System for the treatment of objects, in particular the cataphoretic dip painting of objects, in particular vehicle bodies

A system for treating objects having at least one dipping tank, the objects being introducible into and removable out of said dipping tank by a transport carriage which moves on two parallel rails in an operating position and has a shaft that extends from one rail to the other rail in a transverse manner with respect to the two rails in the operating position. At least one pivoting arm is connected to the shaft, said pivoting arm having a supporting frame for the object. The shaft is pivotally hinged to the body of the transport carriage in an end region that adjoins one of the two rails such that said shaft can rotate together with the pivoting arm and the supporting frame into a space-saving position, in which said shaft runs approximately parallel with respect to one of the two rails. In this manner, the transport carriage can be converted into a single-track vehicle when returning from the unloading position of the objects into the loading position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the filing benefit of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2012/001810, filed Apr. 27, 2012, which claims the filing benefit of German Patent Application No. 10 2011 101 278.1, filed May 12, 2011, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for the treatment of objects, in particular for the cataphoretic dip painting of objects, in particular vehicle bodies, having

a) at least one dipping tank in which the objects undergo a treatment;

c) at least one transport carriage which guides the objects through the system and in so doing puts them into and takes them out of the dipping tank, and which for its part includes:ca) running gear that can travel on the two rails;cb) a shaft which is connected to the running gear and, in an operating position, extends transversely in relation to the two rails, from the one rail to the other;cc) at least one pivotal arm which is connected to the shaft such that it cannot rotate in relation thereto;cd) a mounting frame, which is connected to the pivotal arm, for at least one object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A system of this kind is known from DE 102 10 941 A1. Here, the running gear of the transport carriage is constructed to be substantially symmetrical to a centre plane which extends centrally between the two rails on which the running gear travels. The angle formed between the shaft and the two rails is 90° and cannot be varied. This is a two-track vehicle which is suitable in particular for relatively heavy loads. However, the following disadvantage is associated with it: once any transport carriage which has guided an object through the system has been unloaded, it has to be returned again to a starting position, in which it is loaded with a new object. This returning of the transport carriages cannot generally be performed on the same rails as the “outward” movement; rather, in addition to the “outward” rails, two further rails have to be provided on which the “return” path is then performed. These two rails necessarily occupy a relatively large space in the room where the system is located. However, there is frequently not much space available, and in all cases it comes at a cost.

DE 10 2008 010 400 A1 discloses a system for dip treating objects in which the transport system is constructed in the manner of an overhead track. This is a single-rail system. The individual transport carriages moved on the single rail are provided with a telescope-like securing means at the lower end whereof a rotary shaft is provided. This projects freely, pointing away from the rail on which the transport carriages can travel, and bears a mounting frame for an object that is to be treated. The securing means is able to rotate about a vertical axis with the shaft and the mounting frame, with the result that the transport carriages occupy less space during the return from the unloading station to the loading station. In all sections of the system, however, the transport carriages are single-track and so less suitable for receiving large loads.

An object of the present invention is to further develop a system of the type mentioned at the outset such that there is less space requirement, in particular on the return path from the unloading station to the loading station, while retaining the bearing capacity of the individual transport carriages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, this object may be achieved in thatd) the shaft is articulated in a manner pivotal on the running gear in an end region adjacent to one of the two rails such that it can be rotated, together with the pivotal arm and the mounting frame, into a space-saving position in which it extends approximately parallel to one of the two rails.

According to the invention, the transport carriages are thus constructed such that, in the regions in which they are loaded with objects and a high bearing capacity is demanded, they take the form of a two-track vehicle which can be supported on two rails, as a result of which one-sided flexural moments cannot act on the shaft. Where the load is removed from the transport carriage, however, that is to say in particular on the return path from the unloading station to the loading station, a transport carriage according to the invention can be converted to a single-track vehicle which needs only a single floor rail, as a result of which the space requirement is considerably reduced. A further advantage of the single-track vehicle can be seen in the fact that it is capable of going around curves, something which is only true to a very limited extent in the case of a two-track transport carriage.

Advantageously, at least one support wheel is mounted at the end of the shaft remote from its point of articulation, and in the operating position of the shaft this support wheel can roll on the appropriate rail. Generally, this support wheel will not be driven but serves substantially only to introduce the forces of weight on the corresponding side of the shaft into the rail there.

The running gear may have a substantially upright column, which may be rotated about a vertical axis and to which the shaft is connected in an end region.

Here, it is particularly advantageous if, at the upper end of the column, there is provided a guide roller which may be rotated about an approximately vertical axis and, along those portions of the system in which the transport carriage may be moved in the space-saving position, there is provided a guide rail on which the guide roller can move. In this way, tilting moments in the single-track mode of the transport carriage are managed.

It is to be understood that the aspects and objects of the present invention described above may be combinable and that other advantages and aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

First of all, reference will be made toFIGS. 1 to 3. These show a transport carriage which is designated overall by the reference numeral1and whereof the operating environment, mode of operation and control are known from the printed specifications mentioned at the outset, in particular DE 100 63 448 A, unless indicated otherwise below. These printed specifications are incorporated by reference.

The transport carriage1may move on two parallel rails2,3. It includes a longitudinal bearer4(cf. in particularFIG. 3) on which two running wheels5,6are mounted such that they can rotate. The running wheels5,6run on the rail3which is seen on the right inFIGS. 1 and 2. One of the running wheels, namely that bearing reference numeral6, is driven by a motor7. Secured to the longitudinal bearer4is a vertical column8, at the upper end whereof is mounted a guide roller9that may rotate about a vertical axis of rotation. Moreover, the entire column8is itself rotatable about a vertical axis by means of a drive motor10.

Secured to the column8is a shaft11which can be pivoted, together with the column8, about the said vertical axis. Arranged such that it may freewheel at the free end of the shaft11is a support wheel12which, in the position of the shaft11that is illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, can roll on the rail2.

Further secured to the shaft11are two parallel pivotal arms13,14. A respective linking plate15,16is articulated to each of the ends of the pivotal arms13,14remote from the shaft11, and these linking plates15,16are connected to one another at their lower end by a transverse strut17. The transverse strut17, for its part, holds two parallel plate-like bearers18,19such that they may not rotate in relation thereto, and an object to be treated, in particular a vehicle body to be painted, may be secured on these bearers18,19. The transverse strut17and the bearers18,19may thus be regarded as a mounting frame for the object.

The shaft11, with the pivotal arms13,14secured thereto and together with the linking plates15and16and the transverse strut17with the bearers18,19, can pivot about the axis of the shaft11with the aid of a pivot mechanism20, which is illustrated in particular inFIG. 3and need not be described in detail. It is sufficient to say that with the aid of the a motor21, which is part of the pivot mechanism20, the free ends of the pivotal arms13,14and hence the transverse strut17with the bearers18and19and the object secured thereto may be raised and lowered.

With the aid of a further motor22and a drive, which is not illustrated in detail and which passes partly through the shaft11and partly through the pivotal arm14, the linking plates15,16may moreover be rotated about their respective articulation point at the upper end of the pivotal arm13,14. In this way, the object secured to the bearers18,19is able to make all the movements that are already described in the above-mentioned DE 102 10 941 A.

Whereas, in the case of the bearing carriage described in that printed specification, advance through the system and return can be performed in the same way, that is in particular on two parallel rails, the transport carriage1described in the present document can when required be moved in a space-saving position on only a single rail, namely the rail3. A requirement of this kind may exist in particular when, once an object to be treated has passed through the various treatment stations, it is removed from the bearing carriage1and the bearing carriage1is to be returned to its starting position again, where it is then loaded with a new object to be treated.

To move from the operating position inFIGS. 1 to 3into the space-saving position illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, first of all the pivotal arms13,14are pivoted as far up as possible; the linking plates15,16are put into a rotary position in which the bearers18,19are substantially upright. In this way, the bearing carriage1has as little reach in the direction perpendicular to the shaft11as possible, as can be seen fromFIG. 5.

FIG. 5shows a condition in which a further step has already been taken in adopting the space-saving position. This step consists in rotation of the shaft11, together with the pivotal arms13,14, the linking plates15,16, the transverse strut17and the bearers18,19, by 90° about the vertical axis of the column8, with the result that the shaft11comes to lie above the rail3and parallel thereto.

To prevent the transport carriage1from tilting when it is in this space-saving position, a guide rail23in the form of a downwardly open U-shaped profile (cf.FIG. 5) is provided above the rail3in the regions in which the transport carriage1is to be moved in the space-saving position. This guide rail23is suitably secured, for example to a steel structure. It receives the guide roller9at the upper end of the column8in the regions of the system in question—those in which the transport carriage1is moved in the space-saving position.

FIG. 6shows, in plan view, how a system portion on which a transport carriage1according toFIGS. 1 to 5is used may look. Once again, the two parallel rails2,3on which (in the exemplary embodiment illustrated) two transport carriages1are located in the normal operating position are visible. The rails2,3extend either side of one or more dipping tanks24in which one or more treatments of vehicle bodies25borne by the transport carriages1are performed. One of these treatments is generally a cataphoretic dip painting.

Let us assume that the direction of transport of the transport carriages1runs from left to right inFIG. 6. Thus, the transport carriages1at the left-hand end (inFIG. 6) of the rail2,3are loaded with the vehicle bodies25. They then move to the right inFIG. 6as far as the start of the first dipping tank24, where they dip the vehicle body25in the treatment medium in the first dipping tank24, by pivoting the pivotal arms13,14and where appropriate by pivoting the linking plates15,16, in accordance with a predetermined kinematic sequence. As the transport carriages1move on, the vehicle bodies25are then guided in known manner through the dipping tank24and where appropriate further dipping tanks. At the right-hand end (inFIG. 6) of the rails2,3, the dipping treatments are complete and the treated vehicle bodies25are removed from the transport carriage1.

The transport carriages1, which are now empty, have to be taken back again to the starting point, that is to say the left-hand end of the rails2,3inFIG. 6. For this purpose, they are first moved out of the operating position inFIGS. 1 to 3and into the space-saving position inFIGS. 4 and 5, in the manner described above. They then move on the rail26of a displacement carriage, indicated schematically and designated overall by the reference numeral27, which is known per se and does not therefore require further description. The rail26of the displacement carriage27is now brought into alignment with a return rail28which extends over substantially the entire length of the rails2,3and parallel thereto.

Above the return rail28there runs a guide rail23which, as already explained above, cooperates with the guide rollers9of the individual transport carriages1. The transport carriages1are now moved along the return line28from right to left inFIG. 6, reversing the direction of travel. In so doing, they reach the region of a shifting points unit29. This is also of known construction. It includes a straight line section30and a curved line section31. When the curved line section31is brought into alignment with the return rail28, the transport carriage1, which as seen inFIG. 6is moving to the left, can be transferred out of the system at this point and for example sent to repair. Conversely, a new transport carriage1may be introduced into the system by way of the rail section31.

If the straight rail section30of the shifting points unit29is in alignment with the return rail28, the transport carriages1may move further to the left, as seen inFIG. 6, until they reach the end region of the rails2,3and28. Located there is a four-way switch point32, whereof the structure does not need to be explained in detail either, since it is known to those skilled in the art. With the aid of the four-way switch point32, the arriving transport carriages1are transferred back onto the rail3. The column8, together with the shaft11, the pivotal arms13,14, the linking plates15,16, the transverse strut17and the bearers18,19, is then rotated through 90° again, with the result that the shaft11is perpendicular to the rails2,3and the support wheel12comes to lie on the rail2again. Then, the transport carriage1can be loaded with a vehicle body25again and guided through the dipping tank or tanks24in the manner already described above.

It is to be understood that additional embodiments of the present invention described herein may be contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the art and that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.