Conveyor device

A conveyor device for conveying conveyed objects (40) along a conveyor line, the conveying device comprising:

• a first conveyor zone (100, 2100) which constitutes a first segment of the conveyor line and which has a first conveyor drive (101, 2101) for generating a driving or braking force on a conveyed object (40) located in the first conveyor zone,
• a first control unit (102, 2107) which is connected to the first conveyor drive (101, 2101) in terms of signaling and is designed to control the first conveyor drive (101, 2101) with first conveyor parameters selected from:
• first conveying speed,
• first conveying acceleration or conveying deceleration,
• first conveying duration,
• a second conveyor zone (200, 2200) arranged within the conveyor line downstream of the first conveyor zone (100, 2100) and constituting a second segment of the conveyor line, and having a second conveyor drive (201, 2201) for generating a driving or braking force on a conveyed object (40) located in the second conveyor zone (200, 2200),
• a second control unit (202, 2108) connected in terms of signaling to the second conveyor drive (201, 2201) and adapted to control the second conveyor drive (201, 2201) with second conveyor parameters selected from:
• second conveying speed,
• second conveying acceleration or deceleration
• second conveying duration,
• a signal transmission path (70) between the first and second control units (102, 2107;
• 202, 2108),
• characterised in, that
• the first control unit (102, 2107) is designed to receive a conveyor signal from the first conveyor zone (100, 2100) detected during the conveyance of a conveyed object through the first conveyor zone, to process the conveyor signal and to determine therefrom a first parameter of conveyed object describing the conveying behavior of this conveyed object in the first conveyor zone and to transmit this first parameter of conveyed object to the second control unit (202, 2108) via the signal transmission path (70), and
• the second control unit (202, 2108) is designed to receive the first parameter of conveyed object from the first control unit (102, 2107) via the signal transmission path (70) and to set at least one of the second conveyor parameters as a function of this first parameter of conveyed object and to convey the conveyed object with this second conveyor parameter in the second conveyor zone (200, 2200), and
• further characterized in that
• the second control unit is designed to determine the difference between the first and the second conveyed object parameter, to determine an alteration parameter of conveyed object on the basis of the difference and to transmit the alteration parameter of conveyed object to the third control unit, or
• the third control unit is designed to determine the difference between the first and the second parameter of conveyed object, to determine an alteration parameter of conveyed object on the basis of the difference
• and in that the third control unit is designed to set at least one of the third conveyor parameters as a function of the alteration parameter of conveyed object and to convey the conveyed object with this third conveyor parameter in the third conveyor zone.

A method for controlling a conveyor device for conveying conveyed objects along a conveyor line, the method comprising the steps:

• conveying the conveyed object (40) through a first conveyor zone (100, 2100), which constitutes a first segment of the conveyor line, by means of a first conveyor drive (101, 2101),
• subsequently conveying the conveyed object (40) through a second conveyor zone (200, 2200), which constitutes a second segment of the conveyor line, by means of a second conveyor drive (201, 2201),
• detecting a first conveyor parameter in a first control unit (102, 2107) which controls the first conveyor drive (101, 2101), —determine a first parameter of conveyed object from the first conveyor parameter,
• characterised by the steps
• setting a second conveyor parameter selected from:
• second conveying speed,
• second conveying acceleration or conveying deceleration,
• second conveying duration as a function of the first parameter of conveyed object and controlling the second conveyor drive (201, 2201) with the second conveyor parameter, and
• further characterised by the steps
• adjusting the second conveyor parameter such that a slip between the second conveyor drive and the conveyed object in the second conveyor zone is less than a slip between the first conveyor drive and the conveyed object in the first conveyor zone, and/or
• setting a third conveyor parameter so that a slip between a third conveyor drive and the conveyed object in the third conveyor zone is less than a slip between the second conveyor drive and the conveyed object in the second conveyor zone.

A method for controlling a conveyor device for conveying conveyed objects along a conveyor line, the method comprising the steps:

• conveying the conveyed object (40) through a first conveyor zone (100, 2100), which constitutes a first segment of the conveyor line, by means of a first conveyor drive (101, 2101),
• subsequently conveying the conveyed object (40) through a second conveyor zone (200, 2200), which constitutes a second segment of the conveyor line, by means of a second conveyor drive (201, 2201),
• detecting a first conveyor parameter in a first control unit (102, 2107) which controls the first conveyor drive (101, 2101), —determine a first parameter of conveyed object from the first conveyor parameter,
• characterised by the steps
• setting a second conveyor parameter selected from:
• second conveying speed,
• second conveying acceleration or conveying deceleration,
• second conveying duration as a function of the first parameter of conveyed object and controlling the second conveyor drive (201, 2201) with the second conveyor parameter, and
• further characterized by
• transmitting the first parameter of conveyed object to a third control unit arranged downstream of the second conveyor zone, and/or receiving a second conveyor signal from the second conveyor zone in the second control unit, determining a second parameter of conveyed object describing the conveying behavior of this conveyed object in the second conveyor zone, and transmitting this second parameter of conveyed object to a third control unit,
• the third control unit controlling a conveyor drive in a third conveyor zone with third conveyor parameters selected from:
• third conveying speed,
• third conveying acceleration or deceleration,
• third conveying duration,
• receiving the first and/or second parameter of conveyed object in the third control unit,
• setting at least one of the third conveyor parameters as a function of the first parameter of conveyed object and/or the second parameter of conveyed object and
• conveying the conveyed object with this third conveyor parameter in the third conveyor zone, and
• further characterised by
• comparing the first and second parameters of conveyed object, in particular forming the difference between the first and second parameters of conveyed object;
• determining an alteration parameter of conveyed object based on the comparison or difference and
• if applicable, transmit the alteration parameter of conveyed object to the third control unit, and
• setting of a third conveyor parameter depending on the alteration parameter of conveyed object and
• conveying the conveyed object with this third conveyor parameter in the third conveyor zone.