Transporting system

• US 8,973,506 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dematic GmbH (KION GROUP AG)
• Original Assignee: Dematic Systems Gmbh (KION GROUP AG)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US13/980,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20130305955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 104249-259
• US Class Current: 104/249
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 7/16 Positive railway stops
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars

Abstract

The invention relates to an in-house track-bound transporting system with self-propelling carriages that move on rails. The system has stoppers to prevent said carriages from crossing over open rail ends or track borders, and the system is provided with stops. The stoppers collide with the stops in order to prevent a crossing-over, said stops having first and second fixed stop elements. The stoppers can be moved between a first crossing-over position and a second crossing-over position such that the first stop elements can be crossed over in the first crossing-over position of the stoppers, and the second stop elements can be crossed over in the second crossing-over position of the stoppers, wherein the first stop elements cannot be crossed over in the second crossing-over position of the stoppers, and the second stop elements cannot be crossed over in the first crossing-over position of the stoppers.

Claims

1. In-plant rail-bound transport system having shuttles which travel in a longitudinal direction on rails, wherein the system comprises:

a stop and a stop bar that interact with each other to secure against one of the shuttles overrunning of an open end of one of the rails, wherein the stop bar engages the stop to prevent the one of the shuttles overrunning of the open end of the one of the rails;

wherein the stop has first and second immoveable stop elements and wherein the stop bar is able to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the stop bar overruns the first stop element in the first position of the stop bar, and the stop bar overruns the second stop element in the second position of the stop bar; and

wherein the stop bar is blocked by the first stop element in the second position of the stop bar to prevent the one of the shuttles overrunning of the open end of the one of the rails and the stop bar is blocked by the second stop element in the first position of the stop bar to prevent the one of the shuttles overrunning of the open end of the one of the rails.

2. Transport system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stop bar is disposed on one of the shuttles and the stop is disposed on the one of the rails.

3. Transport system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second stop elements are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction.

4. Transport system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the stop bar comprises a driven stop which can be driven between the first position of the stop bar and the second position of the stop bar.

5. Transport system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

6. Transport system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the driven stop moves about a pivot axis oriented in the longitudinal direction.

7. Transport system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

8. Transport system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stop bar comprises a driven stop which can be driven between the first position of the stop bar and the second position of the stop bar.

9. Transport system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the driven stop moves about a pivot axis oriented in the longitudinal direction.

10. Transport system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

11. Transport system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

12. Transport system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the at least one of the rails is formed with an essentially C-shaped cross section defining an opening in the at least one of the rails that is disposed inwards and downwards wherein the stop bar protrudes into the opening and interacts with stop elements disposed in the at least one of the rails.

13. Transport system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second stop elements are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction.

14. Transport system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stop bar comprises a driven stop which can be driven between the first position of the stop bar and the second position of the stop bar.

15. Transport system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the driven stop moves about a pivot axis oriented in the longitudinal direction.

16. Transport system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

17. Transport system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the driven stop moves between the first position and the second position between 20°

and 90°

about a pivot axis.

18. Transport system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stop bar is spring mounted in opposite directions of the longitudinal direction.

19. Transport system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stop bar includes a brake lining which interacts with an inclined braking surface on one of the stop elements to brake the one of the shuttles.

20. Transport system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the inclined braking surface is formed by an inclined plane which increases in width laterally in the longitudinal direction of the rail path.

21. Transport system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the at least one of the rails is formed with an essentially C-shaped cross section defining an opening in the at least one of the rails that is disposed inwards and downwards wherein the stop bar protrudes into the opening and interacts with stop elements disposed in the at least one of the rails.