Transport device
AssigneeWeiss GmbH
InventorDieter Weiss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a transport device for transporting objects along a conveyor track. The transport device comprises a drive system having at least two stationary stator elements spaced apart from one another, which interact with a rotor element that is arranged on a transport element that is suitable for receiving at least one object and can be moved along the conveyor track. A distance between the stator elements ran a direction parallel to the conveyor track is shorter than the longitudinal extension of the rotor element.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A transport apparatus for the transport of objects along a transport track (12) having a drive system which has at least two stationary stator elements (20), the stator elements being spaced apart from one another spatially and the stator elements being adapted to cooperate with a rotor element (24a, 24b), the rotor element being arranged at a transport element (16), with the transport element being suitable for receiving at least one object and being movable along the transport track (12), wherein a distance between the stator elements (20) in a direction parallel to the transport track (12) is smaller than the longitudinal extent of the rotor element (24a, 24b).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spatial distance between the stator elements (20), the longitudinal extent of the stator elements (20) parallel to the transport track (12) and the longitudinal extent of the rotor element (24a, 24b) are coordinated with respect to one another such that one or more stator elements (20) cooperate with the rotor element (24a, 24b) at all times, with the sum of the sections of the stator elements (20) cooperating with the rotor element (24a, 24b) corresponding to at least the longitudinal extent of one of the stator elements (20) parallel to the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spatial distance between the stator elements (20) is larger than half the longitudinal extent of the stator elements (20) parallel to the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a ratio of a sum of the longitudinal extents of the stator elements (20) parallel to the transport track (12) to a total length of the transport track (12) is at least one of smaller than 1:1.5 and lying between 1:3.5 and 1:5.5.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stator elements (20) have at least one of substantially the same construction structure and a curve-free longitudinal extent.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stator elements (20) comprise coils (30) which cooperate with permanent magnets (32) of the rotor element.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stator elements (20) can be individually controlled;
- and/or wherein the stator elements (20) are connected in parallel and can be controlled together.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotor element is divided into segments (24a, 24b) which are arranged spatially separate from one another, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the transport track (12), such that at least one of the segments (24a, 24b) cooperates with one of the stator elements (20) at all times.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transport element (16) comprises one of a plurality of transport units (14) which are coupled to one another and a plurality of transport units (14) of the same construction which are coupled to one another.
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the transport element (16) comprises one of a plurality of transport units (14) which are coupled to one another and a plurality of transport units (14) of the same construction which are coupled to one another;
- and wherein at least one segment (24a, 24b) of the rotor element is associated with each transport unit (14).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stator elements (20) are arranged separately from the transport track (12);
- and/or wherein the stator elements (20) are arranged offset in parallel to the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein a spatial distance (d3) between the stator elements (20) and the transport track (12) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the transport track (12) is larger than a spatial distance (d2) between the rotor element (24a, 24b) and the transport track (12) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the transport track (12) and/or than a spatial distance (d1) between a guide means (34) provided for guiding the transport element (16) along the transport track (12) and the transport track (12) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the rotor element (24a, 24b) is arranged such that it is arranged between the stator element (20) and the transport track (12) on passing a stator element (20).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a guide means (34) for guiding the movement of the transport element (16) along the transport track (12) is provided at the transport element (16), with the guide means (34) being arranged such that it is arranged between the stator element (20) and the transport track on passing a stator element (20).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transport track comprises a rail (12) which conducts the transport element (16) along the transport track, with the transport element (16) comprising rollers (34) which are arranged disposed opposite one another with respect to the rail (12) and which are in contact with side surfaces of the rail (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the rollers (34) are arranged symmetrically to a plane which coincides with a plane of symmetry of the stator elements (20) and/or of the rotor element, with the plane of symmetry extending parallel to the longitudinal extent of the stator elements (20) or of the rotor element (24a, 24b).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stator elements (20) each have at least two stator units (22a, 22b) which are arranged mutually opposite one another at both sides of a section of the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein the rotor element has at least two functional sections (24a, 24b) which are arranged offset in parallel with respect to the transport track (12) and which each cooperate with one of the stator units (22a and 22b respectively).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the stator units (22a, 22b) and/or the functional sections (24a, 24b) are arranged symmetrically to a central plane (S) of the transport track (12) extending in the longitudinal direction of the transport track (12).
The transport apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a position monitoring system is provided which comprises a coding (38) arranged at the transport element (16) and per stator element (20) at least one reading device (40) with which the coding (38) can be detected, and/or wherein the reading device (40) is arranged at the stator element (20).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.