Method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a linear drive, the control device, a linear drive and a system

Abstract

A method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a linear drive, a linear drive; and a system, wherein the linear drive includes at least one segment, at least one rotor, at least one machine station and a control device, where the at least one rotor is moved in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment is within a region accessible by the machine station, the movement of the at least one rotor is controlled in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner by the control device and/or control unit, the controlling occurs in accordance with a movement pattern for the rotor, and where the movement of a particular rotor in the region accessible by the associated machine station is specified by a movement profile in accordance with the mode of operation of the associated machine station.

Claims

1. A method for one of open-loop and closed-loop control of a linear drive comprising at least one segment, at least one rotor, at least one machine station and a control device, the method comprising: moving the at least one rotor in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment being within a region of influence of the at least one machine station; controlling the movement of the at least one rotor in at least one of an open-loop and closed-loop manner by at least one of (i) the control device and (ii) a control unit, said controlling occurring in according with a movement pattern for the rotor; and specifying the movement of the at least one rotor within the region of influence of an associated machine station by a movement profile in accordance with a mode of operation of the associated machine station; wherein a plurality of rotors are transferred together into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a respective movement profile is specified by one of (i) the control device and (ii) the associated machine station.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement of the at least one rotor is specified by the control device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement of the at least one rotor is determined during operation of the linear drive.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determination of the movement pattern is performed by the control device, wherein the movement pattern is implemented through at least the following steps: a) determining an available number of rotors which are available for the associated machine station, b) determining a capability of the associated machine station to accept an intended number of rotors, c) if the available number of rotors is at least as great as the intended number of rotors, the transfer the intended number of rotors into the region of influence of the associated machine station, d) working through the movement profile of the rotors in the region of influence of the associated machine station, e) transferring the rotors are out of the region of influence of the associated machine station after the movement profile has been worked through.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a reduced number of rotors is transferred in step c) into the region of influence of the machine station if a predetermined waiting time has elapsed, and wherein, in step d), a modified movement profile is performed by the rotors.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the modified movement profile depends on a reduced number of rotors which are transferred into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the modified movement profile depends on a reduced number of rotors which are transferred into the region of influence of the respective machine station.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the region of influence of the machine station is specified by segments which are assigned to the associated machine station.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotors are collected outside the region of influence of the associated machine station.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: assigning a succession of machine stations to respective rotors; wherein the succession indicates a sequence in which the respective rotors pass through the at least one machine station.

12. A control device for a linear drive, comprising: a processor; and memory; wherein the control device is configured to provide at least one of (i) open-loop and (ii) closed-loop control by: moving the at least one rotor in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment being within a region of influence of the at least one machine station; controlling the movement of the at least one rotor in at least one of an open-loop and closed-loop manner by at least one of (i) the control device and (ii) a control unit, said controlling occurring in according with a movement pattern for the rotor; and specifying the movement of the at least one rotor within the region of influence of an associated machine station by a movement profile in accordance with a mode of operation of the associated machine station; wherein a plurality of rotors are transferred together into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

13. A linear drive comprising at least one segment, one or more rotors and the control device as claimed in claim 12.

14. A system comprising at least one machine station and the linear drive as claimed in claim 13.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the system comprises one of (i) a machine tool, (ii) a production machine and (iii) packaging machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described and explained below in more detail through figures. The forms of embodiment shown in the figures and their technical features can be combined by the expert to make new forms of embodiment of the invention, without leaving the scope of the invention, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a linear drive and two machine stations in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows rotors on a linear drive in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a linear drive and two machine stations in accordance with the invention; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 shows a linear drive LA and two machine stations MS1, MS2. The linear drive LA comprises a control device SE, a plurality of control units U, segments Seg and rotors L. The rotors L move on the segments Seg. The segments Seg are each connected to a control unit U. The control units U are each connected to the control device SE. The control device SE is used to determine the movement pattern BA. Preferably, the movement pattern BA is re-determined or adjusted during the operation of the linear drive LA. The adjustment or re-determination is symbolized by the arrow in the control device SE.

(7) The linear drive LA is used to transport rotors L from a first machine station MS1 to a second machine station MS2. The rotors are used to transport workpieces or materials for machining WS to the respective machine station MS1, MS2. Here, segment Seg is assigned to each of the machine stations MS1, MS2. The assigned segment Seg forms the region EB of influence of the respective machine station MS1, MS2.

(8) The movement of the rotor L is controlled in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner by the control device SE with reference to the movement pattern BA. Signals S are transmitted from the control device SE and/or the control unit U to the segment Seg for this purpose.

(9) Advantageously, the movement is subject to closed-loop control within the respective region EB of influence of the machine station MS1, MS2, and to open-loop control outside the region of influence.

(10) The movement of the rotors L within the region of influence of the respective machine station MS1, MS2 is specified by a corresponding movement profile BP. The movement profile BP can be present, in particular stored, in the control device SE.

(11) In the present embodiment shown, three rotors L are moving in the first machine station MS1. Two further rotors L are waiting in front of the second machine station MS2.

(12) In a further movement section (not illustrated), the three rotors L are output from the first machine station MS1. After this, five rotors L are ready for the further machine station MS2. A number of five rotors L provided for the second machine station MS2 can then be transferred into the region of influence of the second machine station MS2.

(13) The first machine station MS1 is again free to accept the number N of three rotors L provided for the first machine station MS1.

(14) FIG. 2 shows rotors L on a linear drive LA. The linear drive LA is used to connect a first machine station MS1 and a second machine station MS2. The machine stations MS1, MS2 are each characterized by a region EB of influence, where the segments Seg that are assigned to the respective machine station MS1, MS2 form the region EB of influence of the respective machine station MS1, MS2. The movement of the rotors L is preferably controlled in a closed-loop manner in the region EB of influence of the machine stations MS1, MS2. The closed-loop control is performed with the aid of the control device SE and/or the corresponding control unit U.

(15) The machine stations MS1, MS2 are constructed such that they process a plurality of workpieces/materials for machining WS on a plurality of rotors L in one working step. After the processing of the workpieces WS, the rotors L are guided out of the region of influence of the machine station MS1. In the second machine station MS2, a tool W is used to process a plurality of workpieces WS.

(16) After the three rotors L have been output from the first machine station MS1, the intended number of five rotors L are ready in the region between the first machine station MS1 and the second machine station MS2, which can be transferred into the region of influence of the second machine station MS2.

(17) These five rotors L are then transferred into the region EB of influence of the second machine station MS2, as soon as the other five rotors L, which are already located in the region EB of influence of the second machine station MS2, have left the station.

(18) The movements of the respective rotors L within the region EB of influence of the respective machine station MS1, MS2 are specified by the corresponding movement profiles BP. The movement profile BP of the respective machine station MS1, MS2 can be oriented to the movements of the processing means, in particular of the tools W.

(19) Instead of the segments Seg between the respective regions EB of influence of the machine stations MS1, MS2, a conveyor belt or a plurality of conveyor belts can also perform the transport of the rotors L.

(20) FIG. 3 also shows a linear drive LA and two machine stations MS1, MS2. The configuration corresponds essentially to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. After the three rotors L have been output from the first machine station MS1, however, only a reduced number of four rotors L are located between the regions EB of influence of the machine stations MS1, MS2. Only a reduced number of four rotors L is thus available for the second machine station MS2. In order not to stop production in spite of the reduced number of rotors L (four instead of the five intended), the reduced number of four rotors L is transferred into the region EB of influence of the machine station MS2. The four rotors L are moved in the region EB of influence of the second machine station MS2 in accordance with a modified movement profile BP′.

(21) The mode of operation and/or the movement of the processing means W can also be influenced for this purpose, as is indicated by the first curved arrow being crossed out.

(22) FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for open-loop or closed-loop control of a linear drive LA including at least one segment Seg, at least one rotor L, at least one machine station MS1, MS2 and a control device SE. The method comprises moving the at least one rotor L in a direction x via the at least one segment Seg, as indicated in step 410. In accordance with the invention, at least a portion of at least one segment Seg is within a region EB of influence of the at least one machine station MS1, MS2.

(23) Next, the movement of the at least one rotor L is controlled in either an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner by either (i) the control device SE and/or (ii) a control unit U, as indicated in step 420. Here, the controlling occurs in according with a movement pattern BA for the rotor L.

(24) Next, the movement of the at least one rotor L within the region EB of influence of an associated machine station MS1, MS2 is specified by a movement profile BP in accordance with a mode of operation of the associated machine station MS1, MS2, as indicated in step 430.

(25) In summary, the disclosed embodiments of the invention relate to a method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a linear drive LA, the linear drive LA, and a system. The linear drive LA has at least one segment Seg, at least one rotor L, at least one machine station MS1, MS2 and a control device SE, where the at least one rotor L is moved in a direction x using the at least one segment Seg, where at least a portion of at least one segment Seg is in a region EB of influence of the machine station MS1, MS2, where the movement of the at least one rotor L is controlled in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner by the control device SE and/or a control unit U, where the controlling occurs in accordance with a movement pattern BA for the rotor L, and where the movement of the particular rotor L in the region EB of influence of the associated machine station MS1, MS2 is specified by a movement profile BP in accordance with the mode of operation of the associated machine station MS1, MS2.

(26) Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.