Connecting device, conveying carriage and conveying installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099860-B2
Application number	US-201615565790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) for connecting a conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) to a drive chain ( 4 ) has a pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) that is connected pivotally to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′). A chain fastening ( 8 - 8 ″″′) is connectable to the drive chain ( 4 ), and an articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain fastening ( 8 - 8 ″″′). The articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) has three degrees of rotational freedom between the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain fastening ( 8 - 8 ″″′).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conveyor system, comprising:
at least one conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′);
rails arranged along a conveying path; and
at least one drive chain ( 4 ) arranged following substantially a course of the rails;
wherein the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) is arranged on the rails, and wherein the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) is connected to the drive chain ( 4 ) by a connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) that comprises:
a pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) that has a pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′) that pivotally connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) so that the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) is pivotable relative to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) in a horizontal plane by means of the pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′);
a chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′) that is connectable to the drive chain ( 4 ); and
an articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) that connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′);

wherein the articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) has three rotational degrees of freedom between the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′).

2. A connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) for connecting a conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) to a drive chain ( 4 ), comprising:
a pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) that has a pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′) that pivotally connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) so that the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) is pivotable relative to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) in a horizontal plane by means of the pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′);
a chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′) that is connectable to the drive chain ( 4 ); and
an articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) that connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′);
wherein the articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) has three rotational degrees of freedom between the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′).

3. The connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′) is arranged at a rear end portion of the pivot lever in a conveying direction of the pivot lever.

4. The connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) according to claim 3 , wherein, the articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) is arranged at a front end portion of the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) in the conveying direction (FR S ) of the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′).

5. The connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) according to claim 4 , wherein the articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) comprises a ball joint.

6. The connecting device ( 2 ; 2 ′; 2 ″; 2 ″″, 2 ″″′) according to claim 5 , wherein an opening of a joint socket ( 24 ; 24 ″′) of the ball joint ( 22 ; 22 ″″′) is directed to the front substantially in the conveying direction (FR S ).

7. The connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) according to claim 1 , further comprising a pivot limitation ( 44 ″″′) for limiting the pivot range of the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′), wherein the pivot limitation ( 44 ″″′) is arrangeable on the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′).

8. The connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) according to claim 1 , further comprising a pivot guide ( 16 ; 16 ″″) that guides and/or supports a free end of the pivot lever, wherein the pivot guide ( 16 ; 16 ″″) is arrangeable on the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′).

9. The connecting device ( 2 ″; 2 ″″′) according to claim 1 , wherein the pivot lever ( 6 ″″; 6 ″″′) is made of plastic.

10. A conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′), comprising a connecting device ( 2 - 2 ″″′) for connecting the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″) to a drive chain ( 4 ), the conveying carriage comprising:
a pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) that has a pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′) that pivotally connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) so that the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) is pivotable relative to the conveying carriage ( 1 - 1 ″″′) in a horizontal plane by means of the pivot joint ( 12 ; 12 ″; 12 ″″; 12 ″″′);
a chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′) that is connectable to the drive chain ( 4 ); and
an articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) that connects the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′);
wherein the articulated joint ( 10 - 10 ″″′) has three rotational degrees of freedom between the pivot lever ( 6 - 6 ″″′) and the chain attachment ( 8 - 8 ″″′).

Assignees

• Interroll Holding Ag

Inventors

• Droste Heinrich
• Eisinger Thomas

Classifications

• B65G17/005

  comprising individual load carriers which are movably mounted (B65G17/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G2812/02069

  Rails · CPC title

• B65G17/42 Primary

  Attaching load carriers to traction elements · CPC title

• B65G17/345 Primary

  the surfaces being equipped with a conveyor · CPC title

• B65G47/94

  Devices for flexing or tilting travelling structures; Throw-off carriages · CPC title