Manufacturing device and conveyor means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945666-B2
Application number	US-202017598464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A manufacturing device has a manufacturing cell for processing workpieces, with a laterally circumferential safety partition, in which a lock is formed for performing a loading operation of the workpieces, wherein a first light barrier arrangement is formed at the lock, and with a driverless conveyor with a load receiver for conveying the workpieces. For performing the loading operation, a second light barrier arrangement and a third light barrier arrangement are formed between the conveyor and the lock, so that the load receiver and the workpieces are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement and by the third light barrier arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A manufacturing device having a manufacturing cell for processing workpieces, with a laterally circumferential safety partition forming a boundary of the manufacturing cell,
wherein a lock is formed in the safety partition for performing a loading operation of the workpieces, and
wherein a first light barrier arrangement with a first transmitter and with a first receiver assigned to the first transmitter is formed at an opening of the lock, and with a driverless conveying means with a load receiving means for conveying the workpieces,
wherein for performing the loading operation, a second light barrier arrangement and a third light barrier arrangement are formed between the conveying means and the lock, so that the load receiving means and the workpieces are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement and by the third light barrier arrangement, and
wherein the second light barrier arrangement comprises a second transmitter, which is fastened to the conveying means, and a second receiver, which is fastened to the lock, and
wherein the third light barrier arrangement comprises a third transmitter, which is fastened to the lock, and a third receiver, which is fastened to the conveying means; and
wherein the lock comprises a lock controller, wherein the lock controller is designed to activate the first light barrier arrangement in front of the lock in a program-controlled manner if the lock controller registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement or the third light barrier arrangement.

2. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , wherein during the execution of the loading operation, a region connected to a parking zone of the lock for the workpieces is laterally bounded by the conveying means, by the second light barrier arrangement and by the third light barrier arrangement.

3. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying means comprises a conveying means controller, wherein the conveying means controller is designed to activate and to deactivate the second light barrier arrangement and/or the third light barrier arrangement as needed in a program-controlled manner.

4. The manufacturing device according to claim 3 , wherein the conveying means controller of the conveying means and the lock controller of the lock are designed to jointly observe the second light barrier arrangement and the third light barrier arrangement in a program-controlled manner.

5. The manufacturing device according to claim 3 , wherein the second light barrier arrangement is designed to transmit a message from the conveying means controller of the conveying means to the lock controller of the lock, and wherein the third light barrier arrangement is designed to transmit a message from the lock controller of the lock to the conveying means controller of the conveying means.

6. The manufacturing device according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying means comprises a detector for forming an observation region, wherein the observation region extends beyond a joint spatial extension of the load receiving means and the workpieces in the lateral direction.

7. A method for loading workpieces with a driverless conveying means and a manufacturing cell for processing the workpieces, wherein a lock is formed in a laterally circumferential safety partition of the manufacturing cell, and wherein an opening of the lock is secured against unauthorized access by means of a first light barrier arrangement with a first transmitter and with a first receiver assigned to the first transmitter, and wherein the driverless conveying means comprises a load receiving means and is controlled by a conveying means controller, wherein
the driverless conveying means is moved to a starting position for the loading operation in front of the lock of the manufacturing cell; and
a second light barrier arrangement and a third light barrier arrangement are activated by the conveying means controller of the conveying means, wherein the load receiving means and the workpieces are laterally bounded on opposite sides by the second light barrier arrangement and by the third light barrier arrangement, and wherein the second light barrier arrangement comprises a second transmitter, which is fastened to the conveying means, and a second receiver, which is fastened to the lock, and wherein the third light barrier arrangement comprises a third transmitter, which is fastened to the lock, and a third receiver, which is fastened to the conveying means; and
the first light barrier arrangement is deactivated by a lock controller of the lock; and
the second light barrier arrangement and the third light barrier arrangement are observed by the conveying means controller of the conveying means and by the lock controller of the lock during the execution of the loading operation; and
if the lock controller of the lock registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement or the third light barrier arrangement, the first light barrier arrangement is activated.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein in the starting position, a direction of entry of the conveying means is oriented so as to be aligned with a direction of passage of the lock.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, if the conveying means controller of the conveying means registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement or the third light barrier arrangement, the conveying means is stopped.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein, if the conveying means controller of the conveying means registers an interruption of the second light barrier arrangement or the third light barrier arrangement, a detector of the conveying means is activated, wherein the detector forms an observation region extending beyond a joint spatial extension of the load receiving means and the workpieces in the lateral direction.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second light barrier arrangement and/or the third light barrier arrangement are used by the conveying means controller of the conveying means and by the lock controller of the lock for directly transmitting messages between the conveying means and the lock.

Assignees

• Trumpf Maschinen Austria Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Kirchmayr Gerhard

Classifications

• B65G65/005 Primary

  Control arrangements · CPC title

• B65G2203/0208

  relating to the transported articles · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B65G2207/40

  Safety features of loads, equipment or persons · CPC title

• B65G35/00 Primary

  Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for · CPC title