Patent Application
20070158163
The invention relates to a separating mechanism for elongate parts, a system for conveying and separating elongate parts and a system for conveying, separating and orienting elongate parts, of the type outlined in the introductory parts of claims 1, 25 and 32.
Patent specification AT 408 730 B discloses a system for conveying and separating elongate parts from a part quantity from a conveyor mechanism extending transversely to their longitudinal extension, comprising a separating mechanism for the elongate parts disposed downstream of an inlet conveyor system in the conveying direction for a part quantity of elongate parts and a discharge system for the separated elongate parts adjoining it. The separating mechanism comprises at least two transport runs for the part quantities or individual elongate parts spaced at a distance apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction, which transport runs extend from the inlet conveyor system to the discharge conveyor system. The transport runs respectively comprise at least one driven, endlessly circulating conveyor element, in particular chain, driver elements disposed in the conveying direction in pairs at a distance one after the other in a plane extending transversely to the conveying direction, and extending in a more or less concave arrangement with respect to a horizontal conveyor plane so that each driver pair can separate the elongate parts from the part quantity.
The objective of the invention is to increase the throughput rate or discharge rate of separated and optionally correctly oriented elongate parts on a separating mechanism and propose a system for conveying, separating and optionally orienting elongate parts, as well as a separating mechanism and systems for conveying, separating and optionally orienting elongate parts which are distinctive due to their simple construction.
The objective of the invention is achieved on the basis of the features defined in the characterizing part of claim 1. The advantage of this approach is that the recessed groove of the driver elements passing alongside the randomly arranged elongate parts in the pick-up region enable the elongate parts to be removed particularly easily and carefully from the part quantity and each removed elongate part slides along guide surfaces inclined at an angle with respect to one another in the direction towards the groove base transversely to the longitudinal extension of the recessed groove until it lies with its external contour against the groove base so that the elongate part accommodated in the groove base, optionally separated, can be reliably conveyed. A particularly high throughput rate of assembly parts separated at the separating mechanism can be achieved by the invention due to the fact that the recessed groove corresponds to at least twice the maximum length of the elongate parts, which means that at least two elongate parts can be accommodated in one recessed groove one after the other in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the recessed groove.
The embodiment defined in claim 2 is also of advantage because the conveyor belt as such constitutes the driver elements, which significantly simplifies the construction of the separating mechanism as a whole.
The embodiment defined in claim 3 is also of advantage because if individual driver elements are damaged, only the individually damaged driver elements have to be replaced rather than having to change the entire conveyor element.
The embodiment defined in claim 4 is of advantage because a spacing gap between two driver elements disposed one after the other in the conveying direction remains constant both in the moving portions in which the row of driver elements disposed parallel one after the other are moved in a straight line and in the moving portions in which the driver elements disposed parallel one after the other are deflected, which reliably prevents the elongate parts from becoming stuck, especially when the driver elements move alongside the part quantity of randomly disposed elongate parts in the pick-up region. Furthermore, due to the short spacing gap, a large number of elongate parts can be conveyed even with a conveyor element of a shorter length.
The embodiment defined in claim 5 is of advantage because an elongate part is reliably prevented from becoming stuck in the spacing gap due to the uneven or waved contour of the mutually facing longitudinal edges of two successive driver elements, even if the minimum cross-sectional dimension of the elongate part is slightly smaller than the spacing gap and the conveyor element is deflected, as is the case in the pick-up region, especially in the driving portion. Accordingly, elongate parts with an extremely slim wall thickness can be separated and conveyed by the conveyor element without any difficulty.
The embodiments defined in claims 6 and 7 are also of advantage due to the fact that the strand of the conveyor element directed towards the pick-up region is divided into several portions fulfilling different functions, which enables the elongate parts to be reliably separated as they are conveyed from the pick-up region in the direction towards the discharge region. The driving portion advantageously curves in a concave arrangement where it faces the pick-up region, so that the elongate parts can be efficiently accommodated in the recessed grooves of the driver elements as they are moved past it.
As defined in claims 8 and 9, two elongate parts that are stuck to one another or have become hooked on or in one another in the area of the separation portion can be reliably separated.
As a result of the embodiments defined in claims 10 and 11, the elongate parts can firstly be automatically fed in the direction towards the driving portion solely due to the force of gravity acting on the part quantity of elongate parts in the pick-up region and, secondly, this approach makes it easier to introduce one or two elongate parts into the recessed groove of a driver element.
The embodiment defined in claim 12 is particularly well suited to elongate parts which have a tendency to become hooked with one another because the elongate parts merely slide along the inlet chute in the pick-up region, with their position essentially unchanged, in the direction towards the conveyor element but do not roll against one another.
However, the embodiment defined in claim 13 is also of advantage because the circulating motion of the conveyor element causes the elongate parts to automatically align with one another in a parallel position transversely to the conveying direction which is also suitable for onward conveyance, and the separation efficiency of the separating mechanism can be increased whilst keeping the circulation speed of the conveyor element constant.
The embodiment defined in claim 14 is of advantage because the driver elements moving alongside the part quantity of elongate parts in the region of the driving portion can be reliably supplied with elongate parts and on leaving the driving portion, elongate parts that have become hooked on one another are immediately returned from the separating region to the pick-up region.
Advantageous embodiments of the separating mechanisms are described in claims 15 and 16.
As defined in claim 17, even when the conveyor element is operating at higher circulation speeds, the drive elements connected to the conveyor element in motion are guaranteed to provide a reliable guiding action. Furthermore, even if there is a higher number of elongate parts in the pick-up region, the force of gravity acting on the conveyor element is dispersed via the drive elements to the guide tracks in the frame of the separating mechanism. As a result, any stress caused by high gravitational forces of the elongate parts will not lead to residual damage of the separating mechanism.
The embodiments defined in claims 18 to 21 are of advantage because the separated elongate parts accommodated in the recessed groove are positioned between the front and rear legs and even if separated elongate parts hooked with one another in the separating region drop down in the direction of the pick-up region, they are deflected away from the driver elements lying underneath by the deflector surface of the front leg so that elongate parts lying in position can not be carried along into the driver elements moved the underneath the separating region by the elongate parts as they drop down.
Also of advantage are the embodiments defined in claims 22 and 23, which ensure that only two separated elongate parts can ever accommodated in the recessed groove one after the other as viewed in the cross-sectional plane of the separating mechanism, but not one on top of the other. If two elongate parts are hooked on one another, they are firstly conveyed upwards from the driving portion above the recessed groove of the driver element but are automatically separated in the separating region due to the shift of the common center of gravity outside of the recessed groove in conjunction with the angled arrangement of the separating region and returned to the pick-up region.
Claim 24 describes an advantageous embodiment whereby the at least one elongate part fed to the recessed groove is centered by the guide surfaces extending at an angle towards one another.
The objective of the invention is also achieved on the basis of the features defined in the characterizing part of claim 25. The advantage of this approach is that due to the limited ratio of the number of elongate parts in the pick-up region between the first and second separating mechanism, the driver elements moving past the elongate parts piled up in the pick-up region loosen the piled-up elongate parts, thereby enabling the elongate parts to be easily removed from the pick-up region. As a result of the improved separation of the elongate parts in the driving portion already, the number of elongate parts separated in the separating region is significantly reduced, which means that a higher throughput rate of randomly fed individual elongate parts is achieved at the second separating mechanism than at the first separating mechanism. Loosening the elongate parts in the pick-up region means that the elongate parts are handled more gently as they are removed or separated from the pick-up region and conveyed along the device, even at a maximum throughput rate.
A particularly high throughput rate of assembly parts is achieved at the first separating mechanism as a result of claim 26, due to the fact that the width of the conveyor belt corresponds to at least twice the maximum length of the elongate parts.
Also of advantage is the embodiment defined in claim 27, whereby the elongate parts fed to the co-operating separating mechanism automatically slide in the direction towards the driving portion of the conveyor element due to gravitational force and the elongate parts are prevented from rolling off one another, which means that elongate parts that are particularly sensitive can be conveyed more gently.
The embodiments defined in claims 28 to 30 result in a compact mutual disposition of the first and second separating mechanism.
Also of advantage is the feature defined in claim 31, because only a part quantity of elongate parts is fed from the pick-region of the first separating mechanism to the second separating mechanism and this reduced part quantity of elongate parts in the pick-up region of the second separating mechanism can be easily separated. Accordingly, the elongate parts are already largely fed to the pick-up region of the second separating mechanism having already been separated. These pre-separated elongate parts are then able to fill a large number of recessed grooves of the driver elements moving past them, which results in an increased throughput rate.
Irrespective of the above, the objective is also achieved by the invention on the basis of the characterizing features defined in claim 32. The advantage of this approach is that the conveyor element responsible for conveying the elongate part simultaneously serves as an orienting element and the elongate part is automatically tipped about a longitudinal edge into a predefined position of readiness solely by the forward movement of the elongate part along the conveying and orienting element. This orienting mechanism is particularly suitable for elongate parts with a cross-section of an asymmetrical external contour and/or eccentric surface gravity. Accordingly, a force pulse acting transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor passage transmitted by a conveyor surface portion of the conveying and driving element causes the elongate part to tip about one of its longitudinal edges. In the case of elongate parts with an eccentric center of gravity, this force pulse is applied only briefly, which means that the conveying speed of the elongate part along the orienting mechanism can be increased, which in turn has a positive knock-on effect on the throughput rate. The forward movement of the elongate part is caused exclusively by a frictional connection between it and the conveying and orienting element.
Also of advantage are the embodiments defined in claims 33 to 48. In a preferred embodiment, the conveying and orienting element is formed by driven conveying and orienting rollers or two traction means endlessly circulating in the inlet and outlet region, by means of which the elongate parts can be reliably oriented in the predefined position of readiness. A deflector element is preferably provided respectively between the individual conveying, orienting and inlet rollers, thereby preventing an elongate part from moving out of line as it is conveyed along the chute-type conveying passage or the conveying, orienting and inlet rollers. The conveying, orienting and inlet rollers are also driven synchronously and in the same direction by means of only one common drive motor.
Finally, the embodiment defined in claim 49 is of advantage, whereby an elongate part that has been incorrectly positioned or is damaged is detected by the camera system and automatically gated out. As a result, only correctly positioned and undamaged elongate parts are fed to a buffer run downstream of the second discharge unit and following it an inlet conveyor system for an assembly and/or processing unit.
The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples of embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings.
Of these:
Firstly, it should be pointed out that the same parts described in the different embodiments are denoted by the same reference numbers and the same component names and the disclosures made throughout the description can be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts bearing the same reference numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positions chosen for the purposes of the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., relate to the drawing specifically being described and can be transposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another position is being described. Individual features or combinations of features from the different embodiments illustrated and described may be construed as independent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by the invention in their own right.
The inlet conveyor systems 10, 17, the discharge units 13, 15 and the buffer run 16 are respectively provided in the form of a linear conveyor, in particular a belt, band or chain conveyor 18, 19. These linear conveyors each have an endlessly circulating traction means such as a belt, band or chain, and a support frame 20. The traction means is guided around at least one rotatably mounted drive element and deflector element on the support frame 20. The drive element is coupled with a drive 21, for example an electric motor. The respective drive 21 is secured on the support frame 20.
In the embodiment illustrated, the first separating mechanism 11 disposed downstream of the first inlet conveyor system 10 in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9- and upstream of the second separating mechanism 12 in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—is provided in the form of an elevator conveyor and has a supply container 24 with a first inlet chute 25 and a belt conveyor with a frame 26. The belt conveyor projects into the supply container 24 or inlet chute 25 incorporating it by its bottom end and comprises at least one roller-type pulley block 27 and an endlessly circulating conveyor belt 30 or conveyor element coupled with a drive 28 and guided by a roller-type drive roller. On a width face directed towards the inlet chute 25, this conveyor belt 30 is provided with driver elements 31 extending in a conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—running transversely to the longitudinal extension of the elongate parts 2 and disposed adjacent to and offset from one another in two rows in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9. The driver elements 31 lying respectively one after the other in a row in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—are spaced at a distance apart from one another, dimensioned so that approximately one to five elongate parts 2 can be accommodated one after the other transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt 30 between two consecutive driver elements 31. The mutually parallel driver elements 31 each have a length which approximately corresponds to a maximum length 32 of the elongate part 2 (as illustrated in
In another embodiment, the driver elements 31 spaced one apart from the other in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—extend essentially parallel across an entire width 33 of the conveyor belt 30 and the length of these driver elements 31 approximately corresponds to twice the maximum length 32 of the elongate part 2.
Disposed transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt 30, the driver elements 31 of both embodiments are provided in the form of transverse bars which project vertically on the width side by a height more or less corresponding to a maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2 (as may be seen from the enlarged diagram of the elongate part 2 shown in
The inlet chute 25 has a chute base 37 extending down at an angle in the direction towards the conveyor belt 30 and two upright chute side walls 38 disposed at an angle to it. The conveyor belt 30 of the belt conveyors, the inclined chute base 37 and the two essentially parallel chute side walls 38 spaced at a distance apart from one another bound a pick-up region 39 with an approximately V-shaped cross-section. A quantity of randomly disposed elongate parts 2 have accumulated in the pick-up region 39.
As may be seen from
The supply container 24 in the first pick-up region 39 is equipped with at least one monitoring element 42 in the form of a sensor, for example a photoelectric barrier, an electromagnetic proximity switch or similar, to monitor a filling level in the pick-up region 39. A brief description will be given below of how the first pick-up region 39 is automatically topped up with elongate parts 2.
The elongate parts 2 are delivered to the first inlet conveyor system 10 from supply containers, for example, which are positioned by a Driverless Transport System (DTS) or manually. The elongate parts 2 are picked up and removed from the supply containers by means of a grip, for example, which might be a magnetic grip in the case of metal elongate parts 2 or jaw grips in the case of non-metal elongate parts 2, for example plastic, deposited at a set-down point on the belt conveyor 18 or are emptied out of the supply container directly onto the belt conveyor 18 and then intermittently conveyed to the pick-up region 39. If there is a drop below the desired filling level in the pick-up region 39 of the first separating mechanism 11, the belt conveyor 18 is driven in such a way that elongate parts 2 are delivered to the pick-up region 39 in a random arrangement until the desired filling level is reached or slightly exceeded in the pick-up region 39, after which the belt conveyor 18 is switched off again. This being the case, the elongate parts 2 drop from the belt conveyor 18 onto the inclined chute base 37 and slide in the direction towards the conveyor belt 30 of the first separating mechanism 11 and fill the pick-up region 39 to at least the desired filling level.
As may be seen from
The inlet chute 45 illustrated in
The part quantity or pre-separated elongate parts 2 from the first separating mechanism 11 drop from the belt conveyor of the first separating mechanism 11 onto the chute base 49 and automatically slide along it in the direction towards the conveyor element 47 and are conveyed by the driven conveyor element 47 from the second pick-up region 41 to a discharge region 51, in particular an ejection point, disposed above the pick-up region 41.
The frame 48 comprises two essentially identical side parts 52 spaced at a distance apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9- and several cross-members 53 connecting them. The second separating mechanism 12 is releasably connected to the base frame 6 by means of coupling and connecting elements disposed between the frame 48 and the sections 5 of the base frame 6, for example screw connections, centering bolts and similar.
As may be seen by turning to FIGS. 3 to 5, the second separating mechanism 12 has two endlessly circulating drive elements 54 spaced at a distance apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—by a distance more or less corresponding to the width of the conveyor element 47 and the conveyor element 47 coupled with them in displacement, as well as a drive 55, for example an electric motor. The drive elements 54 disposed on either side of the conveyor element 47 are provided in the form of a traction means, such as a drive chain, a belt, a cogged belt or similar, for example, and are driven in synchronization. In the embodiment illustrated as an example here, the two drive elements 54 are guided respectively by means of at least one pulley block 56 and drive wheel 57 mounted at each of the side parts 52. The pulley blocks 56 are mounted so as to be freely rotatable, whilst the synchronously driven drive wheels 56 are non-rotatably coupled with one another by a common drive shaft 58. The drive wheels 56 are coupled with one another by means of at least one drive 55.
The drive shaft 58 is coupled with the drive 55 by means of a traction drive. This traction drive has a drive wheel 59 coupled with the drive 55 and a pulley block 60 flange-mounted at the free end of the drive shaft 58, as well as a traction means 61 guided around the drive and pulley block 59, 60, in particular a chain, a cogged belt or similar. The traction drive is covered by a protective housing 62.
The pairs of axially parallel pulley blocks 56 and drive wheels 57 are spaced apart by a vertical distance 63 so that the discharge region 51 above the pick-up region 41, which is at a lower level, and the elongate parts 2 are conveyed by the conveyor element 47 against the effect of gravitational force from the pick-up region 41 to the higher discharge region 51.
As may be seen by comparing
A lateral guide of every drive element 54, in particular a roller chain, is provided by means of the link plates 72 of every chain link 70 projecting laterally from the plate segments 67, 68. To ensure that the drive element 54 is not damaged as it is pulled through the slide track 65, an inlet region of the slide track 65 adjacent to the chute base 49 and the pulley block 56 is of an essentially conical design, the guide surfaces 66 of which taper to the width 73 in the direction of an outlet region lying opposite the inlet region in the feed direction of the drive element 54. By means of the conically tapered inlet region of the slide track 65 in the feed direction of the drive element 54, the drive element 54 can be automatically centered with respect to the slide track 65 as it is pulled through the slide track 65.
The first guide surface 66 of the first plate segment 67 disposed on the internal face of the drive element 54 lying opposite the pick-up region 41 projects out from the first end face 74 formed at the inlet region and extends between the first end face 74 and an engagement surface 75 of the pulley block 56 for the drive element 54, constituting the convexly curved arcuate surface directed towards the pick-up region 41. In this preferred embodiment, the pulley block 56 is provided in the form of a sprocket wheel and the engagement surface 75 is provided in the form of external toothing.
For practical purposes, an outlet region of the slide track 65 farther away from the chute base 49 and the pulley block 56 is of an essentially conical design and its guide surfaces 66 diverge in the direction of a second end face 76 lying opposite the first end face 74 in the feed direction of the drive element 54. Between the inlet and outlet region, the guide surfaces 66 expediently run parallel with one another. The guide surfaces 66 extending between the first end face 74 in the inlet region and a second end face 76 in the outlet region therefore run in a concavely curved arcuate surface directed towards the pick-up region 41.
Starting from the second end face 76 in the outlet region, the guide surface 66 directed towards the pick-up region 41 runs in a straight line in the direction towards the free end of the first plate segment 67. The second plate segment 68 adjacent to the pick-up region 41 bounds a length of the slide track 65 by means of its parallel end faces 74, 76 and the slide track 65 is disposed across only a part length of the strand of the respective drive element 54 guided by it.
As may also be seen from
What, in particular, is a return strand 80 of every drive element 54, in particular the roller chain, disposed between the pulley block and wheel 56, 57 lying opposite the pick-up region 41 is guided on a convexly curved guide surface 81 of a support plate 82 secured to the frame 58, in particular to the respective side parts 52, directed towards the pick-up region 41. The drive element 54 is supported on the guide surface 81 of the respective support plate 82 by means of its link plates 72.
As may also be seen from
The drive elements 54, synchronously drive in the feed direction—indicated by arrow 84- and the driver elements 46 displacingly coupled with the individual chain links 70 are guided so that they follow the course of the guide surfaces 66, 77, 81 along a displacement path and are deflected at the pulley block and wheel 56, 57 and at the slide track 65. Accordingly, the same movement is imparted to the conveyor element 47 as the drive elements 54 disposed on either side of the conveyor element 47.
As illustrated in
In the driving portion 85, the driver elements 46 move past individual elongate parts 2 of the elongate parts 2 pre-separated from the part quantity building up in the pick-up region 41 and the latter are picked up in a recessed groove 90 with an approximately trapezoidal cross-section, which will be described in more detail below, and conveyed upwards to the discharge region 51.
The inclined separating region 86 is provided for the situation where two or more elongate parts 2 are stuck together and/or become hooked in one another, as can easily happen if the elongate parts 2 have an asymmetrical part geometry as illustrated in
The discharge portion 87 disposed immediately downstream in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—essentially extends in a straight line across wide parts and parallel with the horizontal plane 79. The discharge region 51 is disposed in the deflecting region of the conveyor element 47, from which the separated elongate parts 2 are delivered via a drop shaft 91 to the first discharge unit 13.
As also illustrated in
As illustrated on a larger scale in
FIGS. 10 to 12, which will be described together, are views in cross-section illustrating different embodiments of the driver elements 46 of the conveyor element 47, the driver element 46 of the embodiment illustrated in
The recessed groove 90 has a length corresponding to at least twice the maximum length 32 of the elongate part 2. Consequently, at least two elongate parts 2 can be accommodated in the recessed groove 90 of a driver element 46 one after the other in its longitudinal extension. Alternatively, the length of the recessed groove 90 may correspond to a multiple of the maximum length 32 of the elongate parts 2, in which case three or four elongate parts 2 can be accommodated one after the other in its longitudinal extension.
Every driver element 46 of the conveyor element 47 has an approximately C-shaped cross-section, a base 107 adjacent to the drive elements 54 or drive chains base 107 and two legs 108 extending out from the base 107.
The driver element 46, in particular the first and second legs 108, form narrow sides 109 lying opposite one another in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9- and extending at an angle towards one another, which diverge starting from the free ends of the first and second legs 108 in the direction towards the mounting surface 103. The advantage of this design is that even when using small pulley blocks for the conveyor element 47, the driver elements 46 disposed one after the other in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—do not collide with one another.
The front first leg 108 in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—projects in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—with its free end beyond the rear second leg 108 and forms a deflector surface 110 at its free end, inclined towards the groove base 104. The groove base 104 and the deflector surface 110 subtend an angle of less than 90°, in particular between 10° and 60°, for example 30°.
A minimum depth 111 of the recessed groove 90 is at least slightly bigger than a maximum normal distance 112 measured between the groove base 104 and a surface center of gravity 113 of the individual elongate part lying in the cross-sectional planes. A maximum depth 111 of the recessed groove 90 more or less corresponds to the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2. A minimum width 114 of the recessed groove 90 is at least slightly bigger than a maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2 and/or more or less corresponds to the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2. However, a maximum width 114 of the recessed groove 90 is smaller than twice the minimum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2. These dimensions ensure that the recessed groove 90 of a driver element 46 always accommodates only a single elongate part 2 ever, as viewed in the cross-sectional plane. Solely due to the geometry of the recessed groove 90 as the driver elements 46 move past the randomly arranged elongate parts 2 in the pick-up region 41, only a single elongate part 2 is usually picked up from the part quantity, resulting in optimum separation at a simultaneously high removal rate of separated elongate parts 2 at the second separating mechanism 12.
The structure of the driver element 46 illustrated in
The inlet chute 45 in turn comprises the chute base 49 downwardly inclined in the direction towards the conveyor element 47 and two upright chute side walls 50 extending at an angle. The conveyor element 47, the inclined chute base 49 and the two mutually parallel chute side walls 50 spaced at a distance apart from one another bound the second pick-up region 41 with a more or less V-shaped cross-section. A strand, in particular a pulled strand, of the conveyor element 47 adjacent to the pick-up region 41 and extending between it and the discharge region 51 is divided into the driving portion 85, the separating region 86 and the discharge portion 87. In this embodiment, the driving portion 85 is formed as an extension of the separating region 86 and runs in an essentially straight line and the angle of inclination 88 subtended with the horizontal plane 79 indicated by a broken line is less than 90°, preferably between 60° and 85°, in particular between 70° and 80°, for example 75°. The discharge portion 87 disposed immediately after the separating region 86 in the in conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—extends in a straight line across wide parts and parallel with the horizontal plane 79. The discharge region for the separated elongate parts 2 is disposed in the deflecting region of the conveyor element 47.
Again in this embodiment, the conveyor element 47 is displacingly coupled with drive elements 54 disposed on either side of it, in particular drive chains, drive belts etc. Each of the two drive elements 54 or each of the two drive chains is in turn supported on guide surfaces 66, 78, not illustrated, on a first and third plate segment 67, 77, and in particular the rollers 71 of the drive chain roll on the guide surfaces 66, 78. The guide surface 66 directed towards the pick-up region 41 extends in a straight line or flat and at an angle with respect to the horizontal plane 79. The structure and function of the second separating mechanism 12 was described above in detail and this part of the description may be applied to this embodiment.
The recessed groove 90 is bounded by the groove base 104 and the guide surfaces 105 extending at an angle with respect to one another and the planes of the two guide surfaces 105 subtend the angle 106 which is smaller than 90°. The angle 106 is between 20° and 60° in particular, for example 30°.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The pulled strand of the conveyor element 47 adjacent to the pick-up region 41 and extending between it and the discharge region 51 is divided into the driving portion 85, separating region 86 and discharge portion 87. In this embodiment, the driving portion 85 is disposed in an essentially straight line in the extension of the separating region 86 and the angle of inclination 88 with respect to the horizontal plane 79 is less than 90°, preferably between 60° and 85°, in particular between 70° and 80°, for example 75°. The discharge portion 87 downstream adjacent to the separating region 86 extends across large parts in an essentially straight line and parallel with the horizontal plane 79. Alternatively, as is the case with the drawings described above, the driving portion 85 may also be provided with a concavely curved, in particular arcuate design directed towards the pick-up region 41.
A brief description will be given below, explaining how the elongate parts 2 are conveyed from the second separating mechanism 12 to the first discharge unit 13. The part quantity of randomly arranged elongate parts 2 intermittently conveyed from the first separating mechanism 11 into the pick-up region 41 of the second separating mechanism 12 is essentially totally separated into individual elongate parts 2 by the second separating mechanism and delivered via the drop shaft 91 to the first discharge unit disposed downstream in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9. As illustrated in
The separated elongate parts 2 conveyed upwards at the discharge region 51 drop down onto the conveyor belt of the first discharge unit 13 and are conveyed to the orienting mechanism 14 for the separated elongate parts 2 disposed downstream in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9.
FIGS. 15 to 17, which will be described together, are highly simplified diagrams illustrating different views of a part region of the first and second discharge units 13, 15 and the orienting mechanism 14 disposed between them. The first discharge unit 13 is disposed upstream of the orienting mechanism 14 as viewed in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—whilst the second discharge unit 15 is disposed downstream of the orienting mechanism 14. The two discharge units 13, 15 comprise the belt conveyors 19 described above and are supported on a standing surface 8, not illustrated, by means of a support frame 20. A conveying direction indicated by arrow 9—extends alongside the orienting mechanism 14, parallel with the longitudinal extension of the elongate parts 2.
The orienting mechanism 14 comprises a frame 118 and at least one driveable conveying and orienting element. The frame 118 is mounted on a support frame 121 made from sections 120 and has two vertically projecting side frame parts 122 disposed at a distance apart from one another transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—of the elongate parts 2 and a support plate 123 connected to them. To retain clarity in
The conveying and orienting element forms a shaft-type conveyor passage 124, the crosssectional dimension of which becomes smaller staring from an inlet region 125 in the direction towards an outlet region 126. The conveyor passage 124 is bounded by two conveyor surface portions 128 tapering in the direction towards a vertical longitudinal mid-plane 127 of the conveyor passage 124 extending between the parallel side frame parts 122.
In this preferred embodiment, the conveying and orienting element is provided in the form of a plurality of conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 disposed at a distance 131 apart from one another in a horizontal plane between the inlet region 125 disposed closer to the first discharge unit 13 and the outlet region 126 disposed closer to the second discharge unit 15. Also disposed in the inlet region 125 upstream of the first conveying and orienting roller 129 in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—is at least one inlet roller 132. The conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 as well as the inlet roller 132 are each mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 133 oriented perpendicular to the side frame parts 122 and each has a radially extending narrow region 134 bounded by the conveyor surface portions 128 in a mid-portion by reference to their longitudinal extension. The conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 are rotationally symmetrical by reference to the rotation axis 133 and have the shape of an egg timer and are preferably made from plastic. By preference, there are four conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 in the inlet region 125 and five in the outlet region 126. The inlet roller 132 is preferably also made from plastic.
The narrow region 134 in this embodiment is bounded by a concavely rounded conveyor surface 135 made up of the conveyor surface portions 128 disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal mid-plane 127 and forms an approximately U-shaped or semi-circular contour. In particular, the conveyor surface 135 of the conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 is provided in the shape of a semi-circular arc. This being the case, a radius 136 of the conveyor surface 135 or concavely rounded narrow region 134 in the conveying and orienting rollers 129 in the inlet region 125 is bigger than a radius 137 of the conveyor surface 135 or concavely rounded narrow region 134 in the conveying and orienting rollers 130 in the outlet region 126. The radius 136 of the narrow region 134 of the conveying and orienting rollers 129 in the inlet region 125 expediently more or less corresponds to the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2, at most 0.8-times to 1.3-times the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2. The radius 137 of the narrow region 134 of the conveying and orienting rollers 130 in the outlet region 126 is expediently smaller than the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2 and is at most 0.5-times to 0.8-times the maximum cross-sectional dimension 34 of the elongate part 2. The conveyor surface 135 of the inlet roller 132 has the shape of a hyperbola or is concavely rounded and a radius of curvature or a radius 138 of the narrow region 134 is bigger than the radius 136, 137 of the conveying and orienting rollers 129, 130 disposed in the inlet and outlet region 125, 126.
In another embodiment of the narrow region 134 in the conveying and orienting roller 129, 130 schematically illustrated in
The radius 136 or angle 139 of the narrow region 134 on all conveying and orienting rollers 129 in the inlet region 125 is identical. Likewise, the radius 137 or angle 139 of the narrow region 134 on all conveying and orienting rollers 130 in the outlet region 126 is identical. The conveyor surface 135 forms an external surface and the contoured narrow region 134 is disposed in the external surface. The cross-sectional dimension of the conveyor passage 124 is respectively bounded by the conveyor surface 135 of the conveying, orienting and inlet rollers 129, 130, 132 in the inlet and outlet region 125, 126.
As illustrated in
As illustrated more clearly in
A horizontal conveying plane of the orienting mechanism 14 intersecting the apex of the arcuate conveyor surfaces 135 or extending at a tangent to the transition region 140 is disposed flush with the conveying planes of the two discharge units 13, 15.
The individual conveying, orienting and inlet rollers, 129, 130, 132 are coupled via a drive mechanism with at least one drive motor 147. The drive mechanism in this embodiment is provided in the form of a gear, in particular a toothed gear. The conveying, orienting and inlet rollers 129, 130, 132 are drivingly inter-connected by means of driven and driving gears 144, 145 and are drivingly connected via a central drive wheel 146 to the drive motor 147. The drive wheel 146 and the gears 144, 145 are provided in the form of mutually meshing gears. Naturally, gears of any type may be used, such as traction gears, chain gears and similar, for example.
As may be seen from the plan view illustrated in
In another embodiment of the drive mechanism or gear, not illustrated, a belt gear is provided. In this instance, a drive roller is rigidly connected to every conveying, orienting and inlet roller 129, 130, 132, in particular is integrally formed therewith, which is separate from the narrow region 134 and has a radially extending recessed groove. A belt is guided in the groove. In the region between two adjacently lying drive rollers of the conveying, orienting and inlet rollers 129, 130, 132, the belt is deflected outwards by a contact roller and drive rollers and surrounds them at an angle of approximately 20°. The belt is driven by the drive wheel 146 coupled with the drive motor 147 and fed around the drive rollers. The conveying, orienting and inlet rollers 129, 130, 132 are thus drivingly connected to one another and to the drive wheel 146 by means of the belt.
In another embodiment of the conveying and orienting element, not illustrated, it has at least two endlessly circulating traction means, in particular belts. The first traction means is disposed in the inlet region 125 and the second traction means is disposed in the outlet region 126 and they form a conveyor surface 135 comprising at least two lateral conveyor surface portions 128 symmetrically inclined towards one another with respect to the longitudinal mid-plane 127 and a base-side conveyor surface portion 128 extending between them. As viewed in the cross-sectional plane extending transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—the two lateral conveyor surface portions 128 facing one another diverge from the bottom up respectively at an angle of 60 with respect to the longitudinal mid-plane 127 in the inlet region 125 and at an angle of 45 with respect to the longitudinal mid-plane 127 in the outlet region 126, so that the conveyor passage 124 has an approximately trapezoidally shaped cross-section and the cross-sectional dimension in the inlet region 125 is bigger than the cross-sectional dimension in the outlet region 126. The longitudinal mid-plane 127 constitutes the angle bisection of the angle subtended by the two lateral conveyor surface portions 128. The cross-sectional dimension is expediently continuously constant across the length of the inlet and outlet region 125, 126. In the inlet region 125, the cross-sectional dimension is bigger than the cross-sectional dimension in the outlet region 126. The traction means are driven synchronously and in the same direction.
Alternatively, the conveying and orienting element may also be provided in the form of endlessly circulating traction means, such as belts, lying opposite one another at a distance apart, transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—in the inlet and outlet region 125, 126 respectively, which at least partially form the lateral conveyor surface portions 128 with their belt surfaces directed towards the conveyor passage 124 and are synchronously driven. The base-side conveyor surface portion 128 in this embodiment is provided in the form of a third traction means, in particular a belt, which extends across a width corresponding to the distance between the lateral conveyor surface portions 128 and across the length of the conveyor passage 124 with the trapezoidal cross-section. All the traction means are driven synchronously and in the same direction.
The conveyor passage 124 is bounded by the lateral conveyor surface portions 128 of the pairs of traction means symmetrically inclined with respect to the longitudinal mid-plane 127 in the inlet and outlet region 125, 126 and a base-side conveyor surface portion 128, and the lateral conveyor surface portions 128 are flat or concave facing the conveyor passage 124 and the base-side, essentially horizontal conveyor surface portion 128 is concavely rounded or flat.
The way in which the orienting mechanism 14 operates will now be described below. Once the elongate parts 2 have been conveyed out of the second separating mechanism 12 to the first discharge unit 13, they are delivered to the orienting mechanism 14.
The orienting mechanism 14 proposed by the invention is based on the knowledge that the individual elongate part 2 with an asymmetrical external contour and eccentrically lying center of gravity tips slightly about a longitudinal edge parallel with the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9- and remains in a predefined position of readiness. The tilting effect about the longitudinal edge of the elongate part 2 is reliably produced by the conveyor surface 135.
As illustrated in the drawings, the asymmetrical elongate part 2 has on one of its side faces two arms spaced at a distance apart from one another in its longitudinal extension and laterally projecting from a base body. If the elongate part 2 is delivered to the orienting mechanism 14 incorrectly positioned in terms of its position of readiness, it is automatically tipped about its longitudinal edge lying opposite the arms into the correctly oriented position of readiness with respect to the position of its center of gravity as it is fed forward in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—by means of the projecting arms running on a conveyor surface portion 128 of the conveyor surface 135. The separated and correctly oriented elongate part 2 is then delivered to the second discharge unit 15 disposed downstream in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9.
By contrast, when the separated elongate part 2 is transferred from the first discharge unit 13 of the orienting mechanism 14 in the correctly oriented, predefined position of readiness, the correctly oriented elongate part 2 is gated through the orienting mechanism 14 unchanged and is conveyed in the correct position by reference to the center of gravity of the elongate part 2 to the second discharge unit 15.
Correctly oriented in its gravitational position, the elongate part 2 is fed way from the orienting mechanism via the other discharge unit 15. As illustrated in the block diagram of
If an elongate part 2 fed past the camera system 153 is not correctly oriented, in particular the front and rear ends are turned by 180°, this incorrectly oriented elongate part 2 is gated out at the gating-out device and conveyed via a chute 155 extending between the discharge unit 15 and the first separating mechanism 11 into the pick-up region 39 or the inlet chute 25 of the first separating mechanism 11. Consequently, elongate parts 2 that have been separated and which are in the correct gravitational and spatial position meeting the sorting criteria are fed to the buffer run 16 disposed downstream of the second discharge unit 15 in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9. The individual elongate part 2 is also picked up by a first handling device 156 disposed in the end region of the buffer run 16 remote from the discharge unit 15 and transferred in essentially the correct position to a second handling device 157, after which it is in turn placed on the second inlet conveyor system 17 and conveyed to a removal position at its end lying opposite the second handling device 157. The elongate part 2 is then picked up at the removal position by a gripper of the assembly and processing unit 3 and delivered to an assembly process for assembling a component, for example.
The layout of this system 1 differs from that of the embodiments described above solely due to the design and layout of the separating mechanisms 11′, 12′. The two separating mechanisms 11′, 12′ respectively have a frame 160 comprising two side parts 159 extending transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—spaced at a distance apart from one another and the frame 160 is preferably releasably connected to the base frame 6 supported on a standing surface 8.
The separating mechanisms 11′ and 12′ for conveying and separating elongate parts 2 from a part quantity are disposed one after the other in a row in the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—extending transversely to their longitudinal extension and the discharge portion 87 of the conveyor element 47 of the first separating mechanism 11′ extends as far as a pick-up region 41′ of the second separating mechanism 12′.
The elongate parts 2 in this instance are deposited at the dispatch point on the belt conveyor 18 as a quantity of goods and conveyed along it in the direction towards the pick-up region 39′ and in the pick-up region 39′ drop down onto the conveyor element 47 of the first separating mechanism 11′. As explained in detail above in connection with
The two side parts 159 are respectively equipped with a plate segment, not illustrated, extending between the two horizontally spaced pulley blocks 56 facing the pick-up region 39′, which forms a slide track across at least a part-length of the drive element 54, in particular in the form of a slot, for guiding the respective drive element 54 along it.
The pick-up region 39′, 41′ is respectively formed by the first strand of the conveyor element 47 directed towards it and extends across a part-portion 161 or part-length of the first strand, and the pick-up region 39′, 41′ or the part-portion has a concave, in particular arcuate contour facing a horizontal plane 79 lying above the pick-up region 39′, 42′. The pick-up region 39′, 41′ therefore has a tub-shaped cross-sectional contour.
The pick-up region 39′, 42′ lies underneath the separating and discharge portion 86, 87 and extends into the driving portion 85. As viewed in the cross-sectional plane, the pick-up region 39′, 42′ is essentially formed by a circle segment or bounded by a circle segment, the chord 162 of which intersects the driving portion 85 and extends essentially parallel with or inclined at an angle to the horizontal plane 79 extending above the pick-up region 39′, 42′ and a center point angle 163 is between 50° and 90°, for example 60°. A radius 164 of the concave part-portion of the conveyor element 47 of the circle segment of the first separating mechanism 11′ is bigger than the radius of the concave part-portion of the conveyor element 47 or circle segment of the second separating mechanism 12′. The radius 164 of the concave part-portion of the conveyor element 47 of the first separating mechanism 11′ is approximately 1.2-times to 1.5-times, in particular 1.4-times the radius 164 of the concave part-portion of the conveyor element 47 of the second separating mechanism 12′. The radius 164 of the concave part-portion of the conveyor element 47 of the second separating mechanism 12′ is approximately 1.1-times to 1.4-times, in particular 1.2-times the maximum length 32 of the elongate part 2. The advantage of the latter is that it is firstly conductive to orienting the elongate parts 2 in the pick-up region 42′ in a position essentially parallel with the longitudinal extension of the driver elements 46 and secondly, prevents the elongate parts 2 from becoming jammed in the pick-up region 42′. The length 32 of the elongate parts 2 is between approximately 60 mm and 350 mm, in particular 100 mm and 300 mm, for example 260 mm. Side walls are provided on either side of the endless conveyor element 47, although these are not illustrated, laterally bounding the pick-up region 39′, 41′.
The driven, circulating conveyor element 47 picks up individual elongate parts 2 from the part quantity of elongate parts 2 in the pick-up region 39′, 41′ with its driver elements 46 in the recessed groove 90 and conveys them from the driving portion 85 extending into the pick-up region 39′, 41′ in the direction of the discharge portion 87. If several elongate parts 2 become hooked in one another, they are separated out in the separating region 86 due to the shift of the common center of gravity outside of the recessed groove 90 and returned to the pick-up region 39′, 41′, as described above.
The strand of the conveyor element 47 extending adjacent to the pick-up region 41 and between it and the discharge region 51, in particular the pulled strand, is divided into a more or less concavely curved driving portion 85, the separating region 86 and the discharge portion 87 directed towards the pick-up region 39′, 41′. The discharge portion 87 extends across wide parts in an essentially straight line and parallel with the horizontal plane 79, whilst the separating region 86 is of an inclined and straight design, as described above in connection with the preceding drawings.
To ensure optimum separation efficiency at the second separating mechanism 12′, a ratio of the number of elongate parts 2 in the pick-up region 39′, 41′ between the first and second separating mechanism 11′, 12′ is approximately up to 10:1, in particular 5:1. The filling volume of the first and second pick-up region 39′, 41′ is therefore bounded by the circle segment. The filling status in the pick-up regions 39′, 41′ in the first and second separating mechanism 11′, 12′ is respectively monitored by one or two monitoring elements 42, 116 in the form of sensors disposed in the pick-up region 39′, 41′, as described above. The sensor or sensors of the pick-up regions 39′, 41′ are disposed on a level with the chord 162. The elongate parts 2 are intermittently delivered to the pick-up region 39′, 41′ by the first inlet conveyor system 10 on the one hand and the first separating mechanism 11′ on the other. As soon as the desired filling level is reached in the pick-up region 41′, the delivery of elongate parts 2 from the first separating mechanism 11′ is interrupted by switching off the first separating mechanism 11′. Likewise, the first inlet conveyor system 10 is switched off as soon as the desired filling level is reached in the pick-up region 39′.
As may be seen from
The chord 162 extends inclined at an angle with respect to the horizontal plane 79 running above the pick-up region 39′, 41′ and has a center point angle 163 of between 90° and 140°, for example 120°. Rotatably mounted on the side parts 159 lying opposite one another at a distance apart transversely to the conveying direction—indicated by arrow 9—are at least a drive wheel 57 and the pulley blocks 56, the two drive wheels 57 being driven in synchronization, in particular being coupled by a common drive shaft 58, not illustrated.
In the embodiment illustrated in
As may also be seen from
The geometry of the conveyor element 47 will depend on the structural design of the elongate parts 2 and the separating mechanisms 11, 11′, 12, 12′ may be individually adapted to the type of elongate part 2 so that maximum separation performance can be achieved at the second separating mechanism 12, 12′.
Finally, it should be pointed out that any combination of the separating mechanisms 11, 11′, 12, 12′ with one another is possible and they may also be disposed in any orientation with respect to one another. It has also proved to be of practical advantage if the transport speed of the elongate parts 2 along the system 1, starting from the first inlet conveyor system 10, first and second separating mechanism 11, 11′, 12, 12′, first discharge unit 13, orienting mechanism 14, second discharge unit 15, buffer run 16 through to the second inlet conveyor system 17, is respectively increased by the factor of between 1.05 and 1.1.
The examples of embodiments are intended to illustrate possible variants of the system 1 with its separating mechanisms 11, 11′, 12, 12′, and it should be pointed out at this stage that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments specifically illustrated, and instead the individual design variants may be used in different combinations with one another and these possible variations lie within the reach of the person skilled in this technical field given the disclosed technical teaching. Accordingly, all conceivable design variants which can be obtained by combining individual details of the design variants described and illustrated are possible and fall within the scope of the invention.
For the sake of good order, finally, it should be pointed out that in order to provide a clearer understanding of the structure of the system 1 and separating mechanism 11, 11′, 12, 12, they and their constituent parts are illustrated to a certain extent out of scale and/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.
List of reference numbers
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 2016/2003 | Dec 2003 | AT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AT04/00430 | 12/6/2004 | WO | 1/3/2007 |
