LOADING GANTRY

Abstract

The present application comprises a loading gantry with at least one carriage traversable on a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system. In accordance with the application the loading gantry includes a media station which in at least one position of the carriage releasably can be mechanically coupled with the same in order to produce at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage.

Claims

1. A loading gantry with at least one carriage traversable on a horizontal guide rail, the loading gantry including a media station which in at least one position of the carriage is releasably mechanically coupled to the carriage in order to produce at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage.

2. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the media station includes at least one port which in at least one position of the carriage can be coupled with a port of the carriage in order to transmit the at least one medium to the carriage.

3. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein at least one medium is a granular, pasty, liquid and/or gaseous medium.

4. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the carriage can be charged with hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure via the media station.

5. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein a lubricant system of the carriage can be charged with lubricant via the media station.

6. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the carriage can be charged with coolant via the media station.

7. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein a data and/or signal connection can be produced between the carriage and the media station.

8. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein via the media station the carriage can be supplied with elements and/or media which via an actuator of the carriage are installed and/or consumed for machining a workpiece, the elements and/or media comprise one or more of: electronic and/or mechanical small parts, welding wire and/or solder wire and/or blasting grit for sand blasting.

9. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the carriage can be supplied with electric energy via the media station, wherein in at least one position of the carriage a contact element of the media station is conductively connectable with a contact element of the carriage.

10. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein at least one media station is arranged in a working position, in which the carriage stops over a station of the machining system in order to deposit or pick up a workpiece, and/or in a parking position of the carriage.

11. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the carriage includes two grippers which each are movable in vertical direction, wherein the loading gantry includes a control unit by which in a first position of the carriage the one gripper is actuated to remove a machined workpiece from a machining station and in a second position of the carriage the other gripper is actuated to deposit a new workpiece at the machining station, wherein between the removal of the machined workpiece in the first position of the carriage and the deposition of the new workpiece in the second position of the carriage the carriage is traversed from the first to the second position along the horizontal guide rail in order to sequentially arrange the one and the other gripper over the machining station.

12. The loading gantry according to claim 9, wherein the charging device is configured such that charging of the energy accumulator can be effected both in the first and in the second position of the carriage, and/or charging can be effected in all intermediate positions between the first and the second position.

13. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the drive of the carriage along the guide rail is effected via a drive element of the carriage which meshes with a rack of the guide rail, and/or wherein the carriage includes a component which is at least also movable in vertical direction, wherein the component serves for moving the workpieces in vertical direction and/or carries a gripper, wherein the component includes a vertically movable linear axis and/or a robot arm with a plurality of swivel and/or rotation axes.

14. The loading gantry according to claim 1, wherein the loading gantry is a linear gantry or an area gantry and/or wherein the guide rail is supported via one or more props.

15. A media station and/or carriage of a loading gantry, the carriage traversable on a horizontal guide rail, for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system, the media station releasably mechanically coupled to the carriage in at least one position of the carriage forming at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage.

16. The loading gantry according to claim 2, wherein coupling is effected by an actuator of the media station and/or the carriage and/or the ports each include a valve which closes the ports when the coupling with the respective other port is released.

17. The loading gantry of claim 4, wherein the carriage includes a hydraulic and/or pneumatic actuator which is operable via the hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure supplied via the media station, wherein the hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure serves for actuating the actuator while the carriage is disposed in the vicinity of the media station, and/or wherein the hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure serves for charging a hydraulic and/or pneumatic accumulator of the carriage.

18. The loading gantry of claim 6, wherein the carriage in the at least one position can be connected to a coolant circuit of the media station in order to cool a component of the carriage.

19. The loading gantry of claim 7, wherein the data and/or signal connection is established by producing an electrically conductive connection between ports of the carriage and the media station.

20. The loading gantry of claim 9, wherein the carriage includes at least one electric drive and an electric energy accumulator for at least partly supplying the drive with energy, and the loading gantry comprises a charging device for charging the electric energy accumulator, and/or wherein the loading gantry includes a control unit which activates the power supply by the charging device only after the conductive connection between the charging device and the carriage has been produced.

21. A production system comprising a plurality of stations and a loading gantry according to claim 1 for the transport of workpieces between the plurality of stations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0092] The present application will now be explained in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments and drawings. In the drawings:

[0093] FIG. 1: shows a first exemplary embodiment of a loading gantry according to the application in a perspective view;

[0094] FIG. 2: shows a detail view of the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0095] FIG. 3: shows the media station arranged on the guide rail of the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0096] FIG. 4: shows the media station of the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0097] FIG. 5: shows a detail view of a second exemplary embodiment;

[0098] FIG. 6: shows the media station arranged on the guide rail of the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

[0099] FIG. 7: shows the media station of the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5,

[0100] FIG. 8: shows a schematic drawing of components of an exemplary embodiment of a carriage and a guide rail;

[0101] FIG. 9A: shows a first schematic drawing of components of an exemplary embodiment of a carriage and a media station; and

[0102] FIG. 9B: shows a second schematic drawing of components of an exemplary embodiment of a carriage and a guide rail;

[0103] FIGS. 1-9B are shown approximately to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0104] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 8, the basic construction of the exemplary embodiments of the loading gantry 101 according to the application will first be described.

[0105] In the exemplary embodiment, the loading gantry 101 includes a horizontally extending guide rail 2 on which a carriage 1 is traversable. The guide rail 2 is supported by a prop 24 and extends over a plurality of stations 8 of a machining system or production system 105.

[0106] The stations 8 of the machining system can be machine tools and/or a feeding device and/or discharging device for workpieces 103.

[0107] On the carriage 1 at least one vertically traversable component 5 is provided, which carries at least one gripper 3. Via this component, workpieces can be removed from a station of the machining system from above, be traversed to the next station by traversing the carriage 1 along the guide rail 2, and at the next station in turn be fed to the same from above. The gripper(s) 3 either can directly grip one or more workpieces or a workpiece holder such as a pallet.

[0108] The carriage 1 includes at least one drive 30 via which the carriage is traversable along the guide rail 2. In the exemplary embodiment the guide rail 2 includes a rack 21 which meshes with a drive element 31 of the carriage 1. The drive element 31 for example can be a pinion and/or a worm. The drive element 31 is driven by the at least one drive 30 of the carriage. The carriage 1 further has guide rollers 3 providing horizontal and vertical support of the carriage on the guide rail 2.

[0109] Furthermore, the carriage includes at least one drive 32 via which the vertically traversable component 5 is traversable.

[0110] The carriage 1 usually includes further drives, in particular for actuating the gripper 3 and/or for moving the gripper 3 relative to the carriage and/or the vertically traversable component 5.

[0111] In the exemplary embodiment, the vertically traversable component 5 is formed by a linear axis which includes a drive via which it can be traversed vertically. For example, there can be provided a rack 33 which meshes with a drive element 34 of the carriage and thereby is vertically traversable on the carriage. Further, guide rollers 36 for the component 25 may be provided.

[0112] In an exemplary embodiment, the carriage 1 comprises a lubricant system 37 that comprises a lubricant tank 38 and/or lubricant lines 39. The drive elements 31 and 34 may be provided with lubricant from the lubricant tank 38 and/or by the lubricant lines 39.

[0113] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 1 is configured as a so-called H-configuration in which two vertical linear axes 5 with a gripper 3 are arranged on the carriage. The first gripper thereby can be used for removing a machined workpiece and the second gripper for depositing a new workpiece on a machining station.

[0114] Alternatively, a robot arm with a plurality of swivel and/or rotation axes can also be used as a vertically traversable component. For example, a six-axis industrial robot can be arranged on the carriage, for example in a suspended position or laterally at the carriage.

[0115] In the exemplary embodiment the loading gantry furthermore includes a safety and/or oil pan 22 which is arranged below the carriage 1. The safety and/or oil pan 22 extends along the traversing path of the workpieces and in the vicinity of the stations 8 of the machining system includes openings via which the workpieces can be removed from the respective station or be handed over to the respective station. The other regions of the machining system thereby are protected from workpieces falling down and/or from oil dripping down. Such a safety and/or oil pan is merely optional.

[0116] The loading gantry and/or machining system includes a control cabinet in which the control unit 60 for the loading gantry is arranged. The control unit of the loading gantry possibly allows a synchronous actuation of the loading gantry and the stations of the machining system.

[0117] The carriage 1 includes an energy accumulator 36 which serves for supplying energy to at least one drive of the carriage. The energy accumulator 36 either can serve to support an energy supply of the carriage or be designed such that the carriage at least temporarily is completely supplied with energy via the energy accumulator.

[0118] In the exemplary embodiment the drive 30, 32 is an electric drive. The energy accumulator 36 is an electric energy accumulator. In particular, a supercap and/or an accumulator can be used as an electric energy accumulator. The electric drive can be an electric motor and/or an electric linear axis.

[0119] At one or more positions along the guide rail 2 a media station 4 is provided in accordance with the application. In the exemplary embodiment the media station 4 is attached to the guide rail 2 via a holder 6. Alternatively, however, the media station might also be arranged on the ground or on a machining station 8 via a separate stand.

[0120] In at least one position of the carriage the media station according to the application releasably can be mechanically coupled with the carriage in order to produce at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage. In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 the media station allows the production of a plurality of media connections. Examples for such media connections to be produced via the media station will be described in detail below. The present application also comprises any other sub-combinations of the connections illustrated in the Figures.

[0121] In accordance with the application, for example one or more of the following media can be transmitted, see in particular FIGS. 9A and 9B:

Current/Electric Energy

[0122] The media station can comprise one or more contact elements which in at least one position of the carriage are conductively connectable with a contact element of the carriage in order to produce an electric energy supply of the carriage via the media station.

[0123] In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 9A, the media station therefor includes a conductor rail 7 to which the current collector 40 of the carriage couples when the carriage is disposed in the vicinity of the media station. Coupling may be effected by the normal traversing movement of the carriage 1 along the guide rail 2 by which the collector is traversed laterally into the conductor rail. The conductor rail thereby allows the electric energy supply of the carriage over a traversing range of the carriage and in particular also during a traversing movement.

[0124] In the exemplary embodiment, the media station serves as a charging device 41 for charging the electric energy accumulator 36 of the carriage via the conductor rail 7 and the current collector 40. The use of a conductor rail 7 has the advantage that charging of the energy accumulator of the carriage is possible over an extended period.

[0125] In particular, it is possible to charge the energy accumulator without interruption also during such work processes for which a traversing movement of the carriage is necessary. In an example for such a work process a first gripper 3 is arranged in a first traversing position above a machining station 8 in order to remove a workpiece already machined there, the carriage then is traversed into a second traversing position by a certain distance in order to traverse the second gripper of the carriage into the position taken previously by the first gripper, and a new workpiece is deposited at the machining station. In this case, the media station is arranged above the machining station 8 and equipped with a conductor rail by which the electrically conductive connection between the media station and the carriage exists both in the first and in the second traversing position of the carriage.

[0126] Alternatively, the power supply of the carriage can be effected via an electrical port 17 of the media station, as it is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 for the second exemplary embodiment. The electrically conductive connection here is effected via an actuator via which the port 17 of the media station and/or a corresponding port at the carriage is moved such that the two ports are mechanically connected with each other. The port however is not configured as a sliding contact so that the connection is released again before the carriage is traversed.

[0127] By arranging a plurality of ports at the media station or by arranging one elongated port at the media station it can also be achieved in this embodiment that charging of the energy accumulator is possible in two different positions of the carriage relative to the media station, in particular in such first and second traversing positions of the carriage in which as described above a first and a second gripper of the carriage can be used to pick up a machined workpiece and to deposit a new workpiece.

[0128] In the exemplary embodiment, the media station furthermore includes electrical connecting elements for the transmission of electric energy and/or data and/or signals as possible further ports 13 and 14. The ports 13 and 14 can either be used instead of the elements described already or in addition to the same.

[0129] An embodiment of the electric energy supply via the media station is activated only after the conductive connection between the contact elements of the carriage and the media station is produced. In particular, the rail 7 or the contact elements 17 can be set under current only when the same are conductively connected with the corresponding contact elements of the carriage. Thereby, a formation of sparks is avoided.

Hydraulic and/or Pneumatic Media

[0130] In the exemplary embodiment, the media station includes a pneumatic port 9 via which a compressed air supply of the carriage can be effected. The carriage 1 comprises a corresponding port 9 releasably coupling with port 9 of the media station. Actuators 44 of the carriage thereby can be charged with pneumatic pressure from a pneumatic pressure source 42 while the connection exists.

[0131] The media station furthermore includes a hydraulic port 10 via which the carriage is connectable to a hydraulic circuit 42 and in particular to a pump of the media station. The carriage 1 comprises a corresponding port 10 releasably coupling with port 10 of the media station. Actuators 45 of the carriage thereby can be charged with hydraulic pressure while the connection exists. Furthermore, the hydraulic connection also constitutes a backflow connection for the hydraulic fluid.

[0132] The pneumatic and/or hydraulic connection can be used either for the direct operation of a pneumatic and/or hydraulic actuator 44, 45, while the connection is produced, and/or for charging an accumulator whose energy can also be used while the connection is released again. The pneumatic and/or hydraulic actuator 44, 45 for example can actuate the gripper.

[0133] Valves 52 may be provided on the ports 9, 10 and 9, 10 to close the ports if they are not coupled to each other.

Lubricant

[0134] In the exemplary embodiments, the media station includes a port 11 via which a lubrication of the carriage, in particular of a drive 30, 32 and/or an axis of movement of the carriage, can be effected. The carriage 1 comprises a corresponding port 11 releasably coupling with port 11 of the media station.

[0135] In the exemplary embodiment, the port 11 comprises a plurality of lubricant channels which are connected with corresponding lubricant channels of the carriage in order to separately supply different lubricating points or lubricating lines 39 with lubricant from a lubricant source 46 comprising lubricant 55 as a medium to be transferred from the media station to the carriage.

[0136] Alternatively or in addition, the media station might also be used for filling a central lubricant container 38 of the carriage.

Coolant

[0137] The media station furthermore can include a port for connecting a cooling system of the carriage with a cooling circuit of the media station. This allows a cooling of elements of the carriage while the same is coupled with the media station. the coolant circuit of the media station includes at least one heat exchanger and/or condenser. The coolant system of the carriage thereby can be of simpler design.

Data/Signals

[0138] In the exemplary embodiments, the media station furthermore includes a port 12 for the transmission of signals and/or data between the media station and the carriage. For establishing the data and/or signal connection contact elements of the media station are conductively connected with contact elements 12 of the carriage. The contact elements can be configured in the form of a plug/socket system. The data and/or signal connection may be used to transmit data and/or control commands between a communication line 47 of the media station and a communication line 48 of the carriage 1.

[0139] Thereby, data for example can be read out from the carriage and/or control commands can be transmitted to the carriage. Due to the conductive connection considerably higher bandwidths and a safer transmission than in wireless systems are possible.

Consumables

[0140] The media station furthermore can serve the supply of the carriage with consumables 48, 49 which during the operation of the carriage are needed for machining a workpiece. In particular, small parts, welding wire and/or blasting grit for the machining of workpieces can be transferred to the carriage by means of the media station. These consumables may be supplied by ports such as ports 13 and 14.

Mechanical Connection

[0141] For the mechanical connection of the port or ports of the media station with the corresponding ports of the carriage an actuator 50 is present in exemplary embodiments except for the conductor rail, which generates a relative movement between the port or ports of the media station and the ports of the carriage, wherein the relative movement at least also comprises a component in a direction perpendicular to the traversing movement of the carriage along the guide rail 2. By this actuator the port or ports can be moved towards each other and be mechanically coupled with each other. the actuator also serves for releasing the coupling.

[0142] A joint coupling arrangement can be used for the joint movement of a plurality of different ports into a coupling position.

[0143] In particular, a plurality of different ports can be arranged on a coupling element 51 which by means of the actuator is movable into a coupling position and/or is moved out of the coupling position into an uncoupled position.

[0144] Alternatively, individual ports also can each include separate coupling arrangements and/or actuators.

[0145] The ports of the media station are moved towards the ports of the carriage via one or more coupling arrangements, when said carriage is disposed in the suitable position opposite the media station.

[0146] In a possible embodiment of the present application, at least one of the media connections between media station and carriage can be produced only in a single defined traversing position of the carriage. In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, media connections can be produced only in one traversing position of the carriage, possibly except for the connection for the electric energy supply. Other embodiments include forming connections at multiple positions.

[0147] In a possible embodiment of the present application, ports of the media station and/or of the carriage might be arranged on the media station and/or on the carriage so as to be traversable by a certain distance in the direction of travel of the carriage. After the production of the mechanical connection, this allows a certain relative movement of the carriage to the media station without having to release the media connection.

[0148] The actuation of the loading gantry may be effected fully automated. The coupling between the ports of the media station and the carriage may be effected automatically by a corresponding actuation of the actuator used therefor, when the carriage is in a suitable traversing position. In the same way, releasing of the coupling may be effected automatically by a corresponding actuation of the actuator used therefor, before the carriage is traversed into another traversing position in which coupling is not possible.

[0149] Instead of the electric energy supply via the production of a conductive connection according to the application the energy supply might also be effected wirelessly. For example, in the vicinity of the media station an induction coil might be provided for this purpose, via which a wireless energy supply of the carriage can be effected when the same is disposed in the vicinity of the media station. In this embodiment of the media station only serves the transfer of at least one further medium, which has been described above.

[0150] The energy supply can be used for charging the energy accumulator and/or for the energy supply of one or more drives of the carriage.

[0151] Independent of whether the energy supply is effected via an electrically conductive contact or wirelessly, the same may be configured such that charging of the energy accumulator of the carriage is effected with a current of more than 100 Ampere.

[0152] The media station may be arranged in areas of the guide rail 2 in which the carriage anyway stops during the normal operation. In particular, it can be arranged over a machine tool, a raw part removal unit and/or a finished part deposition unit.

[0153] Furthermore, a plurality of media stations can also be arranged along the guide rail 2, as this is shown in FIG. 1. the media stations are arranged at the above-mentioned positions also in this case.

[0154] A media station in a parking position, which lies outside the traversing path necessary for the normal operation, likewise is conceivable.

[0155] The use of the media station has the advantage that the previously necessary supply chain for supplying the carriage 1 can be omitted. A considerably higher flexibility thereby is achieved in the design and in particular in the expansion of the loading gantry. Furthermore, the supply chain is a wear part which can now be omitted.

[0156] Furthermore, the solution according to the application in principle allows the use of an arbitrary number of carriages on a loading gantry, i.e. on a guide rail, as it is no longer necessary to provide a corresponding number of supply chains. Moreover, individual carriages can easily be removed and exchanged for example for maintenance purposes. For this purpose, it is merely necessary to release or again produce the mechanical connection with the guide rail 2.

[0157] In another independent aspect of the present application the electric energy accumulator of the carriage 1 comprises both supercaps and batteries. In normal operation, the operation of the carriage is effected via the energy provided by the supercaps, as the supercaps provide for very fast charging. The batteries on the other hand serve for supplying energy in an emergency operation, in particular after a failure of the power supply of the loading gantry or an emergency stop at a position at which no media station and/or charging station is arranged.

[0158] As the supercaps have a very high rate of self-discharge, the same possibly already are discharged so much after a standstill of the system that the carriage can no longer be traversed via the supercaps. In this case, the batteries provide for a creep travel to the next media station in an emergency operating mode in order to be able to again charge the supercaps.

[0159] This aspect of the configuration of the carriage according to the application also is subject-matter of the present application independent of the use of a media station according to the application.

[0160] In the exemplary embodiment, the loading gantry is configured as a linear gantry so that the guide rail 2 is stationarily arranged on the ground via the prop 24.

[0161] In the same way, the present application can also be used on an area gantry in which the guide rail 2 can be horizontally traversed perpendicularly to its extension. This can either be effected via a traversable prop 10 or by the guide rail 2 being traversably arranged on the prop 24.

[0162] FIGS. 1-9B show example configurations with relative positioning of the various components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directly coupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting or directly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly, elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguous or adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As an example, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other may be referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elements positioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and no other components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. As yet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at opposite sides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may be referred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in the figures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a top of the component and a bottommost element or point of the element may be referred to as a bottom of the component, in at least one example. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may be relative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describe positioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such, elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above the other elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of the elements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shown within another element or shown outside of another element may be referred as such, in one example.

[0163] It will be appreciated that the configurations and routines disclosed herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. For example, the above technology can be applied to linear or area gantries. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein.

[0164] As used herein, the term approximately is construed to mean plus or minus five percent of the range unless otherwise specified.

[0165] The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and sub-combinations regarded as novel and non-obvious. These claims may refer to an element or a first element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure