Transfer device for the lateral ejection of transported goods and transport unit

• US 7,690,497 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TGW Transportgeräte GmbH
• Original Assignee: TGW Transportgeräte GmbH
• Inventors: Radwallner, Gunther, Hansl, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): SINGH, KAVEL
• Application Number:
  US11/547,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 198/457, 198/597, 198/370, 198/367
• US Class Current: 198/457.03
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/766 Adjustable ploughs or transverse scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/82 Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453

Abstract

The invention relates to a transfer mechanism (12) for separating conveyed objects (4) out to the side from a first conveyor system (1) onto another conveyor system (14), with a pushing unit and two parallel flexible drives (15a, b) at a distance apart extending at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1), each of which has an endless traction means (23) which can be driven, and the pushing unit has oppositely lying drivers secured to the traction means (23) and a profiled pushing element (29) which is able to slide out of an initial position at the side, adjacent to a conveyor path (6), into an operating position in the conveyor path (6). The pushing element (29) extends continuously between the two flexible drives (15a, b) and is mounted on the drivers so that it can be moved by means of articulated arrangements exclusively about the first axis extending perpendicular to the conveyor plane (18) of the conveyed objects (4) and about the second axis extending parallel with the transfer direction (13) of the transfer mechanism (12). The invention further relates to a conveyor system (1) in which the transfer mechanism (12) is integrated.

Claims

1. Transfer mechanism (12) for separating conveyed objects (4) out to the side from a single row conveyed on a first conveyor system (1) onto another conveyor system (14) disposed downstream of the transfer mechanism (12) in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4), having

i) at least two parallel flexible drives (15a, b) of equal length extending at a distance apart and in an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1) and which can be driven synchronously, the flexible drives (15a, b) being disposed underneath a horizontal conveyor plane (18) formed by the first conveyor system (1) and offset from one another in their longitudinal direction, and comprising endlessly circulating traction means (23) and drivers (31a, b) mounted on the circulating traction means (23) lying opposite one another in pairs in a plane extending parallel with the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) along the first conveyor system (1), wherein the terminal end regions of the flexible drives (15a, b) extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1), and

ii) at least one pushing unit (30) comprising at least one pushing element (29) for separating a conveyed object (4) from the first conveyor system (1) onto the another conveyor system (14),

wherein the pushing element (29) extends continuously between the drivers (31a, b) and comprises a guide surface (33) essentially parallel to the conveying direction (3) of the first conveyor system (1) and is mounted on each driver (31a, b) of the first and second traction means (23) by means of an articulated arrangement (36) in such a manner that the pushing element (29) can be pivoted about the first axis (37) extending perpendicular to the conveyor plane (18) of the conveyed objects (4) and about the second axis (38) extending parallel with the transfer direction (13) of the transfer mechanism (12).

2. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pushing element (29) is of a length (34) which corresponds to at least half the maximum length dimension (35) of the conveyed object (4) to be separated.

3. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexible drives (15a, b) extend across the entire width of the first conveyor system (1).

4. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexible drives (15a, b) extend across only a part-width of the first conveyor system (1).

5. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pushing element (29) is provided in the form of a rule-type elongate section and extends continuously between the drivers (31a, b) and flexible drives (15a, b) at a slight distance above the conveyor plane (18).

6. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pushing element (29) is provided in the form of a comb profile, the tines of which are directed downwards towards the traction means (23) and dip down between adjacent conveyor elements (9) in a conveyor section (8b) of the first conveyor system (1), and a bottom edge (54) extends underneath the conveyor plane (18).

7. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the parallel flexible drives (15a, b) extend at an angle (16) with respect to the longitudinal extension of the first conveyor system (1) in the direction of the speed vector resulting from the speed vector of a middle conveyor section (8b) of the first conveyor system (1) and the transfer speed vector oriented transversely to it.

8. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a length of the flexible drives (15a, b) is bigger than the width (7) of the conveyor path (6) and the flexible drives (15a, b) extend laterally on both sides beyond the conveyor path (6).

9. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a length of the flexible drives (15a, b) approximately corresponds to the width (7) of the conveyor path (6) and the flexible drives (15a, b) are disposed between frame sections (5) of the first conveyor system (1).

10. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexible drives (15a, b) are of equal length and are disposed offset from one another in their longitudinal direction, and project laterally with their oppositely lying terminal ends on frame sections (5) of the first conveyor system (1) in the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) extending parallel at a distance apart and their terminal edges extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1).

11. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexible drives (15a, b) are of equal length and offset from one another in their longitudinal direction and are disposed between the frame sections (5) of the first conveyor system (1) extending in the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) extending parallel at a distance apart, and their terminal edges extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1).

12. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the flexible drives (15a, b) each have a driving gear (20a, b), at least one guide pulley (21a, b) and/or pulleys (22) and the traction means (23) guided around the drive and guide pulley (20a, b, 21a, b) and/or pulleys (22), and the traction means (23) of the flexible drives (15a, b) are driven in synchronization.

13. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pushing element (29) forms a preferably flat guide surface (33) for the conveyed object (4) to be separated on its front longitudinal face as viewed in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4) to be separated, and the guide surface (33) and conveyor plane (18) more or less subtend a right angle.

14. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pushing element (29) is provided behind every articulated arrangement (36) as viewed in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4), disposed between the relevant driver (31a, b) and a rear longitudinal face of the pushing element (29) as viewed in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4).

15. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein every articulated arrangement (36) has a compensating joint (45) and the compensating joint (45) is mounted so that it is able to move, in particular pivot on the relevant driver (31a, b), about the second axis (38) extending in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4) of the transfer mechanism (12), and the pushing element (29) is mounted so that it can be moved, in particular pivoted, on the compensating joint (45) about the first axis (37) oriented radially with respect to the second axis (38).

16. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein every articulated arrangement (36) has a compensating joint (45), which is provided in the form of a spring element, in particular a rubber spring element, disposed between two support plates, in which case one support plate is connected to the relevant driver (31a, b) so as to move in unison with it and the other support plate is connected to the pushing element (29) so as to move in unison with it.

17. Transfer mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a second pushing unit (30) is provided, which comprises another pushing element (29) for separating a conveyed object (4) which can be moved from an initial position at the side, adjacent to the conveyor path (6) of the conveyed objects (4), into an operating position in the conveyor path (6) of the conveyed objects (4), and the flexible drives (15a, b) have drivers (31a, b) mounted on the traction means (23) lying opposite one another in pairs one after the other at a distance apart in the transfer direction (13) and in a plane extending parallel with the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) along the first conveyor system (1), and the other pushing element (29) extends continuously between the other drivers (31a, b) and always extends essentially parallel with the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) and is mounted so that it can be moved, in particular pivoted on every other driver (31a, b) of the first and second traction means (23) by means of a respective articulated arrangement (36) about the first axis (37) extending perpendicular to the conveyor plane (18) of the conveyed objects (4) and about the second axis (38) extending parallel with the transfer direction (13) of the transfer mechanism (12).

18. Transfer mechanism according to claim 17, wherein a distance between the pushing elements (29) is bigger than a maximum width (56) of the conveyed object (4) as measured perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1).

19. Transfer mechanism according to claim 17, wherein the other pushing element (29) is provided in the form of a rule-type elongate section and extends continuously between the other drivers (31a, b) and flexible drives (15a, b) at a slight distance above the conveyor plane (18).

20. Transfer mechanism according to claim 17, wherein the other pushing element (29) is provided in the form of a comb profile, the tines of which are directed downwards towards the traction means (23) and dip down between adjacent conveyor elements (9) in a conveyor section (8b) of the first conveyor system (1), and a bottom edge (54) extends underneath the conveyor plane (18).

21. Transfer mechanism according to claim 17, wherein the other pushing element (29) is of a length (34) which corresponds to at least half the maximum length dimension (35) of the conveyed object (4) to be separated.

22. Conveyor system (1) for conveying objects (4) along a conveyor path (6) which is sub-divided into at least three conveyor sections (8a, b, c), and every conveyor section (8a, b, c) has at least one conveyor element (9), having a transfer mechanism (12) in the middle conveyor section (8b) for conveying objects (4) as and when necessary from a single row on the first conveyor section (8a) onto another conveyor system (14) disposed downstream of the transfer mechanism (12) in the transfer direction (13) of the conveyed objects (4), the transfer mechanism (12) comprising

i) at least two parallel flexible drives (15a, 15b) of equal length extending at a distance apart and in an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1) and which can be driven synchronously, the flexible drives being disposed underneath a horizontal conveyor plane (18) formed by the first conveyor system (1) and offset from one another in their longitudinal direction, and comprising endlessly circulating traction means (23) and drivers (31a, b) mounted on the circulating traction means (23) lying opposite one another in pairs in a plane extending parallel with the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) along the first conveyor system (1), wherein the terminal end regions of the flexible drives (15a, b) extend parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first conveyor system (1), and

ii) at least one pushing unit (30) comprising at least one pushing element (29) for separating a conveyed object (4) from the first conveyor system (1) onto the another conveyor system (14), wherein the pushing element (29) extends continuously between the drivers (31a, b) and comprises a guide surface (33) essentially parallel to the conveying direction (3) of the first conveyor system (1) and is mounted on each driver (31a, b) of the first and second traction means (23) by means of an articulated arrangement (36) in such a manner so that the pushing element (29) can be pivoted about the first axis (37) extending perpendicular to the conveyor plane (18) of the conveyed objects (4) and about the second axis (38) extending parallel with the transfer direction (13) of the transfer mechanism (12).

23. Conveyor system according to claim 22, wherein a spacing gap (17) is formed between mutually facing terminal ends of the consecutive conveyor sections (8a, b, c) in the conveying direction (3) of the conveyed objects (4) and respectively extends parallel with the flexible drives (15a, b) at least across the entire width (7) of the conveyor path (6) or across a part of the width (7) of the conveyor path (6).