Modular conveying unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752445-B2
Application number	US-201716483265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A conveying unit for a superordinate conveying system for transporting goods on a transport plane. The conveying unit has transport rollers, drive devices, at least one adjustment apparatus and a control unit. The transport rollers rotate about axes at an actuatable rotational speed and with an actuatable direction of rotation. The drive device can be actuated to drive the transport rollers. The axes of rotation of the transport rollers can be actuated about their respective pivot axes by their own pivot axis angle and can be adjusted by rotation. The adjustment apparatus can be actuated to adjust the axes of rotation of the transport rollers about their respective pivot axes. The control unit actuates the conveying unit, and the conveying unit additionally has a connection apparatus for connecting the conveying unit to the superordinate conveying system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conveying unit for a superordinate conveying system for transporting goods on a transport plane, the conveying unit comprising:
a plurality of transport rollers mounted for rotation about respective axes of rotation at an actuatable rotational speed and with an actuatable direction of rotation, said plurality of transport rollers being disposed only in a single row or only in a single column to thereby form a strip;
drive devices configured for driving said transport rollers;
the axes of rotation of said transport rollers being pivotable about respective pivot axes by a pivot axis angle;
an adjustment apparatus configured for adjusting an orientation of the axes of rotation of said transport rollers by rotation about the respective pivot axes;
a control unit configured for actuating said adjustment apparatus and said drive devices; and
a connection apparatus for connecting the conveying unit to the superordinate conveying system;
wherein the conveying unit is a modular unit.

2. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of said transport rollers are able to be actuated differently from one another.

3. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said drive devices are configured for individual actuation so as to individually drive a respective one of the transport rollers.

4. The conveying unit according to claim 3 , wherein said drive devices are embodied as a servo drives.

5. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said connection apparatus is configured for supplying power to the conveying unit.

6. The conveying unit according to claim 5 , wherein said connection apparatus is a plug-in connection.

7. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said connection apparatus is configured for relaying signals between the conveying unit and a superordinate control facility.

8. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is adapted to be actuated by a superordinate control facility.

9. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said adjustment apparatus is configured for a shared adjustment of the axes of rotation of said transport rollers about their respective pivot axes.

10. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said adjustment apparatus is configured for a continuous adjustment of the axes of rotation of said transport rollers about their respective pivot axes.

11. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said transport rollers have a rounded surface in a region intended for contact with the goods, the axes of rotation are arranged substantially parallel to the transport plane and the pivot axes are substantially orthogonal to the transport plane.

12. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover apparatus formed with recesses for said transport rollers.

13. The conveying unit according to claim 12 , wherein said cover apparatus is embodied as a closed profile.

14. A conveying system, comprising: at least two of the conveying units according to claim 1 .

15. The conveying system according to claim 14 , wherein said control unit of each of said at least two of the conveying units is configured for coordinated actuation.

16. The conveying unit according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is configured to individually control a speed of rotation of each of said drive devices and to individually control a direction of the rotation of each of said drive devices.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Froehlich Thomas
• Schnurr Alexander

Classifications

• B65G39/025

  having spherical roller elements · CPC title

• B65G47/244

  by turning them about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying plane · CPC title

• B65G2207/34

  Omni-directional rolls · CPC title

• B65G13/10 Primary

  Switching arrangements · CPC title

• B65G2207/30

  Modular constructions · CPC title