TRANSPORT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POSITION MONITORING

Abstract

A transport device for transporting workpieces which preferably consist, at least in part, of wood, wood materials, plastics material, or the like, comprises, according to this application, a transport apparatus which is configured such that it can move along a first direction, and wherein the transport apparatus comprises a marking which comprises a pattern along the first direction.

Claims

1. Transport device for transporting workpieces, wherein the transport device comprises at least one transport apparatus which is configured such that it can move along a first direction, and wherein the transport apparatus comprises a marking which comprises a pattern along the first direction.

2. Transport device according to claim 1, wherein the transport apparatus can receive and transport a workpiece.

3. Transport device according to claim 1, wherein the marking is an optical marking, a metal marking, an inductive marking, or a magnetic marking.

4. Transport device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is an incremental scale.

5. Transport device according to claim 1, wherein the marking is arranged on a lateral surface of the transport means.

6. Transport device according to claim 1, comprising at least one transport apparatus which does not comprise any marking.

7. Transport device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of transport means, and wherein the transport apparatuses are annularly interconnected.

8. Transport device according to claim 1, comprising a sensor device for reading out the marking.

9. Transport device according to claim 8, wherein the transport apparatus is configured such that it moves along the first direction relative to the sensor device.

10. Transport device according to claim 8, wherein the sensor device is configured such that it can also move along a part of a path travelled by the transport means.

11. Method for determining a position of a transport apparatus along the first direction, wherein the method comprises the following steps: reading out a region of the marking of a transport device according to claim 1, processing an item of information which is obtained from the reading out, storing the processed information, comparing a processed item of information with stored information, determining a change of a current position with respect to a previous position on the basis of the comparison and stored information.

12. Method for determining the position of a transport apparatus along a first direction according to claim 11, wherein the stored information comprises an item of information relating to the pattern of the marking.

13. (canceled)

14. Method for determining the position of a transport apparatus along a first direction according to claim 11, wherein the stored information comprises an item of information relating to the position of a transport apparatus prior to reading out the marking of the transport means.

15. Method for determining the position of a transport apparatus along a first direction according to claim 11, wherein a current position, with respect to a fixed reference point, is determined on the basis of the comparison of the change in a current position.

16. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device, comprising a step of determining a spacing between a reference point of a marking of a transport means, and a reference point of a workpiece.

17. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, wherein the spacing in the first direction is measured.

18. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, wherein the reference point of the marking is positioned at a front end of the marking, in the first direction.

19. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, wherein the reference point of the workpiece is positioned at a front end of the workpiece, in the first direction.

20. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, comprising a step of determining the position of the reference point of the workpiece with respect to a reference point of the transport device.

21. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, wherein the transport device is a transport device according to claim 1.

22. Method for determining the position of a workpiece in a transport device according to claim 16, wherein the determination of the position of the reference point of the marking relative to the transport device comprises a method to claim 11.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0074] FIG. 1 is an overview of a transport device for a workpiece according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention;

[0075] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transport apparatus according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention;

[0076] FIG. 3A shows an incremental pattern, by way of example, according to an embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention.

[0077] FIG. 3B shows an incremental scale, by way of example, according to an embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention.

[0078] FIG. 3C shows a further incremental scale, by way of example, according to a further embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention.

[0079] FIG. 3D shows an alternative embodiment of an incremental pattern or scale.

[0080] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a determination method of a position means along the first direction, according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0081] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0082] FIG. 1 is an overview of a transport device 100 for a workpiece according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention.

[0083] FIG. 1 is an overview of a transport device 100 for a workpiece 102 according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention.

[0084] The transport device 100 according to the present embodiment, by way of example, comprises a plurality of transport apparatus 104 which can move along the first direction, indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown by way of example in FIG. 1, the transport apparatus 104 are configured such that they are annularly interconnected and result in a structure similar to a conveyor belt. The transport apparatus 104 may be configured so as to be rigid or flexible, but in any case such that the annular embodiment allows for movement. In the embodiment by way of example shown in FIG. 1, during operation of the transport device the transport apparatus 104 are moved, on the upper face, in a positive first direction, deflected about a first deflection roller (not shown), then moved in a negative first direction, and then deflected by a second deflection roller 106, such that they move in the first direction again. It is noted that the direction specifications in this embodiment by way of example are not limiting, and reverse operation is also possible. In the embodiment by way of example, shown in FIG. 1, driving of the transport apparatus 104 can be achieved by a drive 108. Devices for driving transport device of this kind are known to a person skilled in the art, and therefore a detailed description of the drive and of the speed control is omitted. A person skilled in the art furthermore knows how workpieces can be fastened to the transport means.

[0085] In the embodiment by way of example, shown in FIG. 1, the transport apparatus 104 can receive a workpiece 102. In the embodiment, by way of example, that is shown, the workpiece 102 is received and transported by a plurality of transport apparatus 104, but it is clear that the workpiece 102 can also be received by a single transport apparatus 104. In particular, it is clear that a transport device 100 can be configured such that, depending on the size of the workpieces 102 to be processed, it allows both for the reception and the transport of one or more workpieces 102 on a transport apparatus 104, and for operation in which a plurality of transport apparatus 104 transport a single workpiece 102.

[0086] In the embodiment, by way of example, that is shown, a marking 110 is applied to the side of some of the transport elements 104. It should be noted that, in the embodiment shown, a marking 110 is not applied to every transport apparatus 104, but an embodiment in which a marking 110 is applied to every transport apparatus 104 is also possible. The marking 110 comprises a pattern 112.

[0087] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the embodiment by way of example, the transport device 100 displays exactly one workpiece 102, but in particular embodiments are possible in which a plurality of workpieces 102 are transported and/or processed simultaneously on one transport device 100.

[0088] The embodiment, by way of example, of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 further comprises a sensor means 114 which is configured such that it can read out a marking 110; in particular the sensor means 114 is configured such that it can read out the marking 110 while the transport device 100 is in operation, i.e. while the transport apparatus 102 move past said sensor means. It should be noted that the sensor means 114 is arranged such that, during operation of the transport device 100, the workpiece can move past said sensor means unimpeded. In the embodiment, by way of example, that is shown, the sensor means 114 is arranged below the trajectory of the lowest edge of the workpiece 102, such that the workpiece can move past said sensor means without hinderance.

[0089] The transport device 100 further comprises a plurality of support means 116, one of which is shown by way of example in FIG. 1, which support means guide the transport apparatus 104. Furthermore, in the embodiment by way of example in FIG. 1, a processing device 118 is shown, by way of example, on the transport device 100, past which processing device the workpieces 102 can be moved by the transport apparatus 104, and by which processing device said workpieces can be processed while the transport device 100 is in operation. The sensor device 114 can in particular be positioned precisely at the location at which the exact position of the workpiece 102 is required, for example in the direct vicinity of the processing device 118 or at the level of the processing region of the processing device 118 in the first direction.

[0090] FIG. 1 furthermore shows a reference point 120 on the workpiece 102, which denotes the front edge of the workpiece in the first direction and on the basis of which the position of the locations to be processed by the processing device 118 is determined.

[0091] The transport device 100 further comprises a board encoder (position switch) 122, which outputs a signal in the event of mechanical contact between a workpiece and a movable component on the upper face.

[0092] A path A1 denotes a spacing, measured in the first direction, between the reference point 120 of the workpiece and a reference point 124 of a marking 110.

[0093] It should be noted that in principle every marking 110 and every workpiece 102 comprise a reference point, which is located in each case at the frontmost end thereof in the first direction. For reasons of simplicity of illustration, however, only two of such reference points 120, 124 are shown in the embodiment, by way of example, shown in FIG. 1.

[0094] The spacing A1 between a reference point 124 of a marking 110 and a reference point 120 of a workpiece 102 can be determined for example in that a measuring signal of a sensor means 114 at which the sensor means 114 registers that a front end of a marking 110 is moving past it, is compared with a signal of the position switch 122 which is output when the front end of a workpiece 102 moves past it and actuates the movable component on the upper face.

[0095] It should be noted that, although in FIG. 1 the spacing A1 denotes the spacing between a reference point 120 of a workpiece 102 and a reference point 124 of an adjacent marking 110, spacings between reference points that are not directly adjacent can also be determined, in particular also those in which the workpiece is located further forward, in the first direction, than the marking from which the spacing is measured. In one embodiment, for a workpiece 102 the spacings along the first direction with respect to reference points 124 of a plurality of markings 110 are determined and stored; in a further embodiment that is not shown all the permutations of spacings between reference points 120 on workpieces 102 and reference points 124 on markings 110, both along the first direction and counter to the first direction, are determined and stored.

[0096] A second spacing A2 denotes the spacing between a reference point (not shown) of the sensor means 114 and a reference point (not shown) of the processing device 118. Even though the reference points can in principle be selected freely, and methods for converting distances in various reference systems are known to a person skilled in the art, in the embodiment by way of example the reference points are expediently the position of the measurement system in the first direction, at the level of which the sensor is located, and the position of the processing device in the first direction, at the level of which the tool is located.

[0097] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a transport apparatus 104 according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention, which is movable in the first direction, and to the lateral surface of which a marking 110 is applied, wherein the marking comprises a pattern 112 along the first direction. Embodiments and designs, by way of example, of the pattern 112 are also described with reference to FIG. 3A to 3D.

[0098] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows a workpiece 102 which is arranged on a transport apparatus 104, and the reference point 120 at a front region of the workpiece 102 in a first direction, and the reference point 124 at a front region of the marking 110 in a first direction.

[0099] Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows the spacing A1 between the reference points 120 and 124.

[0100] FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D show various embodiments, by way of example, of the pattern 112 according to the present invention.

[0101] FIG. 3A shows an embodiment, by way of example, of the present invention, wherein the pattern 112 is an example of an incremental pattern 301. An incremental pattern 301 comprises various alternating first regions 302 and second regions 304. In the embodiment, by way of example, of the incremental pattern 301 shown in FIG. 3A, the first regions are shown black, and the second regions white, but it should be noted that these drawings are merely for illustrative purposes, for example the first and second regions may be black and white, red and green, matt and gloss, or lighter and darker. In the event of the incremental pattern not being an optical pattern, the regions may for example also be magnetic regions, the magnetizations of which are oriented in opposing directions, or electronic communications chips which output different signals, for example a logical 1 and a logical 0.

[0102] For the sake of easier traceability, reference is made in the following to black 302 and white 304 regions. In the detail of the incremental pattern 301, shown in FIG. 3A, in the embodiment by way of example black 302 and white 304 regions alternate, wherein the lengths of the regions are not particularly restricted; in particular there can be regions present having a length in the first direction which differ from other regions. Thus, the black regions 302 may be of a first length L1 and a fourth length L4, and the white regions may be of a second length L2, a third length L3, and a fifth length L5. The detail of an incremental pattern 301, shown in FIG. 3A, is configured such that a sensor device (not shown), which detects a region B1 of the incremental pattern 301, determines what region of the incremental pattern is located in the region B1, on the basis of the sequence of black regions 302 and white regions 304 detected in the region B1, in combination with the lengths of the regions in the first direction, by means of a comparison with an item of information relating to the incremental pattern that is stored in the sensor device.

[0103] Furthermore, an item of information which specifies a distance between a reference point 124 of the marking (not shown in FIG. 3A-3D) and a point in the detected sub-region B1, can be stored in the sensor device of the embodiment by way of example.

[0104] The incremental pattern shown in FIG. 3A is configured such that it does not comprise two identical sub-regions of size B1.

[0105] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3A therefore makes it possible to position a marking relative to a position of a sensor unit, on the basis of a detection of a sub-region of the marking.

[0106] FIG. 3B shows an incremental scale 320, by way of example, according to an embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention. FIG. 3C shows a further incremental scale 330, by way of example, according to a further embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention. Even though the regions are again denoted, in this case, as black and white regions, the explanations made with regard to FIG. 3A apply correspondingly.

[0107] Within the meaning of this invention, reference is made to an incremental scale if at least one length of the length of the black regions L102 along the first direction or the length of the white regions L104 along the first direction is the same over the entire pattern and for. In other words: All the black regions 322 are of length L102 in the first direction, and/or all the white regions 324 are of length L104 in the first direction. An exception, in which the length L102 of the black regions 322 in the first direction is equal to the length L104 of the white regions 324 in the first direction, is shown in FIG. 3C.

[0108] In the embodiment by way of example, shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, of an incremental scale, the position of a reference point of the marking relative to a reference point of the sensor device can be determined by a sensor device (not shown). If the incremental scale shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C moves past a sensor device in the first direction, the sensor device can detect the start of the marking, for example by detecting a first black region 322. In the event of the incremental scale being an optical incremental scale, the sensor device may be an optical sensor device, for example a camera or a laser transceiver device. In the event of the incremental scale being for example a magnetic incremental scale, the sensor device may be a magnetic reader.

[0109] For example, the sensor device can carry out a counting step every time a black region 322 passes through, such that, with knowledge of the length of each black region L102 in the first direction, and knowledge of the length of each white region L104 in the first direction, and the number of black regions passed through in the first direction, a spacing with respect to the first back region 322 can occur, wherein the accuracy or the resolution of the position determination increases with a decrease in length of the black regions 322 and of the white regions 324 in the first direction. On the basis thereof, it is possible to calculate the spacing in the first direction, between the sensor device and the reference point of the marking. On the basis thereof, and on the basis of knowledge of the spacing A1 between reference point 120 on the workpiece 102 and reference point 124 on the marking 110 in the first direction, as well as knowledge of the spacing A2 between a reference point on the sensor means 114 and a reference point on the processing device 118 in the first direction, it is thus possible to determine the relative position between a reference point on the processing device 118 and a reference point on the workpiece 102.

[0110] FIG. 3D shows an incremental pattern 340, by way of example, according to an embodiment, by way of example, of a transport device according to the present invention. Even though the regions are again denoted, in this case, as colored regions, the explanations made with regard to FIG. 3A apply correspondingly.

[0111] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3D, differently configured regions 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347 are shown, which illustrate that the incremental regions are not restricted to just two different designs, but rather can also comprise a plurality of different designs. In this case, for example, black regions 341, white regions 342, red regions 343, yellow regions 344, green regions 345, blue regions 346, and orange-colored regions 347, are conceivable, wherein the length of the individual regions, in the first direction, is not restricted.

[0112] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a determination method of a position means along the first direction, according to an embodiment, given by way of example, of the present invention.

[0113] In a first step S1, a marking of a transport unit is read out. The reading out can for example include optical reading out of an incremental pattern or of an incremental scale.

[0114] In a second step S2, the information obtained from the reading out is processed; for example image data from an optical sensor unit are processed and edited such that optical structures can be identified, or magnetic field changes of a magnetic marking are converted into electronic data.

[0115] In a third step S3, a comparison is performed.

[0116] In the case of an incremental pattern as shown in FIG. 3A, this comparison may be a comparison of the information about a detected pattern with a stored pattern; in the case of an incremental scale, the comparison may for example be a comparison of an item of processed information with an item of information regarding what structure the incremental regions must have in order to be counted as an incremental step.

[0117] In a fourth step S4, a position determination is carried out on the basis of the results of the comparison.

[0118] In the case of an incremental pattern, this position determination can include, for example, a determination of a recorded region of the pattern, which is followed by a determination of the spacing of a point of the recorded region from a reference point 124 of the marking 110. A distance of the reference point 124 of the marking 110 from a reference point of the sensor means 114, in the first direction, results. The position of the reference point of the workpiece 102 relative to the reference point of the processing device 118 can now be determined, on the basis of the spacing between the reference point 124 and the sensor means 114 in the first direction, and of the known spacing between the reference point 120 on the workpiece 102 in the first direction and the reference point 124 on the marking 110, and of the known spacing between a reference point of the sensor unit 114 and a reference point of the processing device 118 in the first direction.

[0119] In the case of an incremental scale, this position determination can for example contain a determination of a number of increments passed through (i.e. for example black 322 or white 324 regions in FIG. 3B or 3C). With knowledge of the length of the increment regions in the first direction (i.e. for example the length L102 of the black regions 322 in the first direction and the length L104 of the white regions 324 along the first direction in FIG. 3B or 3C), having knowledge of the number of regions 322, 324 passed through, it is possible to determine the position of the marking 110 along the first direction, and thus the spacing of the reference point 124 of the marking 110 relative to a reference point of the sensor means 114, in the first direction. The position of the reference point of the workpiece 102 relative to the reference point of the processing device 118 can now be determined, on the basis of the spacing between the reference point 120 and the sensor means 114 in the first direction, and of the known spacing between the reference point 120 on the workpiece 102 and the reference point 124 on the marking in the first direction, and of the known spacing between a reference point of the sensor means 114 and a reference point of the processing device 118 in the first direction.

[0120] Following the position determination step S4, the position determined in the position determination step can be provided as information; for example it can be transmitted to a control unit (not shown) which controls the processing device 118 on the basis of the transmitted information.

[0121] Following the position determination step S4, in the embodiment by way of example in FIG. 4 the information relating to the determined position is stored in a storage step S5.

[0122] Following the storage step S5, the method can be performed again, beginning with the read-out step S1, wherein the stored information relating to the position of the transport apparatus 104 can be used for example as a basis for the comparison in step S3, such that it is possible to determine a current position, with respect to a fixed reference point, on the basis of the comparison of the change in a current position.

[0123] A method for determining the position of a workpiece 102 in a transport device 100 according to a further embodiment by way of example can be illustrated with reference to FIG. 2. In this case, the spacing between a reference point 124 of a marking 110 of a transport apparatus 104, and a reference point 120 of a workpiece 102, along a first direction, is measured, wherein the reference point 124 of the marking 110 is positioned at a front end of the marking 110 in the first direction, and the reference point 120 of the workpiece 102 is positioned at a front end of the workpiece 102, in the first direction. The method for position determination according to this embodiment by way of example comprises a step of determining the position of the reference point 120 of the workpiece 102 with respect to a reference point of the transport device 100, wherein the reference point of the transport device 100 is for example the sensor means 114. According to the embodiment by way of example, the method can comprise a determination of the position of the reference point 124 of the marking 110 relative to the transport device 100, as in the embodiment described above.

[0124] In an embodiment, by way of example, of the present invention that is not shown, the workpiece can be processed using a tool, on a transport device in a processing device 118. The workpiece can for example be milled, sawn, or chamfered. In the embodiment by way of example the workpiece 102 can be moved relative to the tool, in the processing device 118.

[0125] According to the embodiment described above, with knowledge of a relative position of the tool with respect to the transport device 100 along the first direction, and knowledge of a relative position of the workpiece 102 with respect to the transport device 100 in the first direction, it is possible to determine the relative position of the workpiece 102 with respect to the tool, using the above-described method for position determination.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0126] 100 transport device [0127] 102 workpiece [0128] 104 transport apparatus [0129] 106 deflection roller [0130] 108 drive [0131] 110 marking [0132] 112 pattern [0133] 114 sensor means [0134] 116 support means [0135] 118 processing device [0136] 120 reference point [0137] 122 position switch [0138] 124 reference point [0139] 301 incremental pattern [0140] 302 first region [0141] 304 second region [0142] 320 incremental scale [0143] 322 first region [0144] 324 second region [0145] 341 first region [0146] 342 second region [0147] 343 third region [0148] 344 fourth region [0149] 345 fifth region [0150] 346 sixth region [0151] 347 seventh region