Abstract
A method for teaching a planar transport device, in which an operating behavior of at least one handling element of the planar transport device, which is configured as an electrodynamically movable mover and is configured for handling products, is taught by an operator interaction of an operator, which is designed differently from a manual writing of a programming command. The operator interaction takes place directly, preferably free of an additional operator input device, at the handling element in order to specify the operating behavior of the handling element.
Claims
1. A method for teaching a planar transport device, wherein an operating behavior of at least one handling element (14) of the planar transport device, which is configured as an electrodynamically movable mover and is configured for a handling of products (16), is taught by an operator interaction of an operator, which is configured differently from a manual writing of a programming command, wherein the operator interaction takes place directly at the handling element (14) in order to specify the operating behavior of the handling element (14).
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a movement of the handling element (14) along a movement path (18, 20) and/or around a movement axis (22) is detected by a sensor unit (24) of the planar transport device, and is converted by a control or regulation unit (26) of the planar transport device into an electronic command, which is stored in a memory unit (28) of the control or regulation unit (26) as part of an operating program for a control or a regulation of the operating behavior of the handling element (14).
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a movement of the handling element (14) along a movement path (18, 20) and/or around a movement axis (22) is detected by a sensor unit (24) of the planar transport device, and is interpolated by a control or regulation unit (26) of the planar transport device.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a teaching process is started or ended by a movement of the handling element (14) relative to a movement surface element (34) of the planar transport device.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a change in a magnetic field is evaluated for a detection of position data of the handling element (14), which are used for a detection of a movement path (18, 20) of the handling element (14).
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a force acting on the handling element (14) during a movement of the handling element (14) along a movement path (18, 20) is detected in order to assess a presence of an obstacle on the movement path (18, 20), wherein if a limit value of the force acting on the handling element (14) is exceeded, position data of the handling element (14) are automatically stored in a memory unit (28) of a control or regulation unit (26) of the planar transport device.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an operator interaction for teaching the operating behavior of the handling element (14) is confirmed by the handling element (14) by an optical and/or haptic output of the handling element (14).
8. A planar transport device comprising at least one handling element (14) configured as an electrodynamically movable mover and comprising at least one control or regulation unit (26) which is configured for teaching at least one operating behavior of the handling element (14) by the method as claimed in claim 1.
9. The planar transport device as claimed in claim 8, comprising at least one movement surface element (34), comprising at least one electromagnetic drive unit (32), and at least one sensor unit (24) at least for detecting a position and/or a movement of the handling element (14) relative to the movement surface element (34).
10. A production and/or transport machine comprising at least one planar transport device as claimed in claim 8.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Further advantages can be found in the following description of the drawings. The drawings show an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form useful further combinations.
[0021] In the drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a production and/or transport machine according to the invention with at least one handling device according to the invention designed as a planar transport device in a schematic representation,
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the handling device according to the invention designed as a planar transport device in a schematic representation,
[0024] FIG. 3a shows a movement of a handling element of the handling device designed as a planar transport device according to the invention along a straight movement path for teaching an operating behavior of the handling element in a schematic representation,
[0025] FIG. 3b shows a movement path from FIG. 3a interpolated by means of a control or regulation unit of the handling device according to the invention, which is designed as a planar transport device, in a schematic representation,
[0026] FIG. 4a shows a movement of a handling element of the handling device according to the invention, designed as a planar transport device, along an arcuate movement path for teaching an operating behavior of the handling element in a schematic representation,
[0027] FIG. 4b shows a movement path from FIG. 4a interpolated by means of the control or regulation unit of the handling device according to the invention, which is designed as a planar transport device, in a schematic representation, and
[0028] FIG. 5 shows a process sequence of a method according to the invention for teaching the handling device designed as a planar transport device according to the invention in a schematic representation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a production and/or transport machine 36 comprising at least one handling device 12. The production and/or transport machine 36 is preferably configured for a production, for a processing and/or for a transport of products 16, in particular foodstuffs. The production and/or transport machine 36 may be designed, for example, as a food packaging machine, as a food filling machine, as a food manufacturing machine, as a combination of the aforementioned machines, or the like. The production and/or transport machine 36 may comprise further devices and/or units which appear to a person skilled in the art to be useful for a production, processing and/or transport of products 16, in particular foodstuffs, such as, for example, a sterilization device, a filling device, a closing device, a repackaging device or the like. Preferably, the handling device 12 is configured for transporting products 16. For example, it is conceivable that the handling device 12 is configured for a transport of products 16 between individual work stations of the production and/or transport machine 36 comprising the handling device 12. The handling device 12 may be configured for an ordered transport, such as for realizing a row formation, a sorting or the like, and/or for an unordered transport.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the handling device 12. The handling device 12 is preferably designed as a planar transport device. The handling device 12 comprises at least one handling element 14, in particular an electrodynamically movable mover, and at least one control or regulation unit 26, which is configured for teaching at least one operating behavior of the handling element 14 by means of a method 10 described in greater detail later. The handling device 12 preferably comprises at least one movement surface element 34, in particular comprising at least one electromagnetic drive unit 32, and at least one sensor unit 24 at least for detecting a position and/or a movement of the handling element 14 relative to the movement surface element 34. Particularly preferably, the handling device 12 comprises a plurality of handling elements 14 and a plurality of movement surface elements 34. The handling elements 14 preferably all have an at least substantially identical design, wherein in particular deviations at least in size and weights are conceivable. A description of one of the handling elements 14 is preferably transferable to all handling elements 14. The movement surface elements 34 preferably all have an at least substantially identical design, wherein in particular deviations at least in size and weights are conceivable. A description of one of the movement surface elements 34 is preferably transferable to all movement surface elements 34. The movement surface elements 34 are connected to one another, in particular in order to form together a planar movement plane (cf. FIG. 1). The movement surface elements 34 each have at least one electromagnetic drive unit 32, which is formed by at least one electric coil or several electric coils. The handling elements 14 are preferably designed as movers which are movable relative to the movement surface elements 34, in particular without contact, in particular as a result of a cooperation of permanent magnets 38 of the handling elements 14 with the electromagnetic drive units 32 of the movement surface elements 34. Preferably, the permanent magnets 38 of the handling elements 14 and the electromagnetic drive units 32 together form an electrodynamic conveyor unit or are at least part of the electrodynamic conveyor unit. In particular, the handling device 12 configured as a planar transport device can detect and evaluate a position of the individual handling elements 14 relative to the movement surface elements 34 in a manner already known to a person skilled in the art in order to realize a control or regulation of a movement of the handling elements 14 relative to the movement surface elements 34. Preferably, the handling elements 14 have six degrees of freedom of movement relative to the movement surface elements 34. Preferably, the handling elements 14 are individually translationally movable along coordinate axes X, Y and Z and are individually rotationally movable around the coordinate axes X, Y and Z relative to the movement surface elements 34. Preferably, the handling elements 14 are all independently movable relative to the movement surface elements 34. For control or regulation and for a monitoring of the movements of the handling elements 14 relative to the movement surface elements 34, the handling device 12 comprises the sensor unit 24 and the control or regulation unit 26.
[0031] Preferably, the permanent magnets 38 of the handling elements 14 together with the electromagnetic drive units 32 of the movement surface elements 34 form at least part of the sensor unit 24 of the handling device 12. Preferably, the control or regulation unit 26 forms one, in particular further part, of the sensor unit 24, in particular that part of the control or regulation unit 26 which evaluates a change in the magnetic field between handling elements 14 and the movement surface elements 34 in order to determine a position of the handling elements 14 relative to the movement surface elements 34. However, it is alternatively or additionally conceivable that the sensor unit 24 is formed entirely by the control or regulation unit 26 or is provided as a separate, additional unit to the control or regulation unit 26. Furthermore, it is alternatively or additionally conceivable that the sensor unit 24 comprises a sensor element which is designed for a special acquisition of position data, such as an acceleration sensor, a rotation rate sensor or the like.
[0032] Preferably, the sensor unit 24 comprises at least one force detection element 40 to sense a force acting on the handling element 14. Preferably, the force detection element 40 is arranged on a, preferably circumferential, edge 42 of the handling element 14 in order to sense a force acting on the handling element 14 when the handling element 14 comes into contact with an obstacle. The force detection element 40 can have any design that appears reasonable to a person skilled in the art, such as a design as a strain gauge, as a piezoelectric sensor, as a thin-film sensor, as an inductive sensor, as a capacitive sensor, or the like. It is conceivable that the edge 42 of the handling element 14, which, viewed in the horizontal plane, surrounds the handling element 14, in particular completely, is of elastic design or is mounted movably, and a deformation, in particular elastic deformation, or a deflection of the edge 42 can be detected by means of the force detection element 40 in order to detect a force acting on the handling element 14. Further embodiments for detecting a force acting on the handling element 14, in particular for detecting an obstacle, which appear to a person skilled in the art to be useful, are also conceivable. Preferably, a force acting on the handling element 14 during the movement of the handling element 14 along a movement path 18, 20, in particular after a teaching process, is detected, in particular by means of the sensor unit 24 of the handling device 12 arranged at least partially on the handling element 14, in order to assess the presence of an obstacle on the movement path 18, 20, wherein, if a limit value of the force acting on the handling element 14 is exceeded, position data, in particular current position data, of the handling element 14 are automatically stored in a memory unit 28 of the control or regulation unit 26 of the handling device 12, in particular in order to note a position of the obstacle.
[0033] For teaching an operating behavior of the handling element 14, the handling element 14 is manually movable by an operator in a teaching process. FIGS. 3a and 4a show examples of moving the handling element 14 along a straight and a curved movement path 18, 20 for teaching the operating behavior of the handling element 14. Preferably, the handling element 14 is moved directly by an operator interaction of the operator, in particular by the operator moving the handling element 14 by means of an extremity 44 of the operator, in particular a hand or a finger, which is greatly enlarged in FIGS. 3a and 4a, in particular relative to the movement surface element 34. Preferably, the operator interaction to preset the operational behavior is a movement of the handling element 14 relative to the movement surface elements 34 by the operator, wherein the operator preferably touches the handling element 14 directly or indirectly, in particular via an auxiliary element. For example, in particular in a teaching process, a movement and/or a movement sequence of the handling element 14, which the handling element 14 performs during a regular operation, is/are taught by means of an active movement of the handling element 14 by the operator relative to the movement surface elements 34. The operator, in particular in the teaching process, for example by moving, in particular pushing or pulling, the handling element 14, can specify a movement path 18, 20, as is shown by way of example in FIGS. 3a and 4a, of the handling element 14, which the handling element 14 travels during a regular operation. For example, by rotating the handling element 14 around a movement axis 22 (cf. FIG. 2), the operator, in particular in the teaching process, can specify a speed of the handling element 14 at which the handling element 14 moves along the specified movement path 18, 20 during regular operation. It is also conceivable that a fine adjustment of the movement path 18, 20 or the speed can be made by the operator by tapping the handling element 14, in particular laterally, preferably at least substantially parallel to a horizontal plane and/or a surface of the handling element 14 and/or the movement surface elements 34. Preferably, the operator contacts the handling element 14 directly to move the handling element 14 to a specification of an operating behavior, in particular to push, pull, rotate, lift and/or press down the handling element 14 relative to the movement surface element 34. It is conceivable that for moving the handling element 14, the additional element (not shown in more detail here), such as a type of handle, guide rod or the like, that can be arranged on the handling element 14 is used. The additional element can be used for advantageously gripping and/or guiding the handling element 14 during the teaching process. Preferably, the additional element is not arranged on the handling element 14 in regular operation. The handling element 14 may comprise a connection interface (not shown in greater detail here), which is configured for a detachable mechanical connection to the additional element. The connection interface can be designed as a plug-in connection, as a screw connection, as a clamp connection, as a Velcro connection, as a bayonet connection or as any other connection interface that appears to be useful to a person skilled in the art. Preferably, the connection interface is free of electronic and/or electrical contacts. The connection interface may be partially or completely formed by a product receiving unit or may be arranged in addition thereto on the handling element 14. However, it is also conceivable that the additional element is arranged in a stowable manner on the handling element 14, for example as the result of a movable mounting of the additional element on the handling element 14. The additional element can, for example, be movably mounted on the handling element 14 in a foldable, pivotable, retractable or similar manner. Preferably, an operator interaction configured as manual movement of the handling element 14 is detected by means of the sensor unit 24 of the handling device 12, preferably interpolated, and, in particular following the interpolation, stored as a program command/operating command in the memory unit 28 of the control or regulation unit 26. FIGS. 3b and 4b show the movement paths 18, 20 from FIGS. 3a and 4a interpolated by means of the control or regulation unit 26.
[0034] Preferably, the teaching process is started or ended by moving the handling element 14, in particular manually, preferably by the operator, in particular along a vertical direction 30 (cf. FIG. 2), relative to the movement surface element 34 of the handling device 12, in particular comprising at least the electromagnetic drive unit 32. The, in particular successfully detected, operator interaction for teaching the operating behavior of the handling element 14 is preferably confirmed by the handling element 14 by means of a visual and/or haptic output, in particular by a movement, preferably a vibration, of the handling element 14. Preferably, a movement, in particular a manual movement, preferably performed by the operator, of the handling element 14 along the movement path 18, 20 and/or around the movement axis 22 is detected by means of the sensor unit 24 of the handling device 12, in particular arranged at least partially on the handling element 14, and is converted by means of the control or regulation unit 26 of the handling device 12 into an electronic command which is stored in the memory unit 28 of the control or regulation unit 26 as part of an operating program for control or regulation of the operating behavior of the handling element 14. For a detection of position data of the handling element 14, which are used for a detection of the movement path 18, 20 of the handling element 14, a change in a magnetic field, in particular in an electromagnetic field, is evaluated. The movement, in particular manual movement, preferably performed by the operator, of the handling element 14 along the movement path 18, 20 and/or around the movement axis 22 is preferably detected by means of the sensor unit 24 of the handling device 12, in particular arranged at least partially on the handling element 14, and interpolated by means of the control or regulation unit 26 of the handling device 12, in particular before storage as part of an operating program in the memory unit 28 of the control or regulation unit 26.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a schematic process flow of the method 10 for teaching the handling device 12, in particular the handling elements 14. In the method 10 for teaching the handling device 12, an operating behavior of the handling element 14, which is configured for handling products 16, is taught by means of the operator interaction of the operator, which is in particular designed differently from a manual writing of a programming command. The operator interaction takes place, in particular directly, preferably free of an additional, in particular electronic, operator input device, at the handling element 14 in order to specify the operating behavior of the handling element 14. In at least one method step 46 of the method 10, the teaching process is started, in particular by moving the handling element 14 along the vertical direction 30 relative to the movement surface element 34. Preferably, in at least one method step 48 of the method 10, the handling element 14 is moved, in particular manually, preferably by the operator, along the movement path 18, 20 and/or around the movement axis 22, the movement being detected by means of the sensor unit 24 and processed by means of the control or regulation unit 26. It is conceivable that the, in particular successfully detected, operator interaction, in particular each time, is confirmed directly by the handling element 14 by means of an optical and/or haptic output, in particular by a movement, preferably a vibration, of the handling element 14. Preferably, in at least one method step 50 of the method 10, an automatic interpolation of the predetermined movement paths 18, 20 is performed by means of the control or regulation unit 26. Preferably, in at least one method step 52 of the method 10, a fine adjustment of the predetermined movement paths 18, 20 or a presetting of a speed of the handling element 14 is performed, in particular by an operator interaction or by a program routine. Preferably, in at least one method step 54 of the method 10, the teaching process is terminated, in particular by moving the handling element 14 along the vertical direction 30 relative to the movement surface element 34. The method 10 can have further method steps that appear useful to a person skilled in the art, in particular derived on the basis of the description of the mode of operation and/or the design of the handling device 12 and/or the production and/or transport machine 36.
