METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMATED GUIDED, MOBILE ASSEMBLY AND/OR MATERIAL TRANSPORT UNIT AND AUTOMATED GUIDED, MOBILE ASSEMBLY AND/OR MATERIAL TRANSPORT UNIT THEREFOR

• US 20120037440A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BÄR Automation GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bär, Ralf
• Inventors: Bär, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/38 with automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method for operating a driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) with fixed assembly and/or warehousing stations. In this method, a system control device is used for the entire assembly process. The driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport units comprises a travel device for the traveling movement of the unit, a drive device for the travel device,an energy storage device for providing the energy for the drive device and a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with the system control device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) for an assembly and/or warehousing facility comprising;

a travel device for the traveling movement of the transport unit,

a drive device for the travel device,

a first energy storage device which is in the form of a battery device, and

a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with a system control device, wherein;

a second energy storage device is used in the assembly and/or material transport unit, said second energy storage device being in the form of a device which can be charged quickly, in particular a double-layer capacitor device,

the second energy storage device is charged at an assembly or charging station when the transport unit is at a standstill,

the second energy storage device provides the drive energy for the drive device,

the second energy storage device at the same time, keeps the first energy storage device charged or recharges said first energy storage device,

when the second energy storage device is emptied or when a predetermined voltage value is undershot, the system switches over to the first energy storage device, which then provides the drive energy for the drive device until the second energy storage device is recharged at an assembly/charging station, and

the first energy storage device provides the energy for operating a control device and/or a safety device with a scanner, sensors or the like.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the charging contact for charging the second energy storage device is produced automatically when the respective position at the assembly station is reached.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a DC/DC converter is inserted between the first and the second energy storage devices.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second storage device is operated on a voltage of approximately 32 V (volts) or 48 V (volts) and the first energy storage device is operated on a voltage of approximately 27 V (volts).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

when a voltage of 20 V (volts) at the second energy storage device is undershot, the system is switched over and the first energy storage device takes on the function of supplying energy to the drive device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first energy storage device is used as a small backup battery.

8. A driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) for an assembly facility for use in a method as claimed in claim 1, with

a travel device for the traveling movement,

a drive device for the travel device,

a first energy storage device which is in the form of a battery device, and

a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with a system control device, wherein

a second energy storage device is provided for providing the energy for the direct operation of the drive device, said second energy storage device being in the form of a device which can be charged quickly, in particular a double-layer capacitor device,

a control device is provided which, when the second energy storage device is charged, controls the provision of the drive energy for the drive device from the second energy storage device and at the same time keeps the first energy storage device in the charged state, or recharges said first energy storage device, via the second energy storage device, and, when the second energy storage device is emptied or when a predetermined voltage value for the second energy storage device is undershot, activates the first energy storage device for supplying energy to the drive unit until the second energy storage device has been recharged,

wherein the first energy storage device provides the energy for operating a control device and/or a safety device with a scanner, sensors or the like.

10. The assembly and/or material transport unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the drive device has at least one brushless servodrive motor.

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)