Conveyor

Abstract

A conveyor for separating, singulating or conveying bulk material comprises a conveying plate, a substructure and a pulse generator for generating an oscillation. The substructure stands on a base surface. The conveying plate is arranged on the substructure at a distance from the base surface. The pulse generator is fixed on the substructure and is/can be brought into an operative connection with the conveying plate. The oscillation generated by the pulse generator can be transmitted to the conveying plate and a force is exerted on the substructure by the oscillation. The conveyor comprises an equalising pulse generator which is fixed on the substructure and creates a counter-oscillation. A counter-force which is in an opposite direction to the force is exerted on the substructure by the counter-oscillation. A resultant force which results from the force and the counter-force and which acts on the substructure is reduced by the counter-force.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A conveyor (1) for separating, singulating or conveying a component (10) by means of a mechanical pulse (15, 16, 17), wherein the conveyor (1) comprises: a conveying plate (2) for receiving the component (10), a substructure (3), and a pulse generator (4) for generating the mechanical pulse (15, 16, 17), wherein the conveyor (1) when used as intended stands on a base surface (5) with the substructure (3), and the conveying plate (2) is arranged on the substructure (3) at a distance from the base surface (5), wherein the pulse generator (4) is fixed on the substructure (3) and can be brought into an operative connection with the conveying plate (2), so that the mechanical pulse (15, 16, 17) generated by the pulse generator (4) can be transmitted to the conveying plate (2), and wherein a force is exerted on the substructure (3) by the mechanical pulse (15, 16, 17), wherein the conveyor (1) further comprises an equalising pulse generator (11) which is fixed on the substructure (3), by which equalising pulse generator a counter-pulse (23, 24, 25) can be generated, wherein a counter-force which is in an opposite direction to the force exerted on the conveyor (1) by the pulse generator (4) is exerted on the substructure (3) by the counter-pulse (23, 24, 25), and wherein a resultant force which results from the force and the counter-force and which acts on the substructure (3) is reduced by the counter-force.

16. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the equalising pulse generator (11) comprises a counter-mass (12) or can be brought into an operative connection with a counter-mass (12), wherein the counter-force can be increased by the counter-mass (12).

17. The conveyor (1) according to claim 16, wherein the counter-mass (12) can be adapted to the conveyor (1) such that an amount of the force is equal to an amount of the counter-force, so that the resultant force can be cancelled completely.

18. The conveyor (1) according to claim 16, wherein an amount of the counter-pulse which can be generated by the equalising pulse generator (11) is changeable, so that the counter-force can be increased without the counter-mass (12) having to be changed.

19. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the substructure (3) comprises a plate receptacle (6) at a distance from the base surface (5), on which receptacle the conveying plate (2) can be fixed, wherein the pulse generator (4) can be brought into an operative connection with the plate receptacle (6) and wherein the conveying plate (2) can be brought into an operative connection with the pulse generator (4) by the plate receptacle (6).

20. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the substructure (3) comprises a stand element (14), wherein the substructure (3) when used as intended stands on the base surface (5) with the stand element (14).

21. The conveyor (1) according to claim 20, wherein the stand element (14) has vibration-damping properties.

22. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises a coupling means, wherein the conveyor (1) can be fixed on the base surface (5) by the coupling means.

23. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises at least two pulse generators (4), wherein a first partial conveying pulse (15) can be generated by one of the at least two pulse generators (4), wherein a second partial conveying pulse (16) can be generated by another of the at least two pulse generators (4), wherein the first partial conveying pulse (15) and the second partial conveying pulse (16) can be superimposed in the conveying plate (2) to form a conveying pulse (17), wherein a conveying force (20) can be exerted on the component (10) by the conveying plate (2) which is subjected to the conveying pulse (17), so that the component (10) arranged on the conveying plate (2) is displaceable from a first storage position (21) into a second storage position (22).

24. The conveyor (1) according to claim 23, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises at least two equalising pulse generators (11), wherein a first partial counter-pulse (23) can be generated by one of the at least two equalising pulse generators (11), wherein a second partial counter-pulse (24) can be generated by another of the at least two equalising pulse generators (11), wherein the first partial counter-pulse (23) and the second partial counter-pulse (24) can be superimposed to form a total counter-pulse (25), wherein a resultant counter-force (27) is exerted on the substructure (3) by the total counter-pulse (25), wherein the resultant counter-force (27) is in an opposite direction to a disruptive force (26) exerted on the substructure (3) by the conveying pulse (17), and wherein the resultant force which acts on the substructure (3) and which results from the resultant counter-force (27) and the disruptive force (26) is reduced by the resultant counter-force (27).

25. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveying plate (2) is produced at least in portions from a translucent material.

26. The conveyor (1) according to claim 25, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises an illumination means, wherein the conveying plate (2) can be backlit by means of the illumination means.

27. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises a device control unit (29), wherein the pulse generator (4) of the conveyor (1) is controllable by the device control unit (29), wherein the device control unit (29) comprises an interface means (31), wherein the conveyor (1) can be brought into an operative connection with an external device (32) by the interface means (31) of the device control unit (29).

28. The conveyor (1) according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the pulse generator (4) and the equalising pulse generator (11) is designed as an oscillator, wherein an oscillation can be generated by the oscillator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematically illustrated sectional view of an embodiment of the conveyor.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of the embodiment of the conveyor shown in FIG. 1.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the conveyor with a cancellation control unit and a device control unit.

[0043] FIGS. 4 A and 4 B are schematic representations of an embodiment of the conveyor with conveying plate and counter-mass.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematically illustrated sectional view of an embodiment of a conveyor 1. The conveyor 1 comprises a conveying plate 2, a substructure 3 and also four pulse generators 4.

[0045] In the sectional view shown, merely two of the four pulse generators 4 are visible, of which one is provided with a reference numeral. In each case both a pulse and an oscillation can be generated by the pulse generators 4. The pulse generators 4 are fixed on the substructure 3, and the substructure 3 stands on a base surface 5. The substructure 3 comprises a plate receptacle 6 at a distance from the base surface, on which the conveying plate 2 is fixed in a clamping manner. The pulse generators 4 are designed as electromagnetic components which have a coil portion 7. A magnetic field can be generated by the coil portion 7. The magnetic field generated may also be a pulsating one. “Pulsating” in the present case means that the magnetic field has a field strength which is changeable over time with an in particular sinusoidal form. The plate receptacle 6 comprises reaction elements 8 which are arranged above the coil portions 7 of the pulse generators 4. Between the pulse generators 4 and the plate receptacle 6, an operative connection is produced in that the magnetic field generated by the coil portions 7 of the pulse generators 4 acts on the reaction element 8. The conveying plate 2 is brought into an operative connection with the pulse generators 4 by means of the plate receptacle 6. The pulse generated by the pulse generators 4 by means of the reaction elements 8 can thus be transmitted to the conveying plate 2.

[0046] The plate receptacle 6 is fixed on the substructure 3 by means of an upper spring arrangement 9 and is resiliently mounted by spring elements of the upper spring arrangement 9. The plate receptacle 6, the conveying plate 2 and the upper spring arrangement 9 form a mechanically resonant system which can be subjected to the pulse electromagnetically by means of the coil portions 7 of the pulse generators 4 and the reaction elements 8 which are fixed on the plate receptacle 6. The conveyor 1 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated in its non-operative state, with no forces other than gravity acting on the elements of the conveyor 1 in the non-operative state.

[0047] Three schematically illustrated components 10 are arranged on the conveying plate 2. By displacement of the plate receptacle by means of a pulse generated by the pulse generators 4, the components 10 can be separated from each other, singulated and conveyed, with a force being exerted on the substructure 3 by the pulse.

[0048] The conveyor 1 comprises four equalising pulse generators 11 and also a counter-mass 12. Of the four equalising pulse generators 11, only two are visible in the sectional view shown, of which one is designated. The equalising pulse generators 11, similarly to the pulse generators 4, are designed as electromagnetic components which have a coil portion 7. A magnetic field, which may also be a pulsating one, can be generated by the coil portion 7 of the equalising pulse generators 11 as well. The counter-mass 12 comprises reaction elements 8 which are arranged beneath the coil portions 7 of the equalising pulse generators 11. Between the equalising pulse generators 11 and the counter-mass 12, an operative connection is produced in that the magnetic field generated by the coil portions 7 of the equalising pulse generators 11 acts on the reaction element 8.

[0049] The counter-mass 12 is fixed on the substructure 3 by means of a lower spring arrangement 13 and is resiliently mounted by spring elements of the spring arrangement 13. The counter-mass 12 and the lower spring arrangement 13 form a mechanically resonant system which is displaceable electromagnetically by means of the coil portions 7 of the equalising pulse generators 11 and the reaction elements 8 which are fixed on the counter-mass 12, in that said system can be subjected to a counter-pulse.

[0050] A counter-force which is in an opposite direction to the force is exerted on the substructure 3 by the counter-pulse. A resultant force resulting from the force and the counter-force, which acts on the substructure 3, is reduced by the counter-force. In the embodiment illustrated, the counter-mass is adapted to the conveyor 1 such that an amount of the force is equal to an amount of the counter-force, so that the resultant force can be cancelled completely.

[0051] The conveyor 1 shown in FIG. 1 also comprises four stand elements 14 with which the substructure 3 stands on the base surface 5. The stand elements 14 are manufactured from an elastomer and have vibration-damping properties. The conveying plate 2 of the conveyor 1 is produced from a translucent material and the conveyor 1 can be brought into an operative connection with an illumination means by means of which the conveying plate 2 can be backlit.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a schematically illustrated perspective view of the conveyor 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, with merely the four pulse generators 4, the conveying plate 2, the substructure 3, the four equalising pulse generators 11 and the counter-mass 12 being illustrated. A component 10 is arranged on the conveying plate 2 of the conveyor 1.

[0053] A first partial conveying pulse 15 is generated by one of the pulse generators 4 of the conveyor 1 illustrated. A second partial conveying pulse 16 is generated by a further pulse generator 4. The partial conveying pulses 15, 16 are superimposed in the conveying plate 2 to form a conveying pulse 17. The first partial conveying pulse 15 has a first pulse vector 18, the amount of which is greater than an amount of a second pulse vector 19 of the second partial conveying pulse 16, the partial conveying pulses 15, 16 being oriented parallel to each other and acting simultaneously on the conveying plate 2. A conveying force 20 is exerted on the component 10 by the conveying plate 2 which is subjected to the conveying pulse 17, so that the component 10 arranged on the conveying plate 2 is displaceable from a first storage position 21 into a second storage position 22.

[0054] In the conveyor 1 illustrated, a first partial counter-pulse 23 is generated by one of the equalising pulse generators 11. A second partial counter-pulse 24 is generated by another of the equalising pulse generators 11. The two partial counter-pulses 23, 24 are superimposed in the counter-mass 12 to form a total counter-pulse 25.

[0055] A disruptive force 26 is exerted on the substructure 3 by the conveying pulse 17. A resultant counter-force 27 which is in an opposite direction to the disruptive force 26 is exerted on the substructure 3 by the total counter-pulse 25, with an amount of the resultant counter-force 27 being equal to an amount of the disruptive force 26. The two forces 26, 27 neutralise each other.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the conveyor 1 with a cancellation control unit 28 and a device control unit 29. Furthermore, a pulse generator 4 of the conveyor 1 which is fixed on the substructure 3 is illustrated which is brought into an operative connection with a conveying plate 2 which is illustrated merely schematically. With the pulse generator 4 illustrated there is associated an equalising pulse generator 11 which likewise is fixed on the substructure 3 and which is brought into an operative connection with the counter-mass 12.

[0057] A pulse-generator control unit 30 is brought into an operative connection with the equalising pulse generator 11 of the conveyor 1, with merely one of the equalising pulse generators 11 being illustrated and designated. A frequency and an amplitude of the counter-oscillation generated by the equalising pulse generator 11 can be changed by the pulse-generator control unit 30.

[0058] The pulse generator 4 can be controlled by means of the device control unit 29 of the conveyor 1 illustrated. The device control unit 29 comprises an interface means 31 by means of which the conveyor 1 can be brought into an operative connection with an external device 32.

[0059] FIGS. 4 A and 4 B show schematically illustrated sectional views of an embodiment of the conveyor 1, with merely the substructure 3, the conveying plate 2 and the counter-mass 12 being illustrated and designated.

[0060] In FIG. 4 A, the conveyor 1 is shown in its non-operative state, in which the conveying plate 2 and the counter-mass 12 are arranged in their respective non-operative positions. In FIG. 4 B, the conveyor 1 is shown once the conveying plate 2 has been subjected to the conveying pulse and the counter-mass 12 to the counter-pulse, as a result of which a distance 33 between the conveying plate 2 and the counter-mass 12 is increased.

[0061] As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. The articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0062] 1. conveyor [0063] 2. conveying plate [0064] 3. substructure [0065] 4. pulse generator [0066] 5. base surface [0067] 6. plate receptacle [0068] 7. coil portion [0069] 8. reaction element [0070] 9. upper spring arrangement [0071] 10. component [0072] 11. equalising pulse generator [0073] 12. counter-mass [0074] 13. lower spring arrangement [0075] 14. stand element [0076] 15. first partial conveying pulse [0077] 16. second partial conveying pulse [0078] 17. conveying pulse [0079] 18. first deflection [0080] 19. second deflection [0081] 20. conveying force [0082] 21. first storage position [0083] 22. second storage position [0084] 23. first partial counter-pulse [0085] 24. second partial counter-pulse [0086] 25. total counter-pulse [0087] 26. disruptive force [0088] 27. resultant counter-force [0089] 28. cancellation control unit [0090] 29. device control unit [0091] 30. pulse-generator control unit [0092] 31. interface means [0093] 32. external device [0094] 33. distance