Solenoid-Powered Conveying Device

Abstract

An electromagnet-operated conveying device includes a movable conveying element, at least one permanent magnet, and a cleaning device. The at least one permanent magnet is arranged on the conveying element for the onward movement of the conveying element. The cleaning device is configured to remove particles from a surface of the at least one permanent magnet.

Claims

1. An electromagnet-operated conveying device comprising: a movable conveying element; at least one permanent magnet arranged on the conveying element for onward movement of the conveying element; and a cleaning device configured to remove particles from a surface of the at least one permanent magnet.

2. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the cleaning device is disposed at a fixed location; and the at least one permanent magnet is configured to be led past the cleaning device during the onward movement of the conveying element.

3. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is a magnetic cleaning device.

4. The conveying device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cleaning device includes a movable magnetic element configured to detach the particles.

5. The conveying device as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the cleaning device includes a first rotatable roller; and the first rotatable roller is magnetizable with a magnetic field strength that is higher than a magnetic field strength of the at least one permanent magnet.

6. The conveying device as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the cleaning device further includes a second rotatable roller and a circulating belt; and the circulating belt encloses the first rotatable roller and the second rotatable roller.

7. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is a cleaning device having an adhesive force.

8. The conveying device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cleaning device includes a first rotatable roller having a surface with the adhesive force.

9. The conveying device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an application device configured to apply a surface layer having the adhesive force to the first rotatable roller.

10. The conveying device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cleaning device includes a film having the adhesive force and arranged on at least one section of a surface of a first rotatable roller.

11. The conveying device as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the cleaning device includes a first rotatable roller, a second rotatable roller, and a circulating belt; and the circulating belt encloses the first rotatable roller and the second rotatable roller and has the adhesive force.

12. The conveying device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first rotatable roller and the second rotatable roller are vertically arranged.

13. The conveying device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: a control unit configured to drive the first rotatable roller at a roller speed, wherein the at least one permanent magnet is configured to be led past the first rotatable roller at a magnet speed, and wherein the roller speed corresponds to the magnet speed.

14. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a separating device configured to separate the particles removed from the surface of the at least one permanent magnet by the cleaning device.

15. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a receiving apparatus configured to receive the particles removed from the surface of the at least one permanent magnet.

16. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the conveying device is a planar drive conveying device that includes an electromagnetic transport surface configured for planar movement of the conveying element; the electromagnetic transport surface has a gap; and the cleaning device is arranged in the gap.

17. A method for cleaning at least one permanent magnet of an electromagnet-operated conveying device the at least one permanent magnet arranged on the conveying element for the onward movement of the conveying element, comprising: leading the at least one permanent magnet past a cleaning device configured to remove particles from a surface of the at least one permanent magnet; and picking up the particles with the cleaning device.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising removing the particles from the cleaning device.

19. The conveying device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first rotatable roller and the second rotatable roller are vertically arranged.

20. The conveying device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a control unit configured to drive the first rotatable roller at a roller speed, wherein the permanent magnet is configured to be led past the first roller at a magnet speed, and wherein the roller speed corresponds to the magnet speed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an extract from a conveying device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a cleaning device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a cleaning device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a cleaning device according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of an extract from a conveying device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0031] FIG. 6 shows a further schematic illustration of the conveying device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The invention will be explained in detail with reference to the following drawings. Here, identical designations number identical components.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows, schematically, a side view of an extract from a conveying device 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The conveying device 1 comprises a linear drive 4 having guide rails 2 and conveying magnets 7, wherein the conveying magnets 7 interact with permanent magnets 5 which are arranged on conveying elements 3 (movers). The conveying device 1 according to the invention can comprise multiple conveying elements 3.

[0034] The conveying element 3 shown in FIG. 1 has a permanent magnet 5 on its underside but can also have multiple permanent magnets. During operation of the linear drive 4, by means of magnetic attraction forces or magnetic repulsion forces, the permanent magnet 5 of the conveying element 3 and therefore also the conveying element 3 itself are moved in the direction of the arrow A. Cargo which, for example, is supported on the conveying element 3, can thus be transported from one location to the other along the conveying direction of the conveying device 1.

[0035] The conveying device 1 also has a cleaning device 10, which is arranged in a fixed location on a portion of the distance of the linear drive 4. The cleaning device 10 is provided such that it is made capable of cleaning the permanent magnets 5 fixed to the underside of the conveying elements 3 as the permanent magnets 5 are led past the cleaning device 10, that is to say of removing particles adhering thereto.

[0036] The cleaning device 10 can be constructed as a magnetic cleaning device or as a cleaning device having an adhesive force. These have the same effect; specifically they effect elimination of particles adhering to the permanent magnets 5, but are different in function. A magnetic cleaning device draws the particles off the surface of the permanent magnets 5 by means of magnetic interaction, without expending mechanical work. A cleaning device having an adhesive force interacts with the particles in such a way that the particles are bonded to the cleaning device 10 by bonding or adhesion, as is produced, for example, by adhesive hairs.

[0037] The conveying device 1 also has a control unit 6, which is set up to switch the cleaning device 10 on and off. The control device 6 can also be arranged on the cleaning device 10.

[0038] As a result of the integration of the cleaning device 10 in the conveying device 1, during the operation of the conveying device 1 continuous cleaning of the permanent magnets 5 of the conveying elements 3 can be performed without stoppage times having to be provided. A conveying performance that is constantly good over time is achieved.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows an extract from a first refinement of a cleaning device 10 according to the invention. Shown in detail is a first roller 11 which, for example, is formed from a magnetic material or a material having an adhesive force. The first roller 11 is rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 12. As the permanent magnet or permanent magnets are led past the first roller 11, particles are transferred to a surface 13 of the first roller 11 and adhere there either as a result of magnetic attraction forces or as a result of forces imparted by the adhesive force. In the case of a magnetic first roller 11, this is magnetizable with a magnetic field strength which is higher than a magnetic field strength of the permanent magnets of the conveying element.

[0040] The first roller 11 can rotate, so that, after picking up the particles, a particle-free surface 13 of the first roller 1 can be faced toward the permanent magnet and the cleaning performance is always constantly good.

[0041] By means of the control unit 6, as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1, the first roller 11 can be driven at a speed which corresponds to a speed of the permanent magnet 5 led past the first roller 11.

[0042] The extract from a cleaning device 20 shown in FIG. 3 differs from the cleaning device 10 from FIG. 2 in that the first roller has on its surface a film 14 having an adhesive force. The film 14 having an adhesive force is arranged on at least one section of the surface 13 of the first rotatable roller 11 and, as shown here, advantageously covers the entire surface 13 of the first roller 11. As a result of the properties of the film 14 that impart adhesive force, as permanent magnets 5 are led past, adhering particles are transferred from the surface of the permanent magnets 5 to the film 14. Once the film 14 is covered with particles, they can be removed from the roller 11. In order to renew the cleaning performance, a new film can then be applied to the surface 13 of the first roller 11.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a side view of an extract from a third cleaning device 30. Here, in addition to a first roller 1, a second roller 15 is provided, likewise rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 16. The first roller 1 and the second roller 15 are surrounded by a circulating belt 17 enclosing the rollers 11, 15. The first roller 11 and the second roller 15 are arranged vertically relative to each other, wherein the first roller 11 faces the permanent magnets 5 of the conveying elements 3.

[0044] As in the embodiments outlined above, there are also various operating modes of the cleaning device 30 here.

[0045] Firstly, the first roller 11 can be magnetizable, as outlined in a view of FIG. 2. The magnetic attraction forces act through the belt 17 on the permanent magnets afflicted with particles and led past the cleaning device 30 and here past the first roller 11. The particles are attracted more highly by the first roller 11 by the higher magnetic field strength of the first roller 11 as compared with the magnetic field strength of the permanent magnets of the conveying elements, and come to lie on the belt 17. As a result of rotation of the first roller 11, the belt 17 and the second roller 15 are also rotated. The section of the belt that is afflicted with particles is moved in the direction of the second roller 15. As soon as the magnetic attraction forces of the first roller 11 no longer act adequately on the particles, the latter fall off the belt 17.

[0046] The particles are preferably caught by a receiving apparatus 18. In order to assist the detachment of the particles from the belt 17, a separating device 19 can be provided.

[0047] In a further embodiment, the belt 17 is a belt having an adhesive force, for example an adhesive belt. Here, too, the permanent magnets led past the belt 17 are freed of particles in that the particles are specifically transferred by means of adhesive interaction with the belt 17. The particles then fall off either in accordance with the laws of gravity as a result of their inherent weight or can be removed from the belt 17 by the separating device 19, for example a knife or the like, so that the cleaning action of the cleaning device 30 is always constantly good.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an extract from a conveying device according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. In detail, FIG. 5 shows a planar drive conveying device 50, which comprises an electromagnetic transport surface 21 for the planar movement of a conveying element 3. The electromagnetic transport surface 21 has a stator 22 and a sensor layer including winding layer, active braking layer and power electronics. Arranged on the transport surface 21, by way of example, is a conveying element 3 having two permanent magnets 24, a so-called Halbach magnet arrangement, for moving the conveying element 3 in the X direction. Also shown is one of two permanent magnets 25, likewise a Halbach magnet arrangement, for moving the conveying element 3 in the Y direction. Provided in the transport surface 21 is a gap 26, in which there is arranged a cleaning device 40.

[0049] The cleaning device 40 comprises a first roller 11 and a second roller 15, which are connected to each other by a belt 17. The second roller 15 is used as a drive roller for the belt 17 and is controlled by the control unit 6. The first roller 11 is magnetizable, preferably over ⅔ of its length, specifically respectively over ⅓ of the length of the roller 1 at each end. As a result of rotation of the second roller 15, rotation of the first roller 11 is produced by the belt 17. As a result of the specific pattern of the magnetic field in the working gap between the underside of the conveying element 3 and the transport surface 21, for example, ferromagnetic particles accumulate on the underside of the permanent magnets 24, 25. By means of the alternating magnetic polarization, particles from the conveying element 3 moved over the gap 26 are deflected by the stronger magnetic field of the first roller 11, are detached from the permanent magnets 24, 25, drawn off and conveyed onto the belt 17. The particles adhere to the surface of the belt 17 as a result of magnetic attraction of the first roller 11. As a result of further rotation of the second roller 15 and therefore also of the first roller 11, the particles finally reach a region 27 of the belt 17 outside the area of influence of the magnetic field of the first roller 11 and fall from the belt 17 into the receiving apparatus 18.

[0050] By means of the specifically constructed conveying device 50 of this embodiment, attraction, detachment and removal of particles from the surface of the permanent magnets 24, 25 to be cleaned take place exclusively in the gap 26. The permanent magnets 24, 25 of the conveying element 3 are cleaned during movement over the gap 26.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a further schematic illustration of the electromagnetic conveying device from FIG. 5. Here, the entire transport surface 21 is shown. Two conveying elements 3 are arranged on the transport surface 21. The transport surface 21 has a total of four gaps 28, 29. Gaps 28 are those which permit cleaning of the permanent magnet or magnets 24 in the X direction, while gaps 29 are those which permit cleaning of the permanent magnet 25 (or the permanent magnets 25) in the Y direction. Cleaning devices 40 are respectively arranged in the gaps 28, 29. Between the gaps 28 and 29 arranged in pairs there are sections of the transport surface 21, so that no cleaning of the permanent magnets 24, 25 is effected in these areas.