With reference to
In addition, a force measuring device 561 according to a first exemplary embodiment is arranged in the plate housing 48 and is shown separately in
In both cases, it is possible to measure forces acting horizontally and forces acting vertically. In addition—depending on how the force sensors 58 are mechanically mounted—tilting, rotating, and sliding movements can be measured.
In the first exemplary embodiment of the force measuring device 561, the force sensors 58 of the first group 60 are used to determine vertically acting forces. The force sensors 58 of the second group 62 are used to determine horizontally acting forces. On the basis of the division of the force sensors 58 into the first group 60 and the second group 62, the different load cases can be distinguished from one another more precisely than is the case with the second exemplary embodiment of the force measuring device 562. Since, in principle, the greater the number of force sensors 58, the better the various load cases can be described, the aim is to increase the number of force sensors 58. However, this increases the space requirement. Arranging the force sensors 58 of the first group 60 perpendicularly to the force sensors 58 of the second group 62 increases the accuracy with which the load cases can be described. In addition, the installation space required for this purpose is kept within reasonable limits.
The force sensors 58 interact with an evaluation unit 63 in such a way that the forces acting on the support portion 39 can be determined. In addition, the evaluation unit 63 can determine how the forces are distributed over the support portion 39. On the basis of the degrees of freedom predetermined by the mounting of the support portion 39 in the lifting device 32, certain load cases to be determined, for example tilting, can be specified. In addition, the loads that can be determined depend on the arrangement of the force sensors 58 relative to the support portion 39.
The information of the size and distribution of the forces acting on the support portion 39 can be used in various ways; these will be discussed in more detail below. At this point it need only be pointed out that overloading the transport device 101 can be prevented. If the force acting on the support portion 39 exceeds a specific amount, the lifting of the support portion 39 can be interrupted and a corresponding warning signal can be output by means of a signal generator 64 (see
With reference to
In addition, the transport device 101 is equipped with a storage unit 70 for electrical energy so that the relevant components can be supplied with electrical energy.
As can be seen in particular from
It can be seen from
In order to stabilize the transport device 101 about the common axis of rotation D, one or more support wheels (not shown) can alternatively also be used.
In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the transport device 101 is also equipped with a self-stabilizing device 74 (
In addition, the transport device 101 is equipped with a communication device 76 by means of which the transport device 101 can exchange information with other communication partners; these will be discussed in more detail below.
The transport system 81 comprises a total of seven transport devices 10, which are described in
The master 86 accompanies the slaves 88 until the pallet 40 has been transported to the desired location. The lifting device 32 is then activated accordingly such that the pallet 40 is placed back on the surface. The slaves 88 then move out of the pallet 40 and can be used to transport a further object. The seven transport devices 10 can be identical in terms of design. However, it is also possible to provide the master 86 with a particularly powerful master sensor unit 90 so that the environment can be detected over a particularly large area.
In the event that the transport devices 10 are of identical design, each of the transport devices 10 can be defined as a master 86 or a slave 88. The distinction is determined exclusively by means of the software. The transport devices 10 can therefore be used differently. As mentioned, the master 86 is used to detect the environment of the pallet 40 as extensively as possible. For this purpose, the sensor unit 66 requires an above-average amount of electrical energy. The possibility of also using one of the other transport devices 10 as the master 86 prevents the storage unit 70 of a transport device 101 from emptying more quickly than that of the other transport devices 10. Additionally, all the transport devices 10 are evenly loaded, which prevents one or more of the transport devices 10 from wearing out faster and having to be ser-viced sooner than others. For transporting the further object 38, another of the transport devices 10 can be used as the master 86.
The transport device 104 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment comprises an expanding device 98 which, in the fourth exemplary embodiment of the transport device 104, comprises two expanding arms 100 which can be adjusted between a first position and a second position by means of an adjusting unit 106. In
In order to move the expanding arms 100 between the first and the second position, the expanding device 98 comprises, in addition to the adjusting unit 106, a further drive unit 107 which will be described in more detail below, in particular with reference to
As mentioned above, the spindle 37 is mounted in the support structure 12 for conjoint rotation. To be able to move the support portion 39 and consequently also the expanding device 98 relative to the housing 13, a corresponding bearing unit 119 is provided. To be able to determine the rotational position of the expanding device 98, for example in relation to the first axis of rotation D1 and/or the second axis of rotation D2, an angle sensor 121 is provided.
The drive train 109 contains a decoupling unit 115 with which the drive train 109 can optionally be opened and closed. The decoupling unit 115 has the following purpose: The expanding arms 100 are used to clamp the transport device 104 in the second position with the object 38 to be transported, in particular with a pallet 40 (see
The decoupling unit 115 comprises a cam disk 117, which is shown separately in
If, for example, the expanding arms 100 are moved from the second position into the first position, and the further drive unit 107 is rotated further in this direction after reaching the first position, this brings about a rotation of the support portion 39. In this way, the expanding device 98 and consequently the expanding arms 100 can be brought into any rotational position with respect to the support structure 12 or the housing 13. The rotational position can be determined with the angle sensor 121. This applies analogously when the expanding arms have reached the second position.
The expanding device 98 comprises a total of six expanding arms 100, which are located in a first position in
Starting from the center of the transport device 104, the guideways 102 extend radially outward such that the expanding arms 100 can likewise move in a radial direction, as can also be seen from a comparison of
The expanding device 98 comprises a blocking device 138, by means of which the adjusting unit 106 can be blocked at least when the expanding arms 100 are in the second position. In the fifth exemplary embodiment of the transport device, the blocking device 138 is realized in the following way: The link disk 112 interacts with the toggle units 108 in such a way that the two legs of the toggle units 108 are moved beyond an angle of 180° in the second position and are consequently pressed over and rest against a stop 140 in the second position. As a result, the expanding arms 100 are blocked in the second position without a blocking force having to be applied. As a result, it is possible to hold the expanding arms 100 in the second position even when the drive train 109 is open. In this respect, the blocking device 138 is largely formed by the adjusting unit 106 itself, so that no additional elements have to be provided for this purpose. Alternatively, however, the blocking device 138 can comprise one or more movable bolts or the like, by means of which the adjusting unit 138 can be blocked.
In addition, a stop element 114 is connected to the radially outer end of each expanding arm 100. As can be seen in particular from
A support element 116 is movably secured to each of the stop elements 114, the support elements 116 being preloaded by means of a spring 118.
As shown in particular in
Once the transport device 104, 105 has reached the desired position within the cavity, the lifting device is first activated, which causes the pallet 40 to be lifted up. Subsequently, the expanding device 98 is activated so that the expanding arms 100 are moved from the first position into the second position. In this case, the support elements 116 come into contact with the side walls of the cavity in the pallet 40, as a result of which the transport device 104, 105 is frictionally connected to the pallet 40. In this case, the springs 118 are compressed so as to prevent shock loads. In addition, the support elements 116 can be floatingly mounted so that manufacturing inaccura-cies can be compensated for together with the springs 118. As a result, the transport device 104,105 is oriented in a defined manner relative to the pallet 40. Consequently, the pallet 40 can no longer shift with respect to the transport device 104, 105. The pallet 40 can now be moved to the desired destination by means of the transport device 105.
As mentioned, the transport device 105 according to the fifth exemplary embodiment differs from the transport device 104 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment in particular in terms of the number of expanding arms 100. Owing to the higher number of expanding arms 100, it is possible to dispense with the use of the angle sensor 121, since the expanding device 98 can orient itself in such a way that the expanding arms 100 extend largely in parallel with the surface of the object 38 that is to be clamped by the transport device 104.
As mentioned, the transport devices 10 each have a signal generator 64 (see
Furthermore, it can be seen from
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19205975.6 | Oct 2019 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/071464 | 7/30/2020 | WO |
