EP3856663A1

EP3856663A1 - Conveying system and method for conveying workpieces

Info

Publication number: EP3856663A1
Application number: EP19770076.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Zbigniew Stanislaw Grudzien
Original assignee: Duerr Systems AG
Current assignee: Duerr Systems AG
Priority date: 2018-09-25
Filing date: 2019-09-18
Publication date: 2021-08-04
Also published as: WO2020064468A1; CN112384456A; DE102018216377A1

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to provide a conveying system (10) for conveying workpieces (102), which conveying system is constructed simply and flexibly and permits the conveyance of workpieces with high cycle rates. This aim is achieved, according to the invention, in that the conveying system comprises the following: a guide device (114) which predefines a conveying path (112) of the conveying system; a plurality of transport carriages (106) that can be moved along the guide device to receive respectively one or a plurality of workpieces; at least one drive unit (126) that can be moved along the guide device.

Description

Conveying system and method for conveying workpieces

The present invention relates to a conveyor system for conveying workpieces. Such conveyor systems are used, for example, in the manufacture of motor vehicles when vehicle bodies are to be treated, in particular coated and dried.

For example, so-called mono-rail conveyors are known in which transport carriages with integrated drives are provided in order to convey workpieces fixed to the transport carriages along a rail system.

The present invention has for its object to provide a conveyor system for conveying workpieces, which is simple and flexible and enables the conveyance of workpieces with high cycle rates.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a conveyor system for conveying workpieces, which comprises the following:

a guide device which specifies a conveying path of the conveying system; a plurality of transport carriages which can be moved along the guide device for receiving one or more workpieces in each case;

at least one drive unit movable along the guide device.

The at least one drive unit can preferably be coupled to or uncoupled from at least one of the transport carriages by means of a coupling device.

In particular, the at least one drive unit can be moved along the guide device in a state uncoupled from the transport carriage, independently of the transport carriage. To drive at least one of the Transport trolley, the drive unit can preferably be coupled to the at least one transport trolley.

The present invention can thus offer the particular advantage that a drive unit is not assigned to each transport trolley, but that the at least one drive unit is independent of the number of transport trolleys and thus, in particular with a small number of drive units, preferably a large number of Transport trolley is eligible.

It can be advantageous if the guide device comprises spatially different guide areas for guiding the transport carriages on the one hand and for guiding the at least one drive unit on the other hand.

A guiding area is in particular the space area which a transport carriage moves along the guiding device from one end of the guiding device to the further end of the guiding device.

Another guiding area is in particular the area which a drive unit moves along the guiding device from one end of the guiding device to the further end of the guiding device.

All of the transport carriages are preferably in a common one

Guide area arranged, while all drive units are preferably arranged in at least one other guide area different from the guide area of the trolley.

The guide areas are preferably completely separated from one another.

In particular, the guide areas preferably do not overlap. The guide device preferably comprises a rail device on which the transport carriages are guided and / or supported.

As an alternative or in addition to this, it can be provided that the guiding device comprises a rail device on which the at least one drive unit is guided and / or supported.

In particular, it can be provided that the guide device comprises a common rail device for guiding and / or supporting storage of both the transport carriage and the at least one drive unit.

The rail device can, for example, have a substantially U-shaped cross section taken perpendicular to a conveying direction of the conveying system.

A guide area for guiding the transport carriage is preferably arranged within an interior space surrounded by the rail device, in particular surrounded by the rail device which is essentially U-shaped in cross section.

For example, the guide area for guiding the transport carriages can be arranged entirely within the interior space surrounded by the rail device.

As an alternative to this, it can be provided that a guide area for guiding the transport carriage is arranged outside an interior space surrounded by the rail device.

In particular, the guide area for guiding the transport carriages can be arranged completely outside an interior space surrounded by the rail device. It can further be provided that a guide area for guiding the at least one drive unit is arranged within an interior space surrounded by the rail device, in particular is surrounded by the rail device which is essentially U-shaped in cross section.

The guide area for guiding the at least one drive unit is in particular completely arranged within the interior space surrounded by the rail device.

As an alternative to this, it can be provided that a guide area for guiding the at least one drive unit is arranged outside an interior space surrounded by the rail device.

In particular, the guide area for guiding the at least one drive unit is arranged completely outside the interior space surrounded by the rail device.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the conveyor system comprises several guide areas for guiding several drive units.

For example, two guide areas for drive units can be provided on both sides of a rail device, in the interior of which, for example, a guide area for guiding the transport carriage is arranged.

It can be favorable if the conveyor system comprises an energy rail for providing drive energy for a drive motor for driving the at least one drive unit. The energy rail is in particular a component of the guide device and / or extends along a rail device of the guide device. A contactless and / or a touching energy transmission can be provided here.

The drive motor of the drive unit is in particular a gear motor or a servo motor.

The guide device itself preferably has no drive.

It can be advantageous if the energy rail enables data transmission in addition to the energy transmission, in particular for controlling the drive units and / or for other information technology coupling thereof with a higher-level control system. The energy rail therefore preferably serves itself as a data transmitter. As an alternative to this, however, a separate data transmission can also be provided with a data transmitter that is different from the energy rail.

The drive unit preferably comprises one or more antennas which enable the drive unit to be coupled with the energy rail in terms of energy technology and / or data technology.

In particular, an antenna that surrounds the energy rail in a substantially U-shaped manner or a plurality of such antennas can be provided on the drive unit.

In particular for the mechanical coupling of the at least one drive unit to one or more transport carriages, it can be provided that the at least one drive unit comprises one or more coupling elements of the coupling device. The one or more coupling elements are preferably selectable by means of an actuating device of the coupling device

Grasp a trolley in a coupling position or to release the trolley in a release position.

In particular, it can be provided that one or more coupling elements are designed as grippers, mandrels, swords or pawls, which are used to couple the drive unit to a transport carriage on the

Attack the dolly.

It can be expedient if the conveyor system comprises a plurality of drive units which are independent of one another and which are in particular assigned to different route sections of a conveyor path of the conveyor system.

In particular, the drive units are assigned different sections of the conveying path of the conveying system between different stopping positions of the transport carriages.

Each route section extends in particular from a stop position to a further stop position, so that the respective transport carriage and one or more workpieces arranged thereon can be conveyed from one stop position to a further stop position by means of a drive unit assigned to a specific route section.

In particular, the transport carriages and the workpieces arranged thereon can be transferred from one drive unit to another drive unit at the stopping positions.

The at least one drive unit preferably comprises a control device for controlling the same. The control device is in particular designed and set up in such a way that the drive unit is assigned to a route section and conveys a transport carriage after the other along this route section from a first stop position to a second stop position.

A route section can be open on both sides and / or linear or curved or closed in a ring. In the case of a section of track which is closed in a ring shape, the control device is in particular designed and set up such that a transport carriage uses the drive unit, for example, to cover a complete lap and thus from a first stopping position to the first

Stop position can be moved.

A section of track which is designed to be closed in a ring is in particular connected to further sections of the route by means of one or more switches

tied up.

The control device is preferably also designed and set up in such a way that the coupling device can be actuated by means of the same in order to grip the transport carriage to be conveyed in each case at a first stopping position and to release it at a further stopping position.

To position and / or monitor at least one drive unit, it can further be provided that the at least one drive unit and / or the guide device is provided with a code system, for example a bar code system, a QR code system and / or an RFID system. Efficient control and monitoring of the at least one drive unit can then be made possible, in particular using the control device.

The conveyor system comprises, in particular, a plurality of drive units, the transport wagons, for example, using a first drive unit can be conveyed in particular one after the other from a first holding position to a second holding position, then can be transferred to a second drive unit and can be conveyed from the second holding position to a third holding position by means of the same.

One or more stopping positions are, in particular, processing stations at which the workpieces conveyed by the transport car are processed.

Furthermore, it can be provided that one or more route sections are processing stations for processing the workpieces.

Each drive unit preferably comprises its own independent control (control device) and / or its own independent drive, for example a friction wheel drive.

Furthermore, it can be provided that each crawler comprises an energy store for providing drive energy for the drive motor.

The transport carriages preferably comprise a locking device, in particular a braking device.

The locking device is preferably triggered and the transport carriage is thus locked in a holding position when the drive unit is uncoupled from the transport carriage.

Furthermore, the locking device is preferably released when a drive unit engages the transport carriage and is thus coupled to the same.

In particular, actuation of the locking device by means of one or more coupling elements of the coupling device can be provided. The transport carriages preferably comprise a guide section, which in particular comprises one or more rollers for load-bearing support and / or lateral guidance on a rail device and / or on a floor, for example a hall floor.

Furthermore, the transport carriages preferably comprise a workpiece holder, for example a carrier or a skid holder or a frame for holding one or more workpieces.

The drive unit preferably comprises a guide section, which in particular comprises rollers for supporting bearing and / or lateral guidance of the drive unit on a rail device or on a floor, in particular a hall floor.

It can be favorable if the guide device comprises a rail device, which in particular rests with a frame or by means of adjustable feet on a floor, in particular a hall floor.

The conveyor system can in particular have a plurality of interconnected or connectable route sections. To connect several

The conveyor system can preferably have sections of one another, one or more switches, one or more lifting devices, for example lifting tables, one or more rotating devices, for example rotating tables, and / or one or more transverse sliding devices, for example transverse sliding carriages.

The one or more switches, the one or more lifting devices and / or the one or more rotating devices preferably each comprise at least a section of the rail device in order to move one or more without the workpieces being set down or repositioned

To be able to pick up and hand over the trolley. By means of the conveyor system, the transport trolleys, if appropriate, together with one or more workpieces arranged thereon, are in as required

different directions and / or to different

Route sections eligible for funding. For example, transverse travel, vertical travel and / or turning can be implemented.

It can also be favorable if the conveyor system comprises a personal protection device, in particular one or more environmental scanners and / or one or more touch sensors or the like.

For example, the at least one drive unit with a

Environment scanner, touch sensor, etc. may be provided in order to rule out an undesired collision with objects or people when the at least one drive unit is moved along the guide device.

The conveyor system according to the invention enables, in particular, a reduced number of different conveyor types and conveyor variants.

The conveyor system is preferably modular and can be easily expanded and adapted to the required number of pieces, in particular by adding or removing further drive units.

The drive units can be better utilized in terms of time, which can result in a reduced number of drive motors in the entire conveyor system.

The conveyor system enables in particular a reduced effort in planning, design, manufacture, assembly and / or installation.

The conveyor system is preferably freely programmable, software-programmable and is particularly suitable for an Industry 4.0 concept. The conveyor system is also preferably suitable for skid-free transport of workpieces, in particular in an oven for the treatment of workpieces.

The conveyor system according to the invention can be used in particular for the external transportation of bodies between work and process stations.

The conveyor system is preferably set up on a hall floor of a paint shop.

Furthermore, the conveyor system can be used in buffer sections and / or empty draw stores.

An internal transport of bodies through work and process stations can also be provided by means of the conveyor system.

It can be expedient if the at least one drive unit comprises a covering device, in order in particular to protect the drive components, for example the drive motor, from undesired external impairment, for example contamination, overheating, etc.

The present invention is also based on the object of providing a method for conveying workpieces which is simple to carry out and enables efficient workpiece conveyance.

This object is achieved in that the following is provided in the method for conveying workpieces:

Moving at least one drive unit along a guide device; Coupling the drive unit to a transport carriage which can be moved along the guide device for receiving one or more workpieces; Moving the trolley by means of the drive unit to convey the one or more workpieces along the guide device;

Uncouple the drive unit from the trolley.

The method according to the invention preferably has one or more of the features and / or advantages described in connection with the conveyor system according to the invention.

In particular, it can be provided that the at least one drive unit is moved along the guide device past one or more transport carriages which are also guided along the guide device.

The at least one drive unit can thus in particular be moved past one or more transport carriages in order to reach and transport other transport carriages.

It can be expedient if a plurality of drive units oscillate back and forth between different stopping positions of the transport carriages and thereby convey the transport carriages from one holding position to the next along the guide device.

Further preferred features and / or advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawing of exemplary embodiments.

The drawings show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first

Embodiment of a conveyor system, which comprises a guide device with a rail system, on which both the trolley and drive units of the conveyor system are arranged to be movable, the trolley are mounted and guided within a rail device with a U-shaped cross section, and a further guide rail for mounting and guiding the drive units is provided outside of this in the cross section with a U-shaped rail device;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic vertical cross section through the conveyor system from FIG. 1 in the region of the guide device;

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation corresponding to FIG

Rail device of the conveyor system from Fig. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective, partially transparent representation of the drive unit of the conveyor system from FIG. 1;

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a second

Embodiment of a conveyor system in which both the transport car and the drive units are arranged within a rail device with a U-shaped cross section;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration corresponding to FIG. 2 of the conveyor system from FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of FIG. 3

Rail device of the conveyor system from Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a third

Embodiment of a conveyor system in which the transport carriages have vertical carrying rollers which are arranged outside the rail device and on a floor roll on which the rail device itself is arranged;

FIG. 9 shows a sectional illustration corresponding to FIG. 2 of the conveyor system from FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of FIG. 3 corresponding to FIG

Rail device of the conveyor system from Fig. 8; and

FIG. 11 shows a schematic perspective, partially transparent representation of a drive unit of the conveyor system from FIG. 8.

Identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

A first embodiment of a conveyor system, designated as a whole by 100, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 serves to convey workpieces 102, for example vehicle bodies 104.

The conveyor system 100 in particular comprises a plurality of transport carriages 106 for receiving the workpieces 102.

Each transport carriage 106 comprises, for example, a frame 108 which comprises a plurality of pins 110, which can be arranged in corresponding pin receptacles (not shown) in the workpieces 102 in order to ultimately fix the workpiece 102 to the transport carriage 106.

The workpieces 102 can be conveyed along a conveying path 112 of the conveying system 100 by means of the transport carriages 106.

The conveyor path 112 is predefined in particular by a guide device 114 of the conveyor system 100. The guide device 114 serves in particular to guide the transport carriages 106.

For this purpose, the guide device 114 preferably comprises a rail device 116 on which the transport carriages 106 are guided.

In the first embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, provision is also made for the transport carriages 106 to be supported on the rail device 116. This means that the rail device 116 serves not only to position the transport carriages 106 laterally and thus horizontally, but also to absorb the weight and to guide the transport carriages 106 vertically along the conveyor path 112.

Each transport carriage 106 preferably comprises one or more vertical support rollers 118 for supporting the transport carriage 106 together with the at least one workpiece 102 arranged thereon against a direction of gravity g. In addition, each transport carriage 106 preferably comprises one or more lateral guide rollers 120 for positioning the transport carriage 106 in a lateral direction which is horizontal and perpendicular to the conveying path 112. In addition, one or more lateral guide rollers 120 can serve to hold the transport trolley 106 stably in an upright orientation.

The rail device 116 in particular comprises one or more guide rails 122, on which the vertical support rollers 118 and / or the lateral guide rollers 120 of the transport carriage 106 roll.

In the first embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, two mutually opposite and open guide rails 122 designed as top-hat rails are provided, for example Recording and storage of the vertical support rollers 118 and / or the lateral guide rollers 120 of the transport carriage 106 are provided.

The rail device 116, which comprises the two guide rails 122, in particular has a substantially U-shaped cross section and surrounds an interior 124 in which the vertical support rollers 118 and the lateral guide rollers 120 of the transport carriage 106 are guided.

In the first embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the transport carriages 106 preferably do not have their own drive device.

In the conveyor system 100, an external drive device in the form of one or more drive units 126 of the conveyor system 100 is therefore provided.

Each drive unit 126 comprises in particular a housing 128 in which a drive motor 130 of the drive unit 126 is arranged.

In addition, one or more vertical support rollers 118 of the drive unit 126 and / or one or more lateral guide rollers 120 of the drive unit 126 are provided.

Alternatively or additionally, one or more drive rollers 132 of the drive unit 126 can also be provided.

A drive roller 132 is designed, for example, as a friction wheel.

The drive motor 130 is used in particular for rotatingly driving one or more drive rollers 132. The drive unit 126 is also preferably guided and / or supported on one or more guide rails 122.

The guide rails 122 for guiding and / or supporting the drive unit 126 are in particular arranged and / or formed on an outer side 134 of the cross section of U-shaped rail device 116.

For example, a single top-hat-shaped guide rail 122 can be provided for guiding and supporting mounting of the drive unit 126.

The vertical support rollers 118 of the drive unit 126 then engage, in particular parallel to the direction of gravity g, on essentially horizontally oriented regions of the guide rail 122, while the lateral guide rollers 120 of the drive unit 126 and / or one or more drive rollers 132 preferably on substantially vertically oriented sections the guide rail 122 for guidance and / or load-bearing

Attack bearing of drive unit 126.

One or more of the vertical support rollers 118 and / or one or more of the lateral guide rollers 120 of the drive unit 126 are preferably resiliently mounted, in particular in order to ensure play-free guidance and / or play-free supporting mounting of the drive unit 126 on the guide device 114.

The drive unit 126 further comprises a control device 136 for

Control of the drive unit 126.

In addition, the drive unit 126 preferably comprises an antenna 138 for receiving and / or for transmitting drive energy and / or data.

The antenna 138 thus makes it possible, in particular, to integrate the drive unit 126 into a higher-level control system. The antenna 138 is preferably essentially C-shaped or U-shaped in cross section and surrounds an energy rail 140 of the conveyor system 100.

The energy rail 140 is in particular likewise arranged on the outside 134 of the rail device 116 which is U-shaped in cross section. Furthermore, the energy rail 140 can be arranged, for example, on the guide rail 122 for guiding the drive unit 126.

The energy rail 140 preferably extends over the entire conveyor path 112 in order to ensure energy transfer to the drive unit 126 and an information technology coupling of the drive unit 126 to a higher-level system controller at each point of the conveyor path 112.

As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the drive unit 126 can be mechanically coupled to the transport carriage 106 by means of a coupling device 142.

For this purpose, the coupling device 142 comprises, in particular, motor-operated coupling elements 144, which are designed, for example, as pawls or grippers.

The coupling elements 144 can in particular optionally be brought into engagement with the transport carriage 106 or can be removed therefrom. For example, the coupling elements 144, as shown in FIG. 2, can be moved laterally towards the transport carriage 106 and accommodate the latter between them. The coupling elements 144 can preferably also be brought into a release position in which they are removed from the transport carriage 106, in particular a path of movement of the transport carriage 106.

In the embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the drive units 126 and the transport carriages 106 can be moved along the conveyor path 112 completely independently of one another, with the exception of the conceivable coupling by means of the coupling device 142.

In particular, the drive units 126 can be guided past the transport carriage 106 along the conveyor path 112 without interfering with the transport carriage 106.

This is made possible in particular by the fact that (with the exception of the coupling device 142 or depending on the respective position of the coupling elements 144) a guide area 146 of the drive unit 126 has no overlap with a guide area 146 of the transport carriage 106.

The guide areas 146 are those areas which are covered when the drive unit 126 or the transport carriage 106 is moved along the guide device 114 from one end of the conveyor path 112 to the further end of the conveyor path 112.

This configuration of the conveyor system 100 in particular enables a first transport carriage 106 to be conveyed along a route section 148 of the conveying path 112 from a first stopping position to a second stopping position by means of a drive unit 126.

The transport carriage 106 can then be brought into engagement, for example, by means of a further drive unit 126 in the second holding position be conveyed to a third stopping position by means of this further drive unit 126, etc.

The drive units 126 thus oscillate in particular between two stop positions along the conveying path 112 and are thus moved in particular forwards and backwards along a predetermined section 148. As a result, high clock rates and at the same time good utilization of the drive units 126 can be achieved.

In particular, not every transport trolley 106 or the guide device 114 has to be provided with drive motors 130.

A second embodiment of a conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 differs from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 essentially in that both the guide rails 122 for guiding the transport carriages 106 and the guide rails 122 for Guiding the drive units 126 and preferably also the power rail 140 within the cross-section which is essentially U-shaped

Rail device 116 are arranged.

The drive units 126 are in particular guided essentially centrally between the vertical support rollers 118 for the load-bearing mounting of the transport carriage 106.

For example, with respect to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the guide device 114, L-shaped guide rails 122 arranged mirror-symmetrically to one another and / or mirror-symmetrically to one another can be used to receive and / or support both the vertical support rollers 118 and the lateral guide rollers 120 of the transport carriage 106 and the drive unit 126 be provided. The energy rail 140 is preferably arranged essentially centrally below the drive units 126.

The coupling device 142 according to the embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 comprises only a motor-driven coupling element 144 of the drive unit 126.

The coupling element 144 is designed, for example, as a mandrel or a sword and, in particular, can be extended upward out of a housing 128 of the drive unit 126 against the direction of gravity g in order to be brought into engagement with the transport carriage 106, for example around a cross strut 149 of the transport carriage 106 reach behind and thus drive the transport carriage 106 along the conveyor 112 pushing or pulling.

Otherwise, the second embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 corresponds in structure and function to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, so that reference is made to the above description thereof.

A third embodiment of a conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 differs from the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 essentially in that the transport carriages 106 are guided laterally on the rail device 116, but not on the same are supported.

Rather, the vertical support rollers 118 of the transport carriages 106 are arranged outside the rail device 116 and roll on a floor 150, in particular a hall floor 152.

Otherwise, the third embodiment of the conveyor system 100 shown in FIGS. 8 to 11 is correct in terms of structure and function with that in FIGS. 5 to 7 shown second embodiment, so that reference is made to the above description in this regard.

In further (not shown) embodiments of the conveyor system 100, one or more features of the embodiment described above can be combined with one another as desired.

Claims

A conveyor system (100) for conveying workpieces (102), comprising:

a guide device (114) which specifies a conveying path (112) of the conveying system (100);

a plurality of transport carriages (106) which can be moved along the guide device (114) and each hold one or more workpieces (102);

at least one drive unit (126) movable along the guide device (114),

wherein the at least one drive unit (126) can optionally be coupled to or decoupled from at least one of the transport carriages (106) by means of a coupling device (142).

2. Conveyor system (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide device (114) comprises spatially different guide areas (146) for guiding the transport carriages (106) on the one hand and for guiding the at least one drive unit (126) on the other hand .

3. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized

characterized in that the guide device (114) comprises a rail device (116) on which the transport carriages (106) are guided and / or supported.

4. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized

characterized in that the guide device (114) comprises a rail device (116) on which the at least one drive unit (126) is guided and / or supported.

5. Conveying system (100) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the rail device (116) has a substantially U-shaped cross section taken perpendicular to a conveying direction of the conveying system (100).

6. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized

characterized in that the rail device (116) comprises one or more guide rails (122) on which one or more vertical support rollers (118) of the transport carriages (106) and / or one or more lateral guide rollers (120) of the transport carriages (106) roll.

7. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized

characterized in that the rail device (116) comprises one or more guide rails (122) on which one or more vertical support rollers (118) of the at least one drive unit (126) and / or one or more lateral guide rollers (120) of the min. roll off at least one drive unit (126).

8. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized

characterized in that a guide area (146) for guiding the transport carriage (106) inside or outside one of the

Rail device (116) surrounding the interior (124) is arranged.

9. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized

characterized in that a guide area (146) for guiding the at least one drive unit (126) is arranged outside or inside an interior space (124) surrounded by the rail device (116).

10. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the conveyor system (100) comprises an energy rail (140) for providing drive energy for a drive motor (130) for driving the at least one drive unit (126).

11. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized

characterized in that the at least one drive unit (126) comprises one or more coupling elements (144) of the coupling device (142), wherein the one or more coupling elements (144) by means of an actuating device of the coupling device (142) optionally for gripping a transport carriage (106) can be brought into a coupling position or for releasing the transport carriage (106) into a releasing position.

12. Conveyor system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized

characterized in that the conveyor system (100) comprises a plurality of mutually independent drive units (126), which in particular are assigned to different route sections (148) of a conveyor path (112) of the conveyor system (100) between different stopping positions of the transport carriages (106).

13. A method of conveying workpieces (102) comprising:

Moving at least one drive unit (126) along a guide device (114);

Coupling the drive unit (126) to a transport carriage (106) which can be moved along the guide device (114) for receiving one or more workpieces (102);

Moving the transport carriage (106) by means of the drive unit (126) to convey the one or more workpieces (102) along the guide device (114); Uncoupling the drive unit (126) from the trolley (106).

14. A method for conveying workpieces (102) according to claim 13,

characterized in that the at least one drive unit (126) is moved along the guide device (114) past one or more transport carriages (106) also guided on the guide device (114).

15. The method according to any one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that a plurality of drive units (126) oscillate between different holding positions of the transport carriages (106) and thereby the transport carriages (106) along the guide device (114) from Promote one stop position to the next.