Mobile transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330708-B2
Application number	US-202117923066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A mobile transport system includes a drive unit having a first drive wheel rotatable about a first drive axis and a second drive wheel rotatable about a second drive axis, the drive axes extending in a transverse direction. The drive unit includes a swivel and a drive frame. The drive frame is pivotable about a steering axis relative to the swivel. The drive unit includes a marking carrier that is disposed in a stationary manner relative to the drive frame, and on which optically detectable markings are applied. The drive unit includes a camera for detecting the markings and is disposed in a stationary manner relative to the swivel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile transport system, comprising:
a drive unit including:
a swivel;
a drive frame pivotable about a steering axis relative to the swivel;
a first drive wheel rotatable about a first drive axis extending in a transverse direction and rotatably supported on a first swing arm pivotable relative to the drive frame about a first swing axis extending in the transverse direction;
a second drive wheel rotatable about a second drive axis extending in the transverse direction and rotatably supported on a second swing arm pivotable relative to the drive frame about a second swing axis extending in the transverse direction;
a marking carrier arranged in a stationary manner relative to the drive frame and including optically detectable markings;
a camera adapted to detect the markings arranged in a stationary manner relative to the swivel; and
a coupling unit including a rocker pivotable relative to the drive frame about a coupling axis that extends in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transverse direction;

wherein the first swing arm is connected to a first end of the rocker and the second swing arm is connected to a second end of the rocker opposite the first end so that movement of a first one of the first swing arm and the second swing arm in a first direction perpendicular to the transverse direction and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction causes movement of a second one of the first swing arm and the second swing arm in a second direction perpendicular to the transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and opposite the first direction.

2. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile transport system is adapted to transport objects in a technical system.

3. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the markings include information from which it is possible to determine a pivot angle of the drive frame relative to the swivel about the steering axis.

4. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the markings include a barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, and/or a QR code.

5. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the markings are arranged on a surface of the marking carrier that faces away from the steering axis.

6. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the marking carrier is disposed, at least in part, between the steering axis and the camera.

7. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the marking carrier is at least approximately rotationally symmetrical to the steering axis.

8. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the marking carrier surrounds the drive frame at least approximately concentrically.

9. The mobile transport system according to claim 7 , wherein the marking carrier surrounds the drive frame at least approximately concentrically.

10. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the steering axis extends vertically, perpendicular to the transverse direction.

11. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes an actuator motor adapted to drive the drive frame relative to the swivel about the steering axis.

12. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a first drive motor adapted to drive the first drive wheel and a second drive motor adapted to drive the second drive wheel, the first drive motor being disposed on the first swing arm, the second drive motor being disposed on the second swing arm.

13. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a vehicle frame;
a swing frame pivotable about a swing frame axis relative the vehicle frame;
a pair of first support wheels disposed on the vehicle frame; and
a pair of second support wheels disposed on the swing frame;
wherein the drive unit is disposed on the swing frame, and the swing frame axis extends perpendicular to a vertical direction extending perpendicular to the transverse direction.

14. The mobile transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the swivel is attached in a stationary manner to the swing frame.

15. The mobile transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the drive unit includes a rotary transmitter adapted to transmit electrical energy and data between the drive frame and the swing frame.

16. The mobile transport system according to claim 13 , wherein the drive unit includes a rotary transmitter adapted to transmit electrical energy and data from the drive frame to the swing frame and from the swing frame to the drive frame.

17. The mobile transport system according to claim 13 , wherein each first support wheel is supported relative to the vehicle frame rotatably about a first axis of rotation extending in a horizontal direction and relative to the vehicle frame pivotably about a first pivot axis extending in the vertical direction that extends perpendicular to the transverse direction.

18. The mobile transport system according to claim 13 , wherein each second support wheel is supported relative to the swing frame rotatably about a second axis of rotation extending in a horizontal direction and relative to the swing frame pivotably about a second pivot axis extending in the vertical direction that extends perpendicular to the transverse direction.

19. The mobile transport system according to claim 17 , wherein each second support wheel is supported relative to the swing frame rotatably about a second axis of rotation extending in a horizontal direction and relative to the swing frame pivotably about a second pivot axis extending in the vertical direction.

20. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the first swing arm is connected to the first end of the rocker by a first strut, and the second swing arm is connected to the second end of the rocker by a second strut.

21. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a tilt sensor adapted to detect a tilt of the rocker relative to the drive frame about the coupling axis.

22. The mobile transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a tilt sensor adapted to detect a tilt of the first swing arm relative to the drive frame about the first swing axis.

23. The mobile transport system according to claim 22 , wherein the drive unit includes a further tilt sensor adapted to detect a tilt of the second swing arm relative to the drive frame about the second swing axis.

Assignees

• Sew Eurodrive Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Degen Dirk
• Schmidt Josef
• Junginger Alexander
• Bockelmann Gero
• Tuskan Andreas
• Ködderitzsch Jan-Patrick
• Erb Frank

Classifications

• B62D61/10 Primary

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

• B62D7/04

  with more than one wheel · CPC title

• B62D7/023

  Steering turntables · CPC title

• B62D15/021 Primary

  Determination of steering angle · CPC title

• B62D63/02

  Motor vehicles · CPC title