SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING COMPONENTS OF DIFFERENT DESIGNS

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system for transferring components of different designs, in particular vehicle components, from one processing station to a production line or further processing station. The system includes at least one transfer unit with at least one holding unit and a plurality of holding elements fixed on the holding unit such that at least one receptacle is formed between them. In order to automate the transfer of the components from the processing station to the production line or further processing station, the system further includes at least one loading unit to mechanically stack the components in the receptacle formed between the holding elements, and at least one unloading unit to mechanically unload the components stacked in the receptacle from the transfer unit and introduce the unloaded components into the production line or into the further processing station.

Claims

1. A system for transferring components of different designs, in particular vehicle components, from at least one processing station to at least one production line or to at least one further processing station, the system comprising: at least one transfer unit including at least one holding unit and a plurality of holding elements fixed and spaced apart at different positions on the holding unit, wherein the holding elements are arranged relative to one another such that at least one receptacle is formed between the holding elements for positive reception of a stack of components; at least one loading unit operable to mechanically load the at least one transfer unit by stacking the components in the receptacle formed between the holding elements of the transfer unit; and at least one unloading unit operable to mechanically unload the components stacked in the receptacle of the transfer unit and mechanically introduce the unloaded components into the production line or into the further processing station.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding unit includes at least one holding plate defining a plurality of apertures formed in at least one region of the holding plate.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the holding elements are rod-shaped and each holding element having a reduced cross-sectional end section configured to be positively inserted into a respective aperture of the at least one holding plate.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of apertures of the at least one holding plate are holes.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of apertures of the at least one holding plate are round holes.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding elements are cylindrical.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding unit includes at least two holding plates arranged parallel and vertically spaced from one another, each holding plate defining a plurality of apertures formed in at least one region, wherein the plurality of apertures of the at least two holding plates are aligned with one another in pairs.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one supporting unit, configured to be fixed at different positions on the holding unit, for supporting at least one section of the stacked components in the receptacle.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the supporting unit includes at least one fixing pin configured to be positively inserted into an aperture of at least one holding plate of the holding unit.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the supporting unit includes at least one rest, the rest having an upper side that corresponds to a negative shape of the stacked components.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding elements are securely connected in position to the holding unit.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding elements are mechanically secured on the holding unit.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one device operable to mechanically position and fix the holding elements on the holding unit.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one store to temporarily store the at least one loaded transfer unit.

15. A system for transferring components from at least one processing station to at least one production line or subsequent processing station, the system comprising: at least one transfer unit including at least one holding unit and a plurality of holding elements fixed on the at least one holding unit such that at least one receptacle is formed between the plurality of holding elements; at least one loading unit including at least one loading robot operable to mechanically stack the components in the at least one receptacle of the at least one transfer unit; and at least one unloading unit including at least one unloading robot operable mechanically unload and transfer the components from the at least one transfer unit to the production line or subsequent processing station.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each loading robot of the at least one loading unit and each unloading robot of the at least one unloading unit includes an optical system.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one unloading unit further includes a temporary store.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one holding unit includes at least one holding plate defining a plurality of apertures in at least one region of the holding plate, wherein a reduced cross-sectional end section of each holding element of the plurality of holding elements are inserted into one of the plurality of apertures.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one holding unit includes an upper holding plate and a lower holding plate, the upper holding plate including a plurality of apertures that are aligned with a plurality of apertures of the lower holding plate in pairs.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one transfer unit further includes a frame having a plurality of interconnecting frame elements that form a base section and at least two opposing side wall sections extending from the base section.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0029] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of one illustrative form of a system according to the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of another illustrative form of a system according to the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of another illustrative form of a system according to the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of a transfer unit of another illustrative form of a system according to the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of a frame structure of the transfer unit shown in FIG. 4;

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a top schematic view of the transfer unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

[0036] FIG. 7 shows a partial schematic and perspective illustration in of a holding unit of the transfer unit shown in FIGS. 4 to 6; and

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of a holding element of the transfer unit shown in FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0038] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of one illustrative form of a system 1 according to the present disclosure for transferring components (not shown) of different designs, in particular vehicle components, from a processing station 2 in the form of a pressing plant or, alternatively, of a forging/casting/rolling/stamping plant to a production line 3.

[0041] The system 1 has a plurality of transfer units 4, which each have a holding unit (not shown in FIG. 1) and a plurality of holding elements (not shown), which can be fixed spaced apart at different positions on the holding unit. The holding elements can be arranged relative to one another in such a way on the holding unit that at least one receptacle (not shown) for the positive reception of a stack (not shown) of components of substantially identical design is formed between them. The transfer units 4 can be designed in accordance with the transfer unit 4 shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, for example.

[0042] Each holding unit can have at least one holding plate (not shown), in which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions. The holding elements can be of rod-shaped design and can each have an end section of reduced cross-sectional area, wherein the end sections can be inserted positively into the respective apertures. The holding elements can be of cylindrical design. In particular, the holding unit can have at least two holding plates (not shown), which are arranged parallel and at a spacing from one another, in each of which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions, wherein the apertures in the holding plates are arranged in such a way as to be aligned with one another in pairs. The holding elements can be secured mechanically on the holding unit, for example, and/or can be connected materially to the holding unit or can simply be held in position by gravity. The apertures may define holes, and in one form are round holes.

[0043] The system 1 can furthermore have at least one supporting unit (not shown), which can be fixed at different positions on the holding unit, for supporting at least one section of a stack of components of substantially identical design inserted into the receptacle. The supporting unit can have at least one fixing pin (not shown), which can be inserted positively into an aperture in the at least one holding plate.

[0044] Moreover, the system 1 can have at least one device (not shown) for the mechanized or partially mechanized or manual positioning and fixing of the holding elements on the holding unit.

[0045] Furthermore, the system 1 comprises a loading unit 5 for the mechanized loading of the transfer units 4 with the components processed in the processing station 2. The loading unit 5 stacks the components in the at least one receptacle formed between the holding elements. For this purpose, the loading unit 5 has two loading robots 6, for example, which take the processed components from a conveyor belt 7, which conveys the processed components out of the processing station 2. The respective loading robot 6 then deposits the grasped component on a transfer unit 4.

[0046] The system 1 furthermore has a store 8 in the form of a high bay store for the temporary storage of loaded transfer units 4. For this purpose, the transfer units 4 loaded by the loading unit 5 are transferred from the loading station 5 to the store 8 and introduced into the latter by automatically or manually guided industrial trucks or tractors (not shown).

[0047] Furthermore, the system 1 has at least one unloading unit 9, and in one form, the system 1 includes a plurality of unloading units 9 in the form of unloading robots for the mechanized unloading of the components stacked in the receptacle from the transfer units 4 and for the mechanized introduction of the unloaded components into the correct station 10 of the production line 3. For this purpose, transfer units 4 temporarily stored in the store 8 are removed from the store 8 by automatically or manually guided industrial trucks or tractors (not shown) and transferred from the store 8 to the unloading units 9.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of another illustrative form of a system 11 according to the present disclosure for transferring components (not shown) of different designs, in particular vehicle components, from a processing station 2 in the form of a pressing plant or, alternatively, of a forging/casting/rolling/stamping plant to a production line (not shown) or to a further processing station (not shown).

[0049] The system 11 has a plurality of transfer units 4, which each have a holding unit (not shown) and a plurality of holding elements (not shown), which can be fixed spaced apart at different positions on the holding unit. The holding elements can be arranged relative to one another in such a way on the holding unit that at least one receptacle (not shown) for the positive reception of a stack (not shown) of components of similar design is formed between them. The transfer units 4 can be designed in accordance with the transfer unit 4 shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, for example.

[0050] Each holding unit can have at least one holding plate (not shown), in which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions. The holding elements can be of rod-shaped design and can each have an end section of reduced cross-sectional area, wherein the end sections can be inserted positively into the respective apertures. The holding elements can be of cylindrical design. In particular, the holding unit can have at least two holding plates (not shown), which are arranged parallel and at a spacing from one another, in each of which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions, wherein the apertures in the holding plates are arranged in such a way as to be aligned with one another in pairs. The holding elements can be secured mechanically on the holding unit, for example, and/or can be connected materially to the holding unit or can simply be held in position by gravity. The apertures may define holes, and in one form are round holes.

[0051] The system 11 can furthermore have at least one supporting unit (not shown), which can be fixed at different positions on the holding unit, for supporting at least one section of a stack of components of similar design inserted into the receptacle. The supporting unit can have at least one fixing pin (not shown), which can be inserted positively into an aperture in the at least one holding plate.

[0052] Moreover, the system 11 can have at least one device (not shown) for the mechanized or partially mechanized or manual positioning and fixing of the holding elements on the holding unit, if this device is not implemented at a separate station.

[0053] Furthermore, the system 11 comprises a loading unit 12 for the mechanized loading of the transfer units 4 with the components processed in the processing station 2. The loading unit 12 stacks the components in the at least one receptacle, formed between the holding elements, of the respective transfer unit 4. For this purpose, the loading unit 12 has four loading robots 6, for example, which take the processed components from a conveyor belt 7, which conveys the processed components out of the processing station 2. The respective loading robot 6 then deposits the grasped component on the nearest transfer unit 4 to the respective loading robot 6.

[0054] The system 11 can furthermore have a store (not shown) for the temporary storage of loaded transfer units 4. For this purpose, the transfer units 4 loaded by the loading unit 12 can be transferred from the loading unit 12 to the store and introduced into the latter by automatically guided industrial trucks (not shown).

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of another illustrative form of a system 13 according to the present disclosure for transferring vehicle components (not shown) of different designs from a processing station (not shown) in the form of a pressing plant to a production line 14 for body assembly. Bodies 15 are moved along the production line 13 and the components are attached to the bodies by an assembly robot 16.

[0056] The system 13 has one or more transfer units 4, each of which has a holding unit (not shown) and a plurality of holding elements (not shown), which can be fixed spaced apart at different positions on the holding unit. In FIG. 3, only one transfer unit 4 is shown. The holding elements can be arranged relative to one another in such a way on the holding unit that at least one receptacle (not shown) for the positive reception of a stack (not shown) of components of substantially identical design is formed between them. The transfer units 4 can be designed in accordance with the transfer unit 4 shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, for example.

[0057] Each holding unit can have at least one holding plate (not shown), in which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions. The holding elements can be of rod-shaped design and can each have an end section of reduced cross-sectional area, wherein the end sections can be inserted positively into the respective apertures. The holding elements can be of cylindrical design. In particular, the holding unit can have at least two holding plates (not shown), which are arranged parallel and at a spacing from one another, in each of which a multiplicity of apertures is formed, at least in some region or regions, wherein the apertures in the holding plates are arranged in such a way as to be aligned with one another in pairs. The holding elements can be connected positively to the holding unit, for example, and/or secured mechanically on the holding unit.

[0058] The system 13 can furthermore have at least one supporting unit (not shown), which can be fixed at different positions on the holding unit, for supporting at least one section of a stack of components of similar design inserted into the receptacle. The supporting unit can have at least one fixing pin (not shown), which can be inserted positively into an aperture in the at least one holding plate. The apertures may define holes, and in one form are round holes.

[0059] Moreover, the system 13 can have at least one device (not shown) for the mechanized or partially mechanized or manual positioning and fixing of the holding elements on the holding unit.

[0060] Furthermore, the system 13 has a loading unit (not shown) for the mechanized loading of the transfer units 4 with the components processed in the processing station. The loading unit stacks the components in the at least one receptacle, formed between the holding elements, of the respective transfer unit 4.

[0061] The system 13 can furthermore have a store (not shown) for the temporary storage of loaded transfer units 4. For this purpose, the transfer units 4 loaded by the loading unit can be transferred from the loading unit to the store and introduced into the latter by automatically guided industrial trucks (not shown).

[0062] Furthermore, the system 13 has an unloading unit 17 for the mechanized unloading of the components stacked in the at least one receptacle from the transfer units 4 and for the mechanized introduction of the unloaded components into the production line 14. For this purpose, transfer units 4 temporarily stored in the store can be removed from the store by automatically guided industrial trucks (not shown) and transferred from the store to the unloading unit 17. The unloading unit 17 comprises an unloading robot 9, which unloads the components from the transfer unit 4 by individually grasping the components situated on the transfer unit 4 and depositing them in a temporary store 18 of the unloading unit 17. The assembly robot 16 removes the components from the temporary store 18 and introduces them into the production line 14. The unloading robot 9 can be provided or combined with an optical system for detecting the loading state of the temporary store 18 to enable the unloading robot 9 to be appropriately controlled.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of a transfer unit 4 of another illustrative form of a system according to the present disclosure, of which only the transfer unit 4 is shown in FIG. 4. The system can be designed in accordance with one of the illustrative forms shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0064] The transfer unit 4 comprises a holding unit 19 of cuboidal design and a plurality of holding elements (not shown in FIG. 4), which can be fixed spaced apart at different positions on the holding unit 19. The holding elements are designed in accordance with FIG. 8. The holding elements can be arranged relative to one another in such a way on the holding unit 19 that at least one receptacle (not shown) for the positive reception of a stack (not shown) of components of similar design is formed between them.

[0065] The holding unit 19 comprises two rectangular holding plates 20 and 21, which are arranged parallel and vertically spaced apart, wherein only the upper holding plate 20, which forms a deposition surface, is shown in FIG. 4. The other (lower) holding plate 21 is shown in FIG. 7. A multiplicity of apertures 22 is formed in each of the holding plates 20 and 21, wherein the apertures 22 in the holding plates 20 and 21 are arranged in such a way as to be aligned with one another in pairs. The apertures may define holes, and in one form are round holes. An end section of reduced cross-sectional area (not shown) of a holding element of rod-shaped and cylindrical design can be inserted positively into the respective pair of mutually aligned apertures 22. The holding elements can be connected positively to the holding unit 19, for example, and/or secured mechanically on the holding unit 19.

[0066] The transfer unit 4 can furthermore have at least one supporting unit (not shown), which can be fixed at different positions on the holding unit 19, for supporting at least one section of a stack of components of substantially identical design inserted into the receptacle. The supporting unit can have at least one fixing pin (not shown), which can be inserted positively into a pair of mutually aligned apertures 22 in the holding plates 20 and 21.

[0067] The transfer unit 4 furthermore has a frame structure 23, on which the holding unit 19 is fastened and on which a transfer appliance (not shown), e.g. an industrial truck, can engage in order to transfer the transfer unit 4. The frame structure 23 has a base section 24, which carries the holding unit 19, and two side wall sections 25, which are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the holding unit 19.

[0068] FIG. 5 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of the frame structure 23 of the transfer unit 4 shown in FIG. 4. The base section 24 is formed from a plurality of interconnected frame elements 26 and 27.

[0069] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view from above of the transfer unit 4 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In particular, it can be seen that the apertures 22 of the holding plates 20 and 21 are arranged in mutually aligned pairs, allowing the base section 24 of the frame structure 24 to be seen through the apertures 22.

[0070] FIG. 7 shows a schematic and perspective illustration in partial section of the holding unit 19 of the transfer unit 4 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. The upper holding plate 20 is shown partially removed, allowing parts of the lower holding plate 21 to be seen. The holding unit 19 has a frame module 28, on which the holding plates 20 and 21 are fastened and which holds the holding plates 20 and 21 parallel and spaced apart. Moreover, the holding unit 19 can be fastened via its frame module 28 to the frame structure 23 shown in FIG. 5.

[0071] FIG. 8 shows a schematic and perspective illustration of a holding element 29 of the transfer unit shown in FIGS. 4 to 7. The holding element 29 comprises a hollow-cylindrical sleeve 30 and a rod 31 extending axially through the sleeve 30. The illustrated relative position of the sleeve 30 and the rod 31 is secured by two mechanical securing elements 32, which are welded, for example. The exposed end section of the rod 31, which is shown at the bottom in FIG. 8, forms the end section 33 of reduced outside diameter of the holding element 29. The end section 33 is inserted into a pair of mutually aligned apertures in the holding plates of the holding unit shown in FIG. 7.

[0072] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.