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US 6,554,126 B1Granted
Method for conveying unit loads and conveyor system for implementing said method
AssigneeIPT Weinfelden AG
InventorBeat Muller
Life of this patent
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AssigneeIPT Weinfelden AG
InventorBeat Muller
Estimating the term…
In a conveying system with rail-like guide means (2) and conveying means (1) movable along the guide means (2) independently of one another, a displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) is provided for a changeover from serial to parallel conveyance. The displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) connects in a first position with an essentially stationary rail element (3). In this first position it is filled with conveying means (1) being supplied in series along the stationary rail element (3). The conveying means (1) are then blocked on the displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) and the displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) is displaced in essence transverse to its length, thereby conveying the conveying means in parallel. For a changeover from parallel to serial conveyance, the displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) is brought into a second position once again transverse to its own length, in which second position it again connects with an essentially stationary rail element (4, 4′) and the conveying means (1) are unblocked and conveyed away in series from the displaceable rail element (5.1-5.4) along the stationary rail element (4, 4′). Advantageously, a plurality of displaceable rail elements (5.1-5.4) is arranged in parallel and displaced simultaneously along a closed in itself displacement path. During parallel conveyance, conveying means (1) are loaded with objects (11), objects are unloaded from conveying means and/or objects (11) loaded on conveying means (1) are processed, buffered or intermediately stored.
A method for changing-over between serial conveyance and parallel conveyance in a conveying system comprising rail-like guide means (2) and a plurality of conveying means (1) independently movable along the guide means (2) and equipped for holding objects (11), wherein, for a changeover from serial to parallel conveyance, a displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) is brought into a first position, in which the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) connects with an essentially stationary rail element (3), a maximum possible number of conveying means (1) is conveyed in series along the stationary rail element (3) onto the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) and is blocked in a defined position on the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) and the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.2), with the conveying means (1) blocked on it, is displaced in essence transverse to its length, and wherein the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) is positioned in at least one second position in which the conveying means (1) are loaded with objects, objects held by conveying means are processed and/or objects are unloaded from conveying elements, and wherein, for a changeover from parallel to serial conveyance, the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) is displaced essentially transverse to its length into a third position, in which it connects with a further essentially stationary rail element (4), the conveying means (1) are unblocked on the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) and are conveyed in series off the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) to the further rail element (4).
A conveying system comprising rail-like guide means (2) and a plurality of conveying means (1) movable independently of one another along the rail-like guide means (2) and equipped with means for holding objects (11), wherein, for changing over from serial to parallel conveyance and vice versa, the conveying system further comprises a displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) being equipped with blocking means (6) such that a maximum number of conveying means (1) can be blocked in defined positions on the displaceable rail element (5, 5.1-5.4) and being displaceable together with the conveying elements (1) blocked on it essentially transverse to its length into a first, at least one second and a third position, wherein in the first and in the second position, the displaceable rail element connects with an essentially stationary rail element (3, 4), and wherein in the at least one second position, means for loading conveying elements (1) with objects (11), means for unloading objects (11) from conveying means (1) and/or means for processing objects held by conveying means are provided.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.