METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A WHEEL

Abstract

A method for handling a wheel which is carried by a spindle in which a robot arm grips the spindle at a robot gripping position and removes same from a transport vehicle. Since the wheel is not directly gripped by the robot arm, damage to the wheel that could be caused by clamping of the robot arm on the wheel is avoided. Preferably, before or during the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, a locking element on the transport vehicle releases the spindle.

Claims

1. A method for handling a wheel which is carried by a spindle, comprising: gripping a spindle carrying a wheel using a robot arm at a robot gripping position and removing the same from a transport vehicle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, before or during the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, a locking element on the transport vehicle releases the spindle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, during the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, the locking element automatically releases the spindle when a tensile force exerted on the spindle by the robot arm exceeds a threshold value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, during the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, the locking element releases the spindle with the aid of an actuator arranged in a stationary manner.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, before the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, the robot arm actuates the locking element or a mechanical actuator element connected thereto, and thereby releases the spindle.

6. An apparatus for handling a wheel, comprising: a spindle which is designed to carry a wheel; a transport vehicle; and a robot arm; wherein the transport vehicle is designed to releasably receive the spindle, and wherein the spindle is grippable by the robot arm at a robot gripping position and is removable from the transport vehicle.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a locking element for locking and releasing the spindle is provided on the transport vehicle.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking element is suitable for automatically releasing the spindle as soon as a tensile force exerted on the spindle by the robot arm exceeds a threshold value.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein, for the locking and release of the spindle, the locking element is controllable by means of an actuator arranged in a stationary manner.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a groove is provided on a circumferential surface of the spindle, in which groove the locking element of the transport vehicle engages in the locked state of the spindle.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein, for the removal of the spindle from the transport vehicle, the locking element or a mechanical actuator element arranged on the outside of the transport vehicle is actuable by the robot arm and, as a result, the spindle is releasable.

12. A transport vehicle for transporting spindles which are suitable for transporting wheels, comprising: a spindle guide for receiving a spindle, wherein a locking element is provided for locking and releasing the spindle on the transport vehicle.

13. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the locking element is automatically unlockable if a tensile force exerted on the spindle exceeds a threshold value.

14. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the locking element is unlockable with the aid of an actuator arranged in a stationary manner.

15. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the locking element is designed as a cylinder sectioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of said locking element or as a sectioned ball and is mounted rotatably.

16. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the spindle guide is funnel-shaped.

17. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the spindle guide of the spindle has a wearing bushing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention for handling a wheel in a side view according to a first exemplary embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, wherein the spindle is locked in the transport vehicle;

[0041] FIG. 3 shows that part of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 2, wherein the spindle is unlocked, and a robot arm which grips the spindle;

[0042] FIG. 4 shows part of an apparatus according to the invention according to a second embodiment, wherein the spindle is locked in the transport vehicle;

[0043] FIG. 5 shows that part of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the spindle is unlocked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] While this invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is described in detail herein, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 50 for handling a wheel 10. In a lacquering plant, a plurality of wheels 10 are carried on spindles 12. Each spindle 12 is connected to a transport vehicle 30 arranged in a guide 35. Each transport vehicle 30 has a driver 37 which is grasped by a revolving conveyor chain (not depicted). However, the driver 37 can change its position in such a manner that the driver 37 is not grasped by the conveyor chain and therefore the transport vehicle 30 is not conveyed by the conveyor chain.

[0046] It can also be advantageous to provide a plurality of spindles 12 which are connected to a single transport vehicle 30. The spindles 12 are moved through the lacquering plant by means of the transport vehicles 30 and each have a robot gripping position 20 at which the spindle can be gripped by means of a robot arm 40 in order to supply said spindle to a processing station or to transfer same to a different transport section.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows the spindle 12 which is shown in FIG. 1 and is locked to the respective transport vehicle 30 by means of a locking element 16. As an alternative, a transition fit or press fit can be provided between the transport vehicle 30 and the spindle 12.

[0048] The locking element 16 is designed as a sectioned ball which is mounted in the transport vehicle 30 so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the section plane. Alternatively, the locking element 16 can also be designed as a sectioned cylinder. In the locked state, a non-sectioned region of the ball engages in an encircling groove 25 formed in the spindle, in order to fix the spindle 12 to the transport vehicle 30. The spindle 12 is as a rule rotatable by means of a gear wheel. An encircling groove 25 is therefore particularly advantageous since the locking element 16 remains in engagement during the rotation in the groove 25.

[0049] In the case of embodiments of the spindle 12 without a groove 25, the locking element 16 can have a roller which is pressed against the surface of the spindle 12. During the rotation of the spindle 12, the roller of the locking element 16 rotates, and therefore a force is exerted against the surface of the spindle 12 during the rotation of the spindle 12.

[0050] The spindle 12 has a spindle guide 32 which is configured for receiving the spindle 12 in the transport vehicle 30. The spindle guide 32 can have in particular a wearing bushing which minimizes the wear on the spindle guide 32 of the transport vehicle 30 due to repeated insertion and removal of the spindle 12. In general, an inner surface of the wearing bushing is composed of a softer material than the spindle 12. By means of the pairing of the different material hardnesses, the wear substantially arises at the wearing bushing, and therefore the spindle 12 is subject to less wear. The cost-effective wearing bushing merely therefore has to be interchanged as soon as increased wear phenomena occur on the wearing bushing.

[0051] The spindle 12 furthermore has a receiving spike 15 for receiving a wheel 10 and a robot gripping position 20 at which the spindle 12 is grippable by a robot arm 40. The robot gripping position 20 preferably comprises a bushing which is arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the spindle 12. The bushing is preferably composed of a hardened material in order to minimize wear of the robot gripping position 20. The shape of the bushing substantially depends on the shape of the gripper of the robot arm 40. The bushing preferably has a substantially circular-cylindrical outer surface, but a polygonal outer surface can also be advantageous for better grippability of the spindle 12. The bushing can be fastened to the spindle 12 by means of a press fit or transition fit. Also suitable is an integrally bonded connection, for example by means of spot welding, or a tongue and groove connection.

[0052] As an alternative thereto, the robot gripping position 20 can be designed as a hardened point of the spindle and/or can have a grippy structure for slip-free and low-wear gripping of the spindle.

[0053] The robot arm grips the spindle 12 at the robot gripping position 20 in order to remove the same from the transport vehicle 30. The robot arm 40 can preferably remove the spindle 12 only after the spindle 12 has been released by the locking element 16, for example by means of an actuator connected to the locking element 16.

[0054] The locking element 16 can also automatically release the spindle 12 by the robot arm 40 exerting a tensile force, which exceeds a threshold value, on the spindle 12. Said threshold value can be set by the fact that a spring is provided on the locking element 16, said spring exerting a force on the spindle 12 that can be set by means of the spring rigidity. The resulting friction force which is directed counter to the tensile force of the robot arm 40 is decisive for the threshold value to be achieved. The friction force can also arise here by means of the described transition fit or press fit.

[0055] The robot arm 40 subsequently deposits the wheel 10 at a processing station or on a preferably identically designed transport vehicle 30 of the next transport section. The locking of the spindles 12 to the transport vehicles 30 of the next transport section can take place automatically here, similarly to the unlocking during the removal, for example by means of a spring which is compressed when the spindle 12 is introduced into the spindle guide 32 of the transport vehicle 30.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows that part of the apparatus 50 which is shown in FIG. 2 in the unlocked state of the spindle 12. The locking element 16, which is designed as a sectioned ball, is rotated by 180 in relation to FIG. 2. The sectioned region of the locking element 16 therefore faces the spindle 12, and therefore the locking element 16 no longer engages in the groove, shown in FIG. 3, of the spindle 12. The spindle 12 can now be gripped by the robot arm 40 at the robot gripping position 20 and transported to the desired location.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a mechanical actuator element 27 which is connected to the locking element 16. In the position shown of the mechanical actuator element 27, the locking element 16 is locked. The mechanical actuator element 27 is actuatable by human force or by the robot arm 40. Alternatively, the mechanical actuator element 27 can be replaced by an actuator.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows the mechanical actuator element 27 from FIG. 4, wherein the mechanical actuator element 27 is in a position corresponding to the unlocked state of the locking element 16.

[0059] While this invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is described in detail herein, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.