US 12,246,922 B2
Workpiece carrier
Jürgen Boll, Karlsruhe (DE)
Assigned to GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG, Mindelheim (DE)
Filed by GROB-WERKE Gmbh & Co. KG, Mindelheim (DE)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/135,862.
Claims priority of application No. 22169811 (EP), filed on Apr. 25, 2022; and application No. 22174868 (EP), filed on May 23, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0339688 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 17/00 (2006.01); B65G 35/06 (2006.01); B65G 35/08 (2006.01); F16B 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 17/002 (2013.01) [B65G 35/06 (2013.01); B65G 35/08 (2013.01); F16B 11/008 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0217 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A workpiece carrier for transporting a workpiece or a product in a conveyer system, comprising:
at least one workpiece base provided for accommodating at least one workpiece, wherein the workpiece base includes a receiving surface on which a workpiece is mountable, and the workpiece base further includes a base surface which is disposed at a distance from the receiving surface; and
at least one contact element, which, in the operation of the workpiece carrier, is provided to rest on a conveyer element of a conveyer system including a contact surface, wherein the contact element is connected to the base surface of the workpiece base,
wherein a first moving direction along which the workpiece carrier is movable in a conveyer system is provided for the workpiece carrier, and a positioning plane is defined which is oriented perpendicular to the contact surface and perpendicular to the first moving direction, wherein the positioning plane intersects the receiving surface and is disposed in the centre of the length of the workpiece carrier along the first moving direction, and wherein the contact element includes at least two apertures which are disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, and wherein the contact element includes at least two protrusions which are disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, wherein the protrusion of one workpiece carrier disposed closer to the workpiece base in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface is insertable into the aperture of another workpiece carrier disposed closer to the workpiece base in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane, and the protrusion of one workpiece carrier disposed closer to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface is insertable into the aperture of another workpiece carrier disposed closer to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane, and
wherein each of the apertures, at least in sections, extends on both of two opposing sides of the positioning plane.