Granted Patent B2

US 12,291,439 · App. 17/772,290 · Granted May 6, 2025

Inventors: Benedikt Nagel (Brigachtal, DE); Fabian Gruler (Aixheim, DE); Matthias Koop (Neufahrn b. Freising, DE); Michael Rosen (Bad Dürrheim, DE); Simon Schwörer (Brigachtal, DE); Yannik Abelmann (Tennenbronn-Schramberg, DE); Yvonne Fürderer (Furtwangen, DE); Christof Klaiber (Villingen-Schwenningen, DE); Matthias Huber (Gutmadingen, DE)

Assignees: IMS GEAR SE & CO. KGAA; ANTRIMON (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH

B66F9/063B66F9/07504B66F9/0755B66F9/07559B66F9/07572

Abstract

Claims (45)

1. A driverless transport device ( 10 ) for transporting objects ( 38 ), comprising:

a support structure ( 12 ) having an outer contour ( 14 );

an undercarriage ( 16 ) which is secured to the support structure ( 12 ) and has at least one first wheel ( 18 ) and a second wheel ( 20 ), wherein the first wheel ( 18 ) is mounted in the undercarriage ( 16 ) so as to rotate about a first axis of rotation (D 1 ) and the second wheel ( 20 ) is mounted in the undercarriage ( 16 ) so as to rotate about a second axis of rotation (D 2 );

a drive unit ( 22 ) by means of which the first wheel ( 18 ) and the second wheel ( 20 ) can be driven independently of each other; and

a force measuring device ( 56 ) by means of which a force acting on the support portion ( 39 ) can be determined,

wherein the force measuring device ( 56 ) has at least two force sensors ( 58 ),

wherein at least one first force sensor of the at least two force sensors ( 58 ) is assigned to a first group ( 60 ) and at least one second force sensor of the at least two force sensors ( 58 ) is assigned to a second group ( 62 ), and

wherein the at least one first force sensor of the first group ( 60 ) is arranged perpendicular to the at least one second force sensor of the second group ( 62 ), such that a main surface of the at least one first sensor of the first group ( 60 ) lies in a horizontal plane and a main surface of the at least one second force sensor of the second group ( 62 ) extends vertically, the horizontal plane being parallel to ground.

2. The driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the force measuring device ( 56 ) has at least one force sensor ( 58 ), which is designed as a capacitive force sensor, a resistive force sensor, as a strain gauge, or as a printed electronics system.

3. The driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the driverless transport device ( 10 ) comprises a lifting device ( 32 ) which interacts with the support structure ( 12 ) for lifting and lowering at least one support portion ( 39 ), which interacts with the objects in order to transport same.

4. The driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 3 ,

wherein the outer contour ( 14 ) of the support structure ( 12 ) is substantially rotationally symmetrical about a rotational axis (R) in the top view, and

wherein the at least one support portion ( 39 ) and/or the first wheel ( 18 ) and the second wheel ( 20 ) are arranged within the outer contour ( 14 ) or are flush with the outer contour ( 14 ).

5. The driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the transport device ( 10 ) has a storage unit ( 70 ) for electrical energy which, in the top view, protrudes in portions beyond the outer contour ( 14 ) of the support structure ( 12 ), the storage unit ( 70 ) being movably secured to the support structure ( 12 ).

6. The driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the storage unit ( 70 ) is secured to the support structure ( 12 ) so as to rotate about the rotational axis (R).

7. A method for operating the driverless transport device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

defining a load area ( 96 ) which is to be loaded with a plurality of objects ( 38 ) by means of the driverless transport device ( 10 );

transporting a first object ( 38 ) onto the load area ( 96 );

determining the first force acting on the support portion ( 39 ) by means of the force measuring device ( 56 );

placing the first object ( 38 ) at a first position of the load area ( 96 );

transporting a second object ( 38 ) onto the load area ( 96 );

determining the second force acting on the support portion ( 39 ) by means of the force measuring device ( 56 ); and

placing the second object ( 38 ) at a second position of the load area ( 96 ), wherein the second position is selected on the basis of the first force and the second force in such a way that the load area ( 96 ) is loaded evenly.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising changing the first position and/or the second position in order to even out the loading of the load area ( 96 ).

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the following steps:

defining a maximum load for the load area ( 96 ); and

outputting a warning signal by means of the signal generator ( 64 ) when the defined maximum load is reached or exceeded.

10. A driverless transport system ( 81 ), comprising:

a plurality of the driverless transport devices ( 10 ) according to claim 1 ;

a control unit ( 94 ) for controlling or regulating the driverless transport devices ( 10 ); and

a communication device ( 76 ) by means of which information can be exchanged between the control unit ( 94 ) and the driverless transport devices ( 10 ).

11. The driverless transport system ( 81 ) according to claim 10 ,

wherein one of the driverless transport devices ( 10 ) is designed as a master ( 86 ) and the other driverless transport devices ( 10 ) are designed as slaves ( 88 ),

wherein the master ( 86 ) has a master sensor unit ( 90 ) for detecting the environment of the master ( 86 ), and

wherein the master ( 86 ) transmits information relating to the environment of the master ( 86 ) to the control unit ( 94 ) and/or to the slaves ( 88 ).

12. The driverless transport system ( 81 ) according to claim 11 ,

wherein each of the transport devices ( 10 ) has a sensor unit ( 66 ) for detecting the environment of the transport device ( 10 ),

wherein the sensor unit ( 66 ) being arranged in a sensor portion ( 68 ) delimited by the outer contour ( 14 ) and the first axis of rotation (D 1 ) or the second axis of rotation (D 2 ), and

wherein the sensor unit ( 66 ) is designed in such a way that it only detects the part of the environment on the side of the first axis of rotation (D 1 ) or the second axis of rotation (D 2 ) on which the sensor unit ( 66 ) is arranged, and

wherein at least a first of the sensor units being oriented in a first direction and at least a second of the sensor units being oriented in a second direction.

13. A method for operating the driverless transport system ( 81 ) according to claim 10 , comprising the following steps:

determining the force acting on the respective support portions ( 39 ) of the transport device ( 10 ) by means of the force measuring devices ( 56 );

transmitting the determined forces to the control unit ( 94 ) by means of the communication device ( 76 );

comparing the determined forces by means of the control unit ( 94 ); and

lifting or lowering one or more of the support portions ( 39 ) by means of the lifting devices ( 32 ) on the basis of the comparison and at the instigation of the control unit ( 94 ).

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (18)