DEVICE FOR MOVING A WORKPIECE

Abstract

A device (100) for moving a workpiece (103) has a gripping unit (102) and a drive unit (101). The gripping unit (102), in a first state, is coupled mechanically to the drive unit (101) and is designed to grip the workpiece (103). The drive unit (101) is designed to move the device (100). The gripping unit (102), in a second state, is uncoupled mechanically from the drive unit (101).

Claims

1. A device 100 for moving a workpiece 103, comprising: a gripping unit 102 and a drive unit 101, the gripping unit 102, in a first state, is coupled mechanically to the drive unit 101, and the gripping unit 102 is designed to grip the workpiece 103, and the drive unit 101 is designed to move the device 100, wherein the gripping unit 102, in a second state, is uncoupled mechanically from the drive unit 101.

2. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the gripping unit 102 is designed to grip the workpiece 103 in the second state.

3. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the gripping unit 102 comprises a fastening means 106, and the gripping unit 102, in the second state, can be fastened on a further device 104 by the fastening means 106.

4. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the further device 104 is a tool for producing and/or processing the workpiece 103 and/or in the form of a set-down device.

5. The device 100 of claim 1, wherein the fastening means 106 comprises an orienting element that is designed to orient the gripping unit 102 relative to the further device 104 when the gripping unit 102 is being fastened on the further device 104.

6. A system comprising the device 100 of claim 3 and also comprising the further device 104.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the further device 104 comprises a further orienting element that is configured for form-fitting connection to the orienting element of the device 100.

8. A method of gripping a workpiece 103 using the device 100 of claim 3, wherein the method comprises the following steps: fastening a gripping unit 102 on a further device 104; and then uncoupling the gripping unit 102 from the drive unit 101; and gripping the workpiece 103 using the gripping unit 102.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising moving the device 100 toward the workpiece 103 before the gripping unit 102 is fastened on the further device 104.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising: moving the workpiece 103 away from the further device 104 once the workpiece 103 has been gripped; coupling the gripping unit 102 to the drive unit 101; releasing the fastening of the gripping unit 102 on the further device 104.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention with a workpiece gripped therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The device 100 comprises a drive unit 101 and a gripping unit 102. The gripping unit 102 can be coupled to, and uncoupled from, the drive unit 101. The gripping unit is designed to grip a workpiece 103. For example it is possible for the gripping unit 102 to be coupled to the drive unit 101 when the workpiece 103 is to be transported over a relatively large distance with few obstructions in the vicinity of the workpiece 103.

[0029] The gripping unit 102 can be uncoupled from the drive unit 101 when movement of the workpiece 103 is to be precise as possible. Before the gripping unit 102 is uncoupled from the drive unit 101, it can be fastened on a further device 104 by a fastening means 106. For this purpose, the further device 104 also has a fastening means 105. The fastening means 106 and 105 may have orienting elements, by means of which the gripping unit 102 is oriented relative to the further device 104 when the gripping unit 102 is being fastened on the further device 104.

[0030] The further device may be, for example, a tool for producing the workpiece 103. In this case, the device 100 can be used to remove the workpiece 103 from the further device 104. The workpiece 103 is gripped by the gripping unit 102 only once the gripping unit 102 has been uncoupled from the drive unit 101 and fastened on the further device 104.

[0031] The operations of fastening the gripping unit 102 on the further device 104 and of uncoupling the gripping unit from the drive unit 101 have the advantage of the distance between the workpiece 103 and the gripping means of the gripping unit 102, said gripping means gripping the workpiece 103, being smaller, as a result of which the workpiece 103 is exposed to less pronounced vibration. This reduces the risk of damage to the workpiece 103 when it is being removed from the further device 104.

[0032] The further device 104 may also be a tool for processing the workpiece 103. In this case, the workpiece 103 has already been gripped beforehand by the gripping unit 102. The workpiece 103 is to be positioned as precisely as possible in the further device 104. This is done by the gripping unit 102 being fastened on the further device 104 and then being uncoupled from the drive unit 101. The operation of positioning the workpiece 103 can then take place in a particular precise manner, since the distance between the fastening means 106 and the workpiece 103 is smaller than the distance between the drive unit 101 and the workpiece 103. Removal of the workpiece 103 from the tool for processing the workpiece 103 can take place in a manner similar to the way in which the workpiece 103 can be removed from the production tool.

[0033] The further device 104 may also comprise a set-down surface, on which the workpiece 103 is to be set down. In this case, the workpiece 103 can be set down on the set-down surface in a manner similar to the way in which it can be positioned in the tool for processing the workpiece 103. If the workpiece 103 is to be raised up from the set-down surface, this can take place in a manner similar to the way in which the workpiece 103 can be removed from the tool for producing the workpiece 103.