JP4909052B2 - Stock equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stock apparatus that stocks a plurality of workpieces to be assembled to a construction object such as an automobile engine and carries it out when necessary.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional stock apparatus 90. The conventional stock apparatus 90 includes a plurality of pallets 91 on which workpieces W are mounted, and a conveyor main body 92 that travels these pallets 91 so as to reciprocate between the workpiece carry-in portion 92a and the workpiece carry-out portion 92b. The conveyor main body 92 has a drive motor 93, a sprocket 94 provided at both front and rear ends in the transport direction, and one of which is rotated by the power of the drive motor 93, and an endless chain 95 wound around these sprockets 94. The pallets 91 are conveyed in a predetermined traveling direction as the chain 95 moves. Reference numeral 96 denotes a stopper for stopping the pallet 91 at a predetermined location for carrying in and out the workpiece.

  As shown in FIG. 12, each of the pallets 91 has a sprocket 97 that engages with the chain 95, and a clutch mechanism 98 that prevents the rotation of the sprocket 97 with a predetermined strength. That is, in a state where the pallet 91 can freely travel, the pallet 91 travels as the chain 95 moves by stopping the rotation of the sprocket 97. On the other hand, when another pallet 91 or a stopper 96 exists in front of the pallet 91, the pallet 91 is prevented from traveling and the sprocket 97 is idled by the clutch mechanism 98.

  In the stock apparatus 90 having the above-described configuration, the drive motor 93 causes all the pallets 91 to travel. Therefore, a sufficient driving force can be supplied depending on the number of pallets 91 to be mounted and the weight of the workpiece W to be mounted thereon. It has a capacity. Further, the capacity of the drive motor 93 is increased so that the chain 95 can be pulled with a certain degree of strength so that the sprocket 97 can be idled by resisting the clutch mechanism 98 with respect to the pallet 91 to be stopped. .

  For this reason, there is a problem that the capacity of the drive motor 93 becomes large and the apparatus becomes large. In addition, since the number of workpieces W to be stocked cannot be increased easily, there is a problem in that assembling takes time (man-hours) and the apparatus becomes expensive. Further, there is a problem that a noise generated when the pallet 91 is crushed and a loud noise that the pallets collide with each other while the stock device 90 is operating are generated as noise. In addition, if the chain 95 is not maintained, the chain 95 may be stretched and the pallet 91 cannot be conveyed.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and without using a large drive motor, only necessary pallets can travel in a predetermined direction to convey workpieces, and the number of workpieces that can be stocked can be easily set. It is an object to provide a stock apparatus that can be increased or decreased.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention comprises a plurality of pallets on which workpieces are mounted, and a conveyor body that supports these pallets so that they can travel between a workpiece carry-in portion and a workpiece carry-out portion,
The pallet is
A drive motor for supplying power for traveling in a predetermined traveling direction;
Sensors that are arranged before and after the pallet to detect the presence of adjacent obstacles,
While connected to these sensors Ru and a control circuit for supplying power to the drive motor so as to run the pallet in a predetermined direction of travel does not detect an obstacle,
The conveyor body is
A first stock line for running and stocking a pallet loaded with a workpiece in a first traveling direction from the workpiece loading portion toward the workpiece unloading portion;
A second stock line that travels and stocks the pallet after unloading the workpiece in the second traveling direction from the workpiece unloading section to the workpiece loading section;
Move the pallet that has traveled on the second stock line to the workpiece loading section at the upstream end of the first stock line in a state where it can be supported, wait for the workpiece to be loaded on the pallet, and then move the pallet to the first stock line A first transfer device,
While supporting the pallet on which the workpiece is mounted, the workpiece is placed on standby at the workpiece unloading portion at the downstream end of the first stock line, and after the workpiece mounted on the pallet is unloaded, the workpiece moves to the upstream end of the second stock line. A second transfer device for moving on the second stock line,
further,
Only one pallet is mounted on each transfer device, and other pallets are stocked on each stock line.
Each stock line is
Located in the downstream end thereof, each transfer device is located in the detection area of the sensor in a state of being separated from the downstream end portion of the stock line, and the transfer device is in the downstream end portion in the state where the transfer device is in the downstream end portion. A stock apparatus having a stopper that can move forward and backward to move outside the detection area of the sensor,
The first transfer device is provided with a stopper for preventing the pallet from falling from the first transfer device, and the pallet is prevented from falling from the second transfer device. A stopper for preventing falling formed in the second transfer device is provided,
While the first transfer device supports one pallet in a state of being close to a stopper for preventing fall,
The second transfer device is configured to support one pallet in a state of being close to the stopper 7B for preventing fall,
further,
A stock apparatus in which a detection area of the sensor is adjusted so that the pallet does not collide with an obstacle in front of the traveling direction including a pallet adjacent to the pallet, the advanceable / retractable stopper, and a stopper for preventing falling. (Claim 1).

  According to the above configuration, the sensors provided before and after the pallet detect that there is no pallet or obstacle adjacent to the front and rear, and the control circuit travels in a predetermined traveling direction in which the sensor does not detect the obstacle such as the adjacent pallet. Since electric power is supplied to the drive motor in such a manner, the pallets on the conveyor body can be run in a predetermined running direction and stocked in a state adjacent to each other. Since each pallet is self-propelled by a drive motor provided on each pallet, each drive motor supplies power enough to transport a workpiece mounted on one pallet.

According to the present invention , when the workpiece is mounted on the pallet moved by the first transfer device to the workpiece carry-in section, the first transfer device moves the pallet on which the workpiece is mounted onto the first stock line. Let The pallet moved to the first stock line is self-propelled in the direction of the work carry-out section, and is stocked on the first stock line in a state adjacent to the front pallet. Next, after the second transfer device waits at the work unloading portion at the downstream end of the first stock line and the work is unloaded downstream, the second transfer device travels the pallet on the second stock line. Therefore, the pallet is self-propelled on the second stock line in the direction of the work carry-in part, and is stocked on the second stock line in a state adjacent to the front pallet.

  That is, the pallet can be circulated between the work carry-in part and the work carry-out part by collecting the pallet that has transported the work from the work carry-in part to the work carry-out part using the second stock line. The first stock line is preferably placed over the second stock line. In this case, the transfer device is a lifting device that moves the pallet in the vertical direction.

Further , according to the present invention , the stopper is positioned within the detection area of the sensor to prevent the pallet on the stock line from falling from the stock line, and the pallet is moved by moving the stopper outside the detection area of the sensor. Self-propelled and can move to a transfer device located at the downstream end of the stock line. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the sensor is detected to such an extent that the traveling pallet does not collide with an obstacle ahead in the traveling direction including the adjacent pallet, the advanceable / retractable stopper, and the fall prevention stopper. Since the area is adjusted, the sensor detects the pallet located in front of the traveling direction of the pallet in the traveling direction, the retractable stopper, and the fall prevention stopper as obstacles, and the pallet is used as these obstacles. The movement of the pallet can be stopped in the state of being close to each other.

The conveyor body includes at least two power rails arranged along a travel path of the pallet, the pallet includes at least two terminals connected to the control circuit and in contact with the power rail, The control circuit preferably determines the traveling direction according to the polarity of the electric power supplied via the terminal (claim 2 ).

  According to the said structure, electric power is supplied to a control circuit via each terminal, and the electric power controlled via the control circuit is supplied to a drive motor. That is, all pallets can be supplied with power from one power source without using a power source having a weight or a life such as a battery as a power source. Since the traveling direction is determined by the polarity of the power supplied to the power rail, the traveling direction can be switched without rotating the pallet.

  The power supply rails and terminals require at least a pair of power supply rails and terminals of positive and negative electrodes. In addition to this, it is preferable to provide a ground power supply rail and terminals for preventing leakage. The power rail is preferably a trolley power line, but at least a pair of wheels for running the pallet may be configured to run on the power rail, and the wheels may also be used as terminals.

The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact in a state in which the presence of an obstacle is detected, and the control circuit connects the two power lines of the drive motor to the two terminals, and the terminal from the drive motor. a diode for the direction forward, it is preferably made of said switch connected in parallel to the diodes (claim 3).

  According to the above configuration, when the sensor detects a state in which the pallet and the obstacle are not present in the detection area, the switch provided in the sensor is in the conductive state, and the switch in the traveling direction is in the conductive state. Even if the switch provided in the rear sensor in the traveling direction is in an open state, the diode connected in parallel is connected to this switch, so that power is supplied to the drive motor so that the pallet travels forward. be able to. If the switch causes any continuity failure, no dangerous overcurrent will flow even if the pallet may not operate. In addition, the traveling direction of the pallet can be reversed by reversing the polarity of the power source.

The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact in a state in which the presence of an obstacle is detected, and the control circuit includes a switch, a first diode, and a first diode that are provided in the sensor in front of the pallet traveling direction between the two terminals. A first relay driving circuit for connecting in series with one relay coil, a switch provided in a sensor behind the pallet running direction, a second diode having a polarity opposite to that of the first diode, and a second relay coil A second relay drive circuit connected in series, and a drive motor that connects the drive motor via a parallel connection circuit of first and second relay contacts that are conducted by feeding power to the first and second relay coils It is preferable to provide a power feeding circuit in parallel (Claim 4 ).

  According to the above configuration, when the switch in the traveling direction provided in the sensor becomes conductive, current flows to the first relay coil via the first diode, and the first relay contact becomes conductive. A current flows to the drive motor via the relay contact 1. On the other hand, when the polarity of the power supply to each terminal is opposite, when the other switch becomes conductive, a current flows through the second relay coil and the second relay contact becomes conductive. A reverse current flows to the drive motor via the relay contact. That is, the pallet travels regardless of the state of the switch behind the traveling direction only by turning on the switch in the traveling direction front. Further, since the current flowing through the drive motor is supplied via the relay contact, a sufficient current can be passed through the drive motor even when the drive motor requires a large current.

The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact point when an obstacle is detected, and the control circuit includes a switch and a first diode provided in front of the pallet running direction between the two terminals. A relay in a state in which a rear sensor circuit consisting of a series connection of a second diode having a polarity opposite to that of the first diode and a switch provided in the sensor behind the pallet running direction is connected in parallel to the front sensor circuit consisting of a connection relay drive circuit for energizing the coil, and is preferably provided with a drive motor power supply circuit connecting the drive motor via a relay contact to conductive by the power supply to the relay coil in parallel (claim 5).

  According to the above configuration, when the switch in the traveling direction provided in the sensor becomes conductive, a current flows through the relay coil via the first diode and the relay contact becomes conductive. Current flows through the motor. On the other hand, when the polarity of power feeding to each terminal is reversed, current flows through the relay coil when the other switch becomes conductive, and the relay contact becomes conductive. Flows to the drive motor. That is, the pallet travels regardless of the state of the switch behind the traveling direction only by turning on the switch in the traveling direction front. Further, since the current flowing through the drive motor is supplied via the relay contact, a sufficient current can be passed through the drive motor even when the drive motor requires a large current.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the pallets on the conveyor body are self-propelled by the drive motors mounted on the conveyors, noise is generated due to the movement of the chain as in the case of using a conventional chain conveyor. However, there is no problem of the chain being stretched, and there is no need to perform chain maintenance. In addition, the number of workpieces that can be stocked can be adjusted by easily increasing or decreasing the number of pallets. Furthermore, since the traveling of the pallet is controlled by whether or not there are pallets or obstacles before and after, the noise caused by the pallet colliding violently can be prevented. In addition, since power is not supplied to the drive motor when the pallets are adjacent to each other, useless energy consumption does not occur.

  Since the said conveyor main body is equipped with the reciprocating stock line and the transfer apparatus located in the both ends, the flow of a pallet can be made smooth. Also, by providing a stopper that can be moved forward and backward at the downstream end of the stock line, the pallet can travel from the stock line to the transfer device located at the downstream end while preventing the pallet from dropping from the stock line. it can.

  By providing the power supply rail in the conveyor main body, the pallet can be self-propelled without mounting a power source such as a battery. Further, it is possible to reciprocate between the work carry-in part and the work carry-out part by switching the traveling direction of the pallet without rotating the pallet.

  The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact when an obstacle is detected, and the control circuit is configured to supply power to the drive motor via a relay that is powered by a series connection of the switch and a diode. It is possible to supply a large current that cannot be supplied to the switch or the diode to the drive motor.

  1-4 is a figure which shows the structure of the stock apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a stock apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a plurality of pallets 2A, 2B,... On which a shaft such as a cam or a crank is mounted as a work W, and these pallets 2A, 2B,. The conveyor main body 3 is supported so as to be able to travel between the workpiece carry-out portions 3b. In the following description, the palettes 2A, 2B,. It goes without saying that box attachments such as blocks and heads may be transported and stocked as a work W by making the attachment in the work mounting portion of the pallet 2 exchangeable.

The conveyor main body 3 has a first stock line 4A for stocking the pallet 2B on which the workpiece W is mounted by traveling in the first traveling direction A from the workpiece loading portion 3a toward the workpiece unloading portion 3b, and after unloading the workpiece W. The second stock line 4B that travels in the second traveling direction B from the workpiece carry-out portion 3b toward the workpiece carry-in portion 3a and stocks the pallet 2D, and the pallet 2A that travels on the second stock line 4B. The first transfer device 5A that moves to the first stock line 4A after the workpiece W is mounted after moving to the workpiece loading section 3a at the upstream end of 4A, and the workpiece unloading at the downstream end of the first stock line 4A After the workpiece W mounted on the pallet 2C is unloaded after waiting in the section 3b, the pallet 2C is moved to the upstream end of the second stock line 4B. And a second transfer device 5B which moves on two stock line 4B.

In the present embodiment, the first stock line 4A is disposed immediately above the second stock line 4B. Accordingly, each of the first transfer device 5A and the second transfer device 5B is a lifting device. By arranging the reciprocating stock lines 4 in the vertical direction as in the present embodiment, the occupied area in the factory can be reduced and space can be saved. In the following description, when the distinction is unnecessary, the first stock line 4A and the second stock line 4B are simply referred to as the stock line 4, and the first transfer device 5A and the second transfer device 5B are simply referred to as the stock line 4. It is called a transfer device (elevating device) 5.

  As will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, the stock line 4 and the transfer device 5 include trolley power supplies R <b> 1 to R <b> 3 including three power supply rails arranged along the traveling track of the pallet 2. Also, when the two trolley power supplies R1 and R2 are used as positive and negative power lines, respectively, the pallet 2 is run in the traveling direction A, and the trolley power supplies R1 and R2 are used as negative and positive power lines, respectively. In this case, the pallet 2 can travel in the traveling direction B. In addition, in this example, one trolley power supply R3 is used as a ground to prevent an electric shock when an electric leakage occurs. Further, the transfer device 5 is configured to reverse the polarity of the trolley power supplies R1 and R2 as it moves, thereby enabling the traveling directions A and B of the pallet 2 to be reversed.

  The stock lines 4A and 4B are provided with stoppers 6A and 6B which can be moved forward and backward, respectively, at their downstream ends. Similarly, stoppers 7 </ b> A and 7 </ b> B are provided at the end of the transfer device 5 opposite to the stock line 4.

  2 to 4 show the configuration of the pallet 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pallet 2 supports a pallet 2 movably on the frame 10 using a drive motor 11 that outputs a rotational force and a rotational force supplied by the drive motor 11. Wheel tires 12, sensors 13 </ b> A and 13 </ b> B that are disposed on the front and rear frames 10 of the pallet 2 to detect the presence of obstacles such as adjacent pallets 2, and a work support unit 14 that supports the work W are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the pallet 2 comes into contact with the trolley power sources R1 to R3 and is configured to be recessed from the trolley power sources R1 to R2 so as not to be detached from the trolley power sources R1 to R3. Are provided with terminals T1 to T3. A terminal T3 that contacts the trolley power supply R3 (that is, ground) is connected to the frame 10. On the other hand, terminals T1 and T2 that contact the trolley power supplies R1 and R2 are connected to the control circuit 16 as shown in FIG.

  The switches SWa and SWb shown in FIG. 4 are provided in the sensors 13A and 13B, and are switches that release contacts when the presence of an obstacle such as the pallet 2 is detected in the detection area. The control circuit 16 of the present embodiment connects the two power supply lines 11a and 11b of the drive motor 11 to the terminals T1 and T2, respectively, and a diode DSa whose forward direction is from the drive motor 11 to the terminals T1 and T2. , DSb and the switches SWa, SWb connected in parallel to the diodes DSa, DSb, respectively. The control circuit 16 configured as described above takes in electric power from the trolley power sources R1 and R2 and also has a predetermined traveling direction in which no obstacle is detected by the sensors 13A and 13B (the traveling direction A and the second stock line 4B on the first stock line 4A). In the above, the drive motor 11 is configured to supply power for running the pallet 2 in the running direction B).

When the first transfer device 5A is located at the downstream end of the second stock line 4B, it supplies negative and positive power to the trolley power sources R1 and R2, respectively, and causes the pallet 2 to travel in the traveling direction B. supported in a state of being close to the stopper 7A Te, by moving the workpiece loading portion 3a of the upstream end portion of the first stock line 4A, moving the pallet 2 to the workpiece loading unit 3a, the workpiece W is mounted Is detected by a sensor or an input switch (not shown), the pallet 2 is moved onto the first stock line 4A by connecting positive and negative power supplies to the trolley power supplies R1 and R2, respectively. After that, the first transfer device 5A is configured to move the pallet 2 and then move again to the downstream end of the second stock line 4B to convey the next pallet 2 to the workpiece carry-in portion 3a. .

Similarly, the second transfer device 5B supplies positive and negative power to the trolley power sources R1 and R2, respectively, in the standby state at the downstream end of the first stock line 4A, and travels on the pallet 2. By running in the direction A, the pallet 2 is moved to the work carry-out part 3b and supported in the state of being close to the stopper 7B. Further, when the second transfer device 5B detects that the workpiece W is unloaded from the pallet 2 by a sensor or an input switch (not shown), the second transfer device 5B moves to the upstream end of the second stock line 4B, and the trolley power supply R1, By connecting negative and positive power sources to R2, respectively, the pallet 2 is caused to travel in the traveling direction B and is moved onto the second stock line 4. Thereafter, the second moving device 5B is configured to move to the downstream end portion of the first stock line 4A again after moving the pallet 2 and wait.

  The stoppers 6A and 6B are positioned in the detection area of the sensors 13A and 13B in a state where the moving devices 5B and 5A are separated from the downstream ends of the stock lines 4A and 4B, and the moving devices 5B and 5A are It is configured to move out of the detection area of the sensors 13A and 13B while being at the downstream end of 4A and 4B. That is, the stoppers 6A and 6B move forward and backward in accordance with the positions of the moving devices 5B and 5A, so that only one pallet 2 is mounted on the transfer devices 5A and 5B, and the other pallets 2 are placed on the stock line 4. Can be stocked.

  The stoppers 7A and 7B are wall plates higher than the height of the pallet 2 formed so as to prevent the pallet 2 from falling from the transfer devices 5A and 5B, but are positioned within the detection areas of the sensors 13A and 13B. By doing so, the stoppers 7A and 7B are detected as obstacles so that the collision of the pallet 2 can be prevented.

  The frame 10 is a substantially rectangular plate having a certain width and length that can stably support the workpiece W, and the wall surfaces 10a and 10b for mounting the sensors 13A and 13B before and after the traveling directions A and B are provided. And wall surfaces 10c and 10d for supporting the tire 12 are formed on the side surfaces in the running directions A and B.

  The drive motor 11 is a gear motor provided with a torque limiter, and the travel speed and drive torque of the pallet 2 can be easily adjusted thereby.

  The tire 12 is arranged as far as possible between the wall surfaces 10c and 10d, and the left and right tires are connected by a drive shaft 12s. Further, the drive motor 11 and the tire 12 are connected by winding a belt 15 around a pulley 11a provided on the rotation shaft of the drive motor 11 and a pulley 12a provided on the drive shaft 12s. That is, the four tires 12 can be rotated in the same direction at the same speed so that more stable running can be realized. Needless to say, the number of tires 12 and the number of drive wheels can be arbitrarily changed.

  The sensors 13A and 13B are preferably non-contact sensors such as phototubes. In addition, switches SWa and SWb that are turned on when the adjacent pallet 2 or stoppers 6 and 7 are detected in the detection areas of the sensors 13A and 13B are provided. Therefore, even if the electric wires connected to the sensors 13A and 13B are disconnected, the pallet 2 is configured not to run out of control even if the pallet 2 stops and stops operating. The switches SWa and SWb are normally closed contacts. Therefore, in the state where the pallet 2 is stocked so as to be adjacent to each other, the current for switching the switches SWa and SWb to the conductive state is unnecessary and energy is saved.

  The workpiece support 14 is a pair of left and right plates that are disposed at appropriate positions on the upper surface of the frame 10 and have a substantially V-shaped recess 14a on which a workpiece W of a shaft is placed. The workpiece support 14 provided with the concave portion 14a configured as described above is stably in a state where the workpiece W of a shaft object of any shape is arranged so that the longitudinal direction thereof is transverse to the traveling directions A and B. Can be supported.

  5 to 7 are diagrams for explaining the operations of the control circuit 16 and the pallet 2 in five states A to E. FIG. More specifically, FIG. 5 shows an operation list Tbl listing the driving states of the switches SWa and SWb and the driving motor 11 in the front pallet 2A in the five states A to E, and FIGS. 6 (A) to (E). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing states of the pallets 2A, 2B, and 2C in the states A to E, and FIGS. 7A to 7J are diagrams showing states in the control circuit 16 in the pallets 2A and 2B in the states A to E.

  In the following description, a state in which the pallets 2A, 2B... Travel on the first stock line 4A will be described. That is, when current flows in the order of terminal T1, switch SWa, drive motor 11, switch SWb or diode Dsb, terminal T2 by contact with power supply rails R1, R2 with terminal T1 being positive and terminal T2 being negative. The drive motor 11 rotates forward. On the other hand, when the pallet 2 travels on the second stock line 4B, the polarity of the power supplied to the terminals T1 and T2 is reversed, so basically the terminal T2, the switch SWb, the drive motor 11, the switch SWa or the diode Dsa. → Current flows in the order of the terminal T1, and the drive motor 11 reverses, but a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, when there are no adjacent pallets 2 and stoppers 6 and 7 before and after the pallets 2A and 2B, as shown in the operation list T of FIG. The switches SWa and SWb of the sensors 13A and 13B are turned on. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in the control circuit 16 in the pallets 2A and 2B, current flows in the order of terminal T1, switch SWa, drive motor 11, switch SWb, and terminal T2. The motor 11 rotates forward. That is, the pallets 2A and 2B travel in the left direction. In addition, the front and back in the following description are with respect to the traveling direction A of the pallet 2.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, when the pallet 2A is close to the stopper 6, there is the stopper 6 in the detection area of the previous sensor 13A. Therefore, as shown in the operation list T of FIG. Only the switch SWa is turned off. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7C, power supply to the drive motor 11 by the control circuit 16 of the pallet 2A is stopped, and the rotation of the drive motor 11 is stopped. That is, the pallet 2A stops.

In the present invention, the detection areas of the sensors 13A and 13B are adjusted so that the pallet 2 does not collide with an obstacle ahead by the advance of the pallet 2 after the power supply to the drive motor 11 is stopped . .

  As shown in FIG. 7D, since the states of the switches SWa and SWb do not change in the pallet 2B, the control circuit 16 continues to supply power to the control motor 11 and continues to travel on the pallet 2B.

  As shown in FIG. 6C, when the pallet 2B is close to the front pallet 2A, the sensors 13A and 13B of the pallet 2A are both turned off, and as shown in FIG. The power supply to the drive motor 11 by 16 continues to stop, and the pallet 2A continues to stop.

  On the other hand, since the pallet 2A is in the detection area of the sensor 13A in front of the pallet 2B, the switch SWa of the pallet 2B is turned off as shown in the operation list T of FIG. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7 (F), power supply to the drive motor 11 by the control circuit 16 of the pallet 2A is stopped, and the rotation of the drive motor 11 is stopped. That is, the pallet 2B stops.

  In this way, the pallets 2A and 2B supply power supplied to the trolley power supplies R1 and R2 to the drive motor 11 via the control circuit 16, thereby traveling as necessary and waiting on the stock line. That is, the pallet 2 can be stocked on the stock line 4. Further, by providing the stopper 6 at the downstream end of the stock line 4, it is possible to prevent the pallet 2 on the stock line 4 from moving further downstream beyond the stock line 4.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, when the stopper 6 moves outside the detection area of the sensor 13A, the switch SWa of the pallet 2A is turned on again as shown in FIG. 7G, and the terminal T1 → switch A current flows in the order of SWa → drive motor 11 → diode DSb → terminal T2, and the drive motor 11 rotates forward. At this time, even if the sensor 13B behind the pallet 2A remains off, the diode DSb is connected in parallel so that the direction from the drive motor 11 to the terminal T2 is the forward direction. The pallet 2A travels.

  On the other hand, since the sensors 13A and 13B of the pallet 2B remain off, the control circuit 16 does not supply power to the drive motor 11 as shown in FIG. 7H, and the pallet 2B continues to stop.

  As shown in FIG. 6E, when the pallet 2A moves forward and moves outside the detection area of the sensor 13A in front of the pallet 2B, both the sensors 13A and 13B before and after the pallet 2A are turned on. ), In the control circuit 16 of the pallet 2A, current flows in the order of the terminal T1, the switch SWa, the drive motor 11, the switch SWb, and the terminal T2, the drive motor 11 rotates forward, and the pallet 2A continues to travel.

  On the other hand, since the sensor 13A in front of the pallet 2B is turned on, as shown in FIG. 7 (J), in the control circuit 16 of the pallet 2B, the terminal T1, the switch SWa, the drive motor 11, the diode DSb, and the terminal T2. A current flows and the drive motor 11 rotates forward. That is, the pallet 2B also starts running.

  As described above, the control circuit 16 provided on the pallet 2 has a predetermined traveling direction in which there is no obstacle in the absence of the front obstacle (stopper 6, 7 or pallet 2) (illustrated in the examples of FIGS. 5 to 7). Travel in the left travel direction A). That is, the pallet 2 on the stock line 4 is configured to be able to self-propell as needed toward the work carry-out part 3b and stock on the stock line 4. Further, when there is an obstacle ahead of the predetermined traveling direction, power supply to the drive motor 11 is stopped and the pallet 2 is stopped, so that unnecessary power is not wasted and an unreasonable force is applied. Deterioration due to noise, wear, etc. that does not occur.

  Further, the control circuit 16 for controlling the traveling of the pallet 2 is an extremely simple circuit in which the diodes DSa and DSb are simply connected in parallel to the switches SWa and SWb, so that the manufacturing cost can be minimized. . Moreover, since the predetermined traveling directions A and B of the pallet 2 can be reversed only by reversing the polarity of the power supplied to the terminals T1 and T2, the stock lines 4A and 4B can be rotated without rotating the pallet 2. The pallet 2 travels in a direction corresponding to the traveling directions A and B.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of the stock apparatus 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The stock apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 8 is different from the stock apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 in that the tires of the pallet 2 are used as conductive wheels 21 and the power rails R1 ′ and R2 ′ that serve as a power source and a guide for the pallet 2 are used. The wheel 21 is configured to run on the power rails R1 ′ and R2 ′ in a state of being mounted on the wheel, and the wheels 21 are used as the terminals T1 and T2 which are in contact with the power rails R1 ′ and R2 ′.

  By configuring as described above, it is not necessary to separately provide a power supply rail, and the configuration of the stock line 4 and the pallet 2 of the stock apparatus 20 can be simplified.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit 30 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. A control circuit 30 shown in FIG. 9 includes a switch SWa, a first diode DSa, and a first relay coil Ra provided in the sensor 13A in front of the pallet traveling direction A in series between the two terminals T1 and T2. The first relay drive circuit RCa connected to the switch SWb provided in the sensor 13B behind the pallet traveling direction A, the second diode DSb and the second relay coil Rb having the opposite polarity to the first diode DSa, Are connected in series, and a parallel connection circuit TC of the first and second relay contacts Ta and Tb that is turned on by feeding power to the first and second relay coils Ra and Rb. A drive motor feeding circuit MC for connecting the drive motor 11 via the drive motor 11 is provided in parallel.

  By using the control circuit 30, the power supply to the drive motor 11 can be performed by the relay contacts Ta and Tb, so that the capacity of the drive motor 11 can be increased. That is, a larger workpiece W can be transported using each pallet 2. The control circuit 30 can also reverse the traveling directions A and B of the pallet 2 only by changing the polarity of the power source connected to the terminals T1 and T2.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control circuit 40 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The control circuit 40 shown in FIG. 10 includes a switch SWa provided in the sensor 13A in front of the pallet traveling direction A and a front sensor circuit FS including a first diode DSa connected in series between the two terminals T1 and T2. A relay coil in a state in which a sensor circuit RS comprising a series connection of a switch SWb and a second diode DSb having a polarity opposite to that of the first diode DSa is connected in parallel to the sensor 13B behind the pallet running direction A. A relay drive circuit RC that feeds power to R and a drive motor feed circuit MC ′ that connects the drive motor 11 via a relay contact T that is conducted by feeding power to the relay coil R are provided in parallel.

  By using the control circuit 40, the power supply to the drive motor 11 can be performed by the relay contact T. Therefore, the capacity of the drive motor 11 can be increased, so that a larger workpiece W can be conveyed. Further, since the number of relays can be reduced as compared with the control circuit 30 shown in FIG. 9, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. The control circuit 40 can also reverse the traveling directions A and B of the pallet 2 only by changing the polarity of the power supply connected to the terminals T1 and T2.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the stock apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a side view which shows the structure of the pallet of the said stock apparatus. It is the side view seen from the side surface of the conveyance direction of the said stock apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of a control circuit. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement list explaining operation | movement of the said stock apparatus. It is a figure which shows each state for demonstrating operation | movement of the said stock apparatus. It is a figure which shows the flow of the electric current which flows through the control circuit of the said stock apparatus. It is a side view which shows the structure of the stock apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the power supply circuit of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the power supply circuit of 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional stock apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of the pallet of the said stock apparatus.

1,20 collecting assembly 2 pallet 3 conveyor body 3a workpiece loading portion 3b work unloading section 4 (A, 4B) stock lines 5 (5A, 5B) transfer device 6 retractably stopper
7A, 7B Fall prevention stopper 11 Drive motor 13A, 13B Sensor 16 Drive circuit A, B Travel direction DSa, DSb Diode SWa, SWb Switch R1-R3 Power rail T1-T3 Terminal W Work FS Pre-sensor circuit RS Post-sensor circuit MC Motor feed circuit R, Ra, Rb Relay coil RC, RCa, RCb Relay drive circuit T, Ta, Tb Relay contact

Claims (5)

It consists of a plurality of pallets carrying workpieces, and a conveyor body that supports these pallets so that they can run between the workpiece carry-in part and the work carry-out part,
The pallet is
A drive motor for supplying power for traveling in a predetermined traveling direction;
Sensors that are arranged before and after the pallet to detect the presence of adjacent obstacles,
While connected to these sensors Ru and a control circuit for supplying power to the drive motor so as to run the pallet in a predetermined direction of travel does not detect an obstacle,
The conveyor body is
A first stock line for running and stocking a pallet loaded with a workpiece in a first traveling direction from the workpiece loading portion toward the workpiece unloading portion;
A second stock line that travels and stocks the pallet after unloading the workpiece in the second traveling direction from the workpiece unloading section to the workpiece loading section;
Move the pallet that has traveled on the second stock line to the workpiece loading section at the upstream end of the first stock line in a state where it can be supported, wait for the workpiece to be loaded on the pallet, and then move the pallet to the first stock line A first transfer device,
While supporting the pallet on which the workpiece is mounted, the workpiece is placed on standby at the workpiece unloading portion at the downstream end of the first stock line, and after the workpiece mounted on the pallet is unloaded, the workpiece moves to the upstream end of the second stock line. A second transfer device for moving on the second stock line,
further,
Only one pallet is mounted on each transfer device, and other pallets are stocked on each stock line.
Each stock line is
Located in the downstream end thereof, each transfer device is located in the detection area of the sensor in a state of being separated from the downstream end portion of the stock line, and the transfer device is in the downstream end portion in the state where the transfer device is in the downstream end portion. A stock apparatus having a stopper that can move forward and backward to move outside the detection area of the sensor,
The first transfer device is provided with a stopper for preventing the pallet from falling from the first transfer device, and the pallet is prevented from falling from the second transfer device. A stopper for preventing falling formed in the second transfer device is provided,
While the first transfer device supports one pallet in a state of being close to a stopper for preventing fall,
The second transfer device is configured to support one pallet in a state of being close to the stopper 7B for preventing fall,
further,
A stock apparatus in which a detection area of the sensor is adjusted so that the pallet does not collide with an obstacle in front of the traveling direction including a pallet adjacent to the pallet, the advanceable / retractable stopper, and a stopper for preventing falling. . The conveyor body includes at least two power rails arranged along a travel path of the pallet, the pallet includes at least two terminals connected to the control circuit and in contact with the power rail, The stock apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit determines a traveling direction based on a polarity of electric power supplied through the terminal. The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact in a state where the presence of an obstacle is detected,
The control circuit connects the two power lines of the drive motor to the two terminals, and has a diode whose forward direction is from the drive motor to the terminal, and the diodes connected in parallel to the diodes, respectively. The stock apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising a switch. The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact in a state where the presence of an obstacle is detected,
The control circuit is connected between the two terminals.
A first relay drive circuit for connecting in series a switch, a first diode, and a first relay coil included in a sensor in front of the pallet running direction;
A second relay driving circuit for connecting in series a second diode having a polarity opposite to that of the first diode and a switch provided in the sensor behind the pallet running direction; and
3. The stock according to claim 2 , further comprising a drive motor power supply circuit that connects the drive motor in parallel through a parallel connection circuit of first and second relay contacts that is conducted by power supply to the first and second relay coils. apparatus. The sensor includes a switch that releases a contact in a state where the presence of an obstacle is detected,
The control circuit is connected between the two terminals.
In the front sensor circuit comprising a series connection of a switch provided in front of the pallet running direction and the first diode, a switch provided in the sensor behind in the pallet running direction and the second diode having the opposite polarity to the first diode A relay drive circuit that feeds power to the relay coil in a state where the sensor circuit consisting of a series connection is connected in parallel; and
The stock apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a drive motor power supply circuit connected in parallel to a drive motor via a relay contact that is conducted by supplying power to the relay coil.

Images