JPH04250941A - Assembly equipment using transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To incline the body to be assembled in a optional direction by actuating the specified lift device in a loaded state. CONSTITUTION:A transfer device 17 forming a work route and a support device 50 freely placable at the transfer device 17 side are provided. This support device 50 is composed of a base body 51 freely placable at the transfer device 17 side, plural lift devices 52 arranged on the base body 51, the support part 53 of the body 18 to be assembled provided on the lift device 52, and the lift operation part 54 provided on the base body 51. A work part 23 that a worker is freely embarkable is formed at the transfer device 17 side, and a transfer device which delivers the body 18 to be assembled to the transfer device 17 together with the support device 50 is provided at the work route side part.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to assembly equipment using a transport device, which is used to transport, for example, an automobile body and perform various assembly operations by raising, lowering, or tilting the vehicle body during transport. It is.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of equipment, a structure described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-11456 has been provided. In other words, an object mounting table is disposed on a cart that is supported by guide rails and can move freely, and the lifting means is operated to raise and lower the object mounting table, thereby changing the vertical position of the object. Meanwhile, workers were performing various tasks on workbenches installed on the trolley.

[0003] The elevating means is fixed on the truck, and by moving a cam using a fluid pressure cylinder, the conveyed object mounting table is horizontally raised and lowered via a cam floor. Compressed fluid is sealed in the frame of the main body, and the cylinder is operated by operating a switching hand valve provided on the truck side.

0004

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional method, when the elevating means breaks down, it must be removed from the line together with the bogie, which requires equipment and space for branching and merging. In addition, a large number of expensive carts equipped with elevating means must be prepared to replace broken carts. Furthermore, a large space is required for repairing broken carts.

[0005] Furthermore, all elevating means must be large and strong in order to accommodate the final assembled weight of the vehicle body. Moreover, when working on the lower part of an object to be transported that has been raised horizontally, the worker is unstable and easily fatigued because the worker must crawl under the object and face upward.

It is an object of the present invention to be able to take out and repair only compact members such as support devices without having to repair the conveyance device such as a trolley, and to easily create a support device that is optimal for the weight of the object to be assembled. It is an object of the present invention to provide an assembly equipment using a conveying device, which can be replaced with a conveyor, and further allows the conveying device to perform various assembly operations on objects to be assembled that are being conveyed easily and without fatigue.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the assembly equipment using a transport device according to the present invention has a transport device that forms a working path section and a support device that can be freely placed on the side of this transport device. This support device includes a base body that can be freely placed on the conveying device side, a plurality of lifting and lowering devices arranged on the base body, and a support portion for an assembled object provided above the lifting and lowering devices. and a lifting operation section for the lifting device provided on the base body, forming a working section in which a worker can freely get on the conveying device side, and supporting the object to be assembled on the side of the working path section. It is configured by providing a transfer device that transfers the device to a transport device together with the device.

[0008]

According to the structure of the present invention, the support device that supports the object to be assembled via the support portion can be loaded onto and unloaded from the conveyance device by the transfer device at a predetermined location in the work path portion. By operating a predetermined lifting device in the loaded state, the object to be assembled can be tilted in any direction.

That is, by operating the lifting operation part on the working part and raising each support part by the lifting device, the object to be assembled can be tilted in any direction depending on the difference in the amount of rise of each support part, and The object to be assembled can be raised to a desired level and then tilted. Therefore, various assembling operations can be performed on the inclined object to be assembled from above the work section without having to follow the object.

[0010] Furthermore, the support device can be easily separated from the object to be assembled, and furthermore, the separated support device is compact and easy to handle.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 6 to 8, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic warehouse which is an example of a parts storage device, and includes a pair of shelves 3 in which a large number of storage sections 2 are partitioned in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a fixed path 4 between the two shelves 3. It is composed of a movable loading/unloading device 5 and the like.

The loading/unloading device 5 includes a traveling machine body 6 that is supported and guided by a rail or the like, a lifting platform 8 that is guided by a post 7 erected from the traveling machine body 6, and a lifting platform 8 that can freely move in and out of the horizontal direction. The parts case 10 is delivered to and from the target storage section 2 by a combination of running movement, lifting/lowering movement, and pulling/retracting movement. Each parts case 10 contains a set of parts and fixtures used in the work route corresponding to this automated warehouse 1.

Outside the edge of the automated warehouse 1 and on the extension line of the constant path 4, there are an upper work route section 11 and a lower return route section 12.
A circulation route 1 having a first lifting route 13 and a second lifting route 14 between the start and end of both route parts 11 and 12.
5 is formed, and a large number of carts 16 that can freely run on this circulation path 15 are provided. These 11 to 16 constitute a conveying device 17 that forms a working path section.

That is, the truck 16 has a large number of wheels 2 at the bottom.
0, and a recess 21 for positioning a support device 50 on which a lower part of a vehicle body 18, which is an example of an object to be assembled, can be placed is provided in the center, and a plurality of parts storage parts 22 are provided in the upper part. The remaining portion serves as a working section 23 into which a worker can freely board. Then, the component case 10 is loaded into the component storage section 22.

An upper rail 31 is laid on the floor surface 30, and by placing the wheels 20 on the upper rail 31, the cart 16 can move freely on the upper work route section 11. Further, a lower rail 33 is laid in a tunnel portion 32 formed under the floor, and by placing the wheels 20 on this lower rail 33, the cart 16 can freely run on the lower return path portion 12.

Of the two lifting path sections 13 and 14, the first lifting path section 13 on the automated warehouse 1 side is provided with a lifting platform 35 via a first lifting device 34 consisting of, for example, a pantograph mechanism. A relay rail 36 is provided on the rail 35 and can be connected to and separated from both the rails 31 and 33 at will. Similarly, the other second elevating path section 14 is also provided with a second elevating device 37, an elevating platform 38, and a relay rail 39.

On the side of the automated warehouse 1, a parts supply section 40 and a case recovery section 43 are provided extending from both sides of the end of the upper working path section 11 to both sides of the first lifting path section 13. This parts supply section 40 includes a conveyor 41 and a loading robot 42.
The case collection section 43 is constructed by a conveyor 44.
and a collection robot 45.

One assembly line 48 is formed by the automated warehouse 1, circulation path 15, parts supply section 40, etc.
An assembly facility 49 is configured by arranging a plurality of such assembly lines 48 in parallel. At this time, the running directions in the upper working route section 11 are set to be opposite directions between adjacent assembly lines 48. Further, the 16 group of bogies are moved in a dense manner by various drive devices using motors, chains, rollers, etc., in a backing type or towing type.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, the support device 50 on which the lower part of the vehicle body 18 can be placed includes a frame-shaped base body 51 that can be placed on the truck 16, and a pair of left and right parts on the base body 51. Lifting devices 52 provided symmetrically, a support portion 53 for the vehicle body 18 provided above these lifting devices 52, and a lifting operation portion 54 for the lifting device 51 provided on the base body 51.
It is composed of From the bottom surface of the base body 51,
A positioning pin 55 that can be freely engaged from above is provided vertically in the recess 21, and an engagement recess 56 on which a transfer device (described later) acts is formed on the side surface.

[0020] Each of the lifting devices 52 has a base body 5.
It has a fixed body 57 that stands up from above. This fixed body 57
has a channel-like cross section, and is erected with its open portion facing inside. Vertical guide rails 58 are disposed on the front and rear inner surfaces of the fixed body 57, and a movable body 60 that is guided up and down by these guide rails 58 via a plurality of rollers 59 is disposed inside the fixed body 57. The movable body 60 is also the fixed body 5
Like No. 7, it has a channel-like cross section. And the movable body 60
The angled support portion 53 that can support the vehicle body 18 from below is provided at the upper end of the vehicle body 18 .

The elevating and lowering actuating device 61 for elevating and lowering the movable body 60 includes, for example, a cylinder device 62 and an actuating piping device 63 arranged for each cylinder device 62.
The elevating and lowering operation section 54 is linked to the elevating and lowering operation device 61.

The operating piping device 63 is mainly disposed within the base body 51, and includes a pressure accumulating tank 65, an oiler 66, a pressure reducing valve 67, and a plurality of manual operating valves 68, 69,
70, a lock cylinder 71, etc., and the lift operation section 54 is interlocked with each operation valve 68, 69, 70. A first coupler 72 for replenishing the pressure accumulation tank 65 at a predetermined position, a second coupler 73 for emergency use, and the like are provided. Note that a circuit 75 including a signal line 74 and a coupler 76 may be provided in order to automatically perform lift-down and locking from the outside during transfer between processes.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, in each assembly line 48, a first transfer device 80 is provided above one end (on the automated warehouse 1 side) of the upper work path section 11. This first transfer device 81 includes, for example, an elevating body 82 guided by a machine frame 81 from the floor surface 30 side, a traveling body 83 provided on the elevating body 82 side so as to be able to freely run in the inter-line direction, and It is composed of a clamp-type hanger device 84 provided on a body 83, and an engagement pin 86 of a cylinder 85 provided at the lower end of the hanger device 84 can be freely engaged with and disengaged from the engagement recess 56.

Similarly, a second transfer device 87 is provided above the other end of the upper work path portion 11, and this second transfer device 87 also includes the machine frame 81, the elevating body 82, the traveling body 83, It is composed of a hanger device 84, a cylinder 85, an engagement pin 86, and the like.

The operation of the above embodiment will be explained below. For example, a group of parts brought in by a truck or the like is sorted in correspondence with each assembly line 48 at a sorting place, placed in a parts case 10, and then placed in a storage section 2 of a corresponding automated warehouse 1.

In the assembly line 48 in which the running direction of the upper working route section 11 is in the direction away from the automated warehouse 1, the first
An empty truck 16 is located on the relay rail 36 of the elevated platform 35 in the elevator path section 13, and the relay rail 36 is connected to the upper rail 31. Further, in the automatic warehouse 1, a plurality of target component cases 10 are sorted by the operation of the loading/unloading device 5 and then taken out onto the conveyor 41 of the component supply section 40.

The component cases 10 on the conveyor 41 are loaded into a predetermined component storage section 22 of the truck 16 by a loading robot 42. In this way, parts case 1
The trolley 16 loaded with 0 is driven and moved from the relay rail 36 to the upper rail 31, so that it travels on the upper work route section 11. Then, the vehicle body 18 is loaded together with the support device 50 onto the trolley 16 that has stopped at the starting end of the upper working route section 11.

That is, the support device 50 supports each lifting device 52.
The downward movement of the support portion 53 causes the support portion 53 to be lowered via the movable body 60. The vehicle body 18 is placed on the support portion 53 by abutting the seal portion and engaging the lower engagement hole with the positioning pin 64.

The support device 50 in such a position has a first
The hanger device 84 of the transfer device 80 is active. That is, the cylinder 85 of the hanger device 84 is actuated to raise the elevating body 82 with the protruding engagement pin 86 engaged with the engagement recess 56, thereby lifting the vehicle body 18 via the support device 50. ing.

In this state, the traveling body 83 of the first transfer device 80
is stopped above the truck 16, and then the hanger device 84 supporting the vehicle body 18 via the support device 50 is lowered together with the elevating body 82, and the support device 50 is stacked on the truck 16. At this time, positioning is performed by engaging the pin 55 with the recess 21 from above. Note that the initial loading may be carried out using a self-propelled trolley having a fork function. Then, with the engagement pin 86 moved in and out of the engagement recess 56 by reverse operation of the cylinder 85, the hanger device 84 is raised together with the elevating body 82 and retracted.

In this state, the cart 16 is moved to the upper working path section 11.
Assembling work on the vehicle body 18 is performed while the vehicle is traveling on the vehicle. This assembly work can be performed by a worker on the trolley 16 taking out the parts and fixtures (bolts, etc.) in the parts case 10, and the worker only walks on the work section 23.

Furthermore, the assembly work can be easily carried out by tilting the vehicle body 18 in any direction without forcing the worker to take an unreasonable posture. This is done by a worker on the working section 23 operating the lifting operation section 54 as appropriate to supply the pressurized fluid in the pressure storage tank 60 to the cylinder device 62 or release the pressurized fluid in the cylinder device 62. This can be done by raising and lowering the support part 53 via the movable body 60.

At this time, both movable bodies 60 are raised,
By changing the amount of elevation, the vehicle body 18 can be raised to a desired level and tilted in any direction, as shown by imaginary lines A and B in FIG. Further, the tilting can be performed by raising only one movable body 60. In addition, both movable bodies 6
By raising 0 equally, the vehicle body 18 can be raised horizontally.

In this way, one upper work path section 11
The vehicle body 18, which has been assembled at
lifted by. As a result, trolley 16 became empty.
transfers to the relay rail 39 that has risen together with the elevator platform 38 in the second elevator route section 14, and then moves to the tunnel section 32 via the second elevator route section 14 as the elevator platform 38 descends.
Go inside. When the lifting platform 38 reaches its lower limit, the relay rail 39 connects to the lower rail 33, and therefore the carriage 16
can travel on the lower return route section 12 in the opposite direction to the upper one.

Then, the cart 16 is transferred onto the lifting table 35 of the first lifting path section 13, and as the lifting table 35 rises, it returns to the initial position, and first, the empty parts case 10 is moved onto the conveyor 44 by the collecting robot 45. Collection is performed, and then a new parts case 10 is supplied on the conveyor 41 by the loading robot 42.

In the assembly line 48 adjacent to the assembly line 48 described above, the flow is in the opposite direction. That is, the empty parts case 10 is collected by the collection robot 45 from the empty cart 16 that has been transferred from the terminal end of the upper working path section 11 onto the lifting platform 35 of the first lifting path section 13, and the empty parts case 10 is loaded. A new parts case 10 is loaded by the robot 42. Then, the trolley 16 descends together with the lifting platform 35, travels along the lower return path section 12, and transfers onto the lifting platform 38 of the second lifting path section 14.

Next, with the lifting platform 38 raised so that the cart 16 faces the upper work path section 11, the vehicle body 18 lifted by the second transfer device 87 is lowered together with the lifting device 50 as described above, and the cart 16 is moved to the upper working path portion 11. Stack on top of 16. Then, while the trolley 16 is traveling on the upper work path portion 11 with the hanger device 84 raised and retracted, the assembly work for the vehicle body 18 is performed as described above.

Thereafter, the car body 18 is moved by the first transfer device 80 from above the cart 16 that has reached the terminal end of the upper work path section 11.
is lifted up. As a result, the empty cart 16 rides onto the lifting platform 35 of the first lifting route section 13, thereby returning to the initial state.

In this way, parts supplied from one side can be assembled while the vehicle body 18 is moved in a meandering manner in the work equipment in which the upper work path portions 11 are arranged closely in parallel. When transferring the vehicle body 18 between the assembly lines 48 using the transfer devices 80 and 87 as described above, by unloading the vehicle body 18 and transferring it to another support device 50, the vehicle body 18 is The support device 50 can be replaced with a support device 50 having an optimal structure for weight.

[0040] In the above embodiment, a type in which the trolley 16 is used as the transport device 17 is shown, but this may be an overhead type, a self-propelled type supported and guided by a ceiling rail or a floor rail, or a type guided and guided on the floor. It may also be in the form of a self-propelled trolley.

In the above embodiment, a combination of a movable body 60 and a cylinder device 62 was shown as the elevating device 61, but this may be of a type using a screw jack or a type using a rack and pinion. Good too.

In the above embodiment, high pressure air is stored in the pressure storage tank 60 as a driving source, but this may be done by loading a liquefied nitrogen cylinder onto the truck 16 and incorporating it into the operating piping device 63. Further, the driving source may be a battery, a combination of a battery and an air system, or a type in which an operator steps on a pedal of a hydraulic lift.

[0043]

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention having the above structure, the supporting device that supports and integrates the work to be assembled via the supporting portion can be loaded onto the conveying device by the transfer device at a predetermined location in the working path portion. Can be sold wholesale. By operating a predetermined lifting device in the loaded state, the object to be assembled can be tilted in any direction.

In other words, by operating the lifting operation section on the work section to raise each movable body, the object to be assembled can be tilted in any direction depending on the difference in the amount of rise of each movable object, and the object to be assembled can be tilted in any direction. Objects can be raised to a desired level and then tilted. Therefore, it is possible to perform various assembly operations on inclined objects to be assembled from above the work section without having to follow the object, and it is easy to perform various assembly operations on objects to be assembled that are being transported by a transport device such as a trolley. can be done without getting tired.

Furthermore, the support device can be loaded and unloaded from the conveyance device while being integrated with the object to be assembled, and the support device can be easily separated from the object to be assembled, and the separated support device is compact and easy to use. can be handled. As a result, it is possible to take out and repair only a compact member such as a support device without repairing the conveyance device such as a cart, and it is also possible to easily replace the support device that is most suitable for the weight of the object to be assembled.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention in a supported and conveyed state.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the same supporting and conveying state.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the elevating device section.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the elevating device section.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing the piping state of the lifting device section.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of the assembly line.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway plan view of the same.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the assembly equipment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Automatic warehouse (parts storage device) 3
Shelf 5 Loading/unloading device 10 Parts case 11 Upper work path section 12 Lower return path section 15 Circulation path 16 Dolly 17 Transport device 18 Vehicle body (object to be assembled) 21 Recess 23 Work section 40 Parts supply section 43 Case recovery section 48 Assembly line 50 Support Device 51 Base body 52 Lifting device 53 Support portion 54 Lifting operation portion 55 Pin 56 Engagement recess 57 Fixed body 60 Movable body 61 Lifting actuation device 62 Cylinder device 63 Operation piping device 64 Positioning pin 80 First transfer device 84 Hanger device 86 Engagement pin 87 Second transfer device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A conveyance device that forms a working path section, a support device that can be placed on the side of the conveyance device, and a base that can be placed on the side of the conveyance device, and a support device that can be placed on the side of the conveyance device; Consisting of a plurality of elevating devices arranged on a base body, a supporting part for an assembled object provided on the upper part of these elevating devices, and a lifting operation part for the elevating device provided on the base body,
The conveyance system is characterized in that a working section is formed on the side of the conveyance device in which a worker can freely board, and a transfer device is provided on the side of the work path section for transferring the assembled object to the conveyance device together with a support device. Equipment used for assembly.