METHOD AND TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING OBJECTS

Abstract

In a method and a transport device for transporting objects, limp objects in particular, such as carbon fiber mats or the like, a holding surface of a holding unit for holding the objects includes several holding elements, and the disadvantages of the related art are avoided or at least greatly reduced. A central actuating unit actuates and not actuates all holding elements. It is possible to realize a centrally actuated selection of the holding elements that is carried out as a function of the shape and/or dimensions of the object to be held.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a segmented suction unit according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic underside view of the suction unit in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic, perspective view of a roll-up suction gripper according to the present invention, and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic, perspective view of a production line with inventive holding systems.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A perspective view of a suction gripper 1 with numerous suction plates 2 is shown in FIG. 1. Suction plates 2 are acted upon with vacuum using vacuum tubes 3.

FIG. 2 shows the design of the underside of suction gripper 1 and suction plates 2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, each suction plate 2 includes four suction pockets 5, each of which is advantageously covered with a grid or the like. This prevents dirt particles, etc., from entering the vacuum system.

FIG. 1 shows, in particular, that suction plates 2 are connected with a frame 6 using torsion bars 4. Torsion bars 4 make it possible, in particular, to displace suction plates 2 in the direction toward frame 6, and to displace them transversely to the longitudinal axis of torsion bar 4. It is therefore possible to adapt the shape to three-dimensional objects and components.

Frame 6 includes a plate 7, which is provided for connection to a handling system or a robotic arm or the like. Handling systems and robotic arms of this type have been commonplace in industrial manufacturing systems for a long time. They advantageously make it possible, in particular, to displace suction gripper 1 in the X and/or Y and/or Z direction. In addition, using available handling systems and/or robotic arms of this type, or the like, it is possible to realize a rotation around up to three axes of rotation (oriented orthogonally to each other), thereby resulting in a total of six degrees of freedom.

A roll-up gripper is depicted schematically in FIG. 3. Roll-up gripper 8 is rotatable around an axis of rotation 9. According to the present invention, roll-up gripper 8 also includes several and/or numerous suction plates 2, each of which includes four suction pockets 5 in the exemplary embodiment shown. Vacuum tubes 3 are intentionally not shown in FIG. 3, to keep the illustration simple. Accordingly, the depiction in FIG. 3 also does not show the depiction of a connection—as described above, for example—with a handling system or a robotic arm or the like.

With the aid of a roll-up gripper of this type, e.g., a particularly long component, such as a carbon fiber mat, may be rolled onto roll-up gripper 8, e.g., via rotation around axis of rotation 9.

To prevent deformation of the component or fiber mat when it is rolled up, roll-up gripper 8 is located, e.g., at a narrow end of the component, and related suction plate 2 or only individual suction pockets 5 are activated, so that the component is advantageously fixed in place on roll-up gripper 8. Next, the component may be advantageously rolled onto roll-up gripper 8 via rotation around axis of rotation 9 and via linear displacement of roll-up gripper 8 along the component.

With fiber mats or the like, through which a fluid or air may flow at least partially, it is feasible that the fiber mats may be placed on a single roll-up gripper 8 in several layers.

Using a roll-up gripper 8 of this type, long components and/or fiber mats, in particular, may be transported and placed in interim storage, if necessary, in a very space-saving manner.

FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of a related production line for limp components such as carbon fiber mats, etc. Rolls—carbon fiber rolls, in particular—are stored, e.g., in a roll paternoster 10 with an unrolling system. Using this unrolling system, the mats are unrolled such that they may be located on a cutting table 11.

On cutting table 11, the desired component or the desired shape are cut out or separated out, e.g., using a laser-cutting method, a punching method, or the like. The desired component is then gripped using a handling portal 12 with suction gripper 1 or a roll-up gripper 8, and it is transported separately from the roll or the waste, e.g., to a trimming store 13. The remainding material and/or waste from the fiber mat is pushed, e.g., into a waste container, although this is not depicted.

Using suction gripper 1, the component is transported from trimming store 13 to a moulding block 14. Moulding block 14 has a mould 15 with a three-dimensional or curved shape, for example.

In a vacuum station 16, the fiber mats are impregnated with resin. Moulding block 14 with the fiber mat and resin is then heated in an oven 17, and hardening takes place. At removal station 18, it is ensured that the resin has hardened completely. Using a handling portal 19 for the moulds, the hardened fiber mat is gripped separatedly using a suction gripper 1 and transported, e.g., to moulded-product storage 20. From this point forward, the component is processed further.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of methods and constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a method and transport device for transporting objects, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

Claims

1. A transport device for transporting objects, comprising a holding unit having a holding surface including a plurality of holding elements for holding the objects; and a central actuating unit configured for actuating and not actuating all said holding elements so as to realize a centrally actuated selection of said holding elements that is carried out as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a shape of an object to be held, dimensions of an object to be held, and both.

2. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding elements are configured as suction elements with a suction fluid to which a pressure is applicable, to hold the objects with suction.

3. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding surface is configured substantially as a planar holding surface, at least in a resting state.

4. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding device is configured substantially as a curved holding surface at least in a resting state.

5. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding surface is configured substantially as a cylindrical surface at least in a resting state.

6. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding elements are displaceable transversely to said holding surface; and further comprising at least one displacing unit for displacing said holding elements.

7. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said holding elements are displaceable transversley to said holding surface; and further comprising a separate displacing unit assigned to each of said holding elements.

8. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said central actuating unit is configured as an electronic control unit for controlling individual ones of said holding elements.

9. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said central actuating unit is configured to use electronic data for actuating said holding elements, and does not actuate those of said holding elements not to be actuated.

10. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said transport device is configured to transport an object, which is at least partly surrounded by a material remaining from an original piece.

11. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein the transport device is configured for transporting limp components.

12. A transport device as defined in claim 1, wherein said transport device is configured for transporting limp components which are carbon fiber mats.

13. A method for transporting objects, comprising the steps of holding objects by a plurality of holding elements included in a holding surface of a holding unit; actuating and not actuating all the holding elements by a central actuating unit; and realizing a centrally actuated selection of the holding elements that is carried out as a function of a parameter selected from the group consisting of a shape of an object to be held, dimensions of an object, and both.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein said holding includes holding at least one object which is separated from an original piece so that material remaining from the original piece encloses at least a portion of the object, said selecting including centrally actuated selecting the holding elements so as to enable the separated object to be transported away from a side where the separation was carried out, while the material remaining from the original piece remains at the side where the separation was carried out.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein said holding includes holding the at least one object which is separated from an original piece by cutting out.