阅读说明：本技术 运输系统 (Transport system ) 是由 M·瓦利施 A·伯赫米克 于 2019-07-15 设计创作，主要内容包括：系统,包括洁净室(50)、运输元件(10)和运输元件(10)的驱动元件(30),运输元件(10)能够在洁净室(50)内移动,运输元件(10)的驱动元件(30)设置在洁净室(50)外,其中运输元件(10)不与驱动元件(30)连接,并且仅经由无接触的远程力与驱动元件(30)耦联或者由驱动元件(30)驱动,其中运输元件(10)是单独的元件,尤其与洁净室(50)的底部、顶部、壁和/或其他的部分分开,并且尤其不具有与洁净室(50)的底部、顶部、壁和/或其他部分,和/或其他的元件的沿任何空间方向起作用的形状配合的连接。本发明还涉及一种相应的运输元件(10)。(System comprising a clean room (50), a transport element (10) and a drive element (30) of the transport element (10), the transport element (10) being movable within the clean room (50), the drive element (30) of the transport element (10) being arranged outside the clean room (50), wherein the transport element (10) is not connected to the drive element (30) and is only coupled to the drive element (30) or driven by the drive element (30) via contactless remote forces, wherein the transport element (10) is a separate element, in particular separate from the bottom, top, walls and/or other parts of the clean room (50), and in particular does not have a form-fitting connection to the bottom, top, walls and/or other parts of the clean room (50) and/or to other elements acting in any spatial direction. The invention also relates to a corresponding transport element (10).)

1. System comprising a clean room (50), a transport element (10) and a drive element (30) of the transport element (10), a transport element (10) being movable within the clean room (50), the drive element (30) of the transport element (10) being arranged outside the clean room (50), wherein the transport element (10) is not connected with the drive element (30) and is only coupled with the drive element (30) or driven by the drive element (30) via contactless remote forces,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the transport element (10) is a separate element, in particular separate from the floor, ceiling, walls and/or other parts of the clean room (50), and in particular does not have a positive connection to the floor, ceiling, walls and/or other parts of the clean room (50) and/or other elements that is effective in any spatial direction.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive element (30) and the transport element (10) are arranged on both sides of a preferably flat wall of the clean room (50).

3. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport element (10) comprises at least one roller (12), which roller (12) is rotatable around a roller axis, which roller (12) is intended to be moved over a preferably flat running surface (52) of the clean room (50), wherein the roller axis runs substantially horizontally to the running surface (52).

4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the rollers (12) of the transport element (10) is self-steering, in particular by being rotatably supported at a steering axis (14), the steering axis (14) being substantially perpendicular to the running surface (52).

5. System according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the roller axis is displaceably supported parallel to the running surface (52), preferably in a slot (16).

6. System according to claim 5 as dependent on claim 4, characterized in that the slot (16) intersects a line (18) extending along the steering axis (14) and extending through the steering axis (14) at an intersection point, wherein the slot (16) preferably extends the same distance on both sides of the intersection point.

7. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the preferably flat running surface (52) of the cleaning chamber (50) and/or the transport element (10) is/are configured such that an air cushion can be formed at least in a part of the region between transport element (10) and running surface (52), preferably by arranging air nozzles in or on the running surface (52).

8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport element (10) and the drive element (30) each comprise a magnetic device (20, 40), the magnetic devices (20, 40) being used to magnetically couple the drive element (30) and the transport element (10).

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that one or both magnetic devices (20, 40) comprise a permanent magnet (26, 27, 28), preferably in the form of a Hall Bach array (20, 26, 27, 28).

10. The system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive element (30) is provided at a cross table (32), a belt drive, a chain drive, an XTS and/or an electric motor (34), is connected with the cross table (32), the belt drive, the chain drive, the XTS and/or the electric motor (34), and/or comprises the cross table (32), the belt drive, the chain drive, the XTS and/or the electric motor (34).

11. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive element (30) comprises at least one roller (36), which roller (36) has the features according to one or more of claims 2 to 5 for moving on a preferably flat parallel running surface (38) running parallel to the running surface (52) of the clean room (50), wherein preferably the roller axis of at least one of the rollers (36) of the drive element (30) runs substantially horizontally to the parallel running surface (38).

12. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of transport elements (10) connected to the same object to be handled or transported, so that a synchronous movement changes the position of the object, while a suitable relative movement of the transport elements with respect to each other enables activation or deactivation of the function of the object and/or enables a change in the characteristics of the object.

13. System according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive element (30) is a separate element and in particular does not have a form-fitting connection to the outside and/or other parts of the clean room and/or to other elements acting in any spatial direction.

14. Transport element (10), in particular for a system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport element comprises at least one roller (12) which is rotatable about a roller axis, wherein the transport element (10) comprises a magnetic device (20) for magnetic coupling to a drive element (30), characterized in that at least one of the rollers (12) of the transport element (10) is self-steering, in particular by being rotatably supported at a steering axis (14), the steering axis (14) being substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement.

15. A transport element according to claim 14, characterised in that the roller axis is displaceably supported in a slot (16).

16. A transport element according to claim 15, characterised in that the slot (16) intersects a line (18) extending along the steering axis (14) and extending through the steering axis (14) at an intersection point, wherein the slot (16) preferably extends the same distance on both sides of the intersection point.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a system comprising a clean room, a transport element which can be moved within the clean room, and a drive element of the transport element which is arranged outside the clean room, wherein the transport element is not connected to the drive element and is coupled to the drive element or driven by the drive element only via a contactless remote force.

Background

Transport equipment for objects used in cleanrooms is required in a number of cleanroom applications. For example, in the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing, tubular bottles, syringes, etc. are sterilized and placed in a filling station for aseptic filling and closure there with a medical product.

These objects are typically moved along a fixed track or are transported by movers/slides that move on a fixed track.

Here, one basic aspect is: the less interfaces or transitions are required where transport or operation must be made, for example, from outside the clean room to inside the clean room, the better the clean room. Accordingly, the use of a drive solution with significant requirements for transitions, openings or interfaces is disadvantageous, for example, when the drive system requires a large number of electrical leads entering the clean room from outside the clean room.

Since space in a clean room is at the same time at a premium, solutions requiring significant space within the clean room are not necessarily taken into account. One example is a series of small autonomous vehicles which are powered by an electric motor and accordingly are periodically charged at a charging station. This either requires more wires in the clean room or greater battery quality, both of which are disadvantageous.

For these reasons, in particular, a rail system is preferred in which the drive is located partly or completely outside the clean room.

An example according to the preamble of claim 1 with a fixedly preset process route or track is known from DE 102014102630 a 1.

In such a system, however, the choice of movement is particularly inflexible, since the corresponding rails inside the clean room and the corresponding rails outside the clean room have to be laid differently.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is therefore based on the object of: a transport system for objects in a clean room is proposed which requires little or preferably no openings and which allows the movement to be selected as flexibly as possible.

This object is achieved by a system according to claim 1 and by a transport element according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The system according to the invention is characterized in that: the transport element is a separate element, in particular separate from the floor, ceiling, walls and/or other parts of the clean room, and in particular does not have a positive connection to the floor, ceiling, walls and/or other parts of the clean room, which is effective in any spatial direction.

The term "individual elements" is to be understood here as: without coupling to the drive element and also to the transported object, the transport element has no connection at all to parts of the clean room or to other objects and elements, so that it can be easily removed from or moved in the clean room, if necessary, against the coupling force with the drive element. Non-positive connection is here meant: the transport elements do not engage with each other with any other connection partners than with the object that may be transported. In contrast, simply standing and/or lying on parts of the clean room and/or on other elements is not a form-fitting connection. Also not excluded are: the transported object has connections with other elements with a certain clearance, for example the transported object is connected with other elements via hoses.

Since the transport element is designed as a separate element, it can be moved freely outside the clean room with a suitable movement of the drive element, provided that the distance from the drive element is not too great for the remote forces used.

This allows in particular a free movement in a plane or surface parallel to the plane or surface in which the drive element moves.

Here, "remote forces" are to be understood as meaning all forces which can act through the walls of the clean room with sufficient strength for the coupling. Examples of this are magnetic, electrical and electromagnetic forces.

Here, the drive element and the transport element are preferably arranged on both sides of a flat wall of the clean room. Thereby, the transport element can be freely moved in a surface parallel to the walls of the clean room by a corresponding movement of the drive element outside the clean room.

In a preferred variant, the transport element comprises at least one roller which is rotatable about a roller axis for moving over a preferably flat running surface of the clean room. The roller axis extends substantially horizontally to the running surface. The transport element can therefore be moved freely along the running surface, as long as coupling to the drive element is permitted, and can thus be moved flexibly in at least two dimensions.

Such a roller of the transport element is preferably designed to be self-steering, in particular by being rotatably supported at a steering axis which is substantially perpendicular to the running surface. This can also be technically analogous, in particular, to the rollers being designed to be supported on a conventional shopping cart. In this way, virtually any change in the movement on the running surface is possible, so that the transport element can travel almost any route.

Likewise, the roller axis is preferably mounted so as to be displaceable parallel to the running surface, particularly preferably in a slot. This is advantageous when the direction of movement of the transport element is reversed, since then no turning or turning of the rollers is required, but instead the rollers move along the slots and the transport element can be driven in the reverse direction.

In this variant, a bumpless reversal of the displacement can be achieved in particular by means of a self-steering roller by suitably selecting the coupling force with the drive element.

Preferably, in the case of the use of a self-steering roller supported in a slot, the slot and the steering axis are designed such that the slot intersects a line extending along the steering axis and extending through the turning axis at an intersection point, wherein the slot preferably extends the same distance on both sides of the intersection point. This allows a further reduction of the jerkiness and thus a particularly rapid and flexible movement of the transport element.

Of course, in other variants, transport elements without rollers are also provided. According to the invention, any solution is suitable as long as it holds the transport element at a suitable distance from the drive element and at the same time achieves a small friction with the running surfaces or walls of the clean room.

For this purpose, it is also conceivable, for example, to generate the air cushion as follows: the transport element and/or the preferably flat running surface of the clean room are/is designed such that an air cushion can be formed at least in a part of the region between the transport element and the running surface. This is preferably formed, for example, by an air nozzle being arranged in or on the running surface. The associated side of the conveying element can be designed accordingly in order to provide a suitable air resistance.

Preferably, the coupling of the transport element and the drive element is effected by magnetic means in the transport element and the drive element, respectively. The magnetic and electromagnetic forces allow a relatively good coupling through the walls of the clean room when the walls are constructed of corresponding materials which do not react or attenuate themselves to magnetic forces.

Preferably, one or both magnetic devices preferably comprise a permanent magnet. In particular, the permanent magnets arranged in the form of a hall bach array allow a good coupling over a relatively large distance, whereby a correspondingly large wall thickness of the clean room is possible, which in principle may facilitate the sealing of the clean room.

The use of permanent magnets provides the following advantages: no permanent power supply is required, which may be disadvantageous, in particular in the case of transport elements, since power supply in clean rooms entails costs and may require openings.

In contrast, the use of electromagnets in the drive element is entirely conceivable, since in this case the disadvantages are less. However, a permanent magnet is also preferred in the drive element.

The manner and method of how the drive element can be moved is not fixedly preset. Preferably, all possibilities of allowing a flexible movement of the drive element can be taken into account, since it is only possible to maximally utilize the possible flexibility of the transport element if the drive element is flexibly movable.

For this purpose, inter alia: cross-tables, belt drives, chain drives, XTS and/or electric motors are used, or drive elements are provided at or connected to such elements. Alternatively, the drive element as a whole may also comprise corresponding ones of the mentioned elements.

For example, the position of the drive element or of the magnetic device and thus of the transport element can be controlled completely in two spatial directions along a plane by means of the cross table, whereby any movement of the transport element in the interior of the clean room can be carried out in a plane parallel to the cross table.

However, likewise, the drive element can also be arranged on a vehicle of a type similar to the above-described variant of the transport element, wherein then preferably an electric motor is arranged in the drive element, which electric motor actively drives the wheels or rollers of the vehicle comprising the drive element. If the vehicle on which the drive element is arranged accordingly has a likewise large parallel running surface for displacement, a completely two-dimensional flexible displacement of the transport element can likewise be ensured thereby.

In the latter variant, in principle, a plurality of transport elements can also be moved on the same surface, wherein corresponding controls are expedient which avoid collisions of the vehicle with the drive element or the transport element.

The drive element preferably comprises at least one roller having features corresponding to the rollers previously described in relation to the transport element for moving on preferably flat parallel running surfaces running parallel to the running surface of the clean room. In this case, the roller axis of at least one roller of the drive element is preferably substantially horizontal to the parallel running surface.

The drive element is preferably a separate element and in particular does not have any form-fitting connection to the outside and/or other parts of the clean room and/or other elements that act in any spatial direction. This ensures a flexible mobility of the drive element and thus of the transport element.

Preferably, the drive element and/or the transport element are designed to be disengageable. This can be achieved technically simply, for example, by: that is, the distance of the drive element from the clean room may be varied, for example by a movable platform on which the drive element is located, or simply by removing the drive element from the clean room.

However, it is also conceivable: in the clean room, a device is provided, by means of which the distance between the transport element and the drive element can be increased, so that decoupling can be achieved. For example, it is conceivable to provide raisable or lowerable regions in the clean room (for moving the transport element for uncoupling) and/or to provide raisable or lowerable regions outside the clean room (for moving the drive element for uncoupling).

This can also be achieved simply by a corresponding slope or thickening of the walls in the clean room. On the one hand, this can be designed such that the remote force is additionally increased to allow the transport element to travel, for example, along a slope onto the platform. For this purpose, additional electromagnets arranged in the clean room walls or in the drive element can be switched on or off, for example. Alternatively, it is also possible to arrange a further drive element adjacent to the actual drive element in order to increase the remote force.

However, it is also possible to use a ramp or thickening without corresponding auxiliary means. The transport element is therefore moved by itself just enough to overcome the remote force with sufficient speed when traveling onto the ramp, so that it travels far enough at the ramp/thickening for decoupling. The drive element can then be removed before the transport element is rolled back again, for example. If the drive element is subsequently moved again to the transport element, a new coupling will automatically take place.

These different methods for pairing transport elements or drive elements with one another in other ways are advantageous, since different transport elements may have different properties (for example other elements arranged thereon, such as holding devices of other sizes), or otherwise react to speed, acceleration, or in general also travel ranges with other shapes.

Conversely, other drive elements can also be coupled to the transport element, for example if other acceleration forces or maximum speeds are advantageous for different tasks.

In particular, the system may also comprise a correspondingly standardized coupling/decoupling station, so that the selectable drive elements and/or the selectable transport elements can be coupled to each other, respectively.

In this way, different work processes can be carried out in the same clean room by coupling the transport elements (for example with corresponding holding devices) suitable for the work process to the drive elements, carrying out the corresponding work process and subsequently coupling with other transport elements suitable for the next work process.

In the system according to the invention, it may also be provided that: no specific device for moving the driving member is provided. But the drive element is moved, for example manually or by means of a usual tool or a usual machine. In the simplest case, the drive element is moved, for example, manually.

Likewise, a device for moving the or a drive element can be provided, and at the same time, a decoupling of the drive element from the and/or the further drive element can be provided without a device for moving being provided.

Thereby, for example for normal operation, the drive element and thus the transport element can be moved by means of the device for moving. In contrast, in certain cases, for example, in which the transport element has to be moved to an unusual position, the movement can be carried out manually in order to reach a position by means of the transport device that is not reached by the apparatus for moving.

It is also to be emphasized that between the transport element and the drive element there is no obligatory requirement for the bottom of the clean room and no obligatory flat surface. The transport element can therefore also be arranged at a side wall of the clean room or also at an upper wall of the clean room, so that for example the transport element is moved at the inner wall which does not form the bottom of the clean room. The corner or edge regions of the clean room can also be designed such that there is a curved transition between the walls, so that for example transport elements can travel from the bottom onto the side walls.

The transport element can in particular also be provided with different objects or elements to be transported, such as clamps, receptacles, slides, grippers or the like, in particular on the upper side.

For example, a transport element with a shell-like receptacle can be used to transport the stoppers or the like from a supply station to the point of use. This provides an improvement in the quality of the clean room relative to vibrating plates otherwise commonly used for this purpose, since the vibrating plates generate particles.

Although in the case of a transport element with a gripper or gripper, this can comprise a small battery and a motor for operating the gripper, solutions for the gripper, etc. are preferred, in which the battery, etc. does not have to be provided at the transport element.

This can be achieved, for example, by: i.e. a plurality of transport elements are connected with the respective operating ends of the grippers. Thereby, it is possible to control via the relative movement of the transport elements with respect to each other: whether the other end of the clamp is open or closed, and the common movement of the transport elements changes the position of the clamp.

In principle, it is advantageously possible to use a plurality of transport elements for complex processes. Thus, for example, the liftable and lowerable holding device can be formed by a rod or arm which is rotatably held at the two transport elements and a connecting rod/arm between the arms of the two transport elements.

This is because the transport elements move away from each other, so that the arms of the transport elements form increasingly flat angles with the connecting arm, so that the connecting arm comes increasingly closer to the surface over which the transport elements move.

If the transport elements are moved towards each other again, the connecting arm is raised beyond the surface up to the maximum height when the two arms of the transport element extend perpendicularly to the surface.

In this way, a large number of complex tools/mechanisms can be operated by a plurality of transport elements moving in unison, without the need for a drive in the clean room, wherein the transport elements are connected/co-acting via the respective elements.

In particular, it is also possible to form and operate a gripper or gripper device which can grip a plurality of objects, for example vials, at once.

Further applications can also be achieved by providing a slide at the transport element. If desired, the slide can displace other objects by means of the movement of the transport element or also block the movement path, for example at the intersection of, for example, conveyor belts, or deflect the material/object into a specific area.

Likewise, in principle, any nozzle, spray head, closure mechanism or the like can be provided as an object to be transported on the transport element, whereby its movement can be formed by play caused by a hose or similar material supply. This makes it possible to easily form a movable nozzle, for example.

Another application advantage is obtained when using tools/replacement elements/etc. in a clean room. In the case of large clean rooms, there are: the introduction of tools/replacement elements/etc. via the gate can only be made at certain locations. If tools/replacement elements/etc. are required at other locations, they must be laboriously transferred from sterile gloves fixedly mounted in the wall to sterile gloves, up to the respective location.

If, on the other hand, the tool/replacement element/etc. can be placed in the receptacle of the transport element at the gate, it can be precisely and flexibly advanced up to the point of use, where it can then be gripped by means of the nearest sterile glove and can be used.

Likewise, it is also possible to fix the components whose position should be calibratable at one or more transport elements in order to achieve calibration. For example, depending on which metering method is just used and how full the container is, it makes sense to adjust the position of the metering container. In particular, the metering container can also be tilted by means of a relative movement of the respective transport element, which can minimize the unusable residual quantity that is reserved in the container.

Furthermore, within the meaning of the present invention, in a clean room only: something is inside the volume with the corresponding clean room characteristics. Thus, the non-clean room elements may extend into or within the interior of the clean room enclosure, which accommodates the drive elements.

If it has, for example, two elongate planes which are connected on both sides by semicircular rounding as a shape, the transport element can travel in one direction on one elongate plane, be turned over at the first rounding and travel in the opposite direction on the other elongate plane in order to reach the initial position again after the second rounding. A conveyor belt is thereby formed by means of the transport element. Such non-clean room elements may also extend completely within the clean room, since a cable connection for supplying the built-in drive elements with energy is sufficient.

Likewise, for example, also conceivable are: the metering container is provided with a transport element in the clean room and a drive element in the non-clean room, in order to move the slurry in the metering container for stirring the liquid, for example by means of a magnetic paddle in the metering container and the movement of the transport element. If necessary, additional magnets must be arranged on the transport element for coupling to the blade.

The object according to the invention is also achieved by a transport element having at least one roller which is rotatable about a roller axis, wherein the transport element comprises a magnetic device for magnetic coupling to a drive element, wherein the at least one roller of the transport element is self-steering. This preferably results from the steering by being rotatably mounted at a steering axis which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement.

Such transport elements arranged on the walls of the clean room can be moved flexibly, as long as a suitable magnetic force is applied, for example, by: i.e. the respective drive element is arranged on the other side of the wall of the clean room and/or the respective device is arranged in the interior of the wall, so that the magnetic force acting on the drive element can be flexibly changed.

The transport element according to the invention can also be designed in each case corresponding to the properties described above in relation to the transport element.

Likewise, the transport element according to the invention can be used not only in the system according to the invention, but also with the aid of a drive element located in the clean room. In this way, complex movement sequences can be implemented at locations of the clean room where the installation of non-clean room components is not considered, despite the disadvantages relating to the quality of the clean room.

Drawings

Hereinafter, specific examples are described from the above-described examples or preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a system according to the invention comprising a clean room, a drive element arranged outside the clean room and a transport element according to the invention arranged inside the clean room.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a transport element according to the invention as part of a system according to the invention, wherein the drive element is a cross table, unlike in fig. 1.

Fig. 3a to 3c show schematic views of different arrangements of magnets within a magnetic device from below.

Detailed Description

The transport element 10 according to the invention comprises a plurality of rollers 12, for example four rollers, which are self-steering by bearing on a steering axis 14 perpendicular to the plane of movement.

If the rollers 12 are pressed with sufficient pressing pressure against the respective running surface, the direction of movement of the transport element 10 can be reversed without jerkiness by supporting the roller axes of the rollers 12 in slots 16 parallel to the plane of movement.

The slot 16 intersects the extension of an imaginary line 18 which runs centrally through the steering axis 14. By the way the slot 16 extends the same distance on both sides of the intersection with the line 18, a complete reversal of movement with the same running behaviour is possible.

In other variations, the slot 16 may also extend different lengths on both sides, or may not intersect the line 18 at all. These different conceivable variants react differently to different changes in the direction of movement and may be selected corresponding to the most frequently occurring change in the direction of movement. Thus, if the transport element 10 has a preferred forward direction and the slots 16 are mainly applied to ensure bumpless driving of the roller in the case of rapid and strong changes in the direction of movement, it is advantageous, for example, if there is no modification in which the slots 16 intersect the line 18.

Not shown in the drawings: the transport element 10 also has further elements, which are usually arranged on the upper side, for engaging with the elements to be transported and driven. This may be, for example, a container, a holding device, a gripper or the like, but may also be a simple slide which extends perpendicularly or in a suitable manner at an angle from the upper side of the transport element 10.

The transport element 10 according to the invention further comprises a magnetic device 20 to be coupled to the drive element 30 by means of a contactless remote force.

The system according to the invention comprises a transport element 10 according to the invention, a clean room 50 and a drive element 30.

In the example shown in fig. 1, the transport element 10 is arranged on a wall 52 of the clean room 50, whereby this wall 52 serves as a running surface 52 for the transport element 10.

Drive elements 30 are provided on opposite sides of the wall 52, which drive elements comprise magnetic devices 40 for coupling to the magnetic devices 20 of the transport element 10. The two magnetic devices 20 and 40 are arranged at the transport element 10 and the drive element 30, respectively, such that the distance between the two is relatively small, since a maximum coupling or a correspondingly weaker magnetic device 20, 40 is thereby required in order to achieve a sufficient coupling. Ideally, the spacing between the magnetic device 20 or the magnetic device 40 and the wall 52 is minimal as allowed by the precision of movement and manufacturing tolerances of the transport element 10 and the drive element 30, so that contact between the magnetic device 20, 40 and the wall 52 is not just caused. This can naturally also depend on: whether the transport element 10 is loaded with additional weight, for example, due to the transport element correspondingly transporting or moving heavy objects.

In the variant shown in fig. 1, the drive element 30 is designed as an autonomous vehicle and accordingly comprises an electric motor 34, a steering/control device 35 and a roller 36 which can be driven and rotated by means of the electric motor 34 and which is moved on a parallel running surface 38 running parallel to the wall 52.

As a result, the transport element 10 can be moved completely in both directions on the running surface 52 without openings and/or without complex drive systems at the transport element 10.

The dimensions shown are of course merely schematic and, in practical applications, the running surface 52 and the parallel running surface 38 can each be dimensioned such that a plurality of transport elements 10 and the drive elements 30 coupled thereto are moved in the system according to the invention. Thus, of course, corresponding control means are required, which suitably coordinate the movements of the drive elements 30 with one another.

The drive element 30 also has an energy storage battery or the like which can be charged in a charging station, not shown. Since the drive element 30 is outside the clean room 50, the additional size and space required for the charging station is insignificant to the structure and cost of the clean room 50.

A decoupling region, for example in the form of a lift, can also be provided in the running surface 38, by means of which the drive element 30 is moved away downwards, whereby the coupling to the associated transport element 10 is terminated as a result of the distance increase.

The overall advantages of the system according to the invention are: the transport element 10 according to the invention can be simply taken out of a clean room, the running surface 52 can be disinfected and cleaned, and the transport element 10 can be repaired and replaced.

An alternative configuration of the drive element 30 is shown in fig. 2. In the embodiment shown, the drive element is configured as a cross table 32 on which the magnetic device 40 is arranged. The cross table 32 allows particularly precise control of the movement and, correspondingly, the system in fig. 2 has a higher precision in the movement of the transport element 10. However, in general, the cross table 32 is only provided in a manner that matches the movement region of the belonging transport element 10, so that it is not feasible for a plurality of transport elements 10 to move simultaneously in the same region.

In the schematic view of fig. 2, only one wall element 52 of the clean room 50 is shown, and the spacing between the magnetic device 40 and the underside of the wall element 52 is shown to be larger than it actually is.

It can be seen that: in the variant of fig. 2, the transport element 10 according to the invention is constructed essentially identically to that in the variant of fig. 1. This means in particular that: the transport element 10 according to the invention can be coupled to different drive elements 30 depending on the intended application, so that the optimum drive element 30 for the application can be selected in each case. In particular, a further transport element 30 can be arranged at a clean room 50 with a transport element 10 according to the invention, which clean room has no opening of the clean room 50, which considerably increases the flexibility, since in principle different drive elements directly following one another can be used for different process flows.

In fig. 3a to 3c, different embodiments of the magnetic device 20 as a hall bach array are shown. The viewing direction enters the clean room 50 from below, i.e. from below the wall 52.

As shown in fig. 3a to 3c, in the halbach array, magnets 26, in particular, permanent magnets 26 having different magnetic pole directions are disposed adjacent to each other.

In fig. 3a, the positive pole 27 and the negative pole 28 are oriented in the central magnet of the top row in the figure such that the connecting line is orthogonal to the running surface 52. For this purpose, the adjacent magnets 26 have a magnet or pole direction rotated by 90 °, so that the positive poles 27 of the adjacent magnets 26 are each oriented toward the central magnet. At the ends of the row there are then magnets 26, respectively, which have a positive pole 27 and a negative pole 28 opposite to the central magnet 26 and thus also have a pole direction which is rotated by 90 ° with respect to the adjacent magnets 26.

Although such rows may individually constitute the magnetic device 20. However, it is advantageous to form the other row of magnets 26 offset from each other, with the positive pole 27 and the negative pole 28 of each magnet being reversed compared to the row arranged above in fig. 4 a. This optimizes the magnetic field force and thus the guiding accuracy.

The row of magnets 26 may also be longer than five magnets, with adjacent magnets each having a pole orientation rotated 90 ° from each other. Also, more than two rows may be used. This depends essentially on the size of the magnets 26 used and the size of the transport element 10 and the object to be moved and the magnetic device 20.

Fig. 3b also shows the option in which the rows are connected by means of magnets 26 which are in turn rotated by 90 ° relative to the neighbours and form a grid of magnets 26. The grid may in turn comprise more rows and columns than 2 or 3 as shown.

Although a respective 90 rotation angle between two adjacent magnets 26 is generally preferred. However, other angles may be advantageous in the case of certain sizes, spacings, and magnet types.

One example is the grid of magnets 26 shown in fig. 3c, where adjacent magnets are alternately rotated 45 ° and 135 °, respectively.

Even though there need not always be the same angle of rotation everywhere, rows or meshes of magnets 26 can also be considered, wherein the angle of rotation is 45 ° each, so that the pole direction is completely rotated by 180 ° via five magnets 26 instead of the 3 magnets shown. Furthermore, various changing pivot angles can also be considered, which at the end of the respective row or column result in a pivot angle of a multiple of a total of 180 °.