Lifting Apparatus

Abstract

A lifting apparatus for an industrial processing station, i.e., a lifting table for conveying a body shell during series production of motor vehicles, wherein the lifting apparatus conveys a workpiece on a top frame moved in a purely vertical direction, where the lifting apparatus has, as first vertical guide, at least one isosceles slider-crank mechanism actuated by a motorized drive element, where the isosceles slider-crank mechanism, which consists of a fixed-bearing swing arm with a swing-arm bearing thereof, a control arm with a control-arm guide, a control-arm central joint and a fixed-bearing joint connected to the top frame, is configured to move via actuation of the tie rod acting on the fixed-bearing swing arm, and where particular use of an isosceles slider-crank mechanism, which is also known literature as a Scott-Russell mechanism, provides a simple and effective vertical guide system that allows low overall heights with a minimum production outlay.

Claims

1.-3. (canceled)

4. A lifting apparatus for an industrial processing station, the lifting apparatus being constructed to convey a workpiece on an upper frame which is moveable in a purely vertical direction, the lifting apparatus comprising: an isosceles slider crank mechanism which is actuated via a motorized drive element forming a first vertical guide; and a movable bearing swing arm with a guide thereof forming a second vertical guide which is activated by the same motorized drive element; wherein the isosceles slider crank mechanism which comprises a fixed bearing swing arm with the swing arm bearing thereof, a link with the link guide thereof, a link center articulation and a fixed bearing articulation which is connected to the upper frame is configured to move via actuation of a pulling rod which engages on the fixed bearing swing arm.

5. Lifting apparatus as claimed in patent claim 4, wherein the electromotive drive element has a cam drive disk for force transmission to the vertical guide.

6. The lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: at least one mass compensation system.

7. The lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: at least one mass compensation system.

8. The lifting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lifting apparatus comprises a lifting platform for conveying a body-in-white in motor vehicle series production.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] An embodiment of the lifting apparatus according to the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectioned drawing of a lifting apparatus in accordance with the invention in an upper position; and

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the lifting apparatus in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0022] In this case, the reference numerals are defined as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 1 Fixed bearing articulation 2 Link center articulation 3 Link 4 Swing arm bearing 5 Link guide 6 Fixed bearing swing arm 7 Bearing location 8 Upper frame 9 Pulling rod 10 Movable bearing guide 11 Movable bearing swing arm 12 Drive rod 13 Drive unit 14 Mass compensation element

[0023] Depending on the embodiment, the securing of the fixed and movable bearing arrangement together with the drive unit with the mass compensation element can be carried out directly on the foundation or additionally on a common base frame (not illustrated in FIG. 1).

[0024] A first vertical guide can be seen in the left half of FIG. 1 and constitutes the secure bearing side of the lifting apparatus. The first vertical guide comprises a link 3 that is connected via the fixed bearing articulation 1 to the upper frame 8 and via a link guide 5 to the base frame, where the upper frame is preferably constructed as a roller conveyor with running rollers for conveying a transport product.

[0025] The link in turn interacts via the link center articulation 2 that rests centrally between the fixed bearing articulation 1 and link guide 5 with the fixed bearing swing arm 6. The swing arm bearings 4 in this instance form the rotation location for both the fixed and the movable bearing swing arms 11.

[0026] The movable bearing comprises a movable bearing swing arm 11 at the upper end of which there is formed a movable bearing guide 10 that produces the contact with the upper frame. A plurality of bearing locations 7 are provided on the movable bearing swing arm 11, which have a coaxial arrangement relative to the rotation location of the movable bearing swing arm 11. As a result, on the one hand, the connection of the pulling rod 9 that produces a connection to the isosceles slider crank mechanism and, on the other hand, the connection of a drive rod 12 and where applicable an optional mass compensation element 14 to the lever mechanism can be produced.

[0027] The active component of the lifting platform in accordance with the invention forms the electromotive drive unit 13. In order to produce the advance movement originating from this electromotive drive unit 13, various technical solutions are available. It is possible to mention at this point linear units in the form of screw, belt and toothed rack drives or lifting rollers but also the cam drive disk that is secured to the geared motor and which has already been mentioned above.

[0028] As a result of the simplicity and robustness and the ease of maintenance and servicing, a cam drive disk is preferably used together with a synchronous or asynchronous geared motor, where it has a mechanical holding brake.

[0029] Not least as a result of the small number of the lifting elements (1-13) which are involved in the vertical lifting and as a result of the possible simple configuration of these lifting elements in technical productions terms, in comparison with the prior art, the system complexity could be minimized and consequently the following significant advantages are achieved: [0030] flat, compact and robust construction, [0031] simple and cost-effective production, [0032] high installation availability, [0033] low wear, and/or [0034] minimal maintenance and servicing complexity.

[0035] Precisely these features are of great significance in motor vehicle series production.

[0036] Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those structures and/or elements which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.