MANUFACTURING DEVICE AND CONVEYOR MEANS

Abstract

A manufacturing device has a manufacturing cell for processing workpieces, with a laterally circumferential safety partition, in which a lock is formed for performing a loading operation of the workpieces, wherein a first light barrier arrangement is formed at the lock, and with a driverless conveyor with a load receiver for conveying the workpieces. For performing the loading operation, a second light barrier arrangement and a third light barrier arrangement are formed between the conveyor and the lock, so that the load receiver and the workpieces are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement and by the third light barrier arrangement.

Claims

1-14: (canceled)

15: A manufacturing device (1) having a manufacturing cell (2) for processing workpieces (6), with a laterally circumferential safety partition (8) forming a boundary of the manufacturing cell (2), wherein a lock (13) is formed in the safety partition (8) for performing a loading operation of the workpieces (6), and wherein a first light barrier arrangement (14) with a first transmitter (21) and with a first receiver (22) assigned to the first transmitter (21) is formed at an opening of the lock (13), and with a driverless conveying means (3) with a load receiving means (4) for conveying the workpieces (6), wherein for performing the loading operation, a second light barrier arrangement (27) and a third light barrier arrangement (28) are formed between the conveying means (3) and the lock (13), so that the load receiving means (4) and the workpieces (6) are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement (27) and by the third light barrier arrangement (28), and wherein the second light barrier arrangement (27) comprises a second transmitter (23), which is fastened to the conveying means (3), and a second receiver (25), which is fastened to the lock (13), and wherein the third light barrier arrangement (28) comprises a third transmitter (33), which is fastened to the lock (13), and a third receiver (32), which is fastened to the conveying means (3).

16: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein during the execution of the loading operation, a region connected to a parking zone (29) of the lock (13) for the workpieces (6) is laterally bounded by the conveying means (3), by the second light barrier arrangement (27) and by the third light barrier arrangement (28).

17: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveying means (3) comprises a controller (17), wherein the controller (17) is designed to activate and to deactivate the second light barrier arrangement (27) and/or the third light barrier arrangement (28) as needed in a program-controlled manner.

18: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the lock (13) comprises a controller (15), wherein the controller (15) is designed to activate and to deactivate the second light barrier arrangement (14) in front of the lock (13) as needed in a program-controlled manner.

19: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) and the controller (15) of the lock (13) are designed to jointly observe the second light barrier arrangement (27) and the third light barrier arrangement (28) in a program-controlled manner.

20: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the second light barrier arrangement (27) is designed to transmit a message from the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) to the controller (15) of the lock (13), and wherein the third light barrier arrangement (28) is designed to transmit a message from the controller (15) of the lock (13) to the controller (17) of the conveying means (3).

21: The manufacturing device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveying means (3) comprises a detector (20) for forming an observation region (19), wherein the observation region (19) extends beyond a joint spatial extension of the load receiving means (4) and the workpieces (6) in the lateral direction.

22: A method for loading workpieces (6) with a driverless conveying means (3) and a manufacturing cell (2) for processing the workpieces (6), wherein a lock (13) is formed in a laterally circumferential safety partition (8) of the manufacturing cell (2), and wherein an opening of the lock (13) is secured against unauthorized access by means of a first light barrier arrangement (14) with a first transmitter (21) and with a first receiver (22) assigned to the first transmitter (21), and wherein the driverless conveying means (3) comprises a load receiving means (4) and is controlled by a controller (17), wherein the driverless conveying means (3) is moved to a starting position for the loading operation in front of the lock (13) of the manufacturing cell (2); and a second light barrier arrangement (27) and a third light barrier arrangement (28) are activated by the controller (17) of the conveying means (3), wherein the load receiving means (4) and the workpieces (6) are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement (27) and by the third light barrier arrangement (28), and wherein the second light barrier arrangement (27) comprises a second transmitter (23), which is fastened to the conveying means (3), and a second receiver (25), which is fastened to the lock (13), and wherein the third light barrier arrangement (28) comprises a third transmitter (33), which is fastened to the lock (13), and a third receiver (32), which is fastened to the conveying means (3); and the first light barrier arrangement (14) is deactivated by a controller (15) of the lock (13); and the second light barrier arrangement (27) and the third light barrier arrangement (28) are observed by the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) and by the controller (15) of the lock (13) during the execution of the loading operation.

23: The method according to claim 22, wherein in the starting position, a direction of entry (30) of the conveying means (3) is oriented so as to be aligned with a direction of passage (31) of the lock (13).

24: The method according to claim 22, wherein, if the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement (27) or the third light barrier arrangement (28), the conveying means (3) is stopped.

25: The method according to claim 22, wherein, if the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement (27) or the third light barrier arrangement (28), a detector (20) of the conveying means (3) is activated, wherein the detector (20) forms an observation region (19) extending beyond a joint spatial extension of the load receiving means (4) and the workpieces (6) in the lateral direction.

26: The method according to claim 22, wherein, if the controller (15) of the lock (13) registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement (27) or the third light barrier arrangement (28), the first light barrier arrangement (14) is activated.

27: The method according to claim 22, wherein the second light barrier arrangement (27) and/or the third light barrier arrangement (28) are used by the controller (17) of the conveying means (3) and by the controller (15) of the lock (13) for directly transmitting messages between the conveying means (3) and the lock (13).

Description

[0017] For the purpose of better understanding of the invention, it will be elucidated in more detail by means of the figures below.

[0018] These show in a respectively very simplified schematic representation:

[0019] FIG. 1 a manufacturing device with a manufacturing cell and a conveying means;

[0020] FIG. 2 a detail of the manufacturing device according to FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 the conveying means in a starting position in front of the lock of the manufacturing cell for performing the loading operation;

[0022] FIG. 4 the conveying means in front of the lock of the manufacturing cell with activated lateral light barrier arrangements;

[0023] FIG. 5 the manufacturing cell with the conveying means moved into the lock;

[0024] FIG. 6 the conveying means in front of the lock of the manufacturing cell after parking the pallet and/or the workpieces in the parking zone of the lock;

[0025] FIG. 7 the manufacturing device with the conveying means departing from the manufacturing cell;

[0026] FIG. 8 the conveying means in front of the lock of the manufacturing cell in the situation of a failure of the loading operation;

[0027] FIG. 9 a detail of an alternative embodiment of the manufacturing device with the conveying means at the start of a loading operation;

[0028] FIG. 10 the manufacturing device according to FIG. 9 in the situation of a failure of the loading operation.

[0029] First of all, it is to be noted that in the different embodiments described, equal parts are provided with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations, where the disclosures contained in the entire description may be analogously transferred to equal parts with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations. Moreover, the specifications of location, such as at the top, at the bottom, at the side, chosen in the description refer to the directly described and depicted figure and in case of a change of position, these specifications of location are to be analogously transferred to the new position.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a manufacturing device 1 with a manufacturing cell 2 and a conveying means 3.

[0031] The manufacturing device 1 is shown in a top view in FIG. 1. A so-called floor-bound driverless transport vehicle (or automated guided vehicle: AGV) having its own travel drive (not shown) and thus being able to be automatically controlled and guided in a contactless manner is provided as a conveying means 3. For the transport of material, the conveying means 3 is formed having a load receiving means 4. According to this exemplary embodiment, the load receiving means 4 is designed in the form of a pallet jack with two tines and/or forks 5. With the aid of the forks 5, the load receiving means 4 can pick up and transport pallets 7 loaded with workpieces 6. The manufacturing cell 2 has a safety partition 8 in the form of a laterally circumferential boundary. According to this exemplary embodiment, the safety partition 8 is formed by a safety fence. The manufacturing cell 2 contains a processing device 9 for the automated processing of the workpieces 6. For this purpose, a handling device 10, for example formed by a multi-axis robot, by means of which the workpieces 6 are supplied to the processing device 9 and/or are removed therefrom after being processed. The processing device 9 may for example be formed by a bending press.

[0032] In the laterally circumferential safety partition 8, a door 12 equipped with a safety device 11 is provided. By this door 12, it is achieved that only operators cleared and authorized therefor may enter the manufacturing cell 2. Apart from that, the safety partition 8 of the manufacturing cell 2 has a door and/or a lock 13, which serves the workpiece transfer into the manufacturing cell 2 and/or out of it. The lock 13 also has a safety device, by means of which unauthorized access to the manufacturing cell 2 is to be prevented. According to this exemplary embodiment, a light barrier arrangement 14 is provided as the safety device of the lock 13. The light barrier arrangement 14 of the lock 13 for its part is connected to a controller 15, by means of which its operating states can be observed and controlled. The controller 15 of the lock 13 is furthermore connected to a controller 16 of the manufacturing cell 2. In the case that a person or some object enters into the observation region of the light barrier arrangement 14 or crosses the same, the controller 15 of the lock 13 detects this and communicates it to the controller 16 of the manufacturing cell 2. The controller 16 of the manufacturing cell 2 can subsequently interrupt the operation of the processing device 9 and the handling device 10 and/or initiate other safety measures as appropriate.

[0033] The conveying means 3 also has an independent controller 17, which enables the program-controlled, automatic operation of the conveying means 3. This includes controlling the travel movements, lifting, and placing down the pallets 7 with the workpieces 6, determining the location and navigation on the premises as well as the communication with a central controller 18 of the manufacturing device 1. Hence, an exchange of information and/or data may occur as it is required for the conveying means 3 to carry out the transport orders. With the aid of the controller 17 of the conveying means 3, it can also directly observe the path to be driven on while moving around the premises.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a detail of the manufacturing device 1 according to FIG. 1. As can be seen better in the arrangement of parts of the manufacturing device 1 shown enlarged in FIG. 2, the conveying means 3 has a safety field and/or an observation region 19. This observation region 19 is realized by a detector 20 built into the conveying means 3. The detector 20 may, for example, be realized by a so-called laser scanner, with the aid of which objects in the safety field may be detected. In this regard, the detector 20 of the conveying means 3 is arranged such that its observation region 19 extends beyond the spatial extension of the forks 5 as well as the pallet 7 with the workpieces 6 in the lateral direction. The observation region 19, like the detector 20 determining the same, remains unchanged in its relative arrangement with respect to the conveying means 3. If, while moving, the conveying means 3 gets too close to an obstructive object and if said object is recognized by the detector 20 as being situated in the observation region 19, the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 may cause the stopping or an evasion maneuver of the conveying means 3, so that a collision with the obstructive object or with a person can be avoided. Consequently, material, or personal damage may also be avoided thereby.

[0035] The scanner and/or detector 20 for creating the observation region 19 moving along with the conveying means 3, may additionally also be changeable in its spatial extension. For example, the observation region 19 may be enlarged when selecting a higher travel speed of the conveying means 3 in order to thus ensure a greater safety distance.

[0036] FIGS. 3 to 7 show different sections and/or phases of the method for delivering workpieces 6 to the manufacturing cell 2 by means of the conveying means 3. The situation shown in FIG. 2 and/or the corresponding operating state of the manufacturing device 1 corresponds to the arrival of the conveying means 3 at the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2. Prior to the situation shown, the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 has received a corresponding transport order from the controller 18 of the manufacturing device 1 regarding the delivery of workpieces 6 to the manufacturing cell 2. In the situation shown, the access to the lock 13, however, is still closed by the light barrier arrangement 14.

[0037] This light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 comprises a first transmitter 21 and a first receiver 22 as is per se known. Each of them is arranged on opposite sides of the door and/or the lock 13. The transmitter 21 and the receiver 22 of the light barrier arrangement 14 are moreover oriented towards one another such that a light beam generated by the transmitter 21 can be formed and/or maintained between the transmitter 21 and the receiver 22. By the transmitter 21 and the receiver 22 being connected to the controller 15 of the lock 13, an interruption of the light barriers 14 can be detected by the controller 15.

[0038] According to the invention, the manufacturing device 1 is and/or the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2 and the conveying means 3 are formed having further transmitters 23, 24 and/or receivers 25, 26 for temporarily forming light barrier arrangements 27, 28 (FIG. 4).

[0039] FIG. 3 shows the conveying means 3 in a starting position for the loading operation of the pallet 7 with the workpieces 6 into a parking zone 29 of the lock 13. In this regard, the direction of entry 30 of the load receiving means 4 and a direction of passage 31 of the lock 13 are aligned with one another. Accordingly, the transmitter 23 and the receiver 25 of the second light barrier arrangement 27 on the one hand and the transmitter 24 and the receiver 26 of the third light barrier arrangement 28 on the other hand are positioned and/or arranged at the conveying means 3 and/or in the lock 13. This means that the two transmitters 23, 24 of the conveying means 3 are arranged on the same laterally with respect to the direction of entry 30 of the load receiving means 4. Apart from that, the two receivers 25, 26 of the lock 13 are also arranged laterally with respect to the direction of entry 31, so that, in an enabled and/or activated state of the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28, they laterally bound the load receiving means 4 with the workpieces 6 and/or with the pallet 7. It is preferably provided that the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28 are oriented essentially in parallel to one another.

[0040] In an activated state of the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28, they form a U-shaped lateral boundary together with the conveying means 3. Thereby, a connected spatial region, the inside of which comprises both the parking zone 29 of the lock 13 and the load receiving means 4 of the conveying means 3, is secured and/or enclosed to the side (FIGS. 4, 5, 6). The two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 thus serve as a temporarily usable safety device.

[0041] After the conveying means 3 has assumed its starting position in front of the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2 (according to FIG. 3) for carrying out the loading operation, which can be detected by an integrated device for determining the location of the controller 17 of the conveying means 3, the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28 are activated by the controller 17. For this purpose, the two transmitters 23, 24 are switched on so that light beams fall onto the respective receivers 25, 26 and are detected by them. The activation of the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28 can consequently be registered by the controller 15 of the lock 13, whereupon the first light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 can be switched off by the controller 15 of the lock 13 (FIGS. 3, 4). This corresponds to a transfer and/or a change of the securing function from the first light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 to the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28. This simultaneously means an expansion of the spatial region to be secured up to the joint region of parking zone 29 of the lock 13 and load receiving means 4 of the conveying means 3. In the further course of the loading operation, the lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 then serve to observe and/or to secure the expanded, joint region (load receiving means 4 and parking zone 29).

[0042] The subsequent phase of the loading operation—after activation of the light barrier arrangement 27, 28—consists in that the conveying means 3 enters into the lock 13 with its load receiving means 4 (FIG. 5). By lowering the forks 5 of the load receiving means 4, the conveying means 3 can then set the pallet 7 with the workpieces 6 down in the parking zone 29 and subsequently move out of the lock 13 (FIG. 6).

[0043] As soon as the conveying means 3 has reached its original starting position in front of the lock 13 again, the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28 are deactivated and/or shut off again by the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 (FIGS. 6, 7). This can be registered by the controller 15 of the lock 13 by means of the two receivers 25, 26 of the lock 13 due to the lack of signals, whereupon the controller 15 enables the first light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13.

[0044] For the loading operation described, it is additionally provided that, when the conveying means 3 has reached its starting position in front of the lock 13 and has stopped there, the scanner and/or detector 20 for the observation region 19 of the conveying means 3 is deactivated (FIGS. 3, 4). On the other hand, the detector 20 is switched on again and the observation region 19 is reactivated (FIG. 7) after completion of the loading operation, before the conveying means 3 leaves the starting position in front of the lock 13 (FIG. 6).

[0045] During the duration, in which the securing function is carried out by the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6), the two controllers 15, 17 of the lock 13 and/or of the conveying means 3 interpret interruptions of the light beams of the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28 as an object or a person intruding and/or crossing the respective borders, and corresponding securing measures are initiated. This includes, for example, that a conveying means 3 is automatically stopped by the controller 17. On the other hand, in such a case, the first light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 can be reactivated by the controller 15 of the lock 13 (by switching on the first transmitter 21 and the first receiver 22).

[0046] For such a case of an object or a person intruding the region observed by the two light barrier arrangements 27, 28, it is preferably also provided that, after detecting such an interruption of one of the light barrier arrangements 27, 28, the observation region 19 of the conveying means 3 is reactivated by switching on the detector 20. The interrupted loading operation can subsequently be resumed by the controller 15 of the manufacturing cell 2, only once, based on the signals and/or data received by the detector 20 of the observation region 19 of the conveying means 3, it can be determined that the observation region 19 is free of obstacles again. The measures required therefor may be carried out in an automatic manner with participation of the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 and the controller 15 of the lock 13.

[0047] FIG. 8 shows the situation of an interruption of a loading operation of the conveying means 3 at the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2. According to the representation, the lateral light barrier arrangement 28 is interrupted by a person 32 here, by their body covering the light beam emitted by the transmitter 24. The receiver 26 of the light barrier arrangement 28 can therefore not detect the light beam, which can be registered by the controller 15 of the lock 13 as a fault occurring.

[0048] The controller 15 of the lock 13 can then generate a report and/or message, which is transmitted to the central controller 18 of the manufacturing device via the controller 16 of the manufacturing cell 2. The controller 17 of the conveying means 3 then receives a notification on the interruption of the lateral light barrier arrangement 28 from the central controller 18 of the manufacturing device 1, and the conveying means 3 is stopped in response. Preferably, as a further response to the notification on the interruption of the light barrier arrangement 28, the detector 20 for the observation region 19 of the conveying means 3 is switched on. The travel movement of the conveying means 3 is resumed by its controller 17 only once the observation of the observation region 19 by the detector 20 has found that the person 32 is no longer in the observation region 19 of the conveying means 3. The resumption of the travel movement of the conveying means 3 moreover presupposes that the corresponding light beams emitted by the transmitters 23, 24 of the conveying means 3 are received again by the receivers 25, 26 of the lock 13 (corresponds to the situation as shown in FIG. 4).

[0049] FIG. 9 shows a detail of an alternative embodiment of the manufacturing device 1. Again, equal reference numbers and/or component designations are used for equal parts as in FIGS. 1 to 8 preceding it. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, it is pointed to/reference is made to the detailed description in the figures preceding it.

[0050] In the manufacturing device 1 according to this exemplary embodiment, the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 formed between the conveying means 3 and the manufacturing cell 2 are realized by an alternative arrangement of transmitters and receivers.

[0051] The left light barrier arrangement 27 (to the left in a viewing direction from the conveying means 3 onto the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2) is formed by the transmitter 23 on the conveying means 3 and the receiver 25 on the lock 13, just as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 2 to 8. To form the right light barrier arrangement 28, a transmitter 33 is provided on the lock 13 and a receiver 34 is provided on the conveying means 3. The conveying means 3 accordingly has the transmitter 23 on the left and the receiver 34 on the right. While the controller 15 of the lock 13 is connected to the receiver 25 arranged on the left and the transmitter 33 arranged on the right.

[0052] According to this embodiment variant, it is additionally provided for the manufacturing device 1 that the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 may also be used for the direct transmission of messages between the conveying means 3 and the lock 13. For this purpose, the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 and/or the transmitter 23 are designed so that an encoded signal may be modulated on to the light beam of the left light barrier arrangement 27, which signal, on the other hand, can be received and decoded by the receiver 25 and/or the controller 15 of the lock 13. Analogously to this, the controller 15 of the lock 13 having the transmitter 33 is also designed to transmit a notification to the receiver 34 and/or the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 via the light beam of the right light barrier arrangement 28. This way, a direct communication between the conveying means 3 and the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2 is possible without an exchange of messages with the superordinate controller 16 of the manufacturing cell 2 or with the central controller 18 of the entire manufacturing device 1 having to take place for this purpose.

[0053] The method for delivering workpieces 6 to the manufacturing cell 2 with the aid of the conveying means 3 according to this embodiment variant allows checking operating states based on additional criteria, wherein this may take place in direct communication between the conveying means 3 and the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2. In its basic state, the controller 15 of the lock 13 will keep its light barrier arrangement 14 activated and that way, observe the access to the lock 13. Beyond that, the controller 15 only has to observe the state of the receiver 25, so that, in case of a conveying means 3 arriving between the receiver 25 and the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2, a communication may occur.

[0054] A conveying means 3 arriving at the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2 for delivering workpieces 6 will first assume a starting position in front of the lock 13 for the loading operation, in which starting position the direction of entry 30 of the load receiving means 4 and/or of the conveying means 3 is aligned with the direction of passage 31 of the lock 13. As soon as the conveying means 3 has assumed said starting position for the loading operation, the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 will switch on the light barrier arrangement 27 by activating the transmitter 23 of the light barrier arrangement 27 arranged on the left side and thereby—and by detecting the light beam by means of the receiver 25—establish a connection to the lock 13 and/or its controller 15. In response to this, the controller 15 of the lock 13 can activate the right light barrier arrangement 28 by activating the transmitter 33, by means of which a light beam is in turn focused on the receiver 34 on the conveying means 3. The detection of the light beam on the receiver 34 of the conveying means 3 ultimately gives its controller 17 the information that the loading operation can now actually be carried out. This two-sided detection of the readiness for the loading operation is also a prerequisite for the controller 15 of the lock 13 to be able to deactivate the light barrier arrangement 14 and, on the other hand, for the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 to be able to deactivate the detector 20 for the observation region 19. Ultimately, the conveying means 3 is put into motion by the controller 17 in order to enter the lock 13.

[0055] During the further course of the loading operation, the observation of the expanded connected spatial region is carried out by the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28, which spatial region includes both the load receiving means 4 with the fork 5 and the pallet 7 with the workpieces 6 and the parking zone 29 in the lock 13. An interruption of one of the two light beams of the lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 is recognized by the controllers 15, 17 of the conveying means 3 and the lock 13 as the occurrence of a failure, and emergency measures can be initiated by the two controllers 15, 17 in direct communication with one another.

[0056] FIG. 10 shows a situation of a failure and/or interruption of the loading operation of the conveying means 3 at the lock 13 of the manufacturing cell 2. In the situation shown, the body of a person 32 has approached the expanded observation region so closely that the light beam of the right light beam arrangement 28, between the transmitter 33 of the lock 13 and the receiver 34 of the conveying means 3, is interrupted. Thus, an absence of a signal is registered by the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 by means of the receiver 34, and the conveying means 3 is stopped. At the same time, the controller 17 can generate a corresponding report, which is transmitted to the controller 15 of the lock 13 via the left light barrier arrangement 27. As a further protection measure, apart from stopping the conveying means 3, the controller 15 of the lock 13 can switch the light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 back on, and the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 can switch on the detector 20 for activating the observation region 19.

[0057] Furthermore, the resumption and/or continuation of the loading operation after such a failure may also take place in an automated manner. If the controller 17 of the conveying means 3 detects that the person 32 and/or any other disruptive object is no longer within the observation region 19, this fact can also be communicated to the controller 15 of the lock 13. In further consequence, the conveying means 3 can be activated again and thus, the loading operation can be resumed—after deactivation of the detector 20 of the conveying means 3 and switching the light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 back off.

[0058] As a securing measure handled particularly strictly, it is particularly provided that for the entire duration, i.e. from the occurrence of the fault until the detection that no disruptive object or no disruptive person is present anymore, an observation of the observation region 19 as well as an observation of the access to the lock 13 is carried out by the detector 20 and the light barrier arrangement 14, respectively. Only then, an automatically controlled restart of the loading operation can be performed.

[0059] If then—after parking the pallet 7 with the workpieces 6—the conveying means 3 is moved back out of the parking zone 29 and/or back out of the lock 13, the controller 15 of the lock 13 is informed about this by the controller 17 of the conveying means 3. The controllers 15, 17 of the lock 13 on the one hand and of the conveying means 3 on the other hand can therefore identify the end of the loading operation. Subsequently, the two lateral light barrier arrangements 27, 28 can be deactivated, the light barrier arrangement 14 in front of the lock 13 can be activated and also the detector 20 of the conveying means 3 can be switched on again.

[0060] The exemplary embodiments show possible embodiment variants, and it should be noted in this respect that the invention is not restricted to these particular illustrated embodiment variants of it, but that rather also various combinations of the individual embodiment variants are possible and that this possibility of variation owing to the technical teaching provided by the present invention lies within the ability of the person skilled in the art in this technical field.

[0061] The scope of protection is determined by the claims. Nevertheless, the description and drawings are to be used for construing the claims. Individual features or feature combinations from the different exemplary embodiments shown and described may represent independent inventive solutions. The object underlying the independent inventive solutions may be gathered from the description.

[0062] All indications regarding ranges of values in the present description are to be understood such that these also comprise random and all partial ranges from it, for example, the indication 1 to 10 is to be understood such that it comprises all partial ranges based on the lower limit 1 and the upper limit 10, i.e. all partial ranges start with a lower limit of 1 or larger and end with an upper limit of 10 or less, for example 1 through 1.7, or 3.2 through 8.1, or 5.5 through 10.

[0063] Finally, as a matter of form, it should be noted that for ease of understanding of the structure, elements are partially not depicted to scale and/or are enlarged and/or are reduced in size.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0064] 1 Manufacturing device [0065] 2 Manufacturing cell [0066] 3 Conveying means [0067] 4 Load receiving means [0068] 5 Fork [0069] 6 Workpiece [0070] 7 Pallet [0071] 8 Safety partition [0072] 9 Processing device [0073] 10 Handling device [0074] 11 Safety device [0075] 12 Door [0076] 13 Lock [0077] 14 Light barrier arrangement [0078] 15 Controller [0079] 16 Controller [0080] 17 Controller [0081] 18 Controller [0082] 19 Observation region [0083] 20 Detector [0084] 21 Transmitter [0085] 22 Receiver [0086] 23 Receiver [0087] 24 Transmitter [0088] 25 Receiver [0089] 26 Receiver [0090] 27 Light barrier arrangement [0091] 28 Light barrier arrangement [0092] 29 Parking zone [0093] 30 Direction of entry [0094] 31 Direction of passage [0095] 32 Person [0096] 33 Transmitter [0097] 34 Receiver