EP0093863A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A microprocessor-controlled system of aerial transport for industrial installations
Assignee: Inentum España SA
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Filing: 1983-03-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-03-21
Abstract
Abstract Disciosed is a microprocessor-controlled system of aerial (suspended) transport for industrial installations. This system is characterized by the combination of the following parts: a) a main circuit, b) a group of carts, c) stations, d) a group of points, e) an ascent group, f) identification readers, g) control cards and h) central unit, and, further, in that the main circuit is composed of a structure of tracks and carrier columns, over which tracks the group of carts may travel, that the carts are able to have access to the stations through the action of the points, that the central unit is based on a microcomputer which knows and controls the evolution of the system by directing its operation according to a predetermined programming, changeable at any time, and making decisions according to criteria with which it has been programmed, all of this in function of the information which is supplied to it by the control cards and the group of identification readers.
Inventors
- 👤 Manuel Martinez Llaneza
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:40
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/34; B65G47/46; B65G47/50; B65G19/00; B65G19/02; B65G19/025; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0229
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A transport system characterized in comprising: a main circuit (1)having a plurality of stations a plurality of support elements or carts (10) rollable . or slidable along the main circuit, from which carts (10) hangers, trays and hooks or other elements for holding garments, parts, components or other elements can be hung, each of said carts carrying a code on it which identifies the cart as well as the elements supported on it; a plurality of readers (5) capable of identifying the carts (10) on their passing by them and, thus, of supplying information regarding the evolution of the carts; a microcomputer which knows the evolution of the carts and directs it in accordance with a predetermined programming changable at any time, and being able to make decisions according to criteria which have been programmed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A transport system characterized in comprising: a main circuit (1)having a plurality of stations a plurality of support elements or carts (10) rollable . or slidable along the main circuit, from which carts (10) hangers, trays and hooks or other elements for holding garments, parts, components or other elements can be hung, each of said carts carrying a code on it which identifies the cart as well as the elements supported on it; a plurality of readers (5) capable of identifying the carts (10) on their passing by them and, thus, of supplying information regarding the evolution of the carts; a microcomputer which knows the evolution of the carts and directs it in accordance with a predetermined programming changable at any time, and being able to make decisions according to criteria which have been programmed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the carts (10) has a sliding body or one with wheels, the back part (19) of which has the appropriate shape so as to be retained and dispensed by a One-to-One Dispenser (O.O.D.) and to be raised by a lifting system; and a keel (21) which makes guidance along the tracks and detours easier, carries the identification code (23) and allows the load to be hung by means of a hook.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The transport system according to claim 1 and 2, wherein the carts (10) are supported by tracks (1), slide into the stations by the force of gravity, are raised to the main circuit by a lifting system and are transported along it by pushers (12) which are an integral part of a band (9) moved by motors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The transport system according to claim 3, characterized in that the main circuit is formed by self-sustaining tracks (1), the section of which is designed to allow for the support, rolling and guidance of the carts (10) and the guidance of the band (9).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
The transport system according to claim 3, characterized in that the combination of band (9) and pushers (12) is designed to be manufactured in injected plastic in such a way that the band is provided with reinforced drill holes (14) upon which the motor acts for transporting it, the band being formed by a plurality of sections, the connections between said sections (11) having small wheels (15) to decrease friction as well as the pushers (12), the form of which allows them to adapt to the curves and to transport the lifting system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The transport system according to claim 1, characterized in that the stations have one or more entrances (25) controlled by track switches (38) and that in the stations are provided One-to-One-Dispensers (O.O.D.) for detaining the carts (10), in each of the stations being provided an O.O.D. (63) to feed the job post (27) and a mobile O.O.D. (64) at the job post which can be regulated in height at will.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
105 words
The transport system according to claims 1, 2 and 6, characterized in that the One-to-One Dispenser device .(O.O.D.) has an arm (31) which detains the cart (10) by the back part of its body when it is not activated, while it lets it pass when it is activated, but it impedes the passing of those (10) behind it, the activation of the O.O.D. being carried out directly by means of an electromagnet (32) on a lever (33), indirectly by an electromagnet of another O.O.D. through a cable for simultaneous activation, through a cable (37) activated mechanically by the keel of a cart (10), or manually.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The transport system according to claim 7, characterized in that the O.O.D. (63) includes some angle irons (35) which prevent the rocking of the cart, and a spring (34) which maintains the O.O.D. (63) in its original position when the activation ceases.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The transport system according to claim 6, characterized in that the O.O.D. (64) can be fitted with a fastening mechnism (36) in order to be able to vary its position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
The transport system according to claim 3, wherein the lifting system is constituted by an elevation tube (43) placed on the lifting track which is guided by the lifter, the shape of which is appropriate to hook up to the cart, push it in the lifting, deposit it on the track of the main circuit and free it in the descent and a transport tube (44) placed on the track (1) of the main circuit which houses a puller, the axle of which (51) is kept in an elevated position by a spring (52) while, on being pressed on its upper part, it is blocked by a metal strip (53) in order to permit its transport by the pusher and which, in turn, transports the lifter by means of a flexible cable guided by a flexible cover.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
200 words
The transport system in accordance with.claim 3 and 7, characterized in that the lift mechanism comprises: an activator-inhibitor (40) placed on the main circuit at an appropriate distance so that the cart (10) is positioned in the space before the desired pusher (12), which is equipped with a micro-switch (45) that detects the passing of the pushers if they are free, while the group rises if the pusher (12) is occupied with a cart; a microswitch for waiting (41) positioned in the waiting area and connected in series to the previous one; a microswitch that detects the return of the puller to its correct position (54) connected in series to the others previously mentioned; an electromagnet (55) connected in series to the previous ones which strikes the axle of the puller (51); a plate (58) placed on the front part of the transport tube which acts upon the metal strip of the puller (53), freeing the axle so that the lifting system returns to its initial position; an appropriate shape of the transport tube (44) so that the puller never becomes caught up; and a safety lever (60) which impedes the backward movement of the cart to the lifting track.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The transport system in accordance with claims 1 and 2, controlled by a microprocessor which knows the flow of the carts (10) by the indications of the readers (5) located on the main circuit, which allows it to send them to the stations and to know if they have entered them or if they have gone out to the main circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
106 words
The transport system in accordance with claims 1, 2 and 12, wherein the reading of the identification code is made optically through the transmission of a code punched on a card, on a row of strobe punches, each of the readers being composed of a transmitter (P-1) and two receivers (P-2, P-3) and, the first of them being advanced in order to make its signal flank (strobe) to coincide with the center of the datum, and, at every impulse of the strobe, the datum status (light or no light) being recorded and stored in"a ones and zeros" type of record, which makes up the hanger code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The transport system in accordance with claims 1, 2, 12 and 13, characterized in that the readers (5) are separated a multiple of the distance between the pushers and that a detector of,pushers (4) notifies the microprocessor to read the registers, allowing it to obtain a snapshot of the evolution of the chain with each passing of a pusher.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The transport system in accordance with claims 1, 2 and 12, which is capable of supplying the reports necessary for the management of production and the management of the personnel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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