Transport system and method for operating a transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10787107-B2
Application number	US-201616063598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

In a transport system and method for operating a transport system the transport system includes a first mobile component and a second mobile component as well as a transport rack. Bearing rollers for moving the transport rack on a driving surface are disposed on the transport rack, in particular, the mobile component is drivable on the driving surface. Each mobile component has a linear axle and a control as well as wheels driven by an electric motor. The first mobile component is able to drive underneath the transport rack in a first region of the transport rack, and the second mobile component is able to drive underneath the transport rack in another, i.e. second, region of the transport rack. The transport rack is able to be raised by extending the linear axles of the mobile components, in particular is able to be raised in such a way that the bearing rollers of the transport rack lose physical contact with the driving surface. A communications channel is provided between the first and the second mobile components, the communications channel serving as a transmission channel for data of at least one master-slave control, the first mobile component acting as a master and the second mobile component acting as a slave.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport system, comprising:
a first mobile component;
a second mobile component;
a communications channel provided between the first mobile component and the second mobile component;
a transport rack; and
a bearing provided on the transport rack,
wherein each mobile component includes a linear axle, a control device, and wheels that are driven by an electric motor,
wherein the first mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a first region of the transport rack, and the second mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a second region of the transport rack;
wherein the transport rack is adapted to be raised by extending the linear axles of the mobile components and/or such that the bearing of the transport rack loses physical contact with the driving surface;
wherein the communications channel is arranged as a transmission channel for data of at least one master-slave control, the first mobile component adapted to act as a master mobile component and the second mobile component adapted to act as a slave mobile component;
wherein the master mobile component is adapted to determine an instantaneously required torque;
wherein the master mobile component is adapted to use a first portion of the torque as a first setpoint value for a torque control located in the master mobile component, so that torque generated by the drive of the master mobile component acting is controlled to the first setpoint value; and
wherein the slave mobile component is adapted to use a remaining portion of the torque as a second setpoint value for a torque control located in the slave mobile component, so that torque generated by the drive of the slave mobile component is controlled to the second setpoint value.

2. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the first mobile component is adapted to monitor a distance to the second mobile component and/or the second mobile component is adapted to monitor a distance to the first mobile component.

3. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the communications channel is adapted to modulate light, infrared light, and/or visible light and/or arranged between the transport rack and the driving surface.

4. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein a travel drive of the mobile component acting as the slave is controlled and/or operated with the aid of a master-slave control as a function of instantaneously determined values of a physical quantity of a travel drive of the mobile component acting as the master, such that a distance between the two mobile components is constant and/or the transport rack is disposed on the mobile components in a relatively immobile manner.

5. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the linear axle of the mobile component acting as the slave is controlled and/or operated with the aid of a master-slave control as a function of instantaneously determined values of a physical quantity of the linear axle of the mobile component acting as the master, such that the transport rack is evenly raised by the two linear axles.

6. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the communications channel is adapted to act as a transmission channel for data of a first and a second master-slave control, the first mobile component acting as a master and the second mobile component acting as a slave, the two controls adapted to operate in a manner that overlaps in time, the first master-slave control adapted to control and/or operate the travel drive of the mobile component acting as the slave as a function of instantaneously determined values of a physical quantity of the travel drive of the mobile component acting as the master, such that a distance between the two mobile components is constant and/or the transport rack is disposed on the mobile components in a relatively immobile manner, the second master-slave control adapted to control and/or operate the linear axle, provided for raising the transport rack, of the mobile component acting as the slave as a function of respective instantaneously determined values of a physical quantity of the linear axle, provided for raising the transport rack, of the mobile component acting as the master, such a way that the transport rack is evenly raised by the two linear axles.

7. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the wheels of at least one of the mobile components are steerable and/or a wheel fixture unit and/or a turntable disposed on a respective mobile component is rotatably mounted on a rack of the mobile component, an axis of rotation arranged parallel to a normal direction of the driving surface at a contact point of the wheels with the driving surface.

8. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the communications channel is arranged between the mobile components and underneath the transport rack and/or between the driving surface and the transport rack.

9. A method for operating a transport system that includes:
a first mobile component;
a second mobile component;
a communications channel provided between the first mobile component and the second mobile component;
a transport rack; and
a bearing provided on the transport rack,
wherein each mobile component includes a linear axle, a control device, and wheels that are driven by an electric motor,
wherein the first mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a first region of the transport rack, and the second mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a second region of the transport rack;
wherein the transport rack is adapted to be raised by extending the linear axles of the mobile components and/or such that the bearing of the transport rack loses physical contact with the driving surface; and
wherein the communications channel is arranged as a transmission channel for data of at least one master-slave control, the first mobile component adapted to act as a master and the second mobile component adapted to act as a slave;
the method comprising:
detecting a position in a first one of the mobile components;
transmitting the position to a second of the mobile components;
determining an instantaneously required torque in the master mobile component;
using a first portion of the torque as a first setpoint value for a torque control located in the master mobile component, so that torque generated by the drive of the master mobile component acting is controlled to the first setpoint value; and
using a remaining portion of the torque as a second setpoint value for a torque control located in the slave mobile component, so that torque generated by the drive of the slave mobile component is controlled to the second setpoint value.

10. A method for operating a transport system that includes:
a first mobile component;
a second mobile component;
a communications channel provided between the first mobile component and the second mobile component;
a transport rack; and
a bearing provided on the transport rack,
wherein each mobile component includes a linear axle, a control device, and wheels that are driven by an electric motor,
wherein the first mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a first region of the transport rack, and the second mobile component is adapted to drive underneath the transport rack in a second region of the transport rack;
wherein the transport rack is adapted to be raised by extending the linear axles of the mobile components and/or such that the bearing of the transport rack loses physical contact with the driving surface; and
wherein the communications channel is arranged as a transmission channel for da

Assignees

• Sew Eurodrive Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Schmidt Josef
• Sliskovic Maja
• Angst Michael
• Bockelmann Gero

Classifications

• B62D63/02

  Motor vehicles · CPC title

• B62D61/10

  with more than four wheels {(tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002)} · CPC title

• B62D12/02

  for vehicles operating in tandem · CPC title

• B60P3/40 Primary

  for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements ({E04G21/14 takes precedence}; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02) · CPC title

• B60P1/02 Primary

  with parallel up-and-down movement of load supporting or containing element (in combination with tipping B60P1/34; devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes, movable on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/06 {; suspensions with electronic levelling control during loading or unloading B60G17/0157}) · CPC title