METHOD FOR CHECKING THE FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE THERMAL INSULATION OF A TRANSPORT CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for checking the functional capability of the thermal insulation of a transport container, at least one vacuum insulation panel being installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, which vacuum insulation panel consists of a porous core material of low thermal conductivity and a gas-tight casing, which surrounds the core material in a tightly contacting manner at very low internal pressure, and which vacuum insulation panel has a pressure sensor and a transponder connected to the pressure sensor within the casing, the transponder being controlled for checking by means of an external reading device from outside the thermal insulation and the response signal of the transponder being captured (read out) and the response signal being evaluated with respect to whether the internal pressure in the vacuum insulation panel is correctly low or incorrectly high. Said method is characterized in that the external reading device can be moved and, while the transport container stands still or is moved in a controlled manner, the external reading device is moved to a specified position relative to the transport container in an automated, motorized manner, said position being suitable for reading out the transponder, that the response signal of the transponder is captured there and that the captured response signal of the transponder is electronically evaluated in an automated manner.

Claims

1. A method for checking the functional capability of the thermal insulation of a transport container, wherein at least one vacuum insulation panel is installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, which vacuum insulation panel consists of a porous core material of low thermal conductivity and a gas-tight enclosure enclosing the core material in a close-fitting manner at a very low internal pressure and has, inside the enclosure, a pressure sensor and a transponder connected to the pressure sensor, wherein, for the checking, the transponder is controlled by an external reader from outside the thermal insulation and its response signal is captured or read and the response signal is evaluated, in order to determine whether the internal pressure in the vacuum insulation panel is correctly low or incorrectly high, wherein the external reader can be moved and, when the transport container is stationary or is moving in a controlled manner, is moved to a predefined position relative to the transport container in an automated and motorized manner, which position is suitable for reading the transponder, and the response signal from the transponder is captured in this position, and the captured response signal from the transponder is electronically evaluated in an automated manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of vacuum insulation panels with a transponder are installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, wherein the transponders of all vacuum insulation panels are read at the same time or at approximately the same time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of vacuum insulation panels with a transponder are installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, wherein the transponders of all or at least a plurality of vacuum insulation panels are read in succession by the reader.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of vacuum insulation panels with a transponder are installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, wherein a plurality of external readers are used and the transponders of different vacuum insulation panels are simultaneously read by the readers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport container is transported relative to the reader(s) before and/or after reading the transponders of all vacuum insulation panels installed therein.

6. A method for checking the functional capability of the thermal insulation of a transport container, wherein at least one vacuum insulation panel is installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, which vacuum insulation panel consists of a porous core material of low thermal conductivity and a gas-tight enclosure enclosing the core material in a close-fitting manner at a very low internal pressure and has, inside the enclosure, a pressure sensor and a transponder connected to the pressure sensor, wherein, for the checking, the transponder is controlled by an external reader from outside the thermal insulation and its response signal is captured or read and the response signal is evaluated, in particular in order to determine whether the internal pressure in the vacuum insulation panel is correctly low or incorrectly high, wherein: the external reader is arranged at a transport track for the transport container, the transport container is moved to a predefined position relative to the reader in an automated manner, which position is suitable for reading the transponder, the response signal from the transponder is captured in this position, and the captured response signal from the transponder is electronically evaluated in an automated manner.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transport container is transported in succession in an automated manner to a plurality of different positions relative to the external reader.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a plurality of vacuum insulation panels with a transponder are installed in the thermal insulation of the transport container, wherein a plurality of external readers is arranged at the transport track for the transport container, and the transponders of different vacuum insulation panels are simultaneously read by the readers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport container has a substructure and a cover which both each have at least one vacuum insulation panel with a transponder, wherein the transponders of the vacuum insulation panels of the substructure, on the one hand, and of the cover, on the other hand, are read separately from one another by means of a reader or a plurality of readers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein use is made of transponders which, in addition to an item of yes/no information relating to the pressure in the vacuum insulation panel, provide further data, for example a measured pressure value, a serial number or another identification of the vacuum insulation panel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transponders having a long range, preferably a range of more than 100 cm, are used and all transponders of the vacuum insulation panels of the transport container are read together using a movable or stationary reader.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transponders having a wide range, preferably a range of more than 100 cm, are used, a plurality of transport containers are arranged together at one location, in particular are stacked, and the transponders of the vacuum insulation panels of all transport containers arranged together at one location are read together using a movable or stationary reader or using a plurality of movable or stationary readers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport container is identified before checking the transponders of a plurality of vacuum insulation panels of the transport container in order to determine where vacuum insulation panels are installed in the thermal insulation, and only those positions which correspond to the identified positions of the vacuum insulation panels are then approached by the reader and/or only those readers which correspond to the identified positions of the vacuum insulation panels are activated for the purpose of checking the transponders.

14. An apparatus for carrying out a method as claimed in claim 1, comprising, at least one reader for transponders, at least one positioning mechanism which carries the at least one reader, in particular in the form of a robot arm, and an electronic control and evaluation device for controlling the at least one positioning mechanism and for evaluating the output signals from the at least one reader.

15. An apparatus for carrying out a method as claimed in claim 6, comprising a transport track for the transport container(s), at least one reader on the transport track, and an electronic control and evaluation device for controlling the transport track and the at least one reader and for evaluating the output signals from the at least one reader.

Description

[0035] The invention is explained below, in conjunction with the explanation of apparatuses for carrying out the method according to the invention, using two examples. In the drawing

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out a method according to the invention, and

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out a method according to the invention.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a transport roller track 1 on which a transport container 3 is just now situated at a checking station 2. The transport container 3 has a substructure 4 which is formed by side walls and a base and on the top of which the closing cover 5 is placed. A vacuum insulation panel is respectively situated in the side walls and the base of the substructure 4 and in the cover 5 between the outer wall and the inner container consisting in this case of foam plastic, both of which cannot be seen here.

[0039] Each vacuum insulation panel is equipped with a pressure sensor and a transponder connected to the latter. In particular, they may be a micromechanical pressure sensor and an RFID transponder or an NFC transponder. In principle, however, all pressure sensors with a different method of operation and transponders with an appropriate range which are suitable for this application can be used.

[0040] At least one reader 6, precisely one reader 6 in this case, which can be used to read the transponders of the vacuum insulation panels in the thermal insulation of the transport container 3 is situated at the checking station 2. In the preferred exemplary embodiment illustrated, the reader 6 is carried by a positioning mechanism 7, here in the form of a robot arm. Other positioning mechanisms are also possible, for example X/Y or X/Z coordinate mechanisms, in particular if a plurality of readers 6 are used.

[0041] If the transport container 3 is stationary or in any case is moving only slowly in a controlled manner on the transport roller track 1 in the checking station 2, the positioning mechanism 7 can be used to move the reader 6 in an automated and motorized manner to the total of six predefined positions relative to the transport container 3 in which a transponder of a vacuum insulation panel can be read in each case. In this exemplary embodiment, the transponders of all the vacuum insulation panels are therefore read in succession by the reader 6. For this purpose, the robot arm, which forms the positioning mechanism 7 for the reader 6, moves the reader 6 to all locations at which the response signal from a transponder of a vacuum insulation panel is intended to be captured.

[0042] The various alternatives for the configuration of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 have been described within the scope of the explanation of the method. For example, it is possible to operate with two positioning mechanisms and a reader respectively fitted thereto in order to be able to carry out the reading partially at the same time.

[0043] For example, a gripping arm can also be arranged on the checking station 2, which gripping arm lifts the cover 5 from the substructure 4 of the transport container 3 and pivots the cover 5 to the side for a separate check by means of a separate reader, while a second reader plunges into the substructure 4 and simultaneously reads all transponders of the different vacuum insulation panels which are in the substructure 4.

[0044] In any case, the important factor is that an electronic control and evaluation device 8 is provided for the purpose of controlling the at least one positioning mechanism 7 and evaluating the output signals from the at least one reader 6. This is schematically indicated in FIG. 1.

[0045] It has already been pointed out further above that the transport roller track 1 has a switch, for example, downstream of the checking station 2 in the run-through direction, which switch is controlled by the control and evaluation device 8 and is used to discharge a transport container 3 in which a fault in the thermal insulation has been determined.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment which likewise has a transport roller track 1 having a checking station 2 for a transport container 3 on the roller track 1. However, provision is made here for a plurality of readers 6 to be arranged in a frame-like or gantry-like manner on the transport track 1 for the transport containers 3, namely a reader 6 on the left and on the right as well as at the top and at the bottom. Lateral pivot arms 9 which are arranged on the checking station 2 are used to respectably pivot yet another reader 6 in front of the transport container 3 and another reader behind the transport container 3 in and out again as necessary in line with the process while the transport container is passing through.

[0047] With the design explained above according to FIG. 2, it is possible to dispense with a technically complicated robot arm as the positioning mechanism 7, rather only the two pivot arms 9 are needed here and the readers 6 moreover sit on the transport track 1 in a stationary manner.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiment explained above as well, provision may again be made for the cover 5 to be separated from the substructure 4 of the transport container 3 by means of a gripping arm or another manipulation apparatus and to then be checked separately by a reader 6.

[0049] The method according to the invention which is implemented by an apparatus designed in an appropriate manner can be used to automatically check transport containers of the type in question for the functional capability of the thermal insulation, in which vacuum insulation panels are installed, with a high throughput. The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for large-scale production.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0050] 1 Transport track [0051] 2 Checking station [0052] 3 Transport container [0053] 4 Substructure [0054] 5 Cover [0055] 6 Reader [0056] 7 Positioning mechanism [0057] 8 Control and evaluation device [0058] 9 Pivot arm