JPH04310382A - Self-travelling truck with work posture changing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable easy handling in a short action range by rotating/moving a rotary table so as to turn a robot provided on a self-travelling truck or outside in the easy-to-handle direction. CONSTITUTION:A rotary table with a robot 2 and workpieces 4-4'' mounted thereto is installed at the upper part of a self-travelling truck 1. With the turning of the rotary table 3, the workpieces 4-4'' are moved into positions easy for a robot 2 or a person to handle. The positioning of plural workpieces 4-4'' into the easy-to-handle positions in the specified stop stations is performed by commands from a control device built in the self-travelling truck 1. The teaching of handling can be thereby performed simply with a short arm.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a transportation system in which a workpiece is loaded and transported on a self-propelled vehicle, and the posture of the workpiece being loaded and transported on the self-propelled vehicle is automatically changed on the self-propelled vehicle. Then, the robot installed outside the self-propelled vehicle at the self-propelled vehicle stop position,
Alternatively, it can be easily handled within a short range of motion by a robot mounted on a self-propelled vehicle. Furthermore, the handling entity may be a human being or a simple delivery device rather than a robot.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a transportation system using a self-propelled vehicle, workpieces are transferred between the self-propelled vehicle and the outside by hand or handling equipment such as a robot. When a workpiece is to be mounted over a large area in such a transport system, it becomes necessary for the person carrying the workpiece to move around the workpiece, or for the workpiece to be mounted by a robot with a long arm. for example,
Although there is a method in which the robot slides on a self-propelled vehicle to approach the work station as in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-135451, the relationship between the workpiece mounted on the self-propelled vehicle and the robot is in a position that facilitates handling. There is nothing that has the ability to convert.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the first and second prior art techniques do not take into account the following points. That is, in the first prior art, the workpiece stand provided on the self-propelled vehicle is a mere stand and does not have the function of changing its posture. Therefore, when a plurality of such workpieces are mounted, a handling mechanism that can reach all of the plurality of workpieces is required. Therefore, a large-sized handling device such as a robot is required to be installed externally or on the self-propelled vehicle.

[0004] The second conventional technique allows the posture of each workpiece to be changed three-dimensionally, and is effective for objects that require posture change during delivery. However, it does not have the ability to change the mounting position of multiple workpieces so that even small robots can handle them. Therefore, in this case as well, handling is not possible unless a large robot is installed externally or on the self-propelled vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece mounting mechanism that allows a plurality of workpieces to be mounted on a self-propelled vehicle and handled without the need for a small robot or human to move around the workpieces.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The workpiece mounting mechanism of the present invention has a function of moving and positioning the workpieces to a position where they can be easily handled by a robot or a human by rotating the workpiece mounting mechanism on which a plurality of workpieces are mounted. I set it. The plurality of workpieces are positioned at a predetermined stopping station in a posture that makes it easy to handle the workpieces, based on commands from a control device built into the self-propelled vehicle.

[0007]

[Operation] In the mechanism of the present invention, a plurality of workpiece stands to be mounted on a self-propelled vehicle are selected according to the workpieces to be delivered at each work station, and positioned at positions where they can be easily handled. This allows robots or humans to handle it much more easily than with conventional techniques.

[0008]

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. A rotary table 3 on which a robot 2 and works 4, 4', and 4'' are mounted is installed on the top of the self-propelled vehicle 1. The work 4'' has already been gripped by the robot 2 from the rotary table 3. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the structure of the rotary table 3. The rotary table 3 has a cam follower arc ~7''(7'', 7
The pulse motor 8 is fixed to the frame 9 and connected to rotate the rotary table 3. In Fig. 3, workpieces 4 to 4''(4'' are omitted) are positioned by positioning jigs 5 to 5''(5'' is omitted) provided on the top surface of the rotary table 3. Workpiece 4 handled by
This is an example of a work station 10 where 4"' is delivered.The work station 10 includes positioning jigs 11, 11.
' is placed. The work station 10 has functions such as processing the workpiece 4 or storing and storing the workpiece 4, for example.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. When the self-propelled vehicle 1 stops in front of the work station 10, the robot 2 first takes out the workpiece 4'' from the positioning jig 5'' on the rotary table 3 and moves it to the positioning jig 11 of the work station 10 in a predetermined posture. put on top. Then, the robot 2 returns to the self-propelled vehicle 1 side to pick up the next workpiece 4". During this time, the rotary table
It is rotated 90 degrees by W. Therefore, robot 2 takes out workpiece 4 in exactly the same way as it took out workpiece 4"'.
Then, the workpiece 4'' is placed on the positioning jig 11' on the work station 10. In this way, the robot 2 can take out the workpieces 4 to 4"' in the same posture.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the robot 2 is fixed not on the self-propelled vehicle 1 but on the work station 10 side. The self-propelled vehicle 1 then travels with the workpieces 4 to 4"' placed on the rotary table 3 shown in FIG. 2. The operation in this case will be explained. It stops in front of the work station 10. The robot 2 first takes out the workpiece 4'' from the rotary table 3 and places it on the positioning jig 11 on the work station.Then, the robot 2 moves to the self-propelled vehicle to pick up the next workpiece 4''. During this time, in the self-propelled vehicle 1, the rotary table 3 is connected to the pulse motor 8.
The robot 2 is rotated 90 degrees CCW and moved to the position where the previously taken out workpiece 4'' was.Then, the robot 2 grips the workpiece 4'' in exactly the same motion as when it took out the workpiece 4''. Then, it is transported to the positioning jig 11 above the work station 10.

Further, in FIG. 2, the method for rotationally positioning the rotary table 3 is not limited to the pulse motor 8, but various means such as a servo motor and an index unit can be used.

0012

According to the present invention, the robot 2 sequentially places the workpieces 4 to 4'' at the most convenient location on the rotary table 3.
Since the position is determined by the short arm, it is easy to teach handling. Also, take out workpieces 4 to 4'' from the work station side and
Similarly, when placing the workpiece on the positioning jig 5 to 5'' on the rotary table 3, a short arm is sufficient and teaching is easy.In the case of four workpieces, the teaching time is one quarter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the rotary table of the present invention;

[Fig. 3] Perspective view of the work station;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Self-propelled car, 2...Robot, 3...Rotary table, 4-4
"'... Workpiece, 5-5"'... Positioning jig, 8... Pulse motor, 10... Work station, 11, 11'... Positioning jig.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A workpiece mounted on a self-propelled vehicle is rotated and moved by a work posture changing mechanism provided on the self-propelled vehicle,
A self-propelled vehicle having a workpiece posture changing mechanism, characterized in that a robot provided on or outside the self-propelled vehicle handles the workpiece in a direction that is easy to handle. 2. The self-propelled vehicle with a robot according to claim 1, having a workpiece posture changing mechanism in which a handling robot is mounted on the self-propelled vehicle. 3. The self-propelled vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, having a workpiece conversion mechanism for changing the posture of the workpiece by rotating or moving it within a two-dimensional plane.