CN101516748A

CN101516748A - Transport system

Info

Publication number: CN101516748A
Application number: CN200780035755.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·迪佩; T·勒里耶; L·保尔斯
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2006-09-26
Filing date: 2007-09-07
Publication date: 2009-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 2027-09-07
Also published as: EP2074047A1; JP2010504262A; BRPI0715295A2; DE102006045453A1; MX2009003104A; RU2410319C2; US20090252579A1; CN101516748B; WO2008037336A1; RU2009115670A

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport system for transporting transport units (2) which follow one another in a transport direction (A) of the system, having compartment elements (7) which act on the transport units, can be moved in the transport direction by way of at least one drive element (6) and the pitch spacing of which can be adjusted.

Description

Conveying system

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a transport system according to the preamble of

claim

1 or 2.

Background

Conveying systems for conveying some conveying units, i.e. for conveying different types of articles or products, for example for conveying containers such as bottles and cans, for conveying packages, for conveying groups or units consisting of the above-mentioned articles, have been disclosed in various forms and are widely used, in particular, in the beverage industry. In this case, it is necessary to transport the individual transport units in such a way that they have a predetermined distance from one another in the transport direction. In order to adjust the spacing, it is basically necessary to configure the respective conveying section with a conveying system having drivers, separating elements or separating elements which interact with the conveying units and ensure the desired spacing between the conveying units. For the sake of simplicity, reference is made below only to separating elements, although these are known in practice or in other applications of protection to be also called engaging or disengaging elements with the same or almost the same function.

If transport units of different lengths or sizes and/or different distances from one another in the transport direction, i.e. different format lengths in general, are to be transported selectively on such a transport section, it has hitherto been necessary for the spacing of the separating elements in the transport direction (this spacing is also referred to below as the "pitch") on the drive elements moving the separating elements to be selected at least equal to the maximum format length, which, however, in the case of transport units of small format lengths, results in large gaps or spacings between the transport units located on the transport section. This means that: the conveying efficiency is reduced and/or the dead time during the treatment or processing of the conveying units fed in via the conveying section of, for example, a treatment machine is increased for the same conveying or conveying speed.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a conveying system in which the disadvantages mentioned are avoided. To achieve this object, a conveying system as claimed in claim 1 is constructed.

In the inventive conveying system, the pitch of the separating elements acting on the conveying unit is adjustable and can thus be adapted to the format length of the conveying unit, so that the conveying system or the conveying section with the conveying system can be operated with optimum conveying efficiency and the dead time during the handling or processing of the conveying units fed in through the conveying section is minimized.

The possibilities of application of the transport system according to the invention are manifold. The conveying system is thus used in the practical sense, for example, as a conveying system, in particular also in such a form that the separating element forms an upper catch which acts on the conveying unit at or above a supporting or conveying plane for the conveying unit or as a separating unit in order to place the conveying units fed in via a conveying section at a predetermined pitch. Furthermore, the transport system according to the invention is suitable as a functional unit in most different processing and processing machines, for example in packaging machines, in machines for wrapping (bundling) films or shrink films to transport units or groups of transport units, or as a transport system in a synchronization station, etc.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with the aid of the figures. Wherein,

figure 1 shows the principle of the conveying system of the invention in a perspective view,

figures 2 and 3 each show in a simplified view a partial length of a conveying element consisting of a belt,

fig. 4 is another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a conveying section for conveying articles in the form of conveying units or product units 2 following one another in the conveying direction a, which conveying units or product units in the illustrated embodiment are each formed from a plurality of containers or packages combined into a group and are moved in the conveying direction a at a distance from one another as a single stream or a plurality of streams of conveying units.

The conveying section 1 essentially comprises a conveying system 3, which brings about a conveying movement of the conveying units or product units 2, and a carrying or conveying unit 4, which extends in the conveying direction a and which, in the embodiment shown, forms a horizontal or essentially horizontal conveying or supporting surface 5 on which the conveying units or product units 2 stand with their bottom faces and which, for example, forms a sliding or rolling surface, for example a raceway, for the conveying units or product units 2. However, the conveying or support surface 5 is preferably formed by at least one motor-driven conveying element which supports the conveying movement of the conveying unit or product unit 2 in the conveying direction a, the conveying speed of which conveying element is, in the embodiment shown, slightly lower than the conveying speed and by means of which conveying element the conveying unit or product unit 2 is fed in or out.

The conveying system 3 essentially comprises two conveying or driving elements 6, which each form a closed loop and are driven in a circulating manner, for example in the form of bars, chains or belts, which are guided by means of partially driven deflection rollers or deflection pulleys, not shown, in such a way that the loops formed by the driving elements 6 are arranged parallel to one another and to the conveying direction a, in each case in a vertical or almost vertical plane, to be precise on both sides of the conveying surface 5.

The loop of each drive element 6 forms a length 6.1 which is located in the lower position in fig. 1 and which extends parallel or substantially parallel to the plane of the conveying surface 5 at a distance from this plane, which distance is preferably smaller than the height of the conveying unit or product unit 2. Furthermore, the loop of each drive element 6 also forms a length 6.2, which is located at the top in fig. 1 and which extends at a significantly greater distance above the plane of the conveying surface 5. The transitions between the lower length 6.1 and the upper length 6.2 at the inlet 1.1 and the outlet 1.2 of the conveying section are designated 6.3 and 6.4.

The two drive elements 6 are synchronized and driven at the same speed in the direction of the arrow B in such a way that the length 6.1 is moved in the conveying direction and the length 6.2 is moved counter to the conveying direction a.

Furthermore, a plurality of catch elements or separating elements 7 in the form of transverse bars, which are held on both sides in each case on one drive element 6 in the use case, i.e. in the activated or active state, are part of the conveying system 3, whereby the two drive elements 6 and the transverse bars or separating elements 7 form a ladder-like structure and, when the drive elements 6 are driven in a swiveling manner, the conveying units or product units 2 standing on the conveying surface 5 are carried along by the separating elements 7 on the length 6.1 and are moved in the conveying direction a.

At the input 1.1 of the conveyor section 1 and at the output 1.2 of the conveyor section 1, the two drive elements 6 are guided by the deflecting rollers in such a way that the respective separating element 7 projects at the input 1.1 from above without interference behind the conveyor unit or product unit 2 prepared there, and the respective separating element 7 is deflected upward at the output 1.2 without interference from the relevant conveyor unit or product unit 2.

The conveyor section 1 or the conveyor system 3 is now characterized in that: the pitch between two separating elements 7 following one another in the conveying direction a, in particular also over the length 6.1, is not fixed, but can be adapted optimally to the format length of the conveying units or product units 2, i.e. to the dimension of these conveying units or product units 2 in the conveying direction a, so that, for example, the same spacing between two conveying units or product units 2 following one another in the conveying direction a is maintained irrespective of the format length of the conveying units or product units and thus excessively large gaps between individual conveying units or product units 2 of small format length are avoided. In particular, even in conveying units or product units 2 having a reduced format length, the conveying section 1 can thus be used optimally with a high conveying efficiency (conveying unit or product unit 2 conveyed per unit time) and a reduced conveying speed.

For the aforementioned adaptation of the conveying section 1 to the format length, the separating elements 7 are releasably connected to the two drive elements 6, so that, for example, before the conveying section 1 is started, the separating elements 7 can be fastened to the drive elements 6 at a pitch adapted to the format length of the conveying unit or product unit 2 to be processed. A new, changed positioning of the separating element 7 on the drive element 6 is then carried out for format changeover, i.e. for conveying units or product units 2 having other format lengths. The conveying or conveying speed of the conveying system 3 and thus of the conveying section 1 is determined by the speed at which the two drive elements 6 are driven to rotate around.

By means of the releasable connection of the separating elements 7 to the drive element 6, at least a part of these separating elements 7 can be brought from an activated or active state, acting on the transport unit or product unit 2, into an inactivated or inactive state, in which the relevant separating element 7 is removed from the drive element 6.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, all separating elements 7 are removed from the drive element at the end of each revolution of the drive element 6 and are fixed again on the drive element at the beginning of each revolution of the drive element 6, to be precise at the pitch required for optimum transport of the transport or product units 2. For this purpose, the transport system has a reservoir 8 for receiving the separating element 7. The prepared first separating element 7 is removed from the storage 8 by means of two transfer wheels 9 and meets two drive elements 6 at the input 1.1 of the transport section 1 in such a way that the relevant separating element 7 is held on the drive elements 6 or is carried along by these drive elements at least over the length 6.1 by means of suitable devices. In the region of the length 6.2 of the loop formed by the drive element 6, the separating element 7 is released again by the drive element 6 and reaches the magazine 8.

In this embodiment, the conveying or conveying speed of the conveying system 3 is also determined by the speed at which the two drive elements are driven to rotate. By taking out the time intervals of every two separating elements 7 from the magazine 8, the pitch between the separating elements 7 or the corresponding graduation of these separating elements 7 on the drive element 6 is determined taking into account the rotational speed of the drive element 6. The reservoir 8 is designed in such a way that at least one separating element 7 remains in the reservoir 8 even when the pitch between two separating elements 7 following one another in the conveying direction a is as shortest as possible and furthermore the capacity of the reservoir is at least sufficient to accommodate all separating elements 7.

In this embodiment, the adjustment of the pitch between the separating elements 7 takes place by machine-controlled, without manual intervention on the device itself, depending on the rotational speed of the drive element 6 by corresponding control of the transfer intervals. This pitch is determined, for example, at the start of the conveyor section 1 by manually inputting a corresponding value into the machine control. However, in principle, the following possibilities also exist: that is to say the pitch between the separating elements 7 is automatically determined by the device in such a way that the format length of the transport unit or product unit 2 is measured by a suitable measuring device, for example an optoelectronic measuring section, and the optimum pitch is thus determined or set for the separating elements 7, for example under computer control.

In this embodiment, the separating elements 7 can also be moved from an activated or activated state, which acts on the transport unit or product unit 2 and is connected to the drive element 6, into an inactivated or deactivated state, in which the respective separating element 7 is removed from the drive element 6 and stored in the magazine 8.

The releasable connection of the separating element 7 to the drive element 6 can be realized in different ways. Fig. 2 shows a drive element 6a in the form of a belt, for example, which has a plurality of receptacles 10 for one end of the separating element 7 on the outside of the loop formed by the belt. A stationary guide is indicated at 11, which prevents the respective separating element 7 from sliding out of the recess 10 and for this purpose extends along each drive element 6a at the point where the respective separating element 7 is held on the drive element 6 a. Instead of the stationary guide means 11, an auxiliary belt can also be provided which is pivoted in the same direction and at the same speed as the respective drive element 6a and which is guided in such a way that it fixes the separating elements 7 in the receptacles 10 of the pivoted drive element 6a up to the magazine 8 and releases them for removal from the drive element 6a when the magazine 8 is reached. In this embodiment, the pitch of the separating elements 7 can be adjusted in stages.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment in which the rotating drive elements 6b are each formed by a smooth belt and the separating element 7 has a clamping device 12 at both ends, to be precise each for fixedly clamping on a drive element 6 b. The clamping devices 12 are designed in such a way that, after being transferred out of the magazine 8, they are fixedly clamped to the respective drive element 6b and, when being returned to the magazine 8, are disengaged from the respective drive element 6b, to be precise, each by means of an external control mechanism arranged on the path of movement of the drive element 6 b. In this embodiment, the pitch between the separating elements 7 can be adjusted steplessly.

The invention has been described above in terms of several embodiments. Common to all embodiments is that the separating elements 7 are not fixedly connected to the

drive elements

6, 6a or 6b, but rather the pitch of the separating elements on the drive elements can be adjusted depending on the format length of the transport unit or product unit 2, wherein all separating elements 7 arranged on the

drive elements

6, 6a, 6b are in principle effective for the transport of the transport unit or product unit 2.

In principle, it is also possible to configure the transport system such that a plurality of separating elements following one another are arranged in the direction of rotation of one or more drive elements, the pitch of which corresponds, for example, to the spacing that is optimal for transporting transport units or product units having the smallest format length. In the operation of the conveyor system, then, only the separating elements are activated, i.e. moved into a position which brings about the conveyance of the conveyor units or product units, for the purpose of conveying the conveyor units or product units, the spacing of which optimally corresponds to the format length of the conveyor units or product units to be processed. In this embodiment, at least a part of the separating element can be brought from an active or active state, acting on the delivery unit or product unit, into an inactive or inactive state, not acting on the delivery unit or product unit.

The starting point of the above-described solution is, furthermore, that the

drive elements

6, 6a and 6b forming the conveyor system 3 each form a ring arranged in a vertical plane, so that the separating element 7 is moved from above at the input 1.1 to the conveyor unit or product unit 2 and is moved upward at the output 1.2 away from the conveyor unit or product unit 2. In principle, it is also possible, as shown in fig. 4, to arrange the separating elements 7 on a revolving drive element with a corresponding configuration and number of separating elements 7, wherein the separating elements 7 are moved, for example, at the infeed of the conveying section from the side to the conveying point and at the end of the conveying section again laterally away from the conveying unit or product unit.

In the arrangement shown in fig. 4, it is likewise possible for the desired spacing of the plurality of separating elements 7 to be achieved by manual intervention to activate only those separating elements which are necessary to achieve this spacing. The separating element can be designed, for example, in the form of a tube or sleeve and comprises an inner, removable element which can be locked both in a first inactive position and in a second active position. The activation can then take place, for example, during switching of the device, in such a way that only selected elements are moved out, wherein these elements have the same distance from one another.

The starting point of the above-described solution is that the separating element 7 forms a catch which moves the conveyed material, i.e. in the embodiment of fig. 1 the product group 2 in a displaceable manner in the conveying direction a. In principle, it is also possible to use the conveyor system 3 as a separating or separating unit, specifically on a conveyor section designed as a separating section. In this case, the articles are moved in the conveying direction a on the conveying surface of the carrier system 4 forming at least one conveyor, to be precise at a speed slightly higher than the speed of the separating elements 7, so that the separating elements 7 leading the respective article come into contact with the article and thus the necessary spacing between the articles is achieved.

Reference number table

1 conveying section

1.1 input of the conveying section 1

1.2 delivery section of the conveying section 1

2 conveying or product units

3 conveying system

4 bearing system

5 bearing or conveying surfaces

6, 6a, 6b rotary drive element

6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 Length of the Ring formed by the drive element 6

7 Cross-bars or separating elements

8 storage device

9 transfer wheel

10 receiving part

11 guide device

12 clamping device

A direction of conveyance

B direction of rotation of the conveying elements 6

Claims

1. A conveying system for conveying units (2) that follow one another in a conveying direction (A) of the system, having separating elements (7) that act on the conveying units (2) and are movable in the conveying direction (A) by means of at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6b), characterized in that the separating elements (7) are switchable between an active state and an inactive state, in particular for adjusting their pitch during the action on the conveying units (2).

2. A conveying system for conveying units (2) that follow one another in a conveying direction (A) of the system, having separating elements (7) that act on the conveying units (2) and are movable in the conveying direction (A) by means of at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6b), characterized in that the separating elements (7) can be connected at least in terms of drive temporarily to the at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6b), in particular for adjusting their pitch during the action on the conveying units (2).

3. The conveying system according to claim 2, characterized in that the separating elements (7) are also mechanically temporarily connectable with the at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6 b).

4. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating elements (7) constitute abutments for the rear side of the conveying unit (2) with respect to the conveying direction (A).

5. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating elements (7) constitute abutments for the front side of the conveying unit (2) with respect to the conveying direction (A).

6. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating elements (7) are movable in the conveying direction (A) between the input (1.1) and the output (1.2) of the conveying section (1) by means of the at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6 b).

7. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pitch of the separating elements (7) on the at least one drive element (6, 6a) is adjustable in stages.

8. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pitch of the separating elements (7) on the at least one drive element (6, 6b) is steplessly adjustable.

9. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pitch of the separating elements (7) on the at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6b) is manually adjustable.

10. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one storage unit (8) is provided for receiving a separating element (7) removed from the at least one drive element (6, 6 a).

11. A conveyor system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one storage unit (8) is arranged over a partial length (6.2) of the path of revolution of the at least one rotationally driven drive element (6, 6a) following the output (1.2) of the conveyor section (1).

12. Conveying system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating elements (7) are each decoupled from the at least one drive element (6, 6a) over the partial length (6.2) of the path of revolution of the latter following the output (1.2) of the conveying section (1) and are fed to the at least one storage unit (8), from which the separating elements (7) are each removed one after the other and are each connected at least in terms of drive with the at least one revolving drive element (6, 6a, 6b) again at the pitch in the region of the input (1.1) of the conveying section (1).

13. A conveyor system according to claim 12, wherein a transfer unit, for example in the form of at least one transfer wheel (9), is provided at the outlet of the storage unit (8) for bringing the dividing element (7) into association with the at least one drive element (6, 6a, 6 b).

14. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one drive element is a belt, chain and/or bar element (6, 6a, 6b) which is driven in a circulating manner and which forms a closed loop and which is moved with a partial length (6.1) of its loop in the conveying direction (a) together with an active separating element (7) acting on the conveying unit (2).

15. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least two belt, chain and/or bar-type conveying elements (6, 6a, 6b) are provided, each driven in a circulating manner and constituting a closed loop, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the plane of their loops, parallel to one another and between which active separating elements (7) extend.

16. Conveying system according to claim 15, characterized in that the at least two drive elements (6, 6a, 6b) are oriented with the plane of their loops parallel to the conveying direction (a) and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a supporting or conveying plane for the conveying unit (2), to be precise that each active separating element (7) is moved from above to the conveying unit (2) in the region of the input (1.1) of the conveying section (1) and is moved upwards away from the conveying unit (2) at the output (1.2) of the conveying section (1).

17. A conveyor system according to any one of claims 14-16, characterised in that the at least one storage unit (8) is arranged over a partial length (6.2) of the loop formed by the drive elements (6, 6a, 6b) returning to the inlet (1.1) of the conveyor section (1).

18. Conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a support or conveying surface (5) for the conveying unit (2) is provided.

19. Conveying system according to claim 18, characterized in that the bearing or conveying surface (5) is configured as a sliding surface or rolling surface, for example a raceway.

20. Conveying system according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the supporting or conveying surface (5) is formed by at least one conveying element, for example by at least one rotatably driven conveyor belt or at least one conveyor chain.

21. A conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the switching of the dividing element (7) from the inactive state to the active state for adjusting its pitch is carried out automatically and without manual intervention.

22. A conveying system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the switching of the separating element (7) from the inactive state to the active state for adjusting its pitch is carried out manually.

23. A conveying system according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the dividing element (7) is permanently fixed to the conveying system (3).