TRANSPORT DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR IN THE FORM OF A SUSPENSION CONVEYOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport device (10.1), in particular in the form of a suspension conveyor, said device comprising one or more trolleys (11) which are movably mounted on a trolley track (15) in a trolley track direction and on each of which a device (18, 19) hanging downwards for receiving transported goods is arranged. To achieve a simple construction and operation, the device (18, 19) for receiving transported goods forms at least one flexible material web (18) that is planar when open and that can be fastened at both ends (19) to the trolley (11), forming a carrying loop hanging downwards.

Claims

1. A transport device (10.1-10.10), in particular in the form of a suspension conveyor, which transport device (10.1-10.10) comprises one or more carriages (11), which are movably mounted on a running rail (15) in a running rail direction and on each of which a device (18, 19, 20) for receiving transported goods (30, 30) is arranged hanging downwards, characterised in that the device (18, 19, 20) for receiving transported goods (30) forms at least one flexible material web (18, 18) that is planar when opened, said material web being able to be fastened at both ends (19, 20) to the carriage (11) thereby forming a carrying loop or transport loop hanging downwards.

2. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one material web (18, 18) has a rectangular shape with a predetermined width (B) and a predetermined length (L).

3. The transport device according to claim 2, characterised in that the at least one material web (18, 18) has a ratio of width (B) to length (L) greater than 0.1.

4. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one material web (18, 18) comprises a, in particular coated, fabric.

5. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one material web (18, 18) comprises a, in particular laminated, film.

6. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that first and second devices (19, 20) for fastening the material web (18, 18) to one of the carriages (11) are arranged at both ends of the at least one material web (18, 18).

7. The transport device according to claim 6, characterised in that the devices (19, 20) for fastening the material web (18, 18) to the carriage each comprise a transverse bar (19, 20) at each end of the material web (18, 18).

8. The transport device according to claim 7, characterised in that the transverse bars (19, 20) fit in pockets provided for the purpose at the ends of the material web (18, 18).

9. The transport device according to claim 6-8, characterised in that the first device (20) for fastening the at least one material web (18, 18) to the carriage (11) is fixedly connected to the carriage (11), and that the second device (19) for fastening the at least one material web (18) to the carriage (11) is connected detachably to the carriage (11).

10. The transport device according to claim 9, characterised in that the first device (20) for fastening the material web (18, 18) to the carriage (11) is fixedly connected by two fastening elements (17; 17a,b) to the carriage (11).

11. The transport device according to claim 10, characterised in that two parallel, vertical bars are provided as fastening elements (17; 17a,b), which fixedly connect the first device 20) to the carriage (11).

12. The transport device according to claim 9, characterised in that the second device (19) for fastening the material web (18, 18) to the carriage (11) can be connected detachably to the carriage (11) by hooking.

13. The transport device according to claim 12, characterised in that hook-shaped carrying elements (16; 16a,b; 27a,b) are arranged on the carriage (11) for hooking up the second device (19).

14. The transport device according to claim 12, characterised in that an eyelet-shaped carrying element (16) is arranged on the carriage (11) for hooking up the second device (19), into which eyelet-shaped carrying element the second device (19) can be hooked with a hook (31).

15. The transport device according to claim 7, characterised in that the transverse bar (19) of the second device projects at both ends laterally beyond the material web (18) and in each case comprises a fastening element (21a,b to 26a,b) there, by means of which the second device (19) can be engaged with devices arranged laterally on the transport device (10.1-10.10).

16. The transport device according to claim 15, characterised in that the actuating elements (21a,b to 26a,b; 28a,b) are identical at both ends of the transverse bar (19).

17. The transport device according to claim 15, characterised in that the actuating elements (21a,b to 26a,b; 28a,b) are rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the transverse bar (19) and are from the group of rollers (21a,b), ball bearings (22a,b) and wheels (23a,b).

18. The transport device according to claim 15, characterised in that the actuating elements (21a,b to 26a,b; 28a,b) are mounted non-rotatably on the transverse bar (19) and are constituted hemispherical (24a,b), spherical (25a,b) or cambered (26a,b).

19. The transport device according to claim 15, characterised in that the actuating elements (21a,b to 26a,b; 28a,b) are constituted as roller levers (28a,b).

20. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one material web (18, 18) is provided with an information carrier (29), which contains and/or can store information concerning the respective material web (18, 18) or the transport loop and/or the transported goods (30) transported therein.

21. The transport device according to claim 1, characterised in that safety tapes (35a,b) are applied at the edges on the longitudinal sides of the at least one material web (18, 18), which safety tapes are locally connected fixedly to the material web (18, 18) at a plurality of fastening points (39) arranged with a spacing one behind the other in the longitudinal direction, in such a way that the portions of the safety tapes (35a,b) located between two adjacent fastening points (39) bulge out or stand up when the material web (18, 18) is arched and form a securing means for the transported goods (30) transported in the carrying loop against slipping out laterally from the transport loop.

22. The transport device according to claim 12, characterised in that hook-shaped carrying elements (16) are arranged on the carriage (11) for hooking up the second device (19), into which hook-shaped carrying elements the second device (19) can be hooked with a securing portion (38) in a first rotational position and is secured against unhooking in a second rotational position.

23. The transport device according to claim 22, characterised in that the securing portion has a semicircular cross-sectional area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The invention is to be explained in greater detail below with the aid of examples of embodiment in connection with the drawing. In the figures:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

[0046] FIG. 7 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0047] FIG. 8 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

[0048] FIG. 9 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0049] FIG. 10 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;

[0050] FIG. 11 shows a side view of an embodiment of a transport device according to the invention;

[0051] FIG. 12 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11;

[0052] FIG. 13 shows a side view of a further example of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention, which is characterised by a reduction in the carrying elements on the carriage;

[0053] FIG. 14 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13;

[0054] FIG. 15 shows a side view of the opened material web hanging freely on the carriage in the example of embodiment from FIG. 1;

[0055] FIGS. 16A shows a side view of the material web fastened with two ends to the carriage and pulled together to form a transport loop filled with transport goods in the example of embodiment from FIG. 1;

[0056] FIG. 16B shows a side view of a step in the unloading of the transport loop after FIG. 16A;

[0057] FIG. 16C shows a side view of another step in the unloading of the transport loop after FIG. 16B;

[0058] FIG. 17 shows a side view, a further example of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention, which is characterised by a change in the coupling of the transport loop to the carriage;

[0059] FIG. 18 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 17;

[0060] FIGS. 19 shows a side view, a further example of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention, which comprises different lateral actuating elements;

[0061] FIG. 20 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 19;

[0062] FIG. 21 shows a side view, a material web bent to form a transport loop, said material web having safety tapes for securing against slipping-out laterally;

[0063] FIG. 22 shows a view in the conveying direction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 21;

[0064] FIG. 23 shows a type of securing means against unintentional unhooking of the material web;

[0065] FIG. 24 shows a type of securing means against unintentional unhooking of the material web; and

[0066] FIG. 25 shows a further example of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention with more than one material web (in the example two), so that a plurality of transported goods can be transported separately from one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0067] FIGS. 1 and 2 each show, in a side view (FIG. 1) and in a view in the conveying direction (FIG. 2), an example of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention.

[0068] The transport device 10.1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a running rail 15, which extends in a conveying direction (arrow in FIG. 1) and runs horizontally in the example of FIG. 1 and which, in the example, is produced from the a repeatedly bent sheet metal strip symmetrical with respect to a vertical central plane and comprises two mutually opposite carrying rails and a guide rail with a rectangular profile constituted below in the middle. A carriage 11 is guided movably in the rail direction suspended on running rail 15. Carriage 11 has a U-shaped carriage body 12, which carries on both legs in each case a pair of carrying runner rollers 13a and 13c and in the lower region guiding runner rollers 13b, with which it engages in running rail 15 laterally and from beneath.

[0069] A laterally outwardly projecting driver 14a and 14b is fitted to carriage body 12 respectively between lateral runner roller pairs 13a and 13c, which driver can bring the carriage when required into engagement with a drive device, a braking device, a switching device or suchlike. A pair of fastening elements 17 or more precisely 17a, b spaced apart normal to the rail direction and a pair of carrying elements 16 or more precisely 16b arranged behind the latter in the running direction project vertically downwards from the lower base of U-shaped carriage body 12.

[0070] The two bar-shaped fastening elements 17 or more precisely 17a, b are connected fixedly at the lower end to a first transverse bar 20 extending horizontally and normal and symmetrical with respect to the rail direction. The two hook-shaped carrying elements 16 or more precisely 16a, b receive a second transverse bar 19 arranged parallel to first transverse bar 20, said second transverse bar being able, as it were, to be inserted into the two hooks 16a, b and removed again.

[0071] Each of the two transverse bars 19 and 20 fits in an associated pocket of a rectangular material web 18 which has a predetermined width B (FIG. 1) and a predetermined length L (FIG. 15), said pocket being constituted at the end. In the unhooked state (FIG. 15), material web 18 hangs only via transverse bar 20 on carriage 11 and with free transverse bar 19 vertically downwards and thus has the form of a planar web. In the suspended state (FIG. 16), in which transverse bar 19 is hooked up into hook-shaped carrying elements 16 or more precisely 16a, b, material web 18 forms a laterally open carrying or transport loop, into which transported goods 30 to be conveyed can be placed. Material web 18 can be provided with an information carrier 29, which is glued on or sewn on or sewn in or otherwise fastened. In particular, information carrier 29 can be an RFID or a comparable, also optical, contactless readable element, which contains and/or can store information concerning the given material web 18 or transport loop and/or transported goods 30 transported therein.

[0072] In order that transverse bar 19 fitted in the pocket of material web 18 can be suspended in hook-shaped carrying elements 16 or more precisely 16a, b, corresponding cut-outs are provided in material web 18 in the suspension region, through which cut-outs direct access to transverse bar 19 located in the pocket is possible (see FIG. 2). Moreover, transverse bar 19 can comprise sections with reduced diameter in the region of the cut-outs, said sections with reduced diameter preventing displacement of suspended transverse bar 19 in the bar longitudinal direction. As an alternative, and for the same purpose, transverse bar 19, which in itself is thin, can comprise a thickened portion between the two carrying elements 16a, b.

[0073] Actuating elements 21a, b are arranged in each case at the two outer ends of suspended transverse bar 19, which actuating elements project laterally beyond width B of material web 18 and, in the example of embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, have the form of simple rollers rotatable around the central axis of transverse bar 19. By means of these roller-like actuating elements 21a, b, transverse bar 19 can roll on a guide link arranged on both sides of running rail 15 and be moved upwards by means of the link in order to unhook transverse bar 19 automatically and to achieve the opened state represented in FIG. 15. Accordingly, automatic hooking-up can also be brought about by means of actuating elements 21a, b (transition from FIG. 15 to FIG. 16).

[0074] Transverse bars 19 and 20 can be made of metal, plastic or wood. They can be constituted by solid material, but can also be tubular.

[0075] Material web 18 can be made of a fabric, which in particular can be coated. With a suitable coating, the fabric can optionally be made stiffer, smoother or duller, electrically conductive or insensitive to moisture, in order to adapt the properties of the material web to the goods to be conveyed. A stiffened fabric enables a better loop formation and exhibits more resistance to damage. A fabric smoother on the outer side allows adjacent, mutually contacting loops to slide off one another more easily. A duller fabric on the inner side, e.g. by a rubber coating, prevents slipping of the transported goods in the transport loop and damps down movements of the transported goods in the loop. An electrically conductive fabric prevents harmful electrostatic charges. A coating insensitive to moisture protects the material web against liquids running out of the transported goods.

[0076] Depending on the requirement, the fabric can be produced from natural or synthetic fibres. Thus, a fabric comprising high-strength fibres (e.g. Kevlar) is recommended when heavy angular objects are to be transported. The type of fabric can also be adapted to the intended use. In particular, a fabric allows the possibility of constituting the pockets for transverse bars 19, 20 by a transverse seam.

[0077] It is however also conceivable for material web 18 to comprise one or more film(s), which can be laminated.

[0078] Material web 18 in the simplest case has a rectangular shape with a predetermined width B and a predetermined length L. Both magnitudes are governed by the size of the objects or goods to be conveyed. In particular, material web 18 can have a width of several hundred mm. If the transport device is to be used for example to convey items of clothing or similar broad conveyed goods, it is expedient for the material web to have a width of approx. 500 mm.

[0079] FIGS. 3 to 12 show, similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, in each case in a side view (FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11) and a view in the conveying direction (FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12), further examples of embodiment of a transport device according to the invention, which differ from the example of embodiment from FIGS. 1 and 2 only in the type of lateral actuating elements fitted to transverse bar 19.

[0080] In the example of embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 (transport device 10.2), ball bearings 22a, b are provided instead of rollers 21a, b, said ball bearings running particularly smoothly and for example further reducing the forces required for unhooking transverse bar 19.

[0081] In the example of embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 (transport device 10.3), tyred wheels 23a, b are provided instead of rollers 21a, b, said tyred wheels enabling smooth and in particular quieter running on the guide link.

[0082] In the example of embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 (transport device 10.4), hemispherical actuating elements 24a, b screwed fixedly to transverse bar 19 are provided instead of rollers 21a, b, said hemispherical actuating elements being less susceptible to malfunction and enabling a sliding engagement.

[0083] Similar advantages are achieved with fixedly screwed spherical actuating elements 25a, b in the example of embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 (transport device 10.5) and with fixedly screwed cambered actuating elements 26a, b in the example of embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 (transport device 10.6).

[0084] The invention is not restricted to transverse bars 19 and 20 of the same length, but also allows the transverse bars to have different lengths.

[0085] The example of embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14 (transport device 10.7) differs from the example of embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 (transport device 10.1) in that hook-shaped carrying elements 16 or more precisely 16a, b fitted to carriage body 12 are completely dispensed with and instead hooks 27a, b are fastened to the ends of transverse bar 20 to receive transverse bar 19.

[0086] In the example of embodiment of FIGS. 17 and 18 (transport device 10.8), an eyelet-shaped carrying element 16 is fitted on carriage body 12 for the suspension of transverse bar 19, into which eyelet-shaped carrying element transverse bar 19 can be hooked with a hook 31 fitted centrally thereon.

[0087] Finally, the example of embodiment of FIGS. 19 and 20 (transport device 10.9) shows, as actuating elements, roller levers 28a, b with ball bearings fitted at the ends of transverse bar 19, with which the engagement possibilities with transverse bar 19 can additionally be extended.

[0088] In principle, the transport or carrying loop according to FIG. 16A formed from material web 18 is open at the sides and thus differs from a pocket that is also closed at the sides. However, straightforward and effective means can be provided in order to prevent transported goods 30 from slipping out laterally or at least to make this difficult. Suitable means for this purpose are represented in the example of embodiment of a transport loop in FIGS. 21 and 22. For this purpose, safety tapes 35a, b similar to curtain tapes are fixed at the edges to the longitudinal sides of material web 18. These safety tapes 35a, b are fixedly connected to material web 18, for example by sewing, gluing or clamps, at a plurality of fastening points 39 arranged with a (e.g. identical) spacing one behind the other in the longitudinal direction, whilst the portions of safety tapes 35a, b located between two adjacent fastening points 39 are not connected to material web 18 (FIG. 22).

[0089] The effect of this is that when material web 18 is arched, the portions of safety tapes 35a, b fitted on the inner side and located between adjacent fastening points 39 bulge out or stand up and securing means for transported goods 30 transported in the carrying loop against laterally slipping out of the transport loop are formed (FIG. 21). Safety tapes 35a, b can of course be arranged on both sides of material web 18, when both sides of material web 18 can each form the inner side of the transport loop, i.e. the material web can be used on both sides.

[0090] Another type of securing means emerges according to FIGS. 23 and 24 whereby hook-shaped carrying elements 16 with hooks having a particularly narrow opening are arranged on carriage 11 for hooking up the second device or transverse bar 19. The counterpart to this narrow hook opening is a securing portion inside device 19 with a, for example, hemispherical cross-section (cross-sectional drawing A-A in FIG. 24 top right), which is dimensioned such that second device 19 can be hooked up with the securing portion in a first rotational position (represented with an unbroken line in FIG. 23) and is secured against unhooking by a form-fit connection in a second rotational position brought about by swivelling lever 37 of actuating elements 28a, b through 90 (represented in FIG. 23 by a dashed line).

[0091] The loading and unloading of the transport loop formed by means of material web 18 by suspension or hooking-up can take place manually or automatically. FIGS. 16B and C show steps in the mechanical unloading of a transport loop. For this purpose, the closed loop with transported goods 30 according to FIG. 16A first sits on a pivoting belt conveyor 32, which is located in a horizontal position. Since transported goods 30 are thus supported by the belt conveyor, the transport loop can be unhooked at one side and be hooked at the side with transverse bar 19 in a hooking device 34 on another horizontal belt conveyor 33 (FIG. 16B).

[0092] By pivoting belt conveyor 32 out of the horizontal position into an inclined position (FIG. 16C), transported goods 30 can then slide on material web 18 onto the other belt conveyor 33 located lower down, on which they are transported away. Other types and procedures for loading and unloading are of course also conceivable.

[0093] Finally, it is readily conceivable within the scope of the invention to combine a plurality of material webs 18, 18 with one another instead of only one material web 18 according to FIG. 25, and more precisely either one above the other, as shown in FIG. 25, or also beside one another. A plurality of transported goods 30, 30 can thus be transported separately from one another. The loading and unloading then has to be adapted accordingly.

[0094] All the shown examples of embodiment have the advantage arising from the invention that, with the at least one hookable and unhookable material web 18, a particularly simply constructed and easily operated and also extremely robust and functionally reliable conveyor installation can be produced.