FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus, to a method for operating an apparatus having a mobile part movable on a movement plane, and to a use thereof.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In certain conventional systems, a mobile part can be moved on a movement plane.

PCT Patent Document No. WO 2009/068437 describes a method for measuring a deflection of a hollow component of a wind energy system from a normal position.

German Patent Document No. 10 2009 031 452 describes a method for controlling bending of structural members with the aid of a laser.

SUMMARY

Example embodiment of the present invention provide an apparatus that offers greater efficiency.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus includes a mobile part which is movable on a movement plane and has a measuring unit, and a measuring body which is set apart from the movement plane and from the plane parallel to the movement plane that includes the measuring unit, for example, and is situated as far as possible from the movement plane. The measuring unit is adapted to determine the distance between the measuring body and the measuring unit in the normal direction to the movement plane, and the measuring body is shaped such that in the projection of the measuring body perpendicular onto the plane, e.g., the projection surface, an individual distance value is bijectively allocated to the, or to the plurality of, partial surface regions of the projection surface, which particularly do not overlap with one another.

Determining a distance, i.e., a one-dimensional variable, offers the advantage that the deviation from a setpoint position, i.e., a two-dimensional variable, is able to be determined. By measuring the distance, it is therefore known in which direction the setpoint position is reachable, and the drive and the steering of the mobile part are able to be moved in this direction to the setpoint position. This makes it possible to carry out a very rapid control to the setpoint position, the setpoint position being specified on the measuring body. The apparatus can therefore be operated very efficiently. For example, when the target position is reached, a load can be transferred or a load carried by the rail vehicle is able to be processed by a tool that is located on the mobile part or, alternatively, a load carried by the mobile part is able to be processed by a tool located on the rail vehicle.

According to example embodiments, the measuring body is situated on a rail vehicle of the apparatus, which is movable on a rail of the apparatus, the rail vehicle, for example, being a monorail suspension vehicle. This offers the advantage that the mobile part is able to be synchronized with the rail vehicle and a transfer of a load while driving can therefore take place.

According to example embodiments, the measuring unit emits a light beam in parallel with the normal direction to the movement plane and determines the distance between the measuring unit and the measuring body in the normal direction from the light reflected at the measuring body. This has the advantage that the distance is determined along the light beam, which is, for example, arranged as a laser beam and thus makes it possible to determine the distance of a quasi-punctiform surface region of the measuring body.

According to example embodiments, the measuring body is shaped such that the distance increases monotonically, but especially not strictly monotonically, with increasing radial distance to a setpoint position or to a first partial surface region of the projection surface, e.g., the radial direction and the circumferential direction relating to the straight line that passes through the setpoint position or through the first partial surface region and extends in parallel with the normal direction to the movement plane. This offers the advantage that the optimal setpoint position is achievable because of the control to smaller distance values.

According to example embodiments, the distance as a function of the radial distance and the circumferential direction has a local or absolute minimum in the setpoint position or in the first partial surface region. This has the advantage that a particularly uncomplicated control of the mobile part to the minimum is possible.

According to example embodiments, the measuring body is shaped such that the distance in a respective circumferential angle region increases monotonically, but especially not strictly monotonically, according to a respective step function with increasing radial distance to a setpoint position or to a first partial surface region of the projection surface, the radial direction and the circumferential direction, e.g., relating to the straight line that passes through the setpoint position or through the first partial surface region and extends parallel with the normal direction to the moving plane. Determining the distance value between the measuring unit and the measuring body offers the advantage that a unique deviation from a setpoint position is able to be determined, the deviation, e.g., being a planar vector.

According to example embodiments, the step function of a respective circumferential angle region differs from all other step functions of the respective other circumferential angle regions, e.g., all values of the step function of a respective circumferential angle region differing from all values of all other step functions of the respective other circumferential angle regions. This offers the advantage that a circumferential angle value or at least a circumferential angle value range as well as a radial distance value may be uniquely inferred from the distance value determined by the measuring unit, that is to say, a deviation. This deviation thus is able to be conveyed to a controller whose set value can be forwarded to the drive and to the steering unit of the mobile part, the mobile part thereby being controlled to a predefined setpoint position in relation to the rail vehicle.

According to example embodiments, the radial width of the steps of the step functions of all circumferential angle regions is the same. This is considered advantageous insofar as a simple control to a setpoint position that moves along with the rail vehicle is able to be carried out, e.g., given equidistant steps.

According to example embodiments, a light sensor by which the light of an illumination device disposed on the mobile part is detectable is situated on the rail vehicle next to the measuring body in the rail direction. This has the advantage that the rail vehicle is able to monitor whether the mobile part is following or whether it has been lost. No complex data transmission between the mobile part and the rail vehicle must therefore be installed.

According to example embodiments, the illumination device is situated in a tube so that the light emerging from the tube generates an illuminated region, e.g., a light spot, on the rail vehicle. This is considered advantageous insofar as a directed light beam is readily generated. As an alternative, a lens array which images a well-defined region as the illuminated region, e.g., a light spot, on the rail vehicle may also be used.

According to example embodiments, the extension of the light spot is greater in the rail direction than the extension of the measuring body in the rail direction. This is considered advantageous insofar as it allows for monitoring so that it can be ascertained whether the synchronization of the mobile part with the aid of the measuring body is still able to be carried out or whether the mobile part has already moved too far from the measuring body.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, in a method for operating an apparatus, in a first step, e.g., in the initial operation of the apparatus, a circumferential angle and a radial distance are allocated as deviation values to distance values related to the measuring body in a memory of the mobile part. In a second step, e.g., in the operation of the apparatus following the initial operation, the distance between the measuring unit and the measuring body is determined in a recurrent manner over time, and the deviation values allocated to the determined distance value are read from the memory, and a controller unit determines a set value for the drive of the mobile part such that the deviation values are controlled to a setpoint value. This has the advantage that the mobile part is able to be controlled with the aid of the controller so that it is controllable to a setpoint position that moves along with the rail vehicle. This makes it possible to achieve an adequate synchronization in which the transfer of a load from the mobile part to a moving rail vehicle is able to take place.

According to example embodiments, during the second step, a load carried by the mobile part is transferred to the rail vehicle, or during the second step, a load carried by the rail vehicle is transferred to the mobile part.

This has the advantage that greater efficiency is achievable in many cases because no deceleration is necessary prior to transferring the load, but a transfer of the load can take place while driving.

According to example embodiments, a light sensor, which may be used to detect the light of an illumination device situated on the mobile part, is situated on the rail vehicle next to the measuring body in the rail direction. This is considered advantageous insofar as it can be monitored whether the mobile part is still within the synchronization region or has left this region.

According to example embodiments, the illumination device is situated in a tube so that the light emerging from the tube generates an illuminated region, e.g., a light spot, on the rail vehicle, the extension of the light spot in the rail direction, for example, being greater than the extension of the measuring body in the rail direction. This has the advantage that a light spot can be produced in an especially uncomplicated manner, whose width in the rail direction is slightly broader, e.g., 10 percent broader, than the extension of the measuring body in the rail direction.

Further features and aspects of example embodiments of the present invention are described in greater detail below with reference to the appended schematic Figures.

