Conveyor system with a shunt, where tracks are located one above the other

Abstract

A conveyor system ( 10 ) includes a conveyor course ( 12 ) with two tracks ( 22, 24 ) stacked one above the other, and with a conveyor carriage with two track rollers which are connected to one another by means of a bracketlike mounting element. A first shunt unit ( 52, 54 ) is associated with at least one of the two tracks ( 22, 24 ) and connects a main portion ( 22 A, 24 A) of this track ( 22, 24 ) selectively with one of at least two secondary portions ( 22 B, 22 C, 24 B, 24 C) of that track ( 22, 24 ). Moreover, a second shunt unit ( 58 ) is associated with at least one of the two tracks ( 22 ) and selectively opens or closes a through opening ( 60 ), provided in that track ( 22 ), for the bracketlike mounting element of the conveyor carriage. Regardless of whether the second shunt unit ( 58 ) is provided, the first shunt units ( 52, 54 ) are embodied as self-locking in directions opposite from one another.

1 . A conveyor system, comprising: 
 a conveyor course, having at least two tracks, extending one above the other in the upright direction and at a predetermined spacing from one another, wherein, in addition to the upright direction, a conveying direction, pointing along the conveyor course and extending orthogonally to the upright direction, and a crosswise direction, extending orthogonally to both the conveying direction and the upright direction, are associated with the conveyor course;    a conveyor carriage having at least two track rollers, wherein each of said at least two track rollers is associated with a different one of the two tracks, and having a bracketlike mounting element, wherein said bracketlike mounting element connects the at least two track rollers to one another; and    a shunt assembly, wherein said shunt assembly connects a main path of the conveyor course selectively with one of at least two secondary paths of the conveyor course,    wherein a first shunt unit of the shunt assembly is associated with at least one of the at least two tracks and connects a main portion of said at least one of the at least two tracks selectively with one of at least two secondary portions of said at least one of the at least two tracks, and    wherein a second shunt unit of the shunt assembly is associated with at least one of the at least two tracks and selectively opens or closes a through opening, provided in said at least one of the at least two tracks, for the bracketlike mounting element of the conveyor carriage.    
   
   
       2 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a first shunt unit is associated with each of the at least two tracks.  
   
   
       3 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rollers are both supported from above.  
   
   
       4 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a second shunt unit is associated with each of the at least two tracks.  
   
   
       5 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein on a movable shunt element of at least one of the shunt units, a track portion is provided, wherein the track portion is associated with one of the secondary paths of a track of the at least two tracks associated with the at least one of the shunt units, wherein whenever the shunt assembly connects the main path to said secondary path, the movable shunt element is forced into contact with a support assembly by cooperation of a track roller with the track portion.  
   
   
       6 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the support assembly is formed by a portion of the track that is associated with a respective other secondary path.  
   
   
       7 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the support assembly is formed by shoulder portions defining the through opening of the track.  
   
   
       8 . The conveyor system as recited  claim 1 , wherein a separate actuator in the form of a separate cylinder-piston assembly is associated with at least one movable shunt element.  
   
   
       9 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the at least one movable shunt element of each of the two shunt units associated with a common track are adjustable by means of a common actuator.  
   
   
       10 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein in one portion of an actuation course, an actuator element of the actuator acts solely upon the at least one movable shunt element of one of the shunt units, while in a further portion of the actuation course, the actuator element acts on the at least one movable shunt elements of both shunt units.  
   
   
       11 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein a pivot axis of the actuator is operationally fixedly connected to the at least one movable shunt element of the one shunt unit, while a slaving element provided on the pivot axis enters into slaving engagement with the at least one movable shunt element of the other shunt unit only in the course of the pivoting motion.  
   
   
       12 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a shunt unit of the shunt assembly is associated with each of the at least two tracks and connects a main portion of said respective of the at least two tracks selectively with one of at least two secondary portions of said respective of the at least two tracks, and 
 wherein on a movable shunt element of each of the shunt units, a track portion is provided, respectively, wherein the track portion is associated with one of the secondary paths of a track of the at least two tracks associated with the respective of the shunt units, wherein whenever the shunt assembly connects the main path to said secondary path, the movable shunt elements are forced in directions opposite one another into contact with a respectively assigned support assembly by cooperation of a respectively assigned track roller with the respective track portion.    
   
   
       13 . A conveyor system, comprising: 
 a conveyor course, having at least two tracks, extending one above the other in the upright direction and at a predetermined spacing from one another, wherein, in addition to the upright direction, a conveying direction, pointing along the conveyor course and extending orthogonally to the upright direction, and a crosswise direction, extending orthogonally to both the conveying direction and the upright direction, are associated with the conveyor course;    a conveyor carriage having at least two track rollers, wherein each of said at least two track rollers is associated with a different one of the two tracks, and having a bracketlike mounting element, wherein said bracketlike mounting element connects the at least two track rollers to one another; and    a shunt assembly, wherein said shunt assembly connects a main path of the conveyor course selectively with one of at least two secondary paths of the conveyor course,    wherein a first shunt unit of the shunt assembly is associated with each of the at least two tracks and connects a main portion of said respective of the at least two tracks selectively with one of at least two secondary portions of said respective of the at least two tracks, and    wherein on a movable shunt element of each of the shunt units, a track portion is provided, respectively, wherein the track portion is associated with one of the secondary paths of a track of the at least two tracks associated with the respective of the shunt units, wherein whenever the shunt assembly connects the main path to said secondary path, the movable shunt elements are forced in directions opposite one another into contact with a respectively assigned support assembly by cooperation of a respectively assigned track roller with the respective track portion.    
   
   
       14 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the rollers are both supported from above.  
   
   
       15 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a second shunt unit is associated with each of the at least two tracks.  
   
   
       16 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the support assembly is formed by a portion of the track that is associated with a respective other secondary path.  
   
   
       17 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the support assembly is formed by shoulder portions defining the through opening of the track.  
   
   
       18 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a separate actuator in the form of a separate cylinder-piston assembly is associated with at least one movable shunt element.  
   
   
       19 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one movable shunt element of each of the two shunt units associated with a common track are adjustable by means of a common actuator.  
   
   
       20 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein one portion of an actuation course, an actuator element of the actuator acts solely upon the at least one movable shunt element of one of the shunt units, while in a further portions of the actuation course, the actuator element acts on the at least one movable shunt elements of both shunt units.  
   
   
       21 . The conveyor system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein a pivot axis of the actuator is operationally fixedly connected to the at least one movable shunt element of the one shunt unit, while a slaving element provided on the pivot axis enters into slaving engagement with the at least one movable shunt element of the other shunt unit only in the course of the pivoting motion.